David Green's fondest memory of Darlington came with a $300 price tag. Credit: Autostock

10 Questions: D. Green

In conjunction with its season-ending top 10 lists, NASCAR.COM asked a number of drivers to answer the same 10 questions. Sunday: Martin Truex Jr.

David Green, the 1994 Busch Series champion from Owensboro, Ky., has made the most of a career rebirth fashioned since joining Brewco Motorsports at the start of the 2003 season.

Green, 46, is anticipating 2005, when he'll drive for a new manufacturer for the third consecutive season, along with a new sponsor, to boot -- though the fact he's with Brewco for a third season creates a comfort zone.

Green took time to sit down after accepting his awards for seventh place in the Busch Series to answer 10 questions not specifically directed at his racing career.

1. What's your dream vehicle that you don't already own?

	Credit: Autostock
	AUDIO 10 Questions Former Busch Series champion David Green says he can't get enough of grandma's chili. DAVID GREEN •   Driver Page •   2004 Stats •   Biography

It's every guy's dream to have a Ferrari. But now that I'm going to be driving for Ford Motor Company, it would have to be that new Ford Cobra. I think it's a Cobra. It's some kind of wild looking piece.

So, I'll have to say that to not only be politically correct; but that interests me, there. It's a new concept vehicle that's pretty fast.

Q: It's probably not too late to re-engineer your deal, so that if you win a Busch Series championship you get one of those in the package?

Yeah, I think maybe we could do that (laughing).

2. If time on the road weren't an issue, what would be your ideal pet?

Probably a little, gold Cocker Spaniel. The reason I say that is we had one and named him Short Track, you know, for racing.

But we were on the road a lot and had to put him in a kennel and what not, so it wasn't fair. So we sent him to another home.

It would probably be a small dog, because my kids love dogs so it would be a small Cocker Spaniel.

3. What's your biggest pet peeve while driving on the road?

Slow cars stay to the right and leave the left lane open for fast cars. That's the big one.

4. What's your worst hotel experience?

(Laughing) no question, Darlington. We had a group of guys come by that was playing some tricks and actually had an opportunity to win some money, supposedly.

So myself and three other guys participated and the next thing we knew we were all about $300 light in the pocketbook and the guys were running off in the woods.

So dumb for us for believing that but I'll never forget Darlington getting ready to try to win some money, it seemed like, at a local hotel.

5. What's your favorite food?

No question, it's grandma's chili. And I'd have to say more than one, here.

Back in Owensboro there's a couple hamburger joints. Island, Kentucky, has an Island burger joint and then of course there's the Differ Burger that's just a small joint in Owensboro next to the world-famous Moonlite Bar-B-Q.

So it would have to be grandma's cooking, with her chili, and then the burger joints from Owensboro.

6. If you had to make a choice: being honest or being nice?

Being honest, no question.

7. What's your fondest childhood memory?

You know, I think there was many, but I think the fondest one was probably having the opportunity to do things with my father, and even my grandfather, because they were at the young age that, along with my brothers (Mark and Jeff) we could participate -- or they could participate with us in a lot of activities.

It wasn't a toy and it wasn't this and it wasn't that. It was just having the opportunity -- because I remember always thinking and telling my friends, 'my dad's 30' -- and thinking that was really, really old.

And I was a teenager or getting ready to be a teenager, maybe. So I came around pretty early in my parents' lifetime and in the end of things, it was all cool and that's my fondest memory -- being able for them to be there and to share opportunities for myself and my other brothers.

8. What would your dream date be? Where and with whom?

God! Oh, gosh. That is tough. I try not to think about this stuff, because I'm happily married. Gosh, can we go to another one?

(Later) I'd have to say my wife Diane. And where? It would be anywhere with some water and some beach because she's a beach fanatic -- so anywhere within those rims would be the perfect place.

9. What's your worst prank, either perpetrated by you, or done to you?

I think, back in 1980, we were doing an All Pro race -- or an All American Challenge race, somewhere. And it was done against me.

All it was, was a crew member of mine knew that I was a nice guy on the racetrack and if I got a little upset and what not, I could perform better. Now, I had a mustache back in my earlier days.

And as I got strapped into the racecar and got prepared to drive away, this crew member reached into the car and jerked my mustache, really hard, and it hurt.

I was strapped in and he ran away and I couldn't get a hold of him, but that really set me off. So that was about the best, and the only one, thank goodness.

10. What was your 'Welcome to NASCAR' moment?

I think by far, my rookie season, having won a pole and won a race in my seventh start -- I heard Martin Truex talking, or Kyle Busch, saying they won in their 18th start. So my record seems to hold up fairly decent with some of the guys.

But I think it had to be at the end of that season and having a successful rookie season, and as we see every now and then, sponsors leaving the sport for reasons that don't make sense.

All of a sudden, at the end of 1991, having a successful season as a rookie, all of a sudden not having a ride. So I think that was my welcome to say, 'hey, this is a tough sport that sometimes we don't think is fair for sponsor-related issues or what not.'

And then (a close second) was probably in 1991, having success -- winning a pole and winning a race, and just going to Hickory Motor Speedway and missing a race.

They had two that year and I'll never forget maybe the first one, we actually missed when they had 60 or 70 cars show up. So I had two NASCAR moments to welcome me into their group.

So from that point on I really buckled down to say, like (Mike) Bliss said, 'It's not easy.'