12-21-02

Rumble In Blue Grass

    Saturday Night Main Event-  The field was inverted so Brooks started in 2nd place off pole.  They took the green and Brooks raced his friend Weston to turn 1 and got the lead.  Brooks lead for 8 laps until a scary accident happened that caused Weston to hit the wall head on.  He had to go to the Hospital but several hours later all tests were negative, just one sore little guy.  On the restart Zack had worked his way to the front just behind Brooks in 2nd place.  The show we all had been waiting for was about to happen.  Brooks and Zack together on the track in 1st and 2nd place, it was on!  They took the green and they pretty much checked out with the exception of Tyler who stayed close.  With 8 laps to go Brooks caught a lapped kart again and tried everything to get by him.  Finally he went high to go around the outside but couldn't get him and Zack got underneath for the lead.  For the next 5 laps Zack couldn't get by either so Zack, Brooks, and Tyler were stacked behind the lapped kart real tight.  Brooks got a couple runs on Zack but each failed.  Finally the White Flag, one to go!  Brooks made a run into 1 & 2 on the high side riding the rim.  This was a gamble because this is where the loose stuff is and it also left the door open underneath him and Tyler gladly filled it.  However running the rim ride allows the max RPM on exit and Brooks just exploded off turn 2 and carried this impressive speed down the back stretch.  Brooks gambled and held it down into turn 3 passing not only Zack but the lapped kart as well on the outside!  He made it stick somehow high and in the loose and exited off turn 4 for the CHECKERED FLAG and the WIN!  You should have heard the fans in the coliseum on their feet cheering!  The announcer went crazy when Brooks made his move and stuck it!  What a show these kids put on!  Not just Brooks, his friends are just as impressive and definitely great sports!  A tribute to great parenting!

This was Brooks best pass ever and was his best display of talent, patience, and maturity.  Brooks waited till the last lap to make his move and executed it by setting it up in one turn and delivering in the last turn for the win!   Way to go!  Brooks said he was slipping the entire way around the rim in both turns but said he new he wasn't going to spin out!  He said he just worked the slide!

The first thing he said to me (dad) when he came off the track was "How's that for your birthday Daddy!"  He said it with the biggest grin and a twinkle in his eye!  What a great kid to have just beaten the best driver in the country in front of a couple thousand people, and he still thinks about someone else instead of himself.  Brooks although only barely 7 is a class act and a great sport!  What a way to close out the 2002 season!