Dear Santa, I know that at this time of year you are probably overwhelmed with requests for things people want you to bring them but I would like to take this opportunity to say thanks for a gift you give to me each and every Christmas season. And it’s a gift that keeps on giving the whole year through.
Christmas is a time in which many consider the things they are thankful for and have been blessed with. Of course, we’re thankful for gifts that have been received on the holiday. But at the same time, we are glad for the moments spent with family and friends throughout the previous year, food eaten over the holiday season, parties attended, and time off from work. Most important of all, many are thankful for the gift of Christ for which the season is really all about.
However, I would like to add my thanks for another gift the jolly old elf has brought me pretty most every year of my life and it’s one that has provided me with many blessings over those 54 years. And that is the gift of racing.
Don’t get me wrong, I am thankful for many things including family, friends, good health, a good job, and the freedoms we enjoy living here in the United States of America, and most definitely, for the gift of Christ. I just wanted to use this occasion to offer up my appreciation for a sport that has served to enhance my life in many ways.
My dad was a huge fan of NASCAR and all forms of racing. As a matter of fact, he was more than just a fan as he raced on dirt for several years before I was born. Racing provided us with something to bond over. During those years when teenage boys have difficulty relating to their parents and vice-versa, there was always something to talk about in regard to racing as we would both comb through the latest edition of Grand National Scene and discuss virtually every piece of news held within its pages.
And there were many trips to race tracks that brought both excitement and joy.
Perhaps as much as anything, that bond with my dad has had the longest lasting impact of all the things this sport has given me. Even though he passed away three years ago, there are still times when I find myself reaching for the phone to tell him about the latest information that has come out in the sport we shared a love for.
And more than just my dad, racing has opened the door for numerous relationships with other people to be formed. As a fan discussing it with other fans or as a “reporter” working in the various pit areas I have been so graciously allowed to roam, I have made acquaintances that have grown into friendships with people I would have never met had it not been for my involvement in racing. And getting to know to know the drivers, crew members, owners, and promoters over these past several years has truly been a blessing to me.
Along with getting to know many of those people mentioned above has come the joy of getting to see folks achieve their dreams, whether it be as a driver, crew member or promoter. Knowing that what a particular individual has just achieved is the culmination of weeks, months, or even years of hard work is a moving experience that I have been lucky enough to witness firsthand on many occasions.
But on a personal note, racing has served as a great distraction for me from so-called “real life”. Whether it be from the lockdowns and sickness related to Covid-19 or people blowing up my social media timelines by needlessly arguing over pointless things such as politics, thoughts of racing help to take me away from all of that. Following motorsports can provide a place where those other things can be set aside for a while and that’s more than a little refreshing.
Even with all of the things mentioned above, I think the thing that continually draws me and most every other fan back time after time is the thrill of watching highly skilled daredevils perform their magic at speeds most of us can only dare to dream about. Speed and competition are what racing is ultimately all about and those elements along with the inevitable unpredictability of this sport because of that speed and competition will always keep it fresh and relevant.
So indeed, Santa. Thank you for bringing the gift of racing and placing it under my tree year after year. It will be at or near the top of my wish list each off-season.
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