September 30th, 2010 
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September 30th, 2010
Contemplating the season and the next few weeks:
Crew Chief Larry Robb
After winning the Duffy, Sting Ray and I went to Reno for a Region 11 IKF race in Comer and HPV. I guess Sting Ray needed to be humbled. He got run off the track 2 or 3 times, had mechanical issues, and generally had his helmet handed to him.
He loved the track and we had a great time. Gave us time to talk about winning, losing, and being taught what racing is really about. It takes so many people and resources to win consistently. Of course the three components all need to be right, the chassis, the engine, and the driver.
July 24th The next week was Chilliwack. What a great facility. It was a good weekend, sort of, for good results. 1st place in 4 cycle light. Then it was a 1st place in 4 cycle heavy. In mini-max Sting Ray got faster but struggled on the start. After being swallowed up in a wreck, we discovered a bent wheel and a bent axle. We had already given our 2 good axles away to another driver in the Junior 1 group the day before.
Don Choquer helped me straighten the axle and Papa changed the bent wheel for a new one after getting the wheel and tire approved by the tech people. Starting from the back, Sting Ray worked his way up to third by the end of the final.
When we got to tech the rear tire width was checked (the one we changed and got approved) and found to be 1/16th of an inch too wide and were DQ’d. No wonder Sting Ray was complaining about the kart wanting to turn left all the time.
Next raceTacoma. Rain, and sun, and rain, and sun……..We called this the scramble weekend. We must have changed to rain tires and set up and back again 6 times each day. We started Saturday in light with a 3rd place after 5 or 6 spin outs. Mini wasn’t much better. We finished 3rd, and felt good about it. We need to work on the rain stuff. Too much adrenalin in Sting Ray’s right foot. Lol.
We started Sunday much better. In the final Sting Ray ran away and checked out until the last few laps, when his throttle cable broke and left him standing at the top of the hill. I knew he was crying because he never raised his shield.
August 20th, MacMinnville, 3rd place in light due to a carburetor issue. This was after he qualified with a 44.69, and won the heat race. I think that might be the track record, 6/10ths ahead of the field.
Sunday he checked out in heavy and won by a few seconds. Sting Ray was also fast in Mini but couldn’t hold the lead and was passed by Wick and Preston. He charged back and made a miraculous pass on the second to the last corner on Wick, but couldn’t get by Preston before the white line.
Setting New Seat
Labor Day at Boise. Sting Ray had to win on Saturday in light to ensure the championship. He broke the track record in light with a 20.40 lap. He won but Zamora was nearly as fast and got hung up in traffic. So Sting Ray and Brittany finished 1 & 2, the same as the championship.
Sunday was a defensive day in heavy. Sting Ray qualified 1st, but due to the invert I told him not to take any chances on getting disqualified. All he had to do is finish and the championship was his. He finished third after some of the other drivers tangled due to their aggression.
Mini-max was awesome, except 2 tossed chains in practice. I changed to a new gear and new chain to be safe. In tech after the first heat we found out we had an 81 gear on instead of the required 82. So we started at the back of the pack in 2nd heat, working his way back to 3rd. Sting Ray set another track record with a 19.09 lap while Wick had a 19.10.
Starting 3rd in the final was ok, as Sting Ray eventually got to the 2nd position and was closing in on Wick with 3 laps to go when his axle broke just past the hairpin, getting him a 7th place finish. This still got enough points to clinch the 2nd place championship points for the year.
So, two Championships in IKF Region 6 and a second in mini. Great year, but some things to work on, like rain driving.
We went back to Chilliwack last weed end for more driver training with Blake at BBR Karting. Friday was raining. Perfect. Much progress was made. Saturday was sunny and we worked on corner entry, keeping hands still, and “nailing” the apex. We also repaired a head gasket half way through, and the clutch broke and rendered the kart a “direct drive” the rest of the day – push to start like a shifter kart.
Then a phone call came from Danny at CRG, requesting Sting Ray to drive on the CRG team in Italy on October 16th-17th. (more on this later.)
Sunday we went to Blake’s shop and took the kart completely apart and put it back together, literally. Seat changed, weight position, etc. We can’t wait to race it at the CKI race October 23rd at Mandalay Bay. We also just found out that the Supernats in Las Vegas will allow us to compete in Cadet with a ROK motor, which we don’t own yet.
Sting Ray invited to race in “ROK Cup International Final 2010” at South Garda, near Desenzano del Garda, Italy. We will be supplied a kart, but we will need to rent or buy an engine. Oh, well, we just happen to be in need of a ROK engine. We can buy one and use it in Vegas at the Supernationals.
Other things to get ready:
1. Plane tickets
2. Hotel room
3. Car rental
4. Passport for Sting Ray – we will fly to Seattle tomorrow to expidite
5. WKA International drivers license for Sting Ray – his U.S license isn’t good enough. Oh, and attach a big check!
6. License requires a physical and passport type photo for him and for me
7. Send in entry to ROK Finals with copies of all the above and include another check
8. I have to get an International drivers license so I can rent a car; at least the car rentals are cheap
9. Ready all Sting Ray’s karts (3) for the CKI race because we only get 2 days after we get back from Italy. (That’s another list.)
10. Before we leave – plan a trip to pick up 3 karts in Sacramento and put 2 of them together, and deliver them to Tri-Cities to their new owners.
I haven’t had so much fun since the hogs ate my brother.. lol
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