Thanks for your Dedication to the Sport of Auto Racing
A reflection in the wake of Jason Johnson and Greg Hodnett.
Every time a racer gets into a car, there is a chance that the ride they take will be their last. These are men and women that like to live on the very edge, love speed and crave competition. And with that comes danger. And who benefits? All of us fans that go out to the tracks to see our favorite drivers entertain us.
Every week, we watch as local drivers spend money they sometimes don’t have to take part in the show. We watch as big names come to tracks and show us the pure talent that they possess. We live for the smell of racing fuel, rubber and dirt. We stroll through the pits and watch as drivers and crews work like dogs getting their cars just right for the track conditions. We see men and women who can build a car from scratch, set it up and race it. That takes brains, as well as guts.
We see the families of the drivers helping out, just as passionate about the sport as the drivers and fans. We see the parents of racers working hard to get the cars ready to send their kids out onto the track and into uncertainty. We see wives carrying around tires, fueling up cars and doing anything and everything else that needs to be done. We see kids playing around with the kids of their competitors and, when they are old enough, helping out as…
