Mark's Online Chat

Mark's Online Chat with His Fans
January 19, 2000

Moderator: What was or is your favorite race car that you have driven?
Mark: That's a hard question to answer but the chassis that got me my first win, then retired and brought back out and won races up to '95 with it. It was a losing streak breaker.

Moderator: What is your favorite track to race on and why?
Mark: I have several different tracks that I really like. I love Michigan because it is so wide and easy to pass on.

Moderator: What does your morning workout consist of?
Mark: It's different now because of the post back surgery. Typically it is a strength workout like for football or a sport that requires strength and endurance.

Moderator: Do you enjoy flying as much or more than racing?
Mark: I enjoy flying differently than I do racing. I get relaxing pleasure from flying and enjoy the challenge and the risk element that is involved, like when you are faced with low visibility when you are flying. Racing I enjoy in a different way. It is something that I have enjoyed for over 25 years and I am better than average. It is better to do something if you are good at it than pretty good at it.

Moderator: Do you have a favorite place to fly to?
Mark: [laughs] Yes. Home.

Moderator: What would be the biggest change you would like to see happen in NASCAR?
Mark: That's a real hard one. It's a difficult one for me to answer. Things that I would like to see change in NASCAR are not realistic. Things that are difficult in the circuit and that we do are part of it and these things can't change without changing the series. Except maybe having the #6 car win races for a while.

Moderator: Do you think the sport is going in the right direction?
Mark: Yes I do. Time can't stand still and as time goes changes have to be made and there has to be an evolution and for it to be successful and it would be a lot easier on me if I could race about half as many races and do twice as well in them.

Moderator: Will you race any special paint schemes this year?
Mark: Winn Dixie car in the Busch series will. It is my last year. We will have a couple special paint jobs in addition to the change in regular paint scheme. It will show the 40+ races that we have won. As far as the Valvoline paint scheme it will be different. We are having a 2000 paint job. I am just not sure where and when it will be.

Moderator: How well do you think Matt Kenseth will race this year?
Mark: I think he will do real well and I wouldn't be shocked if he doesn't win a race and be a top ten finisher regularly and I expect him to be running up front a lot.

Moderator: How complicated is it to work with all the other teams involved with Roush racing?
Mark: It's really not that complicated. I work closely with Jeff Burton. We race out of the same shop and we work closely together. The other guys we work together occasionally but not on a regular basis like Jeff and I do.

Moderator: What do you think of the TV package deal that NASCAR signed?
Mark: I think it is one of those steps in the evolution that we need in NASCAR. It is a huge step for us and I hope the coverage will be greater than we have today.

Moderator: What improvements do you think the new Taurus will have over last year's car?
Mark: I think the car will have a little better handling characteristics and a little slipperier on the straight-aways.

Moderator: What have you done to help improve your luck when racing at Daytona?
Mark: [Laughs] Pretty obvious. Nothing. Daytona has not been as kind to me as most of the other tracks have been. We have a pretty fast car in testing and we are hoping that a fast car will make some luck for us.

Moderator: Do you have a special routine that you do before races?
Mark: Yes but it is out of necessity, like hospitality suite visits and I usually meet with Jimmy Fenning, and there are the morning meetings and church services. After that I go get dressed and eat. Then sign autographs after that in the garage area before the race starts.

Moderator: Who do you like racing with on the track?
Mark: I like to race with a lot of guys, Bobby Labonte, Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Rusty Wallace, Dale Jarrett, Tony Stewart, pretty much all of the guys that run in the top 15 every week.

Moderator: Do you have a web site?
Mark: Presently no. Roush racing has a web site that has a lot of things there, but I also have J-Mar trucking that has things there as well and it's a real nice site. It is my dads company and that's my site since I am the owner after my father had passed away. I am now president of J-Mar trucking.
(Webmaster note: But we do our best to keep up with Mark here.)

Moderator: How did the surgery go?
Mark: The surgery went real well. It was pretty rough going there for a while. I have been in very little pain since the surgery. I am just about 8 weeks out from the surgery. I am at about 90% right now. I will be 100% real soon.

Moderator: If you weren't racing what would you be doing?
Mark: I would probably be running my father's trucking company in Arkansas.

Moderator: Are you involved with any charities?
Mark: Actually, I am the spokesperson for Big Brother/Big Sisters of America.

Moderator: Who do you think was the greatest driver of the last Century?
Mark: I think that would be A.J. Foyt.

Moderator: Since the new Millennium doesn't technically start until the year 2001, do you think that you that will be the last Winston Cup Champion of this Millennium?
Mark: I sure hope so. My clock is ticking. I need to do it in the next three years or so.

Moderator: Did you prepare for the Y2K hype, e.g. building a bomb shelter, stocking up on water, etc.?
Mark: No I didn't. I didn't withdraw cash or fill up the car with gas or anything like that.

Moderator: What did you do over the Christmas holidays?
Mark: I had to lay on my back 22 hours a day. It kind of messed up my Christmas to New Years holiday. I got to be with my family at home. With those two things, I guess I am pretty lucky.

Moderator: [Last Question] When do you see yourself getting back into a car after Greg has been driving it?
Mark: I see myself getting into it very soon but I have to make sure that I heal properly so as not to jeopardize anything. I am in no hurry as anyone can practice the car. So I will wait until I feel 100%.

Moderator: Any final comments...
Mark: I just want to thank everyone for coming out today. This has been fun.

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