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‘You can’t win the race in the first 200 laps but you could certainly lose it’ – Kerry Tharp

This weekend at Darlington Raceway, the NASCAR Cup Series begins its Playoff series with 16 drivers hungry to win and advance to the next round.

Denny Hamlin has captured the most trophies of any active driver at the Track Too Tough To Tame and is the defending race winner. The odds are in his favor but Darlington has a way of leveling the playing field.

Kerry Tharp, president of Darlington Raceway, summed it up best, “You can’t win the race in the first 200 laps but you could certainly lose it.”

It’s a unique race track that requires a specific skill set.

“It takes a tough driver, somebody that can withstand a 500-mile race and the heat,” he continued. “You’re going to have contact during the race. Look at the drivers over the years that have been very successful here, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Cale Yarborough. Those guys were all tough. Those guys were talented, obviously, as they’re all Hall of Famers.

“I think it takes somebody that is patient. You have to be patient at Darlington. I’ve seen several races here where someone might dominate the first two-thirds of the race. And then all of a sudden something happened to him, or something goes wrong with his tire set-up, and all of a sudden they fade to fifth or sixth.

“So I think it’s being a patient driver. And I think, although I never saw him race in person, that David Pearson was that type of driver. He was very patient from what I was told. And, I think that paid off as he had 10 wins here.”

When looking at the drivers in the Playoffs and who might be a contender this weekend, Tharp said, “Denny has won here four times. I think Kevin Harvick has won three times and I think Truex has two, but he’s not in the Playoffs. I think you can look at Harvick and Hamlin as being two drivers that you’ll probably have to contend with. But I think there are some other ones out there that haven’t won here that certainly are capable.”

But before the racing begins Tharp and his staff are already welcoming the early arrivals in the campgrounds with a multitude of events in the days leading up to the weekend. For Tharp, the fan experience is just as important as the racing.

“This morning I greeted the first camper on the property, a man and a young son,” he said. “They were the first campers that entered the facility. So we kind of presented them with a special Darlington swag bag. I get a lot of satisfaction from that.”

As the fans arrive and the clock winds down, the excitement is rising. The Playoffs shift into high gear Sunday evening with the Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at 6 p.m. ET on the USA network.

August 31, 2022
Kerry Tharp and Darlington Raceway ready to welcome fans with open arms

While Kerry Tharp’s official title is President of Darlington Raceway, ringmaster of the traveling show we call NASCAR might be a more apt description, especially during a Throwback weekend.

From coordinating numerous activities including an 80’s Dance Party, food, music, track trivia, prizes and a Throwback Parade to dealing with the aftermath of an aberrant rain and hail storm, Tharp and his staff are behind the scenes making certain that the show will go on.

Anytime you’re present for a Throwback event at Darlington you can expect to see NASCAR Hall of Famers and veteran drivers and the upcoming weekend is no exception. Richard Petty will wave the green flag as the honorary starter for the Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington. Petty, Bobby Labonte and Bill Elliott will then share their expertise with the FOX Sports broadcast team of Mike Joy and Clint Bowyer during the race. Petty will join them during Stage 1, Labonte will take over for Stage 2 and Elliott will be in the booth for the final stage.

“I think it’s pretty cool that they’re adding those guys up in the booth,” Tharp said, “because I think each of them is all from a different era and I think each of them will provide their own unique perspective on the race and on the weekend.”

There will also be some unique pre-race activities.

On Friday before the Camping World Truck Series race, Ron Hornaday Jr. will complete a parade lap in a 1975 Ford Bronco and on Saturday Randy LaJoie will pilot a 1966 Mustang Shelby before the Xfinity Series event. Prior to the Cup Series race Sunday afternoon, Hall of Fame inductee Red Farmer will take a spin around the track in a Wood Brothers Racing car that Neil Bonnet drove.

Another highlight, Tharp said, will feature “one of the team owners, Justin Marks, (Trackhouse Racing) who is going to drive the No. 33 Skoal Bandit car that Harry Gant drove here at Darlington. That will allow fans to get a real good visual of Throwback cars.”

Darlington Raceway, known as the track Too Tough to Tame, is one of the most unique and challenging venues on the NASCAR circuit. Add the new Next Gen car into the mix and it’s difficult to predict who will end up in victory lane.

Tharp believes that the racing might be even better than what we’ve seen in the past.

“I think it’s going to be better,” he said. “When we had the tire test here, the people from Goodyear were very encouraged about the tire wear. Darlington is famous for the tires falling off, so I think you’re gonna see that on Sunday in the Cup Series and I think the new car is going to be challenging for the drivers to maneuver.

“I’m not very good at predicting who will win but I will say that Joe Gibbs Racing has certainly had great history here at Darlington with Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. all winning here multiple times. I think you’re probably going to have to go through that team in order to get a win here.

“But you take a look and see how successful Hendrick has been this year and also some of the first-time winners, whether it be Ross Chastain, Chase Briscoe, or even Austin Cindric and I think you could see a first-time winner here. I think anything could happen.”

Winning races is always the goal for the drivers and teams but for Tharp, it’s all about the fans and ensuring that they have a memorable experience.

“Just being able to see the fans enjoying themselves whether it be in the campgrounds or the stands, we missed that for about 2 1/2 years with the pandemic,” he said. “I’m looking forward with a lot of anticipation to seeing that again.”

It hit home for Tharp during the pandemic as NASCAR ran races without fans in attendance.

“The race that we had in May of 2020 when we brought back live racing and sports back to this country. There hadn’t been any live sports in about 8 or 9 weeks and we were the first to bring it back. There were no fans in the stands and that was very, very different.

“I can remember Kevin Harvick won that race and he got out of his car after his burnout. He got out and usually, there are a lot of cheers and even a lot of boos, but there was nothing.

“It was dead silent.

“I’ll never forget that. And I think that’s why you never take your fan base for granted.”

May 5, 2022
Exclusive: First Seasons with Jimmy Vasser

In this edition of First Seasons where Speedway Media takes a look back on a driver’s rookie years in racing, we caught up with former CART racer turned IMSA co-owner, Jimmy Vasser. Vasser discusses how he got into open-wheel racing with Hayhoe Cole Racing and his decision not to go to Europe and race in the states. He also talked about his memories of making his first start at Queensland, earning a ride with Chip Ganassi in 1996, and winning the championship that year among many other moments throughout his career.

SM: In 1992, you made your debut racing in the now-defunct CART Series for Hayhoe Cole Racing at the age of 26. Can you discuss what it was like making your debut during that time period and why you chose the CART Series? Did you feel as though you had a late start in racing at that age?

JV: “I didn’t feel like it was a super late start, really,” Vasser said about making his debut. “I had been racing since I was six years old with quarter midgets and worked my way up. At that time, it was young, but nowadays, that’s a lot older. I had a choice to go to Europe, which at the time was Formula 3000, and have a chance to do the Indy 500, being a young American.

“I just didn’t think I was going to get a fair shot at it (racing) and my dream was to be in the Indy 500, not Formula 1 like it is today.”

SM: Discuss how you got connected with Hayhoe Cole Racing for your first opportunity in open-wheel racing.

JV: “I was racing in Formula Atlantic and I had met Jim Hayhoe through Rick Gallas who was the team owner at the time in IndyCar and won the championship with Al Unser Jr. at the time,” he said. “There was a whole group of guys that kind of came together and helped fund me in Formula Atlantics’ and Hayhoe/Cole decided to start a team and take me to IndyCars.”

SM: In the ‘92 season, you attempted the full season with the exception of not qualifying at Nazareth. Despite not qualifying, you competed in 15 of 16 races. As a rookie in the series during that time, what kind of expectations did you have? Obviously, winning races and championships are on your mind, but realistically, how did you manage those expectations being a rookie driver, and did those ever change throughout the season?

JV: “We never intended to do a full-season,” Vasser said. “The Nazareth deal was a start and park situation. I mainly practiced and then parked the car for Derrick Walker who was trying to maintain the franchise. It (being at Nazareth) was probably the most frightening thing I ever did. I practiced but never got to race because that was good enough for Walker as he got his franchise money so to speak.

“I broke my leg during the Indy 500 that year (1992 Indy 500). “I was the fastest rookie and broke my leg about halfway in the race, which took me out for a couple of races. Three to four weeks later, I raced with a rod in my leg and raced at Portland, my first race after the Indy 500.”

SM: Your first race that season came in Queensland where you qualified 17th but finished 15th due to an electrical problem. Before we talk about the race itself, what were the weeks like leading up to your debut in CART? Were you anxious and nervous or were you ready to go as the event approached?

JV: “(I) was super ready to go,” the 10 time CART winner said when getting ready to make his debut. “We took a team meeting or team vote whether or not to go to the race and the team voted ‘No, we weren’t ready.’ It’s funny, Mike Cole who was our team manager at the time, Bill Papis was my engineer and everyone took a vote not to go to the race. There were three of us that voted to go, Jim Hayhoe, myself, and one other and I guess our votes outweighed the others.”

SM: Then in the race itself, you were relegated to 17th with the electrical problem. Is there anything you think you could have done differently to have a higher finish in your first race and were you still in awe that you had just competed in your first CART race at the end of the day?

JV: “It was a little bit of both really,” Vasser said about his first race. “We should’ve finished better. We came out of the pits on fresh slicks on a previous stop and by the time I came down to the two chicanes, it was an absolute monsoon downpour. I just slid straight off the track and our day was done. I don’t think there’s anything I could’ve done differently, but maybe stop a lap later and we would’ve had rain tires on.”

SM: At Long Beach, you had your career-best finish of seventh. However, you made your first Indy 500 start that year where you finished 21st due to a crash. With the exception of the crash, what do you remember about your first 500 experience, making the practice laps for the first time, being in the garage area, prerace ceremonies, and the race itself? Was it a surreal moment for you to be in the 500 for the first time?

JV: “Everything was surreal to me,” the 1996 CART champion said. “As for Long Beach, I was following Rick Mears and I was just in awe of racing with Mears. Other than the crash and breaking my leg during the 500, it was a full month of Indy. I was bumped out of the field and I sat for a whole week on the bubble. Finally, they bumped me out and I re-qualified back into the race with my backup car and was the fastest rookie. That was an experience like no other.”

SM: In your first season, you would only go on to finish in four races that year with your best finish of seventh occurring at Long Beach as we previously mentioned. As you continue to reflect on your career, was there a learning curve in driving the car? I’m sure it had to be frustrating wanting to learn but not finishing races. Was it the car itself?

JV: “It was a bit of the healing, but back then in that era, you were just happy to be learning,” Vasser said. “I was lucky to have a year old car with an engine that was out of date and probably 50 horsepower down. Nowadays, everyone has the same equipment and the same car to compete with. Back then, you took what you were able to get, whether it was a two-year-old car. As a driver, if you were able to perform well with equipment that shouldn’t, then you would catch the eye of another team owner.”

SM: By the time the end of the season came, you finished 22nd in the standings. While it wasn’t the finish you wanted, were you satisfied with what you were able to accomplish that year, or were you ready for the season to be over with the amount of trouble you had?

