Today is Kaitlin's 8th birthday and she is finally legal to drive her car.

I have to give a very specail and heart felt thanks to Bill Bader and all the crew at Summit Motorsports Parkfor allowing her to make her first passes at her home track on her birthday even though they had another event going on. They went out of their way to make it a very special moment.

Her first pass I told her to just get on and off the gas real easy. She did great.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SgyR8YV1FY


Her second pass I told her to stay on the gas a little longer and try and go a lttle fast but still be burping the pedal. All was going good untill just pass the 1/4 mile stripe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sw1HsqdLiRw

She's fine and actually one of her first thoughts was now she wont have a car to race. I told her it's just a machine and can be fixed and the important thing was she was ok. She told me the important thing was She had fun and wants to do it again.

I'm having a little problem with the camcorder that has the other fottage so the on car is all I have for now.

I can't download the vid's since I can't get high speed internet where I am,but I am glad she's okay!
Also glad to see she is a trooper like her old man,and wants to keep at it!

Glad she's ok Bill.... major bummer for her to smack
her car up on her birthday on her first ever pass...
oh well its like you said... good she's ok and its just
a machine that can be fixed.... is it done yet dad

Glad she's ok, I thought I was going to see another jr. dragster rolling as they tried turning off the track at speed. What did mom say?

Yeah, not exactly how I envsioned her spending her birthday but I have to say she didn't let it get her down. She's litterally has grown up at the race track (first time at the track she was 3 weeks old) and has been waiting all her life for this one day.

Despite how the day ended she wasn't about to let that spoil her first time.

Quote:

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What did mom say?

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Remember, Gina races her self and not only knows what can happen at any time she knows just how serioulsy I take saftey and the saftey equipment.

bummer bill! glad she's ok. dave

Looks like she was having so much fun she wanted to keep going....love seeing 8 years olds on the track Sorry about the damage, but as said she's OK and that's all that really matters....she's a veteran now

Rickster

Glad she is ok Bill!!

She's still talking about leanring from what happened.

"Gotta learn from my mistakes" she says.

From the wreck vid, she was turning the front wheels in the correct direction but it wasnt responding. The front still pulled to the right even though she was turning it left.

Maybe she just didnt react quick enough though. But I dont like the stability aspect of that though. IMO, With her steering input that I saw it should of recovered and not drove into the wall. Im glad it was a Mild incident and shes taking it well. mike

According to the sound on the vid, the data recorder on the car, and her own admission, she was on the gas the entire time. She was also trying to brake as I can see it on the graph as well.

It's a good thing I had the pedal blocked so it wowuld only open half way or it could/would have been much worse.

I think if she had gotten off the gas she may have been able to get it back under control.

shes learning

why couldnt they have had these machines when i was a kid...