Finally...Chevy Turn To Win! Dale Jr., M.Waltrip 1-2 in Talladega

CHEVROLET/TEAM MONTE CARLO NOTES AND QUOTES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
SUNDAY, APRIL 21, 2002

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 8 BUDWEISER CHEVY MONTE CARLO (winner, sixth W.C.
win in 84 races; first win for Chevrolet in 2002, ninth to fifth in points,
won here last October, led 133 laps, led most laps for the second time this
season, and has led the most laps in the last two races in Talladega):

"We definitely had a real good car today, especially being able to lead all
the laps that we led.  We started out practice for qualifying and kind of
struggled a little bit.  We were about ninth or eighth on the chart and what
we ran wouldn¹t really have done us too well.  Tony (Eury) Jr. went back to
some old notes, we qualified really well and then we did the same thing in
practice.  We were pretty good in practice but not really happy with the car
at the end.  We weren¹t as fast or as good as we had been here in the past.
Granted, the car has a brand new body on it but from getting torn up at
Daytona, so we were a little unsure whether we had done as well on the body
this time, but Tony Jr. again went to some old notes to where we ran with a
similar aero package to this and it seemed to help.  The car Š.pretty much
effortlessly led all day long.  Guys would come up beside us and stuff but
weŠ.we always seem like we had somebody good too behind us, somebody helping
us like Michael.  Michael was there at the end again.  We¹ve seen this
before when Michael and me work together; we¹re pretty hard to beat."

TONY EURY SR.:  "We were kind of unsure about this car.  We didn¹t have time
to get it to the wind tunnel.  The wind tunnel has been tied up pretty much
lately.  We brought this car after we tore it up at Daytona.  Didn¹t know
how good it was going to be.  We have a lot of templates we build them cars
off of.  We knew it was close, but we didn¹t really know until you get it on
the race track or in the tunnel.  We were kind of scared we didn¹t have it
back like it was and today it proved that the fab shop, the engine shop did
their jobs, the crew guys got us out first every time today.  The whole team
put it all together and we came back here and did the same thing again."

WITH THE SUCCESS THAT THEY¹VE HAD WINNING 3 OF THE 4 RESTRICTOR PLATE RACES
IN THE PAST TWO YEARS, THE CHANGES THAT THEY MADE COMING INTO LAST YEAR,
WHERE THEY NOT AS BIG CHANGES AS BELIEVED?  EARNHARDT: "From the driver¹s
standpoint I think there¹s a big change in how the cars drive.  The cars
aren¹t driving as good because it seems like with the roof fin, not so much
the wicker billŠbut with the roof fin the cars have a lot more downforce and
they were easier to drive and they didn¹t move around as much.  Today my car
would push up the track only when people were on the inside of me, it was
very affected by the other cars around it, more so than the old package.
It¹s harder to pass the leader, as we saw in Daytona and all the speedweeks;
it¹s harder to pass the leader.  It was very good to be up front all day as
far as from third on back you can basically get the same kind of run on
people and work the draft, but it¹s a little more difficult to pass than it
was with the old package, but the old package  the fact that you could pass
so easily the guys would run three or four feet away from each other even
when we were three wide it would still give us a lot of room, but this
package now you can¹t afford to, you got to run right next to the guy beside
you and that¹s why we have the wrecks that we had today and we had in
Daytona. This package is a bit more dangerous in my opinion as far as that
goes.¹

EURY:  "This same car that we ran the other package on ..we had this car
originally with this style of rules in 2000.  We really weren¹t happy with
it.  We cut the body off and redid the body and changed it and whatever they
went to, the wing on the roof and the wicker bill.  We learned a lot when we
went to that.  We did a lot of wind tunnel time testing to figure out what
that needed.  Whenever they took all that off and we went back to these
rules.  There¹s a lot of stuff that we had to do that really didn¹t work.
The two packages were completely different.  So we just went back to our old
notes on our old cars and went back to the wind tunnel, worked real hard,
spent a lot of money and a lot of time to get these DEI speedway cars as
good as they are.  We put a lot of effort into our speedway racing.  Big E
was always good at it, and Dale Jr. is good at it, so we put a lot of effort
into it.  We feel these are the four race tracks we got a good chance to win
the race at, and we worked real hard to do it."

