UAW-GM Quality 500, Lowe's Motor Speedway, Concord, North Carolina, October 8th, 2000:
Pre-race Festivities:
Greg: Chris, you got your radio on? Anywhere on the track you can't see?
Chris: No sir.
Chris: 5 minutes.
Chris: *interference* (My guess: 2 minutes)
_____: Can't hear you.
John: *laughs* Think we'll sit here and warm 'em up? (They had been sitting on pit road longer than usual to get the temps to near normal range)
Greg: The #5 car asked for an extra lap. Don't know if they'll do it.
John: *interference* 140.
Greg: You won't see the temps going that high today, John.
John: Good, 10-4.
Greg: Starting to roll.
Chris: Ok Big John, they're starting to roll. Green flag third time by.
John: 10-4, third time by.
John: Where's our pit? Right behind me just to the left?
Greg: Yeah right here behind you.
John: 10-4.
Pace Laps:
Chris: Ok Big John, they're going to give us an extra lap. Green flag third time by, THIS TIME.
John: 10-4, third time by this time.
Chris: Ok buddy, right there is your pit road speed.
John: 4200, 2nd gear. 4200 2nd gear.
Chris: 10-4. 4200, 2nd gear. Greg I think John needs to switch radios. Are you hearing him okay?
Greg: I can hear him okay.
John: Can you hear me better on this one?
Chris: I can hear you, but I am getting lots of static.
Note: I was having interference trouble myself. I took my antenna off, put it back on, moved my scanner from my left side to my right side. I concluded the culprit was the weather, and for me, they were all the way up pit road where I was in my usual seat at the end of pit road.
Greg: I'll get the flag from down here, Chris.
Greg: Here's where we are on pit road. Behind the #98 and ahead of the #93.
John: Gotcha, right there.
Greg: Make sure the rear end fan is on.
John: 10-4.
Chris: 1 to go, buddy.
John: 1 to go, 10-4.
Greg: Chris, you know pit road speed starts behind that line about 20 feet where the Unocal76 is?
Chris: Yeah, 10-4.
Greg: 334 laps, buddy.
Chris: Ok Big John. 334 laps. Let's get 'em.
John: 10-4.
Green flag:
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Chris: (Lap 6) Wreck behind you. Wreck behind you. Caution is out.
Caution Lap 6: #27 gets sent into the Turn 4 wall.
John: Little loose right now.
Chris: He's right there still sitting on the inside wall.
John: 10-4. What happened to him?
Chris: #96 drilled him into the wall.
Greg: Can you tell us anything yet, John?
John: Just a little loose everywhere.
Greg: 10-4.
John: Loose early on. It should get better.
Greg: 10-4.
**********
Note: I think our channel was "stepped on":
_____: Looks like you and the #26 had the best times once you got going.
_____: That set of tires seemed like they came in right away.
**********
Chris: 1 to go, buddy.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Be ready. Be ready, buddy.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 12.
Note: (Laps 18-20) losing lots of time due to the #21, #75 running side-by-side.
Chris: Caution is out. Debris on the track.
Caution Lap 30??: Debris.
Greg: How's it doing?
John: Not bad. Just a little loose in the center. Tight up off.
John: Little free on the gas. Tight up off.
Greg: Air pressure RF and LF. Down on RR.
Pit Stop (Lap 32) 4 tires, fuel, tire pressure adjusted. 16.56 seconds.
Greg: We'll have to watch pit road speed, Chris. They just got the #26 and #10 for speeding.
Chris: 10-4.
Chris: 1 to go, buddy.
John: 10-4, 1 to go.
John: Did we go up or down on the front?
Greg: Up 3/10 on the front, down in the rear.
John: Okay.
Chris: Be ready. Be ready.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 38.Running 23rd
Chris: (Lap 52) Outside. Still outside. He's (#7) smoking right next to you. Stay away from him. There you go.
John: (Lap 52) Too loose, still.
Note: (Lap 53) Lost 6 positions.
Note: (Lap 60) 30th position.
Note: (Lap 73) Entering into Turn 1 we almost became part of Mr Excitement's world.
Chris: (Lap 73) Inside. Inside. **Turn 4**
John: That SOB hit me. (*driver name withheld**).
Greg: 10-4. We'll help you out in a bit.
Chris: (Lap 77) Clear all around. Leader is at the Start/Finish line now. We'll get you a bunch of help next stop. Stay after 'em.
Chris: Caution is out.
Caution Lap 86: #55.