JV: As a driver, you can always do more, but I was satisfied with my rookie year,” he said. “I thought I did well at Indy aside from the crash, but in general, I think I showed well with the equipment I had.”

SM: As the ‘93 season came along, you opened up the season with a 24th place finish at Queensland, but obtained your only podium of the year by finishing third at Phoenix. How special was it for you to get your first podium especially after the year you had in ‘92?

JV: “It was one of the most special moments of my career actually,” Vasser said. “That race stands out a lot as it was my first podium finish, but also Mario Andretti’s last win of his career. I was on the podium with Mario and Paul Newman was up there as well. I was like ‘Wow, I’m up here with these guys sharing the podium.’”

SM: After the ‘94 season and spending three years with Hayhoe Racing, you got an offer to compete with Chip Ganassi Racing from 1995 through 2000. It would be some of your best years spent in the sport winning the CART championship in 1996 and winning some of your first races. How did you get the opportunity to race with Chip Ganassi and was racing with him a fresh start for you?

JV: “Jim Hayhoe was shutting down his team due to the lack of funding,” he said. “Jim had some assets of the team and some sponsorship and he put a deal together with Chip and that was the beginning. Jim Hayhoe was actually the one that put the team together.”

SM: Eventually, you scored your first ever career win in your championship season by winning at Homestead in ‘96. You qualified third and led 32 laps en route to victory. What does that first victory still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to rewatch that race?

JV: “I haven’t watched that race back (Homestead ’96). I’m not the one who goes back and watches races,” Vasser said. “The win was a sweet victory for me because going into the end of 1995, I finished second in Portland and post-race inspection had disqualified Al Unser Jr., so I originally was the race winner. However, Penske Racing took the decision to CART in court in the winter and the finish was reversed and my win was taken away.”

SM: In the ‘96 season, you went on to win at Queensland and Long Beach before having solid finishes along the way. At what point, did you and the team feel you were championship contenders?

JV: “We were contenders the whole season,” he said. “We were the quickest in preseason testing, we had a great combination of the Firestone tires and we won four out of the six races. So, we were contenders the whole season and we were really hanging onto the championship.

“My teammate, Alex Zanardi, was learning the IndyCar and he got competitive in the middle of the season, so the championship got very competitive.”

SM: At the end of the ‘96 season, you won the CART title over Michael Andretti by 22 points. What was it like being able to achieve the championship for Ganassi and especially winning over Michael Andretti? Did the championship do wonders for your career?

JV: “It was everything for my career,” the California native said. “You strive for race wins, championships, and the Indy 500. At that point in time, winning the championship was just magical.”

SM: I’m sure there are many races where you wish you had another chance. Are there any races that come to mind, and if so, which race sticks out the most, and why?

JV: “The one race that’s obvious is when I finished second at Long Beach in 2002,” Vasser said. “We were leading when a caution came out and in that time of CART, there was a strange race format where if you pitted, you couldn’t take fuel every 29 laps and everyone had just pitted.”

“However, Michael Andretti and Max Papis had just pitted and were running in the back at the time. When the yellow came out, they told me to save fuel and slow down. For Michael and Max, they were still able to pit and I slowed down and they came out in front of me. That’s how I lost the lead in that race. I was able to get back by Max but never could with Michael.”

SM: Out of your 10 victories, which trophy means the most to you in your collection?

JV: “I would say the 1996 championship means the most to me,” he said. “As far as race victories, I would say the 1998 Fontana California race on a last-lap pass of Greg Moore. Got second in the championship that year, which was another good chunk of money. Winning that race was like winning the Indy 500 for me.”

SM: Some drivers keep a memorabilia collection and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, what do you have in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years?

JV: “I keep all of my gear as I’m not much of a merchandise collector,” Vasser said. “I have my very first helmet that I drove from my rookie year.”

SM: Wrapping this interview up, it’s hard to believe your debut came 30 years ago. However, if time travel was available, what would a 56-year-old Jimmy Vasser tell a 26-year-old Jimmy Vasser? Is there anything you would do differently?

JV: “I don’t think there’s anything I would do definitely, as I’m really happy currently,” the ‘96 champion said. “I would probably say, ‘Stay on the right track and you’re doing just fine.’”

Throughout Vasser’s career, the California native has made 232 CART Series starts earning 10 career victories with 33 podium finishes and winning the 1996 championship with Chip Ganassi. In addition, Vasser had made six NTT IndyCar Series starts, eight IROC starts, and two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts in 2003. Vasser now co-owns the Vasser-Sullivan Lexus Motorsports IMSA team in GTD Pro competition.

Fans of Jimmy can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

February 17, 2022
Exclusive: First Seasons with Eli Tomac

In this edition of First Seasons where Speedway Media takes a look back at a driver’s rookie year in racing, we catch up with Monster Energy Supercross rider, Eli Tomac. During the interview, the four-time 450 champion discusses how he got his start with the sport, racing in the 250 class, managing expectations as a rookie rider, and his first start at Anaheim.

He also shared his thoughts on whether there was anything he could’ve done differently to win the championship that year and his memories about his first win in San Diego, California.

SM: You began competing in Monster Energy Supercross in 2011 with your first race coming at Anaheim racing in the Supercross Lites class at the age of 19. What was it like getting to make your debut during that era of Supercross and getting connected with the GEICO Powersports Honda team to give you the opportunity? Was it a dream come true for you?

ET: “Thinking back now, your first race in a stadium is the dream come true because you always think back to when you’re a kid and watch the races on TV, and watching all the guys like Jeremy McGrath, Ricky Carmichael, James Stewart, those are all the guys I watched,” Tomac said. “When you’re there in person and under the lights, it’s like holy moly, I’m here in person doing it. It’s an unbelievable moment, there’s a lot of nerves that day and a lot of energy too, but at the same time, it’s what you live for and it’s a crazy feeling.”

SM: Prior to making your debut in the Supercross Lites class, you were racing outdoors in the 250s. Did you feel as though it was the right age for you to make your first start in Supercross? Also, do you think the experience you had prior to your debut helped you, or was Supercross a whole different animal to you?

ET: “Having raced outdoors the year before, it helped knowing the riders I was going up against, but still, the stadium is a whole other level,” he said. “Having the people there and the feeling at night was a whole different feeling. I would say it basically felt like day one but you had the same guys (I raced with outdoors) at the same gate.”

SM: In your debut year, you competed in eight races which included the Lites Shootout at Las Vegas in April. As you entered the year and geared up to make your debut, what kind of expectations did you have as a rookie rider and did those ever change during the season?

ET: “Our expectation was to win one race and then get on the podium as much as we could,” Tomac said. “That was my goal. I mean, I felt like that was a pretty lofty goal, but at the same time, I wanted to shoot high for my goal, try to get as many podiums as you could and get one win.”

SM: Your first race came at the season-opener in Anaheim. It probably wasn’t the result you wanted as you finished in the 10th position after finishing third in the heat race. Despite the result, what do you remember about the weeks leading up to the Anaheim debut? Were you anxious or nervous or did the fact that you had some previous riding experience relieve some of those nerves?

ET: “Leading up to the race, it’s always easy at the practice track,” Tomac said. “That is always so hard because those days are easy, but when race day comes, the environment is so much different and that’s the way it was for me. You’re full of butterflies, nerves, and that’s what happens. You can be as relaxed as you can, ride as many laps as you can at the practice track, but nothing replicates the race environment. It’s hard to say now exactly what I was thinking on that day, but leading up to the race you don’t really know what’s going to happen at the night show.”

SM: As you took to the track in your first ever heat race in Supercross, you finished third. What was that feeling like for you at the time and is there anything you could have changed to have a higher finishing position in your first race?

ET: “In the heat race, that would’ve been a good finish of third and that puts you in a decent position in the main event,” he said. “If I remember right, I probably didn’t get the best of start in the main, finishing 10th. Third would’ve been great and it probably was at the time.”

SM: As the season progressed, you gained momentum and finished lower than fifth after Phoenix. In fact, you finished second in a few heat races at Anaheim, Oakland, and San Diego before getting your first win there. Before we get to your first win, did you ever think you would learn the bike so quickly in your first season, or was it just based on your experience from the year before? Was there ever a learning curve?

ET: “When you’re that young, you rely heavily on the team to make the direction of the motorcycle, to make the calls and the setup,” he said. “When you’re a rookie, you don’t really have an idea of what you like and what works, what doesn’t. I was just focused on getting my technique down and learning the ways of the whoop section, being able to jump correctly. You just have to let the team do their thing when you’re that young starting out.”

SM: Your first career victory came right away at San Diego in the seventh race of the season. What does that first victory still mean to you and have you ever had a chance to rewatch that race?

ET: “I’ve rewatched that race, but haven’t done so in years,” Tomac said. “I think the race was a little bit of a mud race if I remember correctly. I remember crossing the finish line and couldn’t believe that I won a race and to get this far and win, it was the best feeling ever during that point of my career.”

SM: After winning at San Diego, you finished second at Seattle before winning the final race of the season at Salt Lake City. Was winning at Salt Lake City more satisfying to you or did that not even occur to you at the time?

ET: “It’s hard to compare the two, but nothing beats the first win,” he said. “Your first win is something special and the goal you have set out when you start racing in this sport. The first win is always the best for a single race win. The second victory is ‘alright, I can do this now more than once.’”

SM: You came into championship contention after having solid runner-up finishes before eventually finishing second in the standings, just six points behind Broc Tickle. As you continue to reflect on your career, at what point in the season did you think you were championship contenders? Was it disappointing that specific season that you weren’t able to win the championship knowing you were only six points short?

ET: “It would’ve been the first Anaheim race, which was that 10th place,” Tomac said about what race stood out the most. “At the same time, how do you expect that much out of your first race. I remember being super close in the points and having a chance at the championship in that last round. It was a wild position to be in, just because you were so young. I didn’t expect to be in that position, but I was.”

SM: Overall, despite the runner-up in the championship, were you satisfied with your rookie season in the 250 class and collecting two wins and three podium finishes? Is there anything you think you could’ve done differently to get that championship?

ET: “Yes, absolutely, I was satisfied,” the Colorado native said about his rookie season. “Winning one race is hard enough for guys that turn pro. It’s better that I didn’t win the (250) championship because it allowed me to be in the class for another year and I really needed that. I would’ve been way too young moving up (to the 450 class, Supercross’s highest class) out of the 250 class. So, it was definitely better for me not to win that championship for the long haul.”

SM: In 2012, you would go on to win your first ever Supercross championship in the same class. How special was that for you to win the championship and what was the difference from the previous year?

ET: “At that point in time, it’s like you’ve finally figured some things out,” Tomac said about winning the 250 championship. “You know, you were applying all the things you learned from the practice track and you’re making it work at the racetrack. I was more dominant that year having more wins and never had the big mistakes. I knew I won the year before, so I was like ‘alright, now this is my time to really get going.”

SM: During your career, I’m sure there are many races where you wish you had another opportunity to have a higher finish or perhaps get the victory. Are there any races in your mind that you wish you had another opportunity at, and if so, which race comes to mind and why?

