Chevy Notes - Gordon on NASCAR Teleconference

GM RACING, CHEVROLET                                                       Contact: Nancy Wager

NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Teleconference                       GM Racing Communications

February 22, 2005                                                                             nmwager@aol.com

 

This week's NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Teleconference featured Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet Monte Carlo.  Gordon won last Sunday's 47th Annual Daytona 500. It was Gordon's third Daytona 500 win and 70th overall in the Cup Series. He begins the 2005 season seeking his fifth series championship and he joined the call from New York where he is on the traditional champion's post race media tour. 

 

Q&A's WITH JEFF GORDON:

 

(WAS THIS THIRD WIN AS SWEET AS THE FIRST?) "Oh, even sweeter. It's amazing how over the years you learn to appreciate this race and our sport that much more. It seems like all the wins continue to be that much more meaningful. The excitement of the race and how it came down and unfolded and everything about it is incredible. I'm very excited to have number three."

 

(DO YOU THINK YOUR CAREER IN NASCAR HAS TURNED THE SPORT AROUND?) "It's a total team effort, just like winning a race. I like the fact that I've played a role. But there are other people who have played a role. NASCAR's marketing department and their strategic planning and placing new venues and race tracks on the schedule over the years and our television partners in FOX and NBC. They've done a great job in promoting the sport as well as all our sponsors who have done a great job. I've had a great ride. Hendrick Motorsports has provided me a winning championship caliber team and cars. I'm proud we've accomplished what we have and be in the midst of that growth period when we've had our most success."

 

(COULD YOUR CAREER SUCCESS HAVE HAPPENED WITH ANY OTHER TEAM?) "I don't know. Certain things happen along the way where certain combinations come together. Jimmie Johnson and that Lowe's team have shown that they can do that. If he'd come along when I came along, who knows, we could be talking about him. Look at Dale Earnhardt Jr. is transcending the sport right now with his popularity. His dad did that before him. People like Darrell Waltrip and Richard Petty and so many have played a key role in that growth."

 

(ON PIT ROAD SAFETY AT DAYTONA) "Well, I had my mishap in New Hampshire last year or the year before and ever since then I've been a lot more cautious and aware of things going on on pit road. One thing that NASCAR did was not allowing inside passing any longer going into a pit stall. And it sure looked to me like Jeff Burton, when he got into the back of the No. 8 car, was inside of him. Maybe they came on pit road side-by-side, you'd have to look at the video further back, but I think we all know you've got to follow the car in front of you and pass to the outside. And you also have to know where you are pitted and where other cars are pitted around you. That's one thing I've really been trying to do a lot more of - not just knowing where I'm pitted, but the guys who are ahead of me as we come on to pit road so I can anticipate when they check up and when they're going to move to their pit stall. Leaving is the responsibility of your spotter or someone on your pit box to clear you out. With what happened with Kasey Kahne and Jason Leffler it looked to me like Kasey didn't realize that Jason was pitting. I think he thought he was leaving. It's hard to keep up with all that I will say that. But I don't there's much more that NASCAR can do. I think they've put some things in place that I'm pretty happy with."

 

(WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT ROBBIE LOOMIS?) "Well, there are several things that brought him to my attention. He had already been in the sport. He was an experienced crew chief with a great organization. He had a great reputation. When Ray Evernham and I decided that he was going to move on, we started talking about crew chiefs and Robbie was one of the guys high on his list and that certainly meant a lot to me. But it wasn't until I talked to him on the phone at length and got to know his personality a little bit more, that I was impressed with him as much as I was. He had patience; he is knowledgeable and good at balancing out things. He's a real good people guy. I thought he'd be a great mix for our organization. I love having him as a crew chief. I think he's awesome as a crew chief and perfect for me - especially at this point in my career. When I first started as a rookie, I needed a guy like Ray Evernham. But not that I'm older and a little more experienced, I need a guy like Robbie Loomis."

 

(WOULD YOU HAVE LIKED TO RUN A LITTLE MOONSHINE WITH JUNIOR JOHNSON?) "Oh, I'm sure that would have been exciting (laughs). But I've got to agree with him. I don't think I'd be a very good one of those. I don't like running from the law. That's not what got me driving a race car. But that means a lot to me to think that someone like Junior would consider me as a driver."

 

(ON FANS BOOING HIM. ARE THEY ANNOYED BY YOUR SUCCESS?) "I don't know. It was one of those things I tried to figure out a long time ago and kind of stopped somewhere along the way when I realized that my focus is to be a part of a team who tries to win races and championships and be myself and be the best person I can. I'm very grateful for the people who follow me. I have a great fan base. But those who don't are entitled to their opinion. They can boo or do whatever they want. I've just learned not to let it bother me. If you're putting effort into making signs that say 'anybody but the 24' then obviously I've gotten their attention and that's a good thing."  

