The MAINS - where it counts!

   Saying the mains are where it counts is sort of a misnomer because obviously you had to earn your way there....  But, for trophy/ribbon/points purposes (which I don't understand yet because novices don't race for points) the mains are what matters.

    So, let me take you back to the qualifying example of Zachary:
If you remember (or bothered to read) he placed 6 out of 14 jr novices - which placed him in the B Main with the other 3 that had the best times (5-8). So this is what it looks like on paper....


A MAIN
1 Filled by fastest qualifier 1-4        5 Blank for top 4 of B MAIN
2 Filled by fastest qualifier 1-4        6  Blank for top 4 of B MAIN
3 Filled by fastest qualifier 1-4        7  Blank for top 4 of B MAIN
4 Filled by fastest qualifier 1-4        8  Blank for top 4 of B MAIN

B MAIN
1 Filled by next 4 fastest qualifiers   5 Blank for top 4 of C MAIN
2 Filled by next 4 fastest qualifiers   6  Blank for top 4 of C MAIN
3 Filled by next 4 fastest qualifiers   7  Blank for top 4 of C MAIN
4 Filled by next 4 fastest qualifiers   8  Blank for top 4 of C MAIN

So while C Main ran their race, Zachary just waited. When C Main finished, they took the top 4 drivers and moved them to compete in the B Main.
Then it was Zachary's turn.

Before I tell you about Zachary's race, I have to fill you in on Zachary's driving history....
When we went to ride day, that kid was on it - trying to drive a racing line and holding a good consistent line, etc. I was like oh man, we are gonna do some racing!
At some point between ride day, novice training, and actual race season - Zman began to fear the gas pedal. And for a good many races all I hear is that cutting of the engine and reapplication of pedal OVER AND OVER!!
This prompted many conversations that went something like this with very little variation.... Me - Did you put your foot down all the way in that race? Z- Yes.
Me (knowing there is no way possible) - even in the corners? The WHOLE time? Z- No.
Me (now bargaining) - Okay, well, how about keeping your foot down along the wall and then taking it off in the corners? Z - Okay.
Me- You know you have to put your foot all the way down if you want to win. You are fine to put your foot down all the way around the track.
Z- Okay.
And repeat.

The point of this all is to let you know, that Zachary was not winning squat in any races. In fact, sometimes it literally looked like he was out on a Sunday drive in the country looking for random garage sales. So when he went to the B Main on qualifying I was super duper excited. No, really, SUPER DUPER!!

Okay, back to the races.... The C Main got finished, 4 racers bumped to the B Main and we were ready. Zachary was car #3. Zachary held his position that race. He doesn't really do much passing yet so if he's already in one of the top positions he has a way better chance of advancing...
Because he stayed in position 3 by the end of the race, he was one of the four cars to move to the A Main. The A Main is it - the top race of the day!
I was as giddy as a NASCAR pit crew. Okay, maybe that's a slight exaggeration. I really don't know if pit crew are described as giddy very often anyway.

This is requires another interjection - this day I learned the word "TRANSFER." Yes, of course I already knew the word transfer dictionary wise. I did not know that I should not let my kid get out of the car and take his gear off after we cross scales so he can cool off because --- TRANSFER means we will directly go to staging and race the next MAIN. Oops!!
Zachary went out and raced the A Main and immediately went back to Sunday driving. He placed 5th and was done for the day. That was his best run so far though!

The more comfortable he gets with the pedal, the more I will be interested to see how he does. I think his skills are higher than his confidence level right now. Eventually they'll meet-----or reverse roles!