HolyCrap
06-05-04, 09:52 AM
Holy Crap, that was fun.
I'm not sure if any of you were at the driver autograph session, but it was great to see all the drivers give almost an hour of their time to sit down together and sign whatever fans brought to them. They're trying, and it's the right thing to do.
I had the chance to interview many of them during the session, as I was the MC of the event, prior to being hoisted up into position to announce the qualifying on the public address system.
Some highlights from what the guys said in the interviews for you in case you were not there:
--Nelson said the hair all fits up under the helmet and isn't a bother at all.
--Jimmy said he did not give himself a raise now as a part-owner. In fact he said he took a pay cut.
--Paul rode his bicycle on the Mile with Bruno, as Paul continues to work out quite seriously on a bike.
--Michel joked that Bobby didn't leave him the setup for the car that won the race last year here
--Patrick was the best. He had driven the two-seater giving media members a taste of the ride earlier in the day. I asked him about the little red panic button back there and he said, quote: "Oh yeah, that's the **** the pants button. If the person wants me to stop. No one has hit it yet, but even if they did I wouldn't stop."
--A.J. said the car is yellow simply because that's his owner's favorite color.
--Ryan admits now that I am his lucky charm. You see he came to our studios in person with his girlfriend Wednesday to do an interview, something many drivers wouldn't bother doing. After the interview he turns fastest time in practice. I see him at the autograph session and remind him that I'm his good luck. "Yeah, it's all about WTMJ he says." Well, needless to say after he won the pole I saw him and said, "Well, and I your good luck charm or what?" Ryan answers, "Hey man, you better be here tomorrow night for the race." Too funny. And for the record, I will NOT be at the race Saturday night.
And as Tracy walked in he accosted Checkers, the goofy Milwaukee Mile masscot that's some kind of unknown animal. Paul almost ripped the thing's head off, which was fine with me....that thing is kind of creepy!
I'm not sure if any of you were at the driver autograph session, but it was great to see all the drivers give almost an hour of their time to sit down together and sign whatever fans brought to them. They're trying, and it's the right thing to do.
I had the chance to interview many of them during the session, as I was the MC of the event, prior to being hoisted up into position to announce the qualifying on the public address system.
Some highlights from what the guys said in the interviews for you in case you were not there:
--Nelson said the hair all fits up under the helmet and isn't a bother at all.
--Jimmy said he did not give himself a raise now as a part-owner. In fact he said he took a pay cut.
--Paul rode his bicycle on the Mile with Bruno, as Paul continues to work out quite seriously on a bike.
--Michel joked that Bobby didn't leave him the setup for the car that won the race last year here
--Patrick was the best. He had driven the two-seater giving media members a taste of the ride earlier in the day. I asked him about the little red panic button back there and he said, quote: "Oh yeah, that's the **** the pants button. If the person wants me to stop. No one has hit it yet, but even if they did I wouldn't stop."
--A.J. said the car is yellow simply because that's his owner's favorite color.
--Ryan admits now that I am his lucky charm. You see he came to our studios in person with his girlfriend Wednesday to do an interview, something many drivers wouldn't bother doing. After the interview he turns fastest time in practice. I see him at the autograph session and remind him that I'm his good luck. "Yeah, it's all about WTMJ he says." Well, needless to say after he won the pole I saw him and said, "Well, and I your good luck charm or what?" Ryan answers, "Hey man, you better be here tomorrow night for the race." Too funny. And for the record, I will NOT be at the race Saturday night.
And as Tracy walked in he accosted Checkers, the goofy Milwaukee Mile masscot that's some kind of unknown animal. Paul almost ripped the thing's head off, which was fine with me....that thing is kind of creepy!