So, it's been a while. I've slacked off on the job of keeping Hunter's blog up. I guess it's because we went from "another 3rd place finish" to "HOLY COW! Where did THAT kid come from?!?"We finished out the Spring season with a solid 3rd place finish. At least it's a podium trophy for the season, but this is what we looked like in Kid Karts, too...middle of the pack.
Our track hosted a benefit race for Kali's Cure for Paralysis over two days in mid-May. Scott and I decided to enter Hunter in these races. It was a decision because even though the Saturday race was for trophies, the Sunday race was for cash and we just didn't want to deal
with that kind of pressure - money races seem to be a little more intense. So come the Saturday race, we just sent him out there in pre-finals with a kiss, a high five and a "do your best". First place ran away from him, but oh, what a race it was with Hunter and the 3rd place driver. It was so close a finish, I was practically crawling over the fence, but it set Hunter up to start on the front line for the final heat.
Then it happened....
The final heat started and Hunter FLEW in front of the pack and STAYED there. I was down the fence line because I was nervous for him to hold on to 2nd place and the kid up and went in front to hold onto 1st!! The other boys were on his tail the entire time, but just couldn't find a way to get around him on the corners and Hunter would pull away from them on the straights. This Mommy was coming unglued at the fence watching this take
place.
I found out later that I was almost as much of the show as the drivers were - first time Mommy win and all! Well, my baby did it and held on to his 1st place finish. A first place trophy for Hunter - for real!!
Then on Sunday - the money race - we weren't that nervous. You know, we had the win on Saturday, so whatever happens on Sunday is fine. But do you know what? That little boy went out and won again - pre-final and final heats. And won $300 for his efforts! Where did this kid come from?
So all of that happened then we took him to the track to practice for the first Summer series race. At NTK, we reverse the direction of the track for our Summer races. So, picture it if you will - Mom and Dad coming of this high of Son winning two races back to back and we get him on the track again - in a different direction - and blah. Slow times and sloppy corners. *Sigh* It's like running a new track, so we figured it'd take him most of the season to come along.
Then last weekend at Summer 1 -- his times dropped to where they were for the Kali's Cure races, and he was keeping up with the leader and the others couldn't get around him. And for the final - Luck! The leader dropped his chain and was out of the race and Hunter ended up with another 1st place finish!
We've got a lot of work to do on his corners still, but wow! He is starting to really turn on the heat!!