ET: “In 2017, the race in New York, I crashed in the turn and that was when I was battling with Ryan Dungey for the championship. That race is where I really messed up with the crash. That’s one race I would love to have back.”

SM: With that in mind, you’ve had many career victories that include 12 Supercross 250 victories and 37 in the 450cc class. Aside from the 250 and the 450 championships in your collection, which trophy means the most to you and why?

ET: “I’ll have to go with my first 450 win (Phoenix 2015),” he said. “Winning that race was the next step on the ladder for my goal was to win a 450 race. (Racing and winning in the 450 class) is the top of our sport, so that win meant so much.”

SM: Some drivers keep a memorabilia collection and some don’t, are you a driver that collects your own memorabilia and if so, what do you have in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years in the sport?

ET: “I keep a lot of my helmets as I keep a helmet from each year,” the 250 and 450 champion said. “I also collect a lot of gear such as jerseys and trophies. I really love keeping my helmets.”

SM: Wrapping this interview up, It’s hard to believe your debut came 11 years ago. However, if time travel was available, what would a 29-year-old Eli Tomac tell a 19-year-old Eli Tomac? Is there anything you would do differently?

ET: “Really, just enjoy the run and enjoy the races you compete in. I mean, I’m not done racing yet, but time goes by really fast, and enjoying it while it lasts would be the biggest thing.”

Throughout Tomac’s career, the Colorado native has earned 12 AMA 250cc Supercross victories, 37 AMA 450cc victories, the 2012 250cc Monster Energy Supercross championship and he also won the 450cc Monster Energy Supercross in 2020. Fans of Eli Tomac can follow him on Twitter and Instagram. You can also like him on Facebook and visit his website here.

Special thanks to Sean Brennen of Feld Entertainment for making this interview happen and special thanks to Eli Tomac for taking the time out of his busy schedule to do the interview.

January 31, 2022
Exclusive: First Seasons with James Hinchcliffe

In this edition of ‘First Seasons,’ Speedway Media catches up with James Hinchcliffe who recently competed for Andretti Autosport and will be calling races for NBC Sports in 2022. We will take a look back at his first year in racing and his early years of being in the sport.

During the interview, Hinchcliffe discusses what it was like getting a late start entering the sport, his first race at Birmingham, winning his first race at St. Petersburg, returning to Indy the year after his crash and many other facets of his career.

SM: Following your two years in the Indy Lights racing series from 2009 through 2010, you made the move to the IndyCar Series at the age of 24 competing in 16 of the 17 races. How did you make the move to the IndyCar Series after competing with Sam Schmidt and Mark Moore in Indy Lights and racing for Newman-Haas? Did you feel it was the right age to make your first Indy start?

JH: “It’s a very interesting question, certainly a bit later than what these kids are doing nowadays,” Hinchcliffe said about making his debut. “In a lot of ways, I was told by a lot of the engineers at Newman-Haas that my maturity served me quite well, despite having few IndyCar starts. I think I came with a lot of experience and maturity that they (Newman-Haas) haven’t seen from other rookies.

“Moving to IndyCar with them was such an incredible opportunity, especially a team of that pedigree as a rookie. For me, it was a dream scenario. The only thing I wish we would’ve been able to do was keep going after 2011. The team obviously shut down at the end of the year. I was proud to deliver them their last title, which was winning Rookie of the Year.”

Do you remember when you had your first conversation with Newman-Haas that led to getting a ride in 2011?

JH: “The conversation came after my 2010 Indy Lights season,” he said. “We got a phone call from Newman-Haas to go test with them. They said, myself, J.K. Vernay (former Indy driver) but they wanted a rookie to be Oriol Servia’s teammate. So, they organized a two-day test at Sebring and by the end of the test, I was a tenth of a second quicker than Oriol. That eventually led to my first offer.”

SM: What was it like going down to Sebring for the first time and being in an IndyCar? Was that surreal for you?

JH: “It really was,” Hinchcliffe said about making his first laps in an IndyCar. “My dad and I flew down and it had been him and I since we were nine years old. It was kind of a cool moment. However, there was a tremendous amount of pressure. For the past 15 years everything, just kind of built up to that moment and you had to deliver. This was a great opportunity at the time. To go execute on the day, that was a great moment between my dad and I.”

SM: As you were entering your first season, how did you manage expectations as a rookie driver? Was winning races or championships on your mind, or were you thinking more like ‘Let’s take this race by race and see where we end up at the halfway point, and then look ahead to the rest of the season?’

JH: “It’s kind of funny actually,” the Toronto native said about managing expectations as a rookie. “The kids who come into today’s sport say they are going to win races and such, but for me, I was not that driver. I thought to myself, ‘Look man. You go into every junior category year as one of the two to three drivers who have a realistic shot at the championship.’ When you get to the top and you think you’re going to beat Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, Tony Kanaan, Ryan Hunter-Reay, that was an outrageous thought for me. I still couldn’t believe I was on the same grid with these guys.

“Honestly, what was so cool about that was it made me a lot calmer, and I took a lot of pressure off myself. I’m a rookie and it’s okay to learn, it’s okay to make mistakes. I didn’t drive with that pressure on me. In my first race, I qualified next to Dario Franchitti and I thought this was okay. In our second race, we finished fourth at Long Beach. So, we had some good results very early.”

SM: Obviously, you had experience at some of the tracks the year before, but driving an IndyCar is an entirely different animal. What do you remember about the weeks leading up to Birmingham? Were you anxious, nervous, or was it more a feeling of, ‘Let’s get this going?’

JH: “I felt all of those things (nervous, anxious, pressure), but the pressure was off a little bit,” Hinchcliffe said about making his debut. “Making my debut was a huge amount of relief. We missed the first race at St. Pete because we didn’t have sponsorship yet. During the St. Pete weekend, I was down there with the team and helping Oriol. We got a phone call Saturday night from a company we had been talking to and they wanted to be with us starting next week.

“It was a roller coaster of emotions leading up to that first start. I remember during the first two years, I was walking up to the grid and I had a hard card and I would just be there to be seen. I’ll never forget at Birmingham, they (IndyCar officials) called all non-essential personnel off the grid. Then I said, ‘Oh no dummy. You stay here, you get to do this.’ It was definitely a roller coaster.”

SM: In your first outing, you had a decent qualifying position of eighth but unfortunately your day ended early due to a crash on Lap 40 and you finished 24th. Discuss what you recall about the event and is there anything you think you could have done differently to avoid a crash with E.J. Viso and Simona de Silvestro?

JH: “No, unfortunately, it was one of those deals where E.J. got into an incident with somebody and he spun around, and I was forced to go around the outside of him. When he did that, E.J. left his foot off the brake and I ran into the back of him,” he said. “Unfortunately, that was just disappointing to not finish in your first race after all that potential, but it goes with the sport.”

SM: Despite the disappointing finish, were you still on a high after completing your first IndyCar race?

JH: “No, the end of that race was super depressing,” Hinchcliffe said. “You really want to finish your first one, I don’t like ruining equipment. I felt bad for the crew guys. I was standing around the car when I got back to the trailer and I just felt bad for breaking the car. Crash damage is your responsibility as a driver, but thankfully the accident wasn’t of our doing.”

SM: At the following race in Long Beach, you scored a fourth-place finish and would also finish fourth at Loudon and Kentucky. Along the way, you had finishes of 20th and 19th at Texas, 14th st Toronto and finished 20th at Mid-Ohio. Was there a learning curve for you throughout the season or was there a point when you ever got comfortable?

JH: “I think learning the flow of a race weekend was a big thing, learning the car was definitely a big thing too,” he said. “I really can’t speak of the transition of the new Indy Lights car to the new IndyCar, but I did think the old Lights car was a very good training tool and stepping stone for the old IndyCar. There are a lot of things to get used to. Understanding red tires versus black tires, qualifying format, long races, saving fuel, etc. I really just tried to learn in every practice session and be a little better.”

SM: Your first Indianapolis experience came in 2009 with Sam Schmidt, but your first Indy 500 start came in your rookie season in 2011. You qualified 13th and finished 29th due to a crash. With the exception of the crash how surreal was it to make your first Indy 500 start in the IndyCar Series? How were your emotions making your first practice run, your qualifying attempt and the pre-race ceremonies?

JH: “It was amazing,” the six time IndyCar winner said. “I had watched the Indy 500 for years as a kid growing up. I attended my first Indy 500 in 2008 as a fan and I thought, TV doesn’t do this thing justice. In 2009 and 2010, when you were a part of the show, I thought okay, now I get it a little bit. In 2011, it really hit me now that I was actually a part of the race.

“The race is so unique. The first practice runs are nerve wracking. Qualifying at Indy is always the scariest thing you do all year. We were very proud of our qualifying effort of 13th. The disappointing finish that day sat heavier than any other race, because so much goes into that race. The emotions around the race are so drastic. Overall, my first Month of May was incredible.”

SM: As for your rookie year, you finished 12th in the standings and had an average finish of 13.9. In 2012, you obtained your first podium finish at Long Beach for Andretti Autosport. How special was it to get your first podium finish or did it not really register to you at the time?

JH: “It was huge,” Hinchcliffe said. “I always loved the Long Beach track and stepping into the Andretti car; it was a new car that year. The race prior to that at St. Pete, we finished fourth and I could just taste it (the podium). We came close a few times in my rookie year to get a podium finish and I wanted it so badly. Long Beach is a place where it just suited me well.”

SM: The year after in 2013, you had a stellar season with three wins. You would win your first-ever career IndyCar race at the season opener at St. Petersburg. You qualified fourth and led 26 of the 110 laps. As you continue to reflect on your career, what does that first victory still mean to you and have you ever had a chance to rewatch that race?

JH: “Not lately, I probably haven’t watched that win back in the last decade, I maybe watched it that year,” he said. “To this day, it’s the most memorable win for me and my career. (Winning) was validation for everything I put into that sport. To have both my parents there that day was special. There was a unique tie-in with the car I was driving, a Dan Wheldon tribute. That was his (Wheldon’s) hometown.”

SM: You then had a dominating win at Iowa, nearly leading all the laps and had a victory at Sao Paulo. Which victory was more satisfying to you that year? Winning the season opener or the dominating victory at Iowa leading all but 24 laps?

JH: “If you had to pick between the two, Sao Paulo was the more satisfying win,” the Toronto, Canada native said. “The way that race played out and the tricks Takuma Sato had been playing, I was pretty fired up about it. When we won on the last lap, that was really cool.

“The Iowa win, it was sort of a Sunday drive. Not that winning is ever easy, but we just kind of controlled it. I remember saying in the press conference, ‘This is what Scott Dixon must feel like on mile and a half tracks.’ But, you know, it’s rare to have a day like that in IndyCar and I certainly appreciated that moment. The Sao Palou stuck a little better.”

SM: Obviously, a few short seasons after your first win, you suffered a near-death crash at Indy in 2015 during practice. However, a year later when you returned to the track, you qualified on the pole, led 27 laps out front, and brought home a seventh-place finish for a team you started with in Indy Lights? How special of a moment was that for you knowing that a year earlier you nearly died, but a year later, you almost won?

