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?

Blue Bolt

Blue is often considered to be the safest global color.

Blue symbolizes peace, tranquility, stability, trust, truth, confidence, conservatism, knowledge, power, integrity, security, cleanliness, sky, water and cold.

Blue can slow the pulse rate, lower body temperature and reduce appetite. Blue is considered a business color because it reflects reliability.

• In China, blue is associated with immortality.
• For the Jewish faith, blue symbolizes holiness.
• The pharaohs of ancient Egypt wore blue for protection against evil.
• If you are "true blue" you are loyal and faithful.

Heard from our track announcer, Jim Hickerson, last night, "Listen for the thunder, because you just saw the lightning, Hunter "Blue Bolt" Stine!!"

Hunter had fun last night at our Spring 6 club race. What looked to be a light turnout due to looming stormy weather turned out to be pretty fun. Our new TAG Cadet drivers are really starting to dial in and will be challenging Hunter come this Fall, for sure. When we have light turn outs, the cadet classes might be grouped together and last night was one of those nights. We ran with our usual running buddies, the Yamaha Jr 1 class and we had a new Rotax Mini Max driver join us. Rotax is a faster engine than the TAG Gazelle or Yamaha Jr 1, but since he was new, he ran with us. However as the night wore on, he was learning that kart more and started picking drivers off one by one and was gunning for Hunter. Now, Hunter knows his Gazelle cannot out run a full speed Rotax, but he wasn't going to let this kid pass him without a fight and the newbie just couldn't keep up and ended up spinning out on a corner trying to keep up with the Blue Bolt!! So, Hunter finished 1st for his class and in front of everyone in the group of for the night!!

To top of the night, we had a Kona Ice shaved ice truck at the track.

Randy Brittain, the owner of this truck, asked Hunter how he did and in honor of Hunter's pre-final win and pending Final victory, named a snowcone after Hunter - The Blue Bolt - a mix of blue raspberry and pina-colada. Pretty cool getting a snowcone named for you!!

More than the win, I think that was the highlight of Hunter's night!

Next up is race #5 and #6 for the Southwest Regional Cup Series in Katy, TX June 3-5th. Wish him luck and good prayers for him!

Starting at the End

I'm not sure where to start, and since I'm extremely tired from this weekend and still and little stunned, I'll start at the end...

HUNTER WON!!!!

Needless to say, I'm a happy Mama. And yes, Daddy is very proud, too! And we could not have done it without the help of our NTK friends who advised, wrenched, and stood with me today while Scott was at work. I love being a part of this organization. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

Usually, I'll take my readers through all 3 heats in detail, but today, all 3 heats were similar - mind blowingly "WOW!"

Hunter qualified on the pole with a time of 40.69, won the pre-final in a fight to the finish 10 lap showdown (and even faster lap times of 40.52) with last turn passes made by Hunter and his main competitor, Michael, then on to the final heat where things didn't start in our favor, but favor turned toward us and Hunter grabbed on to that and fought to take and keep that lead. I have never been so happy to see a checkered flag in my life. AND we passed post race tech inspections! *Whew*.

Next week - club race and hopefully the club record. Tonight - sleep.

Dark Day Afternoon

Yeah, I know...wrong title ("Dog" Day Afternoon), but it was in the afternoon that the darkness loomed.

Race #3 if the Southwest Regional Cup Series was today at NTK. Everything started out well for Hunter. He qualified in 2nd position with a great NTK time of 41.04 seconds. Then for his pre-final heat, the 4th place driver pushed Hunter and himself out in the lead and they stayed there! So Hunter finished 1st and was on the pole for the final. It was an awesome race and a fight to the finish!

But the RACE was during the final heat. Hunter took off like a flash and held the lead for quite a while. But he was finally passed on a turn and fought like crazy to get the lead back. The top 3 drivers were so close together they sounded like one engine. Needless to say, I was just a little stressed out! LOL! But the checkered flag flew and we finished 2nd place! GREAT RACE!!

Then the darkness fell. Tech time. Scott and I weren't concerned about passing post-race tech inspection - we had all the proper equipment and the things we might have been concerned about were good.

But. Yes, there's a but.

The clutch drum - that is the little round covering over the clutch - was .7 or .07 of some sort of measurement too wide on the inside. This means Hunter will not be awarded 2nd place awards or points and he was disqualified for this race. Disappointed does not begin to describe the feeling we had. We were crushed. How do we tell a kid that raced his heart out, raced so smoothly, running faster times than he ever had, racing with more experienced drivers and finishes that high up, "oh yeah, about that."

Lessons for Pit Crew Parents learned, and legal clutch drum borrowed for tomorrow. But in every dark day, there comes light. On our way home, Hunter said, "I can't wait until tomorrow's race. It's going to be great!"

Wow. Thank you, God. I needed that ray of sunshine.