Pictures above from WKA Manufactures Cup Race Daytona 2007. Second row of pictures are of NASCAR's Jamie McMurray who raced in the Tag class. Click on image to see a larger view.

WKA Manufacrures Cup Race Dec. 2007 Daytona, Fl.

We left Ocala Weds. night for Daytona so we could be there first thing Thursday morning to get our pit pass's and park the trailer, pick up a new motor for the race. This would be Cody's second WKA national race and we felt much more prepared than his first national race at Jacksonville in 2006. This year the first Manufactures cup would take place in the in field of the big Daytona track. With all it's history what a great place for kids to be able to race.

THRUSDAY: We got to the track just before 7 am and where some of the first folks in line at the pit window only to wait until 9am for the pit pass window to open. We talked to old friends and made a few new ones during our two hours of standing in line. From about 9:30 am until just after noon we waited in the truck for the officials to start parking all the trailers. During our wait we searched for Nate who had the motor Cody would race with over the next three days. We hooked up with Nate got the motor and got the trailer parked with few problems. The rest of the day we spent putting the new motor on the Arrow 4S and Cody walked the track several times just as it got dark. Cody got to sleep about 8 pm and got a full nine hours sleep before heading to the track on Friday.

FRIDAY: Practice day and for most of the day we where lost set up wise, gearing. We where like fish out of water with the Supercan set up as Cody had not raced it sense last fall. To stay on top of clutch, motor, gearing you really have to race, practice Supercan all the time. We decided to run a different driver at the last minute and worked on that until after dark, big mistake we should have gone home at 4:30 at the end of practice. Oh well live and learn once again. Man was I tired from pushing his kart to the grid all day it was crazy it took me longer to push his kart to the grid than he spent on the track practicing. Four lap practice is crazy and hardly worth going out there, WKA got to love it. By the end of the day I thought we where pretty dialed in for the Supercan JR Heavy race the next day.

SATURDAY: We got to the track about 7am , Cody went to the drivers meeting at 7:45 am and I went over the kart making sure everything was ready. Cody got about three laps of practice that morning before going out to qualify. In qualifying he placed 21st out of 48 kids which was good enough to keep us out of the last chance race. Because WKA was running late they decided to not run a prefinal race and only run an 18 lap final. During the break I went and bought new back hubs hoping it would help Cody in the final. Cody's grand parents, Chris Friels dad and Cody's mom all showed up to cheer Cody on in the final and he did not disappoint them. He drove a great race during the final gaining about 6 places between the start and the first cornier. It was a very exciting race to watch as he worked his way all the way up to 9th place with two laps to go. With the talented field of drivers in the Supercan Jr race coming from mid pack to top ten was a great achievement. With one lap to go Cody dropped a wheel just before the start finish line and lost two spots but a 11th place finish was a great accomplishment and everyone watching was very excited. Spencer Pigot finished 10th with Nick Neri finishing 13th, Cody Humphreys 19th so Cody was in some pretty good company. Cody was so excited he didn't get to bed until almost ten o'clock that night.

SUNDAY: Again we got there just as the sun was coming up, 7 am, Cody went to the drivers meeting and out for his three laps of practice. Qualifying saw Cody put forth a great effort and he ended up third fastest in group A which placed him in 12th place for the prefinal (49 kids in his class for this race). This was his best qualifying effort to date in a big race and we where hoping for great results in the final. In the prefinal he again drove a great race and finished in 10th place moving up two spots. After the prefinal we talked to a lot of different folks about what if any changes we should make for the final. It was decided we'd widen the back tires a little and add castor to the front end trying to free the kart up just a little. It was a gamble that might or might not work we know but it was worth trying to get him to the front. During the final Cody got a great start and drove a great race but the changes we made where just a bit to much and the kart got to free. None the less Cody hung on for 18 laps and turned the third fastest lap of all the Supercans to place 14th at the end of the race.

SUMMARY: It was a great weekend I think Cody will have great memories of his whole life. He watched his buddy Corey Reeves race and Cody picked up a lot of tricks and tips he used during his races and I'm sure will use in future races. Cody finally got to race at the historical track at Daytona and he can hold his head up high as he gave it 110% every time he went out on the track. I think what we learned is the same thing Donald at Adavanced Karting has been telling us for the past year "I make to many changes to Cody's kart". I tuned him right out of a top ten finish Sunday but the results he achieved with the low race budget we have are great. Now it's back to Rotax Jr and on to the Winter Tour in Homestead, Fl. in Jan. 2008. Hopefully the lessons I learned as a turner and Cody as a driver during this race will pay off big time in Homestead.