Mobile Blogging
I realize OscarJr.com has not been receiving the attention it deserves. KraftWerks has been taking a lot of my time, which is a good thing.
I am typing this via iPhone, with my new WordPress blog app. So now mobile blogging is possible! I don't know how often I will do this, but I may be more inclined to blog if I don't have to whip the MacBook Pro out.
I also have discovered Twitter and it is a great micro blogging tool. I fought off using Twitter for a long time. I didn't understand it's purpose, but now it makes sense. It is great for alerts throughout a race weekend, while on the Dyno, status updates... Quick alerts in general. Sometimes you don't have time for a full blog entry.
Anyway, follow me on Twitter (@oscarjacksonjr) and subscribe to OscarJr.com!
Auto Club and The Holidays
This past weekend I helped 949Racing and SpeedVentures at their Auto Club Speedway Autocross event and I had a blast. There is a special skill set for autocross and it is a good exercise to autocross when not on the road course. Anyway, Emilio and I had multiple time battles, pushing each other to go lower and lower. First Emilio would set a time, I would lower it, then Emilio would re-lower it, and so on and so on. I suggest Autocross to new drivers and as a tool to teach track patience.
As I type this, I am sitting in Colorado enjoying family time post-Thanksgiving. We had a delicious meal yesterday and I am still trying to recover from!
Our industry has taken a sever hit this year, and the winter isn't helping. I have been deep in projects at KraftWerks and we have many new products coming out. KraftWerks has become the go-to company for high quality forced induction. I am really happy our customers have recognized us as the best and told others that we are the best forced induction solution . We have worked very hard to expand the brand and the products across the world. We have placed kits in customer hands in many different markets and everyone has been very happy with the performance.
I have a couple personal projects over the winter to complete, but it seems like I am already running out of time. These are new investments to me, but I am confident that these new projects will give consumers new freedoms and ideas. So I am going through with them in December.
Well, I am going to spend the rest of my trip with family and friends, and will be back to the grind in California on Monday!
The Unexpected
I said I was doing some bad blogging, and was going to work on getting on here more. I have a good excuse.
On Oct. 15th, my appendix decided it didn't want to be with me anymore. And when it made its decision, it was done. No going back, it wanted out. As much as I just wanted to fix things with my appendix, it didn't want me anymore. This was painful news, because we had been through so much together. I promised to be better, but it threw me to the curb.
So 4 needles, 2 IVs, and one appendectomy later, here I am. It was a whirlwind, but there are positives. I am a safer bet for an endurance team with no appendix. I have no chance of appendicitis creeping up while in the lead mid stint, so ALMS teams should be knocking on my door right? Has appendicitis ever happened to a driver mid race?
I will get better at this blogging stuff, appendix or not.
Bad Blogging
I need to get with the program and update this page! KraftWerks got a little crazy the last 4 weeks, but I will get it all together!
Home Base
Senior and I share a house only 10 minutes away from KraftWerks HQ, and it is definitely a man's house. We have supercharger parts laying on the kitchen counter, JR supercharger pulleys near the sink, prototype fuel pressure regulators at the base of the stairs, full court Nerf basketball (StunnaBen's favorite), a bookcase of my race helmets, and a Colin McRae Rally poster prominently up in the living room. Men walk in and love it, women walk in and cringe. We are not dirty, we just have a different... decor. Racing decor.
Midnight Slot Cars
Last night, I was at home working on the computer and Senior busted through the door at about 12am. He had to run down to Church Auto to help with the Hondata Bonneville RSX in the afternoon, and I was unable to join him. But when Senior came in, so did Daniel and Ryan of Church Auto. They had all gone down to KraftWerks/Skunk2 to use some tools. We gave them the 10 cent tour of the Jackson Pad, and they got a glance of my old slot car track in the loft. Suddenly... it was ON.
Armed with VW Cup cars, Daniel and Ryan grabbed the controllers. After much crashing, Daniel and Ryan figured it out and started throwing the challenge at Senior. Senior didn't back down, and fender banging ensued.
Here are some quick iPhone snapshots...
Set to Race!
Intense racing between Senior and Daniel
The Inside Look
Welcome to OscarJr.com. This is my first hand view of the import aftermarket industry, a place I have been a part of my whole life. I consider myself the first of the 2nd-Generation in this industry. I am the first to be born into an import company. Shoot, in my baby pictures I am wearing a Jackson Racing beanie!
My father, Oscar Jackson, started Jackson Racing in the 70's and was the pioneer of the Honda aftermarket. He has inspired many in this industry and is truly a one of a kind man. The education I received from my father cannot be bought. As a kid, I asked questions like "What does camber do?" "How do cams work?" "What is boost?" and always got hours of knowledge. And I was asking this when I was 7 years of age!
My unique position in this industry has given me the chance to interact with all different types. I have spent many late nights in areas most kids wouldn't and sometimes shouldn't (read Harv's Dyno at 1am) be, learning what kids don't care about until they are 15. On a daily basis, I get to hang out and learn from great people in the import industry: Doug Macmillan, Shawn Church, Dave Coleman, Brian Gillespie, Dr. Charles Madrid, Lance Stewart, Dave Hsu... The list goes on and on.
So after some pushing from industry friends, I decided to publish my experiences. Nobody in the world gets to see what I see, and I take advantage of it sometimes. So subscribe, and enjoy!
-Oscar Jackson Jr.