Travis Rilat reached victory lane in Saturday night's 25-lap Smiley's Racing Products ASCS Gulf South main event at Texana Raceway Park (ASCS Gulf South photo)

Hey Racers and all you Fans of the Racers (and you fitness fans),

This story has a little something  for everyone who likes to be inspired.  Many of you are aware of the severe injuries Travis Rilat suffered last summer.  Well he returned to the track a few weeks ago in Mesquite, Texas. Although he wasn't satisfied at all with his place of finish, he still had the old fearlessness and ability to race a car with that all important attribute of "nerve". Racers of all levels have it. I know this because if they don't , they are sunk. Bluntly, their competitive racing would be limited to playing video games from that point forward.  I truly believed he was on his way to a win this season.

Saturday night, it happened. What a remarkable feat for a kid that was almost dead 10 months ago. I have been proud to watch him work and offer my guidance along the way.  I really push him hard, but not so much phyiscally but mentally. He is such a great kid and a gift to me that we are friends too.  For him to beat jason Johnson an the all the others Saturday was truly a miracle.  But working with focus and concentrating on both the mental and physical conditioning necessary to bring wins will make seeming miracles happen.

We watched the movie "Men of Honor" a couple of months ago. I have been drilling him on that ever since. That the greatest diver in the history of the u.s navy only had 1 leg. I think you could see the motivating lessons he studied starting to pay off.  Remember, no matter how hard we might think we have it, there are always people who have had it harder and accomplished more.

Put "Men of Honor" on your must-see list. It will help you beat back the "can't" reflex and the excuse demons.

Travis is better now then he's ever been. He's smoother,  smarter, but yet he is crippled. But when he is in a race car it's all immaterial. He's is focused.  No matter what the circumstances. The mind is still the greatest weapon in the world. Travis is proving that but the body also needs to deliver what the mind thinks. The reminder I get: I guess I need to practice what I preach. We're all in this together my racers and non-racers alike.  Oh, Monday morning, Travis was back at it doing The Racers Workout.  It's about building the body and the toughness oof mind. I'd say the latter is more important.  Russ

 

 

To get to this point has taken hard work and high pain tolerance by Travis. Racers Workout doesn't include the barn exercises made famous by Rocky, but stay tuned.

 

 

Filed under: Racing News • Workout Tips

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