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DON PRUDHOMME

DRO: With Shirley retiring and with losing more of our legends like you and Bernstein - what does it do for the sport to be losing our history? Shirley really seems like she's happy for it to be over.

DP: Quite frankly I think it's good, because we need new young guys and gals and I think it's one of the problems with our sport is that the older generation, let's say, can stay around as long as you can walk. You can drive one of these things, Garlits is 70 - 75 years old, and to make the sport grow, you really need to have the young drivers for the young consumers and major sponsors. There aren't a lot of sponsors that want to sponsor a 70 year old guy, I mean there just aren't, so you know it's just that the sport has changed and I think it's healthy. But I don't think that any of the new drivers will ever replace a Shirley, a Garlits or anything like that cause they started the sport.

DRO: Do you think you should start giving your guys nicknames?

DP: I think it would help us more giving them wins. It's all about winning now, not nicknames.

GARY SCELZI

DRO: How do you feel about Shirley retiring?

GS: Well, I think it's time. I mean there's not much more she could have done for the sport. It's incredible. She's paved the way for every woman and straightened out every man along the way. I always loved her. I like that she speaks her mind and she's never been afraid to do it whether it helped her or hindered her, but you always knew where you stood with her. And I love her and love Ron her husband, I think they're a great bunch and it's sad, it's a passing, I wish I could have got to race her but it never happened, but I think it's great and I think no matter what, a hundred years from now people will know Shirley Muldowney and if you can do anything in this sport and even if she has never won a championship and she has won several races, I think it's incredible. It probably doesn't matter to Shirley which is really neat - she's left a mark and she doesn't need to prove anything and I think she can go away after all she's been through and just be an icon. And that's something that when you walk away from any sport and be able to do that I think that's pretty incredible.

CHRIS KARAMESINES

DRO: With Shirley retiring, who is actually younger than you, do you have any thoughts about other legends of drag racing retiring?

CK: Not Really, if they don't want to drive or play around... I do it because I enjoy it, I'll keep doing it as long as I can. I still get a lot out of it and I'm having a good time.

JIMMY PROCK

DRO: With Shirley retiring how do you feel about it?

JP: Shirley's done a lot for the sport. She put women on the map with racing and it's kind of sad to see her go but I mean she's done a lot for the sport and she's done good and
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she had her nice little retirement tour. And I wish her well; I mean I don't know how you say it hurts the sport. She feels it's time for her to go and I mean that's what she did. Like I said she's had a good career and she's done a lot and she figured it's time to step aside and everyone has to do that sooner or later.


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