Karting Memories

I recently went out to see a friend at the Jim Hall Jr. kart track in Oxnard. I know a few of the instructors there and have been cycling with them a couple of times so it was very relaxed and welcoming. But the biggest thing that struck me about being back at the go kart track was all the memories about how I really fell in love with racing. My first immediate experience with competitive driving was in a go kart at the ‘old’ Jim Hall kart track. For 6 years, a large portion of my life was shaped by the karting circuit and schedule. Weekends were dominated by it, high school dances missed for races, Friday night football games skipped, and homework done driving down the road, all so I could get to the kart track and go racing. Most of the professional racing drivers in the open wheel ranks have some karting background. It’s not a coincidence since karting teaches a race driver (even if he doesn’t know he is going to be a race driver!) all the important tools for racing. It teaches race craft, patience, victory, defeat and most importantly it allows the budding racer to experience the passion of competition. Without my time in a go-kart, I would never have achieved the level of success I have in race cars.
I cherish every single race and every single victory because I know I have become the racer I am today because of every experience that has come before, especially my karting years.