Conversation: Mayfield

FONTANA, Calif. -- Jeremy Mayfield on Friday climbed from his lime-green and black Toyota on pit road at California Speedway, knowing in his heart that he probably wouldn't be racing on Sunday. It was a sinking feeling that he was experiencing for the second time in two weeks. The only thing left to do was to head back to his bus, wait for the inevitable DNQ, and head home.

Along the way, he stopped to sign autographs along both sides of the walkway that divides the garage from pit road, and left only when everyone had stopped asking. Mayfield might just be a nice guy, or he simply could have been stalling, knowing his time at the track this particular weekend was numbered. Most likely, it was a combination of both.

Mayfield has failed to qualify for the first two races in 2007 with his new team at Bill Davis Racing, which entered the year without any owners' points, forcing the No. 36 to qualify on speed for the first five races. He missed Daytona after Sterling Marlin faded in the closing laps of a Daytona 150-mile qualifier. Marlin's swoon gave a spot in the field to his teammate Joe Nemechek -- and knocked out Mayfield.

It was the latest sting during a difficult two-season stretch for Mayfield, who was fired from Evernham Motorsports after the Brickyard 400 last year. Mayfield later was accused of intentionally wrecking at Indianapolis, a charge Mayfield vehemently denied. The split was the ugliest the sport had seen in years.

Mayfield, 37, on Friday talked with NASCAR.COM at California Speedway:

Q: Jeremy, what was it like last week when Sterling appeared to let off in the last lap and knocked you out of the Daytona 500?

Mayfield: It pretty much sucked. Depending on whether he did that or not [determined] whether we made the race. That doesn't make sense. But, we held our heads high pretty good and walked out of there pretty good. We took it like a man, and we came here this week with our heads high, and that is all you can do, you know? But it is a shame you qualify 15th for the Daytona 500 and you don't make it.

Q: Where did you watch the Daytona 500? Did you even watch it?

Mayfield: No, I didn't even watch it.

Q: What did you do all day?

Mayfield: I worked outside on my bulldozer, outside digging ditches and stuff like that. I have better things to do than watch that. And that is pretty much what I did. I couldn't handle it, you know, the fact that we are better than that.

Q: Did you even care who won?

Mayfield: No, to be honest with you. I wish [Mark] Martin would have won. (Continued)