JH: “I showed up to Indy that May and I was so far past the accident,” the 35-year-old said. “I was already back in the car and I already crashed on an oval again. All anyone could ever talk about was my crash the year before and me coming back there. I remember saying to my team on unloading day, ‘My biggest goal for May was to leave with a different story to tell.’ We nailed it on that part.

“Qualifying was such an accomplishment for the team. To be on the pole for the 100th running of the Indy 500, it was such a 360 full-circle moment. It was cool to share it with that group because it was nearly all the same guys with my car the year before when we did it. The race was great and had a few things fallen a little differently, we probably could’ve had a legitimate shot at winning.”

SM: Throughout your 11-year career in IndyCar, I’m sure there are many races where you wish you had another opportunity to redo them. In your mind, are there any races that stand out the most and, if so, which race and why? Would you say the 2016 500?

JH: “It’s tough, there’s so many variables in the Indy 500,” Hinchcliffe said. It was a different fuel game that ended up winning that race. A race that sticks in my mind is Texas of that year in 2016, where Graham Rahal beat me by a little bit after dominating that race. There’s nothing I could have done differently. Early in my career, I had some bad races in Toronto and that really sucked, but we had some podium finishes later on.”

SM: You have six IndyCar victories in your career and three in the Indy Lights Series. Which trophy means the most to you in your collection and why?

JH: “Actually, the trophy that means the most to me is the Greg Moore legacy award,” he said. “Greg being my hero as a driver and one of the reasons to be an IndyCar driver. To win an award as a young driver, definitely was a great moment.”

SM: Some drivers keep a memorabilia collection and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, what do you have in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years in the sport?

JH: “My mom used to collect a lot of merchandise of mine and I’m pretty sure there is a box or two that ended up in my basement when they moved,“ Hinchcliffe said. “You know, I don’t really look too much at that kind of stuff. My one thing I really value is helmets. For me, helmets tell stories. I got one helmet from every year of my career and that’s all the way back to go-karting. I treasure my helmet collection.”

SM: Wrapping this interview up, it’s hard to believe your debut came 10 years ago, 12 years in Indy Lights. However, if time travel was available, what would a 35-year-old James Hinchcliffe tell a 22-year-old James Hinchcliffe? Is there anything you would do differently?

JH: “Don’t give up, just keep going,” the now turned NBC analyst said. “There are going to be times in the sport where you wonder if you’re doing the right thing. It can be a brutal, cruel environment. I think a little word of encouragement to my younger me, knowing it was going to work out, probably helped those few sleepless nights.”

Throughout Hinchcliffe’s career, the Canada native has earned six NTT IndyCar wins with 18 podium finishes and has led 781 laps. In addition, he’s won three Indy Lights races and finished runner-up in the championship in 2010 before making the move to IndyCar in 2011.

Fans of James can follow him on Twitter and Instagram and like him on Facebook, as well as visit his website here.

January 24, 2022
Exclusive: First Seasons with Greg Biffle

In this edition of “First Seasons,” Speedway Media catches up with former NASCAR driver Greg Biffle. During the interview, Biffle discusses how he entered the sport, getting to race for Jack Roush and meeting Roush for the first time. We also spoke about his first race win at Memphis along with many other memories throughout his career.

SM: You made your debut racing in the NASCAR Truck Series at the age of 28 driving for Jack Roush. Can you talk about what it was like making your debut during that age, which at the time was considered fairly late, and why the Truck Series?

GB: “Growing up in the Northwest racing out there, people always questioned me how did I get into NASCAR from Washington,” Biffle said. “It took a while because that’s not where a lot of drivers come from with a racing background. I started late too, as I didn’t start racing Street Stocks at the age of 16. I just didn’t have the opportunity to race quarter midget, go-karts, or bandoleros. My progression in a late model touring car series, I was 22 or 23-years-old up to that point. I was looking for the opportunity to get to the next level.”

“There were these races in the wintertime in Tucson, Arizona for the Winter Heat Series. At that time, I got to know Benny Parsons who at the time was a commentator for ESPN. He was actually the one who got me hooked up with Jack Roush. The Truck Series was just starting in that era. The opportunity kind of presented itself, I asked Benny how do I get an opportunity in the Winston West Series or in a Truck? He said, ‘I’ll pass your name and see what I can do.’

“Afterward, Geoff Smith called me (President of Roush Racing) out of the blue. He asked me if I wanted to race trucks for Jack Roush. I didn’t hesitate at all. It was like winning the lottery.”

SM: I know it’s been several years ago, but can you remember the first conservation you had with Jack about making your NASCAR debut? When was your first interaction with Jack?

GB: “So the first time I met Jack was when I went back to meet the sponsor (Grainger),” he said. “I flew to Michigan and flew on his small plane. It was me, Geoff Smith and a few PR people. That was the first time I met Jack.”

SM: Following up on that question, you spent three years racing in the Truck Series before moving up to the Busch Series in 2001 and 2002 and then going to Cup full-time in 2003. Was that always the plan between you and Jack to eventually go Cup racing someday and did you ever think it would happen so quickly?

GB: “It was obviously my plan, but really the plan was performanced-based I would say,” Biffle said about moving up the ladder. “If you’re successful, it’s like any other sport. If you win races, championships, you’re going to move to the next level. You’re going to get that opportunity at some point. That’s how it worked for me. We were successful in the Truck Series and moved to the Busch Series in ‘01, and then went to Cup.”

SM: Eventually, your first Truck race came at Disney where you started 20th and finished fifth. What do you remember about the weeks leading up to your debut? Were you anxious or nervous or were you more excited to get out there and race?

GB: “I was super nervous,” he said. “I remember going there my first time because I didn’t know what to expect. We had done some testing to that point. I didn’t have a lot of experience, but it was a big deal.”

SM: In your first outing at Disney, you started 20th and finished fifth. Were you satisfied with your first result in the Truck Series?

GB: “Oh absolutely,’’ the former Roush Racing driver said. “When you’re young, I was super excited about fifth. There again though, you want to win. Sometimes, when you’re in the moment, you don’t appreciate it until years later. I do remember this and thinking when I raced the first few races after my debut, there’s no way I’m going to beat these guys and compete with them because you’re getting all you can out of your truck.”

“I knew they were so much faster and I knew there was just no way I’m going to compete with these guys. When I moved to the Busch Series, I was like ‘okay, I won 17 races and a Truck title, I’m going to come in here and do well. It’s the same thing as the Truck Series. There were like 10 cars that were winning every week. The progression each time was more time when I moved up the ladder. I just didn’t think when I came in, I was going to win that series. Definitely, a humbling experience a few races later.”

SM: Following Disney, you sat on the pole at Portland and then won the pole three consecutive times from Memphis through Martinsville. However, along the way, you had some disappointing finishes at Phoenix with a crash, transmission problems at Watkins Glen, two more crashes at Texas and Nazareth. Even though you were competitive but had some of those issues, did you ever still feel there was some sort of learning curve throughout your rookie season, or did you start to get comfortable learning the truck?

GB: “I felt there was always a learning curve, I really did,” Biffle said. “Up to that point, I had a lot of chassis experience and I built cars for a long time. I was more hands-on in the Truck Series and we tested on many short tracks. We developed a front suspension package in the ‘98 season and got the truck more drivable and got the truck more competitive. I don’t think what we had in ‘98 was the best to win races. We should have won a couple, but it didn’t go that way.”

“We ended up doing two tires instead of four on a pit stop and our tires were worn out. It was just a mistake on our part. My crew chief (Randy Goss) didn’t have a lot of experience either since it was his first time. At the same time, the Truck Series didn’t do live pit stops like they do nowadays. Everything was new to Goss. I remember Andy Houston winning that specific race, but he had a Cup crew chief and they put four tires on and beat us on the last lap. We eventually got it figured out for the ‘99 season.”

SM: While you didn’t win in your rookie season, you would set the world on fire in ‘99 by winning nine races that year. In regard to your nine wins, I want to talk about your first win that came at Memphis. You qualified on the pole and finished first after leading 74 of 200 laps. What does that victory still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to rewatch that race?

GB: “You know, I haven’t watched that race back as of late, but I should,” he said about winning Memphis. “(Winning that race) meant the world to me. We had been so close so many times. To finally win one, it changes your confidence dramatically. After we won three more, I looked at winning and we had so much confidence. When I’m looking at the next races, I think how can we not win here? We nearly won everywhere in ‘99.”

SM: You came close to winning the title in 1999, but ended up just short of that title before winning it in 2000 by defeating Kurt Busch. What kept you from winning the title in ‘99?

GB: “I think it goes a bit under the radar of what happened that season,” Biffle said about not winning the championship in ‘99. Our first race at Disney World Speedway, we brought an intake manifold. I remember the NASCAR official comes over and looks at the manifold and does all of his checking and this was a mile and a half manifold. The manifold made an additional four more horsepower. He approved the intake manifold and we ran it at that race.”

“We win at Las Vegas with three races to go and it’s our ninth win of the season. Obviously, we’re under the radar for being so successful that year. We win and celebrate and we’re getting ready to load our stuff up and they’re having this big meeting in the NASCAR trailer and the manifold is in question all of a sudden because it doesn’t match the gasket. They said it had to match the shape of the gasket, so it was a technicality of the rules.

“(NASCAR) ended up disqualifying us for the manifold, which they had done tech on throughout the season. I happened to be standing in the truck when the official came and looked at it. When they asked that guy in Las Vegas if he had approved this manifold and he wasn’t sure if he had seen that specific part before. I’m telling you what, Jack Roush had never won any NASCAR titles ever and he wanted every crew member, NASCAR official to take a lie detector test because we were getting the short hand of the deal. As a result, they took 120 points away from us and I lost the championship by eight points three races later.”

SM: While you didn’t win the championship in ‘99, you finally won the championship in 2000 after winning five races that year. What was it like winning your first championship and was it sort of a relief to win the title before moving to the Busch Series in ‘01? Did winning the title help your move to the Busch Series?

GB: “Yes, (winning the title) was definitely a relief,” the two-time champion said. “That year was so fulfilling, especially after the controversy in ‘99. Kurt had some of the exact same setups as we did, so we split up some of the wins in 2000. It was so nice to win that title because that was Jack’s first title in any series. I knew I was going Busch racing at the start of that season, so that was sort of my only opportunity to win the Truck title that year.”

SM: When you look back on your early NASCAR days, what are some of your fondest memories of entering the sport?

GB: “Obviously, first wins are fun memories,” Biffle said. “The first win in a truck at Memphis was a fun moment for me. The first win in the Busch Series and the first one at Daytona, that was neat to win there. I had the most wins in 2005 in the Cup Series and finished second in points. That was a heartburn moment, but at the same time very disappointing to finish so close to the championship.”

SM: Favorite trophy out of your collection?

GB: “There was a win in Dover and the Monster trophy is really neat,” he said. “I will tell you, I met a soldier at this hospital nearby. He was at the race on race day and we spent a little time together. The soldier was very inspiring to me. In that race, we were running fifth or sixth and I was like, we’re not going to win today, I have to make a change on this thing.”

