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Timmy Hill: Doing the Rookie of the Year His Own Way

While all of the attention for this season’s Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Cup Series has focused on the battle between Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., another rookie, Timmy Hill, has been quietly competing in his own way and on his terms.

“Going into this year, I’ve had two years of Nationwide experience and in those two years, I’ve been able to learn the race track multiple times,” Hill, driver of the No. 32 FAS Lane Racing Ford, said. “Starting the year off running for Rookie of the Year in the Cup Series, I knew it was going to be tough, as a driver and as an underdog race team with a lower budget.”

“I knew going in that my schedule was going to consist of 18 to 20 races, with Kenny Schrader and Terry Labonte and Boris Said at the wheel for some of the other races.” Hill continued. “Our goals were to finish all the races, run as many laps as we can and along the way try to beat Danica (Patrick) and Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.) for Rookie of the Year in the races I ran.”

“Knowing that I wasn’t going to run the full schedule, I was going to make the best of the races that I was going to run,” Hill said. “All season long, it’s been tough at some times but we feel like we’ve done a great job.”

Although Hill has been very proud of his performance to date, he did have a tough run in last weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.

“I was kind of bragging about how we haven’t torn up any equipment and wouldn’t you know we tore one up at Phoenix, which I wasn’t very happy about,” Hill continued. “So, we’ve just had that one issue all year long and I’ve been happy with that and so has the race team.”

“But all in all, as a team and as a driver, I’m very happy,” Hill said. “It’s been a great learning experience and I’d say we have done a good job all year long.”

While Hill has been very pleased with his team’s performance in his rookie season, he has been a bit disappointed in not getting the recognition of the media, fans and the sport as far as running for ROTY honors.

“I do feel forgotten sometimes when the reporters do articles about the Rookie of the Year battle without mentioning me,” Hill said. “We knew it would be a long shot for us to have a shot at it but we ran every bit of the races that would qualify us for the Rookie of the Year.”

“It’s kind of a letdown, to myself, the race team and the sponsors just because a smaller team like us could have used the attention, press and publicity to try to build our program,” Hill continued. “To not be mentioned and forgotten about is kind of a letdown.”

While Hill may have been disappointed as far as the ROTY mention, he has felt completely fortunate and blessed to have learned many lessons in his rookie season, on the track and from his fellow competitors.

“I’ve learned so much,” Hill said. “Running in the lower divisions and then the Nationwide Series, I’ve learned how long these races are and how you really have to be there at the end of the race.”

“Those extra laps really teach you patience.”

“You have to gain the respect of the other drivers on the race track,” Hill continued. “You have to run around them for 400 to 500 laps every weekend and when you are racing that close you really have to trust because any small movement can lead to ultimately changing someone’s race.”

“I was the new kid on the block,” Hill said. “Running with these guys, I’ve learned that they are all really great drivers and there is a lot of talent there.”

“It made it a heck of a lot tougher racing-wise because they are all at the Cup level for a reason,” Hill continued. “You just have to realize that you are among some great drivers and you really have to be on it each weekend.”

“You always have to keep working on your race car because they are very smart and always pick up the pace,” Hill said. “It’s almost like a big chess match and you just have to keep after it.”

Hill has also had to learn how to compete in his own way through effective communication with his crew chief, as well as how to best relate what was happening on the track to his team.

“I have a rare situation where my crew chief is actually the owner of the race team,” Hill said. “Frankie Stoddard has been around the sport for years and has had a lot of success.”

“I’ve had to talk about the car and he’s been able to change the way I’ve been saying thing,” Hill continued. “The first race is always tough with the crew chief/driver relationship in just defining how we talk about the car.”

“As soon as we got on the same page as far as the adjustment levels, it is easy after that,” Hill said. “We learned that pretty quick and we worked well this whole season.”

Hill has also learned a great deal from the drivers off track, especially those veterans that he has looked up to his whole racing life. And he also credits his family for teaching him the life lessons that he has found so important as he competed for the Rookie of the Year honors for his sponsors and his team.

“Being young, I didn’t know a lot, but there are veterans I can lean on,” Hill said. “Being at this level, you have to make appearances and conduct yourself well all the time.”

“I like to base my actions off some of the veteran drivers like Carl Edwards and Mark Martin,” Hill continued. “I like the path that they have taken themselves on and use them as a role model.”

“I’d also like to thank my family for raising me the right way.”

