NASCAR WCUP: Kevin Lepage Interview: Racing at Darlington

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

September 2, 2001

Kevin Lepage, No. 4 Kodak Chevrolet Monte Carlo - Note: The team discovered a problem with the motor at the start of the first Happy Hour session and spent the 45 minute period changing engines. They had no track time.

(Why do you like Darlington Raceway?) "Ever since I came here back in '94, I fell in love with the place. It's probably because the first time I came here we qualified 10th and finished in the top 12 or something like that. It's just been a good little racetrack for me-especially in Winston Cup. The last three races we've run here, excluding the spring race because I wasn't here, we've finished 5th, 7th, and 10th. In six starts here, I've qualified four of them in the top 10. I think this is the second-worse start I've ever had here. But that doesn't worry me. I'm really looking forward to the weekend."

(If a driver doesn't like this track when he first races on it, do you think he's more likely to be intimidated by it?) "I'm sure. This is the place where everybody says you've got to race the track and I believe that's what you've got to do. Guys come in and put tires on out of sequence or whatever and they're a lot faster, but you just can't worry about it. You've just got to worry about what you've got to do. You've got to take whatever the track will give you. Fortunately for me, I've had good success here."

(On the tires and tire-wear at Darlington) "This is the same racetrack no matter what kind of tire Goodyear brings here. It's good for a couple laps and then it goes. During the Happy Hour this morning I was watching the difference in the cars driving high and driving low. Some were fast and some were slow. It all depends on what kind of tires they had on there. We have 500 miles here on Sunday. We'll work all day long and try to make the right calls."

(Does the tire wear depend more on the car set-up or the driver?) "I think it's a combination of both. I think its driver and set-up. If you have a good set-up and an aggressive driver, he's going to be a lot slower at the end of 50 laps than the guy who is just out there taking his time and making sure that he keeps the car underneath him.

That's what I've been able to do at this racetrack over the years is save my tires for long runs and give-up a little bit early and take it all when it comes. I've got good finishes to show that. Maybe between my experience and Scott's experience as a crew chief we'll come up with the right combination for Sunday."

"This place is always different no matter what you do. I remember one race when Jerry Mayfield was walking away with it and got caught up in somebody else's mess and ended up giving the race to somebody else. And then there's the weather. Rain will play a big factor on Sunday. The guy leading the race when the rain comes is the guy who's going to win the race. This is just a tough little racetrack. Right now I believe the favorite out there is the guy who is going to take car of his stuff."

Text provided by Nancy Wager

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