Flippin' Great Racing!

Ah...yeah...the "flippin'" part.  Well, my HES2 driver, Hadyn, flipped her kart last night. To start off with, she is fine and she raced great last night. Set her new personal best time! But during the first heat, one of her competitors spun out on a corner and when Hadyn came around the corner, she didn't know what to do and just ran right up over him and flipped her kart over and landed on her shoulder and head. I was working the corner right where it happened and pretty much knew what was going to happen before it did, so I was already running that way.

She was crying, of course, and said her shoulder hurt, but the paramedic checked her over and there seemed to be nothing broken or severely injured. She has some road rash and little bruising on her shoulder, but that's it. She determined then that she was done with racing, but by the time the 2nd heat came up, she was ready to go back out. My trooper. Five years old...had her first (and hopefully last) flip in her kart...and got back in the saddle and finished the night. She'll be something to watch out for, that's for sure!

My other HES2 driver, Hunter "Blue Bolt" Stine, and his competitor friend, Jake, gave everyone at NTK a heck of a show last night!! The boys were running such fast times and running so evenly that for the final heat, it was back and forth all race long. Hunter made a very impressive and daring pass on Jake but then got caught behind lapped traffic coming out of a corner and Jake took advantage of that and took the lead back. Hunter would run him down and on and on it went until they were coming around the top of one banked corner stuck together - side by side - like glue - and went OFF the track side by side - sat OFF the track - side by side - came back ON the track - side by side - and finished the race just like that. Jake edged Hunter out in the end by one tenth of a sec, but man, that is one 2nd place finish Hunter can be proud of. Both boys came out the tech area cracking up along with all the friends and family around.

We have told our kids time and time again...there is NO win more important that showing good character and sportsmanship and they all showed that last night!!

Yeah, a flippin' great race all around!

Real Racing!

Last night was the last race in our NTK Spring series and Hunter clinched the championship with an awesome win! So far this season, our competitors really haven't been up front running with Hunter for various reasons, but last night one of our friends - who has a new kart and new confidence - really poured it on and gave Hunter a real run.

Jake consistently ran faster times than Hunter (yes, we have him on old equipment - again), but Hunter didn't let that stop him. I told him that we could put on new tires, new drive sprocket, new gear, etc and he could possibly have set the track record last night, but we didn't, so it was up to our driver to show us what he can do with what he has. And Hunter certainly stepped up to that challenge! He loved having to run down and chase another kart.  That is what fuels his fire - stiff competition. It was lapped traffic that caused Jake to stumble a bit and for Hunter to capitalize on it. Hunter just has more experience and confidence in his passing and once he got around them, it was all Blue Bolt time.

For the final heat, Hunter took off out front but Jake was on his tail. The two of them blazed a trail around the track like there were no others on it. They tore off from the pack and it became a two man race in the front. With three new racers on the track, lapped traffic might have posed a problem, but Hunter and Jake looked like they were glued to each other as they passed one kart after another. We were so thrilled to watch Jake take the corner passes with Hunter and stick with him so closely. That was exactly what Jake needed to do to gather more confidence. One last kart to pass caused a sticky bit of issue for Jake so Hunter bolted past, but Jake got hung up for a second leaving the win wide open for Hunter.

We certainly know that with that experience and now that Jake knows what he can do, there will be no more advantages for our Blue Bolt racer - it's going to be gun and run the entire race from here on out.

But that's what our racer wants - real racing!

And not to be left out, our HES"2" driver, Hadyn, got to race in Kid Karts again last night. She and I worked on her corners a little bit on Friday night and reviewed before her race on Saturday. With just a little bit of coaching from Mom, she was able to shave 7 seconds off her previous "fast" time to set her new personal best time. She's getting better every time - just imagine what she'll be like at Hunter's age if she sticks with it!!

Next weekend is the start of our NTK Summer series.
Until then!

Run Away Racing

HES2 Motorsports had a couple of weekends of back-to-back racing this month.

