Putnan Park in Green castle Indiana

Saturday morning my Dad and I headed off to Putnan park in Indiana. We left with plans to get to the track to watch for about an hour and than get me on the track on my bicycle for some training and to learn the track. We have everything pilled in the van and my dad does not like to stop unless we need gas. Then you better be hungry and need to use the rest room. So I’m holding it as long as I can till I decide I can’t make it. Rest area here we come.

We only stop one other time for gas, food and you know. We got to the track at 3:45 and watched for 15 minutes and they ended. I asked the guy next to me why they are stopping and he said they are done. Its 5:00. We forgot about the time change. My dad tracked down a guy to see if I could ride the track on my bicycle. They would not let me. We talked to Brent and Fred a little from NESBA and headed to the hotel. After checking in I hit the pool for some laps. Than it was a walk across the street for Chicago Pizza. A little X Games and to bed. We got up early and went to a complimentary breakfast at the hotel. It was great, fruit, eggs, bagels, biscuits and gravy. The ladies got it ready early so we could get going. My dad left them a tip on the table for being so nice and we got stopped three times before we got out of there with everyone thinking we forgot our money on the table. It was kind of funny.

At the track Nesba had a track walk. It took an hour and a half to go over lines. My dad used the time to get everything ready. We parked next to the Ohlin’s guy. He came over to talk and introduced himself. It was Robert Jensen. I had watched him race at BIR in MN ( Fast ). The track was really fun. One and two where pretty fast. I road the Moriwaki for the first season and than switched to the RS 125. Brent, from NESBA road with me most of the day. Robert came over and started helping us sort out the suspension on the Moriwaki. He wanted to help us get it as close as we could for Indy. We started on the forks trying to sort them out. He would make changes. I would run 2 or 3 laps, come in and give him feed back. Then change them again and go back out. We ended up pulling the forks off to check valving. While Robert did that I hit the track on the RS 125.

I don’t get to ride very often, so when I get track time, I need to make the most of it. Robert asked my dad if I would ride all day if he did not pull me off. My dad said yes. Robert asked if I was old enough for WERA. My dad told him yes and that I loved endurance racing, if that is what he was thinking. Robert just smiled. We continued to test on the Moriwaki suspension and ran out of time. We did not even get the front forks as good as Robert thought he could get them. He wanted to meet up before Indy to do more testing and offered to come to Indy and help. My dad told him that would be great but we are not able to pay him to come. We are pushing it even going to Indy. Robert gave my dad his card and told him to send him an email and he would see what he could work out. I thanked Robert for all of the help today and we needed to get on the road.

My dad had to be to work at 6:00 am in the morning. We ran down to thank Fred ( NESBA Director ) and he told me that after the riders meeting that there were 4 guys that did not want me on the track. They thought closing speeds would be to different. Fred said he told them to worry about their riding and Kaleb will worry about his. Then Fred said he went over half way through the day and told the same guys that he talked to me and I had said that it was ok to let them keep riding because I was ok with how quick I would close on them in the corners. That was pretty cool. Fred told me I road great and that he had fun watching me. That made me feel good. We told him thanks and we had to hit the road.

We started home and I told my dad I would stay up with him and be his co pilot. About 7:45 I told him I was just going to take a little nap. I woke up when he stopped for gas. I went in to use the rest room and told my dad, I don’t know how you do it. Thank you for all you do. We went back out to the van and I went to sleep. My dad woke me up at home. I think he slept an hour before he had to go to work.

Thank you to Brent, Fred and the NESBA crew for letting me ride. Thank You to Robert Jensen for helping with my suspension. I hope we get to hook up before Indy to finish dialing it in. Thank You to my sponsors for your support. Most of all Thank You to my Mom and Dad for all you guys do. Thank You.