This week brought race number three at Concept Haulers.  It begins with more wacky weather and ends with awesome racing.

When we arrived it was overcast and chilly, but nice.  Many of the classes where small due to the rain last week and the general uncertainty of the days weather.  At one point, it snowed hard enough that they red flagged the first round of TAG and ran the second round of kid karts before they tried race them again.  On the plus side, the sun did come out and we had to switch to the chromed face shield on Jason’s helmet.  It just made the whole package (see next paragraph!) look really cool.

This week we premiered the new kart body.  Thanks for Danrr Autobody for the really great paint and Atomic Decals for the excellent stickers.  We received many compliments on this very sharp kart.  If you look at these pictures you can see we have some new sponsors.  The Greenwood Restaurant is a family owned diner in Glenview that supports local athletes.  Stardust Memorials is a company owned by a friend of the family.  Greenwood and Stardust are each sponsoring us for a race in the CES this summer.  Each of them will be highlighted is a post as the season progresses.

There were only three racers in LO206jr this week: Chad, Jason, and Kyle.  Jason spent his practice time working on his line.  He tried to remember what it was like to run the oval race at Road America last and make his corners broad and smooth.  He also tried to enter corners faster and turn later with the hope that he would get through them faster with more momentum on the exit.  Some of the big wins were telling him to trust his tires and to push their limits and having him watch some of his friends in the Yamaha rookie class.

Jason started heat 1 on the pole, followed by Chad and then Kyle.  They went around for a nice quick parade lap and let fly after the green flag flies. Jason’s start was a little slow and Chad gets out front with Jason in second for the first corner.  By the turn three he set up Chad for the pass and Jason was by him before turn four.  After that he held the lead until the checkered flag.  I wish I had taken better notes because I know there was some good racing between Kyle and Chad who finished 2nd and 3rd respectively.

Heat 2(Full Video) started with the order reversed and Jason in the back.  When the flag is waved Jason makes a run at Kyle by taking the outside of turn 1 and 2.  After a battle of nerves and a little bumping Kyle pulls in front in Jason as they enter turn 3.  It looks like they are going to get away as they run down the back stretch but Jason pours it on in the monza and catches up by the hair pin.  They pull away a little again but again Jason has the momentum over the hill and through corner 14 and gets a nice slow pass on Kyle in the front straight and is in 2nd by turn 1.  In the back stretch Kyle tried to reverse the pass but Jason has this figured out and keeps the gas on to the monza.  He then runs high and fast zipping by Chad and exits the turn in the lead.  He holds the lead until the end winning the second heat by 6 seconds.

Since he won the first two heats Jason started on the poll for the feature.  He leads them for a nice fast and clean pace lap with Chad to his right and Kyle behind him.  At the green he makes a good start and its Jason, Chad, followed by Kyle into turn one.  It is a close race.  They keep together and Kyle makes many efforts to get by Chad but doesn’t quite make it.  In 7th lap of the 12 lap race Jason is a little slow coming out of 14 and Chad beats him to turn 1.  Jason chases him down the back stretch and almost makes a move in the monza but does not have quite enough speed.  Around they go again and Jason tries again in the monza, almost sealing the deal but falls back.  At the hair pin he makes a mad charge on the inside driving over the hump of the curb, jumping on two wheels, and getting under Chad to regain the lead.  They run  Jason, Chad, and Kyle for 2 more laps and finish in that order with in a second of each other.

Even though there only three this racing was excellent.  The lap times on all of them where really close.  Chad had the fastest lap of the day.  Jason had the most consistent times.  Kyle really pushed them both and had some very fast laps too.  They are defiantly learning from each other and the other racers.  He made lots of improvement entering corners next week we might work on the exits and what ever Brandon can show us.  Hopefully, we may have a few more racers come out of the wood works as they get their karts ready.

It addition to our sponsors thanks to my wife Karen who ran 10 miles while we were racing.  She has been working toward running the Soldier Field 10 mile in a few weeks. We will be there to cheer her on.