Saturday at Minneapolis started with Fan Appreciation Day.  After giving out flags and stickers from the movie CARS, we put our race car in the fastest parade I had ever rode in. I couldn't even throw the candy fast enough.  Guess that is what happens when you put race car drivers in a parade.

On to the races and one of the most exciting features yet.  Matthew started 12th and worked his way to 2nd place behind BJ.  He kept getting his nose in under BJ and was working on him hard.  The race was called with 3 laps to go due to time.  Part of me was relieved and part of me wanted to see those last laps run.

Then officials shut off Matthew's engine on the track.  Someone wants to claim the engine!  This claiming thing is a rule of IMCA I fail to understand or agree with but rules are rules so all you can do is comply.  Luckily, the guy hadn't run the last race there so he was not allowed to claim.  Matthew moved on to post tech where they proceeded to tech everything even bringing out the rule book.  We never saw anything like it.  All I can say is bring it on.  The car is perfectly legal.  The kid can just drive hell out of a beat up, wore out race car!

Later I asked Matthew what he was thinking while he was sitting there being claimed.  As a Mom, my first thought was our season is toast without another motor.  My second thought was wanting to go punch the jerk that wanted to claim our motor.

Matthew had a much more constructive set of thoughts as he immediately starting working the problem.  He said he was thinking immediately to call Randy to discuss options.  Step 2 see if BJ had a motor he could borrow.  And he said step 3, with a sheepish grin, was to see if he could borrow Cheeseburger's motor since he had just crashed his car in the race and it didn't look possible to repair by the next day.  I really had to give the kid credit.  His level head and emotional control and majurity surpass most of us.

Next day we stop for our weekend Effie burger.  Earlier in the week we had a feast of homemade hash browns, ham, bacon, sausage, eggs and toast.  Later we get to have a backdoor pizza for dinner.  Let me point out that we aren't always so spoiled and have had our fair share of track food this season.  But, we have had some great visits with family this week and have enjoyed all the time together.  We even got to paste our first sticker on Effie's to celebrate her top 8 in the 8 Wonders of NW Kansas Cuisine contest. 

In WaKeeney Matthew starts in the fifth position in the feature.  A hard hit early in the race and he is shuffled to 8th.  They are five wide in turn 3!  I kid you not - it was a pack of cars and I think I was holding my breathe.  There is so much beating and no give- all take - so early in the race I am worried about a wreck or cut tire.  After the race, I learn Matthew had a strategy and used it to work his way to 2nd place.  Bet you can't guess who is in first.  Back in post tech we are enjoying every second of this.  Feels like victory.  And I was right about the hit.  Shoved the whole right side of the car in and back quarter panel is way too close to the tire. 

We load in record time, largely due to Jacob since the boys were in post-tech.  School starts tomorrow so we had to let the track officials know why we would be leaving so quickly.  Matthew is in honors classes so he even had homework over the summer.  He immediately went to work on it on the drive.  Made his father proud.  Jacob teased him the whole way since he didn't have homework yet.  But he is also getting all A's, working hard at school and starts football practice.  Plus, we are still looking to finish his racing season likely in October if the schedule settles down at 81 for us.

Next weekend, we are back to Hays for "Big Brothers, Big Sisters" night at the races and then on to Goodland for the battle over track championship.  Matthew is in second just a few points behind the leader.  But first, we need to deal with school and with work!  Summer's over.