You'd better sit down for this one......

Yes, I made it to a track with my boys.  I will get to experience everything first-hand....well almost first hand.  I don't actually drive the karts, I watch from a safe distance.

Today, we arrived at New Castle Raceway Park in New Castle, Indiana.  So far, it has been the longest trip EVER!  We left for New Castle on Wednesday, August 8th, in the late afternoon.  We took the Bus with an empty trailer to Cokato to pick up all of the karting gear we would need for our road trip.  By the time we transferred all of the "stuff" from the track trailer to the one we are bringing with us it was 10:00 in the evening....and we still needed to get fuel.  Do you know that most small-town diesel stations close at 10?  We didn't....so we ended up going a little bit out of our way to get fuel.....like only a mile from our house! 

Anyway, we hit the road and Viguen drove about 150 miles when we needed to stop because he had a conference call the following morning and needed to get some sleep.

Thursday morning's conference call lasted over 2 hours!   The Bus (did I mention that we brought the dogs with us?  Maggie is NOT a fan of traveling in the Bus yet...hoping that changes SOON.) and all of its occupants finally left the rest stop at around noon only to stop at 3:00 for another conference call.  This time we stopped at Culver's in Illinois somewhere and Zander and I enjoyed some Culver's delicacies with frozen custard while Viguen worked.  Finally hit the road again around 4:30.  Made it to New Castle's Walmart at midnight Eastern time. 

This morning, we dodged a few raindrops and made our way down narrow, winding, farm roads to a racetrack tucked within a corn field behind a truck stop.  It amazes me where these go-kart racers dreams are hidden.  (I almost said "gems" but didn't want you to get the wrong idea.)

We all unloaded the trailer and my boys hit the track.  The track and its 17 turns takes a little bit to learn but both boys really enjoyed racing.  It was neat at dinner time to hear them rehash the day and try to figure out where "we" could pick up more speed and where the balance of the kart was upset and what turns "we" needed to turn late and which ones "we" needed to hit the apex a little better.

My highlight of the day:  Me sipping wine, Viguen working on the karts, Alexander in a huge open field throwing tennis balls to Maggie and Senna, a cool breeze blowing, sun shining....LIFE IS GOOD!

Here's a fuzzy picture of the track map.....blessings to you and yours!

Another day at the track

Today, was a little cooler and the kart was a little faster.  Just a few little quirks....a carburetor that kept loosening while Alexander was racing and a rear tire that slipped on the axle.  Zander qualified much better....in 18th place...and finished around 12 to 15th place. 

After packing everything up, Zander is traveling back with Killian and his family.  Yes, Killian was in South Bend racing as well.  Viguen is off to participate in two Charity Golf Events in/near Chicago and a few customer calls for work.  Yes, work.  Somehow those karting bills still need to get paid!

Zander will be back in the wee hours of the morning....Viguen will be back on Friday.

Forever thankful for yet another pretty safe race weekend (oops!  I forgot to mention that Alexander was in a pretty bad accident which injured his finger.  Viguen said that his finger really hurt for about 10 minutes....but seemed okay now.  Famous last words....did I mention that Zander has tennis lessons tomorrow?)

Until the next post.....

It's a Hot One!

Can you say:  "104 degrees"?  It's hotter than yesterday...with lots of people.....and a kart that still doesn't work just right.  I am so thankful that my boys made it through the day without any heat-related illnesses.  Not everyone on the team was so lucky....one of the mechanics spent 2 hours in the back of an ambulance and the remainder of the day in our Bus with air conditioning. 

Back on the track, Alexander qualified 30 out of 43 racers and finished somewhere around 25.  A problem with the gas line was discovered, so hopefully tomorrow will be a little better.  The good news is...my boys continue to maintain that they are having fun.  Really?

Is It Hot Enough for You?

