“You ever been to Indy?”
Sometime after the disappointment of a DNF in the pre-final and the final, this one question came from Sebastian. We were sitting in the paddock, with a whirl of activity going on around us as mechanics prepared cars for various classes. Yet this one question and conversation made the rest of the activity and buzz go away.
“Yes I have,” I replied.
“18 straight years.” That is my standard answer, yet this almost nine-year-old was ready with his next question.
“Did you ever see my Dad race there?”
“Yes I did. I saw every Indy 500 he raced in. And I saw him win twice. I also saw his race in Richmond and Baltimore and watched him on TV.”
“Really!?!?” “That’s cool.”
“Did you ever meet my Dad?”
“I sure did, a few times, just as a fan shaking his hand or getting a photo. Would you like to see?”
“You bet.”
So I pulled up my phone and showed him a photo. One of his Dad and myself.
He looked at it and then used the screen to zoom in on his Dad and then me. He looked back up at me and said, “He was a cool guy.”
I nodded and smiled. He looked back up at me through his piercing eyes with a grin as well.
I asked him, “Can I get a photo with you in a bit?”
“Sure!” He said.
Then he asked me if he could watch the videos again that I took of him running laps earlier in practice, including one of him spinning out in the showcase turn. He nailed that turn in the final and moved his way from starting 7th at the back of the pack to a 2nd place podium finish.
All in all, a great way to spend a day. Sharing memories and making new ones.