August 14 - What is the definition of a perfect race night?  Good, clean, hard racing with no damage or mechanical failures and a top five finish.  By that definition, our race at Dodge City was even better than that!

As we drive there, the storms are all around yet again and pop-up thunderstorms.  I think this is the third time in a row traveling there where I wonder if we'll be racing or rained out.  Steve has started calling Matthew sleeping beauty because we barely pull out of town and he is asleep.  Jacob is trying to finish a book - not by choice but for Honors English.  School starts Monday!  Our final weekend before we have to juggle it all.  So, on the drive there, I am watching the storms and radar and I marvel a bit at the beauty of the storm clouds and lightening.  Then I realize that I am sure glad we all like the same music as Matthew wakes up and cranks up the ipod. 

As we finish the final prep for the races, I am getting quizzed on tools.  I wonder how long I am going to have to put up with this.  I can probably score a B, but those tools infrequently used really stump me.  I also had a small problem with the four-wheeler the other night that I didn't write about.  Pushing Matthew's car in to the trailer when it started to rain, I might have dented it just a bit.  Anyway, I'm also still trying to live that one down.  And for the record, I did fix it and used the rivet gun with no help or guidance needed.

Matthew is in the second heat race and he quickly drives up to second place as he gains on the leader.  I'm not sure what lap he passed him, but then the other guy changed his line and was catching back up to Matthew.  It was a fun heat race and Matthew holds on to take the checkered flag. 

In the feature, Matthew starts in the 6th position.  Again, he drives to the front pretty quickly.  Took a little work and time to get around the front two cars, but once Matthew took the lead, he definitely didn't look back.  Drove it to the checkered flag.  I feel myself breathe and am just so happy he can end the weekend with a win.  Rylee was on hand to give him a proper congratulations kiss.  The whole fan club was definitely working hard to cheer him into victory lane.  And, we braved our way through the lightening all around us yet again!  What a crazy weather week.  

We will be watching the weather close next weekend as our two best tracks have a race on the same night.  We'll either be in Goodland or Dodge.  Matthew is first in points at Goodland, so we can't miss a race there.  Only ten races left in the points season which ends the last of September.