This was to have been a glorious opening
to a new NASCAR season It's not I'm tired of losing my friends and my
friends getting hurt, I don't know about you guys We wanted to get '93 behind us
because of the tragedy we saw in '93 Let's get to '94 get a fresh start and we don't even get started and already another tragedy. I hope you got a lot of...
a lot of consideration for other competitors Instead of a lot of balls and
no brains. For the first time they'll be following a rookie stripe to the green flag in the Daytona 500 These cars just don't drive down the straightaways and
flip upside-down by themself They just don't spin out by themself They just don't go flying through the grass by themselves That <deleted> happens because we hit people. We run into each other Hoosier Tire has once again thrown its hat into the ring And it's given
them another choice to decide whether to go with Hoosier or a Goodyear The hardest part, no one wants to figure out... If there's a problem, what the problem is. And then figure out what you can do to solve it Please respect each other. We
can do that. There's no problem with that We had a reality check this week, you
know, with a couple guys It's the first race here we gotta use our heads It's a bad deal Can't nobody change it I think everybody's got more concern for this race than they've had in a long time And I think I even go out on a limb and say that I think every damn body in this room is running
a little bit scared So use your damn heads please! 1993 was a terrible season for NASCAR The deaths of Alan Kulwicki and Davey Allison made it one of the most painful in decades 1994 was met with optimism It was a chance to put sadness behind
everyone And begin again with the new year Several drivers were beginning their
first full season with new teams Ernie Irvan was now at Robert Yates Sterling Marlin was driving for Morgan-McClure Terry Labonte was now at Hendrick
Motorsports. And all three were expected to contend for the Daytona 500 victory Richard Petty's number 43 was back on track for the first time since 1992 With Wally Dallenbach as the driver Ricky Rudd and Geoff Bodine were both
beginning their first full year as owner-drivers And Neil Bonnett was returning
from serious injuries suffered in 1990 Watch again in slow motion and you can
trace Bonnett's path through the crash with other cars all around him, his Wood
Brothers Ford is unable to move from a course that takes him into Sterling
Marlin as his number 94 Oldsmobile careens off the wall. The impact knocks
Bonnett unconscious Later in the day while undergoing tests at a local hospital Neil begins suffering from amnesia In
the early part of the week, Neil suffered from a total loss of memory, unable to recognize even his wife. now amnesia is a condition that can clear up in a short
period of time or it may never clear up No one really knows Neil recovered and entered a career in television working for CBS, TNN, and TBS He also did film work. "Two things I hate are Mondays and rookies" And he hosted a weekly television show called "Winners" I'm Neil Bonnett and for
all you fans who tuned in to watch me win yet another race.
Hey, I don't do that anymore After testing for his good friend Dale
Earnhardt, Bonnett made his comeback at Talladega in 1993 Neil was uninjured in a violent flip and returned to the broadcast booth to call the rest of the race And Neil Bonnett
has swapped the race seat for seat up here again boy am I glad to see you
again I tell you what I want to make sure nobody gave my job for you up here
in October 1993 Neal accepted a deal with James Finch to run a sixth race
Winston Cup scheduled in 1994 Dale Earnhardt's Busch Series crew would
build and service the cars led by crew chief Tony Eury senior despite lingering
concerns for his injury Neal was excited to challenge for the Daytona 500 in what
would be his 16th try 1994 also saw the return of a second
tire manufacturer to wincing hub after leaving the Cup Series in 1989 Hoosier
had developed a new tire and was prepared to challenge Goodyear Darrell
Waltrip used Hoosiers to win the 89 Daytona 500 and returned to the brand in
94 Jeff bodean Harry Gant and Rick mast were some of the 23 teams that enter
Daytona with the alternative rubber a tire war was brewing and a winner
testing Hoosiers appeared to be slightly faster to him safety entering the 94
season NASCAR mandated the use of roof flaps on all cars the device was meant
to keep cars from flying during an accident after 10 cars at airborne
crashes in 93 the device was badly needed and of course the focus was on
Dale Earnhardt's who after winning his sixth championship at 1993 was only one
title away from tying Richard Petty for the most all time he began the years see
his first Daytona 500 win in his 16th try with 69 cars attempting to qualify
the 1994 Daytona 500 had a long list of storylines that would make it one of the
most dramatic in history the NASCAR portion of speed weeks 94 began on
Thursday at the Golf Club across the street from the Speedway 13 drivers
through starting spots for the Busch clash
attack that afternoon qualifying for the ARCA race was marred by a vicious crash and afar lost control in turn 4 and hit
