I am probably the only one or maybe one of a handful that did not want this racing season to end. There are plenty of people that were so glad that this season was over. I am not trying to make anyone that wanted it to end feel any different because in recent years I have felt the exact same way.
For one, I really enjoyed working with my dad. I have been to the races for many years and at one point even worked on the Busch Series team that he owned. For some reason this year was different. I can't even figure out what was different about it. But, for the first time I really felt like I was contributing and helping him out at the same time. Before, I was so worried about being a driver that maybe I let that get in the way. Spotting really felt natural to me so I feel like there was a connection there as well. I feel a little selfish for being happy about my year when the team and driver did not have a good year at all. Maybe it was the fact that I was still able to be involved in racing again. Don't get me wrong, I would love to be driving in the right situation but I also enjoy being a part of a team as well.
Feeling like you are part of the team is important and the people on the team towards the end of the year made me feel as much a part of the team as any other member. Butch was a good communicator and I enjoy working with people that also enjoy their jobs, even if the season is not going the way you want it to. He knew he had some challenges in front of him but he made everyone feel like they were a contributor.
All weekend I kept hearing from people how ready they were for the year to be over. I only listened to most but there were a few that I spoke up and said that I really did not want it to end. That is the way it is when you are having fun and doing something you enjoy. After the last few years I am starting to realize how important it is to do something that is enjoyable and not just busy work. This year just felt refreshing. I guess the only bad thing is that the people that gave me the opportunity did not have a very good year. Well, now that it is over they can go to work on getting their fresh starts.
Every November seems to be the same. Now that racing is over for the year I will begin the search once again. November gets here and I feel like I start all over again. What am I going to do in December and January? This November is going to be much of the same. I am looking at all options for 2007. I will concentrate on the Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure for November and December but I really want to spot for a driver again next year. It is a lot like driving, once you get a little taste of it you want to continue to do it. This will be a busy time trying to secure something for next season and I hope to be able to contact my list of possibilities in the next few weeks and have something in place for Daytona. Again, this is a lot like when searching for a ride.
Although I do not know where I will surface in the racing scene again I will be searching around to find the right fit. I have made some good contacts this year by being at the track so I will work hard to get back there for next season. I might say that November is always a stressful month but I would not know how to operate any different after doing it this way for so many years.
I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving! Enjoy the food and the football and we will be racing again before you know it.
The Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure has some exciting things happening. We have just added Sebring Raceway to the schedule for 2007. Plus, the Talladega Superspeedway is on the schedule every month in 2007. Check us out at www.racingadventure.com or call 888-GO-RACE-1 for more information.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Monday, November 13, 2006
Tough Day in Phoenix
I was really pumped up going into the race on Sunday at PIR. For about the last month I have felt that the chemistry has been working between the driver, crew chief, and spotter. We are the main three people on the radio and it has been working well. I remember when I was driving and when we could all get in synch, it usually made it easier to stay focused in the seat. I have also learned that experience is just as important from the spotter's stand as it is from the driver's seat. Fortunately, I was able to spot for Damon Lusk in the truck race and for Stanton Barrett in the Busch Series race. My thinking was that if I spotted for 150 laps on Friday night and 200 laps on Saturday then my best race should be on Sunday for the Cup race.
Each race seemed to have a totally different look. The truck race was filled with cautions but being at night, I did not feel like I could see as well as I could during the day. At some tracks, the night races are actually easier but I did not think this about PIR on Friday night. The NASCAR Busch Series race had its share of cautions but there everyone was spread out a little more. PIR is a hard place to pass so even if you were a little faster than someone you might have to work quite a few laps to make the pass.
Once Sunday got here I was excited and ready to work. I thought with the experience from the days before that I was ready. Maybe I was too pumped up because I do not feel like I did a very good job on Sunday. The 88 car was really good on long runs but it would not go at the beginning of a run. He just could not go on restarts. I even asked at one point if I could do anything different to help on the restarts. Normally, I would just let him tell me but the reason that I felt like it might be something I could tell him is because on some of the restarts, the low lane would go and on others, the top lane would go. DJ said everything was good so I just kept an eye out for anything in front of him.
