READY TO RIDE—NASCAR racer Tony Stewart visits with Bryce Tory, 4, when the boy visited the Texas Motor Speedway. What 4-year-old wouldn’t want to speed around a raceway at 200 miles an hour? Bryce Tory didn’t quite get to do that, but he did get to meet a NASCAR driver who does—Dale Earnhardt Jr.

That had been Bryce’s wish, and the youngster, who has congenital heart disease, saw it come true, thanks to Make-A-Wish Foundation of the Tri-Counties.

On Nov. 5 the Simi Valley boy and his parents left for a weekend trip to meet the famous race car driver, considered by many to be the young face of NASCAR.

The morning of their departure, a limousine picked up Bryce and his parents, Yvonne and David, to take them to the airport. A police motorcycle and fire truck convoy escorted the family to the freeway onramp.

“Bryce thought it was very cool,” said his mother. “He liked the limo, too.”

WISHES COME TRUE—Dale Earnhardt Jr. visits with Bryce, Yvonne and David Tory. That morning the family met with racing superstar Earnhardt at the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth for about 25 minutes.

Bryce, who had dressed as the race car driver for Halloween, asked Earnhardt several questions and shook hands with him. Bryce wanted to know how fast the cars could go. Earnhardt told him 185 to 200 mph, depending on track conditions.

Bryce and his favorite driver share a passion for video games, something the boy learned when he asked the driver what he did to relax in his spare time.

Bryce also wanted to know how old Earnhardt was when he first drove a go-cart.

“Dale answered that he was 12 years old at the time. Bryce told him he was ‘almost 5’ when he first drove a go-cart,” Yvonne Tory said.

Bryce wasn’t kidding. His first go-cart ride was at MB2 Raceway in Newbury Park on Nov. 1, where Make-A-Wish surprised the family by announcing he’d get to meet Earnhardt.

At the Texas racetrack, Bryce got up close and personal with Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet.

He told the driver his name was on the roof of the car because “Mommy signed my name up to be on your car.”

Bryce and his family also spent some time with another NASCAR star, Tony Stewart. Racing officials also asked Bryce’s dad to drive one of the pickup trucks that ferry the drivers around the track before the race. Bryce and his mother rode along as David Tory escorted driver Bobby Labonte, who stood in the bed of the trunk and waved to the crowd.

Bryce is a student at Simi Covenant Preschool. He got his passion for racing from his mother.

“My parents were NASCAR fans, so I grew up watching races, and when Dave and I got married, he started watching,” Yvonne Tory said. “Then Bryce was born, and he started watching. Dale became his favorite racer.”

Bryce’s parents learned he had a heart defect during a routine ultrasound. Bryce was born in 2004 with only two heart chambers. He’s had three major surgeries since then, the most recent in July at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

“We didn’t even know if he was going to make it through the surgeries,” said his mother. “Now that we’re four months past the last surgery, his cardiologist said he’s pretty much out of the woods.”

Bryce’s progress will be monitored during regular medical visits. His prognosis is hopeful and positive, his mother said.

Back at home, Bryce is full of energy and, like his beloved race cars, all revved up.

“He’s a very happy, outgoing, curious boy,” Yvonne said. “He was never able to run around before. Since the surgery, Bryce is constantly on the move.”