There's nothing that would make Patrick Fellows happier than to lace up his skates for his beloved Toronto Maple Leafs, but it also makes him feel just a bit guilty.
Although the 17-year-old rookie left winger for the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters just might live his dad's childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League, his on-ice success came at the cost of turning his back on motor racing.
It happened after one of his first kart races, when a nine-year-old Patrick had a serious talk with his racing driver father, Ron.
"Dad, I just don't love racing like you do. I really love hockey. Is that okay?" he confessed that day.
His father, Ron Fellows, is one of this country's most successful drivers, with three American Le Mans Series class titles to his name plus class wins at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24, and 12 Hours of Sebring, as well as victories in NASCAR trucks and Nationwide Series.
Despite the possibility that dad's racing talent was passed on, it looks like the son made the right choice. Fellows was a seventh round pick of the Erie Otters in 2013 and made the team this year.
"Dad always tells me that his first love was hockey and he can live vicariously through me, so I don't feel as bad anymore. It's pretty cool," laughed Fellows who is NHL draft eligible in June.
"We send each other texts about what's going on during Leafs games and the dream definitely would be to play for my hometown team. That would be awesome."
So far this season, the third-line penalty-killing specialist Fellows has two goals and two assists in 23 games. The lanky Fellows models himself after Maple Leafs winger James van Riemsdyk and wears the No. 21 just like his favourite NHLer.
While he may be one of this country's most accomplished sports car racers, Ron Fellows has also had Maple Leaf blue and white flowing through his veins for as long as he can remember.
"It's neat stuff," Fellows said when asked about his son's career trajectory.
"His pursuit has been hockey and he's just gotten better every year. That's his focus right now and we will see if an opportunity comes up later on."
Fellows knows a bit about patience and hard work after putting his racing career on hold many years ago when his debts demanded that he hang up his helmet and earn some money. He spent nine years working construction on a natural gas pipeline — and repaid every cent — before General Motors called in 1986 and offered him a full-time ride in the Players GM Challenge Series.
Fellows also hopes he passed along that life-lesson in earning success to Patrick and his two older children, daughter Lindsay, an account manager with marketing firm Geometry Global and elder son Sam, who is studying journalism at Ottawa's Carleton University.
When it comes to Patrick, perseverance is just one instance of racing-inspired advice from his father that has served the aspiring hockey star well.
"Dad went through many of the same kinds of things in his career that I have on the ice, even though he was in a different sport — you have to stay positive and keep working on it because it's a marathon and not a sprint," he said.
"And who knows," he added through a chuckle, "maybe nine years in professional hockey will pay for my racing career."
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Jeff Pappone