No. 42 crewman's big risk turns into a career reward (cont'd)

"I never thought too much of it," he said. "I figured growing up, not working on race cars, my chances would be kind of slim to become a crewman so I went back home to Michigan."

After five years, married and father of one son, Bilyeu still looked to fulfill the competitive void that was created after he stopped playing college hockey. He longed for the challenge and pressure to perform that athletes thrive on, and he wasn't going to find it in the glass factory.

"It was a good job," he said. "But I still wanted to compete."

Team owner Chip Ganassi, among others, was looking for trainable crewmen to join the race team through a developmental program.

"My wife, Amanda, was the one that kind of kicked me in the butt to call them," Bilyeu said. "So I went ahead and sent a resume."

Two weeks later, pit crew coach Phil Horton called Bilyeu for an interview. From Waterford, Mich., Bilyeu drove 14 hours to Concord, N.C., to the race shop. They liked his build and ability. But keep in mind, they couldn't pay him -- a factor that might send someone right back home to Michigan.

"Phil told me that he'd like to give me a chance, but he couldn't pay me until things progressed," Bilyeu said. "I was only given a chance to workout with the team and that was enough for me."

Bilyeu drove back home to Waterford the next day, gave a two-week notice to his employer, and moved to North Carolina leaving behind his wife and 1-year-old son, Kole, for more than six months while he pursued his new NASCAR career.

At first glance, one might say his midlife crisis came early. But it would become a successful career.

Still, it began as an unpaid internship.

"I needed a job to support myself," he said. "I left my wife and my son back home and that was extremely difficult, but I told them I was going to try to make this work. She was supportive and helped with the bills at home."

Bilyeu bartended at a tavern in downtown Mooresville, N.C., at night and went to pit practice during the day.

"By end of 2006, I was in Montoya's first Cup race in Homestead-Miami Speedway," he said.

So with the help of his wife back home and his ability to set aside pride and work for free, Bilyeu is living the proverbial dream, he said. His family is reunited and living in Statesville, N.C. They go to the races when they can, and his wife found a new career with Freightliner.

Bilyeu is proof that if we never seek out the possibilities in life then we'll never experience and enjoy the opportunities it can bring.

"I don't know if I'm one of the lucky ones or just worked hard enough to pursue the goal I wanted," he said. "But it doesn't matter because I do what I love everyday."

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.