24 Irrelevant Questions: John Bedell

Magnus Racing Crew Chief John Bedell is one of the most recognizable faces on the team. In fact, you can't miss him. He's a big dude. But don't let his size fool you, he's a giant teddy bear... if you're on his good side. Don't get us started if you're on his bad side. Born and raised in Long Island (to be pronounced "lawnggguyisland"), John is another of the Magnus originals. He and Team Owner John Potter actually first worked together back in 2008 for another team, and when Potter decided to form his own team in November of 2009, Bedell was one of the first to be called. John B. and his wife, Lorie (our Hospitality Director) have since become one of the biggest parts of the team's day-to-day operations, managing everything from the cars, to most of the crew, and just about everything else that puts the car on track. A veteran of the sportscar scene, John celebrated many career highlights in 2012, including kissing the bricks and taking his first ever win at The Rolex 24 as a Crew Chief.

As the team continues its pre-season preparation for next January's 51st Running of The Rolex 24 at Daytona, here's our next installment of getting to know one of our team members, it you consider this "getting to know."

While of course our interviews are meant to be fun and light hearted, we also would like to wish the best for the Bedell family and many other Long Island residents during what has been a rough few weeks.

1. YOU LIVE ON LONG ISLAND. DO YOU KNOW SNOOKI?
Yes I live on Long Island, No I don't know the New Jersey Snooki. I do, however, know the Long Island Snooki, AKA Jbreggs (Magnus Hospitality worker Jessic Bregy. If you know her you'll understand).

2. SPEAKING OF JERSEY SHORE, DO YOU GET ANNOYED WITH THE CONSTANT DRAMA BETWEEN RONNIE AND SAMMI?
Do you mean Rosie and Sammi? They are my cockerspaniel and stray cat. those two carry on like a WWF match.

3. WHICH SEASON OF JERSEY SHORE DID YOU PREFER, THE ONES IN ATLANTIC CITY, SOUTH BEACH, OR ITALY?
Well I believe the real Jersey Shore is in New Jersey. Miami would be on the Florida shore. So NJ of course.

3. DID YOU KNOW THAT ATLANTIC CITY AND LONG ISLAND ARE TWO DIFFERENT PLACES?
I do but apparently you may not.

4. HAVE YOU BEEN TO ATLANTIC CITY?
Not in a dog's age.

5. DO YOU WATCH BOARDWALK EMPIRE?
No.

6. DID YOU SEE IT COMING WHEN NUCKY KILLED DARMODY? THAT WAS CRAAAZY!!!
WTF?

7. YOUR WIFE RUNS TEAM HOSPITALITY, SO YOU LITERALLY SPEND 365 DAYS A YEAR WITH HER. HOW DOES SHE DEAL WITH YOU?
Let's just say she gets a little help from her old friend Jack Daniels.

8. YOU HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS, ONE IN HIGH SCHOOL AND ONE IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. DOES THE MUSIC JUST SOUND LIKE NOISE TO YOU?
No you can hear it playing in the shop most days on Patric's (our French-Canadian mechanic) iPod. He's especially partial to Taylor Swift.

7. NAME FIVE SONGS THAT WILL NEVER BE IN YOUR IPOD.
The Chicken Dance, Ice Ice Baby, Mandy, Baby, and anything from the Beastie Boys.

8. YOU'VE TRAVELLED THE COUNTRY FOR SEVERAL DECADES WITH RACING NOW. WHICH STATE COULD THE UNION AFFORD TO LOSE?
Wyoming.

9. THE CREW GUYS BITCH A LOT AS THE SEASON GOES ON. IS IT EASIER TO CALM YOUR DAUGHTERS OR YOUR CREW?
Teenage girls are way easier to calm!

10. THE TEAM HAS HAD SEVERAL DIFFERENT FRENCH-CANADIANS COME THROUGH. WHICH ONE HAS THE BEST HAIR?
Denis Montepelier; the waxy look

11. YOU'VE BEEN WITH MAGNUS SINCE THE BEGINNING.IS THIS WHERE YOU SAW YOUR CAREER GOING?
Yes. It's been a great opportunity .

12. YOU WERE THE CREW CHIEF OF THE FIRST-EVER GT CAR TO WIN AT INDY. WHO FROM YOUR HIGH SCHOOL WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO TELL?
The whole football team.

13. WHO IS THE TEAM ENGINEER, LARS GIERSING OR ANDY LALLY?
Don't tell Lars I came clean, but it's Andy lally.

14. ANDY LALLY CLAIMS TO BE FROM LONG ISLAND TOO, BUT DOESN'T EAT MEAT. IS THAT POSSIBLE?
Aliens. There is no other explanation.

15. JOHN POTTER RECENTLY GOT MARRIED. WHAT PITFALLS SHOULD HE AVOID?
Becoming a Vegan.

16. WHAT IS JOHN POTTER'S MOST MEDIOCRE ATTRIBUTE?
His shoes.

17. IF JOHN POTTER WERE A CHARACTER ON BOARDWALK EMPIRE, WHAT WOULD YOU NAME HIM?
(no answer, apparently he has "better" things to do than watch Boardwalk Empire)

18. WHERE ARE THE HOTTEST WAITRESSES IN LONG ISLAND?
Mamma's Pizza.

19. CAN YOU THINK OF A 19th QUESTION?
Who is the publicist for Magnus Racing and why?

20. IF YOU COULD LIVE ANYWHERE OTHER THAN LONG ISLAND, WHERE WOULDN'T IT BE?
Salt Lake City.

21. ONE OF YOUR MECHANICS, TUCKER MERTEN, ALWAYS HAS NEW IDEAS FOR "PRODUCTS." ANYTHING YOU'D EVER BUY?
Whatever he's selling I ain't buying.

22. WHO IS THE MOST OVER-APPRECIATED PERSON ON THE TEAM?
Do you really want to know the answer to that?

23. WHICH IS EASIER TO TRAIN, YOUR GUYS OR YOUR COCKER SPANIEL?
My dog has much better aim. Let's just leave it at that.

24. 2013: ANOTHER DAYTONA WIN, ANOTHER INDY WIN, OR A CHAMPIONSHIP?
YES,YES, YES!!!

.