Daytona Beach, Fla. — If you thought the 2009 edition of the Bud Shootout was wild, you should have seen it through my binoculars!

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Spotting at Daytona is pretty crazy. There is a lot going on at the same time and you have to be really focused on not only giving your driver the information he needs to maneuver through traffic, but keeping tabs on what everyone else around him is doing and which lanes are moving the best. And, add to that the fact that there is a huge prize and nothing at stake with the point standings and you’ve got yourself a recipe for insanity.

This was my first race back as Matt Kenseth’s spotter—it was like I had never left. I believe he had the confidence in me that I had before and, for me, it was like business as usual. That’s the great part of having a good relationship with the driver.

Let me break down the spotting process in literal terms.

What I see on the racetrack goes through my eyes and into my brain. I then process that information, push a button with my thumb and relay that information to Matt in the most clear and concise manner that I can. That’s my part.

Then, the information goes into Matt’s ears, gets processed in his brain and he reacts with his hands and feet. Think about all that for a moment and picture, if you will, what happens during the Big One. There are cars scattering and smoke bellowing—and little room for error. That’s a bunch of stuff happening in a hurry!

I can’t speak for the other spotters but I can tell you that during a restrictor-plate race I sometimes have to remind myself to breathe. It’s not to the point where I am going to pass out or anything, but I do find myself holding my breath so that I can keep focus on the tasks at hand. By the end of the race I am pretty worn out and usually glad it’s over!

While the DeWalt team really wanted to get a win, we are happy that our Roush-Fenway Racing teammate, Jamie McMurray was able to fly the Ford colors with an impressive second-place finish. The RFR cars are pretty sporty in the draft, so we’ll all work together in the Duals and the 500 to make sure we get a Ford in victory lane!

I’ll be back next week with a follow-up from Daytona!

Mike

For more information about Mike visit www.mikecalinoff.com