We bought John Michael a new race kart. After talking at length with his coach and seeing him learn a new track in the kart he has been training and racing in, the coach convinced us that he was ready for a big step-up in class, from a 9 hp four-stroke to a 29hp two-stroke. This new kart is significantly faster, but he would also be racing against much more experienced Junior drivers.

So, on January 6, we went to the Adams Motorsports track, where his kart was fully built and he got a day of practice under his belt. He did very well, but pretty much had the track to himself.

On Saturday, the second “Chill Race” of the season was held. He was in a large field, had a few warm-up laps, qualifying, then two short heat races in which one could move-up (or down) in the starting order. He moved-up each time. Then he was in the 16 lap race. He got a poor start, but moved-up a few places to finish 11th and was the talk of the paddock.

Jenson Button, 2009 Formula 1 world champion, was racing in the same type of kart, but in the Senior race and John Michael was able to meet him. He’s a great guy and immediately began to talk to John Michael about the track conditions – just another driver! Phil Giebler, a former Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year was also racing in the Senior race. So these races are comprised of the “Been There”, “Are There”, and “Will Be There.” Exciting.

If you only watch one video, watch the first lap of the race video. John Michael is in kart 629. Another driver passes him and John Michael re-passes him, but the kid tried to bully John Michael into giving way and ended up in the dirt and pounding his steering wheel. Mild-mannered John Michael!