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)
muserevival2015-11-25 12:45 am
shelbycobra) wrote in muserevival2015-11-25 12:45 am
Entry tags:
108.2.1 - quote
"Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end."
I've talked about a lot of people in my life, but I haven't told you yet about Peter Fowler. My first strategist, the first man I fell in love with, and someone I'll now always consider like a big brother.
Peter was already at Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing when I got there, by way of Ireland. Unlike me, he'd come up through the Road to Indy program, so he'd already worked on F2000 and Pro Mazda teams before he got handed the 25-year-old upstart who just happened to be the daughter of his spotter. (This gives me a moment to clear up a misconception: my dad had nothing with me getting the seat at SFHR or being assigned to his race team. I can thank Sarah Fisher for the former and the latter was already in place before they knew it was me they'd be ordering around.)
Anyway, Peter was a little bit nervous about the job. He was concerned about either failing his first major series drive or having my father punch him in the face. I know this because he and I became friends right off the bat. Peter is one of those people you can't help but like. He's charismatic, quick-witted and treats everyone around him like family. We'd grab dinner after a late day at work or catch a movie on the weekend. He taught me how to play pool and checked in on me when I was sick. He became friends with my dad and I met his mother when she came by the race shop. To this day, my dad still loves him, which is saying something given how my father is half the reason I didn't have a boyfriend between the ages of 18 and 28.
Working with Peter was worlds apart from working with Shane. Peter wanted us to be friends as well as colleagues, and he was always encouraging me and letting me know that he had my back. Shane, on the other hand, has made it clear that he doesn't need to be my friend and while I know he's said nice things about me they've never been to my face. Two different approaches for two different Shelbys. Peter was there to build me up at the beginning.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I developed a crush on him during our first year working together. Peter was the first guy I'd gotten close to in some time, we were hitting it off both professionally and personally, and plus that Irish accent. But I never made a move. There is an eight-year age difference between us, and dating someone I worked with was just rife with potential problems. I swallowed my feelings instead and honestly I'm glad I did because Peter has become more like a big brother to me now. Even though we haven't worked together in two years, he's still someone I can call in a heartbeat.
Even looking back at one of my most difficult moments: when I was released by SFHR following the 2013 season, there was no major announcement. I was called into a closed-door meeting with Sarah, then I packed my things and left. My team was told separately. According to my father Peter took it remarkably hard. That was how much he cared about me and about us doing a good job together.
Peter is also the person I can thank for getting me on the road back to the league. He was the one who convinced me to take the testing gig at the Indy 500 last year, and it's because of what I did there that Team Penske called me when they expanded their roster. If I hadn't listened to Peter I might still be in New York just wishing I was racing.
I'm really glad to have had him to start my IndyCar journey with. He's a great strategist, and more than that, he's an amazing person. I might have grown beyond our working relationship but Peter will always be as good as another member of the Manning family for how he's treated both me and my father over the years. Josef is lucky to have him on the radio, and I'm not just saying that because that Irish accent still kills me. I'm saying that because Peter Fowler is one of the best people I know.
--
Shelby Manning Martin
Need For Speed OC
729 words
I've talked about a lot of people in my life, but I haven't told you yet about Peter Fowler. My first strategist, the first man I fell in love with, and someone I'll now always consider like a big brother.
Peter was already at Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing when I got there, by way of Ireland. Unlike me, he'd come up through the Road to Indy program, so he'd already worked on F2000 and Pro Mazda teams before he got handed the 25-year-old upstart who just happened to be the daughter of his spotter. (This gives me a moment to clear up a misconception: my dad had nothing with me getting the seat at SFHR or being assigned to his race team. I can thank Sarah Fisher for the former and the latter was already in place before they knew it was me they'd be ordering around.)
Anyway, Peter was a little bit nervous about the job. He was concerned about either failing his first major series drive or having my father punch him in the face. I know this because he and I became friends right off the bat. Peter is one of those people you can't help but like. He's charismatic, quick-witted and treats everyone around him like family. We'd grab dinner after a late day at work or catch a movie on the weekend. He taught me how to play pool and checked in on me when I was sick. He became friends with my dad and I met his mother when she came by the race shop. To this day, my dad still loves him, which is saying something given how my father is half the reason I didn't have a boyfriend between the ages of 18 and 28.
Working with Peter was worlds apart from working with Shane. Peter wanted us to be friends as well as colleagues, and he was always encouraging me and letting me know that he had my back. Shane, on the other hand, has made it clear that he doesn't need to be my friend and while I know he's said nice things about me they've never been to my face. Two different approaches for two different Shelbys. Peter was there to build me up at the beginning.
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I developed a crush on him during our first year working together. Peter was the first guy I'd gotten close to in some time, we were hitting it off both professionally and personally, and plus that Irish accent. But I never made a move. There is an eight-year age difference between us, and dating someone I worked with was just rife with potential problems. I swallowed my feelings instead and honestly I'm glad I did because Peter has become more like a big brother to me now. Even though we haven't worked together in two years, he's still someone I can call in a heartbeat.
Even looking back at one of my most difficult moments: when I was released by SFHR following the 2013 season, there was no major announcement. I was called into a closed-door meeting with Sarah, then I packed my things and left. My team was told separately. According to my father Peter took it remarkably hard. That was how much he cared about me and about us doing a good job together.
Peter is also the person I can thank for getting me on the road back to the league. He was the one who convinced me to take the testing gig at the Indy 500 last year, and it's because of what I did there that Team Penske called me when they expanded their roster. If I hadn't listened to Peter I might still be in New York just wishing I was racing.
I'm really glad to have had him to start my IndyCar journey with. He's a great strategist, and more than that, he's an amazing person. I might have grown beyond our working relationship but Peter will always be as good as another member of the Manning family for how he's treated both me and my father over the years. Josef is lucky to have him on the radio, and I'm not just saying that because that Irish accent still kills me. I'm saying that because Peter Fowler is one of the best people I know.
--
Shelby Manning Martin
Need For Speed OC
729 words