Day One...Practice for the Manufacturer's Cup with MKP Racing Team....with the high temperatures, it was increasingly difficult to set up the kart so that it handled for Alexander.  Viguen had to move the seat back to help the handling which meant that Zander's feet barely touched the pedals.  With asphalt temperatures hotter than you want to know and Alexander's butt just a few inches from the fiery pavement...sporting a helmet, race suit, neck brace, gloves, socks, and form-fitting shoes...the team was able to get the kart a little faster, with room for improvement for tomorrow. 

Hopefully tomorrow will be a few degrees cooler....it's predicted to be 104 degrees.  YIKES!!!!

Hi Ho Hi Ho It's Off to Work We Go!

Here's the aerial of the Michiana Racetrack.  Zander really enjoys the track...7/10 of a mile with lots of turns.  From the website: 

"Record hot temperatures have not kept kart racers from all over the country and Canada away from Michiana Raceway Park as the karting facility hosts a World Karting Association Manufacturer’s Cup national event this weekend. Racers have been rolling in all week to prepare for the largest attended karting event in the area’s history. Located only miles from downtown South Bend, Michiana Raceway Park has been a haven for local kart racers for several years and is considered one of the nicest karting facilities in the country. With a family-friendly atmosphere, complete with several viewing areas and a playground, the track is an inviting place for both racers and spectators.

“You will see kart racers and enthusiasts from everywhere here,” said Garry Lobaugh, owner of the .7-mile karting facility. “WKA events are always very well attended, but this year could easily bring record numbers to our community.”

....and now the works begins....prepping the kart, learning the track, pitching the team tent, and pulling out the fan.  GOOD LUCK, boys...and stay cool!

Day of Fireworks

Today, my boys are leaving for South Bend, Indiana for the next races with the MKP Racing Team.  It is a HOT day...over 100 degrees....and packing the Bus took longer than anyone realized.  Needless to say, there were a few fireworks ....and not the kind you see in the sky.  Everything finally did get done and all was good as my boys drove off into the heat of the day.

I schmoozed with some friends and enjoyed the fireworks from air-conditioned comfort.

My boys made it to the track by 10:30 pm...and this time, they missed some of the narrow and unpaved roads leading to the track.

Until the next post......

A Painful Reminder

Back at Cokato for Races 5 and 6 in the Young Guns Division.  Viguen is slowly, but surely, learning the ropes of the new kart and the new engine while Alexander is learning a new track configuration. 

All of their hard work really is beginning to pay off....Zander took a 2nd Place on Saturday and a 1st Place on Sunday.  (Rabbit, Rabbit, Rabbit....by the way!)

My post today is one of gratitude.....today, two fellow races were injured at their respective tracks.  One fractured an arm and punctured a knee...the other got run over by a kart that was trying to pass bruising her lower leg and ankle....on top of the broken ribs that she sustained during an earlier incident. 

I am thankful that my boys have stayed safe at the track.  The wrecks have been relatively small and the injuries and kart very repairable.  I got a big reminder that the "hobby" that my boys have chosen does have an element of danger to it and I am forever grateful that their risks are calculated, their phone calls come as soon as they are off the track, and that I can admire what they do at a safe distance.

There's A New Angel in Heaven

Today, my boys arrived home after a good few days of practice in South Bend, Indiana.  I'll include a picture of the track shortly. 

When they arrived home, we took our Leinie to the vet.  She has been so sick because her esophagus pretty much stopped working and she is unable to keep food down.  Tonight, Heaven has a new angel.  We all miss Leinie so much....she was the sweetest, most loving dog ever and has definitely touched our hearts and lives forever.

