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| View from the stands - among fans - during the ALMS race in Long Beach |
For most racing fans, racing is an escape – a divergence
from the normal monotony of day-to-day life in the office. You know, doing
things like TPS reports and cover letters, all while dealing with memos coming
from corporate.
For those of us fortunate enough to work in the sport, we
don’t spend near enough time appreciating the quality of what’s offered. The
grind of writing, working on the car, chasing sponsorship to compete, or trying
to drum up interest for your entity can totally wear you down.
But at the end of the day, whether it’s as a fan, a driver,
a team member, a media member, a sponsor or other affiliated interest, a day at
the track beats the hell out of most days in the office.
It’s now the month of May. I wrote a post for NBC’s MotorSportsTalk the other day about all the awesomeness that is on display this
month.
It’s easy to bitch, moan and complain about the micro
details of racing. We all do.
The macro, though, is that there’s something that drew us to
this sport once. It got us hooked. It kept
us hooked. Even, hopefully, through the political morass and bullshit that so
frequently tries to interrupt.
There’s still something to this thing called racing. Take
some time this month to reflect on what drew you in. Enjoy the moments. The
smell. The camaraderie. The variety of cars. The pomp and pageantry on race
mornings.
The call to start engines and begin the run, however long it
is. The checkered flag after a long day’s work.
This post is definitely guilty of being overly positive. There’s
too much good, still, in this sport to have it be drowned out by the
negativity. At least I feel that way.
That’s what I’m working on forcing myself to do this month. It’s
all about embracing the opportunities and giving thanks for all this sport has
given to me.
The next few months may be turbulent through all the changes that are to come in the racing landscape, across several series, but the power of the racing family should push everyone through. I hope it can.
