Pedro Cueto’s world has revolved around racing since he was born. The 10-year-old’s first word was “car,” his favorite toys were Hot Wheels, his role model is four-time Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen, and his dream is to one day win the 24 Hours of Le Mans, an endurance race held annually in France.

“I would say if there’s motorsport in a person, it’s brewing in this kid,” his father Pedro Cueto Sr. said.

So when they got the news four years ago that Pedro had been diagnosed with Ewings Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, and would need 14 rounds of five different types of chemo, they knew only one thing would help motivate him to fight: racing.

Pedro’s hospital room at Colorado Children’s Hospital doubled as a racing simulator. From his hospital bed, he raced his family members on Mario Kart, spent hours on PlayStation’s Formula 1 game and drove remote control cars in the hallways. After his chemo was complete and he had a metal rod surgically installed to replace his right femur, Pedro was in remission.

“It’s been near constant surgeries, revisions, physical therapy five days a week and a lot of the physical therapy was very painful like forced stretching because he would form so much scar tissue. We were in this constant battle against scar tissue,” said Laetitia Doets, Pedro’s mother. “A lot of pain. He gets injections twice a week. It’s been a lot.”

She continued, “It’s hard when you’re doing painful things day in and day out and for him, his motivator has always been driving.”

The desire to get back on the track has helped Pedro — who lives in Arvada but goes to school in Boulder — fight through cancer, an internal prothesis and then an amputation. With hopes of once again racing this new year, the 10-year-old is now hoping to raise money for a new adaptive go-kart.‘I definitely started believing in myself more after that race’

In February, prior to his amputation, Pedro received his first go-kart from The Make-A-Wish Foundation.

He went to the track to do some laps, when the facility’s owner approached his parents and encouraged him to try racing in the state championship. Pedro was still weak from finishing chemo in June 2023 as well as the alternative treatment and blood-letting procedures that followed but he still signed up for the championship.

In April, he found himself at the starting line of his first championship race. It was his third time ever being in a go-kart, but he went on to win five out of the eight races with second place in two others. Within a year, Pedro had not only beat cancer, but he was a go-karting state champion.

But Pedro didn’t stop there. He qualified for the Superkarts! USA Supernationals, a race that Doets said drivers spend years trying to qualify for. On Nov. 17, Pedro’s parents watched from trackside as he passed karters one by one. He placed 25th out of 46 drivers.

“It’s a huge job,” Cueto Sr. said about Supernats. “I mean, we’re talking about a different engine, different chassis, 46 drivers, barriers, it’s a parking lot, there’s no grip. It was like, ‘Well, you can only learn by throwing him to the wolves,’ and he did such a spectacular job.”

“I was really happy to see how good I was and I definitely started believing in myself more after that race,” Pedro said.

But three days after Supernats in Las Vegas, Pedro was back in the hospital.

In an effort to stop mounting issues with the internal prosthesis, Pedro often had repeat surgeries and procedures that included ablating nerves, shaving down his tibial bone, removing scar tissue, removing and resetting his prothesis, receiving Botox and enduring forced manual stretching daily, according to Doets.

The ongoing issues led doctors to decide that it would be easier for him to have it amputated.

With go-karts — including the one he received from the Make A Wish Foundation — being manual, Pedro has been unable to drive since the amputation on Nov. 20

‘Shoot for your goals. Never give up’

Doets said Pedro’s passion for racing was only strengthened by how his internal prosthesis limited his access in other sports.

“It was just never working for him. He couldn’t walk very well, he wasn’t able to run or ride a bike let alone anything else,” Doets said. “I think that’s why go-karting meant so much to him and continues to, because the things that little boys should be doing, he wasn’t able to. On the track, that’s like wings for him.”

On two occasions, Pedro had a big race the day after a surgery.

“Pedro will have a surgery and then the next day be flying in racing while still working off the anesthesia,” Cueto Sr. said.

Doets said his team at the children’s hospital would cut slits into his cast so they he could take it off to race and then his parents could Velcro it back on next to the track.

“We’ve showed up and people have been like, “Oh wow, parents nowadays are crazy. Like the kid has a broken leg! And they’re letting him drive? They’re making him drive?” Cueto Sr. said. “So a lot of people will be like, ‘So how is it being a father pushing your kid and motivating him?’ and I’m like, ‘Honestly, I want him to quit but he’s not going to quit.’”

“He’s pushing us!” Doets said.

Despite the setback, Pedro is set on getting back on track with an adaptive kart.

In an effort to afford the necessary modifications, which will include a hand throttle, Pedro is accepting donations through his GoFundMe page. He hopes to be competing again at a national level by the end of January.

“It started as a hobby, and he’s turning it into a professional career,” Cueto Sr. said.

In addition to the adaptive kart, Pedro is on the hunt for a sponsorship. His parents said he is looking to have a “back and forth relationship” with a business as a sponsor where he can reciprocate with track events, advertising on his go-kart or social media promotions. Those looking to sponsor Pedro’s race can on his OpenFender webpage.

“He’s really made a world for himself in karting and we’re just along for the ride,” Doets said.

With plans underway to get a prosthesis leg fit, Pedro is gearing up to race in the Challenge of The Americas, which involving racing in Arizona, Utah and California; the Superkarts! USA Pro Tour, in Texas, Ohio and Indiana; The Rotax West in Arizona; The Rotax Finals; and the Superkarts! USA Supernats in Las Vegas.

Pedro is also hopeful that he’ll qualify for the WSK series in Italy.

“He dreamed of this for so many years and then got to live it out despite 101 reasons he shouldn’t get to live it out and worked his butt off for it,” Doets said. “Just day in and day out, (he) never gives up, eats, breathes and sleeps it … It’s literally all done through happiness.”

Not only does Pedro share go-karting videos on his Instagram but he raises awareness for drivers with disabilities. Pedro’s parents said they’ve connected with other disabled athletes who have helped them adapt the go-kart and provided support to their son.

Cueto Sr. encouraged others in similar positions to Pedro to reach out to their community and reach out to them via social media.

“Shoot for your goals,” Pedro said when asked about his advice to other kids with disabilities.

“Never give up.”