Another practice day for the Rotax Gang!

[Andy Cave]

Another big Rotax turn out today, Are all the shifter guys still in hibernation???

Another beautiful, sunny day at the track today folks…Some guests came up from Gadsden and had a fun day. Luke and his Dad Louis came up to run Lukes 80cc shifter on a sprint track. Luke was national Enduro champ last year in his age group (13) and looked mighty fine on a shifter too. Keep coming up guys, we really enjoyed having you!

Adam Kasick came down from Nashville to check out the track and the club. Adam was a vet in the nationals ‘till getting out a couple of years ago, and is being bitten by the bug again. After seeing him do some laps today in your authors kart, and also Brian Adkins’s kart, all I can say is…..Adam Kasick…Come on down..
Super nice guy, very fast and knows how to set up a kart.

Joey Malone and son also came today, and despite a sick clutch, still had a fun afternoon. Joey maintains, he’s out of karting, but we’ll see…Great to see you both fellas!

Rian Anglin, getting quicker by the week. If you ladies want to race this season, you’d better start getting the seat time in, as Rian is, and she’s getting quick!

Exciting moment of the day actually involved yours truly today (How unusual is that?).After several laps spent furiously trying to tattoo my initials into Mike Robinsons rear bumper, Mike decided to liven up the afternoon by lifting early, and I decided to add to my frequent flyer miles by getting airborne with a little help from Mikes rear wheel..
Paul Anglin, who at the time, was furiously trying to tattoo my rear bumper, commented that the whole incident was ‘Quite Spectacular’…..Hmmmmm

Ken Sullivan immediately sentenced me to washing his car for free for the summer….Wait on Ken…..Where is that in the rules???

Brian Adkins, Getting quicker also by the week. This guy actually goes skydiving before coming to practice…..
This has really caused yours truly to re-think his entire personal training regime….Previously I had spent Saturday evenings eating Haagen Daaz, watching ‘COPS’ re-runs. I now see the error of my ways, and obviously I have to drop the “COPS’ re-runs….

See y’all next week

[Stan Stanford]

Andy,

Thanks for the weekly updates and also the magical way you seem to add in the comical relief. Well as for the shifter guys who are in hibernation, I have a few ideas on that one.

1. There are a few shifter guys who do not have to move their karts in the offseason and the first laps of the year will still be around 36 sec.

2. There are a few shifter guys who like to rebuild their engines on Friday night in hopes of practicing on Saturday only to figure out that they need a few exhaust studs, a washer, and a plug bolt for their new cylinder. Oh yeah and also need to make a new exhaust mount for their silencer, which is being done today might I add.

3. Maybe your post about us hibernating may have awaken some of the sleeping giants who frequent this here board.

As for me, I plan on being there to break in my new top end this coming weekend. The only real issue that I have had is packing my new trailer, after having a 6x12 and then going to a 5x8, I had a small problem, after I got everything loaded up from one trailer to the other, it was looking good, but I had no place to put the kart. I should be there this weekend with both the Badillac (Bad + Cadillac) and the Comer 50.

Oh yeah and one other important thing. As most of you that know me see that I have a 3 year old shadow most of the time. And that 3 year old shadow also like to play with my keys and seems to have misplaced them somewhere in the house, so I have no keys to the track. You wouldn't know where I could get a new one would you???

[Paul Anglin]

I must admit, you and Mike did provide quite an entertaining show for me. However, contrary to popular belief I was not trying to “tattoo” anyone’s initials onto anyone’s bumper…………….. I was merely trying to read the date stamp on your neck brace to ensure that it had not expired. This was purely for the sake of promoting track safety……… honestly…….you believe me, right?????? :D Once I concluded Andy met all the required safety requirements I decided to consider a way to pass. While several different options came to mind, I had not considered such a novel approach as driving UNDER you. Although, under the circumstances I believe that would have been the simplest, and in the future I will do my best to be more prepared for such an opening to reveal itself.

