Facing the Risk.....The Conversations No One Sees

When people see us air racing, they see the speed, the adrenaline, and the spectacle of jets racing wingtip-to-wingtip at 400+ miles an hour. What they don’t often see are the quiet conversations behind the scenes, the ones that happen late at night, at the kitchen table, between loved ones. The honesty of what we know can and does happen.

Tonight, I had one of those conversations with my husband. We talked about the unspoken truth that every pilot carries into this sport: the risk that we may not come home.

It’s not easy to put words to something so heavy. But air racing is the fastest motorsport on earth, and with that comes a reality we cannot ignore. Over the years, we’ve lost friends in this sport. Their names, their faces, their legacies stay with us always, we have their race numbers on our jets as a legacy and carrying them to Roswell is responsibility and a privilege for us.

For those of us who keep racing, part of the responsibility is to acknowledge that risk and prepare for it, not out of fear, but out of love.

For me, that meant making sure Charlie knows my wishes if the unthinkable were to happen. It meant giving him the peace of mind that, while we hope for the best, we’ve prepared for the worst. It was not a conversation filled with fear; it was one filled with honesty, trust, and a deep respect for what we share.

Because here’s the truth, choosing to race is not about ignoring the risks. It’s about embracing them with open eyes and still saying yes. It’s about doing what you love with courage, knowing that life without passion, life without chasing your dream, is a risk in itself.

I race because it makes me feel alive. I race because it connects me to a community that is like family. I race because I believe in inspiring others to see that fear and courage can coexist, and that both can shape a meaningful life.

So, as I prepare for Roswell, I carry those conversations with me. Not as a weight. but as a reminder of what matters most to me, love, connection, and the privilege of being able to do what I love, with the support of those who stand beside me.

This is the part of air racing few people see. But it’s as much a part of the journey as the race itself.

"In loving memory of our friend Aaron, who gave everything to the sport he loved. You are with us always."