Simo, founder of the No Fear sportswear company, jumped at the chance when the Craftsman Truck series debuted in 1995 and encouraged Said to join him. Instead, Said helped manage Simo's end of the partnership with Winston Cup star Irvan, competed in road races and worked for No Fear. He drove their truck in three races in 1996, then took over full-time this year. Trucks weigh more than Said's SCCA or IMSA Mustangs and have less grip on the tires, but they also have more horsepower. Some of the basics in the two forms of racing are the same, however.
Instincts always are important.
It's always a balancing act. You're trying to drive the thing on the edge of disaster. If you go 1 mph more you're going to spin out or drive straight off the road. It's a feeling in your butt that I can drive this thing right on the edge. Said won't ever shake his love of road racing, but he is determined to make a name for himself in the Craftsman Truck series.