Green has down-to-earth approach after Daytona flip

Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2000 | 10:45 a.m.

During his 10-year career as a driver in both the NASCAR Winston Cup and Busch Series, Jeff Green has seen numerous cars get upside down at Daytona International Speedway and he always wondered what went through a driver's mind in that situation.

Last weekend, Green learned firsthand what it's like when he went wheels-up in his Nestle NesQuik Chevrolet during the Busch Series NAPA Auto Parts 300.

"I always wondered what that felt like, going through the air, but I didn't really want to try it," Green said Monday night during a promotional visit to Sam's Town hotel-casino.

"Now I've got that out of my system, I guess."

Green accepted responsibility for the accident, which also took out Mike Skinner and ended his day after only 13 laps.

"We had a great car, the driver just made a stupid mistake -- hopefully that's the only one I make all year," Green said. "I just tried to put my car in a hole that wasn't there. I thought I had it, and I didn't."

After making contact with Skinner, Green's car rolled over on its roof before landing right side up in the infield grass near the start/finish line.

The 37-year-old Owensboro, Ky., native said he had only one thought as he was sliding through the tri-oval on his roof.

"When that thing took off, I was just worried about (other cars) hitting me when I came back down," he said. "I was fifth or sixth there in line and the whole field bearing down on you ... I was very lucky that I didn't get hit."

Green's wild ride was captured by CBS Sports' in-car camera, giving his sponsor some valuable exposure on national television and in newspapers throughout the country.

"(Nestle) got a lot of exposure on TV and in the papers, but it's not the way we want to do it -- we want to give it to them in victory lane," Green said.

Green, who won the inaugural Busch Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1997, said he is looking forward to returning to Las Vegas for the March 4 Sam's Town 300.

"We won here in '97 and we really ran good here last year but we ran out of gas on a green-flag stop, so that dropped us back a little bit," he said of his eighth-place finish last March. "I think we had a shot at winning this race last year ... and I feel I've got a good opportunity (to win) this year."

* IRL TEST: Monday's rainstorm forced the cancellation of the first day of the Indy Racing League's "Test in the West" at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The 23 IRL drivers were scheduled to take to the 1.5-mile superspeedway today, weather permitting, for the final day of the test.

The second leg of the "Test in the West" will take place Friday and Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway. Teams are preparing for the MCI WorldCom Indy 200 on March 19 at PIR and the Las Vegas 500 on April 22 at LVMS.