Rest In Peace, Leininkugel

January, 2002  to June 20, 2012

Midwest Sprint Series Comes to SMP

The Margay Grand Prix of Stockholm was held on June 16 & 17 as the Midwest Sprint Series made its way to our Stockholm Motor Park facility. Racers from all over the midwest were in attendance to try and master our track for the first time. Viguen and Alexander traveled to Cokato on Friday, June 15.  They had a BLAST practicing with an old racing buddy, Killian.  Viguen really enjoyed watching the boys pass each other back and forth on track and banter back and forth off of the track. On Saturday, my boys had a hard time keeping the kart running.  Viguen purchased a spark plug to help make the engine run better...but wouldn't you know, he received the wrong spark plug and he didn't figure it until after Zander was on track for most of the day.  Alexander finished in 4th place...behind Killian....and did the best he could with the kart he had. On Sunday, my boys had a fun day (or at least they told me they did) and fixed the spark plug issue.  Alexander finished in 3rd place in the Midwest Sprint Race….behind Killian.  I made it up to the track to replenish the food supply and to give hugs and kisses before my boys left for South Bend, Indiana.  Viguen and Alexander are meeting up with the MKP team to learn the track in South Bend.  On the way out of town, we all stopped at McDonald’s in Delano for a quick bite and then we said our good-byes for a few days. I included a picture of Alexander and Killian from 2006.  I had asked my boys to snap another picture so that I could place them side-by-side...but wouldn't you know, they were just too busy racing....so one photo will just have to do! Zander and Killian - September 2006

Feeling Groovy!

Yes, Alexander and Viguen were back in the groove.  Both race days went very well and they had a blast.  Here are the pics to prove it:

The Podium - May 19, 2012

The Podium:  May 20, 2012

These pictures were really taken on two different days....although you wouldn't know it because Alexander has inherited a traditionally Clark habit....wearing the same clothes for more than one day when you are "travelling".

Just a friendly reminder......

My boys went to the Cokato track tonight for practice.  When Viguen called to say "goodnight", the last thing that I said is to please remember to securely attach and fill all tires.  Viguen just replied:  "I get it....between you and Alexander I think I have been reminded no less than 200 times about getting the tires right!" 

I wonder if this has reached the nagging stage yet?  Hee, hee!

Oh, and by the way, Alexander is racing one of the new track configurations next weekend so he will be doing LOTS of practice tomorrow.  Here's the track:

A Wardrobe Malfunction of a Different Sort

With the drama of the two flat tires behind us, it is a new day of racing.  Alexander is getting more comfortable in the kart and is slowly but surely picking up speed. 

The qualifying and pre-races were going well.....until it happened.  A tire flew off of the kart....yes, a "wardrobe malfunction" occurred.  When I heard of the news, I was at least happy to find out that the tire was not flat....it just was not attached too well!

Rough start to the racing season.....memorable to say the least.  Today, Zander finished in 4th place overall. 

Happy Birthday....Trackside

I took my time getting to the track today.  I wanted to share Alexander's birthday with him and had to keep in mind the number of hours away from the pooches as well as my inability to watch a lot of racing. 

When I arrived at the track in the early afternoon, I was greeted by Alexander saying "you are never going to believe what happened".  This, I thought to myself, is not going to be good.  Alexander proceeded to explain to me that dad had sent him out on track to race with two (yes, two....50% of the total) flat tires.  YIKES!  Zander was still able to pull off some good speeds and finished the day in second place. 

After racing, Viguen and I surprised Zander with a cake and ALL of the racers and their families joined us for a birthday celebration.  To add to the fun, it was Ken Venberg's 70th birthday....he had a cake as well.  LOTS of cake and fun!

After cake, we packed up the trailer and headed out for some DQ food....Zander's favorite track side treat.  Hamburgers and chicken tenders....a few "manly" birthday presents and then I headed home and my boys headed back to the track.

Tomorrow is another day.......HAPPY 13!

Kenny Venberg at the Announcer's Podium

Kenny Venberg conducting the Driver's Meeting for Kids
Talk about a LOT of experience being shared!

....And We're Off!

The day before the first race of the 2012 season and the last day of Alexander being 12....tomorrow racing and a teenager.  I am not sure that I am ready for this. 

To celebrate, we all drove up to the track and set up our racing home away from home.  Then we all went out to dinner at the Pizza Factory where I got to enjoy my very first pizza buffet.  Zander and I did the buffet proud:  fried chicken, lots of salad, pasta, pizza, and yes, I even enjoyed the dessert pizza.  Viguen took a few trips to the buffet, but did not do it justice. Zander and I definitely made up for Viguen's timid buffet approach.

