Susan Roush McClenaghan seriously considered defying her father’s wishes. However, she believed in the end that her father knew best.
The daughter of former drag racing legend turned NASCAR icon Jack Roush attended the NMCA/NMRA All-Star Nationals at zMax Dragway, located on the grounds of Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. Dad said to race but daughter wanted to be with him as he underwent surgery to repair facial injuries sustained in a private plane crash at Whitman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., on July 27.
“It has been a challenge for me to concentrate on everything,” Roush-McClenaghan said. “I’ve got a great crew of guys who keep me from forgetting anything. I am here to compete. I would have stayed there but he would have just kicked me out.”
And don’t think for a moment that she didn’t consider staying home this weekend.
Susan Roush McClenaghan seriously considered defying her father’s wishes. However, she believed in the end that her father knew best.
The daughter of former drag racing legend turned NASCAR icon Jack Roush attended the NMCA/NMRA All-Star Nationals at zMax Dragway, located on the grounds of Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, NC. Dad said to race but daughter wanted to be with him as he underwent surgery to repair facial injuries sustained in a private plane crash at Whitman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis., on July 27.
“It has been a challenge for me to concentrate on everything,” Roush-McClenaghan said. “I’ve got a great crew of guys who keep me from forgetting anything. I am here to compete. I would have stayed there but he would have just kicked me out.”
And don’t think for a moment that she didn’t consider staying home this weekend.
“It did cross my mind,” she admitted.
Roush McClenaghan knew the best medicine to speed her dad’s recovery was for to not only race but try and win. Winning would go a long way towards helping him.
“I’m one of his drivers and he wants me in there competing just like his other drivers,” she said.
The emotional side of the situation leaves her with the reality that this accident, as terrible as it was, could have been worse. She witnessed the accident first-hand.
“I was there,” she recalled. “We were getting something to eat along the flight line. I didn’t see it come down but it came down right along where we were at. I heard it and when I looked up, I saw the tail up over the planes on the flight line. I ran from where we were to the flight line, past the security and got as far as I could. For a period of time, I was the closest to the plane other than the emergency crew. “
Witnessing the devastation of the plane crash, Roush McClenaghan wouldn’t dare ask her father to stop flying.
“How could I ask him to stop flying when I race?”
“My husband I are both pilots,” she continued. “We own an airplane. I could fly it and land it if I had to. Flying is in our family. I would say flying is as much of who we are as racing is.”