John: When I get on the gas I'm loose, but I'm tight. Feels like the wheels will snap and I don't have enough grip or I'm losing grip. I'm just concerned about the set-up. Wondering if we made the right change.
Greg: Wedge in it?
John: 180, 200. What else did you say?
Greg: Rubber out or wedge in?
John: What?
Chris: Greg asked if you want to pull a rubber out or put wedge in?
John: Rubber, but will that lose us a lot of time?
Note: with the interference back Greg asked John questions which made Greg reassure himself the information John was giving him. For example: You get on the gas and it feels loose, but you're tight, John?
Greg: Just let me know what it does now and we'll adjust to it.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Coming up to the jet blowers.
John: 10-4.
Chris: There's also been a driver change, John. Todd Bodine is in the #66.
John: 10-4.
Chris: 1 to go, buddy.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Be ready. Be ready.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 95.
John: (Lap 118) There's something on the track coming off Turn 2.
John: Still there.
Chris: Greg, you're going to have to tell them from down there.
Chris: (Lap 122) Several of 'em are complaining about it. Keep diggin'.
John: It's gone now.
Chris: 10-4.
Chris: Caution is out.
Caution Lap 129: Debris on the backstretch.
Greg: How's it doing?
John: Tight. I'm tight in 1 and 2 and tight in 3 and 4. It feels like I am carrying too much speed into the corners. I'm okay if I slow down, but then I can't carry enough speed up off.
John: There's a lot of crap on the backstretch.
Chris: Switch radios, John. You're breaking up.
John: Can you hear me better on this one?
Chris: 10-4.
Pit Stop (Lap 131) 4 tires, fuel, pressure adjustment. 16.13 seconds.
Chris: 1 to go, buddy.
John: 10-4, 1 to go.
Chris: Be ready. Be ready.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 135.Running 19th
Chris: Caution is out.
Caution Lap 143: #25 scrubbed the wall helped by the #31 who was helped by the #97 coming out of Turn 4.
Chris: Careful with the debris on the frontstretch, outside.
John: It's better. **Yes is was!!** Don't know where we'll go with it when we get some wear on the tires.
Greg: 10-4. Only 9 laps. Watch and see what they do, Chris.
Chris: 10-4.
Chris: Staying out. Everyone staying out. Some coming in who were behind us.
Greg: *interference*.
John: Probably should have pitted, but *laughs* that's behind us now.
Chris: There were only about 8 of them and they were beatin' and bangin' pretty good back there.
Chris: Watch out for those safety trucks right there.
John: If you can get an extra guy, I need the windshield cleaned next time. Just tear it off.
Chris: 1 to go, buddy.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Okay. Be ready. Be ready.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 149.
Chris: Slow down, John. Wrecking in front of you. Slow down. SLOW DOWN! Slow down. Go low. Stay low. Stay low. Stay low.
Caution Lap 159: #2, #88, #24, #77 and others wreck in Turn 4.
Greg: *interference* (Something about tires).
John: Pretty good in, into the middle, a little tight off.
Chris: Good job, Big John getting through there.
John: You have to thank the #26. I passed him a few laps back and even though he was behind me he could have hit us and he didn't.
John: Did they say you can come across yet?
Chris: Yeah, they just did.
John: Okay. Just peel it off when we come in.
Greg: We only ran 9 laps so they may not come.
John: I was just thinking about that, 10-4.
Chris: Pits are open this time by.
John: 10-4.
Chris: They're coming. Here he comes. Let's give him a big one.
Greg: 4 tires. Tear the windshield cover off.
Pit stop: (Lap 163) 4 tires, fuel. 15.56 seconds.
John: Great pit stop guys.
Note: I noticed we had open pits behind and ahead of us.
Greg: The #6 had 18 laps and only took 2 tires. We'll have to watch that and see how it works.
John: 10-4.
Chris: 1 to go, John.
John: They aren't going to blow the front straightaway?
Chris: No. They're sending them back into their positions.
Chris: Okay. Here come a couple of lap cars.
Chris: Okay, Big John. You're doing a great job. Keep going after 'em.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 167.
Chris: Awesome job my man. That was a heck of a run. (**Passing the #14**)
Greg: (Lap 172) Switch your radio wires. You're breaking up, Chris.
Richard??: We need to do something about these radios.
John: **Bleep**ing straightaway. I am so **bleep**ing pissed.
Note: John was flying and leading the group of cars he was with and they came up on the #01 and John got squeezed and shoved to the outside.
John: (Lap 177) Ok, great. Now I'm back here with my buddy. **bleep**!!!