I drove home on a VERY full stomach and my boys headed back to the track for a good night sleep and a great start to the racing season.

Home, Sweet, Home....COKATO!

Viguen spent the weekend at Cokato....setting up camp and getting the karts ready for the race season...in addition to going through 700 emails from work and booking all of his upcoming business trips to New York, Chicago, and Dallas.  At home, Alexander and I saw an Armenian guitarist, hosted hospitality at Mass, saw "Beauty and the Beast", did homework, and nursed some kind of a bug that I've been trying to beat for the last few days.

For the Cokato season, Alexander is racing a KPV engine in a BIG chassis.  The division he will be competing in is called:  "The Young Guns".  Should be a LOT of fun for him.  Next weekend, both boys will be in Cokato breaking in the new KPV engine and giving Alexander some seat-time in the big kart.  First race of the Cokato season will be held on May 5...the day my "baby" turns 13!  I honestly don't know which goes faster....Alexander's go kart or his birthday celebrations!

"More Apple Juice, please!"

When I was putting Alexander to bed this evening, he started giggling after saying prayers.  When I asked why, Alexander said:  "I was just thinking of some happy times like when I sat in First Class and kept asking the flight attendant for more apple juice...she just kept bringing me more and more apple juice....glass after glass....I was HAPPY, HAPPY!"  Ah, the little things in life!  I LOVE happy memories and smiles before bedtime.  Good night!

A Typical Weekend in Our Lives

It's been a whirlwind the last few days...and we made a decision not to have Alexander test or race at the Pennsylvania track...thus making the previous decision to drive the Rusty Bucket to Indianapolis look VERY smart.  Viguen is travelling a LOT over the next few weeks and the schedule coordination of testing and racing in Pennsylvania made us both a little anxious.  We are not ready to have Alexander fly places...especially with connecting flights....to meet Viguen for racing.  It was such a difficult decision to make, but a necessary one.  As a result, Viguen is traveling to Indianapolis to pick up the Rusty Bucket and trailer, bring them home, and set up shop in Cokato, MN so that Alexander can race at his home track on May 5th and 6th.  Here are the things that we did this weekend to make it happen:

• Friday, April 13
• I worked a little late, made a quick dinner, and then Viguen played cards with the "boys" until 2:00 Saturday morning.
• Saturday, April 14
• Wrestling for the boys, breakfast, and then getting ready to send Viguen on his way to Indianapolis.  One of Zander's buddies stopped by for some jogging on the Gateway Trail and spending some time together hanging out and eating BLTs at his house. 
• Viguen and I grabbed a quick bite to eat and said our good-byes.  Viguen had a LONG 10 - 11 hour drive to Indianapolis.  Armed with two books on CD, some cashews, and Coke, he departed around 1:00 in the afternoon.
• I joined one of my girlfriends for a quick shopping excursion for a mutual friend who is dealing with breast cancer and dropped off a few "goodies" for her.  Then, my girlfriend picked Alexander up while I picked up some Chinese and pizza.  We got together for dinner and a visit. 
• Viguen made it to Indianapolis in record time....the Rusty Bucket is still in one piece....WOOHOOO!  He spent the night in the Bucket.
• Sunday, April 15
• Alexander and I went to Mass and then Coffee Cottage for our favorite....MUFFINS and COFFEE!  No better way to start the day!
• Viguen slept for a few hours and then started his day by unpacking the trailer, taking an engine, seat, and other parts off of a kart that needed to stay in Indianapolis at the shop.  While doing all of this, he noticed a flat tire on the trailer....so he had to change that.  Then he re-loaded, organized, and packed everything back into the trailer....last, but not least, the Jeep which barely fit.  On the road again.....
• Back at home, Zander did homework while I read the paper....then Zander went to baseball practice and I went to a confirmation meeting.  We both arrived home within an hour of each other and were greeted by BIG thunderstorms!  Our pooch is still puking, so that always makes things interesting.
• Viguen phoned and had ANOTHER flat tire, so he is at a TA truck stop getting a valve stem and fixing the flat.  He found the valve stem that he needed and changed the flat in a DOWNPOUR.
• I put Alexander to bed....and after prayers, we kept calling Viguen until we finally reached him.  We had visions of him, in the rain, having troubles, etc.....so we couldn't sleep until we knew he was okay.  Got to hear his voice, all went as well as could be expected....we went to sleep and Viguen started driving.
• Monday, April 16
• Typical start to the day:  up at 5:00 am, fed dogs, garbage out to the curb, copious amounts of coffee...Zander up at 6:00, breakfast, shower, pack backpack.  Just as we were getting ready to leave, what do we see????  THE RUSY BUCKET is HOME!!  WOOOHOOOO!  Viguen went to bed as Alexander and I started our day.

