Notes from TNT’s coverage of NASCAR Winston Cup Racing From Dover: Wally’s World: In 1996, Wally Dallenbach and Hideo Fukuyama raced against each other in Suzuka, Japan.. Wally bumped Fukuyama and put him out of the race. On, Sat., Sept. 21, 2002, Wally took Fukuyama for a ride around Dover Downs Int’l Speedway in the TNT car. Fukuyama after the ride (in Japanese): “I didn’t know you were such a crazy driver.. Now I know why you are a television driver and not a real driver.” Dallenbach: “I am not sure what he said, but I am sure he said that I am an excellent, incredible, and talented driver.” Announcer for GAORA Sports in Japan, Keiichi Inamine, joined Bestwick, Dallenbach, Parsons in the booth for a few laps and called the race in Japanese. Parsons: “Can you repeat that?. I couldn’t understand you, you talked to fast.” Dallenbach on Fukuyama after lap 270: “He is really off pace right now.” Marty Snider reported that Dale Jr. was behind Fukuyama and it seemed like Dale had slowed off the pace a bit, but then reported that Dale radioed in saying he was waiting for Fukuyama to spin out. Dallenbach on Gordon returning to the race on lap 285 after wrecking on lap 65: “That is no fun.. What I always said here and at Bristol, ‘if you are going to wreck me, make sure they can’t fix it’.” Time to Call: TNT promo for NASCAR.com’s Win The King contest on lap 147 letting fans know that they need to call now to win. – Parsons: “I will be right back, I got my cell phone.”(Turner PR)(9-23-2002)
