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Posted on June 22, 2007
Jerry Rice Interview -
Grand Marshall for the Toyota / Save
Mart 350
June 18, 2007
Mike Finnegan - SpeedwayMedia.com
Video and Audio Interview links below
SONOMA, Calif. (June 18, 2007) -
Jerry Rice has won three Super Bowls and caught more
passes than any wide receiver in NFL
history, but nothing could have prepared
him for what he experienced on Monday at
Infineon Raceway.
Rice was treated to four laps around the
10-turn, 1.99-mile road course in the
Sonoma Valley in the passenger seat of a
NASCAR NEXTEL Cup stock car, supplied by
the Richard Petty Driving Experience.
Rice, who will serve as Grand Marshal of
this weekend's Toyota/Save Mart 350, was
in the passenger seat of the Burger King
Toyota, with driver Shane MacMillan as
his tour guide. The two reached speeds
in excess of 100 mph over the twists and
turns of Infineon Raceway. The stock car
featured 700-horsepower.
"I had no idea it was going to be that
fast," said Rice, who will be attending
his first NASCAR race this weekend. "My
heart was pumping big-time. To feel the
sheer power of these cars was just
amazing, and it takes a pretty special
athlete to go 110 laps around this
place. I have so much respect for these
NASCAR drivers and what they do."
One of those drivers Rice hopes to meet
is five-time Infineon Raceway champion
Jeff Gordon, who is a native of nearby
Vallejo.
"I've watched his career on television
for a lot of years and I've always
idolized him," Rice said. "I'm really
hoping I get a chance to meet him and
spend some time with him this weekend. I
also hear he's a big San Francisco 49ers
fan so that's pretty cool, too."
Rice, best known as a member of the San
Francisco 49ers, will be honored
throughout the weekend, most notably at
the Raceway Builder's Grand Marshal's
Banquet on Friday night, June 22, at
beautiful Cline Cellars in Sonoma. All
proceeds from the banquet benefit
Speedway Children's Charities, the
charitable arm of Infineon Raceway.
Rice will also join the Northern
California Toyota Dealers on Sunday in
giving the start command, "Gentleman,
start your engines," prior to the start
of the Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Rice won three Super Bowls while playing
for the San Francisco 49ers from
1985-2000. During his stellar 21-year
career, which included stints with the
Oakland Raiders and Seattle Seahawks, he
basically rewrote the NFL record book
for wide receivers.
Jerry Rice Video
Interview (Part 1)
Jerry Rice Video
Interview (Part 2)
Jerry Rice Audio
Interview
You can
contact Mike at
stories@ttpmotorsports.com
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