If practice makes perfect, then Cody Hartman has been practicing an awful lot lately.

Hartman, 12, of Meridian won a pair of points championships in go-kart competition this year in only his second season of racing.

All told, Hartman won 30 of 36 races he ran this year and placed second in four other events.

He was in first place in one race and second in the other when his kart was hit with mechanical problems.

"This year we didn't run at any one track," said Hartman, a sixth-grader at Meridian Elementary. "I wanted to try and run as many times as I could."

He competed at 10 different tracks this year, racing on both Saturdays and Sundays, and usually ran three races a weekend.

"We expected him to do better this year and he really picked up the program," said Dave Hartman, his father. "That's phenomenal. He's only raced for two years.

"I've talked to people who have been in it for 10 years and no one has ever come close to something like that," he added.

Last season, Hartman won in the points crown in the First-Year Rookie Division, for ages 8 through 12), at Double A Speedway in Utica, Pa., and was second at Slippery Rock Raceway.

His brother, Ryan, now 15, won points titles at both tracks last year, which was also his first season of racing.

This year, racing in the Rookie Division (ages 8 to 12), Hartman won the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club points title as well as the Double A Speedway crown

"I was second at Pine Hill Speedway but I didn't run in all the races there," said Hartman.

Along with the feature wins, Hartman also grabbed 58 heat race victories as well.

"We were hoping for 10 wins for Cody but he started out the year winning 10 races in a row, then finished second," said Dave Hartman. "Then, he won 10 more in a row then another second.

"Actually, he's raced on 10 different tracks, so he wasn't cherry-picking," he added.

Hartman probably enjoyed his best success at Blairsville, where he won seven of the nine races he entered.

The season of experience he gained last year was huge, but he said there were other factors involved.

"I got a new kart and a new engine this year," said Hartman. "I think I got it hooked up a little better."

Ryan, who races in the Junior Box Stock Division, also had success this year, picking up 20 total wins and the track championship at Double A. He was second in the Pittsburgh Circle Track Club standings behind Cody.

Next season, Cody sees himself racing in the same class but he might run a few races in the Junior Box Stock Division.

His future on the track might be tougher to divine, but he'll certainly enjoy the effort he's putting in now.

"I want to get into stock car racing someday, but I don't know if I'll get there," Hartman said.