D . I . COLUMNIST The Real Deal with Tommy D ' Aprile
Have you heard the term “ life is short ”? I ’ m sure all of you have heard that at one time or another . Recently I attended a celebration of life service for a friend ’ s dad . The man was in his eighties and had lived a very full life , leaving behind an amazing legacy . He loved his family with all his heart and was always present in their lives .
The stories told at his service reminded me of what really matters in life , or should I say put a clear perspective on our very short life on this earth . We do not know the day nor the hour when our life here will be over , so my question to you today is this : What will be the legacy you leave here on this earth ?
When I began my racing career at the age of 14 , I already had ideas of becoming famous and a household name . I looked at the people who made it in our sport and was fascinated at the careers they were having – wins , championships , and even a picture of themselves on the side of a trailer . I mean if there was a heaven on earth , that was it !
So fast forward and I was still chasing the dream , but now I was in the professional ranks . A Pro Rookie of the Year award in the IHRA and eventually a world championship in Pro Modified had me on top of the world , but also had me sacrificing some very important areas of my life to get where I had gotten .
Perspective led me to take a step back for a while and concentrate on the really important areas of life . People thought I was crazy to walk away from a competitive Pro Modified ride , and all I could tell them was that I needed to put as much time into my family as I had my racing career .
You see , the legacy I want to leave has nothing to do with race wins and championships . The legacy I want to leave is how I loved my family and set great examples to last for generations to come . I love racing and have spent a lot of time doing it , but now I do it with my family close to home , not without them , hundreds of miles away . Watching my kids win a race and being present for it is far better than any championship I have ever won .
Our days here are short , and I urge you to take a good long look at what your legacy will be . Taking a break to concentrate on the really important areas of life is a good thing . Trust me , racing will be there when you want to come back . I myself will come back , but not at the expense of sacrificing my family .
I see so many people chasing the dream when they never realized they had the dream right there in their own home . Sometimes your family needs you more than the racetrack does . Putting them first is the beginning to a great legacy , for sure . Remember this : you have no idea when your last day on this earth will be , so make steps to leave the legacy you were destined for . As always , the choice is yours to make . DI
Email Tommy at tommyd @ dragillustrated . com
July / August 2023
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