Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Let's Go Racing - Maybe...

So, Hunter wants to race go-karts. Okay, no problem. Except for the cost, the time, the effort, blah, blah, blah. This is a kid who is not athletic or aggressive or highly competitive. Yeah, I know, he's 7. But, seems like a lot of boys around 7 are out doing something. So for a couple of years now, Hunter has been talking about racing go-karts. Alright, let's look it up.

I found a track not too far from here that races kid karts - his age group with slower, easier karts. After watching and talking with other parents, Hunter was sold and we were interested in learning more. In asking around about a chance for Hunter to try out a kart, we met Go-Kart Dad with one for sale. We went out yesterday to meet up with him and his son and try out the kart. Christopher jumped on the kart and ran it up and down the practice lot warming the engine up. Zip, zip, zip, figure 8's around cones and zip, zip, zip some more. Then it was Hunter's turn. Hunter donned the helmet and neck brace, squeezed down into the kart and then........putt, putt, puttery-putt. Nope. No zip, zip, zip for my boy. No sir, Mr. Cautious wasn't about to apply the gas to this death machine. But he did find the brake pedal right away.

So after a few minutes of coaching from Mr. Go-Kart Dad, our current decision of "not right now" started showing signs of "well, maybe." We could hear the engine actually starting to get gas to it and watching him take the corners showed a little sign of hope. Then Go-Kart Dad told us how his son (and many others) did the same thing on the first few times. He coached us on how to teach him and described the very frustrations that I was thinking would arise should we jump into this. Hearing these shared feelings reassured me that our little boy would probably fit right in eventually.

We are still praying and discussing the pros and cons of getting into this. Given that the races are on weekends, I would be responsible for taking Hunter to the track, unloading, tweaking, and getting him ready for race time, at which Daddy might be there.

We'll see. Keep praying for us!!

1 comment:

Holly (me.) said...

Putt-putt, or not--- how cute is he in that racer gear?!