Conversation: Dale Jarrett

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- The 2003 season has been about as bewildering as any in Dale Jarrett's NASCAR Winston Cup career.

Despite a win at Rockingham in the second race of the year, his season has been marked by misfortune and missed chances. Jarrett's streak of seven consecutive seasons finishing in the top 10 in standings could come to an end this year.

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After 25 of 36 races, Jarrett is mired in 25th in the standings, is on his third crew chief and has only one top-five finish -- the Rockingham victory.

Jarrett took a break while preparing for the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway to talk with NASCAR.com's Dave Rodman about change in Winston Cup racing, working with a young crew chief and his favorite pastimes.

Q: Have you ever seen a period in the sport with so much stuff rattling around -- everything from schedule changes to rule changes to soft walls?

Dale Jarrett: I think it just shows how far our sport has come and how much attention is paid to it, now. There's always been a lot happening within the world of NASCAR Winston Cup racing, but because everything is caught on camera or on a microphone now, we know a lot more about what's happening.

	Jarrett has seven top-10 finishes this year. Credit: Autostock

Plus, we do pay a lot more attention to details now, especially on our safety issues. It makes things a lot more interesting so that it seems like there's a lot more going on in our sport.

Q: Everyone always talks about the "good old days," but taking a wide-angle look at it, is this the best of times in Winston Cup racing, or is there a time that you thought was better?

Jarrett: I don't know that you could look at it and like it any better at other times. There were certainly things that were different, but any time that you're a part of something that has grown at such a rapid rate, sometimes you have to stop and look back and realize what you may have missed along that way.

There have certainly been some good times, but I still believe the future of this sport is very bright and the young guys coming along are going to have something to be a part of that they can be very proud of for a long time to come. I don't see how you could say that things aren't very good right now and probably the best they've ever been.

Q: Change is inevitable in everything in life, but when you look at R.J. Reynolds leaving the sport, talk about how this is a people business, not only on race teams but also behind the scenes.

Jarrett: It's like anything else. The success of this is because of people, there's no doubt about that. The people from R.J. Reynolds, you can't say enough about what they've done. They've built this sport to what it is today.

DALE JARRETT  •  Driver Page  •  2003 Stats  •  Jarrett: I'm staying with Robert Yates Racing

Obviously NASCAR and the people there have done a terrific job in directing this sport, but without the help of everyone at R.J. Reynolds I'm not sure we would be where we are. As a matter of fact, I know we wouldn't be.

There are so many little things that have been done by all of those people to make this sport very enjoyable to be a part of. They've been such a great partner that I'm sure that things will continue to be good, but the people from Nextel have a very hard act to follow because we've certainly enjoyed everything that Winston and R.J. Reynolds have done.

Q: With the perspectives you've gained in your life, from growing up in a racing family, owning your own race team and winning a Winston Cup championship: does that help you in dealing with the frustration of this season?

Jarrett: I don't know that you can prepare yourself for frustration nearly as much. Certainly, having had success and being able to look back on that makes me appreciate that part of it even more.

Also, seeing that I'm not the only one that's ever been through this helps. If you look back over the history of the sport, most everybody that's had success has been through this type of situation before.

I still enjoy driving the racecar and I enjoy the challenge of trying to win and to be as good as we can be. I'm very fortunate to have had the success that I've had. I think all of those things make this a little bit easier to swallow.

Q: How do you look at the next stretch of races as a possibility to break out of the so-called slump you've been in?

Jarrett: It would be a good time for us to start on a pretty good streak, as much as anything to get ourselves righted so that when we're at the end of this season we've got the majority of our questions answered as we look forward to 2004.

	Jarrett's last win came in the Subway 400 in February. Credit: Autostock

Q: How would you say your adjustment has been to working with a young, potentially great crew chief, Shawn Parker?

Jarrett: It's been very good. Shawn is an easy guy to work with and around and I think our guys really enjoy his leadership. From my perspective, he's what you want.

He's willing to try things. He doesn't give you the answer, "No, that won't work." If he happens to give you that answer then he's got facts to back it up. He's usually willing to try most anything we have time to do, and as a driver you have to like that.

He's very aggressive in calling the races and those things are going to add up to him having a long future here at Robert Yates Racing and in this sport as a crew chief.

Q: Would you change the Winston Cup point system and how would you change it?