Whew!  All is well that end's well......

"Gas Mask, Please"!

Well, the good news is that the Rusty Bucket made it to Indianapolis early this morning.  The bad news....the driver phoned Viguen shortly after departing asking for a gas mask.  Apparently, Viguen did not have a chance to dump the tanks before the Bucket left the racetrack.  For those of you who have been in an RV with tanks that haven't been dumped for a bit and have sat in the heat of Florida and South Carolina for a bit and have fermented for a bit....you know the desperation of the situation and the ultimate need for a gas mask QUICKLY.  (FYI...the tanks hold all of the poopy from both of my boys.....YIKES!)  After Viguen stopped laughing, he told the driver where he could find some tank deodorant.

As for my boys, they spent the night in a hotel by the airport, enjoyed breakfast in the morning, and then spent some time working on school work and "work" work before heading out to catch their flight back to Minnesota.  They enjoyed a smooth plane ride and arrived home at 8:30 in the evening. Everyone was pretty quiet on the way home because we were all VERY tired....my boys from all of their racing and me from being up the last few nights with a sick dog. Tonight, we will all sleep better because we are back together and know that our Rusty Bucket is back in the Midwest.  Sweet dreams!

This is the picture you get when you Google:  "Stinky Face Man"

Good Day, Sunday!

In Alexander's words:  "Today, was the last day of racing before we head home so I was determined to do my best.  Practice went well and I found myself getting really pumped for qualifying.  In qualifying, I didn't get a draft and my kart barely went, so I got 36th place.  In the pre-final, I got another great start pushing me up to 30th.  I picked off a few more karts and finished 25th.  In the final, I passed 10 cars on the start but my clutch broke soon after and I lost spot after spot putting me at the back of the pack.  I didn't do very well but I had lots of fun and can't wait to go back!"

Happy to be Karting and Looking Forward to More Fun Times!

And now a  word from the Editor:  My boys did have a wonderful time in South Carolina despite all of the on-track "learnings".  Hopefully soon, everything will click and all of their efforts will be rewarded.  We keep in mind that we are new to the team racing concept, new to the WKA Racing Series, and new to having so many karts on the track.  I think it's neat to see that despite all of the "learnings" and the back-of-the-pack finishes, both of my boys remain optimistic and truly enjoy the sport of racing.

After the boys got everything packed up, they said goodbye to the Rusty Bucket with the trailer in tow.  I mean literally.....one of the WKA team members drove our Rusty Bucket off into the sunset as my boys sat in their rental car anticipating their departure and subsequent hotel room rental near the airport.  With the next race being in Pennsylvania, the amount of mountainous road between South Carolina and Pennsylvania, and the coordination required for Viguen to get the Rusty Bucket from South Carolina to Pennsylvania...we decided to have a teammate drive the Rusty Bucket back to the shop in Indianapolis.  So, we gave our "baby" to someone else to care for and to hopefully get to Indianapolis safely.  It was a difficult decision on many levels...but primarily because we were concerned that the driver would be stranded somewhere on the way to Indy because he didn't know all of the "nuances" of our coach.  We let go and prayed for the best.  Here's to Happy Trails and Happy Arrivals....at Indy, we hope!

