I finally got a chance to enjoy some time off with my family after the incredible start to the 2013 season. I can honestly say that I am truly blessed to have a great family and race team.
Having this time off with scheduled off-weeks plus rainouts like the World Crown a couple weeks back have really allowed me to reflect on just how blessed I am every day. God has shined upon us by putting together a group of talented individuals to make a great team and we are seeing the success.
Kevin Hamlin is a great manager and mentor. Nick Easton and Freddie Query have done a great job both in the shop and at the track. Freddie's setup knowledge has really helped our team turn the corner. Scott Wimmer is really teaching me a lot as my spotter. Dave Holt, Jeremy Wilburt and Tony Collier are awesome crewmembers.
The off-weeks have been filled with a lot of preparation at the shop, but it's also been full of fun time for the guys and for me and my family.
After our win at Salem Speedway, our family took a nice vacation by relaxing on a houseboat for a few days on Lake Cumberland in Kentucky.
Currently we are at a resort in southern Georgia where I am playing a lot of tennis and golf. I have to tell you that the heat and humidity down here is really helping me get conditioned for some upcoming race events on those hot summer nights.
I have been playing more tennis than golf. Tennis is a sport that I really like because you have both the physical and mental side. It has been getting pretty competitive on the tennis court. When you're a racer and in a family full of racers, there's a lot of competition whether it's on the track or on the tennis court.
There are times where my dad (John) wants to play doubles against me. He is such a competitive guy that I want to make it challenging for him. So, what do I do? I got and get the local pro to play with me and we try to go out and pummel him.
My favorite tennis player is Roger Federer. He is a very classy guy and one of the best in the world. The way he presents himself is very professional and he has shown me how I should present myself at the track.
A couple of years ago, I had a chance to watch him play in person at the U.S. Open in New York. That was special because we got to see him play, but also see many celebrities in the stands.
But the vacation time is just about done and it's almost time to get our game faces back on for some big races coming up. Our chase for the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour championship comes this weekend at Anderson and I and the whole team are pretty pumped up about it.
I can’t wait to get back on track this week at Anderson Speedway. We are going to race the JEGS/CRA All-Stars Tour event on Friday and try to extend my points lead. But I am also excited to make my Super Late Model debut in the Redbud 300 on Saturday. We practiced both cars a couple of weeks ago there and I think we have a competitive car for each event. I can’t wait to get back on track.
Overall, I am looking forward to the second half of 2013. Three wins so far is awesome and I know we can get more. Our ultimate goal is the championship and the best way to do that is to win or finish as high as we can each race and the points will take care of themselves.
Over the past few weeks, especially after my recent victories, I've gotten a lot of congratulatory messages and notes of support from the entire JEGS family and fans from around the world. It's really cool knowing so many people follow what we do on the racetrack. I am grateful to have the support of my family especially my parents, John and Di, and my little sister Kennedi, as well.
I look forward to meeting all of race fans at the upcoming events. You are the best fans and we enjoy racing in front of you at the best short tracks in the United States.