I was only 11 years old.
"What do you want to be when you grow up" I was asked by my career counsellor just prior to the transition from junior school to secondary school. This question was being asked to help the counsellor pick the right "O level" courses for you to take when you finally arrived at your designated secondary school.
"A racing driver" I replied. For some reason this caused the counsellor to laugh at me as if I had just told him that I could fly or walk on water. My mum and dad knew this was what I wanted to do, but opportunities for go-karting or Metrakit bikes just wasn't there when I was only 11.
When you consider how much I am involved with the racing industry these days, it is a comment that hasn't really resurfaced (nor affects my day to day life) but lurks in the back of my mind and pops up from time to time. One of those times was this week when I attended the Red Bull Rookies Testing last Wednesday at Laguna Seca (thanks Jordan).
Watching and listening to these excited young men with very boyish faces being talked to and coached by Kevin Schwantz, I felt for a brief moment the same enthusiasm and pure joy of what I would've felt if I had been able to have that same opportunity. It was a lovely day for me. Lot's of smiles.
Daytona next...
"What do you want to be when you grow up" I was asked by my career counsellor just prior to the transition from junior school to secondary school. This question was being asked to help the counsellor pick the right "O level" courses for you to take when you finally arrived at your designated secondary school.
"A racing driver" I replied. For some reason this caused the counsellor to laugh at me as if I had just told him that I could fly or walk on water. My mum and dad knew this was what I wanted to do, but opportunities for go-karting or Metrakit bikes just wasn't there when I was only 11.
When you consider how much I am involved with the racing industry these days, it is a comment that hasn't really resurfaced (nor affects my day to day life) but lurks in the back of my mind and pops up from time to time. One of those times was this week when I attended the Red Bull Rookies Testing last Wednesday at Laguna Seca (thanks Jordan).
Watching and listening to these excited young men with very boyish faces being talked to and coached by Kevin Schwantz, I felt for a brief moment the same enthusiasm and pure joy of what I would've felt if I had been able to have that same opportunity. It was a lovely day for me. Lot's of smiles.
Daytona next...
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