mynameiscarol
11-11-2006, 10:54 AM
NASCAR wives reveal how drivers handle traffic off the track
Mark Armijo
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 10, 2006 12:24 AM
Since so much of his life is spent tucked inside the belly of a stock car capable of reaching 200 mph speeds, it would seem NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and 45 mph city traffic would be about as compatible as a lamb at a coyote convention.
Then, you listen to DeLana Harvick, Kevin's wife, and it becomes clear her husband can be Dr. Jekyll on the racetrack (aggressive and unafraid to take risks), and Mr. Hyde off it (think of the tortoise in the fable about the rabbit).
"Talk about a slow driver," DeLana said. "He drives me insane when he's driving around town. I heard he got some tickets in his younger days growing up in Bakersfield (Calif.), but it's been seven years since he's gotten a ticket. Now he drives a Chevy Tahoe at home (Winston-Salem, N.C.), and I always kid him that he's like a grandpa driving it." advertisement
Kelley Jarrett, whose husband, Dale, is racing in Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, knows what DeLana is talking about.
"The only time I ever saw (Dale) get unglued was leaving Bristol (Motor Speedway) one night after a race," Kelley said. "That kind of traffic is exasperating to him.
"But when we're at home (Hickory, N.C.), he doesn't get upset when we're out driving. He's much more patient than I am. As a matter of fact, he doesn't go as fast as I think he should go most of the time. He's not high-strung or anything like that. He's really pretty boring."
If Dale Jarrett is boring, then Mike Skinner might be the Indiana Jones of Tobacco Road.
"He's pretty cautious, but he does have a habit of drafting people on the highway," Angela Skinner said in a telephone interview. "He's giving me a dirty look now. But he gets a little too close for my comfort. I tell him that one of these days somebody is going to slam on their brakes and we're going to crash. He always says he's a professional and has good reaction time. OK, whatever."
Nancy Andretti, whose husband, John, drives in the Busch Series, could commiserate.
"My little girl is 6, and when she was 4 or 5 we were driving in the car without John," she said. "Somebody in front of me was going a little slow and my little girl says, 'Come on, buddy. The gas is on the right and the brake is on the left.' Gee, I wonder where she got that from?
"The thing that drives me crazy about John is he's always talking to other drivers and saying they should get out of the way. He doesn't round corners quickly or squeal the tires, but he will tailgate somebody who won't do the speed limit. He'll tailgate form within an inch of their bumper.
"I mean, how can you do that? I can't stand that."
Unlike Nancy Andretti, DeLana Harvick tends to do most of the driving when she and Kevin are together.
"And that's by Kevin's choice," DeLana said. "I'm a bad back-seat driver because I'm always barking out orders. Whenever he does drive, we end up pulling in a parking lot, and I always end up in the driver's seat. I think Kevin just decided it's not worth the argument."
It's the opposite with Joe and Andrea Nemechek.
"Joe says I make him carsick when I drive, so he doesn't like me to drive," Andrea said. "He doesn't like to sit and do nothing in the race car, and he doesn't like to sit in traffic when we're at home (in Mooresville, N.C.) driving our Chevy truck. He drives a little fast at times and hugs the corners.
"You really see him in a hurry when we leave the racetrack for the airport. I'm sure it's hard for him to change his mode from being in a race car and five minutes later he's in a street car. I'm sure that feels like he's crawling. But it's too much for me. I'll drive myself to the airport and let him take a helicopter."
Mark Armijo
The Arizona Republic
Nov. 10, 2006 12:24 AM
Since so much of his life is spent tucked inside the belly of a stock car capable of reaching 200 mph speeds, it would seem NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick and 45 mph city traffic would be about as compatible as a lamb at a coyote convention.
Then, you listen to DeLana Harvick, Kevin's wife, and it becomes clear her husband can be Dr. Jekyll on the racetrack (aggressive and unafraid to take risks), and Mr. Hyde off it (think of the tortoise in the fable about the rabbit).
"Talk about a slow driver," DeLana said. "He drives me insane when he's driving around town. I heard he got some tickets in his younger days growing up in Bakersfield (Calif.), but it's been seven years since he's gotten a ticket. Now he drives a Chevy Tahoe at home (Winston-Salem, N.C.), and I always kid him that he's like a grandpa driving it." advertisement
Kelley Jarrett, whose husband, Dale, is racing in Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, knows what DeLana is talking about.
"The only time I ever saw (Dale) get unglued was leaving Bristol (Motor Speedway) one night after a race," Kelley said. "That kind of traffic is exasperating to him.
"But when we're at home (Hickory, N.C.), he doesn't get upset when we're out driving. He's much more patient than I am. As a matter of fact, he doesn't go as fast as I think he should go most of the time. He's not high-strung or anything like that. He's really pretty boring."
If Dale Jarrett is boring, then Mike Skinner might be the Indiana Jones of Tobacco Road.
"He's pretty cautious, but he does have a habit of drafting people on the highway," Angela Skinner said in a telephone interview. "He's giving me a dirty look now. But he gets a little too close for my comfort. I tell him that one of these days somebody is going to slam on their brakes and we're going to crash. He always says he's a professional and has good reaction time. OK, whatever."
Nancy Andretti, whose husband, John, drives in the Busch Series, could commiserate.
"My little girl is 6, and when she was 4 or 5 we were driving in the car without John," she said. "Somebody in front of me was going a little slow and my little girl says, 'Come on, buddy. The gas is on the right and the brake is on the left.' Gee, I wonder where she got that from?
"The thing that drives me crazy about John is he's always talking to other drivers and saying they should get out of the way. He doesn't round corners quickly or squeal the tires, but he will tailgate somebody who won't do the speed limit. He'll tailgate form within an inch of their bumper.
"I mean, how can you do that? I can't stand that."
Unlike Nancy Andretti, DeLana Harvick tends to do most of the driving when she and Kevin are together.
"And that's by Kevin's choice," DeLana said. "I'm a bad back-seat driver because I'm always barking out orders. Whenever he does drive, we end up pulling in a parking lot, and I always end up in the driver's seat. I think Kevin just decided it's not worth the argument."
It's the opposite with Joe and Andrea Nemechek.
"Joe says I make him carsick when I drive, so he doesn't like me to drive," Andrea said. "He doesn't like to sit and do nothing in the race car, and he doesn't like to sit in traffic when we're at home (in Mooresville, N.C.) driving our Chevy truck. He drives a little fast at times and hugs the corners.
"You really see him in a hurry when we leave the racetrack for the airport. I'm sure it's hard for him to change his mode from being in a race car and five minutes later he's in a street car. I'm sure that feels like he's crawling. But it's too much for me. I'll drive myself to the airport and let him take a helicopter."