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)
muserevival2016-05-30 12:32 am
shelbycobra) wrote in muserevival2016-05-30 12:32 am
121.1.2 - lyrics
"So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light
'Cause oh that gave me such a fright
But I will hold as long as you like
Just promise me we'll be alright."
Where to start with today?
I thought I had it within my reach. I could taste that repeat victory. Driving up front for most of the first third of the race, slugging it out back and forth with Hinch - that was some of the most fun racing I've ever done and it felt good. Strong. Like I had the car to beat for the second year in a row.
And then it all went horribly wrong. Pulling out of my pit box and wham, there's Townsend Bell up on my gearbox. Now, I like Townsend. He's said some very nice things about me when he's called other races for NBCSN. But at that moment I could have strangled him. And the words Shane said on the radio I cannot repeat. It was one whole long string of profanity.
The spotter on the 29 should have done a better job and held their guy back. But this is one of those freak things that happen in racing. You can be amazing and then someone else can rain on your parade. He didn't plan on running into me and I sure as hell didn't want to run into him. But it happened, and when something like that happens you almost always know you're not going to win. It just creates a setback that you're constantly trying to make up for. As soon as Townsend hit me I knew my chances at winning another Indy 500 were over.
I'm disappointed because I know we could have done it. Josef even said we were the car to beat today in his post-race interview. And it always sucks to lead the most laps in a race and not be able to finish the job.
But - and maybe this is my maturity talking - I also know that it could have been a lot worse. I have to tip my hat to the pit crew that worked their asses off to fix the damage. Being able to battle back for a sixth place finish is more than impressive. We should have been down in the double digits but we wound up with a top ten, one step away from a top five. And every time I'm able to place higher than Scott I just kind of pinch myself a little bit. So I have a few things to be proud of, even if they're not the things I want.
I wanted to show well here. I didn't want anyone to consider me a one-season wonder, like they did after I captured the pole position for the 500 and then flamed the hell out the next year. And I'd say winning the GP and then getting top ten in the 500 is a pretty good show.
Admittedly my neck is bugging me tonight; I think I might have gotten a little whiplash in the contact, even if it was at semi pit lane speed. And it's a good thing that we don't usually see spotters or I'm pretty sure Shane would have torn the spotter for the 29 a new asshole. He's still bitching and I don't blame him. A few years ago I would have been enraged too.
But I know we had a fantastic car and we did the absolute best that we were allowed under the circumstances. I can walk away tonight knowing that what went wrong was not my fault. I can say I got to drive my guts out in a historic race. And, here's the important part, I was literally able to walk home and sleep in my own bed. There's nothing that beats that.
One good night off and then it's on to Detroit.
--
Shelby Manning
Need for Speed OC
614 words
'Cause oh that gave me such a fright
But I will hold as long as you like
Just promise me we'll be alright."
Where to start with today?
I thought I had it within my reach. I could taste that repeat victory. Driving up front for most of the first third of the race, slugging it out back and forth with Hinch - that was some of the most fun racing I've ever done and it felt good. Strong. Like I had the car to beat for the second year in a row.
And then it all went horribly wrong. Pulling out of my pit box and wham, there's Townsend Bell up on my gearbox. Now, I like Townsend. He's said some very nice things about me when he's called other races for NBCSN. But at that moment I could have strangled him. And the words Shane said on the radio I cannot repeat. It was one whole long string of profanity.
The spotter on the 29 should have done a better job and held their guy back. But this is one of those freak things that happen in racing. You can be amazing and then someone else can rain on your parade. He didn't plan on running into me and I sure as hell didn't want to run into him. But it happened, and when something like that happens you almost always know you're not going to win. It just creates a setback that you're constantly trying to make up for. As soon as Townsend hit me I knew my chances at winning another Indy 500 were over.
I'm disappointed because I know we could have done it. Josef even said we were the car to beat today in his post-race interview. And it always sucks to lead the most laps in a race and not be able to finish the job.
But - and maybe this is my maturity talking - I also know that it could have been a lot worse. I have to tip my hat to the pit crew that worked their asses off to fix the damage. Being able to battle back for a sixth place finish is more than impressive. We should have been down in the double digits but we wound up with a top ten, one step away from a top five. And every time I'm able to place higher than Scott I just kind of pinch myself a little bit. So I have a few things to be proud of, even if they're not the things I want.
I wanted to show well here. I didn't want anyone to consider me a one-season wonder, like they did after I captured the pole position for the 500 and then flamed the hell out the next year. And I'd say winning the GP and then getting top ten in the 500 is a pretty good show.
Admittedly my neck is bugging me tonight; I think I might have gotten a little whiplash in the contact, even if it was at semi pit lane speed. And it's a good thing that we don't usually see spotters or I'm pretty sure Shane would have torn the spotter for the 29 a new asshole. He's still bitching and I don't blame him. A few years ago I would have been enraged too.
But I know we had a fantastic car and we did the absolute best that we were allowed under the circumstances. I can walk away tonight knowing that what went wrong was not my fault. I can say I got to drive my guts out in a historic race. And, here's the important part, I was literally able to walk home and sleep in my own bed. There's nothing that beats that.
One good night off and then it's on to Detroit.
--
Shelby Manning
Need for Speed OC
614 words