Mike Mahaney - Perseverance

In November, we held our last class for the 2011 students, and one of the things we did was hold 'mock' sponsorship interviews. When I asked the question from each student to say one word that describes them at the end of the interview, student Mike Mahaney said 'Perseverance'.

I asked him to elaborate a bit on that and later I thought it would be good for him to put this in writing and send it to me. I was very impressed, I think you will be too, so I will share it with you here---

FROM MIKE MAHANEY:

"More than half my life has been devoted to fulfilling my dream: to race for a living. I grew up helping my Dad, the "Workshoe," with his dirt modified, learning everything I could. For years I was his only pit crew while really wanting to get behind the wheel myself. At age 14 I started driving everything I could get into - sometimes three days a week in four different classes! I have raced over twelve diffent types of cars: sprint cars, late models, modifieds, you name it. I went to college for a degree in Motorsports just to get the advantage of knowing every aspect of the cars. I'm currently enrolled in RACE101 to learn all I can improve that edge. I am constantly thinking about ways to go faster in a race car. I have worked in race-related jobs - sometimes three at a time - on top of maintaining my own cars, to keep learning while earning money to race. I then even quit a job building race engines that I enjoyed, to work closer to my shop and make more money to keep racing.

Many have told me there is nothing wrong with getting a good job and racing for fun. They could be right but I want to give 100% focus on winning races. All I want to do is race; it's what I love. Now at 22 years old I have 8 years behind the wheel with tremendous improvement and much success, but still no full time ride. My parents have been fully supportive of my goal but they can't afford to fund my racing forever, and they can't sell their farm when Marcos Ambrose offers a ride saying I have heaps of talent...just bring heaps of money. I was praised throughout Richard Petty's Driver Search but came in second to a driver with more pavement experience. I could have given up right there and said maybe I'm just a weekend hobby racer, but I just can't let it go. I will never give up my dream. I will earn a living racing cars someday. That's Perseverance." 

Mike Mahaney is currently in the RACE 101 class of 2011 and will graduate from our program in February, when we hold our Graduation and Awards Ceremony.  Learn more about Mike Mahaney and all our students on our Class Roster: http://www.race101.net/roster2011.html