The Toughest Daytona 500: Speedweeks 1994

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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?

👍︎︎ 4 👤︎︎ u/AllupNeerYa 📅︎︎ Feb 15 2019 🗫︎ replies

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.

👍︎︎ 3 👤︎︎ u/SundayShelter 📅︎︎ Feb 15 2019 🗫︎ replies
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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
Info
Channel: nascarman History
Views: 643,941
Rating: 4.8873811 out of 5
Keywords: nascar, daytona 500, documentary
Id: BPEiSJR64-s
Channel Id: undefined
Length: 38min 33sec (2313 seconds)
Published: Mon Feb 11 2019
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