The summer months are a special time of year to enjoy activities with family and friends. Driving on a road race circuit is one of the very special activities that only a privileged few get to experience. Summer racing events are especially fun because the kids are out of school and the whole family comes to the track for a weekend of excitement and adrenaline. One of my most satisfying moments during any given weekend is when I notice a spouse holding a child outfitted with ear protection cheering for the other spouse from the grandstands. It reaffirms why we try to be more than just an organization that offers track time. I have always tried to focus on the experience a driver has when attending a NASA event more than anything else.
Speed News is our latest effort to deliver an exceptional experience for our members. There are so many fantastic things that happen at each of our events it became clear that we needed to publish our own magazine to bring these stories to life. This issue is being released just a few days before the premier event of the NASA season. The Championships at Mid-Ohio is our Super Bowl event where our National Champions will be crowned. Racers from every region will come together and battle for four days hoping they will stand on the top of the podium.
In addition to our competitors, we are graced with more than 100 volunteers who travel from every NASA region, and they are the key ingredient to such a successful event. Each September, a NASA family reunion happens and some of the best racing takes place in parallel to this gathering. If you have not experienced a Championship event, I encourage you to do so. It should be one of those “bucket list” events for all our racers. Racing among the best drivers in the NASA family from all over the country is something truly special.
The Championship event is a wonderful occasion that for most NASA members will produce memories that last a lifetime. Some drivers will become a National Champion, which is a distinction only a select few can claim. Others will have the race of their lives and finish off the podium, but will remember the four days of competition and fun they had with their closest friends. Much of the NASA staff will be challenged more than they imagined and will work harder than they expected, but they will exit the event with the pride and satisfaction of giving NASA drivers an experience that would not be possible without their determination and dedication. Looking back years after the event is over, each individual will cherish the experience rather than their finishing position.
I hope you enjoy reading Speed News and find that the content adds to your overall NASA experience beyond the racetrack. We have a great issue in the pages ahead, and I am thrilled that we were able to have a Q&A with the author of my favorite book, “The Art Of Racing In The Rain.” If you have not had a chance to read this book, I promise it will give you a different perspective on things. It also might improve your driving, because after all, racing is mental strategy more than anything else. If it doesn’t make you faster, it will allow you to take part in NASA events with a different attitude that allows you to leave the event feeling like one of the luckiest people around.
It is great to have you as part of the NASA family and I hope you are having a blast.
