August 31, 2002

Returning to the track that sidelined him for six months after a devastating incident last September, Steve Park stares down the "Track Too Tough to Tame."

One year ago this weekend, that horrific Darlington wreck changed the course of Park's career and left him a different man, a stronger man. A man whose perseverance was tested in battling eyesight and balance challenges that took him months of therapy to work through. A man whose resolve to return to his car became the driving force throughout his hiatus.

With every obstacle Park has faced in his storied racing career, he has looked deep within and found his way through with one unwavering characteristic - determination. It is that determination that enables him to always work through adversity and carry on.

Whether the challenges were financial or physical, Park has always dug deep within himself to find the necessary strength to succeed, including the potential embarrassment of ignoring a call from the Intimidator. The tests of his strength began in the years when Park bankrolled his own teams and doggedly tried to obtain sponsorship to keep his career on track. But determination saw him through those difficult times. Once signed with Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, Park found the golden opportunity he had relentlessly pursued. And then, as fate would have it, determination truly became a hallmark of Steve Park's character.

Sidelined during his rookie season in Winston Cup after a hard crash in Atlanta, Park proved his true grit by enduring many weeks of physical therapy. Perhaps the most difficult time for a driver is when he can't be in his car. Perhaps more difficult is watching someone else drive your racecar. Steve Park has now faced that challenge twice.

Last September, after a rainy Saturday afternoon, Park's and Larry Foyt's cars unexpectedly met in a moment of twisted sheet metal. The result, for Steve Park, was another test of his determination, knowing he would once again be sidelined and out of his ride for quite some time.

Determination carried him through. Determination to reach out to specialists up and down the East Coast who could help with his recovery. Determination to endure hours upon hours of rehabilitation. Determination to work tirelessly to return to good health, rather than accept the challenges of his blurred vision. He looked within and found everything he needed to endure the many difficult hours of therapy, the many trying months out of his ride.

Last March, Steve Park's determination paid off as he triumphantly returned to the track that took so much from him. And one year after that dark, September day when we watched Park being taken from his car, we cheer louder than ever. Steve Park and Darlington will always carry special meaning to his fans. But as much as she cost him, perhaps the "Lady in Black" also gave him something in return - an understanding of how much he is capable of, an appreciation for his inner strength, a new sense of determination.

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