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Words from sponsor helps Murray earn extra money
By Brad Cameron/Gate City Sports Editor
A little motivation went a long way for a local go-kart racer recently.
Andrew Murray, 13, of Keokuk won two heat races and the feature over rival Justice Schlicher at Shimek Speedway in Farmington Aug. 4. Murray also took home an extra $250 thanks to a conversation before the first heat race with one of his sponsors.
Terry Brackelsberg of Affordable Patterns provided the extra incentive. Brackelsberg is completing his fourth season as a sponsor of Murray's go-kart.
“Justice is a top-notch driver, and Jeff may have been a little worried that he was there,” Brackelsberg said. “I told him let's make this interesting. If you finish in front of him in the feature, I don't care where at, I'll give you $150 for the day. If you win the feature, I'll add another $100.”
The talk inspired Murray.
“I was like ‘I wish I could do this,'” Murray said. “After I won the first heat, I thought I had a shot at this. I figured I might get the $150, but I didn't know if I would be able to get the $250.”
Murray started the first heat sixth, but wound up winning the 10-lap heat by a quarter to half a lap. In the second heat, he started third, but won again, this time it was a lot closer.
“In the first heat I was gone,” Murray said. “In the second heat I could feel (Justice) low off the corners.”
Murray had the stronger go-kart on the straight-away, but Schlicher made up ground in the corners of the short dirt oval. Murray, however, held his ground, staying on the low side in the corners to keep Schlicher from passing him in the 15-lap feature.
“I was coming off and coming down in the corners,” Murray said. “The only way to get around was to go on the outside.”
“If you can hold the inside, you will likely win,” Brackelsberg added. “You have to have a strong kart to get around on the outside.”
Murray took the checkered flag with a big smile on his face.
“Watching him run in the heat races I knew it was going to be a bad day to be a sponsor,” Brackelsberg joked. “It was awesome to watch. He did an outstanding job.”
The next week, Murray competed at the Show-me Speedway in Downing, Mo. He finished third and first in the two heats and overcame a hard hit to win the feature.
“I got spun out,” Murray said. “I got hit so hard from someone behind me that it bent my axle with five laps to go. I ran with the bent axle and still won.”
Murray has had success in his five years of go-karts, winning at least one feature every year. This season has been his best. In 11 features, Murray has four wins, one second and four thirds in the Junior II Restricted class.
“It's been our best year ever,” Murray said. “We found a good set-up for the kart, and we've had awesome finishes since the end of June.”
Murray also has had better success against his biggest rival as the year has gone along.
“In the beginning of the year he always beat us,” Murray said. “Here at the end we've been going back-and-forth against each other.”
Murray finished third in the points at Shimek Speedway despite competing in a little over half of the events at the track.
“It's boring to run at the same track every week,” Murray said. “This year we've been to a lot of different tracks and it's been a lot more fun.”
Brackelsberg has enjoyed watching Murray grow as a driver and as a person during his association with him.
“He has a whole different demeanor when he is racing,” Brackelsberg said. “He's still a kid, but when he puts that helmet on he is all business.
“He's done a great job racing. He's really become a serious contender in this sport. When he arrives at a track, people are looking over their shoulders to see where he is. It's pretty cool to see.”
Saturday, Murray competes in the big money race at Shimek Speedway. The top finisher will earn $450.
“This is a big event,” said his dad David Murray. “A lot of the national events only pay $500, so $450 to win is a lot in a kart race.”
Will Brackelsberg add an extra incentive for this event?
“Absolutely not,” Brackelsberg said. “He's already taken all my money.”
Andrew Murray, 13, of Keokuk won two heat races and the feature over rival Justice Schlicher at Shimek Speedway in Farmington Aug. 4. Murray also took home an extra $250 thanks to a conversation before the first heat race with one of his sponsors.
Terry Brackelsberg of Affordable Patterns provided the extra incentive. Brackelsberg is completing his fourth season as a sponsor of Murray's go-kart.
“Justice is a top-notch driver, and Jeff may have been a little worried that he was there,” Brackelsberg said. “I told him let's make this interesting. If you finish in front of him in the feature, I don't care where at, I'll give you $150 for the day. If you win the feature, I'll add another $100.”
The talk inspired Murray.
“I was like ‘I wish I could do this,'” Murray said. “After I won the first heat, I thought I had a shot at this. I figured I might get the $150, but I didn't know if I would be able to get the $250.”
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“In the first heat I was gone,” Murray said. “In the second heat I could feel (Justice) low off the corners.”
Murray had the stronger go-kart on the straight-away, but Schlicher made up ground in the corners of the short dirt oval. Murray, however, held his ground, staying on the low side in the corners to keep Schlicher from passing him in the 15-lap feature.
“I was coming off and coming down in the corners,” Murray said. “The only way to get around was to go on the outside.”
“If you can hold the inside, you will likely win,” Brackelsberg added. “You have to have a strong kart to get around on the outside.”
Murray took the checkered flag with a big smile on his face.
“Watching him run in the heat races I knew it was going to be a bad day to be a sponsor,” Brackelsberg joked. “It was awesome to watch. He did an outstanding job.”
The next week, Murray competed at the Show-me Speedway in Downing, Mo. He finished third and first in the two heats and overcame a hard hit to win the feature.
“I got spun out,” Murray said. “I got hit so hard from someone behind me that it bent my axle with five laps to go. I ran with the bent axle and still won.”
Murray has had success in his five years of go-karts, winning at least one feature every year. This season has been his best. In 11 features, Murray has four wins, one second and four thirds in the Junior II Restricted class.
“It's been our best year ever,” Murray said. “We found a good set-up for the kart, and we've had awesome finishes since the end of June.”
Murray also has had better success against his biggest rival as the year has gone along.
“In the beginning of the year he always beat us,” Murray said. “Here at the end we've been going back-and-forth against each other.”
Murray finished third in the points at Shimek Speedway despite competing in a little over half of the events at the track.
“It's boring to run at the same track every week,” Murray said. “This year we've been to a lot of different tracks and it's been a lot more fun.”
Brackelsberg has enjoyed watching Murray grow as a driver and as a person during his association with him.
“He has a whole different demeanor when he is racing,” Brackelsberg said. “He's still a kid, but when he puts that helmet on he is all business.
“He's done a great job racing. He's really become a serious contender in this sport. When he arrives at a track, people are looking over their shoulders to see where he is. It's pretty cool to see.”
Saturday, Murray competes in the big money race at Shimek Speedway. The top finisher will earn $450.
“This is a big event,” said his dad David Murray. “A lot of the national events only pay $500, so $450 to win is a lot in a kart race.”
Will Brackelsberg add an extra incentive for this event?
“Absolutely not,” Brackelsberg said. “He's already taken all my money.”
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