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| Inside: Our Mission From The Editor “Racing Towards A Dream” Macri In Motion Letters To The Editor/Jonathan Macri Upcoming Topics Our Mission: Our mission is twofold: First, we wish to track the progress of a young Canadian race-car driver by the name of Jonathan Macri in his admirable quest to fulfill his big dream of one day racing in the highest caliber of open-wheel racing - Cart and Formula One. Second, we wish to engage you in an ongoing interactive dialogue. In each issue of Macri’s Racing Corner, a topic will be discussed, in the first person, by Jonathan Macri. Universal in scope, they will be issues that affect all of us as individuals living in an ever-changing, dynamic, sometimes difficult world. To the extent that we are providing a forum for discussion, it is our solemn hope that you, as a reader, and as an individual with hopes, fears and dreams, will provide your insights, thoughts and feelings on absolutely anything that is written or not written in this journal, from responding to Jonathan’s column, to suggesting a topic, issue, or problem which you may wish Jonathan to respond to, to sending in your own article on virtually anything which you may wish to share with other readers of Macri’s Racing Corner. Please remember, your thoughts, dreams, your hopes and fears do matter. You matter. So please, join us in our interactive forum. From The Editor Allow me to take you into the world of open-wheel racing as seen through the eyes of a budding Canadian racing superstar. His name is Jonathan Macri, his game is the Cart Toyota/Atlantic racing series. Jonathan’s goal for this season is to win Rookie of the Year; next year he will be racing to capture the Championship. Ultimately, this highly focused, mature 19 year-old wants to race alongside such greats as Michael Andretti in the Cart series or Michael Shumacher in the highest form of open-wheel racing - Formula One. Don’t chuckle or smirk at Jonathan’s goals. They may seem lofty, almost dream-like, but impossible to achieve? Never! Macri means business. Though he is some ways from attempting a pass on the great Shumacher, his racing skill and acumen is reminiscent of all great drivers. His passion for racing is unwavering, his discipline is unshakable and his commitment to being quickest is his mark. You might have betted against Jonathan in 1999 when he entered his first year of the Canadian Formula Ford racing series determined to capture Rookie of the Year. You might have done the same in his second year when Macri’s mission was to win the Formula Ford Championship. Unfortunately, you would have lost both bets hands down. Jonathan accomplished what he said he would, winning, but in just two short years, Rookie of the year in 1999 and the Championship in 2000. A feat that few racers have managed to achieve. Once again, Jonathan finds himself in the throws of his biggest challenge to date - racing in the Toyota/Atlantic series; a highly competitive series, with drivers vying to make a name for themselves; a netherland in motor racing, where success is rewarded with the chance to race in the much vaunted Cart series or the prestigious Formula One, and failure usually means an end to a racer’s dream of racing professionally with the absolute greatest in the world. I present to you Jonathan Macri, a driver with the natural grit, discipline and cool-headedness to race his way to the top. I am now taking bets again. You know where I stand. How about coming on board with this up-and- coming Canadian racing ace. The odds are with you. “Racing Towards A Dream” By Jonathan Macri Hi, my name is Jonathan Macri. I am a 19 year-old open-wheel race car driver, currently piloting an NTN Bearings Swift in the Cart Toyota/Atlantic series. I enjoy many of the pastimes most young adults enjoy: listening to music, playing computer games, watching movies and just plain hanging out with friends, but my true passion is racing. I got the bug right off the starting line, racing go-carts at age seven. Suddenly my reality moved beyond the school play ground and the two-block perimeter that marked my world. I guess, in a way, I was a bit of an outsider in my neighborhood. Most kids my age were playing hockey in the winter and baseball in the summer. Me, I raced during the summer and dreamt of racing during the long winter months. For all I know, my desire to race is a genetic attribute passed down to me by my father. I remember clearly, as if it were yesterday, my father watching the Formula One, verbally demonstrating his disapproval for his favourite Ferrari Team. It was a bad time for Ferrari. It hadn’t won a championship in many years. I swear to you, at times I thought my father was going to take a direct flight to Ferrari headquarters in Maranello Italy and beat up the whole team. I was young at this time, I couldn’t understand my dad’s almost psychotic enthusiasm for a losing team. “Well,” he explained, “Ferrari is not just a race car. Sure, it drives on four wheels like all other race cars. But, and remember this,” he said, as his eyes lit up and he turned his pointed finger towards me in a commanding way. “Ferrari is a legend, the product of an incredible dream. It was built. No, not built, created, as an artist would sculpt a masterpiece. This car gave life to the meaning of sports car. To look at one, you are stunned by its beauty, and to feel the incredible ride of this car, the musical sound it makes, you are in awe. Ferrari has not won in many years, but it has an aura about it that is unmatched. Listen,” he said, motioning forward, as if to tell me a secret, “there is no other car that has aroused the kind of enthusiasm and passion that Ferrari has. All because of one man’s vision, one man’s dream.” He flashed a smile, than peering straight into me, he asked, “Jonathan, do you have a dream?” I will never forget this conversation. Never in my life have I seen someone as passionate about something as my father. I think it was this talk that created the fire in me to pursue a racing career, without reservation, whole-heartedly and with the kind of fervour and enthusiasm demanded of those who strive to fulfill a goal and yes a dream, just like Enzo Ferrari. I must admit, though, the flame dimmed a bit this past year. I thought it might be a good idea to attend university this fall. Though normally an excellent path to take for most, I was quickly put straight by family, teachers and friends who insisted that I had a great gift that I should not jeopardize in any way, but nurture and perfect. I than realized that I had to commit to my racing path. Any wavering off course would simply divert my ambition. The time is now, I thought, my parents’ words coming to mind: “the blacksmith can bend and shape the metal only when its hot.” Well, my fire is burning strong once again and there’s no turning back. In fact, today I can say, without reservation, that I am racing towards a dream. It’s often been said that many people simply walk through life, empty of hope and ambition. As much as they don’t like their jobs, they settle into them anyway, relying on the weekend to rescue them from their monotony, afraid to make a change. You see it in young adults especially, wasting away hours of their time hanging out in coffee shops, their eyes drawing a blank. I’ve realized that great things await anyone who strives for them. I don’t mean to philosophize, but for those without goals, I wish you find them; and for those with a dream, whether it be to become a doctor, teacher, sports celebrity or nurse, I hope you pursue them fully. Your dreams are just as important as mine. In fact, I hope that we might be able to keep each others’ dreams alive. Talk to me. Tell me about your dreams. Come along for the ride and take your dreams with you. Life without meaning is meaningless. Give life meaning and it will come alive. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Until my next write-up, keep your dreams close. Macri In Motion Please e-mail your thoughts, comments, and letters to macrisracingcorner@home.com |
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