June 23rd 2006
Everything looked OK on the Kart except that we lost the nose's front bolt on the trailer on the way home so we just left the Kart alone in the garage all week. Thursday I picked up some more bolts at Romano's True Value down the street (we are becoming regulars there).
It's Friday and time to go racing! The girls and I stop out at Quick Service to pick up a number plate and some numbers. I ask what I should be using on the chain for lube as I have just been using WD-40, I get a can of Zep 45. Jerry talks to Jaz about driving and how to pick your line and suggest a chest protector, he pulls one out and it is just the thing we have been looking for! A little less than a $100 for everything but well worth it.
We unload the Kart and set it up on sawhorses so I can check to make sure all the bolts are tight and I notice that the bearings in the right front top spindle are shot and the tire has way too much play in it - now I know what Jaz meant when she said it was real bumpy last week! I take the tire off and the bolt on the spindle and the bottom bearings come out in pieces! Now we hit panic mode as we only have an hour and a half before we leave for the track! I jump in my wife's car and head out to Quick Service with the damaged bearings. Jerry takes a look at them and hands me 2 new bearings and instructs me on how to install them ($12). When I get back Joy and I dive in on the Kart and I'm not sure how but the both of us got it finished and we head out to the track. One of these times we are actually going to have everything ready before the last minute!
8 Karts showed up in Jaz's class, they divide them up for the heat races. Jaz really likes her new chest protector and finishes 2nd and 3rd in her heat races. The Kart is running fine and no damage going into the feature. Jaz lines up on the 2nd row on the outside for the feature and quickly jumps up to 2nd place. She falls all the way back to 5th but manages to move back up to 4th and almost got 3rd in an exciting finish. It was another night of nice clean racing and it doesn't look like we have anything to fix for next week, but then again how many times have I said that!
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