Let the games begin
Jennings GP - Jennings, FL
April 3/4, 2004

Here we are, heading to Jennings, FL for the National Championship season opener. It's a new track for us and it's a looong drive. We leave at 10am Friday, and arrived at 6:15p at the hotel. Well, first off the track was supposed keep the gates open until 10p, but they decided to close at 6p instead, so we couldn't drop off the trailer Friday nite. No biggie.. but it sucks.

We meet Reet, my new teammate, for dinner and hang out, relax, then get some good rest for practice on Saturday.

Saturday we get to the track and get to our spot that some of the other 125ers saved for up and set up camp. Practice goes well, although I find out that I'm jetting dangerously lean, everything is going well. USGPRU qualifying is our last session of the day. We head out, and it goes OK, I only got a couple good laps in, not sure of how I did. We pull in and wind down and get ready to goto dinner while waiting to hear the results..... I get 6th in qualifying... out of 31 racers! Holy shit! I was thinking I'd be lucky to get in the top 15. We head to dinner and the hotel and I'm psyched as ever.

Sunday we head to the track, first race is the 125 National race. Get an OK start, not too happy with it, but it works. Not much movement, I get passed by 1 or 2 people, and pass 1 person, so I pretty much hold my own.. and finish 10th. WOOHOO!! I got a top 10 finish, not only in my first expert race, but in the National race! I'm so psyched!!

Next race I head out, I do OK, have a little run-off trying to pass for 5th place. I recover, and get back in the mix in 11th place. I slowly work my way up and finish in 9th.

Then, I decide to check the head and jetting and find that my piston is trashed. I'm waaayyyy too lean, which is kinda odd for the size I was jetting. So I change the piston, but not in time for my next race. Oh well. So we hang out for another hour and I make it out for my 4th race. I do OK, a couple little mistakes, but end up finishing 7th. Still good. All top ten finishes for the weekend.

We pack up and head home, dreading the drive. We leave town around 6p. and get home at 3am. Whew what a weekend.