This week there was another series of events that just made the day get long for the crew. On one of the cautions the car directly in front of him blew an engine and put oil on the windshield. He had to stop and get a tear off pulled so he could see. Next, there was a crash in turn one that I was able to see and help him avoid. The only damage in this one was some flat spotted tires when he spun avoiding this accident. He had it missed but he said there might have been too much rear brake in the car. The third and final event happened down in the middle of turns 3 and 4. I still have not seen a replay but here is what I saw: The cars directly in front of the 88 got together and as one of the cars spun back up the race track we were pinched between that car and the wall. The 88 slammed the wall hard and was not able to continue.
This is the second time this year that a crash has happened directly in front of him. I am not sure what I could have said but I feel like I missed a call. Even my buddy asked me on the way home, "why did you not tell him to go low?" I don't have a real good answer other than when something happens right in front of you it is not the same as something happening 10 or 12 cars in front of you. My reaction time must have been off yesterday. I really don't know!
This is similar to what happened to McMurray at Atlanta. Maybe I should go back and watch that race again to see what his spotter was saying when Gordon was slowing in front of him. I think anytime your car wrecks you feel like there is something that you could have done different but I know from being in the seat that you don't have much time to react.
Well, we will pick up and move to Homestead-Miami Speedway where there will be a ton of action. All three of NASCAR's Champions will be crowned this weekend. There will be plenty of action with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title and the Nextel Cup Series title to be determined in their final race of the season.
It is hard to believe that we are just around the corner from the holidays again. The Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure (www.racingadventure.com) is now offering a holiday special of $44 off of all packages. This is a limited time offer so call 888-GO-RACE-1 to place your order. You can find pricing and ordering information at www.racingadventure.com.
Each race seemed to have a totally different look. The truck race was filled with cautions but being at night, I did not feel like I could see as well as I could during the day. At some tracks, the night races are actually easier but I did not think this about PIR on Friday night. The NASCAR Busch Series race had its share of cautions but there everyone was spread out a little more. PIR is a hard place to pass so even if you were a little faster than someone you might have to work quite a few laps to make the pass.
Once Sunday got here I was excited and ready to work. I thought with the experience from the days before that I was ready. Maybe I was too pumped up because I do not feel like I did a very good job on Sunday. The 88 car was really good on long runs but it would not go at the beginning of a run. He just could not go on restarts. I even asked at one point if I could do anything different to help on the restarts. Normally, I would just let him tell me but the reason that I felt like it might be something I could tell him is because on some of the restarts, the low lane would go and on others, the top lane would go. DJ said everything was good so I just kept an eye out for anything in front of him.
This week there was another series of events that just made the day get long for the crew. On one of the cautions the car directly in front of him blew an engine and put oil on the windshield. He had to stop and get a tear off pulled so he could see. Next, there was a crash in turn one that I was able to see and help him avoid. The only damage in this one was some flat spotted tires when he spun avoiding this accident. He had it missed but he said there might have been too much rear brake in the car. The third and final event happened down in the middle of turns 3 and 4. I still have not seen a replay but here is what I saw: The cars directly in front of the 88 got together and as one of the cars spun back up the race track we were pinched between that car and the wall. The 88 slammed the wall hard and was not able to continue.
This is the second time this year that a crash has happened directly in front of him. I am not sure what I could have said but I feel like I missed a call. Even my buddy asked me on the way home, "why did you not tell him to go low?" I don't have a real good answer other than when something happens right in front of you it is not the same as something happening 10 or 12 cars in front of you. My reaction time must have been off yesterday. I really don't know!
This is similar to what happened to McMurray at Atlanta. Maybe I should go back and watch that race again to see what his spotter was saying when Gordon was slowing in front of him. I think anytime your car wrecks you feel like there is something that you could have done different but I know from being in the seat that you don't have much time to react.
Well, we will pick up and move to Homestead-Miami Speedway where there will be a ton of action. All three of NASCAR's Champions will be crowned this weekend. There will be plenty of action with the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title and the Nextel Cup Series title to be determined in their final race of the season.
It is hard to believe that we are just around the corner from the holidays again. The Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure (www.racingadventure.com) is now offering a holiday special of $44 off of all packages. This is a limited time offer so call 888-GO-RACE-1 to place your order. You can find pricing and ordering information at www.racingadventure.com.
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