From an owner, mechanic, and father's point of view.
It's usually around this time of the year when I pen our tearful goodbyes to the racing world for another season. As relieved as we are to say that we can now have our weekends back for other productive chores or fun-filled adventures, to realize that it's over again leaves us a bit heavy hearted.
To anyone who has followed us to the track or on our blog, you are all quite aware of the struggles we faced this season. Our fourth class in eight years, we've been trying to climb this ladder for some time now, and in many cases too quickly or not with enough thought given to where we were headed.
Most people get into racing with some sort of plan as to where they want to be in X amount of years. Long hard thought is given to what formula they want to graduate to, and in some cases, which specific team they are going to drive for. This may have worked for the Lewis Hamiltons of the world but that doesn't necessarily mean it applies to all drivers. My son included.
So having said this I feel it quite important to start this year's thank you edition with an apology. I owe Sam a huge debt of gratitude in hanging in there even though he wanted to be racing elsewhere, and an apology for not listening enough and trying to run all facets of this team on my own. We had a game plan from the start. It just took eight years to figure out it was MY plan and not his.
I was so focused in getting us to the pinnacle classes of karting that I never stopped to listen when he wanted to go back to a previous class that we had competed in before. I violated rule number one that we had established back when he was nine years old and just getting into this sport: If you can't have fun doing it, it isn't worth the effort. Really, if you can't come off the track having learned something or realizing that you just had about the best time of your life then maybe you should move on to some other hobby. Eight years later he was still looking for fun and I had thrown that out the window because I was planning our next step.
I can assure you that for how ever many years there are left for us in this sport, I am handing the entire operations segment over to him. He will plan schedules and classes to compete in and I will be just fine with that.
Thanks will begin again like they do every year with Pegasus Auto Racing Supplies. Standing behind us for all of our years we have established a very professional appearance with some of the best equipment in the industry. We may not have always been the team to beat out on the track, but we're challenged by only a few back in the pits. Year after year we've had more people stopping by our trailer to ask about something we have on our kart or in our tool box and it's all because of the great products you stock. Thank you again for your assistance this season, we truly appreciate it.
OMP America LLC. Along for the ride for nine years as well. We've had nothing but OMP gear on our driver's back since we started back in 2002. It looks great and it does what it was made to do. Help teams and drivers look their best while providing the ultimate in protection when the unfortunate does happen. We've had a few instances that come to mind which could have ended far worse had we been using any other brand and because of that, a huge thank you is in order. Gabriele and Danilo have been more accommodating than they really had to be for a couple of guys like us and we really appreciate everything they've done for us.
And to the most important people in the world and the reason we are able to accomplish all of this every year, my wife and daughter. We couldn't go out on the road for a dozen or more weekends a year and pull all of this together without your help. From food preparation and moral support to just having every member of this family in the same place to enjoy the time we all have together. This speaks louder than any go fast part or flashy suit. If we had no sponsors helping us and had to foot the entire bill on our own, we would still be wealthier than any top notch team by just being together to share the experience with one another. He and I thank you both for that.
So the run to stardom (or the dream of it) looks to be coming to a close. Moving forward, anything we do after this season will be for the love of the sport and the people we enjoy it with. A classroom behind the wheel will give way to a lecture hall on a college campus. Geometry and skills once used to navigate a road course will be the precursor to analytical thinking used to build bridges or split atoms. And needing to go fast will only be required when getting from class to class.
No matter what form the 2012 season takes, we will bring every moment to you as we have for nearly a decade. To those of you still reading, we thank you too.
