The sun goes down on another summer and with it, our racing season too. It's hard to imagine that all of the work and countless weekends away from home are just another memory now as we head into our long winter hibernation from the track.
For the past five years we've been saying to ourselves that we are going to head down to Daytona in December for the Winter Classic but I feel pretty confident in my saying that this year isn't going to be the one either. One week of racing in the middle of winter AND IN FLORIDA! What's there to think about right? But all financial reasons aside, I can never get myself to bring our trailer out of storage, load it all back up, drive 23 hours with the beast and end up having to put it all back in mothballs once we get home again. One of these years I'm going to have to light a really big fire under my rear end to do it. We're running out of time seeing that we could be retiring from the sport, if not suspending it, once Sam goes to college in a couple of years. The clock is ticking, and quite loudly I might add, so for now we'll have to set our sights on next winter and look forward to another busy off season re-build in the meantime.
We finished quite well for our first season in the US Rotax Max Challenge. It would have been nice to see a few more entries in our region but gaining an invite to the US Nationals was exciting for us and brought more competition than we could have imagined. It just would have been nice if we could have put in a solid effort once we got there. Regardless, we finished first in our tiny region and we'll take it. Nine tenths of this whole game is mental. And having another championship under our belt can go a long way in the confidence area. With the right attitude and proper preparation for next year, this will definitely provide the perfect spring board to our 2011 season.
TaG also proved to be a viable option for us next year after our few times out on the track this past season showed plenty of promise. Sam was undeniably the fastest driver at Road America this year as well as one of the quickest at Badger Raceway at the club events. And we like the fact that we can count on a whole group of individuals who've already made the commitment to be back in this class next year. The progression is is all but confirmed at this time. Once we can secure our business partners for 2011 and find ourselves a quick and durable engine package we'll have to leave it at just that.
So once again we must say thank you so much to those who've made this season possible for us. With our economy being in a total tailspin for months now, it's hard to think anyone has disposable income anymore, especially when it's funneled into the world of motorsports. We've seen a fair decline in the number of entries at certain events, and the fact that some people are stretching their equipment out a bit longer than they may have in the past has us thanking the powers that be for what we have. Although this single season cost us more than the past two combined, we looked and performed as good, if not better, than most people we met and it was because of the generosity of people like:
Chris and Carla Heitman of Pegasus Auto Racing Supplies. Part of the decision to switch from Margay to Merlin this year was due to the fact that they became the newest dealer in the network. This move proved to be a large part in our success this year and we can't thank you both enough. We look forward to equalling our successes in 2011 with your help.
Gabriele Pedone and Danilo Oliveira of OMP. Simply the best safety equipment in the industry and we're proud to have been a partner of yours for the past five years. And like I've said before, nine tenths of this game is mental, and when you show up on the grid wearing nothing but the finest, people wonder. Deep pockets translate into speed in most minds and when you show up looking like a million bucks you're already in their heads and ahead of the game. We've tried just about all the equipment on the market today and can honestly say that nothing compares to OMP. We can't imagine competing without it so we thank you for all that you've done and hope you'll remain on board for years to come.
Jamie and George Sieracki of Franklin Motorsports/Dream Works Karting Supply. A real class act led by two of the most helpful and generous people in the business. This past season in Rotax could have been a train wreck had it not been for their guidance and technical help. And to be parked under the big tent at the Nationals and have access to the minds of some of the best tuners in the business really upped our game. For years we've heard all the accolades poured on them from satisfied customers and now that we've joined the "Merlin Nation" we know why. Regardless of what time of day or what they were doing, neither one of them would hesitate to stop and give a hand to someone who needed it. And we were that "someone" on several occasions this past season and we thank you for it.
And what would a team be without a ring leader, lost item finder, trailer straightener-upper, cook, and the ever important voice of reason. It's also nice to have your wife, mother, and number one fan in the stands supporting you. To Lori, we may be ships passing in the night on race weekends but your son and I appreciate everything that you do for us. And to Abi who unselfishly gives up nearly her entire summer for our habit, we thank you as well. Although one particular driver who had your attention this season made things much easier on you, we all know there were other places you would have liked to be.
So at the time of this writing we've already hauled all of our gear into the basement and began tearing things down. The trailer is put to rest and for the first time in months we've got weekends where we don't know what to do with ourselves. Free time is a precious commodity in this sport and in no time we'll be back to having none at all. We'll try and enjoy it while it lasts.
Thanks again to everyone for a very successful 2010. We look forward to seeing all of you again next season!