“I asked for a big change and we started driving up through the field. We almost wrecked at one point, I don’t know how I saved it. I wheeled that thing to the front and I took chances because I felt inspired by him. The car was really loose, but we ended up winning. I celebrated in victory lane with him and I gave him the trophy so he could take it home. It was just a good story.”

SM: Some drivers keep a memorabilia collection and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, what do you have in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years?

GB: “I’ve got a decent collection, but I will admit the collection is not very organized,” Biffle said. “I got a lot of diecasts, (a replica toy car) because I bought every car that was ever made. Later years, I bought 12 of every paint scheme or diecast made, so that way I can give a few out. I have everything like Truck Series diecasts and hero cards.”

SM: Wrapping it up, it’s hard to believe your debut came 23 years ago. However, if time travel was available, what would a 52-year-old Greg Biffle tell a 28-year-old Greg Biffle? Is there anything you would do differently?

GB: “You know, not really,” the 19 time Cup Series winner said. “It’s like any other sport, you have to be passionate about what you do. You have to give it 110% every day, that’s the key. You can’t halfway something, you have to put your mind to it and be the best you can be. Be a student of the sport as well, you know, study the racetrack, study the tire, study the competitors, etc. The thing I did the most along the way is you learn from other people’s mistakes, so you don’t have to make the mistake yourself. Unfortunately in life, we learn from our mistakes, but we can also learn from others too.”

Throughout Biffle’s career, the Vancouver, Washington native made 510 Cup Series starts and earned 19 wins with 92 top fives and 175 Top 10 finishes. In the Xfinity Series, he has 244 starts and 20 wins along with winning the 2002 series championship. Biffle also earned 17 Truck Series wins and won the 2000 series championship.

Fans of Greg Biffle can follow him on Twitter and Instagram.

January 6, 2022
Exclusive: First Seasons with Danny Sullivan

In this edition of Speedway Media’s First Seasons columns, we talked with former IndyCar driver and champion Danny Sullivan to learn more about his early days in IndyCar.

During the interview, Sullivan talks about how he raced in CART along with racing in Formula 1, getting the opportunity to drive for Doug Shierson, memories about his first win at Cleveland in 1984 and so much more.

SM: You began racing in the CART Series at the age of 32 in 1982 before moving to full-time in 1984 after spending a year in F1 in ‘83. Can you talk about what it was like making your debut at that age and how you made the connection with Douglas Shierson in ‘84 that led to your first full-time ride?

DS: “I had raced Formula Atlantic back in 1978 in the states,” Sullivan said. “Doug (Shierson) ran an Atlantic team and I knew him over the years from racing. I didn’t know many people in the states that well, because most of my background was all in Europe. I did Formula 1 in 1983 and had some good races, scoring my first world championship points, but Ken (Tyrell) informed me that Benetton may be leaving. Ken later told me that I may have to break your contract for ‘84 and ‘85 due to sponsorship issues.

“So, on my way back to the states, I stopped in Colorado. I went to Phoenix for the last IndyCar race of the season for them. I was walking around and went up to Doug (Shierson) because I had known him. He said, ‘You had a good year in F1’ and asked me what I was doing for next year. He said, ‘I’m looking for a driver,’ so we had a chat and everything and I called Tyrell and asked him if we were going to have a deal or not? He (Ken) said, ‘Look I’m not going to be able to make a decision until February.’ Back in those days, if you did not have a ride in February, you were done.

“I ended up calling Doug and asked him, what’s the deal? That’s how our deal came together. We started testing and he had the DSr1. Doug was a great guy to race for.”

SM: I want to briefly touch on your F1 ride. Was it difficult for you to flip back and forth between both series after spending a year in F1 and then going back to CART? Was CART just better suited for you?

DS: “No, I mean I had good results in F1,” he said about racing in F1. “The team wasn’t a top-tier team, but I had good results in Monaco (Formula 1’s biggest race of the year). Monaco was only my fourth or fifth race and I started last and finished fifth to score my first championship points. At the Brands-Hatch race, I was battling for the win on the last lap, but I was edged over to the grass on the last lap. I had spent so many years in Europe, so I was comfortable with the tracks that we were racing in F1. To be honest with you, if there wasn’t a hiccup with Ken Tyrell and Benetton, I may not even have done the IndyCar deal.”

SM: After briefly competing for three races in 1982 and racing the full season in 1984, what kind of expectations did you have at the beginning of the season? Were winning races and championships on your mind or was it more, take it race by race and maybe manage your expectations at the halfway point?

DS: “The latter,” Sullivan jokingly says about managing expectations. “Part of it was the rude awakening. Doug had built a nice car, the DSR-1 and the car was nicely made, but the car was slow on the ovals and it had no straight-line speed. When Doug got the Lola, the car was spot on and we had great engineers and Doug ran a great little team. Once, we got the car at Portland, we were competitive everywhere we went. However, when we were five races in the season, I never thought about the championship. I was never thinking about the championships, I focused more on winning races.

“What you have to do is keep doing what you’re doing. If everything falls its way, then maybe you’ll have a shot at the championship.”

SM: Your first official race with CART was at Atlanta in 1982 driving for Gerry Forsythe. You qualified 11th and finished third, but seven laps down. Despite being seven laps down, what was it like in the weeks leading up to your first IndyCar start? Were you anxious or nervous or were you ready to just get going?

DS: “Leading up to (your debut), you’re very nervous because you’re excited about your first start,” the 1985 Indy 500 champ said. “In qualifying, I was out to lunch and practice as well. I was way off the pace and they had the cars lined out for qualifying. Believe it or not, I was coming out of the porta-potty and I saw big Al (Unser Sr, former IndyCar driver) and he and I had always been friendly.

“I had asked Al a question and said, ‘I’m lost. I don’t know how to get this car around here fast. He said, ‘Well, you’re making the mistake that most road racers do and I asked back, ‘what’s that?’ He said, ‘You come up on the first banking and you do what road racers are doing, you roll out and turn down on the braking. On the oval, you roll out of the throttle and do not need the brakes.’ He said, ‘I wouldn’t tell anyone to do that but I have confidence in you.’

“I had asked Wally Dallenbach (race director at the time) for an extra warmup lap. On the first lap, I went around at 7,000 RPM and carried the throttle down on the first corner and rolled out of it, and got back in it. On the second and third laps, I was at 8,000 and 9,000 RPMs. I finished third in my first IndyCar race and I was ecstatic. The last thing you want to do is stick it in the fence and you want to keep your nose clean. It was a big learning curve and a huge bonus to finish third.”

SM: Touching on your debut, were you satisfied with your IndyCar outing? Anything you thought you could have done differently to have a higher finish or was it just not meant to be?

DS: “Oh yeah absolutely,” Sullivan said about finishing third in his first race. “Look, you always want to run quicker, but to come away with a third place in my first experience and the car in one piece. What I learned was to drive a little bit more on an oval. Atlanta is fast. Back in ‘82, we were averaging 210 mph in a race, that’s wild. I was really pleased with everything.”

SM: In the 1984 season, you had finishes of 24th at Long Beach, sixth at Phoenix, 29th at Indy, 16th at Milwaukee and 23rd at Portland. When you were racing your first full season, was there ever a learning curve for you or was there ever a moment where you got comfortable with learning the car?

DS: “Early on in the season, we had a terrible car, the DSR-1,” he said. “You want to start looking at the results from after Portland. After Portland, we were a lot more competitive and scored three wins. However, I think there was a learning curve, but we were also competitive. I knew more of the tracks, but if you come away with a season with three race wins, that’s a really good season. Overall, it put Doug and me on the map.”

SM: Speaking of Indy, this was your first Indy 500 experience. With the exception of finishing 14th due to a crash in 1981, what was the experience like being in the garage area on race day, pre-race ceremonies, pace laps before the green, etc.?

DS: “Two things that happened – Yes (Indy) is daunting because the track is so massive,” Sullivan said. “Back in those days, you were at Indy for three and a half weeks and you’re driving day in and day out. To be honest, you’re a little bit tired. In qualifying, there were a couple of thousand people there and you’re getting an early taste of what race day is like. From that perspective, (Indy) is pretty spectacular. Indy is its own place. Once you got in the car, you don’t even think about the fans that are in the seats and you’re more worried about staying out of trouble.”

SM: Eventually, your first win would come at Cleveland after starting fifth and leading seven laps. What does that first win still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to re-watch that race?

DS: “I haven’t watched that race back in a long time,” the 1988 CART Series Champion said. “When a new team wins, it’s just special and it adds to the victory when everyone is there. (Winning) is such an adrenaline rush, but afterward, you are a little deflated because you already start thinking about the next week. To get the victories at Pocono and Saniar were special. To get a 500-miler win at Pocono and beat Rick Mears (former IndyCar legend) where we raced nose to tail on the last lap and split the car on the last lap, I went on to win and beat him by a nose.

“(Winning Pocono) was really special. One, I didn’t inherit the win and the other, I beat Rick Mears. To win against Mears, you start thinking okay now I can do this, and winning those races builds your confidence as you go along.”

SM: I know this has been asked about and talked about. But, in 1985 at the Indy 500, you had your spin on Lap 120 and then eventually rebounded to win that race. Even though you won, when it happened, did you think that you could still win that race?

DS: “At first, I thought I was done because I thought I hit the wall,” Sullivan recalled about the 1985 Indy 500 race. “To have come through that (not hitting anything) and when it (the spin) first happened, I thought shit. I’m going to hit the wall and I was pissed. Luckily, I got the car back together because you just didn’t have time to dwell on those certain kinds of things. Otherwise, you’re just going to make a mistake if you think about it too much.

“After the spin, I radioed in to Derrick Walker (Sullivan’s crew chief at the time) and made my comments, it was just one of those deals. Later in the race, Howdy Holmes and Tom Sneva (former IndyCar drivers) go into Turn 1 by themselves. I started to roll out of the throttle because I knew at the time, Howdy didn’t have much experience racing on an oval, and eventually, both he and Sneva tangled. Howdy goes up and hits the outside fence and Sneva goes down the other way.

“Meanwhile, I’m closing in on both of them and I just barely missed (Tom) Sneva. You can’t jump on the brakes because now you’re going to crash. I just missed Sneva and the yellow had already come out at the time. You’re thinking ‘Okay, that was lucky.’ But again, you have no time to dwell on it. When the spin happens, you may think about it for five seconds, but eventually, you have to get back in the groove.”

SM; After 1984, you went on to win 17 races, earned 40 podium finishes and won the championship in 1988. However, are there any races where you wish you had another chance at or a do-over? If so, which race stands out the most and why?

DS: “Two races and there’s nothing I can do about (changing the outcome) because I was leading,” he said. “I was leading the Indy 500 in ‘88 by a good margin and had a lap on Rick Mears. Unfortunately, the front wing mount broke and that put me in the fence. That car during that race was one of the best cars I ever had in my entire career.