Hadyn started her racing season back up with a good showing in her Kid Kart class. She still has a long way to go, but the girl will hold her ground, stay on her line and just deal with the boys trying to knock her off the track. I loved watching her stay on her line as they would come up to pass (lap) her. She hasn't had the privilege of having Mom and Dad on the track training her the way we did her brother in that class just yet, but after years of watching and listening, she has a good idea of what to do. Of course, it can only get better!

She was so bummed after her pre-final heat when she came in because she came in last out of 8 karts (non-competitve class, so they all get 1st place, but they know where they finish). On the final, however, she caught sight of two karts that spun off the track so when she finished, she came in with a smile saying, "I'm not last - there are still 2 karts out there!"

Oh, yeah. That's our girl!

Hunter ran away with both of the races for NTK's Spring 4 and Spring 5 races. We're not sure what has happened to our competitors this year - engines, chassis', set-ups, confidence? We're just not sure, but hope and pray that something clicks soon - Hunter doesn't want to win this way - he wants to race - and I know they do too!! And as much as we might enjoy seeing the numbers rack up in the win column, we want him to compete, as well. But we are trying to learn as much as we can while we are there. We just moved his motor over to a new (to us) chassis and are trying to get the set-up just right on it for him.

Our track changed from our usual course lay out to our "short track" configuration for this last race. It was fun to figure out set-ups on this one and in practice and qualifying times, looked like it would be a close race. But Hunter Blue Bolt Stine took off from the pack and never looked back - until the very last corner of the very last lap when he just....spun out!! He laughed saying he didn't know what happened - we heard someone in the crowd saying he was so far in front he fell asleep at the wheel! Oh my! (Video clip attached here is the first few laps of the short track race - pardon the wind noise - It looked like it was going to be close at the start, but then...he took off!)

After the race, the boys all took turns in each other's karts and racing each other again just for fun. Because having fun is what it should be about!!

The Student Becomes the Teacher

Recently, a long time friend of ours purchased a kart and decided to come race with us at our last club race. He had done some indoor kart racing and has had a long time passion to race the big karts on our track, so he wasn't entirely new to this, but still new enough.

We had to convince Hunter to restrain himself somewhat in wanting to "coach" our friend. We told him to wait until Coleman came to him to ask for advice. Now, for a 10yr old boy, waiting to share your vast knowledge of the thing you know best is excruciating! But he calmly and patiently waited and it paid off. Coleman did come to Hunter to ask him for his advice on how to handle our track. It was a sweet moment and Hunter gladly stepped up to the plate. The advice must've been good, since for his first race, Coleman stayed on the track and finished the race!! Hunter went on to win his race and is the points leader for the Spring series so far!


In other news, we received word from the Kidz in Motion television show creators that Hunter's segment is finished. We think it looks great and would love to share it with everyone, but we have to wait until it is released/distributed. It is looking good for the show - 35 countries have expressed some interest in the show!

Whoo!! A kart racing TV star in my house! Maybe I should get his autograph now? LOL!

Paparazzi and Racing!

Since we didn't get to run NTK's Spring 1 race due to severe weather, the rain kindly held off a couple of days so we could get in our Spring 2 race this past Saturday. And we had fun!

The paparazzi was following Hunter (and our friend Hannah) around all day long. Okay, not really paparazzi, but the filmmakers that are working on the Kidz in Motion television program that will feature Hunter and Hannah in a couple of episodes (hopefully this will be picked up for USA distribution). Both kids gave the film guys a good show!

Hunter was excited to be back in the saddle at NTK, so to speak. He took the pole during qualifying, then won his pre-final heat. During the final, one of our friends visiting from New Braunfels was getting the track dialed in and kart set up where it needed to be and posed to give Hunter a run. But lapped traffic caused some distance between the two and Hunter won the final.

We look forward to the next race on April 21st.

To give you a taste of what he does, here is a sample. This is from one of the film makers, Russ Ansley, and some of the footage he has gotten of the kids. It's from NTK and the Texas Lone Star Grand Prix race. Enjoy!!

