Six Years, One Dream
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04/14/2016 Jeremiah Thalheimer |
Nearly six years ago this month, I got my first taste of what it can be like to be involved in racing as something other than a fan. On a cool spring night in Irwindale, California, I worked my first races as an official. Starting that night, I began dreaming that one day I could actually travel with and work for a series as a NASCAR Official.
For the next six years, I kept dreaming. I scoured the NASCAR job boards and applied nearly every time I saw an opening as an official. I had a job with the railroad that took me to three states, but I never stopped dreaming. I also worked two local tracks and told anyone who would listen that I dreamed of working for NASCAR.
I kept applying and even got an interview, but my applications kept staying "under review". This past February, the NASCAR season was getting ready to start and it looked like my dream was going to stay a dream. One day during a break from work, I turned on my phone and found a voicemail from the NASCAR Touring Series director asking me to give him a call. I called him back, and he said that he'd been reviewing resumes and wanted to bring me on board as an official on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Needless to say, I couldn't say yes fast enough. I was about to embark on a new career as the owner of an insurance agency, and this new move would grant me the flexibility I needed to finally embark on my dream. To say God's timing is perfect would be a massive understatement.
Last week, I finally got to work my first West Series race in Bakersfield, California. The whole week leading up to the race, I was like a kid on Christmas Eve. When race day finally arrived, I was the most excited I've been in a long time.
At the end of the day, I realized why so many people work in racing for so long: they love the sport, but the group they work with truly becomes their family away from home. Even though I was brand new and most of the people I was working with had been doing there for several years, they never once made me feel like a rookie. Everyone went out of their way to show me the ropes and made me feel welcome. Even after 19 hours at the track and with aching feet and knees, I was still having a blast. The moment I'd been dreaming of for six years finally arrived and the wait was worth it. I'm certainly glad I never gave up and am already looking forward to my next race.
For the next six years, I kept dreaming. I scoured the NASCAR job boards and applied nearly every time I saw an opening as an official. I had a job with the railroad that took me to three states, but I never stopped dreaming. I also worked two local tracks and told anyone who would listen that I dreamed of working for NASCAR.
I kept applying and even got an interview, but my applications kept staying "under review". This past February, the NASCAR season was getting ready to start and it looked like my dream was going to stay a dream. One day during a break from work, I turned on my phone and found a voicemail from the NASCAR Touring Series director asking me to give him a call. I called him back, and he said that he'd been reviewing resumes and wanted to bring me on board as an official on the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West. Needless to say, I couldn't say yes fast enough. I was about to embark on a new career as the owner of an insurance agency, and this new move would grant me the flexibility I needed to finally embark on my dream. To say God's timing is perfect would be a massive understatement.
Last week, I finally got to work my first West Series race in Bakersfield, California. The whole week leading up to the race, I was like a kid on Christmas Eve. When race day finally arrived, I was the most excited I've been in a long time.
At the end of the day, I realized why so many people work in racing for so long: they love the sport, but the group they work with truly becomes their family away from home. Even though I was brand new and most of the people I was working with had been doing there for several years, they never once made me feel like a rookie. Everyone went out of their way to show me the ropes and made me feel welcome. Even after 19 hours at the track and with aching feet and knees, I was still having a blast. The moment I'd been dreaming of for six years finally arrived and the wait was worth it. I'm certainly glad I never gave up and am already looking forward to my next race.