It took me some time to swim through all the emotions I felt last week in order to gather my thoughts on the loss of my friend Paul. Last Saturday I was fortunate to gather with some good friends in celebration of his life...I shared these thoughts with them and wish to do the same for those of you that were unable to join us...
On Wednesday, we all lost a great friend! Paul was a man with whom I shared many of lifes'joyful experiences and discussed some of lifes' hurtles.
We met due to a mutual passion for Vipers, which turned into a wonderfully competative rivalry over a Viper Days trophy that Skip Thomas was able to convince us was worth the steep entry fee. This intensity fueled us to bring our “A-Game” and forced us to constantly improve. No matter how much better a driver I had convinced myself I’d become, Paul just seemed to far surpass my best efforts. Everyone knew he met his competition head on and surpassed it while setting a new standard. At the track we no longer said, “what is your best lap time”, but , “Yeah, that’s good but how does it compare to Mumford”?
We all know Mumford had a crafty way with words, and enjoyed his “mumfordisms.” When he wasn’t “layin wood” to me at the track it was on the messege boards in our “smack talking” banter. Bill Pemberton once told me that people asked if Mumford and I hated each other. Of course he would say, “NO! they are great friends, just having fun….”
We are all aware of the increadable achievements Paul has made at the track over the years, and in recent months, he further demonstrated his skill with a third place in his very first Pro World Challenge race after qualifying in 22nd position, and a 1st place in his second race. It goes without saying that he was well on his way to “shock and awe” in this elite group of world class drivers.
Now I know that some of you may disagree with me on this point, but I feel that there is so much more to a man that what he can achieve on a track or in his office. I, for one, have always believed that success is measured by how you impact and contribute to your environment and to the lives of the people that surround you. In my mind Paul's wealth was in his achievement of this goal! Not only was he an enormously generous person, but he went out of his way to express his support and to offer his help. I have never met anyone who could ever say anything bad about Paul. Even people who met him only once, were taken by his genuine nature.
Millions of people work and spend an entire lifetime trying to live a tenth of the life that Paul was able to experience. In his short time on earth, he lived each moment to the fullest. If he wanted something, he set a goal and rapidly surpassed his and everyone elses expectations.
I know my life will forever lack something without him in it to egg me on. But he is here in my heart and I will hear his voice in my mind whenever I look at a car or come after one of you guys on the race track. To Paul I pledge to do only what he would have wanted me to as I am sure will all of you the next time we meet on the track.