Wrapping Up the Lone Star Grand Prix

It was a long, crazy weekend. But it was a good one! 

On Friday, we drove down to downtown Dallas to Fair Park - home of the Texas State Fair and the Cotton Bowl.  We got parked by some great friends of ours from New Braunfels and set up for a great weekend of racing. Friday afternoon, we were allowed to go out and walk the race course. The City of Dallas had repaved some areas, but it was most certainly going to be a rough one. We heard that some people decided to go ahead and pull out, but we trusted our young driver to give it a go and let's see what can be done. Since no one had driven this course - ever - no one really knew how to set up for it. There was a lot of discussing and sharing of suggestions going around the pits with our class and we all set up for the first practice on Saturday morning.

Throughout our practices there were many more changes made. When it finally came time for qualifying, we were still trying to dial in a good set up. We were limited on our choices, but when limited, you make do with what you have and ask your driver to do the rest. And he did a great job. He went out and drove a tough course - still trying to build confidence - and being VERY cautious - and qualified in 4th position. 

Getting coaching from our friend, Chris Williams. 

Starting in 4th position for the final heat on Sunday, he moved up to 3rd after our friend Kaleb's side pod fell off (yeah, we know how THAT one feels, too). The front two karts had a big lead so there no catching them. The race, however, was for 3rd and Hunter was leading the charge. In the 1.4 mile long course, we could only see the kids for about 25-30 seconds, and then they would disappear for over a minute. Nerve wracking hardly describes the feeling. Finally, they came around and took the white flag - only one more lap to go. When they emerged again, Hunter was still in front of the pack for 3rd. He came around the last couple of turns when all of a sudden...

He started to slow down - pulled to the side to get out of the way of the others on his tail and coasted around the final turn - with the checkered flag in sight - and then coasted off the course into the infield lot. *Sigh* It was a broken chain. And a broken heart. The supporting cheers that went up for him from the spectators around the fence was incredible. People we did not know were yelling for him - telling him how good he had done. The corner worker told me later in a FaceBook post how impressed she was with his sportsmanship. 

He was crushed, but he handled himself so well. We have been trying to teach him all along that people won't remember who won, but how the racers handled themselves. So it wasn't the finish we were hoping for, but it is one that we can remember and rejoice in.

Until next time....race on, my friends!

Hunter being interviewed during a Red Flag stop in practice. This is for the Kidz In Motion TV show.

Lone Star Grand Prix - March 17th-18th

Tick tock, tick tock....

Next Saturday and Sunday, March 17th and 18th, will be the inaugural Texas Lone Star Grand Prix karting event held at Fair Park in downtown Dallas. I'm not sure, but I don't think there has been a race down there since the 1984 Formula 1 Dallas Grand Prix. But nonetheless, Hunter will be racing at the event!

This is a 1.4 mile long road course set on the streets and areas around Fair Park. The City of Dallas has been working to pave and smooth out the course for our karts. When you are racing between 60-120mph just a couple of inches off the ground, you'd like it to be a bit smoother than not.

The people working on this event have done an outstanding job and are expecting between 5000-10,000 spectators over the weekend. The Texas Museum of Automotive History in Fair Park is having a large car show with many classic and race cars.

Our Cadet racer, Hunter, is beyond excited for this event. We didn't think they would have the Cadet karts running when it was first talked about, but they did include us and we will be there ready to go. Hunter will have practice sessions and qualifying on Saturday, then on Sunday there will be a practice, Pre-Final race, then a parade of cars and karts setting up the Final event on Sunday afternoon.

Also, we were contacted by a company that is producing a kids sports television program called KidzInMotionTV. They would like to include Hunter in their program and will be at the race (and some NTK events, too) to get some footage of him racing. This company has a world wide distribution deal and is working on getting something in the USA, too. So, if you decide to come watch Hunter race, wear your blue colors for Hunter "Blue Bolt" Stine!

Spectator tickets are just $10 per person, so grab the family and come on out. Read the website for more details and we hope to see you there to cheer Hunter on!!