Team J Racing - The beginning...
March 26th 2006
This all started innocent enough, I saw that the I-80 racetrack was having an expo at the Mall (just down the street from me) and that they would have some of their race cars on display. It was a Sunday and I thought I would take the family down to see the cars.... little did I know what would happen next!
I saw a flyer that listed Kart racing and that you could get a race ready Kart for as low as $1,350 (Don't believe everything you read! It was more). My 8 year old daughter got into one of the Karts and said she would like to race it. Next thing I know it's Tuesday and we are picking out a Kart to be set up. Why the rush? Because my daughter is young enough to start the rookie class with others that have no experience either and racing starts in less than a month!
April 17th 2006
We picked up the Kart today (Mon) I borrowed my neighbors truck and trailer to get Kart. We unload the Kart into my garage and return the truck and trailer. I wake up the next morning and pull the Kart out, I have to mount the gas and brake pedals so my daughter can reach them. I look at the hardware I was given and have no clue on how to do this! I call a friend who gives me the name of someone to call. He agrees to look at the Kart and help. I borrow my neighbors trailer and off we go. It is Thursday night before I get the Kart finished and ready to go (with 24 hours to spare). She has still not tried running the Kart, she says she will drive it at the track without any problems, confidence runs high in pint sized racer girl.
April 21st 2006
Tonight we can take the Kart to the racetrack and run some practice laps. I decide to buy a little 4ft x 6ft utility trailer ($350). I load the Kart up and take it to her school (3:45pm). My daughter has NEVER driven anything with a motor, she puts on her helmet and I start the Kart and jump on the back and she drives forward. I tell her to turn and she says it won't and hits the kill switch. My weight on the back of the Kart lifted the front wheels. I start the Kart back up and we try it again, she hits the kill switch and says she can't steer. I leave the motor off and push her around the parking lot, we work on turning and braking. She finally has enough confidence and we fire up the motor and she runs a circle all by herself (4:30pm). We load up the Kart and head home. We have NEVER been to the racetrack so we have no idea what we are in for, we pile a bunch of stuff in our mini-van and head out to the track (5:45pm). We find a place to park and unload and meet some other racers, some 1st timers like us and some rather experienced racers. The track owners take their time and talk with all the rookies. We go back to our Kart and wait for our turn on the track. The moment is upon us and she pulls out onto the track with the other rookies - she does it! She is actually out there running with the other Karts! She comes off the track and hits her kill switch all smiles gives me a high-five. One of the track owners comes over and asks us if she had fun and we say, "Yes!" and then asks us if we want to run some laps! My wife and I put on some fire suits and helmets and they put us in some of their Karts and off we were. I could not believe it, here I was running around the track thinking to myself, I can't believe Jaz can do this! She was trying to explain to me how she was sliding around turn 2 and here I was out on the track understanding what she meant. That was the coolest thing they could have done! Now both my wife and I are hooked and have an understanding of what my daughter is doing. They cycle thru the classes and she gets to run some more practice laps, she runs even better and starts to pass other Karts. It is now 9:30pm and she is very tired. They announce that we can have another run but she decides to call it a night. We pack up and leave the track at 10:00pm she is sound asleep the hour long drive back home.