All-Star Win
Of all that I've accomplished in racing, winning the 2000 Winston All-Star race was by far the greatest. It didn't award points – just a big paycheck – but it was special for others reasons. One, we were a rookie team that had been running in the NASCAR Busch Series the previous two seasons, and although we won two Cup races right out of the gate, we were still trying to find our place in NASCAR's top series. This win validated us, because we passed two of the best drivers in the sport's history – my dad and Dale Jarrett – to win. I became the first rookie to ever win The Winston All-Star race.
What made this night the greatest in my racing career, though, was not what I achieved, but who I shared it with. My dad finished third in the race, and as soon as he got out of his car, he hurriedly changed clothes and ran to Victory Lane to celebrate as the winning car owner and proud father. He stayed the entire time, too – through the pictures, the hat dance, and the many cases of Budweiser sprayed in celebration. It was a great night made perfect by his presence. It will never be topped.