A Dirty Thanksgiving 2015

Today, we give our thanks. We're a DIRT family you see, and we're in this together. We're all going to be in different places with family today. Hopefully, they're all doing well, safe and sound, and you're all going to be elbows deep in a feast together at some point during the day.

But even though we're not together in the flesh, the fans, drivers, crew, employees, support industry folks, and promoters that make up our family, we're together in spirit, and we've got a lot to be thankful for!

First off, we've got it better than these folks, the participants of the first thanksgiving.

They lived in constant fear of death, disease, famine and freezing. And none of them ever came close to seeing a race. If they had, they'd be as thankful as we are at this time of year. 

So today, when you're gathered around the table, sharing what you're thankful for on this day, try to slip in some of these, the things we're thankful for on this day.

• We're thankful for well executed slidejobs, the one's that are so thrilling to watch that you sit there with your mouth open in awe. The one's that leave you thinking "how in the world can they do that and not even touch?
• We're thankful for the Knoxville Nationals, the World 100, Super DIRT Week, and the World Finals. The places where we can watch our favorite crown jewels and leave with a memory full of great racing, the best drivers on earth, and the great times we have with our friends and family.
• We're thankful for Steak on a Stick and Pork Chop Sandwiches, not gonna lie they're fantastic!
• We're thankful for all the times when drivers walk away after an awful looking crash.
• We're thankful for the sound as the green flag drops. Is there a better sound than 24 of your favorite beasts all hitting the gas at the exact same moment? 
• We're thankful for the concession stand employees that know what we like, and have it ready when they see us.
• We're thankful for every low budget, weekly driver that works 50 hours a week earning a living, and then another 30 hours getting the car ready. Thank you for all your hard work to make sure you're at the track for us to enjoy week in and week out. We appreciate it far more than you know
• We're thankful for the promoters/GM's who open up on a shaky looking weather night just because there's a good chance to still get it in, even though they're taking a beating at the box office that night!

Those are things all of us are thankful for to be sure. But at this time, we'd like to turn it over to our wonderful staff here at TDN, so that they may pass long their thanks to DIRT Nation.

• "I'm thankful for the atmosphere at the big races."- Josh Bayko
• "Thankful for dedicated track help like those helping to bring back Pennsboro and keeping our current tracks alive" - Brian "Dobie Compton
• "Atmosphere and having good friends to enjoy those big races with." - Patrick Miller
• "I'm thankful for all the guys that work 60+ hours a week, but still find time to prep their car and make to the track every night. They put their heart and soul into their race car just to unwind at the end of the week. And everyone knows they'll spend their last dime whether they're competitive or not, they just love to complete." - Daylon Barr
• My speedway family and all the advancements of the safety of the chassis and race gear that keeps my husband and all other driver safe when they junk it." - Caitie McFarlane
• "I'm thankful for drivers like Dietrich and Davenport who drive hard, and I'm also thankful for the great people you meet at the race track that you wouldn't otherwise get to know." - Kyle Symons
• "I'm thankful for everyone that puts their time and effort into keeping dirt track racing going strong." - Trever Steele
• "I'm thankful for all the unsung hereos like track prep and maintenance guys that don't get near the credit they deserve." - Tyler Beichner
• "I'm thankful that some of the best dirt racers in the country race in our backyard." - Jerin Steele
• "2 for $5 red flag specials on beer and three and four wide salutes before the big feature" - Aaron Clay

And lastly, we're thankful for all of you, the folks that keep the greatest sport on earth surviving and thriving. Thank you for being at the track every week, thank you for telling all non-racing folks about what you saw at the races in the attempt to make one more fan, thank you for buying the tickets, tshirts, the beer and thank you for being a part of DIRT Nation!

So from all of us at TDN to all of you, Happy Thanksgiving! Have a Dirty one!