News came on Tuesday that Pippa Mann had secured a ride for this year’s Indy500.
Within the small IndyCar Twitter-node the news was reason for an overflow of
heartfelt rejoicing. The IndyCar
Twitter-node loves Pippa and rightly so.
More so than any other driver in the series she embraces the twitter-node
letting them know she was their biggest fan and as a result they became her fans
as well. After a year out of a car, the
release was Cathartic for all.
I was happy to hear the news as well. Probably not for the exact reasons as
everyone else, a slightly cynical outlook on my part dismisses many of the
reasons most people were happy.
“Pippa engages the fans and responded personally to all
their congratulatory tweets” - Cynical
JP said: “If IndyCar had the fan base it ought to have, the number of thank you’s
would have been too overwhelming to address individually”.
“Pippa is such a hard worker chasing her dream” Cynical JP: “Bad
people work hard to get what they want as well”
But I am thrilled for Pippa, and it is for a reason that
melts away my cynicism to the very last drop.
Looking back to when Pippa was last in the car, she raced a
partial season. She bumped her way into
the 2011 Indy 500 on a drama filled Sunday that we had not seen the likes of
for years before or since. Conquest was
not a strong team and she persevered through a tough 500 miles. But she finished, having completed a life’s
dream, elated with the sense of having been there, joining an elite fraternity.
From there, the dream that season took a turn for the
worse. Pippa was picked up by Rahal
Letterman Racing to drive three more ovals that season. New Hampshire was a nightmare, several trips
into the wall during practice and quals, left her a scratch on race day. Kentucky, the site of a win in her Indy
Lights days resulted in a forgettable 22nd place finish.
Then came Vegas. We
all know what happened that Sunday afternoon. Sitting in the crowd that day it still sparks several
visceral reactions for me. For Pippa, Vegas
meant getting caught up in the melee and coming out on the other side with a
portion of her hand nearly burned off.
Surgery commenced and rehab lasted six months.
The season went from the highest of highs for a rookie to
achieve to the lowest of lows.
The Aftermath of Vegas for the IndyCar community was a time
of huddling together around the Wheldon family.
To help them in their time of need, a charity auction was put
together. Drivers from this series and
many other donated items to it as did various other celebrities.
I looked through the items each day as new ones became available. Most of the items would be classified as memorabilia. Special because of association, but completely
unique because there were others in existence similar to those being auctioned. A race worn helmet from Driver X, but then
Driver X probably had 20 race worn helmets.
Then one day I came across something that clutched my
attention – An Indy 500 worn race suit from Pippa Mann. The FIRST AND ONLY 500 Race Worn driver suit
Pippa had. I thought about how much that
suit must have meant to her. I am not a
driver, but I can think of few other things that might be so precious to me if
I were. But there it was, on auction to
benefit Dan’s family.
Pippa began her IndyCar career with the Panther Racing Indy
Lights team. She began her journey in
the sport with Panther the same time Dan was their IndyCar driver. We all know how Dan Loved Indy. It was his life and his passion, unrivaled
until the days his sons were born. I see
the same love for Indy in Pippa that we saw in Dan. I imagine her love for Indy is a part of the
legacy he left behind. She paid respect
to the gift of a dream instilled by giving back to the source, the greatest
fruit the dream had yielded.
It was the Gift of the Magi. (Reference HERE)
I took away two thoughts after seeing the suit up for
auction. I should bid and if I won I
would give it back to Pippa. But the
price got beyond what I could rationally afford and I never placed a bid. Second, I hoped deep down that a day would
come when she would have the opportunity to keep a suit she wore during a 500 for
herself. A worthy return for the most
selfless of acts.
Pippa, If you make the starting grid this
Memorial Day weekend, Congratulations and Enjoy the moment. You deserve it.
