Going into the weekend I was leading the points in both Lite and Medium, but there were other drivers with a shot at the championship.

 

I practiced all day Friday working on my race set up. The first two sessions my carburetor wasn't working right, so we changed it and the kart started running a lot better. I made a few minor changes, but not too many. Saturday morning it was pretty cold, so I skipped the first practice, but I went out in the second one to make sure everything was going to be okay. After that it was a waiting game since my race wasn't until 2:30. I had the scenario for the championship memorized....if Brian won I had to finish fourth.

 

When it finally was time to race I was ready to go. I got a really good start and led up into turn two. There was a "faster" kart who got a late start and he took off at the same time I did. I couldn't believe that he would try to race me, but he did. I slowed down a little more than usual in turn seven (the right hander going onto the back straight) and was hoping that Brian (second in Lite) wouldn't pass by me on the straight.

 

I got by the "faster" kart and hoped he would let Brian by too. From then on I just watched for Dad to give me signals. I never saw another kart in my class until I lapped someone. I just stayed steady and watched my lap times. Dad was giving me signals...+1.1, +2.1, +3.1...then it stayed at +3.1 for a while. I thought maybe Brian had hooked up with someone and they were catching me. Then I got a signal that said +6.2. Then it kept getting bigger and bigger. I caught two more "faster" karts at one point. I started to get frustrated and then remembered that I had a good lead and it was going to be okay. I went by one, and then the other and never saw them again.

 

I watched my clock and knew when the race was going to be over. I hit all of the turns just right and came down over the hill to see the checkered flag. I was pretty excited to know that I won the race and the championship!!!!!

 

Sunday was going to be more of the same in terms of the championship. If Michael McCombs won I had to finish fourth. I knew there were going to be a lot of karts out there that were capable of winning, so it was going to be close. We gridded for the race around 3:00. There were 8 of us on the grid when get got the green flag. I got a good start, but Charles got a better one. We went side by side up the hill. David Goodwin came to my inside and passed me going into turn three. Charles led through the esses followed by David and then me. David passed Charles on the back straight to take the lead and I was tucked in behind him and passed Charles too. I stayed on David's bumper hoping we could draft away from everyone else.

 

No such luck! At the end of the front straight Rich Lehman drafted by me for second and Michael came up on my left and showed me his nose. From there it was a free for all for first through fifth. There were a couple times I got shuffled back to fourth. I kept telling myself, if you finish here and Michael wins, you still get the championship. About 20 minutes into the race David was leading and Michael was second. I decided to ride right there for a lap. Rich was having none of that. I let up not to hit Michael at the end of the straight and Rich bumped me and then passed me.

 

That lap at the exit of turn five Michael went to one side of David to pass him and Rich went to the other. They were three wide going into turn six in front of me. I let off a little just in case they didn't all make it (which I wasn't sure they would). I was able to get a good run on everyone coming out of 10 and up over the hill onto the front straight, so I would make a lot of passes there. I passed Rich and Michael there on the next lap so then I was back in second. At the exit of five I pulled to the left of David and Michael went to the right. Michael cleared David and moved all of the way over. I had to get on the brakes a little not to get hit.

 

The first time I remember looking at my clock there were only 15 minutes left in the race. I made my move for the front of the pack coming over the hill and onto the front straight. I rode in first for about five laps. I wasn't sure what was going on behind me but knew I must be being set up for the last lap. Dad gave me the signal for the last lap and I just held on. I kept waiting for them all to go by on the back straight, but I didn't see anyone. I went down into turn 10 and looked to my left only to see a pink streak (David) going by. He out broke me and pulled away. I knew I could finish second and win the championship, so I let it go. David won, I finished second, Michael was third, Charles was fourth and Rich was fifth.

 

When we all got to the scales it was so much fun to talk about the race and all of the different moves people were making. In the end David and I gapped Michael a little who gapped Charles and Rich. It was a great race and a great end to the season. These are my first two national championships and I am so excited.