Greenwell is pretty green on this circuit
Mike Greenwell says he experienced a bit of deja vu earlier this month when NASCAR officials approved his application for a license to compete in the Craftsman Truck Series.
The former Red Sox outfielder has shifted gears in pursuit of a career as a professional racecar driver, and Greenwell says starting out in racing feels much the same way it did when he started out in baseball.
''The sports [of racing and baseball] are more similar than I think people would realize," said Greenwell, a six-year veteran of late model racing in Florida who will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut May 27 in the UAW-GM 250 at Mansfield, Ohio. ''It takes a team to win. One person can make a mistake and you can lose because of that. Racing is probably a little bit tougher only because of the fact that you have mechanical failures that you can't control.
''Beyond that, they're very similar; it takes a team, it takes a commitment, it takes drive."
And, as Greenwell is well aware, it also takes sponsorship dollars. With none to speak of yet, Greenwell, 42, has been busy trying to drum up financial support for his fledgling truck racing effort. He's even approached Fenway Sports Group, the new sports marketing arm of his old ball club, in the hopes of cultivating a few leads.
''So many of the sponsorship people look toward the young drivers," Greenwell said. ''But I think we have something different to bring to the game, as they say. We have an ex-professional athlete that had some success playing major league baseball, and so it's unique. We have something unique to offer the sponsors. As far as I'm concerned it's a win-win."
Or, as it would be in Greenwell's case, a home run.
If he were to make that quantum leap from major league baseball to big-time racing, Greenwell would certainly be the first to blaze that trail. Former NFL coach Jerry Glanville tried his hand at racing, starting out in the Craftsman Truck Series, but he seemed to crash more times than he finished races, which probably hastened his exit from the sport.
''I didn't retire from baseball and go race 20 late model races and then try to come and race against professional drivers," said Greenwell, who built up a nice little résumé after winning 37 late model races, including the 2000 Speedweeks Championship at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway. ''I went out and ran for years and that's probably the thing that adds a little credibility to what I'm trying to do here."
Greenwell's plan, for now, is to drive a yet-to-be-sponsored Chevrolet Silverado owned by Bobby Dotter, beginning at Mansfield May 27. ''I told Bobby that me doing these three races is not going to be a matter of whether we have sponsorship or not; I'm doing 'em," Greenwell said.
If all goes well, and he gets NASCAR's approval to continue, Greenwell will race in the O'Reilly 200 at Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park. He'll then compete in the Sylvania 200 Sept. 16 at New Hampshire International Speedway in Loudon, N.H. ''I'm really excited about that last one up there," said Greenwell, who will be anticipating a warm NHIS reception not unlike those to which he was accustomed at Fenway Park.
Asked if racing satiated his appetite for competition the way baseball did, Greenwell said, ''I think it kind of bridged the gap. When so many athletes are done playing, they really don't know what to do. I had always been involved in racing even when I was playing, I owned some cars. We ran some Busch North stuff a few times up there in Loudon, met the Bahre family, and ran late models that different people drove for me even while I was playing. It was something I always knew I wanted to do, but I didn't know if I wanted to be involved in ownership or actually drive.
''As soon as I got done playing, I made that decision to drive instead."
With the guidance and support of good buddy Todd Bodine, third in the Craftsman Truck Series points, Greenwell's goal is to prove he isn't just some stick-and-baller looking for a few laughs. He wants to be able to stick in this sport. ''I think my ultimate goal would be just to be able to run full time," he said. ''I think that's a reasonable goal; to be able to run full time, whether it's in the NASCAR Craftsman Trucks, Busch Series, or the Nextel Cup."
And while it will take some adjustment getting used to manhandling the snarling, 3,400-pound, 750-horsepower beasts in the Truck Series, Greenwell expects to take the same methodical approach he did with his hitting in baseball. ''To drive that truck is no different to me than getting up and facing a guy like Randy Johnson," Greenwell said. ''It's me against him and I've got to go out and perform. I feel the same way about driving. It's in my hands now."
''It's going to be a lot of fun to be behind the wheel of that car, and sort of see the reaction it gets from the other drivers on the racetrack," said Earnhardt, noting the chilling effect his father's black No. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet had when it prowled in the rearview mirrors of other drivers. ''Hopefully, I can get a little more help on the draft that we've been getting in the last couple of races on the [carburetor-restrictor] plate tracks."
Earnhardt was the lone voice of reason when several drivers raised concerns -- some exaggerated: see Tony Stewart -- about bump-draft tactics at Daytona that more resembled a slam-draft. NASCAR, as a result, warned it would be policing for such maneuvers at Daytona and have added soft bumpers for today's race at Talladega.
''From what I feel, a lot of guys are real timid to use the bumpers right now," Junior said. ''They're still usable, you just got to be careful and be easy while you're doing it. I used mine a little bit. If you draft easy and bump-draft easy, it's really, really effective and you can do it without harming the nose of the car."
Material from personal interviews, sanctioning bodies, race teams, sponsors, and track publicity departments was used in the preparation of this report. 
