One of my most proud Dad moments ever!

**Heffner Performance** · 12-10-2010, 06:38 AM

A few months ago I started my four year old son in go kart racing. Since you are supposed to be five years old I figured that we would get almost a year of practice in before we had him compete. The problem was that after a few thousand laps by himself he began to get bored with it. We found a local race series in Ocala, Florida which always seemed to have a good field of kid karts and a very nice facility so we decided to head over there and see if they would allow him to race. The race director was a little hesitant but agreed to let him out on the track by himself for observation to determine whether or not he appeared to understand the rules and to make sure he wouldn't be a danger to himself or any other drivers. After a ten minute session he said that they would be happy to have him in the series.

He was a bit intimidated by the fact that there were eight other karts out there on a regular basis and came in sixth out of eight in his first race. During one of the practice sessions before his second race another kart spun in front of him. He clipped the front of that kart which caused his kart to flip over. When it came to a stop he pushed the kart off of himself and was up and about before the medic could even get over to him. Thanks to proper safety equipment he didn't have a scratch on him. He said he wanted to still do the race that day so we checked him out and made sure his kart was in good shape and sent him out fort the final race that day in which he finished fifth out of eight but it was obvious that his confidence as shaken as he was very apprehensive to get near other karts.

The third race went similarly. He actually got into third place but when the second place kart had a mechanical issue causing him to slow, he just wasn't comfortable going around him and eventually fell back to fifth. Nevertheless he was still out there driving and having a good time.

This past weekend something just clicked. It may have been the promise of ice cream for dinner but it's hard to say.:lol He just decided that he wanted to give it everything he had. He qualified second then fell into fourth in the heat race. In the final race he started out in fourth, fell to fifth and carefully made his way to second to take his first podium finish. I don't know that I've ever seen my little boy so happy and so proud of himself. It was definitely one of my proudest Dad moments. To see my four year old son out there driving against kids that are as old as eight years old and doing so well gives me a feeling that is indescribable.

We will have to be in this class until he is seven years old so I have a feeling that there will be many wins to come. I'll let you know how it goes. I have attached the video of the final race below.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v73qJlnP240"]YouTube - Chase Heffner's First Podium Finish In Kid Kart at Four Years Old. Ocala Gran Prix[/ame]

**KfabR8** · 12-10-2010, 06:54 AM

Congrats!!!

Absolutely wonderful that you can share in his experiences like you are. You sound happy that he's just out there and him making the podium is just icing on the cake.

Very nice indeed.

**Heffner Performance** · 12-10-2010, 07:07 AM

Thanks Richard,

I am indeed happy to have him out there. We have always been a motorsports oriented family and this is some of the best father and son time I could ever dream of.

**Monkey boy UK** · 12-10-2010, 08:03 AM

Wonderful, i am proud too and hes not my son! good racing line and seems to have excellent straight line speed that cart, we could be looking at a future racing champ!

**club411** · 12-10-2010, 09:47 AM

Fantastic!!! Thanks for sharing!

**harrison** · 12-10-2010, 10:08 AM

He sure deserves that ice cream ! Seems fearless and his adrenaline 'musta really started pumping with his first overpass. Congratulations. I found that I get a better feeling when my son does well than if I myself do well.

**mngolfer** · 12-10-2010, 10:21 AM

Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed the video. Proud dads are a good thing. What a wonderful experience you will have together in the future. I expect mom is just as proud.