Spring 1 - Done and Movin' On

So, we decided for Hunter to go ahead and race the first race of the season at NTK on Sunday. He was super excited!!

He didn't have his times down to where we wanted them on Saturday, but he did get down to :47 second laps on Sunday.

And he finished 2nd!!

Okay, okay, there were only two karts racing in his class, but it's still 2nd place points!

One boy had an accident during practice and banged up his elbow pretty badly and damaged his kart, so he was out, then another racer did something to her kart during practice, so they packed up and left, which left Hunter and another boy to race. The other kid is in his 2nd season in this kart so he had at least a 4-5 second lead on Hunter per lap. But that was okay. We got seat time.

I took a little video of the first lap on the final heat of the day for Hunter. Boy, he looked good on the start...he jumped up front and looked like he wanted to stay there...until...well, we have some corner work to do as you'll see, but bless his little heart he did good!! We are so proud of him.

We're not racing in Spring 2 next week...Dad is working the race so Hunter will just collect the 1st place points for that (cool deal, huh!). But we'll get some corner work down for Spring 3 on Saturday, March 27th at 6PM. Come on out!

Back in the Saddle...or Kart Seat, that is...

We are racing again!! The track re-opened in January from our paving and weather delay adventure and Hunter raced one last race in his Kid Kart in January.

Now we are moving up to the next class: TAG Cadet 1. (pic - we haven't put his # on it yet) This kart is bigger and faster for him and we thought it would take a long time for him to get to speed. After all, his first time out in this kart had him running slower times than he did his first time out in his Kid Kart. Yipes!

And with more weather delays during January and February, it wasn't easy to just run to the track for some practice. So, with the Spring racing season starting this Sunday, March 14th, we jumped on the good weather this week and took him to the track. We were really not expecting to be able to race this Sunday or even maybe next Sunday...possibly if he really worked hard, we might make it for Spring 3 race. But Hunter told Daddy that he would do whatever it takes to get up to speed so he could race in Spring 1. Uh-huh. Hunter has always been such an overly cautious boy - holding on to fear - that we really didn't see it happening too quickly, but we were willing to work with him.

So we went out Wednesday to the track and he brought his time up from 1:10 a lap to 1:02 a lap....he needs to be at :47 seconds a lap to race - and this will be on the low side of his class. Then we pulled Hunter out of school a little early yesterday and went to the track to practice. A Kid Kart friend of his showed up to practice and with that little bit of competition to push him...

Oh...My...Goodness...!!!

The boy started running :56, then :54, then, :52, then consistent :51 second laps. We were thrilled and told him how great that was and how proud we were of him, but that it had to get faster still to race on Sunday. Before we left, he clocked in consistent :49 second laps.

We are ALMOST there! He has shown us he is determined to get this down and race. And I think one he is out with the even faster karts in his class, that will push him even more to get it down. So, we are going to the track today for more practice....

I think we'll be racing on Sunday. Maybe we'll see you there!!

Been Too Long....

Ah, yes, it has been way too long since our last update on Hunter's karting "career". But alas, the scheduled race for October 17th has been canceled. Our track is undergoing a repaving, but Mother Nature has not cooperated with the proposed schedule. The base is too wet to pave right now, so we have to wait...and pray...for a few days of drying weather. And according to the nightly news, I don't know if we have that coming.

Funny thing about the rain, though, in my pre-school class, we've been teaching the kids about Noah and the Ark. In discussing the constant rain for 40 days and nights, I've noticed some worried four year old faces- no, don't worry kiddos, our rain does stop occasionally and God did promise not to do that again.

Anyway...North Texas Kartways will be represented at Texas Motor Speedway during the weekend of the Dickies 500- November 5-8 on the Midway. Come by and see us if you are out there. Special race day to inagurate our newly paved track is on the schedule for November 15th.

Summer 6 - Complete with Motor

I've been getting emails and phone calls, so I figured I'd better post something about the boy's run the other night.

We were able to borrow a motor for the race...two actually. Scott and Hunter took off for the track in hopes that a spare motor would be available to use for the night. Hadyn and I followed a little later to find out that yes, there was a motor to borrow and that there were TEN Kid Karters running that night. Wow!! I was told later that in the days of old (you know, a few years back) this was the norm. We've had five or max of six this year, but ten?? Awesome!! So we were even more thrilled to have such a great networks of families at the track to tap into in a time of need. Yes, needing a motor to race is a great time of need.

So, with motor one mounted, Hunter took off for practice and ran pitiful times. His first qualifying heat was pretty pathetic, too, given where he was getting up to before his engine went caput. But we all kept reminding ourselves how grateful we ALL were that he was even able to race.

