THE FIRST OF MANY

Well this is going to be a blog featuring the trials and tribulations of our racing adventures. As many of you know, Rick races in the local bump-n-run races and Mason is currently in his first year of kart racing.

Since Rick was a little boy he always wanted to be a Nascar driver. Obviously, that didn't happen. He has settled for the bump-n-run racing which is small cars racing on a motocross style track, complete with jumps. We realize he isn't going to make it big doing this so we have decided to give Mason all we can to get him started in the right track to reach is dream of one day being a Nascar driver. We are putting almost everything we have into getting him off to a good start. We know the kid has talent. He's been riding dirt bikes since he was 3 and drove a car by himself for the first time at the age of 6. He just has a natural talent for driving.

Karting is proving to have it's challenges as it's just as new to Rick and I as it is to Mase. It's had for Rick to know what Mase is feeling on the track since he's never been in a kart racing before. Many of the other young driver's dads race so they have the advantage over us. Not to mention, the kart and the workings of it is new to us as well. These karts are amazing! They aren't your typical back yard kart. They have all kinds of adjustments to be made to make it handle better like air pressure, camber, etc. There really isn't a karting store locally either that we can just go to buy parts so everything we purchase is pretty much trial and error.

We are still going though and we have a few races under our belt so far...

Rick's first race was in Yale, MI, hosted by the Yale Lions Club. We were off to a great start when Rick drew 1st car, 1st heat. He made all his laps, clear as can be and they announced the winner....car #2. WHAT?!?! Yeah, that didn't go over so well. After a lot of yelling, we managed to get that straightened out and he went strong into the main. He ended up getting passed and was running in 2nd place, which isn't a big deal, he actually prefers to follow during the race. Anyway, he came around a corner and off flew his tire. We thought he broke the lug nuts...nope the track was so sticky that the drivers were actually oblonging the rim holes and the rims were pulling off with the lug nuts still intact. That was the end of that day.

Mason has been racing all along on Saturdays in Reese, MI at Arthur Raceway. He took 3rd place in the first several races and then had an off day last week. Yesterday was the mid-series championship and he took 2nd place. He drove like a real professional and did everything right. We are so proud of him. He thinks its cool because he got a big trophy. :)