She often leaves the boys eating her dirt.

Meet Brittany Schreiber, a fast and furious competitor on four wheels.

“I got the need for speed,” said the quietly confident Auburn girl, a regional race champion who turns 12 today. “Yeah, I beat (the boys).

“It’s kind of weird,” said Brittany, who will be a seventh-grader at Mt. Baker Middle School this fall. “The people I race against on the track are my friends. But on the track, it’s all business. We all want to beat each other.”

Behind the handle bars of her mini quad machine, Brittany wins regularly on the local circuit. She captured the Northwest Quad Nationals 90-cc B Class title last year on the strength of nine wins in 14 races. She already has five victories this season in her bid to repeat as super series points champion, and remains in contention as the only girl in pursuit of a 90-cc open class title.

A racer since 9, Brittany is competitive – she plays volleyball at her school – and skilled on the rugged track.

She also is sweet and precociously articulate. When she isn’t donning the goggles and padded race suit, Brittany serves as the reigning Princess for the City of Pacific.

“Brittany has brought more notoriety and helped put Pacific on the map,” mayor Richard Hildreth said. “She has done more for this city than any other princess.”

Brittany, who stands 4-foot-8 and weighs just less than 50 pounds, is on the fast track to turning pro someday.

“She loves the thrill of racing,” said her mother, Lori Patterson. “Where else can an 11-year-old drive by herself going 60 mph? Hopefully this will make it safer when she’s old enough to drive a car.”

So far, Brittany has avoided a serious spill. The fact she races on four wheels instead of two is more of a comfort to mom and daughter.

“Two wheels are a lot more scarier because you have to balance a lot more,” Brittany said.

Added Patterson, “If you wear the proper gear, know your quad and know your own abilities, it is safe.”

But even the properly equipped and seasoned pilot can experience an unexpected explosive launch off the starting line. At a recent race, Brittany popped a “wheelie” out of the starting gate and held it to the holeshot, a spot given to the rider who is the first one through the first turn.

“Yeah, I felt like I was going on a roller coaster up a hill,” Brittany said of the adventure aboard her DRR (DeCuzzi Race Ready) quad.

The local quad racing circuit is a tight-knit group, where racing families converge for some clean fun in the dirt. The group practices and preaches safety first.

Brittany and the club even came out on a recent weekend to put on a quad safety fair at the Pacific City Park, an event backed by Hinshaw’s Honda and Puyallup Power Sports.

Supported by her parents – including her father Quentin Ray – Brittany got turned onto racing through the support of Patterson’s sister, Cheryl Taylor.

Dad serves as the crew chief and top mechanic.

Taylor, whose daughter Missy is a national champion rider herself, operates eXtreme Mini Quads NW, a large provider for sales, products and services in the custom building of mini racer and recreational quads. Taylor’s company supports many race teams, including Brittany’s quad.

Taylor saw a determined girl who had the passion to race.

“Just the drive,” Taylor said. “She wants it and goes out there and gets it.”

And she’s someone who doesn’t like to lose.

“Well, she really has all the boys angry,” Patterson said with a smile.