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Fruitful, yet frustrating year This was my best (and worst) season yet in Winston Cup
Updated: Tuesday January 02, 2001 6:55 PM
Well, the season ended pretty much the same way it's gone all year. At times, we couldn't win for losing and, at times, we couldn't lose for winning. That sounds pretty ridiculous, I know, but the whole year was such a roller coaster ride. When things were going their best, that's when the worst things happened. When things were going their best, it seemed like that is when the best things were happening. We won at California after losing a lap and having the oil cooler line clogged. We won at Pocono after having some trouble early in the race and falling well back. We finished second at Homestead after losing a lap, and finished second at Phoenix after losing a lap. It's almost like we needed something bad to happen for something good to happen. In the reverse, we won four poles and nothing good happened in those races -- at Talladega in the spring we won the pole and got shuffled out at the end to finish 14th; at Darlington in the fall we won the pole and wrecked; at Dover in the fall we won the pole and lost an engine; and at Rockingham in the fall we won the pole, led a ton of laps, were the best car out there by far, and had an alternator go bad and lost the battery. See what I mean? In a lot of ways I hate to see this year end. We were on pretty much of a tear the second half of the year. Even after we lost the engine at Atlanta on Monday, I think everyone could see we had the car to beat. That's the way we were almost all year but especially in the second half of the year. If we can put the finishes together with some of these runs, we're going to be tough to beat in 2001. That said -- and with Thanksgiving coming up -- I'm as thankful as anyone for a lot of blessings. I'm thankful to CNNSI.com for letting me post my thoughts all season long; in fact, for the past two-and-a-half years. I hope they'll let me come back next year. If things work out, hey, we might be able to call it "Diary Of A Champion." I'm thankful for Darrell Waltrip, who ran his last race Monday. I'm thankful that I had the chance just to see him race, and incredibly thankful that I got the chance to race with him. When I won my first race at Pocono in 1998, he was the guy I passed to take the lead for the last time. That meant a lot. I'm thankful for a great race team, a great car owner and the fact that Mobil 1 gives us the support we need to race. We're a good race team, and next year I believe we're going to really show some people a lot of things. I'm thankful for my family and friends. My grandmother passed away this weekend so it's going to be a sad time for us, but I'm thankful for the years we had with her and the chance I got to know her. And I'm really thankful for the fans, the people who make our sport what it is. Without you folks, we wouldn't be what we are. And I thank all of you. The season is over. The year is done. It's been a long time since Daytona back in February but, you know what? I can hardly wait for it all to start again. In 2001, Jeremy Mayfield will be in his fourth year driving the Penske Racing No. 12 Ford. His diary will appear weekly on CNNSI.com in 2001.
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