IF YOU CHOSE THE “BLUE PILL” AND DECIDED YOU COULD DO WITHOUT FINDING OUT HOW BATSHIT CRAZY, PATHETIC, AND REDICULOUS I CAN BE, AND YOU SKIPPED OVER THAT LAST SECTION, THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN PICK IT UP AGAIN AND STAY BLISSFULLY UNAWARE…
Fortunately, everyone knew better than to debrief about the race, so instead we just talked about other stuff – plans for packing up the pit, checking out some of the other racing, exploring the paddock and MotoAmerica Fan Zone, and even whether or where we would go for our customary post-race weekend team dinner.
There was some conversation about our overall season, of course, and it was generally very positive. I essentially managed to consolidate my championship position, with one small caveat. Jeremy McWilliams, a former MotoGP racer, entered the final race (on the 2nd ARCH motorcycle – yes, Keanu Reeve’s team — which was added for this final round) and scored enough points to jump in front of me for 17th in the final championship tally. But 18th overall out of 46 Super Hooligan riders who gridded up at least once during the season was still an incredible finish, and losing only one position, and to a MotoGP racer, was not half bad! Basically, despite my feelings about getting beat at the line, there were no actual championship implications whatsoever, since both me and the guy who passed me finished out of the points anyway. Yes, there’s always a half-full side of the glass, and once I’ve calmed down, I’m actually capable of seeing that brighter side!
We all spent the rest of the afternoon lazily packing up, hanging out, and relaxing. I was also interviewed by Roland Sands’ videographer, and got to tell my story as a person in recovery, who has become a professional racer, the co-founder of a nonprofit, and an advocate for mental health. It was pretty cool. That interview would eventually get posted on social media and be viewed over 19k times!
There was a lot to be proud of and happy about. We had accomplished so much this season. Not only with our performance on track and in the championship, but also in how much we advanced the mission of our nonprofit, The Remix Racing Project. We were interviewed on live TV, multiple podcasts, visited by countless fans at our in-pit mental health exhibit, and received social media exposure in the 100’s of thousands!
Don’t get me wrong, I was still reeling from how the final race ended, and I would have a lot of meditating and soul-searching to do in order to figure out what to do with it all, and where to go from here. As a ridiculously sentimental romantic, I’m always hoping for a fantasy ending. But that’s part of what I needed to figure out – was this an end, or just a stop along the way?
I saw a MEME recently that said, “We all got a sad story. Either make it your excuse or your motivation.” I really like that. I choose to make this story my motivation. I am determined to keep moving forward. To live by our team’s motto – “No matter the outcome, we never lose. We either win or we learn.”
And that settles it. I will learn from it all – the good, the bad, and everything in between. I’ll close this chapter and start writing the next one. As long as the story continues, I will have countless opportunities for a fantasy ending. But let’s be real. Would I ever really want it to end?
So, I’ll be back. Better. Stronger. Faster. And you’ll know where to find me – on a MotoAmerica grid, chest down, elbows out, eyes up – lights on, lights out, LAUNCH!