| January 30, 2006 - This past weekend was my 25th birthday and I couldn't think of a better way to spend it besides at a kart track. Saturday was spent at the 103rd street complex in Jacksonville, Florida. With the season just starting for the North Florida Kart Club, many karts were in attendance. The TaG class boosted a total of 11 karts, which is a very nice size for a local club here in Florida. With the first time at the track in my TaG package, I sorta out gearing and the chassis in the only two practice sessions. The first heat would have me starting in the 10th spot. I was able to keep my nose clean and work my way up to 5th place only to lose 2 positions down the long 1000' backstraight on the last lap. For the second heat I started on the pole position and came out of the first turn in second place, due to the amount of extra weight I'm carrying around. The first time down the backstraight away I looked to my inside about two thirds the way down the straight only to see two karts next to me. Trying to play it smart I tried to duck in behind them going into the corner only to get knocked around. In the exchange I made contact wheel to wheel. Sending me off the track and bending the steering shaft. Needless to say, I called it a day after that. Until I figure out how to lose about 50 pounds on me and the kart, I probably won't be back to 103rd Street Complex for a long time. The combination of being overweight and extremely tall out of the seat is too much to overcome to be competitive. Sunday was spent at the Ocala Gran Prix in Ocala, Florida. The winter series for the track was on it's forth race of the year. I was able to make the 3rd event at the beginning of January. The turn out was not nearly as big as the day before in Jacksonville. As a total of 5 karts were in the TaG class. After an uneventful Qualifying and Pre-Final, I would take the green for the Final |