EARNHARDT:  PRE-RACE, THE GOVERNOR DECLARED APRIL 20 DALE EARNHARDT DAY; DID
THAT MAKE TODAY A LITTLE MORE SPECIAL?  "Yes, I wanted to make sure
everybody was clear on the fact that the 29th of April, which is his
birthday, the Monday after the California race, is Dale Earnhardt day in
Alabama.  I was really surprised by that.  We all kind of have a better idea
of what Dale meant to the sport and what he meant beyond the sport.  But I
never expected I guess what would be called a holiday in his name in the
state of Alabama. He¹s raced down here but there are other places that he¹s
done equally as much and has been equally as successful, but Alabama
definitely stepped up to the plate here.  I was really surprised and very
honored and very happy about it. It didn¹t really put anymore pressure on
me.  That was personally for me on a more personal note that was enough; I
could have gone home after that and not raced at all, but no matter what
happened in the race it was pretty cool to have that happen.  But it
definitely didn¹t make me think or drive any differently, feeling like I had
to win because of it."

LEADING ALL THOSE LAPS, DID YOU FEEL THIS WAS A RACE YOU COULD WIN IF YOU
STAYED OUT OF TROUBLE?  "I think, what you really have to understand while
you¹re in this press box watching races is anywhere on the race track, in
the pits or in the grandstands, is that it¹s a different race that you¹re
seeing than what I¹m seeing.  I never at one time, even though we led so
much, I was questioning whether anybody even wanted to lead.  Everybody
seemed happy to run in line, especially when we ran around the top for so
many laps and it seemed to single-file the whole field.  I thought everybody
was just fine where they were and they weren¹t really showing me anything
that they had or what they might possibly show me at the end.  Sitting on
the back straightaway, Tony and them guys I kind of get frustrated when they
ask me what I think about a change they made on the car at these tracks.
It¹s so hard to tell  and I have to really go by what they see from where
they¹re standing and watching as to how good the car is and how much better
the car was.  What I mean, I guess, I never really understoodŠI never felt
like we were just that dominant, I just felt like we were good enough to
lead, one of the fast cars.  I think the 12 car could have done the same
thing.  The 48 car could have done the same thing.  But being rookies
nobody wanted to work with them.  I didn¹t want to work with them, either.
If I had the chance to pass them,, I did too.  The 15 was good enough, when
he was in front of me he was good enough to stay there.  His car is a little
better in the tunnel.  His (g.a.-??) is one or more horsepower than me on
the dyno and his car shows that in qualifying and on the race track because
we have basically the same setup.  Sitting on the back straightaway I was
real nervous because we had led  a lot of races here before and not won
because
everybody gangs up on you at the end.  At the end it just gets crazy out
there and people just start doing anything and everything to try to get to
the front, but they don¹t do it in the beginning of the race because they
don¹t want to be in a wreck.  I was really nervous and definitely was
preparing myself mentally to run second or anywhere in the top five because
it¹s such aŠTony Jr. was joking with the guys in the pits.  He told Jade
(Gurss, p.r.) that he wished we were fourth on that restart and Jade asked
him why and he said because it¹s easier to lose when you¹re starting fourth
on a restart, but if we lose the race from first it¹s gone.  It would take a
lot more to get over."

DID IT MAKE A BIG DEAL WHO THE CAR WAS BEHIND YOU?  DID YOU HAVE PROBLEMS
WITH THE HEAT?  "It does make a difference.  The 48 behind Michael was doing
about anything he could to try to get by Michael.  To have Michael behind me
is everything at these plate races.  Me and him have both helped each other
win the Daytona 500 and the 400 last year.  It¹s paying off for us to have
each other behind us.  I think Michael was in the picture when we won the
million dollars too.  Definitely having us together is better than us having
to fight it on our own.  But as far as the heat, I was joking with the guys,
we were trying a new uniform and it¹s quite a bit thicker than the one we
used in the past and sitting over there on that red flag, and the car is 140
degrees in there. And you really don¹t notice it when you¹re going around
the track because the wind is blowing in the car and plus you¹ve got things
keeping your mind occupied.  It¹s 140 degrees, whether you like it or not,
when you¹re on the red flag.  I assume that nobody would really enjoy that.
I was just joking with Tony and the guys how hot it was trying to get them
to talk to me, so we could get my mind off of it."

ON THE LAST LAP WAS THERE ANY CONCERN THAT MICHAEL COULD PASS YOU?  "There
definitely was that concern.  That was definitely there.  In the past I
hadn¹t had that concern.  In the 400 I knew Michael was there to help me. I
felt like he was there and wouldn¹t have done anything to try to pass me in
the 400 last year and that¹s the way I felt with him in the 500 when he won.
But today being that this race is sponsored by Aaron¹s and he¹s got a long
relationship with them on his Busch team, he needed to win so badly I
wouldn¹t have (been) a bit surprised, I don¹t think, if he would have tried
to race me nor would I have not expected it or be upset about it.  He has to
do what he needs to do.  I told him midway through the race -- I could tell
he was back there just beating people off as they were trying to come up to
pass and he asked me, not directly, but through our spotters, how I like
driving up front when I didn¹t have to do anything but sit there and he¹s
back there beting everybody off.  And I told  my spotter, you  tell him he
can go by anytime he wants.  He said, he¹s just playing around, joking.  I
got to run second to him for awhile.  He did have his hands full.  It¹s
tough running second and trying to beat them people off when you¹re trying
to help your teammate win."