Jarrett: I think the biggest thing is that people don't realize what a great season Matt (Kenseth) and his team have put together. When these types of things occur it's not because of the (point) system that it's happened -- it's because they've done their job better than everybody else for an entire year.

If I was going to change anything -- and I'm kind of old school -- I would make sure that the winner got more points than anybody else for winning the race, because right now the guy that finishes second can get the same number of points as the winner by leading the most laps that day.

I would just make it a five- or 10-point difference for winning the race. If it's all about putting the most points to where we'll race harder, I'll assure you there's nobody out here that could race harder than what we do now. I don't care what kind of point spread you put out there we're not going to race any harder trying to win than what we do already.

I think we need to sit back and give Matt and his team what they deserve, and that's a lot of credit for the type of season that they've put together.

Q: With the changes we're anticipating in 2004, with Nextel coming in and the beginning of the schedule realignment, what do you think might be the best aspect of these changes?

Jarrett: Hopefully a better season for UPS and Robert Yates Racing. I think that's what we have to look forward to. But certainly, bringing in a new partner with Nextel, I think the biggest thing is going to be seeing how they're going to handle stepping up to the plate with our sport. Hopefully it's going to mean bigger and better things for everyone that's involved.

Q: Is Tiger Woods in a slump? Or is that an example of how the media might paint a slightly distorted picture?

Jarrett: Yeah, I don't think he's in a slump. He's still a great golfer. You look at their sport -- the world of golf. You see so many people that have the capability of putting together four good rounds in a weekend and it's no different than our sport.

You look down through the field and there are very few teams, if any, that don't have the capability of running up front on a given weekend, so that makes it difficult. I don't think he's in a slump. I think they try to make things harder because of him but I think he still holds his own pretty well.

Q: How much golf have you gotten to play this summer? And what's one of the more memorable golf outings you've had lately?

Jarrett: There haven't been many satisfying golf experiences. It's kind of been like my racing -- they seem to go hand in hand. My golf game's not been very good lately.

But probably as much fun as I've had was when (teammate) Elliott (Sadler) and I did get to play recently where they played the U.S. Open, Olympia Fields when we were in Chicago. It was pretty cool to go there shortly after they played the tournament and actually play the golf course.

Q: I guess you no longer have D.J.'s Diner in Hickory, but I understand you haven't managed to totally get out of the restaurant business, with the facility you have at your Ford dealership in Indian Trail, N.C.?

Jarrett: Yeah, I thought I was out of it totally, but I guess the facility at the dealership is called D.J.'s Diner, too. That (restaurant ownership) was one of those experiences that you kind of chalk up as a bad decision, but those things do happen. Things are going well with the little restaurant we have at Dale Jarrett Ford so that has been a much more positive experience.

Q: How is the girls' athletic summer going, and have you had much chance to take in many games?

Jarrett: Obviously, being gone and their playing on the weekends makes it difficult, but I got to spend a little bit of time with them at their national tournaments. But both Natalee and Karsyn make us very proud.

Of course, Zachary is playing baseball so it's been a fun time and I've enjoyed it. They're very good athletes and the teams that they play for and with are very good people to be around, so it's been a fun time. Obviously, though, my racing has made having much fun at anything difficult.

Q: How much insight have you been able to offer into Jason's ARCA career, which continues on an upswing?

Jarrett: Yeah, he's done a good job. We talk occasionally. Our worlds are totally different in some respects, and in others they're a lot the same. When he calls and needs something, I try to be there for him; but he and his team do a very good job of running the ARCA Series.

I know with what they're looking for right now, they seem to have the consistency of running in the top-five week in and week out. Now they're just trying to put some more victories on the resume.

Q: What's Zachary's biggest leaning right now? You say he's playing baseball, but has he shown much interest in racing?

Jarrett: Well, you know, he's interested in the sport (racing), but he's more interested in things that he can participate in. Right now it seems like baseball is what he enjoys, but that's only until basketball season comes along. He stays pretty active.

Q: If they declared a three-week moratorium on Winston Cup racing, what would you and Kelley do to get away?

Jarrett: Well, I don't know that we would do anything. We'd probably just spend some time at home because we're kind of home people. We have places that we enjoy going, but I think we would probably most enjoy the time, knowing that we didn't have to go anywhere -- that we could just be a family.