I have so much to be thankful for, not just in my personal and family life but also in my professional career. With Thanksgiving week upon us, and in the spirit of things to be thankful for, I’m reflecting back on some moments that shaped my motorsport career as well as some standout experiences I’m grateful for.
I’ve truly been fortunate to grow up around the sport thanks to my dad, as he was the occasional weekend club racer, and I relished every opportunity to be trackside with him. I tried immersing myself as much as I could at a young age, and dreaming of racing was my life.
Transitioning into professional racing is an incredibly tough road to navigate. There’s no clear, direct path, and it can be extremely challenging from a financial standpoint. I’m thankful that, during that time in my career, a chance meeting with the future team owner of Freedom Autosport led to me being a part of that team.
Freedom Autosport blossomed into the launching pad for my professional racing career. It garnered so many memorable race wins and special moments that shaped my early career, and those experiences led me to my next step in motorsports.
I am so thankful that I’ve gotten to drive for Mazda Motorsports. It was incredible to take those race wins and championships at Freedom Autosport, then turn that success into racing for the Mazda factory team at the highest levels of prototype competition, including the iconic Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona.
I’m also thankful I’ve had the opportunity to race in the iconic Rolex 24 Hours nearly ten times, including landing on the podium for one of them.
Not only do I have all those incredible memories of the Rolex 24, but I’ve also gotten to travel all over the world, including going to Japan twice and racing at circuits worldwide on behalf of Mazda. These are just some of the fond memories my career with Mazda has provided me.
And, today, I am appreciative of all the opportunities I get to race and work with clients I truly enjoy being around. I get so much joy helping them find success in their own racing endeavors.
I hope everyone has a wonderful and special Thanksgiving. I’m looking forward to spending it with my family, and I’ll be taking the time to reflect on all we have to be thankful for.