Summer Heat

Proof that the kid can work on his own kart!! Under supervision, of course!

Hunter holding up his $winnings$ from Saturday night

NTK hosted the final Summer Sidewinder Series race this past Saturday night. And it was hot - 109 at some point in the afternoon/evening - and the digital read out in the truck said 100 at 10:00. Isn't it supposed to cool off when the sun goes down? Well, technically, I guess it did...a little.

We debated on the necessity of racing in this heat - and since Hunter ended up being the only one from his class in attendance, but given that he is racing in the next round of regional races this coming weekend, and Scott had just rebuilt the carburetor, he needed to get some time in on the kart. The race director coupled our class (and the Yamaha class we usually run with) with another class that have faster engines than ours. But Hunter loved it. It was unusual to see him start at the back of the pack, but even though his engine isn't as fast as the others in that class, that boy kept up pretty well! It was a good race for our Yamaha friend, Ryan, as well! Maybe they needed that extra challenge - don't get lapped!!

It was a good night to run some different set-ups and we feel ready to go to Katy and run the regional races. It will most certainly be hot there...not looking forward to that, but I am looking forward to seeing what Hunter can do on his 2nd trip to Katy!

Wish us all luck and to keep cool!!

Entitlements or Privilege

This past Saturday, Hunter had another Summer race at NTK. We were hoping to have some more drivers in his class show up, but something must have happened - life - to prevent them from showing up. But that's okay...we had fun anyway! We're still trying to figure out some mechanical things with Hunter's kart, but he was still able to overcome our shortcomings and win anyway. The kid knows how to drive that kart!!

I read a blog from a Pastor friend of mine the other day regarding the spirit of entitlements that has seem to become such a cultural thing for us. In explaining this to Hunter, I asked him, "am I entitled to sleep in my nice, cushy bed each night?" And the answer is no, I am privileged to sleep in a bed, own a car, own my home, etc., but not entitled to it. Perhaps we should get back to that thinking.

In regards to our racing lives, we are not entitled to have a class full of drivers to race against, but view it as a privilege to be able to race at all. And there was a lot of great races going on Saturday night.

We'll be gearing up the rest of this month getting ready for the next round of regional racing for Hunter in August - all the while reminding ourselves of the privilege and blessing it is to have these opportunities!

Sometimes, You Serve

Hunter was supposed to race yesterday, but due to family vacations, Summer heat, and broken parts, Hunter's class wasn't in force yesterday. One of his class mates was there, but was having some really bad breaking issues, and considering that brakes may be something you'd actually need in racing (read the sarcasm), we all made the decision to roll our entries over to next week's race instead of running last night.

So, instead, we served. Everything at our track is volunteer run. If we don't have volunteers, we don't run. I usually volunteer to work in registration before the race, but since Hunter ended up not running, instead of leaving and having an early evening home, Scott volunteered to work a corner for the race...so the other karters would be able to race.

Then during our break, we both helped out with all the guests (and we had a lot of new people) trying out the club Kid Kart, Cadet, and Adult demo karts. They all had a great time and LOVED the track and the karts.

Sometimes, you race, sometimes, you serve.

Stay After It

Read in an interview with 2011 Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne, regarding something 5 time Sprint Cup Champion, Jimmie Johnson told him...

"He said, you've just got to stay hungry and stay after it," Bayne said. "And don't think that you don't have to work hard because you're good. Because there's somebody down the road that's working harder than you are, they might be better than you are eventually if they keep doing that. So you've got to keep working harder than the next guy, and I think he does a good job with that."

Hunter raced at NTK last Saturday night for the first of four Summer Sidewinder Series races. He decided before the race that he wanted to try to break the NTK club track record for his class. The record, as it stands, is 41.09 seconds (fastest lap time in TAG Cadet Gazelle), and in the regional series race we had at NTK, Hunter did run faster than that with a 40.5 lap time. But, since that race was not a "NTK Club" race, the time could not count for a club record.

The Sidewinder Series does not count for club records either, but that didn't stop him from wanting to try for the record. And with all the limitations put on him with his kart - worn tires, worn sprockets, no competitor on his tail pushing him or him drafting another kart, he was just 2 tenths of a second off the record.

