DJ Chats on Team Ford Racing
11-16-1999

***For purposes of this chat session, I was known as 'fade0ne'....2 of my questions were answered.


Question 1: MONTEM: What are your long range goals now that you have won a championship?
Dale Jarrett: Long term goals are a lot like what they have been in the past -- winning championship. That is always what we've considered to be the ultimate goal. As we look into next year that will be our focus again.

Question 2: fade0ne: Hi...Congratulations on a well-deserved championship season. Can you tell us if the rumor about RYR becoming a 3 car team in the near future is true?
Dale Jarrett: I can assure you that the team will not be moving in that direction at anytime in the near future.  

Question 3: CJI8920: Will the new Taurus be more competitive?
Dale Jarrett: The wind tunnel tests have been positive. And Mark Martin has tested the car last month with great success. The car appears to be at least as solid as this year's car, and addresses some areas that we hope to improve -- especially in the area of drag reduction.

Question 4: 88carfan: Are you a better golfer, or a better driver?
Dale Jarrett: I am thank goodness a much better driver than a golfer. I still enjoy playing golf whenever I can, but luckily for Robert Yates and Ford I am a better driver.

Question 5: qsacracer1: Did Jeff Gordon congratulate you on Sunday?
Dale Jarrett: I haven't seen any of the Cup drivers since the race. Jeff had been congratulating me for the past few weeks though.

Question 6: racn4ever: Did you ever, or do you still want to drive an open wheel car?
Dale Jarrett: I really never did drive a Indy car. There was a time when the speed interested me. But I really like driving the stock cars, and I feel they are safer. I have no plans to change. Plus my wife Kelly wouldn't let me change.

Question 7: daveyfan: Does NASCAR do a good job in trying to balance the strengths of the three, soon to be four, manufacturers?
Dale Jarrett: NASCAR does an excellent job. They have a tough job. It doesn't matter to them who wins out there, as well as it is pretty close. The wins have been pretty well distributed. They get a lot of the blame and not enough of the credit.  

Question 8: Ryan_Rollins: With the addition of Ricky Rudd, can the RYR team be as successfull as Joe Gibbs racing?
Dale Jarrett: That's a tall order to fill - Tony, Bobby and the whole Gibbs operation have been very successful this year. I think, though, that we can be that successful with hard work and a little luck. Ricky is a great driver, and we've got a great bunch of guys working with us - who knows?    

Question 9: shirtless: With the recent announcement that NBC & Fox will quadruple the TV revenues, how do you feel all that extra money will affect the sport.
Dale Jarrett: I think it's great that auto racing is being recognized as a major sport in this country. It's only good for the sport. More money means means teams can be better prepared from top to bottom which will lead to better racing. It also means that all of those crew members who spend so much time away from home will get rewarded.  

Question 10: bubbasgirl: Who would win a race right now - You, your dad, or your son?
Dale Jarrett: I think right now, I might have the edge. My Dad hasn't been in one of these cars in a while, and Jason doesn't have quite the experience yet, so I feel pretty confident I could take them!  

Question 11: MRG1953: So are you going to race this weekend any differently , now that you have won all the marbles ?
Dale Jarrett I don't think things will be any different. Perhaps it will be more relaxed. But it sure would be nice to get back to Victory Lane to punctuate this championship with a win.  

Question 12: dclewett: What kind of car do you drive off the track?
Dale Jarrett: We have a Windstar, a Jaguar and and Expedition.  

Question 13: fade0ne: Do you have any idea of how many more years you would like to race?
Dale Jarrett: I'd like to race for at least another seven or eight years. As long as I'm healthy I'd like to keep going as long as possible, and hopefully with Robert Yates Racing and Ford. It is the competition that drives me.  

Question 14: BruceBlueStang95: NBC showed B&W clip of you & your family during the race coverage. Where was the clip from?
Dale Jarrett: That was from a movie, I believe done by Ford, back in 1965 or '66 called the "The Quickest Quiet One." They referred to him as Gentleman Ned.  

Question 15: cbrewer1: How do you like your first online chat?
Dale Jarrett: Well, I've done chat sessions before, and I like the opportunity to interact with our fans, especially the real enthusiasts like yourselves who have joined Team Ford Racing. I have to go now, but I expect we'll do this again. Thanks, everyone.