Embrace the Examples

What a fantastic finish to a great NASCAR racing season. We watched the battle between Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards come to conclusion last night and were totally impressed by both of them. With a 3 point deficit, Tony had the race of his life. Started further back in the field while Carl was on the pole, had some car issues during the race that set them further back and had to race to catch back up and for both to finish the race and season in 1st and 2nd was just icing on the cake.

Personally, I was cheering for Carl Edwards. And Hunter might not ever want to admit it again out loud, but at the end, he was too. We watched Carl do some catch up moves that took our breath away and we recognized some of those moves. When coming up on traffic, our instincts as observers are to think "slow down and be careful,", all the while yelling at the TV or race track for the slower traffic to "get out of the way!" But we have watched Hunter perform some of these moves on his own in his races, too. In Houston, while trying to catch back up to 1st place, he encountered traffic and had to thread the needle so to speak. It was risky and we were on pins and needles because that is a good (good? no, bad.) way to end your race day but apparently, when in the moment, all you see is an opening...and you take it.

When I got to race my Powder Puff heat, I saw that, too. I would come up on traffic and the desire, instinct, drive, whatever it is, to push through would be so great, I found openings. And for all of our inexperience, I probably shouldn't have taken, but I did and it worked for me. I see Hunter doing the same thing. I watched the NASCAR drivers doing it. It's just racing. It's a pretty incredible feeling, I have to admit.

But over all the racing skills, over all the excitement, over all the drive and determination, there are lessons to be learned and number one in my book is how you conduct yourself before, during and after the race. We've worked with Hunter all year long on how a true Champion is to conduct him or herself.

And to witness Carl Edwards exemplify that last night on my TV screen gave us all the credibility we might have been needing. Carl said that if he didn't win, he knew he wanted to be the best loser NASCAR has ever seen. I totally respect this guy. He has his human moments, but overall, this man is a true champion and everyone who saw him last night knows it, too.

So, thank you, Carl Edwards, for embracing the examples we have put before our racers. Keep on racing and we'll see you in Victory Lane again!!