the wall head-on the tremendous impact broke the concrete wall and all
remaining track activity was cancelled for the day Farah was hospitalized with
a broken sternum and a bruised heart qualifying for ARCA concluded on Friday
morning with Loy Allen winning the poll the 27 year old was also enter the NATO
to 504 Tristar motorsports and had been fast and testing as first practice was
about to begin Neil Bonnett was asked if memories of
his Talladega crash were on his mind get into something but I'll tell you what if
the car runs right we'll be a good shape down here that the Talladega deal just
was a freak thing and that's not gonna happen that often first practice for the Daytona 500 began
at noon early in the session Rick mast lost a driveshaft sterling marlin was
thought to have been leaking oil the session was stopped to check the surface
before restarting Speedweeks got off to a sad start this year the loss of Neil
Bonnett in a practice accident here on Friday afternoon
bobby was unbelievable we wanted to get 93 behind us because of the tragedy we
saw in 93 let's get to 94 get a fresh start and we don't even get started and
already another tragedy after an investigation that afternoon
NASCAR stated the cause of the accident was driver error Neal's outraged
competitors insisted bonnet was too experienced for the wreck to be his
fault NASCAR retracted their statement and
bought its wreck when unexplained in a practice day marred by tragedy
Ernie Irvan was fastest followed by rookie boy ESPN welcomes you live to Daytona
International Speedway for qualifications on this bush pole day for
the first time in five years the NASCAR Winston Cup teams have another variable
added to their already crowded equation whose your tire has once again thrown
its hat into the ring and it's given them another choice to decide whether to
go with Hoosier or a good year now last month in winter testing here at Daytona
the Hoosier teams were consistently faster than most of the teams on
Goodyear's so with a third of the field on Hoosiers today the next 90 minutes
will settle the first battle of tire Wars 94 never cease a time to beat
189 901 he did it he's on the pole at least for the moment Malloy Allen a
rookie contender on the Winston Cup circuit issue you're on the pole for
Sunday's ARCA race in this morning you had a really fast car how do you feel
about your chances in qualifying today I think yesterday's run we learned a lot
from running the ARCA car and I think it just gave the team a lot of confidence
going into today's run we ran Sun this morning the car seemed to be doing well
and we're hoping to just be able to make the race and see how things turn out
today see what it is out of turn 4 187 8 as the fastest they're one 89.3 he's
going to do it he seems to be picking up speed every turn of the wheel this new
189 nine one ninety point one five eight the first driver in the 190s today and
at the moment Loy Allen a rookie has the pole position for the running of the 500
Earnhardt can he do it here he comes down to the line checkered flag waves
and Earnhardt did not do it although he did get into the 1
my name range one ninety point zero it is Roy Allen jr. who has captured the
pole position for this year's running of the Daytona 500 this is the kind of race our friend Neil
loved best take the fastest qualifiers of the whole season give him their
starting spots out of a hat line him up drop the flag and let's go this race is
a little different they'll run ten green flag laps cautions won't count then
throw a halftime yellow flag the cars can come to pit road and be serviced and
the leader at halftime gets a check for $25,000 they will invert the field
driver who is last at half time will restart first the guy with a $25 check
goes all the way to the back and they'll run another ten green flag laps first
guy to the checkered flag gets another $45,000 and the glory that goes with it
thanks Carly Sam and we're ready to go racing to victim on the break later get to the choppa but our locally
is to the inside Mark Martin comes well with him for the sixth time would become champion back $45,000 at stake Vanda watchin this
number career in art I would say there's earn our oil from the outside
Jeff Gordon in the most voters number 24 coming Jeff but I made some major
repairs on his car during the thaw balloon Jeff Gordon imprinted on get
together together back in here at the bank on
we're not going for second Bernhardt Glee inside he pulled down to the inside gun you want to pick something
3y to the bank right away Gordon makes the pass good move down the
trek for the final time Jeff Gordon in progress what is gonna make a shot short Jeff Gordon a Rick Hendrick let's take a look now at the starting
lineup for today's race on the pole as he will be for the Daytona 500 Loy Allen
qualifying at 190 point two one nine alongside Tim Fedewa in car number 55
this is Jeff Purvis car the James Fitch owns both this car and also on the 51
car driving on Friday when he crashed
so they took the in-car camera plaque out of Neos car and put in side of Jeff
Purvis car 43 ARCA cars are set for the green flag
it is waving here we go here comes purpose on the inside coming