Before leaving Kershaw, my boys made one last stop:  Gus' Restaurant!  They just had to enjoy one last meal to celebrate Kershaw, racing, and "just being together"!

Day One of Real Races at Kershaw

On the Grid....Kershaw, here we come!

In Alexander's words:  "Today was the first day of racing and I could hardly wait.  We had one session of practice before qualifying to get everything ready.  I did really good and was very confident going into qualifying.  In qualifying, they space everybody out so nobody gets a draft.  My engine didn't go very well without the draft, so I was stuck back in 28th place in a field of 45.  The next session, was a pre-final race which determines your starting position for the main event.  I got a really good start....putting me up to around 22nd place.  After my phenomenal start, I passed a couple more karts and I ended up in 20th.  In the final race, I got an okay start and stayed in that position most of the race.  I later found out that I finished in 18th place.  I was pretty happy with the days' results."

Fish Fry Friday

In Alexander's Words: "Today was a day to use for practice.  With heavy rain last night, the track was very slippery and I had to be smooth or I would crash.  For my first session, I simply wanted to get used to the track and to see how the car would run on the straight-away.  I was very smooth and didn't crash.  I spent the next two sessions trying to figure out what to do to get more straight-away speed.  Before I knew it, the announcer called for the final session and all I wanted to do was get a good lap time.  I got a great time and was looking forward to the race tomorrow."
From the home front, I worked and then enjoyed a Friday Fish Bake at my school and church.  I shared a wonderful meal with the Mayor and fellow teachers.  YUMMY food and a nice way to end the week.

Happy Birthday, Grandma!

Thursday at Kershaw, South Carolina

Prep day at the track.  All of the teammates have arrived, the tent has been pitched, and the karts are being tuned.  There is an air of camaraderie, competition, and excitement as the karts are readied for another racing event.  We are so lucky to be a part of this racing family!

We're Leaving on a Jet Plane.....South Carolina or Bust!

Although my boys' flight doesn't leave until 10:15 am, I dropped them off at 7:00 in the morning so that I could make it to work on time.  The security check-in went fine and my boys were at the gate before I made the trek back home and then to work.  While waiting for the plane, both boys worked on their homework, read, and grabbed breakfast.

The flight was uneventful and they arrived in Columbia, South Carolina without a hitch.  They rented a car and drove the 1+ hour drive to Kershaw.  It was a LONG day, but they made it to the Rusty Bucket before nightfall and set up camp for the weekend.

Home Again....

Last day in Kershaw.  Today's focus is the handling and chassis.  The day began with some minor changes to the kart....but Alexander said that the kart kept getting slower and slower.  By this time, Viguen was the only mechanic there, so he did the best he could to tweak the kart.  The changes were met with little success.  According to Alexander: "By about 12:30, we hit a good time.  Then we made a little change (to help go faster) and went back out and got a whole second SLOWER!  We put it back the way it was, but it still didn't work.  After an hour or so, we decided to call it a day and catch an early plane home."

I picked up my boys late this evening and got an ear full on the way home about Gus' salads and all of the tweaking to make the kart go slower.  Alexander could barely get the stories out amidst all of the giggles.  The last line of his journal entry reads:  "I can't wait for the event so I can go back to this amazing track."

Gus' Restaurant

Alexander's entry:  "We want to get a little faster today.  The first thing we want to tune is the clutch, then the carburetor which controls the air to gas ratio, and then finally the chassis.  We got the clutch and carburetor to work, but I am still having problems with the initial and mid-corner turning.  We got down to a great time and hope to get a little more speed tomorrow."

From me:  What I find interesting is that Alexander always talks about racing as a "we" sport.  Even though Alexander is by himself in the kart and has to navigate the track by himself, it is neat that he realizes that it takes a mechanic, a dad, a team, and a go-kart itself working together to compete in the race. (Not to mention the support team at home....a mom, a teaching staff that makes it possible for Zander to miss school, and 3 pooches!)

