September 16 – Note:  This is last weekend's blog.  I tried to post Monday morning at 3 AM but Web Site was down.  So, here is the original write-up.  Should get you excited for tonight!!

Matthew has to work and has also joined the race team at WSU, so he plans to meet up with us on Saturday.  Jacob, Steve and I head to Hays for the last race of the season for us at RPM.  In the heat, Jacob’s tires were spinning and he just couldn’t go.  As a result, he starts 18th out of 19 cars in the feature.  He did a great job working  his way up to 9th!  There is one car that can’t go one single race with hitting him, but this time, Jacob gave him a shove back.  Good for Jacob!  Everyone that matters knows he races clean and the rest will never have a clue.

Saturday, we all travel to Mayetta where Matthew and Rylee meet us.  The night starts off perfectly with both boys winning their heat race!  It was so much fun.  The mist starts and the track does a great job keeping the races going ahead of the rain.  Rylee says all she wants is a picture with Matthew in victory lane.  He told her he starts in the middle and would do his best to get to the front and she coached him until he said, “I am going to go out and win.” 

Matthew runs his feature before Jacob and out of a full field of 19 cars, he picks them off one by one and takes the win!  It was so exciting.  Rylee got her picture and her trophy.  Could not be more proud.  Our pic is posted on ThunderHill’s Web Site. 

Jacob has ten cars in his feature and also starts in the middle.  He does a perfect job working his way through and ends with a solid 3rd place.  They just didn’t have the right gear for the way the track ended up that night.  He couldn’t get closer to the top two cars. But, he made it in post-tech and the goal was always top fives.

You can watch both of their races on YouTube at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAH9FgxHuqI

Matthew’s is the second race in the video and Jacob’s is third.

Grandpa Carl, Grandma Effie and Uncle Rich all joined us for a family picture to close out the night.  The smiles on our faces say it all.  And as we start driving, the texts start flying.  B and Amber have won the National Championship!  Congratulations to them.  And that gets our engine builder, Randy Wilson, his championship.  Wow.  What an incredible night.  Wish I could bottle it.  I am so proud and so blessed to be a part of this amazing group of family (and our friends are part of that family as one of them pointed out back to me!)  so when I say family, you all know who you are – there for the good and the bad times.  I could not love or appreciate this group of people more.

Started off Sunday wishing Randy a Happy Birthday with everyone at Effie’s.  Hearing his stories is awesome.  I could listen all day.  Blake and Rylee drove Matthew while Matthew finished his homework.  At the track, Jacob worked on his homework.  At Wakeeney, Jacob brought in a 7th place while Matthew finished 8th.  Did a gear change between races on Matthew to try something new.  Never done that before!

I’m on a flight in less than an hour so no sleep for Mom and Dad!  Gotta run, but next weekend it is the final points races of the season and we’ll end it at Mayetta!