I was just looking at the Phoenix finishing lineup, and it occurred to me that winner Matt Kenseth is one of the few current NASCAR Cup drivers I've ever talked to.
I've been in a press room with several drivers, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., but I never talked to any of them one-on-one.
I've interviewed Kenseth a few times on the phone; he did a wonderful job. I remember asking points leader Kevin Harvick a question or two a few years ago during a Media Tour stop at Richard Childress Racing.
I talked to Jimmie Johnson once when he was a rookie back in the day. The Phoenix driver I knew the best was Derrike Cope, who finished 32nd today. In 1990, we were at Charlotte, and I talked to Cope near his trailer. He'd lucked into a Daytona 500 win that year (Dale Earnhardt bust a tire on the last lap), so I asked about it. He had plenty to say.
Cope said that, one day, he was going to whip their butts and show them what he could do. I didn't need to run his interview that weekend, so I saved him until the next week, Pocono. Naturally, he won running away, whipping their butts, and I looked good.
Those were the only two wins of his Cup career (so far).
Also, a bunch of us, including Derrike, once had dinner together at Darlington. The waitress was named Angel. Derrike was, and I suspect still is, a good guy.
• Good timing for Derrike Cope
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| I NEVER TALKED TO DALE JR. |
I've interviewed Kenseth a few times on the phone; he did a wonderful job. I remember asking points leader Kevin Harvick a question or two a few years ago during a Media Tour stop at Richard Childress Racing.
I talked to Jimmie Johnson once when he was a rookie back in the day. The Phoenix driver I knew the best was Derrike Cope, who finished 32nd today. In 1990, we were at Charlotte, and I talked to Cope near his trailer. He'd lucked into a Daytona 500 win that year (Dale Earnhardt bust a tire on the last lap), so I asked about it. He had plenty to say.
Cope said that, one day, he was going to whip their butts and show them what he could do. I didn't need to run his interview that weekend, so I saved him until the next week, Pocono. Naturally, he won running away, whipping their butts, and I looked good.
Those were the only two wins of his Cup career (so far).
Also, a bunch of us, including Derrike, once had dinner together at Darlington. The waitress was named Angel. Derrike was, and I suspect still is, a good guy.
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