I found a really good deal on a very nice Yamaha 125cc Shifter Kart in 2001 in a Tony Kart chassis. A friend of mine, Randy Reynolds, had one and had been racing for a while and he helped me set it up for my size. He was tall like me and knew some tricks how to get it set up - it's really small!
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My First Race |
Going through the hairpin corner, one of the slowest spots on the track. Top speed down the back stretch is 90mph and you hit a hard left and jam it down into second to make this turn. It's pretty hard to do fast and smooth. |
I rode 3 or 4 times and Randy up and sold his kart. He had all the tire mounting tools and balancers and stuff. I was getting back into motocross more and just put the kart in storage. About a year and a half later a guy I knew, Jack Shnell, came into my shop and said he was the man at the 103rd street track and I should come check it out. I needed to either ride it or sell it as it was just getting old sitting there, so I said "Sure, I'll race!"
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Tony Kart Extreme with 1999 YZ125 engine |
What an adventure, which is why I wanted to do it. I met Jack at the track 6 hours early to test and tune. I have 4 flats, no big deal, but my gas tank is cracked from the heat in my storage shed. I spend 2 hours finding a tank, drilling the vent lines, cleaning up the mess, rigging this oversized tank into my chassis, and making shims to keep it off the steering. I go to the line and have no brakes - back to the pits. 30 minutes later I find a brake bleeder and start to work with Jacks help. It takes almost 45 minutes to get mushy brakes, not good ones. back to the line for practice and I have a radiator problem - back to the pits. Jack and I are getting tired of dragging the kart back and forth!
There is sandy, crusty crap in my radiator, again from sitting too long. My kart is in really bad shape. The fuel will not flow either and we have to prime the system. It's time to try it again. Back to the line and I actually get in about 8 good laps. I'm on some really old, dry rotted tires, but I was glad to be out there. Practice closes and I am stressed I never got to spend the time I needed to get smooth. Signup is almost closed. My tires are SHOT! Should I still race? Its $25.00, I will probably get last and I may get run over .....OF COURSE!
I'm already $100.00 into repairs on this thing. Jack convinces me to try a new set of tires and his buddy Chuck tells me to make sure I have them on the right side, they are directional. I run around crazy trying to figure out how to do this only to find out later its a joke they play on rookies. I am really spazzing by now. I crack a rear rim hurrying to put it on. First heat - I start in the rear and try not to get lapped. I am way off the pace! Randy, Scott and Dale were there watching, but they all leave. It was probably cause I yelled at Randy about the tires before I knew better.
Jack tells me to change jetting as my plug is black and crusty. I go through the process, barely make it back to the line for Heat 2 and my kart dies. A fuel line kinked and I miss my heat! Now I am really bummed. I drag my kart back to the pits and someone has stolen my cell phone. Did I say this was an adventure?!? This is where I had to stop and tell myself how fortunate I was to be able to be able to do something like this and I needed to keep smiling. Its only a phone. I planned to just finish the day out and make the best of things.
Right before the Main someone turns in my phone, things are looking better. I have my new tires on and a kid next to me is helping me and Jack prep our karts. It's time for the helmetcam! Let's get some video if nothing else good comes of the day. I start in dead last and actually stick with the pack for almost 2 laps, then make a pass on Jack as he slows and then I catch the rear wheel of #8 as he bangs another rider and gets sideways. I stuck with the #8 til the end and kept a pace up that held Jack off. YEA!! I actually beat another driver, who just happened to be the points leader and the winner of heat one!
Turned out to be a really good day after all. Really tho' the best part was that I didn't let all the crap get me down.
The video quit after 2 laps, but it was really good up to that point. I'll try to post it soon...
Here's a sport I have a little easier time with...
Check out my MXA cover photo taken in the Spring of 2002 where I won 2 separate class championships.
