Post by "Burned in Blood" Konrad Raab on Nov 13, 2023 11:12:27 GMT -5
Kansas City, Kansas. Friday 8th September (Off-Camera)
Usually, when I arrived at the track, of course, we gathered the team together to have a team meeting about the upcoming race and how things were to go down in our team headquarters in the Brad Rogers Racing trailer. However, while we finished the team meeting in Brad Rogers Racing, me and Sammy Smith were told to stay as it was clear Brad wanted to talk to us. I thought, oh shit, what have I and Sammy Smith done wrong, more so when he sat down opposite myself and Sammy Smith where we sat a seat apart from each other with me on the left and him on the right.
Brad understood my wrestling job, and I didn't attend the show yesterday because I was in Europe cleaning up earthquake damage in Syria and Turkey. However, I did spend yesterday training with Kemel in my wrestling school, and I'm impressed with what I've seen so far with the kid and couldn't wait to tell Dakon, Ludvig and Ginny about him being a part of The European Fiery Nation.
But it wasn't about that because Sammy Smith wouldn't have been here if Brad wanted to talk to me about the shit I do in wrestling. Sammy and I looked at one another, wondering what could happen to us. We looked at Brad, and he looked dead serious at both of us as he got right into it as we drank water.
Brad Rogers: "You both have done a fine job with us, and you're not in trouble. I feel you both are great as a team, and it pains me to say this."
Konrad Raab: "What's that?"
Brad Rogers: "If you want to stay in this team next year, after what I've seen with Alex Bowman, you boys can't do tarmac or dirt racing."
Sammy Smith: "What? I can't betray my racing roots like that."
Konrad Raab: "You got to be joking after how much it's benefited my racing career, especially that dirt race, Brad."
Brad Rogers: "No, I'm not joking. That's the one thing I got to put in place next year. I can't have you both risk even more life than you already are. I know, Konrad, I did get you to do dirt racing and tarmac racing and brought you those cars, which you will keep forever regardless of what happens, but you realise that happened long before Alex Bowman broke his back from a dirt race. Granted, you both don't race in the small cars, but it can happen in tarmac and dirt racing as well."
Sammy and I shook our heads in disgust, incredibly this late in the NASCAR season, where seats were limited right now, although I knew when a particular team found out, they'd hire me on the spot. Sammy would be easy for any team to hire because he was a twenty-year-old kid, but what if the team who's always wanted me since I started producing results didn't have room for me.
Konrad Raab: "I'm sorry, Brad, on this occasion, I can't agree with you."
Sammy Smith: "I'm not strictly doing NASCAR racing just to be with this team. I can always go somewhere else that I can enjoy racing my Super Late Models Car."
Konrad Raab: "On top of building friendships with other racers in NASCAR, Super Late Models and Dirt Racing, I have. I just can't dedicate myself to doing one sport because look at me with me doing strictly wrestling. I needed a sport that would relax me but one I get paid to do to win championships simultaneously. NASCAR was that sport."
Brad Rogers: "I have to let you boys go after Phoenix Raceway regardless of whether you win the Xfinity Series championship with us because the two drivers I will hire to my team will not do any tarmac or dirt racing. I was also seeking young talent anyway, Konrad."
Konrad Raab: "What? You were going to ditch your potential Xfinity Series title contender just like that because you want young talent?"
Sammy Smith: "Dang, that's messed up, Brad."
Even Sammy was on my side. He agreed with me, and it was messed up that to be a part of Brad Rogers Racing, we could never race in anything but NASCAR. I was done at that moment as I tried to walk away with disgust as if things were starting to improve with my life with having my lady friend in my life.
Brad Rogers: "It has nothing to do with you both, results or sponsorships you both got; you bring a lot to this team, especially you, Konrad, but there's so much well-developed talent you aren't needed. Sammy, I have to let you go too because you can't seem to agree on being unable to race your Super Late Models car during the season."
Sammy Smith: "Then we got a deal then. I'm no longer a part of this team after Phoenix Raceway, and you will regret it with both of us when Konrad and I, regardless of being in other teams next year, we're going to win more races and compete for the Xfinity Championship farther than we have this year."
Konrad Raab: "I don't know what to say, to be honest, Brad. Feels all the work I've done in your team is worthless."
Brad Rogers: "It's not at all, Konrad. It's just how it is. Please don't go and act like you didn't have a choice. You had a choice of being a wrestler and NASCAR driver only. But if you want to leave as well, go for it, but you'll have a hard time finding a team that wants you."
Konrad Raab: "Go and fuck yourself."
I walked away after that as it was clear it would be a bad break-up between me and Brad, and Sammy left. Sammy had already decided, and I respect that because he wanted to continue doing Super Late Models racing while I did. I could live with the fact he would make me leave the team because of me refusing to only be a NASCAR driver, but because he wanted younger talent, reminding me too much of how Drake called me dead weight and for Kandis to agree was too much. Sammy left, but Brad chased to catch up with me.