“The second one was ironically that year at Pocono. Mario (Andretti) was leading and I was right behind Mario and he still had his last pit stop to make and I had already made mine (pit stop). There was no pressure to pass Mario and we went into Turn 3 and I should have been smarter, but he got tangled up with Dick Simon (former IndyCar driver) and crashed. Of course, when he got tangled up, I got on the brakes and wound up hitting the wall.

“When I look back on the racing, we can say ‘Gosh, I wish I hadn’t done this or that, or signed with this team.’ But when I look back, I could have won more races and easily could have won less and I had a good career. I won at Indy, Pocono, Michigan and the championship in ‘88. I got hurt, but not too bad. I’m happy with my career and I’ve got no complaints.”

SM: Out of winning 17 races, with the exception of the Indy 500, which trophy out of your collection means the most to you, and why?

DS: “I’m not so sure if I could narrow it down to one race, but that Pocono win beating Rick (Mears) was an important milestone to me and my career,” Sullivan said. “Winning that race really made Roger Penske stand up and notice. My last race with Penske at Laguna Seca, winning that one by leading flag to flag was an important one.

“One of the other victories was Long Beach with Galles Kraco Racing. That was a good race because I had battled with my teammate Al Unser Jr.”

SM: It’s hard to believe your CART debut came 39 years ago. However, what would a 71-year-old Danny Sullivan tell a 32-year-old Danny Sullivan? Is there anything you would do differently?

DS: “Yes, I would probably say, stay more focused and take every opportunity when you can,” the former CART driver said. “When your racing career stops, there’s nothing you can do and it’s hard to replace a racing career. There’s nothing quite like a racing career and I would say make the most of it while you can.”

In Sullivan’s career, the Louisville, Kentucky native has earned 17 victories and 40 podium finishes along with 19 career pole positions in the CART Series and he won the 1988 CART Championship. In addition, Sullivan has made 15 Formula 1 career starts, 11 IROC starts, one NASCAR and ARCA Series starts.

Special thanks to Dave Furst of IndyCar for helping with this interview and many thanks to Danny Sullivan for taking the time out of his schedule to conduct the interview.

Fans of Danny Sullivan can follow him on Twitter.

October 13, 2021
Exclusive: First seasons with Paul Tracy

In this edition of Speedway Media’s first seasons’ column, we caught up with former IndyCar driver turned NBC broadcaster, Paul Tracy. In the interview, Tracy discusses what brought him into the sport in 1991, meeting with Roger Penske to help him get a full-time ride, winning his first race at Long Beach in 1993, among many other memories throughout Tracy’s early career.

SM: You made your CART debut at the age of 22 in the 1991 season at Long Beach for Dale Coyne before ultimately driving for Roger Penske. What it was like to make your debut at that age and how did you make the connection with Roger Penske that landed you a full-time ride for the 1992 season?

PT: “I started out winning the Indy Lights Championship and then I had a test with True Sports Racing and they were sponsored by Budweiser,” Tracy said. “I was still 20 years old and the test went really well and they signed me to an option contract and then they couldn’t get Budweiser to sponsor me because I was under 21. We went through the winter trying to find a sponsor, but we had nothing to start the season.

“Much to the dismay of my mom, my dad refinanced our house and made a deal with Dale Coyne to drive for him (at Long Beach) all with the hopes of a good race and some prize money. I qualified really well in Dale’s car, which at that time, Dale was known for not having the best equipment. The car was a year old. In the race, the motor blew up and that was it. I thought that was the end of the road.

“Penske had contacted us and asked me what I wanted to do. I said our goal was to get to Indianapolis. He said, sit tight and wait for me to call you. We put a lot of faith in Roger and the day after Indy qualifying, Roger called my dad and said, ‘I need you to drive to Detroit and meet me at my office at midnight.’ That’s what we did, got in a car and drove to Detroit. The contract was on the table and he said sign this now, or I have another driver waiting at the motel to sign it.”

SM: When was your first conversation with Roger and did you feel like this was a place to be after the first meeting?

PT: “Oh obviously,” he said. His team was the best team. How could you not go with your first real racing opportunity to be with the best team in the history of the sport? To some degree, he kind of spoiled me. After I left Team Penske, you were so spoiled with the best preparations.”

SM: During the ‘92 season, you ran 11 out of the 16 races that year. What kind of expectations did you have at the beginning of the season? Was managing expectations difficult knowing you weren’t full-time?

PT: “Yeah, I started (racing) in ‘91 and there were really no expectations,” Tracy said. “Roger said, I’m going to sign you as a test driver. You might test for one year or five years, I can’t promise you anything. Other than that, you’re going to do a lot of testing for us.

“My test came at Mid-Ohio. I had already been there with True Sport Racing, so I knew the track well. I admittedly was very quick. I was quicker than Emerson (Fittipaldi) and Rick (Mears) on the first day. That raised a lot of eyebrows.

“We went to Michigan, tested there and I was quick again. Roger said ‘I’m going to have you race at the Michigan 500.’ I went out in my first race and crashed. I thought immediately, my career was over. He asked my doctor how long I would be, and my doctor said five to seven weeks. I had a rod and screw in my leg. At five weeks, I was out of my cast and in the soft cast.

“The first test he (Roger) took me back to was Michigan, the site of my crash. There was the car that was smashed, sitting in the paddock, and the mark on the wall. (Roger) wanted me to do a 500-mile test when I went out. I was shitting myself and got through it (test). Speeds were good. That set the stage for the ‘92 season, where I would run Phoenix, Nazareth, Michigan and Detroit. He put sponsorship together with Mobil 1 and that’s how the ‘92 season came about.”

SM: Your first race with Roger came in ‘91 at Michigan. Discuss what it was like in the weeks leading up to your first IndyCar start? Were you anxious or nervous or were you thinking, ‘I’m ready to go out there and show what I’ve got’?

PT: “I was a little bit nervous, but I tested so much there at Michigan,” he said. “I had been there (Michigan) like 10 times, but I had never drafted with anyone else. I remember Roger telling me at the start, ‘just take the start and don’t pass anyone. If anyone passes you, it’s no big deal. Just stay on the lead lap and wait until the last 100 miles and then we’ll start racing.’

“The green flag dropped and I was in the top seven or eight after qualifying. I remember I was behind Scott Brayton on the first lap, he was somewhat slow I thought. So, I thought, I’m going to pass him and I came up behind him (Brayton) in Turns 3 and 4 and I lost the rear of the car. I caught the car, but the car went the other way and hit the wall. My first start with Penske didn’t go very well.”

SM: In ‘91, your best finish came at Nazareth finishing sixth, and then the year after, you bettered that finish with a second-place at Michigan while leading 67 laps. Did you think at that point, Michigan was probably your best shot to win after having gearbox problems earlier in the season?

PT: “That was the comeback race at Michigan after breaking my leg the year before,” Tracy said about the 1992 Michigan race. “So, to come back, run up front, lead the race for a long time, the win came down to a shootout with me and Scott Goodyear at the end. I was really happy with how that race went. I thought that was really close to being my first win, but ultimately my first win didn’t come until the following year at Long Beach in 1993.”

SM: As the season wore on, your two other podiums came at Mid-Ohio (second) and third at Nazareth. During your rookie season in ‘92, was there still a learning curve for you and the team? Was there a moment when you began to feel comfortable?

PT: “I thought I was pretty comfortable in an IndyCar right away,” the 2003 CART champion said. “After my first test with True Sports, I thought the car suited me well, the horsepower level, everything.”

SM: Your first-ever Indy 500 experience was in 1992. I know it wasn’t the result you wanted with a 20th place finish but regardless of that, what was it like experiencing your first Indy 500? What were your thoughts as you entered the garage on race day, the pre-race ceremonies, pace laps before the green, etc.?

PT: “Indy has always been a tough place for me,” Tracy said. “That track, for whatever reason, was not suited for me. 2002, you can argue whether or not I won the race, that was my best result ever there. Other than that, every time I ran Indy, I struggled. I never qualified that great. (Indy) was just a hard track for me.”

SM: Fast forward to 1993. You scored your first career win at Long Beach. You qualified on the outside pole and led 81 of the 105 laps. What does that first career win still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to re-watch that race? Earlier in the week, the broadcast mentioned you fell off a mountain bike and that your hands were sore.

PT: “There’s a story behind that as well,” Tracy said about falling off a mountain bike. “I had told the team I fell off a mountain bike, but I was out with some buddies go-karting at a track in California called Adams Raceway in some shifter karts. My friend (Mark Smith, former IndyCar driver) and I got tangled up and I flipped the go-kart and that’s how I tore myself.

“However, I had crashed the week before at Phoenix after leading two laps. Everyone was looking at me sideways. After crashing the go-kart Wednesday of the Long Beach week, I showed up at the track black and blue and covered in blood. I thought, ‘shit, I better win this race or I am going to get fired.’ Luckily, Long Beach was one of my favorite tracks and everything went well in the race.”

SM: After 1992, you went on to win 31 races, 74 podium finishes and even won the championship in 2003. However, are there any races where you wish you had another chance at or a do-over? If so, which race stands out the most and why?

PT: “There’s a lot of them but Phoenix stands out the most,” the Canadian native said. “In my first full-season in ‘93, there’s some specific races that stand out because I lost the championship to (Nigel) Mansell by 25 points. I was right there at the championship, but I crashed out at Phoenix, Milwaukee and Mid-Ohio, all three while leading those races by a huge margin. I would like to have one of those three back.”

SM: I wanted to follow up on this. I saw a video on your Instagram post about racing four days after the September 11th terrorist attacks in Germany. What was going through your mind at that time?

PT: “Yeah, we didn’t know if we were ever going to get back across to the United States because, at that time, the worldwide flights were canceled,” Tracy said. “CART had gotten permission from the United States and the German government to let us race. At that race, there were a lot of crazy things that had happened. (Alex) Zenardi had got hurt there and there was a lot of stuff going on.”

SM: What is your fondest memory of entering the sport?

PT: “Just all the people I’ve worked with in the sport,” he said. “I can walk around the paddock and talk to any of the teams and ask them about their game plan for the race. Not only knowing the drivers on a good level but the mechanics as well. They will tell me straight and that really helps with our NBC broadcasts.”

SM: Some drivers keep their own memorabilia and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, is there anything in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years?

PT: “I have helmets and (fire) suits from specific times and races that I won over the years,” Tracy said. “The ones I’ve won specific races in, I still have them all. I have the suits from the 2003 championship and some Team Penske items. I have helmets that are of significant importance to me.”

SM: Out of winning 31 races, which trophy out of your collections means the most to you and why?

PT: “It’s hard to say which one is the most important to me, but winning in my hometown was great, winning in Vancouver in my own country was great and then my Long Beach trophies are really important as well. I guess if I had to categorize them, winning in my country meant a lot for sure.”

SM: It’s hard to believe your CART debut came 30 years ago. However, what would a 52-year-old Paul Tracy tell a 20-year-old Paul Tracy? Is there anything you would do differently?

