Above All...Drive Smart

After racing hard in the Fall 5 race and falling just short of a win, we were told by some friends that Hunter's kart just didn't sound like it was pulling the power it needed. We had the top end of the engine rebuilt before the first race of 2011 - which was in January.

So, after a short conversation with our engine builder, we shipped it off to have it done inside a weeks time. The engine was delivered to us on Friday before the race with the shock and wonderment of how Hunter could have possibly done as well as he had - winning the races in SWRC as he did and the championship - with the condition that motor is in. George had replaced the piston and rings, but told us that as soon as we completed our last races, he needs it back to do the bottom end of the motor. Again, the curiosity of how Hunter did it.

Guess he's just that good.

So, going into Fall 6, Hunter was able to get his fairly typical times and captured the pole position during qualifying rather effortlessly. During the pre-final heat, Hunter got out in front of the pack, which is something he hasn't been able to do regularly, but then his main competitor, Jake, was taken out by another racer running too close on a corner. If it was someone we didn't know well, it might have been a silent cheer, but we were upset to see it happen that way.

Jake had his kart up and ready for the final heat - minimal damage, so he was good to go. However, he would start at the back of our class. But anything can happen. And happen it did.

We were running in a group of three classes - the Rotax Mini Max's were in front of our TaG Gazelles, then the Yamaha Jr 1's. Upon leaving the grid for a warm up lap, the 2 Mini's, Hunter and one other Gazelle, made it through the first two turns and then the rest of the field piled up on top of each other. There was a spin out on a corner, three karts banged into each other sending a fourth through the air upside down into the grass. Thankfully, that young one was fine - a little sore, but fine. The other karts were rendered un-raceable and Jake's rear axle was bent.

The race continued and Hunter won without any challenges to his position. He would rather really race someone for the win, but we'll take it none-the-less! This puts him one win away from the NTK Year End Championship.

It is here that these kids learn to drive smart. Something that I think some of the professional drivers must have missed. Of course, I'm writing this in the wake of Kyle Busch being parked for the entire weekend in Texas for his actions in the Camping World Truck Series with Ron Hornaday. Sad that two championship contenders in their series had to be taken out in such a way.

Accidents happen, but above all...drive smart.