Ray's Open Letter to Team 24

Jeff Gordon has thing on his site where you can email the team and congratulate them on the win.

I know mine is one in a billion, and really stands a shot in hell of getting read by the team, but it felt good to express myself a little bit. I wanted to share what I wrote with you guys…because I can.

You can e-mail the 24 team, too:

[e-mail]

Here is what I sent…

Hi,

My name is Rachel. Please excuse the big text size, LOL. I am legally blind, so it’s necessary. I live here in Texas and have been a Jeff Gordon fan since I was eight years old. He is so rad!

Every year, he comes down to Texas Motor Speedway and it’s just so disappointing. It just never has been much fun for us Gordon fans when the Texas races come around.

I have grown up learning not to expect much from Team 24 here. Even in November last year when he got the pole, I didn’t expect anything else (sorry Jeff, just being honest).

This spring race was so rad for me though. I’m doing a journalism intern program and my boss has me write previews for all the races about two days before each one, and then he goes over with me what assessments I have made about the upcoming race.

My boss got so mad at me when I wrote my preview for Texas last week because I picked you guys to take the checkers.

Mostly, it was because I felt like being an odd ball. All the other journalists in my group were picking the obvious ones (Roush cars, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch), but I just couldn’t do it.

I didn’t want to take the easy way and be like everyone else. I know they are not the only people who can win races. I gave a few reasons why I thought Team 24 could win, but even I wasn’t very sure of myself.

I figured no one would remember post-race what I had said anyway because no one ever cares THAT MUCH who the media think will win a race…do they?

Well, the boss suggested I redo it, and I considered doing so for the next few days, but in the end I stuck to my guns and kept my original piece that Team 24 would win it…

AND YOU DID!!

OMG! My boss didn’t talk to me for two whole days. He had given me so much grief over that article, and I was right! HAHAH

So, I wanted to say thank you guys…I am so glad to see Jeff and the team take the checkers at my home track, not just because I have been waiting for 17 races, but also because it’s always fun for a rookie to one-up the boss. The win came at a great time.

More importantly though, it reminded me that nothing, no matter how high the odds, is impossible. I’m going to have a cornea transplant really soon, and there are a LOT of risks and things that can go wrong.

It’s pretty nuts. It’s even possible it won’t work at all and I could lose my eyesight in my right eye altogether. I found this news out on Wednesday. When I heard all the odds stacked up against me, I got pretty upset. I didn’t want to stare the doctor in the face anymore.

I looked down…and it hit me. It felt like a slap in the face. The t-shirt I was wearing was my Jeff Gordon shirt…the only one I own.

Suddenly, I remembered how three days before Jeff and this team overcame the odds, and won at my track, in my state. Suddenly, I just knew that this operation is worth a try.

I guess it’s a silly thing that I needed a little reminder from Jeff to always go for the impossible. I know that this team didn’t go out and do what they did for me, but as far as I am concerned this was perfect timing. I am so happy!

In closing, I just want to say…

Way to go Steve…sorry I ever doubted you man…REALLY I mean it. Great job guys on pit road. I know you don’t get as much credit as you should, but rest assured ONE fan at least gives you all the credit in the world.

And to Jeff…so happy for you man, only sorry Ella wasn’t there.

Have a great off week,

-Ray

P.S.: The burnout was RAD!

P.P.S.: Sorry this was so long…I can be a bit of a chatter box.

(Disclaimer: The opinions & statements in this article do not necessarily represent those of Fox Sports)

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