You have to love it.

There was so much anticipation for this race – it’s the first race of the Countdown to the Championship, and it’s the first race for the Koretsky family as new owners of Maple Grove Raceway. I was so excited to get here, and it did not disappoint. The attention to detail is what had me at hello, from the fresh paint and pavement to the soda cans in the newly renovated press room lined up prettily, labels out. It’s thoughtful, what they’ve done with this historic facility. They’ve invested a lot of time and money, yes. But beyond that, they’ve invested a ton of heart.

They love it.

And because they do, we’ve had an enormous crowd and a lot of happy racers. Racers who aren’t usually this perky at this point of the season, when it all shifts into high gear and the finish line is in sight.

I think for anything to be truly great, you have to love it all the way, right down to your bones. It’s that way with what we all do out here, isn’t it? Could we do it if we didn’t love it? The truth is, yeah, we could. For a little while. But attention to detail suffers when you give so much to something you don’t love. And worse, your heart withers, anger comes easily, and general dissatisfaction becomes a way of life. The product suffers, but our insides melt.

I saw that this weekend, too.

There is such a thing as loving something – a place, a career, even a person – with all your heart….. and then not. If you fall out of love and can’t fall back in, I think it’s okay to bid whatever it is adieu. Because letting it go means someone else will have a chance to love it as much as you once did – and you’re free to give your heart and soul to building your next great thing.

Just make sure you love it, okay? Then you can really go all in and create something great.

See you out there.