An Unlikely Brand Ambassador

     This weekend was a new experience for me.  It started as a typical race weekend with ProAutoSports, but turned into a 4.5 hour 13 session marathon.  I never gave that a thought when the weekend started.  I just slogged through and frankly had a great time doing it.  Sometimes, very often life is everything about who the people you are surrounded by. 

      You all know that I had back surgery exactly two months ago.  The photo above\ starting from the right.  My Neurosurgeon Dr. Abdulhamid,  His office manager Lina, from Royal Spine Surgery, of course the Shrek is me, Her oldest son, her youngest son and his friend, and The office manager from his other surgery office.  They were there because Doc has been on track before with various rent a ride experiences.  Lina's sons are interested in racing and I offered to entertain them if they came to the track.  Not pictured is a gentleman who works in the front office for the Miami Dolphins.  Ex College football player and we were quite a site both of us big carcasses stuffed into the Vette.  Doc and the rest of the group had no idea that we actually raced door to door before the weekend.  They just assumed we did laps for fun and time. 

      With this surgery being my second, I have attempted to obey all the rules this time.  Not lifting too much weight, no twisting, exercise, and I have been going to physical therapy.  The first time I thought I was active enough that I didn't need physical therapy.  This time by going I have learned just exactly how wrong I was.  Currently I have some stiffness.  No pain.  Even after climbing in and out of the car all day long for two days.  The bone jarring that goes on pounding the curbs and the tight back and forth of the ProAutoSports Configuration on Wild Horse Pass main track.  I still am pain free.  I think part of the reason that they came to watch was to see if club road racing was really all I said it would be.  Basically I spent the weekend being a brand ambassador for ProAutoSports and I thank them very much for allowing me to race, and drive all those sessions giving joy rides. 

     I don't know how to just give a track ride.  My lap times were basically the same during the ride along as they were while in race group.  I hope that every one feels the exhilaration that I do while on track.  I love driving the main track.  It was the place where I had my first on track experience and Pete Creek was my instructor.  He has a way of making every lap more fun that the last.  Confident and relaxing and amazing fun all at the same time.  I try very much to do the same for my students and those that I give a ride to.  This was the first time for Brian to drive the main track without including the Bondurant track.  Its so much faster at the end of the main straight and the carousel is so fast.  Brian did his usual awesome job.  He learned the track quickly and while he didn't feel comfortable enough to race because it was his first time there, those walls on the drag strip can be quite intimidating when lined up door to door for the start of a race. 

     It was fun showing Doc how successful that my surgery was.  He has a Porsche Cayman S and while he will be in Europe for the next event.  I am pretty sure he will be on track before the end of the year.  Time for the shameless plug.  If you are having back pain.  The kind that is keeping you from living a full life.  Give the staff at Royal Spine Surgery a call and see if they can give you your life back like they did me.