Dan Pastorini's name is familiar to both NFL  and drag racing fans.

Pastorini became the first high profile former stick and ball sport athlete to take up quarter-mile as a Top Fuel driver when he competed in his first NHRA event in 1986. He was not just a sports figure trying to compete, Pastorini was good and in only his seventh race won an NHRA event.

But, for Pastorini, professional football was his best claim to fame.

Drafted as the third overall pick in the 1971 NFL draft, Pastorini excelled as a quarterback with his best season coming in 1978 when he threw for 2,473 yards and 16 touchdowns. He led the Oilers to the 1979 AFC championship game. He retired in 1983 after stints with the Oakland Raiders, Los Angeles Rams and Philadelphia Eagles.

Pastorini is now living life to the fullest since his retirement from football and motorsports with a successful food industry business (http://www.dpqualityfoods.com) and has recently published a book Taking Flak: My Life in the Fast Lane (http://taking-flak.com/).

Pastorini discusses with CompetitionPlus.com’s Joel Gelfand about his time in drag racing, football, adrenaline rush and his remaining love for straight-line racing.

COMPETITIONPLUS:  WHAT MOTIVATED YOU TO GO TOP FUEL RACING?

DAN PASTORINI:  Bobby Rowe.  We ran our own operation and eventually got sponsorship from Coors Light.   But when those dollars ran out we were not able to secure a new sponsor in time.  We ended up selling everything, unfortunately.  I would have liked to stay in it.  The sport has grown tremendously over the last 20 years.  I’d love to be out there running the speeds the guys are running now!

CP: OTHER THAN THE ADRENALINE RUSH, NFL FOOTBALL AND TOP FUEL RACING WOULD ALMOST SEEM TO BE POLAR-OPPOAITES IN THE PROFESSIONAL SPORTS WORLD. YOU'VE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AT BOTH. COMPARE THE TWO.

DP: They both have their share of adrenaline rushes.  The speed (in the NHRA) is exciting to me and being able to manage it.  In football it’s kind of the fear of going out there and getting the hell knocked out of you.  Being able to stand in there, handle the pressure and deliver the pass and in NHRA it’s the same type of feeling.  When you step on the pedal of a Top Fuel dragster there are a lot of things that can happen.  A lot of them are good things.  Going those speeds.  Being on top of the car.  Keeping your edges good.  Relying on your senses and reaction times.  Being able to adapt to the environment around you.  There are a lot of similarities in the two sports to be honest with you.  The thrill is always just beating the demon.  Being able to drive the length of a football field to score and win the game or driving the quarter mile to win the race.  

CP: HAVE YOU CONSIDERED RETURNING TO COMPETITION IN THE NHRA AS A DRIVER OR OWNER?

DP: I’m not financially stable enough to be an owner.  I’ve looked into some possibilities to return, but it’s fallen on deaf ears so far.  If the opportunity came up, I’d LOVE to drive one of those cars again.  There’s no question about it!

CP: SOME “STICK & BALL” ATHLETES HAVE DABBLED IN DRAG RACING, MOST NOTABLY TOM HAMMONDS, LARRY NANCE AND TYLER BRAYTON. IF YOU COULD COUNSEL AN ATHLETE WHO IS CONSIDERING GIVING DRAG RACING A SHOT, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE THEM?

DP:  Bring a lot of money!  Bring a LOT of money!  It’s the teams with a lot of money that can develop the parts, clutches and engines.  The stuff that makes the car go fast.  They can hire the right people, the brain trusts.  It takes a lot of money to stay competitive in that sport.

CP:  DO YOU STILL GET APPROACHED BY FANS THAT WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR TIME IN DRAG RACING?

DP: As a matter of fact I do.  I’ve been doing a lot of book signings around the country, and I’d say it’s about 60/40 racing fans to football fans.  One thing about racing fans, once they are your fans they are your fans for ever.  Football fans, yeah they recognize you if you played but the next day they are cheering for another team.  Race fans like all races.  That’s been kind of a neat experience for me.

CP: YOU WERE KNOWN AS A VERY TOUGH QUARTERBACK. IS IT TRUE THAT YOU NOT ONLY PLAYED WITH BROKEN RIBS, BUT ALSO A PUNCTURED LUNG AT ONE POINT?

DP: It’s true that I played with broken ribs, but not a punctured lung.  When I had the broken ribs the doctor was shooting me up with Novocain.  He was listening with a stethoscope and I asked him what he was listening for.  He said he wanted to see if he punctured a lung with the needle!  That’s how that story came about.  I then wore a flak-jacket, which is kind of normal for quarterbacks now.  I was the guinea pig on that, which became a standard part of quarterback’s uniform today.

CP: WHAT WAS YOUR BEST GAME IN THE NFL, AND WHY?  

DP: I guess it would be the playoffs in 1978 in Houston.  It was the first time we made the play-offs.  We’d gone through some pretty treacherous seasons, going 1-13 two years in a row.  We went to the championship game in 1978 and ‘79, but unfortunately we lost both times.  But we played well.  I’d have to say ’78 was the best one.

CP: AFTER RETIRING FROM THE NFL, YOU WENT BOAT DRAG RACING. HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED IN THAT?

DP: I was racing boats during my football career, in 1975 and ‘76.  I had purchased a ski and lake boat and the manufacturer had a drag boat.  I told him that I’d really like to drive one of those, and he invited me to race it.  It took off from there.  We then branched-off and built our own operation, building the Quarterback Sneak boat.  That boat went out and broke four world records in Blown Jet.

CP:  WHAT WAS YOUR BEST ET AND SPEED IN THE BOAT?

DP: 8.26 seconds.  We were the first boat to break the 9-second barrier in the class.  Our best speed was around 139 MPH.

CP:  WHAT HAS YOUR LIFE BEEN LIKE SINCE LEAVING PROFESSIONAL SPORTS?

DP:  I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs.  I wrote a book last year called Taking Flak. I’ve had a lot of family problems, financial problems and a drinking problem.  I was battling with Al Davis.  I went through a lot of tough times.  I was not able to stay in drag racing, and I had to go work for a software company for a while.  I worked in turbine mill technology for a while.  It was a long, hard battle trying to make ends meet.  Nobody cares about guys that don’t play football any more so you’re out there in the world trying to get a job and make a living.  But it’s dovetailed into what I’m doing now.  I’m doing PR work for different companies, including Insperity and TEXPO/YEP Energy.  

I also started a spice company, Dan Pastorini’s Quality Foods.  These have kept me busy the past couple of years.  I’m also doing a book tour right now.  The book came out in November 2011 and is doing well.  I’m very proud of it.  I co-wrote it with John Lopez.  He did a really good job.  It takes people through the whirlwind of my life, about the duality of having a personal life and being a celebrity at the same time.  There is quite a contrast!

CP:  WILL WE SEE YOU AT ANY OF THE NHRA EVENTS ANYTIME SOON?

DP:  We went to the Houston race a few Weeks ago for Sunday eliminations.  It was great seeing some friends again, Lee Beard, Cruz.  All those guys.  It’s the same old faces; they just seem to move around to different pits.  It was fun to see those guys still out there doing it.  I wish I was still there.

I’m working with a friend of mine, Tommy O’Brian, who used to be the crew chief for my Lamborghini race team.  Tommy and his dad were around drag racing for many, many years.   Tommy is a world record holder in jet cars and he’s putting a fuel altered together.  He asked me if I’d drive it.  I told him “Sure, as long as it’s not going to cost me any money!”  He’s got it pretty much put together, and is planning to take it out to the local races here in Texas.  Maybe the March Meet.

CP:  Thanks for your time, Dan.  We wish you the best.

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