off turn two three abreast trying to take the lead flow Yellin and does it
well and we have a spin it is foreshadow believe yep no the car clips event on
the inside another car spins down the backstretch
some of the crews do whatever they can adjust well they'll have an opportunity
test coffee we car a couple of cars involved in what
appears to be a major incident here the number 64 machine Michael Dokken is
involved it is it is no sparks on 666 it is Mark Thompson and the safety crews
are right there and of course our prayers are going to be with my Mark
Thompson as he is loaded on to the oh you can see the hand movement from mark
so that is very good news in fact yeah holding is on yeah that is a very very
good sign crash under caution and turn for what in
the world is going on tell us is involved Steele is involved boy
elementary Nia involved something happened to that car it just oh yeah
yeah shot up into the wall back down across collects Tim steel then torini
goes up hits the wall here they come off of the banking off turn number four on
to the tri-oval Tim steel looking to the inside now the outside trying everything
he can to take the win from mike wallace but he can't do it what overshadowed by Loy Allen success 17
other rookies attempted to make their first Daytona 500
Jeff Burton Ward Burton Joe Nemechek and Steve Grissom all moved up from the
Busch Series Indy car drivers John Andretti and Scott Brayton were both
entered and so was 1993 NASCAR goodies - Series champion Rodney or Rodney ores
paths to the Daytona 500 was different than most he was a champion motocross
racer who won events at Daytona International Speedway on two wheels he
came to NASCAR in 1991 looking to avoid the injuries that came with motorcycle
racing to help Rodney the residents of his Robbinsville North Carolina hometown
collected donations for him in a local gas station to help with his racing
expenses he became a hero in the small town of about 700 who or won the 1993 -
Series championship decided to run a part time Winston Cup schedule in 1994
driving an old Davey Allison car with an Ernie Elliott engine he attracted a lot
of attention by posting the seventh fastest speed in winter testing or made
his first practice laps late Sunday the car handled much worse than it did in
testing in a windy nine a.m. practice session on Monday morning the second
fatality and four days occurred you Rodney or lost control and crashed hard
on the tracks second turn the track was clear and dry conditions were good
witnesses say his Ford Thunderbird flipped at a high speed and the driver's
side roof hit the wall or was pronounced dead upon
arrival at hospital an independent investigation headed by the Orlando
Sentinel found ors crash was caused by a broken right rear shock mount with a
loose shock absorber the rear of ors car became unstable it was speculated the
same thing caused bonnets crash it was the first time since 1956 that two
NASCAR drivers died in the same event competitors were stunned that I guess
you kind of get lured into a false sense of eylandt you can't get hurting these
things but they're still going very fast and no matter how hard you try to
put protection in these cars are still they can be dangerous in the wrong
situation and I guess that's unfortunate we've had we found that out this week
there's no easy answers to anything in life and I think people would like
especially when it hurt as bad as hurting right now we might say oh okay
here's a simple answer to a problem unfortunately not a simple answer right
now because we've got two unique problems and we're trying to figure the
hardest part don't forget if there's a problem what the problem is and then
figure out what you can do to solve it Neil's calling it the wall just right
Rodney wars car hit the wall to try it's a bad deal
I can't nobody change it after the two deaths veteran Jimmy means withdrew from
the race announces a median retirement from driving both bonded and/or were
using Hoosier tires with no immediate explanations from the accidents some
question Hoosier safety just one year earlier Hoosier was forced to withdraw
for the Busch Series race at Daytona could they be the cause of the accidents
drivers and the brand defended the tires to calm concerns whose president Bob
Newton released all drivers from their tire contracts very few teams switched a
good year before the twin 125s I'm tired of losing my friends and my
friends getting hurt I don't know about you guys I hope you
got a lot of a lot of consideration for other competitors and sell a lot of
balls and no brains we don't need that in this sport I've been upside down here
at Daytona I've been upside down at Talladega and let me tell you it hurts
okay these cars just don't drive down the
straightaways and flip upside-down by themself they just don't spin out by
themself they just don't go flying through the grass by yourself that
happens because we hit people we run into each other I'm just as guilty as
anybody else I'm trying to change Earnhardt Ernie myself Kenny all of us
we've all done it we're trying to get to stop use your
head if the car does not handle it's not
gonna fix itself make the pit stop and work on it please respect each other we