When I spoke to the boys tonight, I didn't hear about all of the on-track stuff.  All I heard about was the GREAT food at Gus'.  "I had the BEST salad ever!'" ~ Alexander

So I did a little research and found this information:

"Gus Deligiannidis and his wife, Effie, are the owners and founders of two full-service restaurants, Gus' House of Pizza in Kershaw, SC and Gus' Family Pizza Restaurant in Lancaster, SC. The restaurant in Kershaw, a cozy and charming occupation on the corner of Hampton and Marion Streets, was established in 1988. Before this, the building provided space for a jewelry store as well as a pawnshop. Throughout the years, several menu changes and major building renovations have changed the "look" of the corner pizza parlor. Nonetheless, the most important elements have remained the same; our delicious home-style pizza made from an old family recipe, true heart-of-the-Greek-home dishes and recipes, a warm family-type atmosphere, and our friendly service."

So, next time you are in Kershaw....my boys highly recommend Gus' Restaurant.  Thanks, Gus, for taking such good care of my family!

Gus and his wife

Testing in Kershaw

Alexander penned part of today's journal entry:

"As we pulled into the racetrack at Kershaw, our friends already had a kart ready to go for me.  I suited up and went out to learn the track.  As soon as I hit the gas, I knew something was wrong because it barely went.  I ignored it, so I could learn the track.  After I had the track figured out, I told my mechanic that I had no power so he made an adjustment to the clutch.  I went out on track again and it went much better.  I got down to a decent time but still had room to improve."

Now....a word from me:

Viguen was able to go out on the track as well and worked with Alexander to get the correct line around the track.  In the evening, Viguen looked at race times from previous kart races at Kershaw and targeted a time for Alexander to get down to.  Zander did a good job of not only gaining knowledge about the track, but speed as well.

Kershaw...Almost!

My boys awoke this morning in West Palm Beach, Florida.  They coordinated with the Holiday Inn Shuttle driver to drive them to the West Palm Beach go-kart track after he got off work at noon.  Viguen and Alexander arrived at the airport to pick up their bag that made it back from it's detour to Pittsburgh.  The shuttle driver took them to the track, they picked up the Rusty Bucket, and left for Columbia, South Carolina at about 1:30 pm their time.

There is a strong head-wind, but no sign of treacherous weather.  The Rusty Bucket seems to be holding its own....although gas mileage hasn't been great.  Who needs an economic stimulus package when you have the Kardashians?

Anyway, Viguen just called and said that he and Alexander have pulled into a Rest Area just outside the airport in Columbia, South Carolina to spend the night.  They will pick up the rental car in the morning and then finish the 1-hour trip between Columbia and Kershaw in the morning.

Here's the track diagram at Kershaw:

Kershaw or Bust

The Champs

What a day!  This morning we began our day by packing so that the boys could get to Florida to pick up the Rusty Bucket and trailer, drive to Kershaw, South Carolina, and start testing for the upcoming go-kart race in a couple of weeks.  After getting all of the bags, helmets, and homework packed, we went to Alexander's championship basketball game.  The team has played better games, but they pulled together and won the championship!  The game ended at 3:30 and my boys had to be at the airport no later than 4:00. 

Alexander changed in the car as we raced to the airport....made it just in time. 

Phone Call Number 1:
from Minneapolis
My boys called from their coach seats at 4:55 pm.  "We made it!"  Off to Atlanta then to West Palm Beach, Florida.

Phone Call Number 2: 
from Atlanta
Alexander:  "Mom, guess what is in front of me!"
Me: "The pilot."
Alexander:  "Nothing but space!"

Yes, both of my boys made it to First Class for their travel leg between Atlanta  and West Palm Beach.  All of Viguen's travel over the last year is really paying off.  I can just imagine their First Class Smiles!  (And, yes, the pilot was in front of them....I just didn't get the joke at first.)

