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Debbi Willis, Daw613@bigfoot.com

Adversity

Anything worthwhile is worth the effort and pains to accomplish the task. The old adage that "Nothing is Free " came about because everything has a price! And not necessarily monetary either. The price of success is more often in the sweat on your brow or the drive inside someone to succeed despite the obstacles that inevitably crop up. Drivers exhibit this when they climb back into a damaged racecar all patched up and even though they are a discouraging number of laps down, they finish anyway. The price of success is often in adversity, challenges and neverending disappointments that would normally defeat the average person but... racers aren't average people then are they?

Neither are the Marines. The Marines have some of the finest commercials on TV today with thought-provoking, eye-catching content. The excellence of the Marines is obvious. My favorite though, is the sword being made, from the hot molten metal to the mold, to pounding refinement and then polished into the hands of a full dress Marine. Clearly, the message is that it's not easy to become a Marine, but it's worth it and to be one, there are dues to pay. As a matter of fact, I understand it to be one of the toughest armed forces to succeed in! But, and this is the big payoff, when a young man does, he's one of the very best he can be! This applies to racing too: the road is not easy but worth it!

Character is built and refined by adversity. If it weren't, why would so many programs incorporate trials and tribulations to overcome? Boot camp for Navy Seals is well reputed for its brutal training. Martial arts require intense disciplines that push beyond a person's normal limits. The Bible is frought full of problems, skewed plans and misfortunes throughout history that have been overcome. Youth programs (like sports and the Scouting) push youth beyond their normal limits to get them out of the boxes of their normal lives. Even Nascar Rookie Seasons are frought with various misfortunes, learning lessons and the everpresent threat of failure. Adversity is paying the proverbial "dues". And, adversity is a great teacher. If for no other reason, adversity teaches that anything can be dealt with, that tomorrow is another day and no matter what, if your goals are set and you are true to yourself, you'll meet those goals.

There are thousands of examples in history of people who have beat the odds to overcome extreme situations, and when they do, they are better for it. Now, that's pretty dramatic, especially in this fast paced, instant society we live in where our youth are often missing out on the opportunities to really hunger for something and work towards it. Yes, those are opportunities. The instant credit system in this country has eroded the work ethic of saving. It's not necessary to wait and work for anything anymore. Of course, much deeper financial theories are involved here, but the point is that society as a whole has become soft. In doing so, we are attracted to instant success, glitz and glamour, too.

With most of the drivers in nascar today, adversity has played a key part in their success, both in personal lives and racing careers. They've made mistakes in behavior on the track (i.e: Earnhardt, Irvan, the Bodines) and even fatal mistakes off the track (ie: Tim Richmond). Nearly all have experienced the continuous run of bad luck, accidents they didn't cause and some they did, mechanical failures and weeks of trying to keep from losing over and over. Discouragement is no stranger to them. But the common thread in all those drivers is that, they with their teams, kept on track (literally) towards their goals. Even when they don't make the ultimate goal of champion, since not everyone can or will, they exhibit the qualities it takes and are champions to someone.

So, when fans say someone needs to pay his dues, they just want to see what that person is made of. They aren't wishing serious harm. How a driver handles adversity shows the fans their true nature. Sure, tempers flare, emotions run high and interviews aren't pleasant after one more calamity. But, those drivers keep on going, the team rallies from week to week and no matter what, if the car can be on the track, so are they with it. Look at the number of drivers in recent years who have driven with severe injuries and pain!

Adversity is really a good aspect of life in general. Without adversity, it's easy to LOOK successful. With adversity, a racer's life is pretty interesting and can be inspirational. Apply that to racing and we get some of the best competition fans could ask for in one of the best sports in the world!

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