 

(AS YOU BECOME MATURE IN THIS SPORT, DO YOU THINK YOU HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH ALL THE YOUNG GUYS COMING INTO IT?) "When I came along, I was a real young driver. There have been others like Ricky Rudd. It does seem like it started a bit of a trend because it showed that car owners could take a chance on a younger guy and the sponsors are willing to take that risk a lot more today. And so it could payoff - especially in the future of your team. If you have experience in the Busch Series at a young age they can come in and be great for your organization long term. I think all the car owners are looking for. It just so happens in the past it only happened with older drivers instead of younger drivers. Guys like myself and Bobby Labonte and even Kenny Wallace played a role in that. It continued with Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch. Tony was a little bit older, but Kurt certainly has opened up a lot of doors as well."

 

(ON IMPROVING THE WAY TO GAUGE SPEEDS ON PIT ROAD) "I will say that this has been an issue for a long time. I've been one of the drivers who has really been bringing it to the attention of NASCAR. It's been done by hand by several people in the tower looking down trying to measure the distance versus a time clock and I just don't see how you can do that on 43 cars. We've got the technology and we've got to start utilizing that technology. Now the problem is that all the drivers are used to doing it the old fashioned way and we can get away with a lot. We can speed and there are bigger tolerances when they're doing it by hand. Now, if they start doing it by computer, those tolerances are going to be knocked down and they're going to be true numbers and there's no way of getting around it. I remember John Darby saying, 'Be careful of what you wish for.'  There are two parts to it. Number one is that drivers are going to have to really knock those tolerances down and be really careful. Number two is that NASCAR has got to give us an accurate measurement of the speed. Our tachometers are not the most accurate thing in the world. If there is a pace car up there leading the pack and you're in the 8th row, you're not going to get an accurate reading. There is too much movement and cars moving around. I've already mentioned this to John Darby and others have. We're trying to find a way that we can accurately measure our tach up against their speed and calculate it correctly so we can be right on. And then they're going to call down those penalties, which I think they should, I think we'll know exactly where we stand with it."

 

(HOW HARD IS IT TO DO? HOW DO YOU GAUGE IT?) "Well, okay, let's take Daytona. My speed was 4100 on my tach. I know they're measuring it with a system that is more accurate so I come in and basically ran 4100-4150 because there is a bit of a tolerance there, but I made sure when I got to that line with the cone where pit road speed starts, that I was at 4100. I would run that all the way down into my pit stall The toughest part is leaving and that's where guys get in trouble. You leave in first gear and 4100 is in second gear for me. You're trying to get up to speed as fast as you can, but you don't want to go over speed so as you shift to second, you want to be right at 4100 as soon as you shift. If you go over that, you'd better slow down or you're going to get in trouble. And then you've got that rabbit out there. Other cars are leaving pit road and you don't want to give up any distance on them at all. You start squeezing that throttle ever so slightly and now is when NASCAR is going to start penalizing you. So you've got to run at pit road speed all the way to that last cone."

 

(CAN YOU DESCRIBE THOSE LAST EXCITING LAPS OF THE DAYTONA 500) "Oh, I still have not really it on video. I've seen clips of it here and there. There was so much going on. I don't' even know how to describe the intensity level. You've got a huge race on the line. You've got a shot at the win. You're trying to do everything right. You know if you make one mistake somebody is going to take advantage of it. I went to the outside because I knew I couldn't pass Tony Stewart on the inside. I knew Dale Jr. was going go. Tony knew he wasn't going to go with me but I hoped that some other cars would line up behind me and it happened to work out that way. Jimmie Johnson was back there. Scott Riggs. Maybe even Kurt Busch. There were times they could help me, and times they couldn't help me. But when Dale Jr. got by me and then almost got by Tony, I was like it's over. I took a risk that didn't pay off and now I'm going to have to figure out how to get the best finish I can. About that time Junior got into the lead. Jimmie Johnson gave me this huge push. Now that I've seen this one particular clip, I can see what happened. Tony Stewart and I were side-by-side through the tri-oval. It looked like somebody was pushing Tony. He got a little bit sideways and had to move up the track. That allowed Kurt Busch to get underneath him and that put Junior out there all by himself. Now I'm getting a push from behind by Jimmie Johnson. I've got the momentum and I'm going forward and he was stalled out there. It allowed me to get up beside him and get past him and make the pass for the lead. And then of course the caution came out and the rest is history."

 

(WITH SEVERAL DRIVERS RETIRING SOON, DO YOU SEE YOURSELF SOON TO BE THE STATESMAN OF THE SPORT?) "I look at the level of experience and time you have in the sport more than your age. I came in at a young age. I'm young, but I've been in the sport 13 years. That's what dictates where you stand. I definitely know I'm no young gun out there and there's some great young talent out there. But I'm more comfortable now in the role I'm playing and my age. I'm enjoying being part of a great team and organization and a great sport. I'm going to play my part as long as I can. It's sad to see some of these guys go because I don't know of any other way. I've been racing these guys ever since I've been in it. You don't think of being out there without them. I'm excited for them in some ways because they're going to enjoy their lives in a unique and different way than they have in a long time."

