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Man, the Nationals are so cool! Over 800 karts and racers! This was the most fun racing I have ever had.
We started off with a pretty big problem. Our Data Acquisition Specialist and Sandwich Maker (Mom) was unable to make the race. Fortunately, we were able to averted Crew Chief melt down and starvation/dehydration while still putting together a good qualifying effort and race set up.
We had a great practice session on Friday before the rain came. Then, on Saturday morning, we got 3 more rounds of practice and we were just flying!
When we lined up to qualify in Light we were in front of "Awesome" Austin Hubbard, one of the fastest karts and the points leader for the series. His Crew Chief "Hammer" asked if he could get in front of us. Pretty bold don't you think?! Well, we thought, "What the heck!" So, Austin went around us. Then Hammer says, "When you go out, go out with us and draft off us". Hey, isn't that illegal Hammer? But, what would it hurt if we just didn't wait quite as long as we usually do. So that's what I did. Well.. Austin got the pole and we qualified 4th!
Then came the race. Talk about freight train, I sure learned a big lesson. I tried to drive my line but every time I would drift up a little coming out off the corner, someone would get underneath me and 4 karts would go by before I could get back down in the groove. After losing about 15 places on the track, I finally figured out what they were doing and got in line. I raced back up to 8th or 9th but then I started to run out of gas. The last couple laps I just sputtered around dropping back to 18th where I finished.
On Sunday we got just 2 quick rounds of practice. The first practice was a waste of time because the track was wet and slick. For the second practice we put on the qualifying setup and went out for the second practice and all of a sudden the kart started turning to the right on me. It was so bad I had to come in off the track. Turns out one of the bolts on the motor mount came loose and was dragging in the dirt. Oh well.. We decided to go to church.
Harrill Wiggins (Phantom Karts) of Karting For Christ made us sit in the burning hot sun for an hour so that we would know and understand just what hell was gonna be like if we didn't get right. Thanks Harrill! (Just kidding!) Actually, although it was hot, it was a great time of singing, testimony and fellowship. I got some flags and a gift to give my Dad for Father's Day too.
Then it was time to qualify for Heavy. My Crew Chief got to messing around with the gas tank trying to get more fuel in it for the race. Whatever he did didn't work and it seemed like my kart was running out of gas on the back stretch. I qualified 20th so we had some work to do.
I convinced my Crew Chief to put the tank back to the way it was and then we lined up for the race. When the race started I was ready and drove down low like everybody else did. It worked real good and I was moving up through the field but then someone spun and the caution came out. I let up but the kart behind me got hit into my left rear tire and, since we were still going about 20 MPH, my tire shot his kart up and over me and he landed on the nose of my kart. I spun but got right back on the track. Even though I didn't bring out the caution, they put me in the back (26th) on the restart because I spun. DARN! When the race restarted, I got back in line and raced back up to 13th before we ran out of laps.
The Nationals are so cool! I can't wait for Greenville in July!
