Page 70 of The Legend
I gatheredthat this was why Alley avoided my eyes this entire time. She knew what theyhad planned for me. It was a planned execution as Casten would say.
When Alleyfinally looked at me, as they lathered me up again, I mouthed, “I hate you.”
Shefucking winked.
My wife’sreaction to the photographs was good. I threw them on the coffee table andflopped down next to her on the couch. “I hate doing these.”
She tookone glance at them and gasped. “Holy shit Jameson! Those are fucking hot!”
My moodcame around and I nodded with arrogance. “Naturally, now,” I pulled her onto mylap. “…show me some love. It was a horrible experience.”
“Oh I planto.” But she didn’t. She was far too engrossed in the pictures.
The one ofme with the top button of my jeans undone with me grabbing my gear seemed to beher favorite. That was aside from the one with me, barefoot, in a tux with thetie loose, buttons undone and my head bent forward leaning against the car withmy helmet in one hand and the other tucked in my pants pocket.
“Jesus,there’s nothing sexier than you wearing a tux barefoot.”
I gave hera funny look and she laughed. “It’s sexy, believe me.”
The onlyone I liked was the one with my fingers laced in a chain-link fence, my eyesfocused on the camera, glaring. All that was truly in focus were my eyes andthe green leaving the rest of the photograph in black and white with the smokebellowing around me. Below the picture was a caption for the magazine thatsaid:
Never underestimate Rowdy Riley.
Funnyenough, that was the photograph where they doused me in oil.
“How the helldid they get oil on you?” Sway asked.
I gave hera glare. “It wasn’t planned. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to shower.”
Sway wastoo engrossed in the pictures again to notice my departure.
It’s not easyfor a race car driver to dominate a race byhimself.But a driver, any driver, had the potential to make a bad team win just as easyas he can lose a race for a good team. He can dominate a result, yes, but thatis not the same thing. He can’t dominate a race, because, separate from logginglaps and battling for the lead or a position, he is not quite part of theentire race.
Inbasketball, for example, one player can dominate a game for he has the abilityto score points and control the ball. Even in baseball, or football, one playercan score the most runs or a quarterback can control the game.
In racing,rarely can a driver dominate the entire race. A good driver, or a good team forthat matter can find the right combination, the right moment and make a goodpass, a quick pit stop, a gamble with fuel mileage, and gain the advantageneeded, but the impact is rarely sustained without a complete effort. That’s nodifferent than anything else in life. I’ve learned, through my own mistakes,you can’t do everything yourself and winning never happens just because of oneperson.
Ask anyracer and he will tell you that if he wants to win. That’s why he races. Tohim, it matters if he wins or finishes second. For a racer, that’s all thatmatters.
Owners,drivers, crew chiefs all like to win. It’s the nature of the sport. They areused to winning too because how else did they get to be great competitors?
Money is aconsideration for all sides but regardless we chase the victory wherever thatmay be.
Here’s thedifference between an owner and a driver these days. An owner, well he can onlywin where’s he’s at. So if a driver isn’t winning with his team, he can leaveif his contract allows and chase that victory with another team. It’s as simpleas that.
So whathappens to our sport when that happens?
Ownerschase drivers, salaries skyrocket, fans pay in ticket prices and before youknow it, you’re creating mythical creatures just based on money.
Maybethat’s why I stayed where I was all these years. We were winning and we hadwhat we needed. Mostly I attribute this to the fact that I wasn’t in it formoney, I was in it to win and be the best. I could do that with this teamwhether itbein the Cup series or theWoO.
I feellike I would never be able to justify the money I’ve made over the years. Surethe possessions were nice and I never had to worry about my bank accountrunning dry but I can’t say that I could justify it. I can explain it, sure,the danger factor, but that’s not the same thing. It’s the nature of theentertainment business.
The factof the matter was I was doing something I always did for nothing and wouldcontinue to do it before after the money.For nothing.
But whatdoes happen when that money stops? Eventually it will stop and you have toprepare yourself for that. I like to think I had. I secured a sturdy financialposition for myself. I invested in things that would return without investingmoney. I bought property, I bought homes, I ran a business, and I bought a fewbusinesses. I invested in possessions that offered return because I kneweventually the money would stop. I wouldn’t race professionally forever. Yes Iwould always race but not for money.
The otherfactor is what does that moneydoto the driver? Dothey race the way they do because they’re now being paid to? Do they change?Some do. I guarantee you that some change. I’ve seen it happen. No rookie wouldwant to believe it, or fans, or most drivers but on the track, in a race, moremoney, less money, racing for a championship, an aggressive pass, a victory, aquick stop, they all come from instinct, reflexive, adrenaline fueledcompetition.
