SC: Of course. Of course. I was skeptical. I wouldn't say I was against it. I thought about it. It all come down to I keep doing it, keep pecking away at it or . . .

DRO: You have to know that a lot of people are talking divorce even before this marriage became official. How do you answer the doubters?

SC: I guess time will tell. I don't think everybody out here realizes how much all of us want to win. I'm willing to give it 110 percent. And if Beard and those guys are willing to give it 110 percent I don't know how we can lose. All I can do is sit back and if the car's running good, I just hope me and Whit can show 'em better than we can tell 'em.

DRO: Surely you've heard people say you and Whit cannot co-exist.

SC: I could give a rat's ass what they say. Everybody come up to me and said, "Well, Beard ain't going to like you." "Schumacher don't want nothing but to win the championship. He don't care about nobody but himself. He don't give a shit about you and Whit." I haven't heard him say that. He has to think that I'm capable or it wouldn't really matter how much money I brought to the table because it wouldnŒt be worth it. Believe it or not, the money that you bring to the table for these cars to run, still, it don't make no money. These cars are money pits. They eat all kinds of money. Trust me, Don Schumacher isn't doing this for the money.

DRO: Even Whit said he doesn't think Don Schumacher probably cares which one of you wins the championship. The important thing is that Don Schumacher Racing win the championship. Whit said he expects you two to continue to compete like you did before you became teammates.

SC: That's right. That's exactly right.

DRO: Do you think Don Schumacher cares about you and your career as much as he cares about the Oakley dollars you bring to the table?

SC: Schumacher could not have got the money without Scotty Cannon. If Scotty Cannon disappears, the money disappears. People who's jealous going to say what they want to say. The bottom line is that about 90 percent of the people out here are jealous because Beard's got his car running 70s pretty consistent. I hope he keeps it there.

DRO: Word is that Oakley's investment with this operation is considerably less than what it was when the company sponsored you as an independent driver.

SC: My deal with Oakley's the same.

DRO: What's the most exciting part of this deal for you?

SC: If Beard continues the path he's on, there's going to be two (4.)70s cars out there for John Force and all those guys to have to with.

DRO: Would you take a dive for Whit?

SC: If it come down to a points battle at the end of the year, and one of us needs some help, we will talk about it. I'd be willing to do anything if it meant a championship at the end of the year. Whatever would be good for our team.

DRO: So you would?

SC: It's a known fact, whether they want to say it or not, that John Force has asked people to take dives for him. Come on -- give me a break. If he says he (didn't), he's lying. Period. Case closed. Done deal. Ray Charles could see that. John's been playing this game since '91 or '92. Why should we not play the game? As far as I'm concerned, I'd like to see us put a third car out there. I want to win. It's not about the money. It's not about the glory. I'm used to winning, and I want to win.

DRO: So you're completely satisfied with this new undertaking?

SC: I got two kids at home and a grandbaby, and I don't spend any time with those guys. I think I'm in a win-win situation.

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