Hello everyone! I am excited to be a part of the NHRA blog family! As a racer, that is the one thing I do check on a weekly basis, the blogs that my fellow racers write each week. Hopefully it will let you know what I do on a weekly basis away from racing and basketball, sharing some of the things I enjoy.

So the one thing I am enjoying is today, because it is a special day! Today is my 41st birthday. I thank God that I continue to have birthdays, which has been a lot better than the alternative. (smile)

Other than my birthday, this trip for the Houston race has started off on a great note. We kicked off our school achievement program (Tom Hammonds Race for Achievement) at The Imani School yesterday. Thank you to them for allowing us to come! I got a chance to spend a lot of time with the kids, who were so energetic and eager to learn. I talked to them about the importance of an education as well as to stay away from those things that will take you off your path to achievement. They also toured the trailer to see some of the parts and pieces we use on a weekly basis. It was an honor to also have yesterday declared as Tom Hammonds Race for Achievement Day in the city of Houston by Mayor White! It was really a fun time! Lastly, congratulations to Dominick Savage for being chosen as our honorary crew chief for Friday! Keep up the good work.

To round out the day, I had the funniest thing happen to me at dinner last night. Usually when I go into a restaurant, I am always head and shoulders above everyone else because of my height, and the obvious question is always 'Do you play basketball?' I always tell them no, I am an oversized horse jockey, but last night, when the hostess asked the question, I told her the truth and said yes, I did play basketball. She didn’t believe me! She then asked for what teams. I told her the teams, and she still did not believe me. She then asked my name, and I told her Michael Jordan to be funny. She really did not believe me! This went on throughout dinner. Eventually, I told her my real name, and she still was not convinced. Finally before leaving the restaurant, she believed I was a former basketball player! Why, you may ask? Only because her dad confirmed that I was actually Tom Hammonds and that I did indeed play. Funny!!!

Until the next blog…