He came out of his kart with a 1st place win, but disappointed in himself, saying "I know I can do better. I'll do better next time." We were proud of him for trying...for pushing himself with the equipment he had...for not giving up due to circumstances, but keeping on.

Because if he didn't keep trying, someone else would. Like "Mr. 5 Time" says, Stay After It!

Spring Champion!!

We just wrapped up our Spring racing series with 7 races and Hunter has won the Spring Series Championship!! We are so proud of him - he has really learned a lot this season and improved his driving so much that he is getting a lot of attention from others around us.

When other friends were moving to another engine package for this year, we made the decision to stay where we are for now and in retrospect, it was such the right decision. Hunter has become the driver that the other younger drivers look up to - want to model themselves after. I've heard so many Dads telling their young drivers, "now, watch how Hunter takes that corner," or "see how smooth Hunter is driving," etc... The kids he races with have him as a target to reach, a goal to chase down and pass...eventually. And we know, that will come - we were in their position last year and now look at him!

We will start our four race Summer series this month. This series won't be for championship points, but for cash...maybe pay for some parts! We'll restart the points series back up at the end of August with our 7 race Fall series.

We'd love to have you come visit the track and watch Hunter (and all the others, too!) race. Next up: Saturday, June 25 at 6PM. Come see the Blue Bolt in action!

It's a Hot One!

Happy 10th Birthday, Hunter!!!

So, I'm hearing that besides having a record breaking drought, the Houston area was also having record breaking heat this weekend. Great. Glad we could be here for it. But the scorching heat aside, we could not be more proud of our son! Hunter's character was really shining this weekend.

After a heartbreaking wreck to knock Hunter and Michael from the first place podium finish on Saturday, Hunter still ended up with a 2nd place trophy and points (thank you, God, for small classes this time out, right?) because during the back and forth battle with Michael, Hunter crossed the start/finish line ahead of Michael right before the wreck by .0014 of a second...or something really, really close like that.

So on Sunday, Michael's Dad was ready. He worked to find more power for Michael in that engine, changing out carburetors (said he went through 3 of them). On the other hand, we have one. One engine, one carb, one of just about everything. So I told Hunter that we had the engine as tuned as it was going to get...the rest was up to him. AND HE DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

His times in the final heat were consistently faster than Michaels and he was reeling Michael in. If Hunter hadn't gotten a slow start - something going on with our clutch, we think - and if he could've gotten ahead of Michael at the start, I'm not sure M would've been able to catch him. But, it is what it is, and Hunter raced his heart out. The problem came when Michael and Hunter came upon lapped traffic of the other class of racers with us and Michael managed to get around them, but Hunter got bogged up in their traffic and lost valuable ground (the picture is the effect of close bumping and passing in that traffic). So, we joyfully took home a 2nd place finish.

Hunter told me later that he was okay with that. This was Michael's home track and just like Hunter got a win at NTK, his home track, Michael needed a win at his. The boys were all high-fiving each other and congratulating on the great racing and running off to hang out together.

When Hunter accepted his Saturday trophy, he was asked who he'd like to thank. At this time, we'd heard the obligatory "sponsor" and "team" thank you's being doled out, but Hunter thanked God. "I want to thank God for keeping us all safe out there."

I love that boy.

Tomorrow....

Tomorrow, tomorrow, how I love ya, tomorrow, you're only a day away!!

We are in Katy, TX for races #5 and #6 of the SWRC series. We practiced all day long yesterday in this hot, hot, heat trying out different setups- gearing mostly, since this is our first time at this track. As we are discovering more about our boy, he does not disappoint. He suited up and ran everything we threw at him. After practice, we ate pizza and went swimming with our racing buddies.

Today started good. Hunter had a good qualifying time and started 2nd in the pre-final. During the pre-final heat, he and his main competitor, Michael, battled it out for the lead, but with two laps to go, Hunter claimed the lead and kept it!

Starting the final heat on the pole, he got off to a bad start and Michael tool the lead. But Hunter would catch and pass him on the straight-away then Michael would get him back on the 1st corner. We thought we were in for 16 laps of this until...

Battling for the lead around that corner, neither of them were giving up space and they bumped, broke both their chains and split the track.

Hunter was okay with it...its just racin', he says, and they were racing hard, but Michael was devastated.

Of course, now, they are both hanging out together in someone's air conditioned trailer.

I wonder if they have room for Mom?