Fame and Fortune

Put me in the movies

Scott, superintendent for the hot plant at an aggregate and paving company in Redmond, Oregon, told session three of the Leadership Development Lab:

"It was a Thursday night in July. We were at the Madras Speedway (a quarter-mile, high bank, dirt track) around 7PM. My wife had just filled the water truck for me. As I drove the water truck down the driveway, an SUV turned in. The driver and his companion got out of the car and went into the bleachers.

"As I spread the load of water onto the track, I was hoping those strangers did not want to talk because it takes two hours to water the track and an hour to drive home. After getting that load down and one more, they drove over to the water station and started to talk. It turned out they were from Seattle, WA and wanted to film a scene of a movie they were producing at our track later in the year.

"Over the next month we worked out the details. They didn't have a large budget so we offered to only charge them hard costs. We carry racing insurance and we had to buy extra movie insurance. Having multiple cars on the track means we have to also pay for an ambulance and so on.

"We finished working out the details and picked a Sunday in August to do the filming. They asked where to rent race cars. I told them I could get the cars if I let the car owners run the track at no charge and everyone got to see their cars in the movie. We had 11 stock cars show up and we were all ready to go when one of the actors told me the director wanted me to play the promoter and gave me lines to read. I was very nervous and had to think about it because I do not like talking into a microphone let alone being filmed. I went for it and had a lot of fun.

"The track being listed in the credits was all I asked for. The movie is scheduled for release in the summer of 2018. The working title of the movie is 'Breaker'.

"The lesson I learned from this experience is when I push myself beyond my limits, I enjoy exciting adventures I would miss out on otherwise.

"The action I call you to take is don't let your fears stop you from trying something new.

"The benefit you will gain is earning the respect of people you don't expect to earn respect from. And who knows, maybe fame and fortune."