PT: “Well, when I started racing, I drove flat out like it was the last lap,” Tracy said. “Back in those days, you couldn’t do that because the equipment wouldn’t hold up, the gearboxes would break, engines would blow up, etc. One of the things that Roger’s people would say, if they were developing their own cars, if it’ll hold up when Paul drives it, then anybody can drive it. If the car doesn’t break behind the wheel with him driving it, then the car will race the whole race. That would be everything inside the car. Now the cars are so reliable. It’s rare that you see an engine fail or gearbox fail. The drivers now drive like I did at the beginning of my career, but you just couldn’t do that back then since the equipment wasn’t as strong.”

Throughout Paul Tracy’s career, the Scarborough, Ontario native has made 261 career CART starts with 31 career victories, 74 podium finishes and 24 pole positions along with winning the 2003 championship. Additionally, Tracy made 20 NTT IndyCar starts sporadically from 2002 to 2011. He also has 10 wins in 35 races from 1988 to 1990 in his Indy Lights career while winning the championship in 1990. He has also made starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Xfinity Series and the former NASCAR Rolex Grand-Am Sports Car Series.

Fans of Paul Tracy can follow him on Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out his website here.

Special thanks to Kevin Lee of NBC Sports for helping with this interview and many thanks to Paul Tracy for taking the time out of his schedule to conduct the interview.

October 4, 2021
Exclusive: First Seasons with Andrew Hines

In this edition of First Seasons, Speedway Media catches up with six-time NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Andrew Hines. During this interview, Hines discusses entering the sport in 2002, racing for his dad’s team, Vance and Hines and memories of his first start. Other topics covered were winning the championship in 2004 and whether he has a favorite trophy out of his collection.

SM: You made your debut at the young age of 19 years old in 2002 at Denver. What was it like making your debut at that age which at the time was considered young for the sport and what drew you to compete in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class?

AH: “That race was a challenge to get to,” Hines said. “I’ve grown up around drag racing and hadn’t known much else, watching my brother and dad race throughout the early 90s and ‘00s and I got the chance to go racing. My dad (founder of Vance and Hines) told me if I wanted to go racing, I needed to learn the entire aspect of a motorcycle. He told me here’s a chassis and go ahead and build it up. I had to learn all my fabrications at that point.

“Had some struggles getting there. We went testing prior to that race and the engine expired at the 1,000-foot mark on the run and oil got all over the exhaust pipe and the bike went up in flames. We originally were shooting for Chicago that year, but we had to get the body repaired and rewire everything, just regroup and figure out what to do from there on forward. It was a lot of work, a lot of headaches, I put so much time into that motorcycle and to see it burning at the end of the racetrack was not a very easy feeling.

“At that point, it kind of sets into your mind what can happen on these motorcycles. They’re not really safe and they can have a mind of their own. That was instilled in me early on and that was an eye-opening experience to have so many things happen early in my career. Getting to Denver, I was able to qualify at the top half of the field, which was a cool feat for the team.

“Some people think it’s a good place (Denver) to start because you’re going slower due to the altitude. The track is one of the most technical races on the tour because you’re going slower and any change you make on the motorcycle will drastically impact the motorcycle more than a sea-level track.”

SM: In 2002 you competed on a part-time schedule running seven races before going full-time from 2003 to now. As you entered the ‘02 season, was managing expectations difficult knowing you were part-time that year and eventually going full-time in ‘03?

AH: “In ‘02, the way the Rookie of the Year worked out in NHRA, once you compete in your fifth event, you’re no longer considered a rookie,” he said. “By running seven events, I was saying 2002 was my rookie season. At the end of the year, I was nominated for the Rookie of the Year, but I did not win it.

“I didn’t really know what was going to happen in 2003. We didn’t have any plans set in stone. The Harley-Davidson contract that Vince and Hines picked up and we weren’t sure where that was going to go in the future. Throughout 2002, I was just focused on getting experience, racing new people, and going to these different venues. Every track we go to is a quarter-mile track, but they’re all unique to their own.

“Going into ‘03, I didn’t know where I was going to go, but ultimately I ended up getting a second ride on the factory motorcycle through Vance and Hines. History has been written since. Though I got to race my dad (Byron Hines) twice that year, once at Reading and the other at Pomona, and we went 1-1, and after that, he was done racing. So our record still stands to this day as a tie.”

SM: Are you encouraging him to try and come out and race with you so you can break the tie with him?

AH: Yeah, exactly,” Hines said. “He’s always got the itch to come out and race, but he hasn’t had the opportunity to get on a motorcycle since then.”

SM: Your debut came at Denver in 2002. Before we talk about your first qualifying run and eventually your rounds that weekend, what were the weeks like leading up to that event? Were you nervous or anxious, or were you tired of waiting and ready to get going?

AH: “I was definitely anxious,” the six-time champion said. “My brother was racing for Eagle One (corporate sponsor) and here I was, the younger brother coming out here trying to make waves in the class. I had high expectations, but unfortunately at the time, we weren’t running my motorcycle at peak performance. I was using some old parts at the shop that were lying around. Just trying to race as a low-budget deal and not gobble up all the resources that my brother needed to go race for the championship.

“It was older engines, crankshafts, that’s why we had some failures along the way. Very anxious going into that first race at Denver. I was actually able to borrow a truck and trailer from an industry friend of ours, PR factory store, Don Plesser. I worked at his trailer that weekend, so I wasn’t getting in the way of my brother. My dad would come over and make the tuning calls and things like that. Denver was a cool experience.

“Up to that point, I hadn’t figured out how to get good reaction times. I ended up racing one of the well-knowns of the sport, Reggie Showers, in the first round. Did a very bad job on the tree and he beat me. Got my first round win at the next race in Sonoma.”

SM: What did that first round victory at Sonoma mean to you at the time?

AH: (Winning) my first round meant a lot,” he said. “I can’t remember where I qualified at that event. Thinking about it now, I went over to Craig Treble’s trailer on Saturday night and used his practice reaction timer. I had bad lights in all rounds of qualifying and I came up with what was then called 500 on the tree in the first round against John Smith. Luckily I had the motorcycle to carry me on through the win.

“In the second round, that was my turning point knowing I can do this because I had a better reaction time. I was amped up getting that round win.”

SM: As Sunday came, unfortunately, you lost in your first round match against Showers after you moved toward the centerline at the 330 feet mark. Is there anything you wish you could have done differently in order to advance that day or do you feel it just wasn’t meant to be?

AH: “It was just experience at the time,” he said about losing in his first round. “I hadn’t had enough seat time staring at the Christmas Tree and learning the reaction times. Twisting the throttle and hearing 10,000 rpm at the time it’s hard to get that through your head and throw your clutch away at the start line. It just comes with seasoning and you have to learn from the experience along the way.

“Ultimately, it would have been nice getting my first round win in my first round, but I’m not going to hang my head on that. There were a lot of good people racing in that class.”

SM: For the rest of 2002, you qualified for all the events you entered. Being on a part-time schedule was there still a learning curve racing on the bike or did you start to become more comfortable after making more runs as the season went on?

AH: “Definitely a learning curve,” Hines said. “It didn’t come quickly by any means. I raced my brother at Pomona in the final round and had a huge holeshot lead and then red lighted because I forgot to shift on time. Had I been a better rider and not pay attention to what’s happening in the other lane, I probably could have got him (Byron Hines) on that win.”

SM: One year later in 2004, you scored your first career victory racing against GT Tonglet. What does that victory mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to go back and re-watch that race? Did you ever think it was going to come after racing for only a couple of years? I’m sure it was a special win coming at the Gatornationals.

AH: “My first race win was definitely special not only for me but the first race win for Harley-Davidson in NHRA with our Vance and Hines team,” he said. “We put both bikes in the final round and there were a lot of Harley-Davidson executives on the starting line. I think the biggest reaction came when I won my semi-final round. I was still rolling to the shut down area and I could still hear the crowd roaring because GT (Tonglet, former Pro Stock Motorcycle racer) had won, and at that point, we sealed it (victory) for Harley-Davidson.

“You know, Gainesville being near the Daytona bike week time frame, a lot of motorcycle riders were in the area. The place just went nuts.”

SM: When you won that year in Gatornationals, it started a season of three wins and your first-ever championship. Why was that season so special and why do you think it clicked together with your team?

AH: “I was coming into my own as a rider,” Hines said. “The team was learning clutch management going down the racetrack. We were so good when NHRA started hammering us with extra weight penalties to get parity back in line. We took a big hit between Englishtown and St. Louis that year with a 40 lb weight increase from one weekend to the next. After that, we never won another race (that year), but we accumulated enough points early in the season to win the championship.

“That was an extra special time, winning the first championship and being 21 years old at the time. You kind of take it for granted at the time wanting to win races.”

SM: After 2004, the stats speak for themselves, 56 wins and six championships. When you reflect on your early days, are there any races where you wish you had the chance to go back and re-do it? If so, what races stand out the most?

AH: “Oh man, probably 2005 Pomona in the final round racing against Ryan Schnitz,” the Vance and Hines rider said. “I went 11 thousand fouled red and he went 10 thousand red. Not winning that race kind of plagued me forever, I was never able to win Pomona after that race. It (winning Pomona) didn’t happen until 2012. That’s one where you wish you can get it back.”

SM: What is your fondest memory when entering the sport?

AH: “I was the young kid at the track everyone knew,” Hines said. “It was cool being out there when my dad was racing, being only 8 or 9 years old, and people were still racing when I came back out. Racing with peers I looked up to for so long was a pretty fond memory.”

SM: Some drivers keep their own memorabilia and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, is there anything in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years?

AH: “I have a few shirts from those early years that are still in bags,” he said. “That’s something I’ll let my kids look at in the future. Obviously, I still have all my trophies, leathers and helmets. I guess the helmets are probably the biggest thing. I kept all my helmets from the start. I can look at each helmet and remember what happened during that exact race.”

SM: Out of 56 victories, I know it’s kind of hard to pinpoint as all of those wins have special meaning, but what would you say is the favorite trophy out of your collection?

AH: “The next one,” Hines jokingly said about his favorite victory. “To pinpoint one, there are so many. Probably my 50th win that came at Charlotte in 2019. That was big for me, breaking the 50th milestone. Everything lined up that weekend, I think that race was a four-wide race too.”

SM It’s hard to believe your debut came 19 years ago. However, if time travel was available, what would a 38-year-old Andrew Hines tell a 19-year-old Andrew Hines? Is there anything you would do differently?

AH: “When I was younger, you get caught up in what other people think of your performance on the racetrack,” the six-time champ said. “It’s tough at times, you can have those red lights, holeshots, you can make a bad run riding. I would always dwell on what people thought of that last round. As I got older, I realized the performance would come as long as I don’t dwell on the negatives. I have to be positive for the future. I think that’s where my mindset changed probably in 2014.

“The best thing I told myself is that it doesn’t matter what other people are thinking, it only matters what you’re thinking. If you think about what the outcome should be, you’ll get there. That’s probably my biggest takeaway is I was too worried about what other people were thinking.”

Many thanks to Natalie Torrence for setting up this interview and special thanks to Andrew Hines for taking the time out of his busy schedule to conduct the interview.

Fans of Andrew Hines can follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Additionally, you can check out the team’s website here.

