A Thanksgiving 'thank you'
By Liz Allison, Turner Sports Interactive
November 21, 2001
1:09 PM EST (1809 GMT)
COMMENTARY
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Liz Allison
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Wow, it is hard to believe that we are almost at the end of the NASCAR season with only one race remaining -- at New Hampshire International Speedway on Friday.
Is it just me or has the season gone by fast? It seems like yesterday that I packed up and headed out for my first race weekend as a race reporter.
Thanksgiving is the time of year to count your blessings, and a very big blessing for me this year is each and every one of you.
I received a call in January 2000 asking me if I would consider joining the TNT team to cover NASCAR racing. I never imagined that not only would I accept the position, but this year would be one of the most extraordinary times in my life.
When I was a young girl, my grandmother told me that if you stay around long enough, life will go in a full circle. That could not be more true for me.
It was not too terribly long ago that I was a young driver's wife raising a family at the race track. As most of you know by now, I was married to Davey Allison who tragically lost his life in 1993 after a helicopter he was piloting crashed at Talladega Superspeedway.
I vanished from the sport of Winston Cup Racing for a while because it was too painful for me to be around it, as it brought back many memories.
Fast-forward eight years and here I am at the race track every weekend, pit reporting for all of you. I walked away from racing not knowing if I could ever return, and now I am counting the weeks until I head to Daytona in February. Talk about full circle! Boy, was my grandmother right.
One of the most special gifts this year has brought me is the chance to see old friends and to make a lot of new friends. It has been a real treat to meet many of you over the course of the season.
In my conversations with all of you, I am most often asked about my two children, Robbie and Krista. So here is the official update on my two precious children.
Krista will turn 12 on Dec. 24. She loves school and of course, the boys. She is a middle school cheerleader and enjoys horseback riding. Everyone says she is a little Liz. Bless her heart!
Robbie turned 10 on July 30. OK, I know what you are thinking, and yes, he likes racing; but at this point he wants to be a marine biologist. He has a little 1/2 scale Winston Cup car that he plays around in, but he is more interested in the girls right now. He also loves all sports and is quite athletic. He looks exactly like his Dad. Not a bad thing!
For two children that suffered a devastating loss at only one-and-a-half- and three-years old, they are doing quite well. I know it is because you all have prayed many prayers for my family over the years and that is a priceless gift. Thank you!
As for me, I will be back on the air for TNT beginning in February for Speedweeks in Daytona. Then we will take a break as Fox takes over the races and return in July for the second half of the season again. I will continue to write for NASCAR.com every Wednesday throughout the year, even in the off-season. You guys are stuck with me.
I hope that you all will have an extra special Thanksgiving filled with joy and laughter. You have been a tremendous part of making this year so special for me and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart for welcoming me back to the sport that I love dearly.
From the Allison home to your home, Happy Thanksgiving!
NOTE: Liz Allison's column appears every Wednesday on NASCAR.com. To reach Liz, you can contact her at liz.allison@turner.com.
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