Our friend Steve, who is the go-to guy for parts at the track, offered up the second motor (first being his, too). He knew the second one was a fast motor, so let's just see what Hunter could do with it. So his next two heats were a bit better - he ended up middle of the pack in 5th. However, we know that with that motor, he could've led the pack, so he still needs a lot of seat time (practice).

Today, Scott tore the motor apart and discovered ugly ruts/grooves in the piston and head - looks like we'll be pouring more money into the pit. But we have time. The track is closed for September for repaving. We'll be ready for October.

Racing...gotta love it!


Here's a pic of lil' sis "driving" the kart. I'll bet that we'll be seeing more of this in a few years.

Ah, Man! Again?

Well, I was going to post something last week about Hunter's last race and I didn't get around to it, then I was planning to post an update tonight for tomorrow's race after what I was hoping to be an awesome practice.

But, the best laid plans....

Okay, last race, we had to run on a borrowed motor. Actually, we ran on two borrowed motors. We started out with one and when another dad took pity on our horrible lap times and brought us another one, we changed out and ran a little bit better (like how I say "we" as if I'm actually in the kart myself? - It's a family activity - I can say "we"). But we were anxious to get Hunter's motor back. We did, and Scott got it put back on the kart, got the new carburetor put on, worked the motor to break in the new piston and rings, basically, did everything we were supposed to do.

So, we took off for the track tonight for a little practice and "make sure" everything was in place. I was just expecting Hunter to fly on his new stuff. And fly he did. To the first turn where a loud "POP!" ended his run for this weekend. The piston, the new piston, broke. Literally. Broke. Looks like someone carved a big chunk right off the top of it. Even I knew that didn't look good. Guys were coming over to look at it with a flash light and make "ewww", "ouch", and "wow" noises.

I'm bummed. Dad is bummed. I don't think it has sunk in for Hunter yet. It will tomorrow if we can't find a motor to borrow to race. And this is the last race of the season. The track will be closed for a month to repave.

*sigh* I know. This is racing. I don't think I'm liking this part of racing right now.

Summer 5 - Only 2 More Until Repaving!

We have two more races this Summer before the track is closed for repaving. Our Fall Series schedule has been disrupted by this, but it needs to be done and ohhhhh, won't the racers enjoy a nice, new, sleek track to race on!!

So, this Saturday, August 15th and Saturday, August 29th will round out the Summer Series races at NTK. They'll pick back up with some non-points racing in October after the paving is finished.

I heard at the club members meeting that there is a special benefit race for next Spring in the works. This race will be to benefit Kali's Cure for Paralysis. There is a lot of buzz generating on getting country stars and racing stars to come to our track for this benefit. The organizer of this benefit will be at the race this Saturday selling raffle tickets for a car giveaway. There is a Jaguar of some kind up for giveaway for Kali's Cure. Tickets are $50 each or 6 for $250. Come on out and find Jim Hickerson for your tickets to help Kali's Cure and have a chance at a baby blue Jaguar (again, can't remember what year/model/etc.).

Race starts at 6PM!

The Thrill of Victory....The Agony of Defeat

Wow!! Wow!! Wow!!

Summer 4 at North Texas Kartways started out GREAT for our Speed Racer, Hunter. Now that he is out of rookie status, he doesn't have to start at the back of the pack and try to catch up. Well, starting on the front row worked well for him during the qualifying heat. Hunter took off like a flash and stayed out in front for the entire 8 laps! He even pulled ahead of the other 4 karts and put a great deal of cushion between him and them for a fantastic finish. There was a delayed reaction when he took the checkered flag...one that almost said, "who's that for? Oh YEAH, MEEEEE!!"

However, the thrill of victory was short lived. Last night was also the last race for the Red River Regional Series race, so when we went out to qualify for that race, things did not go so well for Hunter. With no set up change from the first heat to this one, we lost on average 4 seconds a lap which put him dead last. The only thing that changed was the weather. It went from hot to cooler and cloudy. And Scott and I are not experienced or knowledgable enough to know how to change the set up according to weather.

With there being a club race and a regional race last night, Hunter ended up running a total of 6 heats last night, broke a chain, lost some set screws on the rear axel, passed some karts, got passed by others and we didn't leave until 11:30 last night. By the time the last couple of heats came up, we had made enough changes to get some of his time back, but nothing like he ran in the first heat. I guess we'll be experimenting with his fuel mixture based on weather. Anyone really good at formulaic equations for stuff like this?

We are so proud of how well he is doing with all of this. Even with the bad runs he had, he never quit, he kept running until he crossed that line. That's racing, folks.

On another note, we are so very proud of our little NTK friends who went to Kid Kart Nationals in St. Louis this past weekend. Reilly won 2nd place in nationals in the unrestricted class!!! His trophy is almost as big as he is. Our Tulsa friend Paige, placed well too, in nationals. Ryan and James placed 1st and 8th in the restricted class. Way to go kiddos!! We are so very proud of all of you!!!