103rd Street
Jacksonville, FL
June 24, 2000

Everyone said it was going to rain, so I knew that every position in the heat races counted. The first heat I started second next to #44, Darrell. Eddie, #88, started fifth, so I knew it would take him a while to get up to the front. 44 made a real slow start and then they waved it off because #4 had a fouled plug and needed time to fix it. In Jacksonville they give us 90 seconds to fix things, that way we have a chance to race! We made four more laps before we finally got the green. 44 got a good start. I was able to hang with him, but he would slowly pull away from me in the sweeper. The kart felt like every lap it got slower and slower. Every time I tried to pull out of a turn, it would get worse and worse. On the last lap Matt, #5, pulled along side and passed me on the straight, I finished third.

We came in and checked the clutch, sure enough it was toast. We changed that, adjusted the carb. and were ready for round two.

This time I started fourth, behind Matt and Eddie started first. It was a real fast start this time and I was able to get by #4 to take third place. I settled in and passed Matt on the straight. On lap two I had caught Eddie and on the straight I moved to the inside to pass him and just as we got to the breaking point, 44 had pulled along side me. We went three wide into the turn at the end of the straight and still held it that way all of the way to the flat turn. By this time I was on the outside, where it is real slick, so I tucked in behind Eddie and 44. They touched, but both continued. I just stayed behind them. Then we went into the right hander before the sweeper and 44 tried Eddie there, and then as we went into the entrance of the sweeper, 44 got on the outside of Eddie and just cut down on him and ran him off of the track! I stayed behind 44 for that lap and again, every lap, my kart got slower and slower, I finished second.

I started second for the feature, Eddie started fourth. Charles and I were doing the rain dance (Eddie is who I'm battling with for the championship) and those extra points would have been nice! No such luck. 44 started us on a real slow start again. We made some adjustments to the kart so it was coming out of the sweeper faster now, but I still didn't have enough to stay with him. I rode around in second and apparently Eddie and Matt had a real battle going on, so that gave me a chance to pull a little on them. On the last lap I saw Eddie pull up next to me, but I had him and he tucked back under me. Then as we went into the flat turn I heard his tires squealing. I took second, Eddie spun and still finished third. When he moved over to get behind me on the straight he didn't know Matt was right there and he hit Matt off of the track!

The second heat race had to be the most exciting; I just wish I could have finished a little higher up!