Friday night, we practiced on track; wait, a WET track. We ran on racing slicks on a track that had pouring rain on it. At first, it was a hard adjustment to try to get used to going into a turn, and the kart not turning. Slick tires on a wet track just wouldn't turn. The best way to maneuver around a turn was to 'dirt track'. About 10 foot before the turn, I would stomp the brake, cut the wheel in the opposite direction so when I reached the turn, I would already be turned in the right direction. I would always gain exiting the turn, but lose on the straights because of my weight.
When the Saturday Sun rose over the North Georgia Mountains, we found ourselves with just three drivers instead of 4. It was ok, the three of us could've ran for 2 hours a piece. However, we did find a racer without a ride, and grabbed at the opportunity. Especially since he was a former road racer.
With twenty teams, a random draw was in order, in which my team got #33, an old favorite in NASCAR from back when. I was chosen as team manager, in which at the start of the race, I had to play 'Chad Knaus' and figure out when and what time to make our 15 required pit stops. I also made a pit board, just like teams would use to communicate with their drivers back in the day, to communicate with my drivers when to pit. With at least 15 pit stops we had to make throughout the 6 hours, I tried to make 10 of them before we cycled through our driver changes. Then we just had to make 5 more during the next 3 hours, in which we just simply changed drivers as fast as we could in the pits.
During my time as driver, I honestly had a great time. I was racing against professionals including Grand Am drivers, long-time karters, and more, in addition to guys just having a good time. Racing against some cars were no competition for them. However, for a majority, I could run with a pack or a single person. One time in particular I was racing against a #12 for about 10 laps. Down the straights, I was bump drafting. I would let off before I get to the turn to let the other driver try and overshoot the turn. Then I would slide next to him in the turn and remain side by side until the next turn.
On one in particular part of the track, you go down 43 degrees, make a sharp hairpin turn (still while wet) and then go back up another 43 degree hill. While myself and the other racer were neck and neck going up the hill, a pack of 5 drivers pulled up to our right. This pack included two Grand-Am drivers and three other professionals. At the top of the hill, you make a bend, then another sharp turn, then down another hill. At the top turn, I was sitting second in line, 4-wide in the turn. The front car slid his front tires in the turn and piled up in the turn as I drove by.
In the end, my team finished 14th overall, but we WON in our division. We finished 5 laps ahead of the next place finisher.
It was a great feeling! Although I was a little sore in the shoulders, we had victory lane photos and I got a nice 1st place trophy. I also felt like a real driver, with a real helmet, borrowed from a NASCAR driver, with racing gloves, and a fire suit.
As of right now, I have won in every race I've entered! That's a pretty good record I'd say. Instead of veteran drivers having a nice career, then going into broadcasting, I could retire now and make a career out of broadcasting!