Phone Call Number 3:
from West Palm Beach airport
Viguen: "We are in West Palm Beach...we are going to rent a car and drive to the track to pick up the Rusty Bucket.  We'll call when we get to the RV."
Me sleepily:  "Sounds good."

Phone Call Number 4:
from West Palm Beach
Viguen: "Our bag is in Pittsburgh."
Me: "That's the pits!"
Viguen: "Just checked into a Holiday Inn near the airport.  We'll go back in the morning, get our bag, rent a car, pick up the RV, and then head out to Columbia, South Carolina."
Me: "That's great, but how are you going to brush your teeth?"

....This is why I don't go to the tracks with my boys.....my concerns are not the same as theirs. 

Good night!

Okeechobee!

Last night, Viguen and I were at the kitchen table looking over the map to determine how far it is from West Palm Beach, Florida to Kershaw, South Carolina.  (Alexander's next races will be in South Carolina and we need to get the Rusty Bucket from West Palm Beach to Kershaw.)  As we were looking at the map, Viguen, out of the blue, exclaimed "Okeechobee!....that's the word that I was trying to remember!"  I'm like "what the heck are you talking about?"  Viguen was all smiles and told met that he and Alexander had fun with that word while they were in Florida.  I totally didn't get it.

This morning, when I was driving Alexander to school I relayed the story to him about looking at the map and finding Okeechobee.  Well, a smile stretched across his face so fast and he immediately became the Geico "little pig that went 'weeeeeeeee weeeeeeeeeee' as all Alexander could say the ENTIRE way to school was "Okeechobee, Okeechobee, Okeechobee!"

At that moment it hit me.....besides sharing the love of go-karting, my boys love being together and creating memories of a lifetime. 

OKEECHOBEE!

So Long Florida Winter Tour

 Racers at Florida Winter Tour..Alexander is in the center, on the ground, in the red racing suit

My boys made it home safely and now the discussions begin.  We just received a call from Alexander's WKA racing team and they want him to begin testing at each one of the tracks for the upcoming WKA Racing season before the actual race.  Weighing the importance of actually attending school and not sucking Alexander's inheritance dry, we decided not to have Alexander race in the Florida Winter Tour anymore.  There were two races remaining this year...Ocala in February and Homestead in March. 

Now, the racing focus will be on WKA....lots of new tracks and new adventures.

Racing in West Palm Beach

<><>

On the Grid in West Palm Beach

The neat thing about racing in the Florida Winter Tour is that the racers come from all over the world to compete.  In Alexander's class alone, there are racers from Canada, Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, United Kingdom, Brazil...not to mention Illinois, Texas, Missouri, Florida, and Virginia. 

In addition to having racers from different parts of the world, the number of karts on the track is many times more than he is used to. With 60 plus racers in his class, the number of karts on track is about 32 at a time.   

Viguen and Alexander worked hard to get the tuning of the kart just right.  On Thursday, the kart was fast and Alexander felt ready for qualifications on Friday.  Friday came and my boys choked....seriously, the choke was left on in practice so they didn't get any good data for the actual qualifying runs. 

In a nutshell, Alexander raced primarily in the Last Chance Qualifier and Consolation races because of numerous bumps and wrecks.  He actually led a race or two and was in the top 5 in a couple of others....but in all races, the dreaded wrecks took him out or pushed him back to the back of the pack.

My boys are still crazy about the sport and learned a LOT this weekend.  Although there were some frustrating times, their spirits remain high, they are spending quality time together, and taking it all in stride.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Just taking a stroll by the Rusty Bucket

This is "home" for my boys while they are at the Florida Winter Tour/West Palm Beach.  Alexander has been riding his bike A LOT while at the track...pictured in the background next to the Rusty Bucket.  Viguen captured the "neighbors" just taking a stroll in the 'hood.

Happy Birthday, Viguen! 

After Race Celebration

One can never have too many ribs!

Thanks to the Clark Families in Texas and Arizona, we gnawed on a feast of ribs celebrating a successful Daytona racing trip and being back together. Next stop: West Palm Beach, Florida for the Florida Winter Tour.  Until then......