 

(WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THE RACE BETWEEN TONY STEWART AND JIMMIE JOHNSON?) "I haven't talked to Jimmie since the race was over. He came and congratulated me in Victory Lane after the race. It was intense. It looked to me like Jimmie slipped up the track a little bit and gave Stewart an opening and he shoved his nose in there and made a little more room than probably was there and he and Jimmie got together. I'm sure Tony was frustrated because he led so many laps and had a shot at winning. But in the closing laps a lot of craziness is going to happen. What NASCAR doesn't want is when the checkered flag waves and everybody is slowing down, that actions don't need to be taken out on the cars on the track when the race is over. Tony was definitely frustrated, obviously. They kind of got together and I honestly don't know what happened after that."

 

(REFLECTING BACK TO 2004, WHAT'S YOUR OPINION ON NEXTEL COMING INTO THE SPORT AND THE POINTS STRUCTURE?) "It's pretty ingenious if you ask me. I think it was amazing to see NEXTEL come in. It seemed so seamless. They've done an amazing job. I think was good timing to do something different in the points system. As a competitor, you want one thing. As a series, NASCAR wants to keep it interesting and exciting and entertaining for the fans. You don't always make the competitors happy when you do some of those things. Looking back on it, it was an amazing finish to the year. The championship battle had so many people a part of it to the last lap of the last race. It's definitely a good thing for the sport. Would I like to see a few little adjustments? Yeah, maybe. Minor things. The shootout, with 10 races to go, I think it's awesome."

 

(WAS IT HARD TO HAND OVER YOUR WINNING CAR TO DAYTONA USA FOR A FULL YEAR?) "Not at all. It took about five to six months to build that car with the wind tunnel testing and fine-tuning and all the little rubbing that you do to get that car ready for the 500. It's a lot of hard work, but you work that hard because you hope that car is sitting over there in Daytona USA. It's going to be tough when we go to Talladega and back to Daytona in July. I don't know if we'll have time to build another one that's as good as that one. But we're going to do our best. That's the only motivation for those guys to build another one like that. I think our team has enough depth to be able to pull another car out of our stable or build another one and be ready to go win some more races. But for me, it's an honor to have it over there."

 

(HOW MUCH ADJUSTING DOES THE NO. 24 TEAM NEED TO MAKE TO TRANSITION FROM A PLATE RACE TO THE CALIFORNIA RACE?) "We've been in Daytona for 10 days doing nothing but focusing on restrictor plate racing and we get to Fontana and it's going to be the exact opposite. It's going to take horsepower, downforce, balance, handling, and a total team effort with the pit crew and everything. So to me, this weekend is a true tale of who is going to be strong throughout the year. I'm looking forward to that opportunity. I'm hoping we can use this as momentum and keep up the great work."

 

(TONY STEWART IS OBVIOUSLY A LIGHTNING ROD. DO YOU FIND HIM TO BE GOOD FOR THE SPORT?) "Oh, I find Tony to be extremely entertaining (laughs) in a positive way, really. The guy is passionate about what he's doing. He wants to win as bad as anybody. I think he's one of the most talented drivers we have on the circuit. He's one of the most talented drivers I've ever raced against. He's got a short fuse you know, and it shows up sometimes. It's only because he cares, and you can't knock a guy for that."

 

(CAN YOU DESCRIBE TO CANADIAN FANS HOW YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE TO WIN EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE A GOOD POSITION?) "I think it has a lot to do with the types of cars we race. We're the total opposite of an Indy Car or a CART Car. We have very little downforce compared to the amount of tire we run. I think that allows the handling and the driving of the cars to be crucial - not to mention that as long as our races are, we have a lot of pit stops so there can be a lot of shuffling going on. The biggest thing is that we're on oval tracks. What makes great side-by-side racing and cars come from the back to the front, is oval track racing. On road courses, you see a lot less overtaking and cars moving from the back to the front. It happens but you don't see it near as much. That's why our sport has taken off like it has. We need to build a track up there. We don't have one yet, but we need to be up in Canada. I think staying within North America is important. We're going to Mexico - at least the Busch cars are. I think the next step would be Canada."

 

(CONSIDERING ALL YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED IN YOUR CAREER, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR LEGACY TO BE WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE?) "It's not something I put a lot of effort into thinking about. Right now I'm so focused on driving and being a part of a great organization. But I've accomplished more than I've ever dreamed of and to have the career I've had to grow up at such a young age racing Quarter Midgets and Go-Karts and moving on to Midgets and Sprint Cars and having success along the way and winning big events. And the getting into NASCAR and the Cup Series and knowing I've won three Daytona 500's and four Brickyard 400's and four championships and a lot of other races..to me, there's nothing really that I have left that I feel like I have to accomplish. I've accomplished more than I've ever dreamed. I guess I just want to be known as somebody who put his heart and soul into driving every lap and pulling off victories and that I played a role at Hendrick Motorsports and being a part of a sport as its taken off to a whole new level."