The off-season (which with today's schedule is more like a mini-break) is a time to reassess, regroup, rebuild and recommit. If you're a team that didn't have the year you intended to have, then some honest soul-searching is in order to make the changes necessary to bring your program up to the level that you want it to be.

Such is the case with our Matco Tools team. Six final rounds, two wins, both ends of the national record, quickest and fastest runs in the history of the sport normally would mean a pretty good year. But for us we feel we finished far below not only our own expectations but others' as well.

When you have a tough season it's important not to panic and react in some helter-skelter way. It's like being caught on the wrong end of a stock trade. You have to think rationally, look at the big picture and make smart decisions.

Lee Beard, being one of the best crew chiefs in the sport, knows how to do this as well as anyone. We're in the process of making some changes to our team, which should make it easier for all of us next year.

Back when I had my own team one of my philosophies as a car owner was to always try to make things as easy as possible for those who work for me. The commitment that the team personnel make to do this job is tremendous. Therefore, I always believe that anything that can be done to make their job even the smallest amount easier is well worth it.

People who love their jobs and are happy in their jobs tend to get better results than people who aren't. The overall atmosphere within a team often determines your level of excitement and love for your job.

The general attitude of the team also reflects the key players involved; firstly, the team owner, then the crew chief and driver. Throughout a long, hard season everyone's outlook must become positive motivation for everyone else.

We have been fortunate on the Matco Tools team over the last four years to have maintained a consistent roster of great people. Next season we will see a couple of new faces in our pit area, but these are changes that we believe will strengthen our team.

The bottom line is we know we have to do a better job within all aspects of our team to have the year next year that we are capable of having.

As far as the actions taken by the NHRA competition department against me after the last race of the year, I can only say that if NHRA's personnel at the end of the track deemed my driving the race car dangerous, then that is an issue that I can't argue with. What I will say is that my safety record throughout my career is exceptional and, ironically, I have a reputation among my peers as being one of the most outspoken drivers on safety issues in the sport. Perhaps this is a coincidence.

I will also say that I try to live my life to a certain moral code and that
I always try to do the right thing by others. I would never drive a Funny
Car beyond my own ability, whether it's at full power going down the track
or coasting off the track at 40 mph with two parachutes out. I would never
put the safety of any of my competitors or anyone else around my Funny Car
in jeopardy.

Obviously, NHRA has a different opinion, which it is certainly entitled to.

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