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| The Mayfields: Vegas By Dave Rodman, NASCAR.COM March 9, 2006 10:51 AM EST (15:51 GMT) Throughout the 2006 season the Mayfields, Evernham Motorsports' Nextel Cup driver Jeremy and his wife, Shana, offer an insightful, irreverent and sometimes downright wacky look at the week-to-week happenings around the circuit -- and beyond. This week: A Hall lot of thrills in Vegas Q: This week NASCAR finally made the announcement of where its planned Hall of Fame is going to be, in about 2010 -- and it's right in downtown Charlotte, just down the street from y'all. What do you guys think of that decision? Jeremy: I think it was the right decision, for sure, for it to be in Charlotte. I don't know if it would have gone over very well, anywhere else. This is where it's at, and this is really the home of NASCAR, I feel like. Even though it was created in Daytona (Beach), this is where the action takes place -- right here. Shana: And I think it's definitely great for us and for our economy, from a tourism standpoint and all that. Of course we're all going to benefit from that. But again, like Jeremy said, being as how the teams are based here, the NASCAR Technical Institute and NASCAR's Research & Development Center in Concord -- all those big things were here already. So I think it was, like, not really obvious, but pretty much practical for it to come here. I think it makes sense for it to stay true to its roots by having the Hall of Fame here. Q: Who's at the top of your lists for the inaugural class of inductees -- even though I know it won't be until 2010 or so? Shana: For the first class of inductees, I'm going to say Cale Yarborough. Q: Is that because he's a South Carolina guy, and you home state folks have to stick together? Shana: Yeah, I'm being biased. I know you're not downplaying his accomplishments when you say that, but I just like him. I don't know why, but there's just something about his personality. He seems pretty laid back, and he's not from far from where I grew up, so I'm kind of being biased on that one. Jeremy: I think all those guys from that era need to go in there, but if I had to name one, it'd probably be David Pearson. He's done more than anyone else has. Shana: I think Jeremy feels like (Pearson's) underrated, and Jeremy likes that fact and what he's managed to accomplish. Jeremy: He's so underrated and he's the best driver that's ever been out there, you know what I mean? Just look at what he's done, and nobody ever says much about him. Shana: Nobody ever acknowledges him and that's why Jeremy likes him so much. Jeremy: And he was bad to the bone -- an American badass, baby. Q: How many halls of fame have you guys been to? Jeremy: I've been to two. I've been to the Owensboro Hall of Fame and the Talladega Hall of Fame -- the International Motorsports Hall of Fame. Shana: I don't think I've ever been to any, now that I think about it. I mean, I've been to museums and stuff, like the Smithsonian . But I've never been to, like, a hall of fame. Out in Hollywood I've been to see the stars and all those things -- when I was out in L.A. shopping. Jeremy: There are halls of fame everywhere, but I think NASCAR is going to set the standard for them. Everybody's going to know about this hall of fame, I can guarantee you. I bet this will be the No. 1-rated hall of fame anywhere in the world. It's going to set the standard for all halls of fame out there -- at least all the ones I've seen. We went to the deal they had in Charlotte when they were talking about having it in Charlotte and from what I saw it's going to be huge. It's going to be big. Shana: Plus, as big as the sport is now that's going to draw a lot of attention, anyway. Jeremy: Right. And it's going to help Charlotte. I think it's going to have a huge impact around here. Shana: It's going to bring jobs and it's going to help the economy. It's going to be great. Jeremy: Just having a first class facility like that, in Charlotte, says a lot about the city of Charlotte. Q: Anyway, you're about to go to Las Vegas, so we don't want to get too distracted. What's the goal, for Vegas? Jeremy: The goal for Vegas, for me, is to go out there and get a top-five finish and to be in position to win the race at the end. That's all we can ask for. That's our No. 1, long-term goal of the week. The short-term goal of the week is we're going to a casino -- and we haven't picked which one yet, but whichever one we're still comfortable with -- and put some stress on that casino. They might have to lay some people off, and all that. And bring the Brinks truck out there to pay us off when we hit the jackpot. Shana: My goal is to really try hard not to shop too much. I'm going to try to relax and do the spa thing -- just chill a little bit. That's my goal. Q: How cool do you think it is that the racetrack's out there by Nellis Air Force Base? Jeremy: The coolest thing about it is that when those guys get up there in their planes, they'll start making laps around the racetrack -- you know, up top -- and man, they're fast. Q: Jeremy, you ever get the chance to go up and fly in a fighter jet, like Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark McFarland did recently with the U.S. Navy? Jeremy: I've had the opportunity a couple of times, but I never have taken it. Just because ... I mean, I just haven't had time -- it's not because I'm scared or anything like that. Shana: I think I've been more the person saying, "Don't do it. Please don't do it." The way our luck is, that will be the time that the engine goes out, or something. Look at what happened to Bill Elliott that time he did one of those flights, you know? He had to eject, didn't he? Jeremy: He almost did, but a couple of the planes touched. He told me about that and showed me all the pictures and stuff -- and I'm like, ''Ooh, cool.'' Shana: But when you see something like that, you're thinking, "No way." Jeremy: Those guys -- those pilots -- are crazy. They think we're crazy, and we do a lot of wild stuff. We run fast, but those guys -- I don't know. Q: Now, when you take someone in one of those two-seat stock-car rides, you're trying to scare 'em, aren't you? Admit it. Jeremy: Aaw, they're even worse, because it would be like one of us taking them around. That would be one thing, because us taking a stranger around is another, but when they get a race-car driver in their cockpit, they say, "I'll show him what it's all about. I'll show him what speed is," you know? "They want to know about g-forces? I'll show 'em g-forces." They go up and pull so many g's and they'll go up, and all of a sudden you'll hear this loud "boom" behind you -- and all of a sudden you've broken the sound barrier. There's all kinds of wild stuff going on up there, man. But you know, those guys are cool and I've got a lot of respect for them -- to do what they do and to fly as much as they do, up there. They do some cool stuff, but if I went up I'd be afraid to hit the wrong button, or something, and then all of a sudden ... I'd either get ejected or send a rocket somewhere, or something like that. And I wouldn't want to do that. Word Association: Las Vegas Jackpot Jeremy: Spin 'em. Shana: Winning the race. Buffet Jeremy: Eat and get out -- I love 'em. Shana: Eat too much. The Strip Jeremy: Club. :lmao Shana: Crazy. |
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| The Strip Jeremy: Club. Shana: Crazy |