MIKE WALLACE, NO. 33 PREEN MONTE CARLO, was involved in the lap 164 crash:
"I  was trying to go in a hole; I kind of checked up a little bit.  I don¹t
really know what happened.  I¹d really have to see it on tape.  It¹s all
these high speeds and, you know, it¹s late in the race. We were trying to
have a good finish for our sponsor.  We got down lap in the pits; the car
was really good.  We were up there trying to race.  We were doing a good
job; something stacked up in front of us.  I¹m sorry we were involved in it
and all the other cars were also."

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DUPONT MONTE CARLO (fourth):  "You just never know where
you¹re going to finish on a day like today and we¹d go to the front, we¹d go
to the back, go to the front, go to the back.  For the most part even though
there were crazy things out there at times it looked pretty decent to me.  I
know something happened behind me that one time and I hope everybody is
safe.  At the end it was jut some great racing, great Talladega sprint race
toward the end; we¹re just happy to be able to come up through there to
finish fourth."  GETTING THROUGH 500 MILES WITHOUT TEARING UP CARS; WHAT
ABOUT RULES CHANGES:  "I¹d be more than happy to see what they could do to
help.  When I see great racing it¹s pretty exciting and fun until something
happens.  Up until that point it¹s pretty wild, when you make it home in one
piece you kind of have a sigh of relief.  I¹d  love to see them do
something, but, man, they¹ve been working at it for a lot of years but
haven¹t been able to come up with much yet.  We just keep our fingers
crossed and help them anyway we can.  This to me is better than what we had
it last year, in my opinion."

MICHAEL WALTRIP, NO. 15 NAPA MONTE CARLO (second):  We had the fastest car
for sure.  He (Dale Jr.) told me before the race started this morning that
he thought I had a better car than him, but at the race wore on it looked
like he was a little better.  I was proud of my guys. Macy found me a four
leaf clover before we went to Martinsville and I put it on my dash.  It¹s
the first time I carried a good luck charm in a hundred years and she¹s a
special little girl, and special things are happening because of her heart."

KENNY WALLACE, NO. 98 AARON¹S MONTE CARLO (fifth):  "This is the place I¹m
supposed to be, Kenny Wallace in a DEI car.  Running up front all day long,
and we did.  I just feel bad for my friend Steve Park.  He got into that
accident.  He was the only partner we were missing up there."  ON THE RULES
KEEPING THESE CARS SO TOGETHER ON THE TRACK:  "There¹s nothing you can do;
that¹s the way the sport is.  You just can¹t talk about it.  It¹s a mute
situation.  This is what speedway racing is and we just have to get used to
it.   They¹ve changed so many rules it¹s incredible."

JIMMIE JOHNSON:  "That was cool; I¹m really happy to run with these guys.
Experience goes so far It¹s just indescribable how much I learned from
Daytona to here.  We tore up that race car in Daytona pretty bad, they built
one, brought it here, no testing, no wind tunnel time, sat on the pole and
finished in the top 10.  It¹s an incredible accomplishment for these guys.
I¹m really proud of them.  I said before, I give the credit to them for
qualifying and I still had to earn my credit in the race here and at other
race tracks and I think we did it today, running in the top 10.  Had a shot
of winning it but had a little rookie mistake on both restarts.  The first
one with DJ and the second one Kurt Busch got by me.  All in all, a good
run."  IS THIS A COMEBACK FOR CHEVROLET OR JUST THIS TRACK?  "It¹s just this
race track.  The cars with less downforce are going to run up front.  And
that¹s been the Monte Carlos.  It¹s just kind of how it is.  But I think
we¹re still solid everywhere else we¹ve run.  We¹ve been in the top three,
top five a few times.  You just get up front and have track position. It
doesn¹t matter where you run these days.  It can be 2.6 miles here in
Talladega or a half mile in Martinsville; track position is everything."

