I knew what I was getting into, but it wasn't until after a few months of dating that I fully realized what I had got myself into. Five and a half years later, and here we are; stronger together because of what we had gone through.
Don't get me wrong, there are days that I wish he didn't want to make this a career, weekends I wish we could spend doing other things and weekends that he was home instead of on the road when I can't go with him. Something that I learned a long time ago was that he does want this as a career and I love him enough to support him no matter what. All the days I spend missing him when he is away, are days he spends hours upon hours working his butt off for his team, making sure his driver is safe and in good hands along with the rest of the crew. He is shaking hands and meeting new people to make a future for us when the time comes, all with his head held high and a smile on his face. No matter how many long days or late nights he endures he keeps pursuing, keeps pushing, keeps learning and keeps making himself better than he was before.
Lucky for us, we started dating when we were seventeen so we have gotten to see each other grow and become the people we are today. I have seen him through the beginning of his career to now, his successes, his failures and everything in between. I have accepted the fact that when we graduate, we will have to live somewhere where he can easily find a job with a team, or close to a lot of race teams and lucky for me I can get a job almost anywhere so I'm down to live anywhere (within reason).
A few key points that I want to point out about dating someone in racing is that it's not as glamorous as the NASCAR trophy wives make it out to be. I don't go to the track in a skirt and cute top with high heels on and watch him run laps the entire day. I wear comfy clothes and closed toe shoes (because normally you can't get into the pits with open-toed shoes). Am I with him all day working on the car, no; but I am getting him lunch or grabbing him a water when he needs it and it is hot. Man, is it hot being on that asphalt all day. I have only been to a few races where I actually was there all day with him, because most of the time I just come before the race starts to support him and his team. Another point I want to make is when we are at NASCAR events and he talks about Kyle Busch or Joey Logano or Brad Keslowski, I can't be the star struck fan because it may make him look bad. Another thing that happens often is when we go to dinner or lunch with his buddies in racing, I have no idea what they're talking about. I can pick out a few things, and I'm not completely clueless but most of the time I'm just like what? My biggest problem that I am having is learning the lingo of these guys. They have so many funny words for things that I cannot pick up on without it being explained first. Things like planting corn, that means driving really low on the apron to hit somebody; or calling someone a shoe means they are a good driver. Getting to the wood means get back to the throttle. These are just a few I have learned recently. A big thing that is not uncommon, is race track food for lunch and dinner. It has become a habit on Saturday nights at Hickory Motor Speedway, that I know I will most likely end up eating race track chicken tenders or pizza for dinner, and that's OK with me. Another thing that is not uncommon is the weekends that I can't be with him, ill ask where he is and sometimes he doesn't even know. Take Southern National for example, I know it's a big race, but I don't think either one of us could point it out on the map. Even though my boyfriend isn't a driver, he still experiences some dangers that it make it scary at times. Like when he is too close to the wall during a race and I am afraid he's going to get hit, or when they have live pit stops and I have to worry about if he is going to get ran over or not changing tires. I also worry about his friends, he has two friends in particular that drive and I pray for them every race, and when they wreck I am literally worried sick until I know they're OK.
The racetrack is one big family. Most everyone knows everyone. Racing can teach you a lot if you're willing to learn. I'm just glad I get to experience these milestones with him and learn with him. Does he know everything? Not even close, but he keeps striving for knowledge and putting himself out there and these are the things that make me proud to be a girlfriend in the race world.