Brad Rogers: "Konrad, wait. I'm not doing this because I don't want you to be a part of the team."
Konrad Raab: "You clearly don't. Otherwise, you'd do everything to keep me on board."
Brad Rogers: "It's not entirely my decision, Konrad. I fought so hard with Toyota bosses, wanting to keep you because you're that talented and you got a lot of sponsors, but it's just your age they can't agree with. It's a business decision. Also, not wanting you to do dirt or tarmac racing is the fear of getting injured more."
Konrad Raab: "I get injured all the time in wrestling, and I still come to work and race."
I made that point because he knows wrestling is far riskier than racing dirt and tarmac. But Brad tried everything to make it a business decision from Toyota, and it pissed me off because one thing I discovered about myself was I fear rejection. I hate being rejected from life, and that was the trigger I had.
Brad Rogers: "As I said, it's Toyota boss's decision, not mine. But the drivers being dedicated to only doing NASCAR was my decision that would be best for all parties. Please understand me, Konrad. Please don't feel I'm choosing other drivers over you because Toyota did."
Konrad Raab: “OK, fine. I get it. I shouldn't be too hard about it, knowing you gave me a chance to be a NASCAR driver from that Daytona test I had in two thousand and nineteen. A new team to redo my entire life will be a good thing."
Brad Rogers: "Now, you understand it was a business decision. Any team would be lucky to have you. Brad Rogers Racing team are known worldwide more than ever because of you. There are plenty of teams that need your global status."
He wasn't wrong; Brad Rogers Racing was well known because of me, and the team have gotten a lot better since I joined as they were on a downhill when I joined, just from Brad discovering me when I was done banger car racing in Germany all those years ago. Without Brad, I would only be a wrestler and needed a sport to relax me away from beating people up. NASCAR is that sport, but challenging for championships at the same time. I nodded in agreement and could now come to terms with the move.
Konrad Raab: "I agree many teams do. I want to go to my motorhome and gather this information."
Brad Rogers: "I completely understand. You're still a part of Brad Rogers Racing until after the Phoenix Raceway race. After that, hopefully, you'll get signed up to a new team, and you'll grow them to higher and bigger heights."
I walked away from Brad after having this conversation as I needed to gather this information, and I know the dirt sheets on social media will put out that I'm out of Brad Rogers Racing next year. I may not even have a drive at this point, despite having a ton of requests last year from other teams, but I know there's a team especially that won't give up having me on their team who hadn't really announced their plans, apart from their Cup Series driver for next year. Time will tell as I got to my motorhome and went to release my anger with boxing gloves on and hit and kicked the punch and kick bag in my anger room.
Usually, when I arrived at the track, of course, we gathered the team together to have a team meeting about the upcoming race and how things were to go down in our team headquarters in the Brad Rogers Racing trailer. However, while we finished the team meeting in Brad Rogers Racing, me and Sammy Smith were told to stay as it was clear Brad wanted to talk to us. I thought, oh shit, what have I and Sammy Smith done wrong, more so when he sat down opposite myself and Sammy Smith where we sat a seat apart from each other with me on the left and him on the right.
Brad understood my wrestling job, and I didn't attend the show yesterday because I was in Europe cleaning up earthquake damage in Syria and Turkey. However, I did spend yesterday training with Kemel in my wrestling school, and I'm impressed with what I've seen so far with the kid and couldn't wait to tell Dakon, Ludvig and Ginny about him being a part of The European Fiery Nation.
But it wasn't about that because Sammy Smith wouldn't have been here if Brad wanted to talk to me about the shit I do in wrestling. Sammy and I looked at one another, wondering what could happen to us. We looked at Brad, and he looked dead serious at both of us as he got right into it as we drank water.
Brad Rogers: "You both have done a fine job with us, and you're not in trouble. I feel you both are great as a team, and it pains me to say this."
Konrad Raab: "What's that?"
Brad Rogers: "If you want to stay in this team next year, after what I've seen with Alex Bowman, you boys can't do tarmac or dirt racing."
Sammy Smith: "What? I can't betray my racing roots like that."
Konrad Raab: "You got to be joking after how much it's benefited my racing career, especially that dirt race, Brad."
Brad Rogers: "No, I'm not joking. That's the one thing I got to put in place next year. I can't have you both risk even more life than you already are. I know, Konrad, I did get you to do dirt racing and tarmac racing and brought you those cars, which you will keep forever regardless of what happens, but you realise that happened long before Alex Bowman broke his back from a dirt race. Granted, you both don't race in the small cars, but it can happen in tarmac and dirt racing as well."
Sammy and I shook our heads in disgust, incredibly this late in the NASCAR season, where seats were limited right now, although I knew when a particular team found out, they'd hire me on the spot. Sammy would be easy for any team to hire because he was a twenty-year-old kid, but what if the team who's always wanted me since I started producing results didn't have room for me.
Konrad Raab: "I'm sorry, Brad, on this occasion, I can't agree with you."