MICHAEL WALTRIP:  "It was a good day for our team.  We knew we had one of
the fastest cars; Junior wound up being a little stronger than us all day.
But I had a lot of fun running second and seeing how long I could sit there
and protect it.  We made a deal, whoever was there the other one would take
care of him.  I was proud of him for blocking for me when he needed to and
that¹s what I did for him.  Kurt, he was responsible for me running last at
one point.  I had a couple of runs on him buit he got to the yellow line
before I could get beside him.  I got all the way beside him but then I said
I went under that line, what am I supposed to do now.  Not knowing what the
rule was for sure I backed off Œcause I didn¹t want to take a chance on
getting blackflagged.  I figured I could make it up.  I got behind Kurt a
couple of times and finally wound up running last.  That was some tough
times when I went from last back up to first.  But Kurt is just a great race
car driver; he understands how to run at Bristol and he understands how to
be successful at Daytona and Talladega and he¹s done it in a short period of
time.  He blocked me off; he did what he had to do.  That¹s not roughing you
up; that¹s doing your job.  I¹m proud of him for learning so fast how to do
his job."

"I don¹t understand how that all went down.  Kurt and those guys had a big
run on me on the last lap and gave me a heck of a push.  I could not win the
race because I was behind Junior and there was no one behind me.  All those
guys, Kurt, Jarrett, all those guys were fighting for positions themselves
at times to get to us but they didn¹t position themselves in time to get a
run on me or for me to get a run on Junior.  He caught me coming through the
tri-oval and I was able to block him off, and it pushed me it up beside
Junior, but it was a little bit too little, a little bit too late."

ON THE CRASH:  ŒI don¹t know what happened at all.  I didn¹t see it; I was
ahead of it.  But when I got all the way to last and had to come from last
and I got all the way up to third before the wreck happened I sensed that it
was a real possibility (to be involved).  Because for some reason everybody
come up with the idea to run around the top.  And they were running side by
side into the part where I hit the wall.  The further the race goes the more
chance to wreck to happen are because people start to say OK I¹ve got you
going now and I don¹t choose to blame Talladega or the plate.  It¹s the
decisions that we make that cause the wrecks; and I don¹t know what
happened."

ON EARNHARDT JR. AND HIS SUCCESS ON SUPERSPEEDWAYS:  "He¹s very talented,
obviously, When I¹m riding around behind him I see him doing things that I
think to myself that was pretty smart.  I¹ll say I don¹t know if I would
have thought of that or he¹ll do something and I¹ll say nice, that¹s what I
would have done.  I observe him doing things that are really impressive.
And so he¹s just learned a lot by watching on T.V. when he was growing up, I
bet, and being at the races on the weekend and then he could apply what he
learned directly to himself when he would get the car and he could perform.
He does some pretty cool stuff, even at 180 mph out there; it¹s hard to do
anything very cool out there other than just block people."

IF IT WASN¹T YOUR TEAMMATE IN THE LAST 10 LAPS WOULD YOU HAVE DONE ANYTHING
DIFFERENT? ŒEarly in the race I would have led a lot.  If you can appreciate
this,  I was positioned behind Dale Jr., just like Stacy Compton was
positioned behind Jason Keller yesterday.  There was nobody pushing me.  The
guys third on back were all fighting to position themselves to get to us.
But none of them were able to get to us until Kurt finally broke free and
got there coming to the checkered flag.  I was in jail.  The only thing I
could do at that point was lose second because I was like a hanger-oner.
They were going to get to me and pass me and I was going to slow down their
momentum as they reached for Junior.  So when they came by me and slowed
down he could have blocked them off.  I would have been in jail.  No, I
couldn¹t do anything, nor could¹ve anyone done anything.  I was just sitting
there."

IS CHEVY ON A COMEBACK?  "These four races are kind of on island.  They¹re
all on their own.  So I don¹t how to answer that question exactly.  I think
we had been close enough where we could have won before with some of the
Chevrolets.  But as far as seeing a bunch of Chevys at the top of the
finishing order week in and week out I haven¹t seen that and so I think that
if everybody is honest that Chevy might be hurting at the other places; we
were pretty good here."

AN EXAMPLE OF JUNIOR DRIVING A RACE CAR ON A SUPERSPEEDWAY:  "Just changing
lanes and goofing off.  50 laps into the 500 mile race what good it would
doŠit¹s fun to goof around and learn what you can learn and try things to
see if they work or not.  And I think some of that helped me at the end of
the race when I had to flight for my life; when I had to make some moves.
He¹s just real comfortable with his car.  We went down the back straightaway
doing thisŠ.and I thought that was pretty funny and we went all the way
through 3 and 4 doing it, like thatŠ I guess that means, what¹s that mean,
hang loose?  He¹s just crazy.  We¹re from two different generations, but we
seem to be able to mesh pretty good."