I learned a lot of things at the 24 Hours of Daytona. Some I passed on to you last time we met, and I’ve got some other very interesting things to share with you now. Remember, there were 80 cars that qualified and ran at Daytona? When we showed up at the Nextel 250, at the Homestead track in Miami, there were only 33 cars.

I couldn’t figure out what happened to the other 40-50 cars I was expecting. Could WE have scared them all off?

Nope. In the late 1980’s, IMSA (International Motor Sports Association) was the dominant sanctioning body for automobile racing in the United States. They made the rules and regulations the drivers followed. Then, IMSA was basically split into two separate sanctioning bodies: 1. The American Le Mans Series, owned by the Panoz Organization, and 2. The Grand American Series, owned by the France family, which also owns NASCAR. Cars from both of these organizations were represented at Daytona. But, this Saturday, while The Grand American series is hosting the race at Homestead, the American Le Mans series will be racing on Sunday, at the Texas Motor Speedway. So, the Daytona participants will go their separate ways—therefore, fewer cars for these races.

"Yeah, I’m, I’m…OK. Just felt a little faint there for a second." I better pay attention to what I’m supposed to be doing and leave "Wild Bill" to his "wanderings".

Here’s Matt now, thought he was never going to show. Just in time, the crew chief is beginning to test the radio. "Radio test, Matt. Let’s see if we have brake lights…very good. Your first go-round will be slow… we’ll be talkin’ to you so you will know what everybody else is doing. Confirm engine start. You runnin’, Matt?"

"Yeah, but bad vibration in front wheels."

"Tires are cold, they sat overnight in the rig. Just follow the cars up the other side, the heat from moving will warm them up quick."

Matt radios, "Tires coming back now and the vibration is going away."

Thank goodness, I was afraid we were going to start having odd things happen to us, like last year. This track is 2.4 miles, with a top speed of 180 on the straightaway. We will be grid #19 out of 33 cars, so we don’t need any surprises. Time to end the warm up lap and find our position. Crew chief radios, "I’ll call green. Settle down now and keep it on the dark stuff. Green, Green—nice start—lookin’ good. Nice pace, no need to push. Stay smooth with the car, stay smooth with the car."

Twenty minutes into the race and we have a full course yellow. There is a fire on the track, looks like the #18 car. "Hey, Bert…you see what’s happening? Just don’t want you to miss anything!" Thanks, William, but I haven’t missed anything yet!!!

Crew chief to Matt, "You see the big winner roast? How are your temps?" "I see the fire…temps OK, oil 90 and water 82. #42 Orbit car behind me, who is it?" Crew chief checks and says, "It’s the ex-F1 team driver."

Matt, surprised, says, "You serious?"

"Well, it could also be the lead singer for the 'Talking Heads'. I’m just trying to loosen you up—take a drink of water. The lead car is behind you, call if you get waved by the pace car." When the pace car does wave him by, Matt will be in the correct position, after having been scrambled because of the full course yellow.