THE MOMENT...
What do I love the most about dirt racing?
The people.
What do I love the most about my life in dirt racing.
Meeting those people.
And sometimes, becoming friends with your heroes.
And sometimes, if the planets align, you get to shine the light on your heroes and remind them what a truly magical and lifelong impact they have had on yours and hundreds of thousands of other lives.
Jac.
How do I put into words the honour it was to shine a little Knoxville light on you one last time.
Thank you Rico, for adding the splashes of yellow Pennzoil nostalgia to the Wild Child's last ever season.
For bringing back those #22 memories that dance so vividly through our minds.
Thank YOU JAC.
For the chills you gave us all.
The smiles.
The heart stopping moments.
That feeling of expectation any time you rolled out for hot laps.
For being that salt of the earth, blue collar (or flannelette) cornfield county down-home, feet on the ground hero to so many of us.
The guy who never changed.
The guy whose shirt we wore with pride, like a badge of honour, on our backs.
For being the same guy every time and any time any of us caught up with you in the pits or the bleachers or in a bar or at your hauler.
For having simple values.
For being born without a fear gland.
For bringing any race you competed in to life.
For always walking the tightrope.
For never having the time or the inclination to 'go to the bottom'.
For always being kind-hearted, generous with your time and friendly to a kid who first met and interviewed you in 1992 at Eldora.
And near enough to thirty years later got to do that one last time at the holy grail Knoxville Raceway at your final ever Nationals.
In front of 25,000 people on their feet.
I know you don't like that stuff.
The spotlight.
The adulation.
All you ever wanted to do was take a racecar to and sometimes past its physical capabilities...and maybe sell a few T-shirts as well.
But in the process, you kinda changed a few of our lives.
Thanks Jac.
Wild.
Child.
Wild.
Child.
Wild.
Child...
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Photo: Nicholas Zebelian
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