That's all she wrote for 2008. Our season at the Badger Kart Club, and karting in general for this season has finally come to a close. Third place in the points is where we landed and like every year at about this time you can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from fans and competitors alike. But as always we find ourselves asking each other how it came and went so soon.
It seemed like only yesterday that we dragged ourselves and our equipment out to the track for our first time this year, and for what promised to be one of our best seasons yet. Our final results were a far cry from what we had planned, but I nor my son can complain that we didn't reach our goals. Could we have done better? Absolutely. Did we repeat our success of the previous year? Not exactly. But other accomplishments were surely made, and not all of them are measured by where you stack up in the final standings.
39.44
Remember that number. Because it will most likely get harder for us to reach that time as the years go on. This was the fastest that he made it around the track this year and although we're comfortable with it, we were still a couple of tenths off the fastest pace. At the time of this printing, the quickest lap recorded for our class this past season was a 38.991. The track record from two years ago still stands at 38.38 and as everyone grows older and heavier this is going to be an awful high bar for future challengers to beat.
I took off twelve pounds of weight from the kart through the course of this season so it comes as no surprise that Sam has hit his growth spurt. He went through two pair of shoes in four months and if I wasn't so cheap he would have had a new suit as well. Things like this truly affect your performance and there will certainly come a time when I'll have no ballast on the machine and mother nature will have a say-so in how fast we go.
$$$$$$$$$$
Remember that sign. As we get further into this endeavour we're finding that we're adding zeros to our previous year's budget at a staggering pace. It's funny how your mind works when the chips aren't stacked in your favor. A couple of tenths off the lead group - "new tires" you say. If my engine doesn't sound like the others at full throttle - bring on the rebuild! New carbs, new tools, new information, and you're well on your way to financial disaster. It's far too easy to follow this path than to slow down, catch your breath, and realize that maybe all you need is more testing time. After all, when you're this close to the pack but not quite there, it's probably not the latest go-fast part that's going to make you quicker, it may just be good old fashioned seat time.
The customer is always right
Remember that phrase. In my retail job that's our mantra. It doesn't matter if the person you're talking to is a bumbling fool, they are ALWAYS right! And if you want to keep yourself in business nowadays you better understand this real quick.
When you disappoint them, a customer is only loyal to you as long as it takes to Google your rear end away to the next bidder. Case in point: The engine builder we began the season with seemed to cast a deaf ear on our perceived problems. It's not that he blew us off totally, it was more of an attitude like the issues that we were experiencing were not as critical as we made them out to be. The main thing we were experiencing was a fuel delivery problem at high speeds. I was certain that it was our pop-off but I didn't have the experience nor the parts to handle it on my own. On several occasions I was made to believe that this really wasn't the issue and I was assured that where it was set was where it needed to be. Unfortunately it wasn't until we had a horrible test day and I was forced to leave a heated voice mail with him did I finally get the results we were looking for. One rebuild and an adjusted pop-off and the problem was eradicated.
I have since changed engine builders and have all the parts, tooling, and the education to perform this task myself from now on. He even took about two hours to explain what he did, how everything works, and just what settings I'm looking to be at for every weather change thrown at us. Two hours of customer service I never got from my last two builders combined. So far I'm sold.
Reflecting on this season I have to say once again that Sam outperformed my expectations of him. We very well could have used more test days but time just wouldn't permit it in some cases. He did turn up the aggression this year and showed it most in the closing events of the season. The bodywork on the kart, or lack there of it, is a testament to just how hard he worked at that. It's always nice to have your sponsors clearly marked on a sparkling clean kart but if you're going to run up front it's not uncommon for you to trade that in for busted plastic and endless tire marks. We're still a bit weak on holding the line and he still has yet to distinguish the difference between this and blocking but once he gets it he's going to see some real improvements, I'm sure of it.
So now comes the time honored tradition of extending our gratitude to everyone who has made this possible for us. The list is extensive and in no particular order, I'm merely typing what pops into my head at any given time. Understand that no matter what your contribution was to my family and our team it was greatly appreciated by all of us.
Pegasus Auto Racing and Karting Supplies. Chris and Carla Heitman have been on board with us since day one and we can't express just how much we appreciate that. Without your support this would be a monumental task for us to accomplish. Look up and down pit road and you can see we have far more than the average team and it's all because of your generosity. A very heart felt thank you to you both.
OMP, and both Gabriele Pedone and Danilo Olivera. What can we say that already hasn't been said about the company, it's products, and your hospitality. We already know that OMP has the best safety equipment on the planet, now all we have to do is make sure the planet knows that. With your continued support we will do our best at getting that word out one customer at a time. We look forward to working with you again in 2009 and if either one of you should find yourselves in our neck of the woods again you are always welcomed in our pit. Just leave your cooking apron at home. We'll get it next time, I insist.
To Patrick Lynch at Shock Doctor. It may be a long road in getting the word out about all of the outstanding motor sports products that you offer. But as long as you'll have us, we'll do our part in educating people on the benefits of each and every one of these items. I really don't know how people can get by without them. We've been using everything habitually since we received them and not once have I had to send my driver back out on the course in cold damp equipment. Thank you so very much for everything.
To our family. All grand parents, aunts, and uncles. We loved having all of you at the track to cheer us on and we hope you have it in you for a return trip or two next season. Sam really needs someone other than my moody self to talk to and I'm sure he's appreciated your being there when I've had my occasional hissy fit. Thank you also goes out to my wife and daughter. And more so than one would think. My wife has volunteered on numerous occasions at the track and has easily fulfilled our requirements as a family in the club. I haven't done job one in this capacity and if it wasn't for her we wouldn't get our points or his trophy to show for it. And my daughter for her ongoing tolerance with this weekly circus. You've felt that you took a back seat to racing for a long time now and I just want you to know that it couldn't be further from the truth. Your brother and I both appreciate all of your help, (you're a teriffic tire scrubber) and for being there to kid around and lighten some situations for us. Your time will come soon enough. You keep up with gymnastics like you have and we'll be traveling around watching you compete for a change.
Bob Prusinski of R-TEC for a great engine and my well needed education in tuning it.
Dave Ellingham for your patience with my ignorance in tech. I have all the tools now so go ahead and tear us down!
Regan Vehring, and his whole family at 4-Cycle Central. From straightening the kart, to advice that was sorely needed. You and your family ARE karting and you're always there to lend a hand when it's needed. We may have gone to the "dark side" with our two cycle powerplant but you and your company will always be an important part of our success.
To Cody Elliott and his family. If you never invited us into your trailer we would still be in a 6x10 foot single axle. If you never invited us into your trailer I wouldn't have the debt from owning such a beast as the one we now have but we really wouldn't do it any other way.
If I've left anyone out I'm truly sorry. There have been so many people who have helped us along this year that I know I'm forgetting someone. We look forward to all of your continued support in 2009 and hope to see all of you again soon. For now, enjoy some of these photos from our '08 season.
The whole gang together at Badger
Bob and Spencer Clark
On the grid, ready to go
Horsing around as usual