Unfortunately, Hill’s last race in his rookie season was at Phoenix as Kenny Schrader will be taking the wheel of the No. 32 for the Homestead Cup finale. Hill will, however, be competing in the Nationwide race for one last time in 2013.

“I got an opportunity to drive the No. 23 car for Rick Ware Racing, who used to be the team owner for me in Nationwide,” Hill said. “He’s given me a lot of chances which I cannot thank him enough for.”

“So, I’m very happy and very blessed to run the final race of the year, even if it is Nationwide and not Cup, on a track I really like.”

So, after completing his rookie season in the Cup Series, what does Hill have planned for 2014?

“As far as my 2014 plans, we’re working up to that,” Hill said. “It is only a few months away but it seems like awhile before the plans will come together.”

“It’s a lengthy process but I have plans to hopefully be able to achieve even more.”

While Hill finalizes his plans for the next season, he also has interesting plans for his off season.

“Last off season I went to flight school,” Hill said.” I got my pilot’s license last year.”

“There are different types of pilot certificates and right now I have what’s called a visual flight certificate, meaning I can fly based off of visual,” Hill continued. “I want to go for IFR, or instrument rating, so I can fly into weather and into clouds.”

“So, I’ll be able to fly more often and not be as limited,” Hill said. “That’s what I want to look into for this off season.”

For more information about Timmy Hill’s rookie season and his future plans, follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @timmyhillracer.

November 12, 2013
NASCAR BTS: Furniture Row Racing Team Members Reflect on their Service for Veteran’s Day

While NASCAR is indeed patriotic and wounded warriors and troops are often brought to the track, there are veterans in the midst of the sport that not only service their race teams but have also provided distinguished service to their country.

In celebration of Veteran’s Day, this week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes focuses on two veterans on the Furniture Row Racing team, Chuck Lemay, who served in the Navy, and Charlie Krauch who served in the Army.

“I am the Director of Transportation for Furniture Row Racing,” Charlie Krauch said. “My main focus is to make sure the truck drivers get to the race tracks, unload and load the trucks every week, get the cars ready to go, make sure that they leave on time for the race, testing and going back and forth to North Carolina to the wind tunnel.”

“I was in the United States Army from 1971 to 1973,” Krauch continued. “I was in Vietnam in 1971 and 1972.”

“I’m not a rah-rah veteran type of guy,” Krauch said. “I think that goes back to my days in the service when it was not a very popular occupation to be in.”

“I very seldom tell people that I was in Vietnam and to this day as well just because of the way things were back then,” Krauch continued. “Today, I’m thankful that people are recognizing those in the military.”

“They need to be recognized and I’m really happy that they are,” Krauch said. “I know how it was on the other hand.”

“You have to understand that these are basically kids in the service right now, with probably the average age of around 18 or 19 years old,” Krauch continued. “You take them from coming out of high school to putting them in the service and sending them overseas and having them see and do what they need to do over there, it’s pretty traumatic I would think.”

“I know it was for me and I would think it would be the same way for them.”

“When I’m having a bad day, I sometimes think about the time that I spent in the military and reflect back on that,” Krauch said. “And I realize that things could be a lot worse like it was back then.”

“I sometimes use that as a focus for myself to bring myself up a little bit every now and then.”

“For me, Veteran’s Day is not about me,” Krauch continued. “It’s about the guys and gals who are serving now and those who are coming back from whatever conflicts they are coming back from.”

“They are the ones that need to have the focus of Veteran’s Day,” Krauch said. “I also think about the older veterans that we are losing every day, like the World War II guys.”

“I think there is a big role for them as well,” Krauch continued. “I think the focus needs to be on the troops we have now more so than in the past.”

“They are the ones that are doing it now and they really need to be the focus.”

Krauch’s colleague Chuck Lemay, hauler driver for the No. 78 team, agreed with that assessment as he reflected on his own service in light of Veteran’s Day.

“I was in the United States Navy from January of 1975 through January of 1978,” Lemay said. “I signed up for a two years overseas program and I was stationed in Sasebo, Japan.”

“I was in kind of a related situation to what I do know as I was a quartermaster, which dealt with navigation,” Lemay continued. “I was on the USS White Plains, named after White Plains, New York.”

“When we were at sea, we kept the ship’s position with our charts and celestial navigation by the stars all the way up to the latest technology that just came out,” Lemay said. “But nothing is more precise than the stars you know, like the days of Galileo.”

