Move Over Football - NASCAR Is The Real Family
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06/01/2016 Jeremiah Thalheimer |
If you've followed pro football over the last few years, you've no doubt seen the ads touting football as family. As entertaining as these ads can be, I've discovered that the real sports family can be found in NASCAR.
While football chooses to focus on the family that shares a bloodline, the NASCAR family goes beyond those of us related by blood or marriage. As for me, I'm blessed enough to have two NASCAR families: my internet NASCAR family and my West Series family. In the nearly one year I've been a member of Race Fans Forever, I have found a group of people that I've never met but still share a deep bond with. Most weekends, we "watch" the race together via our Roar of the Crowd forum. We don't always agree, but we always have a blast. It also makes me feel good that they closely follow my emerging career as a NASCAR official and try to spot me when NBCSN airs the tape delay of the races I work. This past weekend while working a race in San Bernardino, I was also fortunate enough to meet a couple members of RFF, Jeanne and Leo. Even though we'd never met before last Saturday night, it felt like we were old friends catching up after a long time apart.
Of course I would be remiss if I did not also mention the small group I've found on Twitter. We frequently interact on all things NASCAR and otherwise. In fact, in both of these virtual NASCAR families we have been there for each other in many ways outside of racing and have supported each other through tough times long after the checkered flag has flown.
Last but certainly not least is my NASCAR West Series family. I am blessed to work with a great group of officials who have never once made me feel like a newcomer. As much as I love NASCAR, I love the camaraderie with this group of people just as much. This camaraderie doesn't stop with the officials, either. In NASCAR, officials and competitors interact with a friendliness and familiarity that would be unthinkable in other sports.
Like my internet NASCAR family, the members of my West Series family are there for each other through good times and bad. To top it off, after the race is over and we've packed up the hauler, we put our hands together and shout "Family!" before calling it a night. The next day, we share hugs and handshakes before departing for home.
Out of all the things that make our sport great, I think the greatest is the familial bonds that develop among those who love it. Whether we've met in person or not, we develop a closeness that goes far beyond the racetrack. If you're not a part of some sort of NASCAR group, I encourage you to find one. Come for the racing, stay for the family. You'll be glad you did.
While football chooses to focus on the family that shares a bloodline, the NASCAR family goes beyond those of us related by blood or marriage. As for me, I'm blessed enough to have two NASCAR families: my internet NASCAR family and my West Series family. In the nearly one year I've been a member of Race Fans Forever, I have found a group of people that I've never met but still share a deep bond with. Most weekends, we "watch" the race together via our Roar of the Crowd forum. We don't always agree, but we always have a blast. It also makes me feel good that they closely follow my emerging career as a NASCAR official and try to spot me when NBCSN airs the tape delay of the races I work. This past weekend while working a race in San Bernardino, I was also fortunate enough to meet a couple members of RFF, Jeanne and Leo. Even though we'd never met before last Saturday night, it felt like we were old friends catching up after a long time apart.
Of course I would be remiss if I did not also mention the small group I've found on Twitter. We frequently interact on all things NASCAR and otherwise. In fact, in both of these virtual NASCAR families we have been there for each other in many ways outside of racing and have supported each other through tough times long after the checkered flag has flown.
Last but certainly not least is my NASCAR West Series family. I am blessed to work with a great group of officials who have never once made me feel like a newcomer. As much as I love NASCAR, I love the camaraderie with this group of people just as much. This camaraderie doesn't stop with the officials, either. In NASCAR, officials and competitors interact with a friendliness and familiarity that would be unthinkable in other sports.
Like my internet NASCAR family, the members of my West Series family are there for each other through good times and bad. To top it off, after the race is over and we've packed up the hauler, we put our hands together and shout "Family!" before calling it a night. The next day, we share hugs and handshakes before departing for home.
Out of all the things that make our sport great, I think the greatest is the familial bonds that develop among those who love it. Whether we've met in person or not, we develop a closeness that goes far beyond the racetrack. If you're not a part of some sort of NASCAR group, I encourage you to find one. Come for the racing, stay for the family. You'll be glad you did.