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March 02, 2005
Steve Park on RCR - "It Was a Mistake"
Today Steve Park was interviewed by Claire B. Lang on "Dialed In" on XM. It was absolutely outstanding to hear how happy he was! To hear him say that he's spent the whole week with a huge smile on his face just made me smile too! Most of the interview Steve talked about his vacation in California, his big win and also about having to prove himself after his injury in 2001.
What was most interesting in that interview was Steve's comments about RCR. He briefly mentioned DEI, how the team was picked apart when he came back so it was hard for them to get anything done. But then he said that filling in for Jeff Green at RCR was "a mistake on my part." He then said that unless you win and run up front you're criticized and then followed with "you don't get that at Orleans - they give him a complete vote of confidence that he could win." So my impression was that he was implying that at RCR they didn't have full confidence in him and perhaps that was vocalized to him. Which falls in line with what I suspected previously. He's also made other comments recently about RCR and how the #30 got lesser equipment and resources than what was given to the #29 so my sense is that there is some lingering bitterness over his experience at RCR.
Which wouldn't suprise me because it seemed as if he went over there as a favor to Richard Childress, who he had previously been somewhat friendly with. So it could not have felt good to not get support from his friend's organization, especially considering the connection to Dale Earnhardt, who Steve thought of as a second father. There is no doubt that being at RCR in that lousy car really damaged Steve's career in that many felt that the poor results were his fault, when Jeff Gordon probably couldn't have done any better in that car as it was in 2003. I suspect that being in the #30 on top of his struggles in the #1 did some damage to his confidence level too.
Steve says that he never doubted himself but I couldn't imagine him ever admitting in an interview that he did doubt himself. But very freqently others will talk about his confidence level as if it were an issue with him and that wouldn't suprise me. I don't see how anyone could go through what he did and not have some doubts. But now there definitely shouldn't be any worries about his confidence in himself because that win last week had to do him a world of good. Being at Orleans where they believe him him without question is very good for him too. So I think Steve is going to really set the truck series on fire in 2005.
The other thing about Steve's comments about RCR is that he is speaking his mind in a way that he hadn't previously. I guess that comes from being in a situation where he doesn't have to worry as much about saying the wrong thing and potentially losing his ride. Now I have no doubt that he will and still has to be careful not to offend anyone like all the drivers, but Steve is speaking his mind in a way that I don't remember him doing for quite some time. And I think that is a very good thing. Brendan Gaughan also speaks his mind and I like that too. It's very important to me personally to say what I think and I wish that the drivers in Nascar had more freedom to do so without repercussions. But it's a very good thing to Steve be more candid, even if it ruffles a few feathers.
Posted by silverdsl at March 2, 2005 08:41 PM