NASCAR WCUP: Kenny Wallace has mastered the 'coast to coast' lifestyle of NASCAR
26 April 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
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The difference between traveling cross-country today and 10 years ago:
"Years ago, to go out to the West Coast was a major ordeal. Everybody had to prepare days in advance. You had everyone involved in NASCAR on six or seven commercial jets and it was miserable. Everybody is at the airport at the same time, and you feel like you're in a herd of cattle.
"For the modern day Winston Cup driver, cross-country travel is nicer. We take my King Air 200 out there and make the trip with one stop for fuel. While we wait for the plane to re-fuel, we get a nice lunch, stretch out a bit and get back on the plane. Coming back on Sunday is even better. You catch that jet stream all the way home. It shortens the flight by 90 minutes. After the race, we can be home and in bed by 1 a.m. When we land, I look at my watch and think, '10 years ago, I would've been getting on a red-eye right about now.' With my private plane, we gain about two days of free time and we have control over our schedule."
On how traveling to the West Coast affects Winston Cup drivers:
"Going out to race on the West Coast is easy. When you're out there, you wake up at three or four in the morning. That's not a big deal. Jet lag doesn't affect drivers because we have three days to recover before the race. The tough part is coming back home. By the time you get used to West Coast time, you have to change back to East Coast time. The Monday after a West Coast race is a tough day. It takes until Tuesday or Wednesday to get your senses back.
"There are two kinds of jet lag. The first is the kind you get from dealing with commercial airplanes - standing in line, waiting for your bags, late arrivals, etc. The second kind is even worse because you're going out west and then returning home really messes up your internal clock."
On NASCAR expanding across the country:
"I think it's good for the sport. For NASCAR to grow, it needs to expand. We need to look at the Northwest corner of the United States. I would like to see a track in Seattle or Portland (Ore.). It doesn't have to be another 1.5-mile track. It could be a smaller track like Bristol (Tenn.) or Martinsville (Va.). Obviously, the East Coast has enough tracks. Kansas City's track is a great idea. That track will fill a big hole because it will cover a lot of midwestern cities. I think one more track in the Northwest and we will have the country covered."
Text provided by Chris Hunt
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