can do that there's no problem with that anybody got anything else aside just
he's right we just 18-foot car won't put a nine foot holder ain't no way to put
it in there without cause the elbe medicine we just
we had a reality check this week you know with a couple guys and we just got
it's the first race here we got to use from him
I think everybody's got more concern for this race than I've had in a long time
and I think I even go out to limb and say that I think every damn body in this
room is running a little bit scared and I will tell you my wife is running damn
scared and I think the rest of your wives and families are too so use your
damn heads please first freshman to ever sit on the pole
gets them under way under green holds out in front here comes Ernie Irvan up
on the outside around Loy Allen as they come through turn 4 for the first time whoa are out of control that is Richie
petty trying to get it back just misses the
wall and slides back into the grass in trouble on pit road is JEP would I third
tire change of this race for Jeff bodean and the wear looks pretty even but but I
who had already gone to the tail of the field made a chassis adjustment and gone
back out is fitting his third set of tires in this brief event well there's a
spin over off her tunic problem with car number 47 that stand bridge loosen here
come the leaders trying to get through and they make it I was out around the track the second
group of cars just cut in here's this Lantern here on the front straightaway breaking away getting into the wet car
number 74 that's the car fatigue Stanford spinning car here's stop right
in the middle of the racetrack Ernie Irvan had to go high because a lap car
went down low they come back to the line it's Ernie Irvan from first
pace car is in Sterling Marlin up there on the outside of that number four new
colors for him looking to change his luck after all those bridesmaid rolls
darrell waltrip starting from the third spot Walsh upon those who's yours there's a
good trouble we can trouble going in the first burn
several cars number 90 Vani hilum's car badly
battered the 95 of Jeremy Mayfield rec Ward Burton comes up buddy baker his
crash iron out there I think what caused all that Dale
Jarrett's car didn't take off and they were scrambling trying to move are still not up speaking his seven
125-mile qualifying victory fifth in a row
Marlon trying to take it away as they come down off the corner
here comes thoroughly Marlon to the inside down to the line it's going to be
Earnhardt I thank you Lord for a good safe day
even though it was a little rainy at first but everybody got through both
these races and and no but nobody got hurt so you know it's been a little
controversy about what's been going on with the tires and everything so maybe
everybody got everything sorted out today and we go in at 500 and race hard
and everybody be happy sometimes after the qualifying races ended every team on
who's your tire is switched to Goodyear paraphrases were held on Friday in the
goodies - 200 Dave Stacey stole the headlines when he flipped into Lake
Lloyd on lap 33 banquet separating the infield from Lake Lloyd and goes plop
into Lake Lloyd Mike Swain won the event driving a car Rodney or was supposed to
race Robert Hoffman finished second well the best of sport has to offer ready to
race in the International Race of Champions now Mark Martin makes his move
to the inside al unser jr. is down there to help Earnhardt is on the high side
all alone wasn't there quite fast enough to help with Mark Martin he could have
gone side of second place but they're going to try to leave mark I squeezed
back in they were going to try to leave him out by himself didn't work
ernhardt with alumns or jr. making a move to the inside now but earn our new
ease is it all the way down on the apron bernard pectin but we all know what has happened over
in the Winston Cup garage all the Hoosier teams have switched over to
Goodyear for the Daytona 500 and some of the Goodyear drivers in the Busch Series
expressed some concern about the Hoosier drivers that they may have the same
problem in today's race but we don't expect it to happen that's because this
tire is somewhat differently constructed than the Hoosiers Winston Cup tire it's
also a softer compound first three all we have a spin up and turn number two
someone else against the wall car becomes another cars fun and others
hit the brakes and slide to a stop they're still crashing our leader is
coming in this time off the Waltrip in a father and brought down pit road Bernard
and hole where there's a spin meanwhile here we've got white flag
point left to go the Bonnie takes it and Earnhardt
consecutive goodies 300 he's in second place at the moment
behind terry labonte here they come before Hart is going to make
you'll have to do it soon he goes to the inside now he looks to the outside he
cannot make a move as Wahhabi will not let the to the inside of Terry and he's gonna
pass him and Dale Earnhardt is going to do it
he's going to win his fifth consecutive goodies 500 there's the checkered flag
Earnhardt has what again his old race car keeps doing it Tony uriens fini
Clinton and all the boys that we've done the engine and chassis stuff they just
