Back From Orlando
I just returned from the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) trade show in Orlando, Florida. PRI is the largest racing trade show in the world. We went down with my TV show 3 Wide Life and filmed for two days. I can't thank Don and Rob from Circle Track Magazine enough for all of the hospitality. I am glad to be part of the Circle Track team.
There were a ton of great displays and booths. I caught up with a bunch of people I hadn't seen in years. The place was packed with NASCAR celebs and we interviewed most of them. Brandon Bernstein, Michael McDowell, David and Buzzie Reutimann, Scott Speed, AJ Almendinger, Jamie McMurray, David Green, Todd Berrier, Johnny Benson, Ron Capps, Jason White, Phillip McJilton, Coleman Pressley, etc...
The highlight of the trip was the interview with Iracing.com VP Scott McKee. You have all heard me praise Iracing in the past, but to actually meet the group behind the simulation was cool. I got a chance to race on their sim pod just after Team BMW driver Joey Hand and I was able to at least match his effort, which felt good.
The biggest surprise coming out of PRI was how many people down there were looking for work (me included). I ran into some big name crew chiefs and crew members that were hoping to just bump into someone and get a job offer. It really is amazing how much things have changed in just the last month.
As you know, HotPass was cancelled at DirecTV. That was a hard pill to swallow, because we had all felt like it was gaining momentum both with the fans and the race teams. I think Ray Dunlop did a great job of telling the HotPass tale, so I won't go there. But there were some great people working on that program that I will truly miss seeing every week. I hope I get the chance to work with them again in the future.
I also want to thanks everyone who dropped an email to me to say "sorry about HotPass, how are you doing?" I appreciate every one of those messages and thank you for your support.
So...How am I doing and what am I doing? I am doing fine. I had a feeling something was up at DirecTV around Thanksgiving, so I was prepared for the news. I am just thankful that I had the opportunity to work on such a cool concept.
I am continuing my role on 3 Wide Life, which can be seen on most Fox regional sports networks. This show has so much potential and I think we all realized just how much after our trip to Orlando. I am also still working on the Michael Waltrip website and we hope to make some small updates to that site for 2009. I am also working to get in front of other networks, both radio and television, in hope that I might be a fit for them. I may even look at local TV here in Charlotte.
While I could be down about the past, I look at this as an opportunity to grow and prosper. And while the current economy may slow my search, I feel confident that you will be seeing or hearing from me somewhere in 2009.
