For the third year in a row, I am competing in the Motor Racing Outreach Better Half Dash. This year, for the first time in years we are back on the track and this time, racing go-karts. My competitors are wives and girlfriends of some of NASCAR’s biggest names, with the Other Halves filling the role of driver coach and working as our spotters. I am excited, but I have never been in a go-kart – until now!
I get excited about new experiences, and especially opportunities to make a positive impact on causes that are meaningful to me. Honestly though, I do not have time to participate in the Better Half Dash this year. But with my full speed approach to life, I told myself we would figure it out, chose to embrace the adventure and the literal road ahead.
As expected, spare time has run short for Team Labonte. Over the past couple of weeks my coach and spotter Bobby Labonte and I have practiced very little. I would have loved more track time in search of experience and a couple of seconds per lap, but here we go!
This week, all drivers practiced as a group for the first time, and then we qualified.
Bobby and I went to the track early and got in 3 much needed practice sessions. I held my own with the full group, qualified in the top 10 securing a P9 starting spot on the grid for the race that will be broadcast on FS1 Race Hub on June 14 at 6pm.
But something bigger happened. I spent 7 hours at the go-kart track and didn’t think about work once. That hasn’t happened in…a long time. I am ambitious and driven and go full speed ahead professionally too, so this realization shocked me.
The Better Half Dash, a racing event used to raise funds from which others benefit, gave ME a gift – a much needed gift, and a lesson: work-life balance is a real thing.
I left the track physically spent, but mentally refreshed. Weird. Lesson learned.
Go do something good in the world – and find some time for fun and play. Turn off work and turn on something, anything, different.
My head is clear. My energy level is high. My heart is full. Let’s GO!