did a super job and I gotta hand it to Robert G hips with the body son this
winter and they helped out the car tremendously and Neil Bonnett helped us
ingest and you know he was with us all day long and in the race and our hearts
and you mentioned the fact that other thoughts were with Neil Bonnett and of
course here you've got a couple of guardian angels now looking down Neil
bottom above your dad Ralph Earnhardt could this be the year could this be the
omen you came from nowhere to win this for the day I don't know you looks with
you looks with you know the folks you know we're due to our hearts or we've
lost and are there and maybe they're helping us out and I know they're I know
we pulling for them the families and you know it's just it's just a emotional
thing and you just you know you don't think about it much but you you know
they're there they're waging their hearts heading into the 501 name was by
far the favorite I don't think anyone would be too upset um Dale Earnhardt
the law of averages tells me there five hundred well I think during are
finally going to waiting if he doesn't Ernie Irvan I'm going to go with
Earnhardt it's almost unanimous you know Leal there we're gonna take him
along in our hearts remember him well and the folks that's really helped us
all these years and maybe it all come together today it's just been I think
been a big week for us that we can do it today well I have it can a first for
victory tinged with a lot of sadness today here at Daytona I'm dropping the flag on the great
American race with Jeff for you
Sterling Marlin at number four there's food on car number 75 here on Thursday find out if it Ricky
but he's going to leave the lamp double it up Earnhardt's to take it right
boy Alan's not having I think he's doing got trouble and turn more picture
incident in time or eight cars collected Hut Stricklin a
Senate trial petting involved Robert Pressley was involved in and Terry
campus involved in E and Rusty Wallace is up against the wall his car is
demolished up there for Rusty Wallace who made that impassioned speech with
the drivers for first place seventy-five and for I hung out affects his vote side just food runaround
that he's got he's on the polluter that go down down on the inside Jeff Gordon
up on the outside and you see they touch right there and it's ins todd bodine
spinning the wrong way see other cars coming for Emmys Fincher they're in the
car number 27 gets hit their prep load on coming in
nowhere to go there's Ted Musgrave in the car number 16 Michael Walters
spinning around in the yellow number 30 back into contention down to the inside
turning challenge again totally battling for first and Ernie Irvan 1991 Daytona
500 man is back in first this is the reason why Sterling Marlin thinks his
nine second-place finishes can turn into a win this year this team led by Tim
Morgan under McClure brothers an abandoned late and last season is now
Marlins ride I don't think there'll be any question what Hill we're in this
year it is really party that's the vaccine the seventh position I
thought he had a flat tire there but he's still staying out
running but he is really finding out if he was on a half a mile track as to why
Dale Earnhardt ernhardt like riding around in the pit
they are so close on gas they know they can make like one sterling Marling it is totally wild in the lead down to
the inside comes the 28 cop into let's go with it
every team is coming off congratulate Sterling Marlin they're lined up along
pit road and each team is coming out to shake his hand Sterling Marlin after a
brilliant day here in the 500 wins it well I knew favor got with a good race
team and I tease boys worked awful hard all winter and we come down here to win
it and I knew when I left house was gonna win the race and what looking to
get early but they don't have a job get the car adjusted and and I love them
thank oh they'll call Remy everybody I live can you believe you're here now I'm
not ready my famous circle after 279 races Sterling Marlin got to Victory
Lane 18 years after making his Cup debut marlin broke the record for most starts
before his first win 1994 remains the last time that over 65 cars attempted to
qualify for the Daytona 500 and after a grueling 11 days in Florida almost all
of them were glad to move on from the toughest speed weeks this is Brok beard narrator from the
video you just listen to I just want to first off thank NASCAR man for inviting
me to narrate his video here he does excellent work on a youtube here at his
channel as well as his articles on racing-reference dot info Speedweeks 94
just on a personal note it was you know a tremendous moment that I can remember
just like it was yesterday I remember growing up watching Neil
Bonnett show winners and I actually didn't know about his driving career
until his attempted return in the country time car there and you know
tragically it went the way it did and you know to lose Rodney or at the same
time I mean this is a competitor that you know I hadn't really heard that much
about back then and you know I believe a lot of others haven't either
you know these the the tragedy of losing both longtime veteran that had been you
