A large contingent of family, friends, fans and sponsors gathered at Willy’s on the Water in Big Lake, on June 3 for a “Watch Party” that featured Eleanor Stanley on the local news.

Eleanor, who is the seven-year-old daughter of Jake and Sasha Stanley of Zimmerman and a Big Lake Elementary student, is a Champion Off-road Side X Side Racer and she was introduced to her home state on KSTP-TV news that night as a dedicated, rising star in kid’s racing, . Eleanor races a Polaris 170 stock side-by-side that can reach speeds of over 30 miles per hour, competing against other racers, sometimes over 30 cars at a time, all ages 6-12 years who are predominantly boys.

Eleanor’s handle is ‘Donut’s with Eleanor’ because she loves to do donuts and eat them! 

“I really like the whoops and the jumps — It’s like, where there’s little bumps smooshed together,” Eleanor told KSTP’s Alec Asmus, while being interviewed at her home track, ERX Motor Park in Elk River.

Eleanor’s Mom was asked how she and her husband could bear watching their seven-year-old drive in a race car in a competitive way. 

“Dad is pretty calm, cool and collected, said Sasha. “Mom (me), is not so much, so Mom’s on the side lines breathing like once a minute!”

Last year (2023) was Eleanor’s first year competing at age six, and she not only won the Yokohama Hard Charger award at ERX during the Off-Road Nationals in July, but ultimately Won Rookie of the year and Points Champion in the I.O.D.A Race Series. Mom, Sasha said, “She killed it, she blew us away!” 

In doing so, Eleanor has picked up multiple sponsors, including several local businesses such as, Midwest Bus Parts (where her Dad works), Dan’s of Big Lake, Moon Motorsports, Avery’s Adventures, Nice Storytelling and Northern Diesel  Blunt Wraps Graphics Co. — who happens to be responsible for the pink ‘Donut’s’ wrap on her vehicle. Another important sponsor is Eleanor’s very proud Grandma and one of her biggest fans, Stacey Stanley from Real Broker, LLC Real Estate.

Eleanor is competing in the CHAMP Off-Road Racing series and has a full schedule this year that includes a return visit, July 12-13, to her favorite, hometown track at ERX Motor Park Park for the 2024 Off-Road Nationals. Fans can follow her story on Facebook at ‘Donut’s with Eleanor’.