In her flow, Mack felt it: It wasn’t too late. It wasn’t too late for her to take on new challenges, to chase whatever finish lines she wanted. As easily as she chose to try the new driving line, she could decide to un-pause her life and move forward instead of rewinding the past. She thought her life ended the day she called Wyatt Venter to cancel her IndyCar test, but she’d already started over the minute she’d said yes to Janet Joyner. The deepest, most honest, most vulnerable part of herself answered Janet when they were still standing in the dark of the dirt track.
Yes, I want this.
Yes, I believe in myself enough to try.
Yes, I can choose to begin again because it’s not too late.
Mack passed the yard of bricks and saw the checkered flag flutter over her, but there was no sound. No buzz from her radio, no Jimmy or Janet in her ear, nothing. An eerie silence hovered over the track, the usual din of the announcer and cheering fans absent. Mack eased off the accelerator for the cooldown lap and was heading onto the backstretch before her radio crackled.
“230.811,” Jimmy announced in her ears.
Outside the car, Mack heard a distant hum, and she was through turn four before she realized the sound came from the fans, cheering and clapping for her.
“How much time does Roethlisberger have?” Mack radioed as she ducked into the pits.
Her voice was lost in theBOOM!of a cannon, the traditional ceremonial closing of qualifications.
“We’re in!” Janet shouted.
“You’ll start thirty-first next Sunday. Well done.” Mack could hardly hear Jimmy on the radio from the dull roar of the crowded grandstands above pit lane.
She was a rookie with no logoed sponsorship, the only woman in this year’s field, the final qualifier for this year’s race, and she was in the Indy 500 for good this time.
From:[email protected]
To:[email protected]; [email protected]
Subject:Mack Williams/Indy 500 [May 17, 7:06 p.m.]
T & Berto,
Did you see Indy 500 qualifying today? The only woman attempting the field qualified in the final moments. It was electric and perfectly drama filled, the way racing should be.
Her name sounded familiar and a quick search shows Mack Williams solicited us for sponsorship recently. How did this one not make it to my desk?? Between the reach of the Indianapolis 500 and the attention she’s getting for her dramatic qualification, I suspect the ROI value is high but I want to see it in numbers. Today.
Ms. Williams is a female athlete, a mother, and a changemaker, like our customers. Her team is also run by a woman. She’s a perfect candidate for our next campaign and I want her on our radar, and us on hers,Now.
RBE
Ruth B. Evans
Founder and CEO
Leftover Leggings
Indianapolis, Indiana
From:[email protected]
Subject:Interview request [5/17, 6:04 p.m.]
From:[email protected]
Subject:Interview [5/17, 9:11 p.m.]
