Drag Illustrated Issue 149, October 2019 | Page 49

D.I. COLUMNIST The Real Deal with Tommy D'Aprile A s the season progresses and begins to wind down to some of the most critical races of the year, I see many of our teams testing their cars and equipment in hopes of finding that little extra something that will cast them ahead of the fields in their respective classes. So much time and money is being spent on finding that elusive edge while the people involved are being taxed to the limit. After all is said and done, the cars are prepared and the trailer is stocked with parts and you and your team are ready to begin the final assault on the 2019 season, but here is the big question: Are you as ready as your car and equipment? Time and time again I have seen race wins come down to driver and team skills. Now although all of us are gifted in different ways, we all need to develop these gifts and strive to become better at what we do. For ex- ample, I have been known for cutting consistent, good lights in the race car. Now I normally have a very quick reaction time, but for me that’s not enough. I’ve set my mind on practicing each and every day. It has become part of my daily routine to practice hitting the tree. I also make sure I’m getting enough rest and exercise regularly to enhance what I have been practicing. On another side, tuners have a responsibility to work on the perfec- tion of their practice as well. If all a tuner does is show up at the racetrack without looking at notes and track conditions and studying them regularly throughout the week, he or she will suffer and not be very successful in their field. Crew members are to be well prepared with good sleep and a clear mind to do their jobs to the best of their ability, not stay up all night drinking. Most will say that does not affect them. Bull crap. They just don’t want to give it up for a couple days for the benefit of the team. No one can be at their best the morning after a night of hard drinking. Here’s the real deal: Most of our teams have great equipment with poor preparation. All of the planning has been done and executed on the race car but the most important factor – the “human factor” – has been left to the wayside. How in the world can you be at an excellent level without being well prepared? This will apply to all areas of your life as well as the racetrack. Better preparation leads to better results. Plain and simple, you can be average in your day or you can strive for excellence. Some days will be better than others, but that should never discourage you from coming back stronger. Set your mind and words on what is good and throw out the negative that keeps creeping into your life. Start preparing yourself to be the best you can be and remember your best may not be someone else’s best, but as long as it’s your best you have achieved the goal. Never settle and always be zealous to be a better you than you were the day before. Not only will your team, co-workers, family and friends benefit from this, but you will have a feeling of accomplishment that no one can steal from you. Most people are waiting for someone else to do something before chang- ing, that’s just a cop-out. Why don’t you be the change the world needs and be the change you need and see the benefits that come from it?! As always, the choice is yours to make. Email Tommy at tommyd@dragillustrated.com WE MAKE FRIENDS... 256.383.6868 October 2019 FAST! PTCRACE.COM 150 1 WINS WIN & COUNTING... ARP Congratulates John Force & Austin Prock On Their Milestone Wins! On one end of the spectrum we have drag racing’s most prolific driver winning his unprecedented 150th NHRA National event and on the other a future star with a great pedigree just getting started. ARP salutes John and Austin, and is proud to be a part of John Force Racing’s winning combination. Whether you’re racing a supercharged, nitro-guzzling Funny Car or Dragster —or an E.T. Bracket car— ARP has what you need to achieve optimum performance with total reliability. Check out ARP’s 5,000-plus fastener kits online or request a free printed copy of the latest catalog. All ARP fasteners are proudly manufactured in- house to the industry’s highest standards. There’s nothing better! 800-826-3045 www.arp-bolts.com DragIllustrated.com | D r a g I l l u s t r a t e d | 49