“My ship was a supply ship so we would pull alongside other ships,” Lemay continued. “We would steam alongside the other ships and transport goods across on wire cables.”

“So, I’ve kind of come full circle you know, because now I’m steering the hauler, or ‘Raven’ as I call her,” Lemay said. “She is a real pretty truck and I steer her down that highway now.”

“Veteran’s Day, the older I get, the more I appreciate it,” Lemay said. “My father was in the Battle of the Bulge and he was a POW in World War II.”

“He has since passed, but he was my hero,” Lemay continued. “My brother was in Vietnam and he was a machine gunner on the helicopter.”

“So, here I was the baby of the family so I thought that I should do that too,” Lemay said. “They sold me on that commercial, ‘Join the Navy, and See the World.’

“I thought I needed a little discipline in my life so I joined up with the Navy,” Lemay continued. “And it was the best three years of my life.”

“And I met my lovely wife when I was in the Navy and we are still married today 36 years later.”

Both Lemay and Krauch will be working on Veteran’s Day, even after their team scored a fifth place finish at Phoenix International Raceway. The two team members will be getting ready for the final race of 2014 as they prepare for their longest trip of the season, from Denver, Colorado where the team is based, to Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“We have our biggest trip of the year coming up next week,” Lemay said. “Almost 40 hours to get that hauler from Colorado to Homestead.”

“We’ll get back to Denver after Phoenix and then the other two drivers will flip the truck around and then we will come in Tuesday morning and take off,” Lemay continued. “Looking at world through a windshield, like the country song says, that’s what we are doing.”

Both Lemay and Krauch will, however, take a moment to look at the flags flying in the shop, reflecting all branches of the service as they celebrate Veteran’s Day.

“I think that’s really super to have the flags in the shop,” Lemay said. “History shows that we’ve never really treated our veterans really well.”

“World War II, they had the big parade and the picture of the sailor kissing the girl in New York,” Lemay continued. “But after that, the Korean and Vietnam veterans didn’t really get anything.”

“It is really nice to see this turn around lately and showing these guys respect,” Lemay said. “So, to see those flags flying in the shop, every day they catch my eye,” Lemay said. “I was part of that.”

“It makes you feel proud.”

Lemay and Krauch also expressed pride in working for their driver Kurt Busch, who has been so active with the Armed Forces Foundation, focusing on those veterans with hidden war wounds, such as post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury.

“I want to first thank all veterans past, present and future for their bravery and sacrifices in preserving our freedom,” said Furniture Row Racing driver Kurt Busch. “I urge American citizens to make an extra effort on Veterans Day to thank those who served.”

In addition to Krauch and Lemay, the No. 78 team has five other veterans who have served their country, including David ‘Bugzee’ Hicks (Navy), Andy Morgan (Army), John Parks (Marines), Craig Phillips (Air Force) and Barney Visser (Army).

“It’s pretty special to have seven team members who are veterans, including our team owner Barney Visser,” Busch said. “I am very proud of them, as I am of all of our veterans.”

Perhaps Lemay summed it up best as he reflected on his own service and the service of others, sharing how he recognized Veteran’s Day at Phoenix International Raceway this past weekend.

“I just did celebrate Veteran’s Day a little bit ago,” Lemay said from the track. “A bunch of Marines came by and I just shook their hands.”

“Everyone should shake the hands of anyone in the service, especially on Veteran’s Day.”

November 11, 2013
Monica Palumbo Primed and Ready for Her Favorite Event NASCAR After The Lap™

For the fifth year in a row, NASCAR After The Lap™ will be back in Las Vegas during champion’s week and at least one of the co-hosts Monica Palumbo is primed and ready for her ‘favorite’ event.

Palumbo, former Miss Sprint Cup and current reporter for NASCAR Race Hub on Fox Sports 1, will be sharing the hosting duties with Marty Smith of ESPN. Palumbo will be handling the fans in the crowd, while Smith will be managing the drivers on stage.

The event this year will take place on Thursday, December 5^th at 5:00 PM at the Pearl Palms Concert Theater inside the Palms Casino Hotel.

“I actually worked NASCAR After The Lap™ twice already and it’s my favorite event because the guys are so loose and it’s an intimate setting,” Palumbo said. “You can see it on nascar.com but it’s not televised so I feel like it’s a little bit more special.”

