Shelby Manning (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
shelbycobra) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
muserevival2015-07-26 09:52 am
shelbycobra) wrote in muserevival2015-07-26 09:52 am
Entry tags:
097.2.2 - quotes
"The shock of any trauma, I think changes your life. It's more acute in the beginning and after a little time you settle back to what you were. However it leaves an indelible mark on your psyche."
Driving the pace car for today's Brickyard 400. It's an honor and one I didn't think I would experience. But it makes perfect sense: Jeff Gordon drove the pace car at the Indy 500, so why not then ask the Indy 500 winner to drive the pace car in front of Jeff Gordon. It makes a nice little circle.
You won't believe me when I say this, but I didn't think of it that way. I don't walk around all day thinking of myself as 'Indianapolis 500 winner Shelby Manning Martin.' I wasn't even planning on being here; I realized last week that our off weekend coincided with the NASCAR race that's literally next door to my apartment, so I thought I'd come home for the week and enjoy checking out Team Penske's action from the pit stand. I just wanted to sleep in my own bed and watch a race.
People think of me differently now. The round of applause I got at the drivers' meeting was ridiculous. A lot of the NASCAR drivers were coming up and congratulating me. I got to shake hands with Danica Patrick for the first time since 2011. I deeply appreciate all of that, and everything else that's happened for me since the month of May.
But at the same time, I want to tell them that a year ago, I was as far away from this as you could get. I still remember how I broke down and cried having to pack up my stuff from the SFHR shop. There's a reason I moved all the way to New York and stopped taking people's calls; it hurt too fucking much to be in a racing town and not be racing. Losing my ride was the worst thing that ever happened to me, and in a perverse way it was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it forced me to grow up and to become a better driver. And that feeling stays with me today.
I'm the happiest that I've ever been. I have a wonderful marriage. I'm in contention to win the Astor Cup for the first time in my career. For the rest of history, my face is going to be part of the Borg-Warner Trophy. Hopefully, I'm going to do well in these next few races and earn myself a contract extension. And I get to drive the pace car for the Brickyard 400. My life right now is near to perfect, yet I'll always remember - and respect - the time when it wasn't even close.
--
Shelby Manning Martin
Need For Speed OC
430 words
Driving the pace car for today's Brickyard 400. It's an honor and one I didn't think I would experience. But it makes perfect sense: Jeff Gordon drove the pace car at the Indy 500, so why not then ask the Indy 500 winner to drive the pace car in front of Jeff Gordon. It makes a nice little circle.
You won't believe me when I say this, but I didn't think of it that way. I don't walk around all day thinking of myself as 'Indianapolis 500 winner Shelby Manning Martin.' I wasn't even planning on being here; I realized last week that our off weekend coincided with the NASCAR race that's literally next door to my apartment, so I thought I'd come home for the week and enjoy checking out Team Penske's action from the pit stand. I just wanted to sleep in my own bed and watch a race.
People think of me differently now. The round of applause I got at the drivers' meeting was ridiculous. A lot of the NASCAR drivers were coming up and congratulating me. I got to shake hands with Danica Patrick for the first time since 2011. I deeply appreciate all of that, and everything else that's happened for me since the month of May.
But at the same time, I want to tell them that a year ago, I was as far away from this as you could get. I still remember how I broke down and cried having to pack up my stuff from the SFHR shop. There's a reason I moved all the way to New York and stopped taking people's calls; it hurt too fucking much to be in a racing town and not be racing. Losing my ride was the worst thing that ever happened to me, and in a perverse way it was the best thing that ever happened to me, because it forced me to grow up and to become a better driver. And that feeling stays with me today.
I'm the happiest that I've ever been. I have a wonderful marriage. I'm in contention to win the Astor Cup for the first time in my career. For the rest of history, my face is going to be part of the Borg-Warner Trophy. Hopefully, I'm going to do well in these next few races and earn myself a contract extension. And I get to drive the pace car for the Brickyard 400. My life right now is near to perfect, yet I'll always remember - and respect - the time when it wasn't even close.
--
Shelby Manning Martin
Need For Speed OC
430 words