Chris: Wreck behind you, John. Caution is out. Bring it on around.
Caution Lap 182: #13 wrecks in Turn 2.
John: Seems like I was tigher there.
Greg: 10-4.
Greg: *interference*
John: 10-4.
John: I can run okay by myself, but when I'm with someone.... *thought unfinished, but easily conclusive**
Pit Stop: (Lap 183) 4 tires, fuel. 14.97 seconds.
John: He's an idiot.
Note: ROFLMAOPIP
Chris: Absolutely.
Chris: Still inside.
Chris: Greg, you're going to have to ask them down there if it's 43, 31 or not. I am sure we beat him out.
John: Not even a contest.
Chris: Yeah, 10-4.
Greg: 43, 31.
John: Tell me I'm surprised. Now would somebody please TELL him.
Chris: 1 to go, buddy. 1 to go.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Radio okay now, Greg?
Greg: Yeah, 10-4. 10-4.
Chris: Here come your lap cars.
Chris: Be ready, John. Try to protect the outside.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 187.Running 16th
John: (Lap 212) I think it's starting to come in.
John: (Lap 219) Son-of-a-**bleep**. (Was not successful in passing the #60 and lost a position to the #7).
Chris: (Lap 222) Clear all around. Don't stop there. (Passed the #7 and #60) Go get that #4.
Greg: (Lap 246) Okay John, we'll pit this next time by for 4 tires. Next time by for 4 tires.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Come on. I told the #21.
Pit Stop (Lap 247). 4 tires, fuel.
Note: Bonehead me hit the "set-up" button on the stop-watch instead of the timer button. Sorry guys. Pit stop looked real good. Imagine the expression on my face when I looked down and saw the digital display asking for either kilometer or mile calibration.
Chris: **leaving pit road** Go hard! Go hard! Go get after the #31.
Chris: (Lap 270) Careful John. The #94 just blew up and there is talk about a little oil out there.
Chris: (Lap 271) Caution...... NO caution. NO caution.
Chris: Caution is out.
Caution Lap 272: Oil on the track from #94 blown engine.
John: Loose in. Loose under power in the middle. Free off.
Greg: 10-4.
Greg: How are the temps?
John: Yeah, they're cool. 180, 2__ *interference*
Greg: Okay guys. We'll do 4 tires. 4 tires, guys.
Pit Stop (Lap 274) 4 tires, fuel. 15.38 seconds.
John: You gotta be kidding me.
Chris: Yeah. If we're running 4200, the #26 had to be running "6 grand" there.
Greg: Only 58 to go, John. Everyone can make it to the end from here.
John: 10-4.
Chris: 1 to go, buddy. 1 to go.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Okay, here come the lap cars.
Chris: We're NOT going here, Big John. We're not going.
John: 10-4.
Chris: Okay. 1 to go this time by.
John: 10-4. 1 to go.
Chris: Okay, buddy. Be ready. Be ready.
Greg: Green flag, John. Green flag. Green flag.
Restart Lap 281.
At lap 290 I packed it in and left my seat heading back to the car. I kept the scanner on and
also placed the antenna back on it since I would be getting even farther away from them as I left the grandstands. There
was more encouragement from Chris about getting the next car ahead of John for position. Again,
it seemed like the long runs for this new chassis is what it needed; however, a lot of the teams
seemed to be having trouble with the track and/or the tire situation. I will tell you this: It
was cold! The last caution was valid. Chris told John to be careful in Turns 3 and 4 because
the #75 hit up there pretty good. A few laps later the last caution was thrown. I was back at
the car and heard people saying it was a fake yellow to work against Rudd winning. Not so. The
#75's hit put debris on the track. Heard it with my own ears. Greg directed the last pit stop
and I am almost sure it was for 4 tires. Since I was in the car and now rolling obviously I
couldn't time it. :-( John thanked the team for sticking with it today and not giving up before
the last restart on Lap 314. Knowing what I had seen throughout the day we needed 30 laps to
have the car start coming in and the restart came with only 20 to go. Something happened on the track with a lapped car during this final run because John exploded:
That **bleeping** son-of-a-**bleep** is 100 laps down and he's racing me. I mean how many mother **bleep**ing races is it going to take for him to stop messing with me
and messing me up? Chris responded to John telling him he already told their spotter about it.
John must have gotten by because I heard nothing about it again, but I am sure it cost him some
more valuable time. The next and last thing I heard while I had the scanner on and MRN on in the
car was after the checkered flag flew.
Chris: Good job, bud. There you go buddy.
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