Sammy Smith: "I'm not strictly doing NASCAR racing just to be with this team. I can always go somewhere else that I can enjoy racing my Super Late Models Car."
Konrad Raab: "On top of building friendships with other racers in NASCAR, Super Late Models and Dirt Racing, I have. I just can't dedicate myself to doing one sport because look at me with me doing strictly wrestling. I needed a sport that would relax me but one I get paid to do to win championships simultaneously. NASCAR was that sport."
Brad Rogers: "I have to let you boys go after Phoenix Raceway regardless of whether you win the Xfinity Series championship with us because the two drivers I will hire to my team will not do any tarmac or dirt racing. I was also seeking young talent anyway, Konrad."
Konrad Raab: "What? You were going to ditch your potential Xfinity Series title contender just like that because you want young talent?"
Sammy Smith: "Dang, that's messed up, Brad."
Even Sammy was on my side. He agreed with me, and it was messed up that to be a part of Brad Rogers Racing, we could never race in anything but NASCAR. I was done at that moment as I tried to walk away with disgust as if things were starting to improve with my life with having my lady friend in my life.
Brad Rogers: "It has nothing to do with you both, results or sponsorships you both got; you bring a lot to this team, especially you, Konrad, but there's so much well-developed talent you aren't needed. Sammy, I have to let you go too because you can't seem to agree on being unable to race your Super Late Models car during the season."
Sammy Smith: "Then we got a deal then. I'm no longer a part of this team after Phoenix Raceway, and you will regret it with both of us when Konrad and I, regardless of being in other teams next year, we're going to win more races and compete for the Xfinity Championship farther than we have this year."
Konrad Raab: "I don't know what to say, to be honest, Brad. Feels all the work I've done in your team is worthless."
Brad Rogers: "It's not at all, Konrad. It's just how it is. Please don't go and act like you didn't have a choice. You had a choice of being a wrestler and NASCAR driver only. But if you want to leave as well, go for it, but you'll have a hard time finding a team that wants you."
Konrad Raab: "Go and fuck yourself."
I walked away after that as it was clear it would be a bad break-up between me and Brad, and Sammy left. Sammy had already decided, and I respect that because he wanted to continue doing Super Late Models racing while I did. I could live with the fact he would make me leave the team because of me refusing to only be a NASCAR driver, but because he wanted younger talent, reminding me too much of how Drake called me dead weight and for Kandis to agree was too much. Sammy left, but Brad chased to catch up with me.
Brad Rogers: "Konrad, wait. I'm not doing this because I don't want you to be a part of the team."
Konrad Raab: "You clearly don't. Otherwise, you'd do everything to keep me on board."
Brad Rogers: "It's not entirely my decision, Konrad. I fought so hard with Toyota bosses, wanting to keep you because you're that talented and you got a lot of sponsors, but it's just your age they can't agree with. It's a business decision. Also, not wanting you to do dirt or tarmac racing is the fear of getting injured more."
Konrad Raab: "I get injured all the time in wrestling, and I still come to work and race."
I made that point because he knows wrestling is far riskier than racing dirt and tarmac. But Brad tried everything to make it a business decision from Toyota, and it pissed me off because one thing I discovered about myself was I fear rejection. I hate being rejected from life, and that was the trigger I had.
Brad Rogers: "As I said, it's Toyota boss's decision, not mine. But the drivers being dedicated to only doing NASCAR was my decision that would be best for all parties. Please understand me, Konrad. Please don't feel I'm choosing other drivers over you because Toyota did."
Konrad Raab: “OK, fine. I get it. I shouldn't be too hard about it, knowing you gave me a chance to be a NASCAR driver from that Daytona test I had in two thousand and nineteen. A new team to redo my entire life will be a good thing."
Brad Rogers: "Now, you understand it was a business decision. Any team would be lucky to have you. Brad Rogers Racing team are known worldwide more than ever because of you. There are plenty of teams that need your global status."
He wasn't wrong; Brad Rogers Racing was well known because of me, and the team have gotten a lot better since I joined as they were on a downhill when I joined, just from Brad discovering me when I was done banger car racing in Germany all those years ago. Without Brad, I would only be a wrestler and needed a sport to relax me away from beating people up. NASCAR is that sport, but challenging for championships at the same time. I nodded in agreement and could now come to terms with the move.
Konrad Raab: "I agree many teams do. I want to go to my motorhome and gather this information."
Brad Rogers: "I completely understand. You're still a part of Brad Rogers Racing until after the Phoenix Raceway race. After that, hopefully, you'll get signed up to a new team, and you'll grow them to higher and bigger heights."
I walked away from Brad after having this conversation as I needed to gather this information, and I know the dirt sheets on social media will put out that I'm out of Brad Rogers Racing next year. I may not even have a drive at this point, despite having a ton of requests last year from other teams, but I know there's a team especially that won't give up having me on their team who hadn't really announced their plans, apart from their Cup Series driver for next year. Time will tell as I got to my motorhome and went to release my anger with boxing gloves on and hit and kicked the punch and kick bag in my anger room.
2020