“The drivers are really showing off their personalities that you don’t necessarily get to see throughout the season,” Palumbo continued. “It’s just one of my favorite events.”

Palumbo advised that her role at the event will be one of liaison between the crowd, sponsors and the drivers, however, the emphasis from her perspective is indeed on the fans in this unique event.

“It’s a very fan-friendly event and that’s one thing NASCAR is really big on,” Palumbo said. “It’s about the fans first.”

“They are going to have notecards so the audience can submit their questions in advance,” Palumbo continued. “Then I’ll go through them and pick out the questions to be asked.”

“So, I’ll be out there taking questions from the audience and making sure everybody has a good time.”

Palumbo is also primed and ready for the sweepstakes and giveaways that accompany the NASCAR After The Lap™ event. This year, fans can win an all-inclusive VIP trip to Las Vegas for the event, trips to either the 2014 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte or the 2014 Ford Ecoboost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, as well as the grand prize, a 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor.

“I’m really excited about the big sweepstakes,” Palumbo said. “They’re giving away a 2014 Ford Tremor, which is pretty awesome.”

“Coca Cola and Ford are both giving away tickets to the Coca Cola 600 and the Ford Champions Week for 2014,” Palumbo continued. “So, the sweepstakes winners will be there and they will also have a shot to win a car.”

“We’ll be doing that in the audience as well, which is pretty cool to get a free car.”

Palumbo is also primed and ready to get to Las Vegas, a place that she assesses as ‘perfect’ for this type of fan-interactive post-season event.

“Vegas itself just equals celebration to me,” Palumbo said. “So, I feel like it is a fun event.”

“Everybody is so relaxed,” Palumbo continued. “The season is over and it’s a time for celebration.”

So, who is Palumbo predicting will be in the champion’s seat for the event and at the head table come banquet time?

“It’s definitely down to Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth now and we know how well they are both running,” Palumbo said. “We know that Jimmie is so great at Phoenix so it’s really a toss-up between the two.”

“I can’t even bet on either one,” Palumbo continued. “I’m ready to put my money down on one but I can’t because I don’t want to lose.”

“Everybody is on pins and needles because we know Jimmie can do it obviously,” Palumbo said. “But Matt Kenseth is really giving him a run for his money.”

“I think the fans love seeing that and the two drivers are definitely keeping it exciting.”

Palumbo is also primed and ready for the NASCAR After The Lap™ event because of where the proceeds go, helping individuals, children and families in need through the NASCAR Foundation, a nonprofit charitable organization.

“The tickets are only $20 and all the money, one hundred percent of the proceeds, goes to the NASCAR Foundation, which is unreal,” Palumbo said. “It’s probably one of the best charity events where all of the drivers are together in a relaxed way, cutting up with each other, joking about incidents that have happened during the year, and some have even gotten up and danced.”

“It’s a great event to get the drivers out of their element,” Palumbo continued. “There is not an event like this throughout the whole season.”

“This is a one of a kind,” Palumbo said. “You might have the drivers together for media day but they are so focused on that race.”

“This is the end of the season and they can all breathe,” Palumbo continued. “They’re all ready to have a good time, hang out with the fans and answer their questions.”

“There is just nothing like it.

Palumbo is not alone in her enthusiasm for the NASCAR After The Lap™ event.

“Celebrating its fifth consecutive season, NASCAR After The Lap has evolved into one of the most talked about events of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week™ and provides two long-standing partners, Ford and Coca-Cola, a valuable platform to connect with our brand-loyal fan base,” Norris Scott, NASCAR vice president of marketing, said. “It is an event unlike any other in sports that gives our fans the chance to see the drivers with their helmets off and their guard down.”

“Over the last five years as event sponsor, Ford has enjoyed some remarkable and very unpredictable moments with our NASCAR drivers,” Tim Duerr, motorsports marketing manager for Ford Racing, said. “The NASCAR after the Lap Sweepstakes continues to provide Ford with a great avenue to engage with fans by offering them a chance to not only win a trip out to Las Vegas, but also an opportunity to go home with a brand-new 2014 Ford F150 Tremor.”

“This sponsorship delivers results to Ford on many levels.”

“As a long-time partner, Coca-Cola is proud to celebrate the 2013 season with the stars of NASCAR at this year’s NASCAR After The Lap,” Ben Reiling, director of motorsports for Coca-Cola North America Group, said. “In our fifth year as an event sponsor, we are offering fans a stellar experience to interact directly with members of our Coca-Cola Racing Family and a chance to win a trip to our marquee event, the Coca-Cola 600.”

