The Mayfields: All-Star

This week, the Mayfields are enjoying the start of a two-week stretch at home, punctuated with racing on successive weekends at Lowe's Motor Speedway in the Nextel All-Star Challenge and the Coca-Cola 600; as well as the aftermath of filming this week's 7 Days on the SPEED Channel.

	Jeremy and Shana Mayfield Credit: Autostock
	JEREMY MAYFIELD •   Driver Page •   2006 Stats •   Dodge Fast Track •   Jeremy's official Web site Free VideoA day's worth of news in 90 seconds Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Q: Guys, this week, you took your experience from doing NASCAR 360 and did another reality show, 7 Days. What was the piece you thought was funniest, that didn't end up in the actual show?

Shana: Me and the film crew was in the house doing a serious interview -- talking about things -- and Jeremy is supposed to be lighting the grill to get ready to cook dinner.

And all of a sudden we hear this loud explosion -- so we thought the grill had blown up in his face.

And Jeremy comes running in with his hat on sideways and he's like, "The damned grill just blew up!"

And I'm like, "Oh, my God" -- and we went running out -- but it was just him playing jokes. But it was so funny because it sounded like the end of the world.

He threw a very large firecracker in the Jacuzzi. He threw one in the Jacuzzi right outside the window, which is right by the grill. We just thought for sure the grill had blown up and I about had a heart attack.

I thought his head was blown off and I was gonna find it in the pool, or something. And he thought it was just so funny.

Jeremy: It was cool because while she was doing her interview and all, I went outside and it didn't take me much to come up with that idea. Next thing you know, you hear this huge explosion.

I mean, it rattled the windows, so I thought that was pretty cool. There were several little practical jokes in there, but they all ended up on the cutting room floor.

Shana: Jeremy's a real practical jokester, anyway -- so they thought he was hilarious -- which I knew they would. Because anybody who's ever here thinks he is.

But I have a feeling he'll be doing 7 Days before too long and he'll show me up, with his comedy.

Q: But since this one was seven days in the life of Shana Mayfield, how was that experience?

Jeremy: Well, they kind of left me out of it. Shana pretty much came in and stole the show, you know? But it was good and I think it was neat for her to do that.

I think it was neat for both the fans, and for people outside of racing to see what her life is all about -- not just mine, or even mine and hers.

It was a chance for them to get to see what Shana does in a given week, and I thought that was pretty cool that she got to do that. I know she was proud of it and did a great job with it, getting to experience that and showing people what she's all about.

Shana: I had a lot of fun doing it. It was just easy for me because I really was just myself and did what I normally do.

So it was just like having three friends following me around and hanging out with me for the week. So it was cool and I had a good time doing it.

But I kept telling them, "This must be boring" because I don't really do a lot that's unusual. But they kept telling me, "No, this is what people like."

Reality bites: Jeremy Mayfield is having better luck in front of the camera than behind the wheel. Credit: Autostock

Q: I can only imagine, but what kind of limits did you and the crew set up -- or where there any?

Shana: Obviously they didn't go into the bathroom, or something like that, but I didn't set any limits. That was one thing we got used to, when we did NASCAR Drivers 360, when it was the same thing.

Nothing was off-limits, because then I think you're scripting a reality show and you just don't do that. They went everywhere with me.

Like I said, they went inside the facial room with me at the salon. They went with me to work out, they went shopping with me, they were here while we ate dinner -- and they ended up eating dinner with us.

Nothing was off-limits. What you saw was really my life every day. Of course they weren't here when we went to bed and all that -- they weren't living in our house.

But other than that, I had no boundaries. They were with me in the car -- they were with me everywhere, so I'm not proud of myself for that, necessarily -- but I'm proud that it came out like I wanted it to.

SUPERSTORE •   Mayfield gear!

Because I wanted everyone to see what life's really like for me -- especially in the motorhome during the race. We had a bad night [at Darlington] and I showed my emotions.

People saw how upset I got and how frustrated I was and that's OK -- because I think that's what reality is. That's how I feel and if I had set boundaries on that, that wouldn't have been me.

So when that happened, I just kind of said, "Let's go -- I'm picking you up and were going back [because] this is my day."

So there were no boundaries.

Q: You're in the middle of two weeks at home, so other than the racing, what do you think the highlight of that is going to be?

Jeremy: Wow. Well, we've been doing a couple things around the house, and I think these next couple weeks it will be great just to be home.

But the deal for the fans this weekend is that I hope they'll be able to be there at Lowe's Motor Speedway to experience the biggest upset in NASCAR history when my Dodge Dealers/UAW Charger comes out and wins the final deal for the all-star race.

I've got real high hopes for that and I'm really looking forward to it -- and I know that all my guys are.

But, just being home and being able to get a lot of stuff done around here that gets put aside week after week, is pretty cool. To be able to sleep in our own bed is fantastic.

Jeremy Mayfield says he will drive the No. 19 Dodge to victory in the All-Star Challenge. Credit: Autostock

I know two weeks doesn't seem like much time, but it seems like forever when you get to be home and to do the simple things that a lot of people seem to take for granted.

Shana: For me, I'm in a completely different mindset when I'm home for these two weeks -- because any other time I'm basing my week on having three days to cram everything in because we've got to fly out and leave again.

So now I'm looking at it like I've got a two-week vacation -- even though we're still working. Because I can still do what I want in between the things we're responsible for.

I'm excited because the cosmetics store that I'm partnering on with my friend, Candice Langston, will have its grand opening next week.

It's actually already open. It's called Potion and it will be at Birkdale Village in Huntersville.

Q: Speaking of upsets, what do you think about your chances in qualifying Friday night for the Nextel All-Star Challenge -- because wasn't your crew pretty sporty Wednesday night in the Pit Crew Challenge?

Jeremy: I'm really pumped up after getting back from that competition at the coliseum and watching my guys do as well as they did. I've been pumped up over those guys on the pit crew all year.

Jack man Ed Watkins gave his best effort for Jeremy Mayfield's No. 19 team in the Pit Crew Challenge. Credit: AP

That's one thing that we've had, is an awesome pit crew all year long. Those guys get better every week and I was really proud of them Wednesday night.

I know they didn't win, but they were top-four out of 25 or 26 teams that competed -- and I know they were excited about making it to the semifinals, along with Kasey's crew, our teammates.

They deserved all that. I know they were capable of winning the whole thing because they barely got beat, so they easily could have gone all the way and I'm real proud of them.

Word Association: Nextel All-Star Challenge

All-Star
Jeremy: Best of the best.
Shana: Jeremy.

A million bucks
Jeremy: In it to win it.
Shana: God, do we need it. That's a lot of makeup.

Humpy's Circus
Jeremy: Here we come. Don't feed the animals.
Shana: Bring out the clowns.