know such a successful you know successful broadcaster as well as
successful competitor somebody attempting to return back to the series
as well as the lose a you know a young upstart that was working his way through
the ranks you know it was was just beyond imagination certainly brings
memories of for example what it what happened at Imola and for Formula One
later on that year losing Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna you know
sometimes these things happen and in motorsports but then when you know when
you you have a confluence of just a couple of things a couple of fatalities
in such a short order it really makes you re-evaluate some things that are
happening in the sport you know and as you've heard from the video I mean this
was at a time where you had a lot of different team changes and the sport was
really growing by leaps and bounds and you had this transition between you know
the the the the old guard and and the the newcomers coming in and you had a
lot of new money coming in that was giving you really huge entry lists like
this you know this was a time where a lot of these big-name teams were being
sent home regularly I mean Harry Gant doing his final season that year he
missed a number of I know he missed at least one race that
year at Martinsville just even though during his retirement
season there was no guarantee for anybody and Petty Enterprises had a lot
of struggles with qualifying for races this year that year as well as Loy Allen
after his pole at Daytona that season you know this was a time you know in the
sport where you know safety issues were certainly you know certainly central
with the roof flaps coming in and it didn't really seem to play a role as far
as the investigations at least that I've heard into both or and bonnets accidents
the at least what the independent investigation was able to turn up but
you know these were you know these were very very different times but also you
know instrumental in leading the sports where it is today you know and and that
was just it was it was interesting you know remembering that time period and
remembering what happened and you know you on top of this it's easy to forget
this is also the same year that Ernie Irvan had his terrible injury at
Michigan and you know that that had ultimately curtailed his career I even
have to his return so you know again I want to thank thank NASCAR man for for
allowing me to participate in this project and the kind of remember a part
of history that you know perhaps isn't isn't recalled you know as often as
other moments in sports history but it's it's no less critical you know that we
that we lose these different competitors along the way and it's important to
understand the lessons to be learned from it as well as the moments that led
up to it and hopes that events such as speed weeks 94 never knew happen again
so again I want to thank everybody for for listening definitely check out other
of NASCAR man's projects both his videos here on youtube as well as his articles
on racing reference if you're interested in any of my stuff as well definitely
check out my website last card info as well as my book JD the life and death of
a forgotten nascar legends which is a biography on the late JD McDuffie
another tragic weekend in the sports history back in August of 91 and like
this video it's also puts it in greater context and really helps you understand
the history of the sport from that time period as well so if you're interested
in that definitely appreciate it you can also check out my patreon at patreon.com
slash last car on rock we got some bonus content on there and other than that
thank you for tuning in and stay tuned for more content
Did you catch around the 14:00 minute mark Benny Parsons says, “took that camera out of Neil’s car and put it in this car” did nascar have in car camera footage of Neil’s wreck?
I was there for most of Speedweeks. Granted, my perspective was from a 12-year-old kid's eyes, but I was deep into the sport at that point. Rodney's wreck was a surprise. At that point, it wasn't my first on-track death, as I'd watched J.D. McDuffie perish live on tv in '91. As a fan of his show, Winners, I was excited to see Neil return to the track, and his car looked great. I still have my 1:64 die cast from Country Time. I was excited about the new teams and Hoosier's return. Rusty might've been a champion, but his voice didn't carry that much weight. He was known at the time for being the whiniest driver of the era. In hindsight, his speech in the garage seemed more like a photo op than a leader among ranks shaking sense into the room. I sat behind Dale's pit box for the Goody's 300. I was given a victory lane pass for the Busch race. I stood near Dale in victory lane. He was all smiles. Theresa was there, and Taylor was climbing all over everything. Come Sunday, I would not say the mood at Speedweeks was somber. It had that same season-opening excitement as every Daytona 500. Sunday was even more exciting with Sterling's first win. Everyone was on their feet for the last ten laps jumping and rooting for the #4. It was a tragic Speedweeks, for sure, but there was no great shadow hanging over everyone's head.