[Nathan Fowler]

The "gear changing" monkeys need no awakening. We spend all of our time squeezing every last ounce of power out of these 125cc breadboxes (and working on other peoples karts too).

I may be able to swing next Saturday.

[Jason Wisener]

I guess since Andy is making fun of all of us shifters we need to gear up and go head up to the track this weekend to run some of those rotax guys of the track. Will let them be pace cars for us. If we happen to run into your back bumpers it was because of we are out of practice. I think we need to ban those direct drives. Well on second hand since I have never raced shifters and I have 2 rotax karts I guess they are ok and lets not mention banning them any more. I guess I am riding the fence on these issues, I have not decided which one of these classes to start picking on. I will see which class I run better in then pick on the other.

[Andy Cave]

Welcome back, Oh shifter people..
Your author completely understands your prolonged absence from the weekly practice scene. Others too, have had issues along the lines of 'The checks in the mail' and 'The dog ate my homework'....
Wait though.......Actually that was at my house this morning...whoops..

Seriously though, after hearing much talk about the large shifter turn out this year, some people had started to wonder if we had aquired a second track somewhere in Decatur, as nary a shifter has been seen for some weeks now..

Jason Wisener is excluded from this 'Call to arms' at practice...Jason has already logged up so many hours on the track in the last five months, that even if he didn't show up for the next five months, he'd still be ahead of everyone else.....

Not sure how to get a key Stan, other than contact Ken or Tom. Ken was at the track all day Sunday and did Supervisor training for several people.

Come on down....

[James Frank]

As for shifters, it all depends I guess what their intentions are. Being the club's first race and Barber are only a week apart. I'm going to race Barber. Jason is thinking of racing the first club race. Right now both our engines are being repaired. But we are getting our karts ready for a new year. Im either going to be a pit crew or volunteer in March. I'm letting Don defend his championship from all the hungry newcomers. I'm looking forward to seeing a large shifter crowd. It was getting impressive last year. 8-10 average per raceday would be cool. Tag might grow big too if they take the track records. Should run them at the road courses too, they run pretty well at Barber and Talladega. As for the practice/testing shifter crowds, you'll see more of us in February and March Im certain.

[Mark Benton]

I'm the happy new owner of Joey's kart! I was planning on practicing two weeks ago at Barnesville, GA, but I found out I needed a new brake line and a few other tidbits that didn't arrive on time (jets, new seat, gloves, etc.). When will the next Baker's Creek practice be? 3 hours from Auburn is a bit of a drive, but I'd love to come practice. Anything this weekend?

Also, what gears would be good to have for Baker's Creek? I currently have an 11T and a 12T front sprocket and a 74, 76, 77, and 82 rear sprocket.

I'd really like to drive up to Decatur and practice with some of you guys so I can get some experience and learn about my kart. I have experience in sports cars and a couple hours on track in a formula continental, but I have never driven a kart.

[Andy Cave]

Hey Mark,
Welcome aboard mate..
I'll have the track open on sunday, noon 'till 4pm. Come on up if you can.
I run a 12T front with an 85 rear, Jason runs an 11T front, but i'm not sure what rear he runs with it.
Did you join the club yet, or just coming up on a 'pay per day' thing?
We have race gas available at the track if needed. Feel free to e-mail me at the house if you need any help with anything..
andycave@bellsouth.net

Cheers

Andy C

[Adam Kasick]

Andy,

I wanted to thank you for taking the time to show me around, and introduce me to everyone on Sunday. Everyone is very friendly, and I had a great time! A special thanks to you and Brian for allowing me to take a couple of laps, it was great to get back out there!

If you (or anyone else whom was there) should have any questions that you think I may be able to help with, please feel free to shoot me an email.

atkasick@hotmail.com

I'll be out of town this weekend, but hopefully I can come down in the next few weeks.

thanks again!

adam

[JOEY MALONE]

Hey Mark, Let Me Know When You Are Coming To The Track. I Ran Across Your Rear Torsion Bar On My Tool Cart. I'll Be Glad To Bring It To The Track Whenever You Make It Up This Way......