October 1 - It is official.  Jacob finished 2^nd in National Rookie Points.  I think this is a great achievement at his age and shows he has built a good foundation of skills for next year.  Who knows what he’ll be able to do with a straight car!  The boys are already hard at work building it.

So, as I close out our 2011 season, I want to be sure to say thank you to our family and friends.  I need to give special thanks to our engine builder, Randy Wilson and congratulate him on being the IMCA Northern SportMod Engine Builder of the Year.  To Bryan LaRiviare, thanks for the coaching and support and also congratulations to him on his National SportMod Championship.  Wow – it sure feels great to be in such great company!  Actually, it is an honor.  And, I could not be prouder of both of them along with their significant others who make it all happen, Angie and Amber.  Thanks to Richard Wilson for building us a great chassis that has held up through a lot of beating and banging.  And, I definitely recognize that none of us would probably be racing if not for their Dad, Rich Wilson, so a thank you to him.  I know he is proud of what his boys are doing.  I hope he is watching along with my Mom and Tim and we are keeping them all entertained as they watch over us.

A huge thank you goes out to Frying Pan Racing, Xtreme Motor Sports and Photos by Red.  We appreciate all you do for us.  Every weekend, Uncle Rich gets Great-Grandma and Grandpa to the races and works hard for us in the pits as well as rounding up parts for us along the way.  I can’t thank him enough.  Thanks also to Grandpa Brandt for finding us those hard to find pieces!  And to Grandma Effie for feeding us.  And to our fan club, especially Aunt Dorothy, Uncle Clarence, Grandma and Grandpa Crowell, Ms. Rylee and the Henderson’s for all of their love and support.  I treasure every moment we have had – both the good and the bad – and it is fun to laugh now at the bad times.  Some of the best stories even come out of those nights!  I love Ryle’s no yelling rule.  She supports, coaches and helps Matthew in so many ways and it is so wonderful to watch them win together.  I appreciate all she does for us.

The kids are at hunter’s safety so they are already getting ready for winter activities.  Racing never really ends as we have a lot of work to do to get ready for next year.  And I have a lot of video from this season if I can find the time to post it.  My final words of 2011 season would be to thank the three men in my life that make me so very proud each and every day.  To my wonderful sons, Matthew and Jacob, and the best husband ever, Steve, I am so very blessed to have you in my life and love you more each and every day.  I mostly only write about the races, but behind the scenes Steve works harder than anyone I know to make all of this happen.  He never gets enough credit and thanks.  We ran our first race in November of 2001.  I never dreamed it would all lead to what we are doing today, but Steve really led the way and gave us all quite a decade.  I love you more than words can express and am so very thankful for you.  I am looking forward to the next decade - on and off the track - TOGETHER as only CBR can do it!

~CBR Mom