Dale Jarrett straps into the #44 UPS Toyota for his final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship point race this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. The event marks the 668th start of the Hickory, N.C.-native's career. Forty-three of those starts have taken place at the half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway and Jarrett has enjoyed a career's worth of memories at the rough and tumble track.
"There are so many memories from the very first time that I remember going to Bristol and watching my dad race there and win," Jarrett recalled. "Then the change of the race track and going back as a teenager and sitting in the grandstands to watch the late model sportsman races at that time. Of course I have memories of getting my first Busch Grand National victory at Bristol. I thought at that time, everybody wanted to win at Bristol. Then in 1997 when I was able to win the night race in Cup competition - that was probably one of the top victories of my career."
The Food City 500 takes place this Sunday, March 16 at 2 p.m. EDT. FOX will carry the live broadcast of the race beginning with its live pre-race show at 1:30 p.m. EDT.
Jarrett Discusses Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway
Has it set in that this will be your last point race?
"It definitely has especially now that these first four races are over. It's something I've been preparing myself for a while. I'm very happy with the decision and it is starting to hit home - probably even a little more so after watching Brett Favre talk about his retirement on television last week. When Brett talked about how you know you can still do it but he was just tired, I understood that exactly. When you see someone like that and the appreciation they have for what they do - I just hope that everyone understands that is how much I appreciate the opportunities that I've been given in this sport. I looked at this always as an honor and a privilege to drive these cars, know the people and make a living at this."
Was there any significance to Bristol being the last points race for you, or did it just fall that way with the schedule?
"It was a little of both. It fell that way but I was pleased whenever I saw the number and as I started counting down to see where exactly that was going to be. When I realized that it was Bristol I was pleased about that and that it worked out to that because I think it is very fitting. It's a place that I enjoy racing and there's going to be what seems like - and I know there's more than 160,000 people there - but it seems like more than that. So it will be a fitting way for me to finish my racing as far as points racing goes."
How emotional will this weekend be and is there anything you feel like is missing from your career?
"I think it's going to be somewhat emotional and probably even more so because it's going to be close to my home and I am going to be able to have a lot of family and friends around. So I think that will help add to that on top of it just being Bristol. I know I've said that a number of times but it is a special place to race. As far as anything that is missing, there really isn't anything I can see that is missing. I would obviously liked to have had another championship, and I came close to having a couple and that was great to be able to battle for that, but I've been very blessed and I couldn't imagine asking to add anything to a career that I've been very fortunate to have."
UPS Racing Team Notes of Interest
- Dale Jarrett will make the 668th and final points race start of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.
- This weekend's race also marks Jarrett's 44th career start at the half-mile Bristol Motor Speedway.
- Jarrett has one win at Bristol, scoring his lone win at the track during the night race in 1997.
- Jarrett started that race from the third position and led 210 laps in route to the win. He won $101,550 for scoring the win in August 1997.
- In addition to his win at Bristol, Jarrett has earned nine top-five and 19 top-10 finishes in his previous 43 starts.
- Heading into this weekend's Food City 500, Jarrett's Sprint Cup Series career features 32 wins, 163 top fives, 260 top 10s and 16 poles.
