Sofa Sideline – Steve Park – In His Own Words

With qualifying completed for Sunday’s running of the UAW-Daimler
Chrysler 400 at Darlington Raceway, Steve Park "parked" ((I would say
no pun intended, but…) his #1 Pennzoil Chevrolet in the fourth starting
position. This marks Steve’s first start in any race since the somewhat
freakish accident last fall during the Busch Series event at the same raceway.
He says he’s ready, and although his speech is still slightly slurred, the
spark is in his eye and the desire to race and win couldn’t be greater.

The thought had crossed Park’s mind that he might not get
there – might not be able to race again – he had his doubts, "When I
first got hurt, my eyesight was off," said Park. "I think at that
point you wonder…you can’t drive these cars with limited eyesight and I know
that the only good thing was that every doctor I went too, I went to NYC, Duke
University…I went all over and the main thing that I was concerned about was
the eyesight, and every place I went said that your eyesight will come back, it
will just be a matter of time."

After extensive testing, Steve’s physicians and NASCAR have
given him the okay to race this weekend. And in responding to questions about
why Darlington, Steve said, "We went there and tested. I know I got hurt
there but just going back there, I felt good, and now I think everybody wanted
to know like, what did you feel like going through turn two?" said Park.
"I felt great. I mean, I got no ill effects other than the speech from the
accident, but I mean then to go back and race there just felt terrific and we
turned good, competitive lap times, and like I said, I’m just looking forward
to coming back and even though I can’t talk, I’ll let my right foot do the
talking for me."

Park did a lot of driving at Darlington running over 600 laps
to make sure he had the stamina and focus it took to handle the race car. Steve
also tested with Jeff Burton last week, and talked with him afterward to see if
he was comfortable running with him, and ensuring he could run side by side with
him and Burton said "yeah man, you’re doing a great job."

Missing four races certainly makes this team a long shot for
the championship, but the main goal for this driver is to capture a pole and win
races.

"The championship is something we talked about and we
didn’t want to miss the first four races, but it just worked out that
way," said Park. "Part of it was due to having the well wishes of
Pennzoil and DEI to come back at my own pace, and I think that helps a lot. What
we want to do is, we want to come back and I mean get a pole, get a win. That’s
what we’re focused on right now."

Questioned about his rehabilitation regime and the stamina it
will take to get back behind the wheel, Park thinks he’s ready. "I can
run ten miles, and I don’t think physically I’ll get worn out behind the
wheel of a race car, it’s just mentally….it’s the focus and the attention
and the pits stops; it’s intense," said Park. "The only way you
answer that is by doing it, and we went to Darlington and simulated pit stops
and ran, like I said 600 laps, and did everything we could to simulate what it
would be like getting behind the wheel of a car, but you don’t know until you
race. So there’s no way that you can prepare yourself other than what I’ve
been doing. I’ve been getting behind the wheel of a go-kart at Victory Lane
Karting like three days a week, go to the gym every day, to just try and fill
that stamina and focus that I think you need behind the wheel of a Pennzoil
car."

For now the focus and concentration is on racing the Pennzoil
car. "The race fans, they’re great; the sponsors, they’re great"
remarked Park. "Qualifying well and racing well; if you have to use every
bit of energy to do that – if you have to take away energy, it will be from
signing autographs and doing all that, cuz you’re focused on doing what you
love to do. We’ve got ten, fifteen years that we can support all the sponsors
and race fans, and right now it’s just part of our rehabilitation, and the
next step is to get back behind the wheel and win races."

In practice this morning he ran the third fastest time, and
this afternoon he qualified fourth for the big race on Sunday. So far so good.
Our best wishes go out to Steve Park – we look forward to his return, we hope
everything is okay, and the race goes well for him. Just from listening to him,
you can’t help but admire the courage it takes to get back behind the wheel
and drive again. It’s in his blood….that’s the way it is.

We’d also like to take a moment to congratulate Kenny
Wallace on a job well done, on being a team player through and through, and
being most gracious, and we fans hope to see you in a new Cup ride very soon!

Good luck to both of you!

That’s it for now.