2. Attitude: During the week do you spend some time reflecting on your last race? What could you have done better? What did you do to try to improve, and did it seem to work for you? If your attitude is positive and you have set some goals for yourself and your race team your chances for success are much improved. Make some short-term goals and mix in some long-term goals as well. You will be amazed how much better you feel pulling through the gates on race day if you can reflect on some things you accomplished at the last race and are looking forward to reaching some new goals.
3. Block out the negativity: I have yet to be at a race in 30 years that I don’t hear quite a bit if bitchin’ (negativity). The “stuff” that gets talked about is almost always the same. “The entry fees are just too high and why are the payouts so low?” “Why can’t the track stick to their schedule?” “The traction sucks today, no wonder I can’t be consistent.” “I can’t win in these conditions.” I’ll tell you what, I have heard them all, spewed out most of them and in 30 years of racing and over 15 years as a track manager I can’t deny that racers bitchin’ is something that will ever go away; it won’t. I am not sure if it is the pressure of their jobs during the week where maybe they can’t complain without getting warned or fired or if they can complain about things at home because their wife just tells them to shut up. I guess they just save all their whining and complaining for their friends at the dragstrip. Nice, huh!!!
If you approach the weekend with negative feelings about how you are going to do or are looking to blame someone or something else for your losing streak I have one suggestion: stand in front of a mirror, you will be looking directly at the cause of your losing streak.
Success starts under the helmet and it is up to you to give that kick in the rear-end to get it going in the right direction.
4. Visualize success: It is one of the oldest things in sports that can lead to success. Picture yourself preparing for a race weekend. Picture yourself unloading the car and everything is just going so smooth. Think how you will make your burnouts exactly as you want to, stage just right every time, and feel the car react as you want it to. In eliminations you should be able to see yourself doing everything the same as time runs, checking the dial-ins and focusing ONLY on your part of the race. You can’t change what your opponents do, so don’t waste any emotion or mental effort on what they are or are not going to do. Visualize how your race should look at the finish line; are you closing up on him or he is coming up on you? Know what to expect and learn from every round of the race. Winning is up to you and if you feel you can win you have a good chance to. If you feel something will go wrong or are worried about the other guy being a better racer, you are about halfway to losing before the ‘tree starts.
I am a firm believer that winning isn’t about the type of racecar you choose or how much money you have. I know a lot of people with
$50,000 racecars that can barely get to the second round. I also have some friends that battle the high-dollar dragsters with $10,000 cars and come out on top more often than not. I will never deny that a new racecar with new parts, if they are a good combination, is a tough car to beat, but it can and will happen.
Will it be you that goes to the winner’s circle at your next race? I can’t answer that. Only you know if you are capable of WINNING!
Good luck to you all and no matter what you have to overcome you can do it. The will to succeed and the power to overcome is in all of us. It is what separates winner and losers. Get out there and give it your best and I’ll see you in the Winner’s Circle. 
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