Before they got a hold of John they were having difficulties reaching him. Matt was blamed for calling the wrong number, but Dave was able to get through and John on the radio begins!
(where my tape picked up)

Dave: He must have been calling information or something like that.
John: Yea he probably, said I need the number for someone named John.
Matt: We are thrilled we finally tracked you down
Dave: I am thrilled, it is always a pleasure to chat with my buddy John Andretti. How are you doing man?
John: I am doing OK.
Dave: There are nice things I have been reading about your crew chief saying you will be back in the number one car next year. I know they have been trying to get sponsorship and they were talking to the Kodak folks, can you fill us in on anything more?
John: There are things happening now. And I think there is a possibility, there are meetings going on with Kodak. I think they have met with several teams. So, all that is some what speculative. With Pennzoil in May announcing, that they were going to discontinue their relationship and announcing their new one. The one car is vacant and needs a primary sponsor. It would be easy for us if it was Kodak, because all we would need to do would be change the decals. (laughing)
Dave: Keep the cars the same color!
John: Anyway, It is a really great organization and I had a great time. Unfortunately at Homestead we felt we had a really fast car, and I think we did. We had a little problem on Saturday and we looked it over. We could not really find the problem, so NASCAR would not let us change the engine unfortunately. There was a mystery in there somewhere, where it kept wanting to push the water out and over heat. It was really unfortunate, because the guys have done such a great job. The fact they were pulling the thing apart piece by piece and were still struggling to find the problem. It is just typical of what seems to happen, when things go against you. I think the car was really well balanced when we got to run. Even back there when Bobby Labonte pitted and came back out. We were still messing around and running really fast times. Things like that are disappointing, but the fact we did have a good run and that we were going to be competitive in the race. It is better than going out there and running evil. Then trying to talk yourself into…..
Dave: The quote I read from Tony Gibson, "He has driven so many different types of race cars, that he has learned a lot about chassis and shocks. He is very car smart." That is a good complement.
John: It is and like I said, coming into the organization I have learned a lot from them Obviously they have a lot to offer. It has been great for me and what ever the situation comes to I really appreciate Teresa and how well the DEI employees have treated me and my family. Tony Gibson, and Richie Gilmore, Dale Jr. and Michael, they were really good. I would go hang out with Jr. to talk about race cars and we would end up talking about everything else.
Dave: He has a wide variety of interests, does he not?
John: I will tell you what, he is definitely a super star, but he is normal and has a lot of good reasoning. He is really street smart and I enjoy talking to him. That has been really good too. It is hard to get a chance to talk to him, because everyone is always going Junior, Junior. (laughing) I only get to say one thing at a time, if people are yelling Junior. If people are doing that, I am usually like, hey I am talking to him.
Dave: Do you have any tests or anything set up with them at this point? Or is everything still on hold?
John: They are flat out building race cars for next year. Really that is all I can say. I do not know a lot more than that. And the things I do know I cannot say now…..
Matt: Come on! Tell us something.
John: OK, I will, but you cannot tell Matt. You can tell anyone else but Matt. That is the whole hold up here.
Dave: Tell me about, Michael had a pretty hard hit there at Homestead and they had that safer barrier down there. He was very complementary about it, but what did he say to you after it?
John: I did not get to talk to him afterwards. We were loading up and they were still working on it. I ran out the back gate about the same time that happened. Later I called and found out that had happened, and found out that he cut a tire down. I am sure he was happy to have the soft wall there. I have been fortunate enough not to hit a soft wall yet. I actually brushed the wall in the practice qualifying run and someone asked me how the wall was and I said, I don’t know I missed it. I hit it after it ended. (laughing) You just brush the wall a little bit coming off sometimes.
Dave: I tell you the speedway has been so instrumental in that and I know NASCAR has helped out a lot, but Tony George and the guys started it out. Our hats off to them, I am sure the drivers in NASCAR and IRL are thankful to those guys.
John: It is a huge technical advance for us here in motor sports. You talk about safety and there are so many things that are from race cars and show up on street cars. I think sometimes people do not appreciate, seat belts, rear view mirrors, and all those things. Even better tires, since Goodyear learned so many things from their race tires.
Dave: John it is always a treat to speak with you. Now that you have some time off, is there anywhere you are planning to go?
John: Well actually we are in a holding pattern, kind of in purgatory trying to figure out which way we will be going. It is a little difficult. I am not going anywhere, unless I am told. I can go ask Nancy, and I can tell you. (laughing)
Dave: Well we had a sushi lunch today and we were thinking of you, so when ever you are in town again you have to get up here for a sushi lunch.
John: I don’t think my stomach has shrunk back since the progressive dinner.
Dave: We are going to do another one of those, I will give you a holler.
John: Yea, definitely, we have to do that.
Dave: Well you take care and we will talk to you again soon.
John: Thanks man.
THE END