12 Things that We are Thankful for in 2012

I know that we say this every year, but it is so hard to believe that 2012 is already nearing its end. Holy cow. This year has been an incredible journey for our team, and we are so grateful that all of you have joined us on this ride. We are proud of what Fingers Crossed Racing has become, as just a year ago the team was just a jumble of ideas in our heads; but, we are also excited about what the team is becoming, and where we are going in 2013. Thanksgiving is always a perfect opportunity to reflect on the past year, and to remember to be truly grateful for what we have. So, in celebration of Thanksgiving, here are the 12 things that Fingers Crossed Racing is thankful for in 2012.

1. We are incredibly thankful for our sponsors. Each and every one of our sponsors gives us the opportunity everyday to do something that we are passionate about, and that’s pretty cool. Our team would not be near what it is without the support of the people who believe in us. I know some of you get sick of seeing the list, but we can’t thank them enough for what they do. Thank you to University Auto Parts, Glass Hammer Racing, Hankook Performance Tire, Pikes Peak Guy Press, qauttroWerks, AIRWALK, KICKER, Apikol, Vintage Exotics, and DLS Tire Centers.

2. We are thankful for patient roommates, and when we finally found our own place, patient neighbors. Throughout the build of Sergei, we exploded into the roomies’ garage space, and despite many very late (and cold) nights in the garage with welders and grinders… we didn’t get the cops called on us once.

3. We are thankful for Sergei. Last fall, when we purchased a $300 Audi we had no idea the stories that it would learn to tell. Fingers Crossed Racing gained momentum through Sergei, and the story of his build. Sergei taught team co-founder, Savannah, that she is more than just a driver… that she can weld roll cages and create something incredible, too. Sergei is proof that with a lot of determination anyone can overcome roadblocks and make their dreams come true.

4. We are thankful for Simon, the team’s 2001 Audi A4. Simon is a unique character, he is one of the few hand painted racecars out there in this modern age, no vinyl wrap on that car! He is also a tough cookie and somehow managed to make room under his hood for the purring V8 engine.

5. We are thankful for NASA Rocky Mountain, an organization that provided Valentin with the opportunity to complete the first steps needed towards a competition license.

6. We are thankful for Stephen Harris and Rhett Snyder, who were both integral parts of our season. Both worked extremely hard all season. Their work was worth more than a million bucks to the team. The pair was a much-appreciated addition to our season, and most importantly Peak Week. The two are always agreeable to any task that comes our way. When things went wrong for a Pikes Peak competitor during practice, neither of them even thought twice about heading to their shop and working through the night to repair the competitor’s car. They both have incredibly good hearts, and are such an asset to Fingers Crossed emotionally and physically.

7. We are thankful for social media. It helps us stay connected with all of our motorsports friends. We love seeing what other teams are up to. Social media keeps us up to date with Project Baja’s build, and Facebook was the first to let us know how awesome David Kern did at Global Time Attack. It’s pretty cool having such a strong online community where we can all work together towards going fast.

8. We are thankful for Porsche Caymans, and the people that race them with the Intercontinental Trophy Cup series. The team at ITC worked very hard to help Savannah gain the opportunity to race with them at New Jersey. The series principle, Dougie Livingston, helped Savannah get to New Jersey for the test and race weekends, and believed in her more than she believed in herself at times. Isringhausen Motorsports supported Savannah the entire weekend, providing her with the car, and the coaching to help her find a place on the podium.

9. We are thankful for My Life @ Speed. The website has supported our drivers for several years, but we are so very thankful for the friends and the people at ML@S that the 2012 season brought. We have so many incredible memories as a result of being part of their team. From the Hot Wheels Double Loop Dare, to Pikes Peak, to #kitty and the Maserati weekend, to scorpion hunting… we are so thankful for the opportunities, friendships, and memories.

10. We are thankful for Josh McGuckin. We have known Josh for several years through ice racing, but Josh stepped up to the plate in 2012 to navigate to Valentin at this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Valentin was maybe more nervous asking Josh to navigate than he was asking Savannah out for the first time… he knew Josh would be an incredible asset to the team. We are thankful that the friendship grew stronger through the event, and we are thankful for his willingness to join Fingers Crossed Racing. Even after Pikes Peak, Josh has remained an essential part of the team by supporting us with video editing and attending the annual SEMA show with us.

11. With that being said, we are so thankful that Josh and Valentin are okay. There is never a “good” place to crash, but Pikes Peak is certainly a very bad place to crash. We are thankful for Valentin’s engineering professors and Zach Fothergill who gave him information and helped him in building an incredibly strong, and safe roll cage. We are thankful for the support system that Savannah had while waiting at the start line and learning about Valentin’s wreck: her family, other competitors, and My Life at Speed. We are thankful for the full safety equipment that did exactly what is was intended to do during the roll and impact, and we are thankful for the Contour cameras that captured the video of the wreck so our team can learn from the incident… and the 32,000 views on YouTube.

12. Lastly, we are thankful for Fingers Crossed Racing’s relocation to Arizona. While it was incredibly painful to leave family and friends in Colorado, Arizona has provided us with a whole new array of opportunities; a three-car garage, and a twelve month racing season.