Racer Remarks about Shirley's Retirement

by Darr Hawthorne

SHIRLEY MULDOWNEY

DRO: You seem kind of relieved that this year is coming to an end, is that a correct reading?

SM: Well, I don't know if I'd say relieved, I guess just a little overwhelmed with this autograph thing is out of control, but I'll be, not happy - not that I don't appreciate the crowds, I do, I appreciate it more than you realize but I can't spread myself that thin - there's always someone disappointed, there's always someone that thinks that since they didn't get what they wanted, I'm the bad guy. I'm tired, I'll be - I'm looking forward to coming out to the track when I want to, not having to get up at six in the morning, not getting back at one in the morning, I want to just sit back with my guests and just, you know, be cool. I haven't been able to do that for 35 years. It's been along time.

DRO: You'll still have those autographs -

SM: No I'm not, because I'm not going to go and take over someone else's pit, you understand what I'm saying? I don't mind one or two but these marathons, they just run me dry.

DRO: Did you have any special feeling when you beat Kenny Bernstein here at Las Vegas last year?

SM: Just another good racer. I was happy for Dixon because it took the heat off and I saw a lot of relaxation over there, finally. You know you're always happy to help someone out. I think it did definitely help them. I think Prudhomme was very relieved. You know it's a good car over there, and it's nice to be the money team. Absolutely.

DRO: I'm sure you would accept that you're a legend in this sport.

SM: Well it kind of looks that way, doesn't it.

DRO: Everybody keeps calling you that?

SM: Oh yeah, and the fans response and the support and it just amazes me, you know that? It just amazes me.

DRO: You've touched a lot of people.

SM: I get emails that would astound you, some of the things that these people would say and refer back to a number of years ago, just the connection I guess, just amazes me every day. I run into me everywhere I go. It's just amazing, I know I'm over using that word, but people just like what I do and I think there's a lot of people out there that would like to do what I do, I mean it's mind boggling how this sport has grabbed so many people of all ages.

DRO: Especially you - it's interesting you mention that connection, because I think there is a lot of connection that fans have the way you did it and the odds you bucked for so many years.

SM: That might have something to do with it-

DRO: You're a champion to a lot of these people.

SM: Well we never really knew this was going to turn into what it turned into. I must admit that I never said in the early days, "oh I'm going to be a world champion," - absolutely not, never set that kind of a goal. I think I may have been there at the right time - the women's thing, whatever it was back then, and I wasn't part of it, did help me, but then it hurt me in ways. You know I've never been able to measure that from one side to the other, other than the funding thing has evaded me and I'm not really sure what that was all about. But the fact that I did it for as long as I did it and I was here that long without the big kick - that is what I'm most proud of - they couldn't get rid of me as hard as they tried.