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September 2009
June 2009
While meeting with a potential sponsor,
AJ told him how he saw a race on video and the two guys got into a fight
after they crashed. Then AJ told him; "If you get into a fight,
you gotta leave your helmet on!" When the sponsor asked AJ if he
knew why, AJ replied; "Yeah, because then they can't punch you in the
face."
On the scale right after winning the XB-Fit
Energy Drink race, AJ told Uncle Jeff; "Isaak tried to spin me out, but
I just turned right!" Isaak didn't actually try to spin him out,
he was actually taking the advice I gave him earlier in the day about
putting a bump and run move on the car in front of him if he had to in
order to pass. I just didn't think it would be AJ he would try the
move on first.
On the day of the XB-Fit Energy Drink
race in Tampa, FL I asked AJ which arm he wanted his wristband on.
He looked at his arms and stuck out his left wrist and said; "On the one
that will be holding the checkered flag later." I don't think we
have any issues with lack of confidence in our driver.
About an hour after flipping and barrel rolling
across the finish line for the win, Isaak's dad Jeff asked AJ if the
knew where he was when he crossed the finish line. AJ looked at
him and very simply said; "First!" (with a nice look on his
face) Of course Jeff meant
did he know he was upside down and in the air when he crossed the line.
On a trip over to New Smyrna for a race that ended
up rained out AJ's Uncle Jeff was picking on him. When AJ had
enough so he walked up to Uncle Jeff, made a fist and said; "Do you want
a black eye, or teeth out of your mouth!"
This one wasn't in June, but I just remembered it
and we just did it, I will post a video of it later too. AJ and
his Pop-Pop were talking about when AJ gets his first win. Pop-pop
asked him what he wants for that win and AJ said; "I want that stuff to
shake up and spray in everyone's eyes!" Obviously he has watched
too many NASCAR races with me and sees them with the champagne after
they win.
May 2009
While out to dinner with his mom and sisters, AJ's
mom mentioned that the restaurant, which was pretty much empty when they
arrived, had gotten really crowded. AJ smiled and said; "That is
because they all know I am a racecar driver!"
April 2009
After a conversation with AJ on the way to New
Smyrna in the motorhome about him and I (Dad) riding to racetracks
together a lot over the next 20 years, AJ made a comment about wanting
someone else to drive so he and I can sit in the back. The next
day AJ told his mom: "When I make it big in racing, someone else is
gonna to drive the motorhome and me and dad are gonna sit in the back
and drink beers."
March 8, 2009
As we strapped him in for the second heat race we
told AJ we wanted him to drive it like he stole it. At dinner
after the races AJ told us; "I drove it like I stole it from Bubba!"
We bought the new car from
Bubba.
February 22, 2009
While at practice one day AJ's right
rear tire came off on the track because we were making a lot of
adjustments to the car and obviously didn't get the axle nut back on
tight enough. That night when his Pop-Pop asked him about practice
he said; "My stupid pit crew didn't tighten my tire and it flew off!"
He then went on to tell his Pop-Pop that he might have to fire his pit
crew and get a new one.
After the new car was delivered to our pit area, AJ
had trouble focusing on his old car which he had to drive that day.
We told him he had to forget the new car and go drive midge to a good
race. We noticed under the cautions of the race AJ was hitting his
helmet with his hand. That night at bedtime he told me; "Dad, I
know you told me to forget that new car, but I just couldn't stop
thinking about what it would have been like to be racing it instead of
my old car. I even hit myself in the helmet to try to knock that
new car out of my head, but I just couldn't stop thinking about it!"
December 28, 2008
While we were getting the motorhome ready for the
Little Smyrna 500 race, AJ told us he wanted the bed above the cab.
We told him he was the smallest person and since that was the biggest
bed it might be better for me or his uncle to sleep up there.
After thinking about it for a half an hour, AJ said; "Since I am the
racecar driver, I should get the safest and most comfortable bed in the motorhome." So he ended up sleeping in the big bed with me for the
three nights over there.
December 6, 2008
At the 2008 Tampa Quarter Midget Racing Association
banquet the handlers got to race go-karts and the kids were their crew
chiefs/handlers. After my qualifying run, AJ sat me down to go
over my line with me. He basically told me I was entering the
corners too shallow and that I needed to wait longer before turning.
The picture says it all:
Click Here to see the picture.
July 2008
While in the Emergency Room after
suffering a split open forehead in the Smokey Mountains from another kid
throwing a softball sized rock at AJ, he realized his injury might keep
him from racing practice the following week. He got mad and said;
"Now I can't go to my racing lesson because I got this cut on my head!"
His mom did ask the doctor about it they said he shouldn't go, but dad
and uncle Jeff decided otherwise and took him to his lesson. |