September 27, 2021
Exclusive: First seasons with Angie Smith

In this edition of Speedway Media’s first seasons’ column, we catch up with two-time NHRA Pro Stock winner Angie Smith. Smith has been competing on the NHRA tour since 2004 and currently drives the DENSO/Stockseth/Matt Smith Racing EBR machine in 2021.

During this interview, Smith discussed how she got into the sport of drag racing, why she chose the Pro Stock Motorcycle class and her introduction to George Bryce, Smith’s former team owner. She also spoke about making her debut at Gainesville in 2004 and scoring her first career victory against her husband Matt Smith.

SM: You entered the NHRA scene back in 2004 racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class when you were 25 years old. Briefly discuss what it was like debuting at that age and why you were interested in racing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle class?

AS: “I was racing in the Outlaw Pro Street which was a no wheelie nitrous class before that and Pro Stock is the elite of Motorcycle drag racing, so that was the end goal,” Smith said. “Everybody that drag races motorcycles wants to go Pro Stock racing. That was my goal to go Pro Stock racing and at the age of 25, I debuted at Gainesville. I’m glad I did it then because I learned a lot since then.

“I had a lot of nerves and emotions going into that race because when you never race in front of thousands of people you’re very nervous and you want to do well. There’s a lot of nerves that go into a race like that.”

SM: As you chose the Pro Stock Motorcycle class, you began racing for the Star Racing Team owned by George Bryce. How did you connect with Bryce and get your first opportunity in NHRA? I read that you went to a drag racing school and impressed him right out of the gate.

AS: “I got connected with George (Bryce, former Team Owner of Star Racing Team) when I was racing Outlaw Pro Street,” she said. “We raced a series in Georgia that was called the Southeastern Motorcycle Drag Racing Association. I won a championship in Outlaw Pro Street and I was the only girl to ever race and win a championship in Outlaw Pro Street. I also used to buy one of my parts from Star Racing Team.”

“He (George) invited me down to the Drag Racing School he had. I went down there and got my seat wet on a wheelie bar bike because I had never ridden one before. I did really well at the school and we talked about going to Pro Stock racing and we started racing at Gainesville.”

SM: Through the first couple of years of your racing career, you competed off and on, only racing one to three races a year and even taking a year off in 2006. Was it hard managing expectations being a part-time racer through those early years, knowing you would only have a couple of races under your belt? What was going through your mind in the early stages of your career?

AS: “It really was hard,” Smith said about managing expectations. “When you jump in Pro Stock racing, all you want to do is go Pro Stock racing. With being part-time, it was really hard, but what I had to do was look at my goals and figure out a plan to get those goals. If part-time was the only option I had at the time, then that’s what I was going to do.

“So, I raced part-time. After several years, Matt Smith (Angie’s husband) asked me if I wanted to come race his Pro Stock bike. Me and Matt were fierce rivals at the time because Matt used to race Outlaw Pro Street too. We really didn’t have a good connection so I didn’t think being a teammate to him would be a good idea.

“I finally took his offer up in 2007. I went in and tested at Rockingham Dragway and when I did that, I really knew that’s where I needed to be.”

SM: Eventually, your debut came at the famous Gatornationals in Gainesville, Florida in 2004. You had a first-round matchup with Joe DeSantis. Before we get to that first-round matchup, what were the weeks like leading up to your debut at Gainesville? Were you starting to get anxious or nervous, or were you more like, ‘I’m ready to rock n roll. Let’s get this thing going? What were your emotions leading up to Gatornationals?

AS: “I was really, really nervous,” she said. “I don’t think you’re ever prepared to go to the track if you’ve never made your debut because it is very overwhelming. From fans to expectations, to media, you always have a lot going on at your first race.

“I will say, the weeks leading up to that, I was very nervous. A lot of people talked me through it. However, when I put on my helmet for the first time, I thought I was going to throw up because that’s how bad your nerves are going into your first race.

“I think the only thing I could have done differently is not debut at that race (Gainesville 2004) or I should have got a little more seat time before that race,” Smith said. “I think seat time is the biggest thing in NHRA and if you don’t have enough seat time going into your first race, then with all the emotions going in your first race, you could never have enough laps, especially when your nerves take over.”

SM: Following the off-and-on seasons from 2004 to 2007, you entered the ‘08 season racing a career-high 14 races that year. By 2008, were you starting to get more comfortable with the bike, or was there still a learning curve process since you had never run a full season before then?

AS: “There’s definitely a learning curve,” the two-time winner said. “I think I was learning all the way up until the last several years. You always continue to learn, like I am still learning today. How you have to be smooth on the bike, etc, everything is a learning curve.”

SM: What were you doing to stay actively involved in the sport despite being a part-time competitor? Did you want to run a full schedule?

AS: “I did (want to run a full schedule),” Smith said. “I was racing with Matt (Smith) and I went to all the races with Matt, but unfortunately I didn’t have the funding to race and that’s part of the process too. Learning to deal with those emotions and that this thing is a money pit. You can’t spend every dollar you have in your name on it. You have to have sponsors to go do this.

“That’s part of the emotions, where you can race this race, but you can’t race this one and go out there and learn. I didn’t go to college for Marketing, I went to college for Computer Science. Learning the whole marketing aspect of what you need to and how to make yourself different from everyone else, that was a whole learning curve.”

SM: Your first-ever career round victory came in 2008 racing against Wesley Wells. What did that victory do in terms of momentum and confidence? Were you ecstatic you got your first-ever career round victory?

AS: “Yes, you’re always ecstatic when you get your first-round victory in NHRA because it’s a tough crowd out there,” she said. “It’s so tough because all the riders out there are tough and you’re racing against the best of the best. When you make it to the next round these days, you can give yourself a pat on the back.”

SM: In 2008, you raced to two semifinals at Dallas and Memphis. Do those still somewhat sting knowing you were just one round away from getting your first elusive victory?

AS: “It didn’t sting at the time, because I was proud of what I had accomplished in a small amount of time,” Smith said. “Everybody has a desire to win and you just have to take baby steps. It (winning) doesn’t come easy and it doesn’t come without a lot of hard work.

“I was proud of my semi-finals finish. Yes, I wanted to go to the finals and yes, there’s nothing more that a driver wants to do than hold a Wally (NHRA’s trophy) at the end of the day. Though you have to walk before you can run.”

SM: It wouldn’t be until 2014 at Epping when you would score your first career victory against your husband Matt Smith. What does that victory still mean to you to this day and have you ever had a chance to watch that race back?

AS: “Actually that race gets watched a lot, only because we’re the only husband/wife that do this deal together,” she said. “For both of us to be successful and to be able to put both of our bikes in a winner circle, be a team effort, that’s all you want to do. If you can have your teammate in the final, then it’s a win-win for everybody no matter who wins.

“Your first victory is always a very special one for sure.”

SM: What was the conversation like following the victory? Was Matt giving you a hard time beating him in the finals or was he very supportive knowing it was your first victory? I’m sure it was a great moment between the two of you.

AS: “No, he was proud, because when I win, he wins as a Team Owner,” Smith said. “He’s won a lot of races. He hasn’t shifted his focus, he still wants to win every weekend and win championships every weekend. But, for him to win it as a Team Owner/Crew Chief, those are the things where he’s the only driver to have ever done that.”

“Matt is the type of person where he likes to do things that other people have not done. If I were to win a championship, or if Scotty (Pollacheck) was to win a championship, that would be something he’s never done before. He would be very proud of it.”

SM: When you look back on your early years of racing in Pro Stock Motorcycle, are there any races that come to your mind where you wish you had another chance to do it over again? If so, what races stand out the most?

AS: “There’s a couple of races,” she said. “One of the races that stand out is where I helped people win a championship. When you’re a blocker for Matt, I think the Memphis race against Andrew Hines (stands out the most). Hines and I had a staging battle and when I beat Andrew, that helped Matt (Smith) end the championship hunt that year.

“He (Matt) didn’t win the championship that year. He lost the title by three points, but when I beat Andrew Hines, I took him out of contention because Memphis was one of those races where it’s late in the Countdown (NHRA’s version of the NASCAR Playoffs).”

SM: Continuing to reflect on your early career, what are some of your fondest memories of racing in NHRA and entering the sport?

AS: “Racing early on, I really struggled in the beginning,” she said. “The fondest memory I have is me winning Epping (2014, Angie’s first career victory) and being in the Top 10 for the first time in my career. That was a big turning point in my career and it really helped me to know what it takes and know what to do to win races and finish the season off in a good position.”

SM: Some drivers keep their own memorabilia and some don’t. Are you a driver that collects your own merchandise and if so, is there anything in your collection that reminds you of your rookie years?

AS: “I always get a different set of leathers every year and I have a lot of helmets,” she said. “Sometimes, I do two helmets a year, and potentially one helmet a year. I have never sold any of my helmets or leathers, I still have every single pair that I ever owned. One day, I probably will get rid of some of them, but at this point, I’ve never got rid of any. The last day I took them off (helmet and leather), they are all hanging in our shop.”

SM: Which wins mean the most to you? The 2014 Epping win against Matt, 2020 Vegas win against Steve Johnson, or your first-ever round victory?

AS: “The one with Matt was special, because both of our bikes were in the finals,” Smith said. “I think the (victory) that means the most to me is the 2020 one (Las Vegas victory against Steve Johnson) because it was such a trying year with COVID and our team, with me winning. We won half the races that year and (winning) was special.

“When I won in 2014, there were always the naysayers where they would say, well Matt laid down for her or he let her win and so I had to shut up all the naysayers when 2020 came because I beat Steve Johnson in the final. He had a better reaction time than me, but I drove around him and I drove a really good weekend. After that, nobody could say anything, because that (winning the 2020 Vegas race) was a legitimate win. My teammates weren’t in the other lane. Nobody could say anything except for, I got it done that day.”

SM: It’s hard to believe your debut came 17 years ago. However, if time travel was available, what would a 42-year-old Angie Smith tell a 25-year-old Angie Smith? Is there anything you would do differently?

AS: “Yes, I would do a lot of things differently,” Smith said reflecting back on her career. “I didn’t start working on the bike and learning how to assemble motors until about five years ago. I would tell my 25-year-old self that I needed to do all that because it made me a much better rider and I can give Matt much better feedback of what happened the following run. I wish I would have learned the mechanics a lot earlier because I would be that much further along at this point in the game now. Just being really involved, I wish I would have done that earlier.”

In Smith’s career, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina native has amassed 191 career starts dating back to 2004, has made 103 first-round appearances, 49 career quarterfinals, and has 15 semi-final finishes. In addition, she has scored two career victories at Epping in 2014 and Las Vegas in 2020. Smith’s best career elapsed time came in 2021 at Sonoma, where she ran a time of 6.736 seconds and 203.06 mph. She has made the Countdown five times in her career.

For the 2021 season, Smith has one No. 1 qualifier that came in Sonoma, three first rounds, has made six quarterfinal appearances and one semi-final in just 10 races. Her best career points finish was fifth that came last year.

Fans of Angie can follow her on Twitter, Facebook and visit her Instagram.

Special thanks to Angie Smith for taking the time out of her busy schedule to conduct the interview.

September 17, 2021