“We’re looking forward to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion’s Week and it’s definitely going to be a wild ride.”

For more information or to purchase tickets, fans can visit www.NASCARafterthelap.com.

For fans unable to attend in person, NASCAR.com will offer a live stream of the event.

November 5, 2013
Concussions find themselves in headlines through research and recent NASCAR mandate

Over the course of the past couple of years, you have been hearing more and more about concussions and people suffering from them. While they were something that would’ve been kept hidden before, they are the center of discussion for many people, including NASCAR.

A couple weeks ago, NASCAR announced that it will mandate pre-season neurocognitive baseline testing as part of its comprehensive concussion prevention and management program for all of its national series drivers.

“A concussion is classified as a blow to the head or neck which causes the brain to move within the skull and cause some bruising to the brain,” Phil Jones said during an interview last week.

Phi Jones is the creator of Dynavision D2, which includes neurocognitive programs, which includes sports vision training, concussion programs, general rehabilitation, and a pilot project with cognitive training for seniors or those with Parkinson’s. Dynavision is a program that has been used for over 20 years now to treat traumatic brain injuries and recently has incorporated concussions as part of that program.

“They’re just coming to the conclusion these days that concussion is part of the traumatic brain injury family, just a different sort of level,” Jones commented. “The treatment and effects are very similar, just a different level, so the Dynavision is effective on both levels.”

The concussion part of the Dynavision D2 program allows you to do a series of test that set up a baseline to therefore compare to later to determine what type and how severe the concussion is.

“If you have been baseline tested through some of the computer programs out there like our Dynavision program, you will have a set of cognitive skills and processing abilities,” Jones explained. “Ours also covers motor movements and coordination – that kind of area. If you have these performed on you and you have a certain level, then you have a concussion these levels are effected very dramatically and will show up in the results when you get retested that you won’t be able to achieve these same levels.”

Jones went on to explain that the person taking the Dynavision test will go through a series of esclating levels that test cognitive and physical movements.

Photo Credit: 180 Communications

“You start off with a basic level where numbers are coming out in front of you and you’re just reacting to them,” he said. “Then we add cognitive challenges where we get you to call out answers and then some simple math problems, and then word recognition with words with letters missing. It causes you to make cognitive decisions while making physical movements, reacting to it.”

Concussions are something that everybody continues to try to grasp their arm around as there are many parts to it. When it comes to the possibility of even thinking that you may have a concussion, there are several signs.

“There’s such thing as migrane headaches, continuous headaches, opening up and looking out at the bright daylight or bright light, general feeling of a daze, loss of memory, just a pretty bad feeling,” Jones explained. “The feeling that you want to lay down and not do much except lay there with your eyes closed.”

Once you know whether you have suffered a concussion or not, the healing process is not always straight forward and involves working with neurologists.

“With your own self-improvement, it has to be done very carefully, very slowly,” Jones stated. “If you don’t feel right, you’re not right and you’re the best judge of your own condition. The bottom line is to always go to a professional that knows how to diagnose these.

“We feel with the Dynavision that we had a tool that is probably the most effective tool on the market because of its corporation of the mental side of cognitive processing, plus the motor-visual skill and motor movement side.”

With the possible effects down the road that can happen to the brain from a concussion ranging to the severe side, it is important to be careful with treatment and how you handle it. On that note, NASCAR felt the recent mandation of the baseline testing will help determining if a driver has a concussion and if they should sit out for a couple of weeks.

November 4, 2013
NASCAR BTS: Dion Williams Combines Front Tire Carrying with Fitness, Fashion and Family

Since one of the most crucial roles in NASCAR is that of pit crew member, this week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes features Dion ‘Rocko’ Williams, who not only carries the front tires for Chase contender Jeff Gordon, but fulfills his role with flair, from fitness to fashion to family.

This past weekend, Williams achieved great success in his role as a member of the winning team at Martinsville as his driver Jeff Gordon scored his first win of the season and his 88^th career win. The win also moved the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team into third place in the championship standings, 27 points behind the leaders.

Although he has made it to the highest level in the sport with one of the NASCAR’s most visible drivers, Williams’ roots are not in racing but instead in the world of football. In fact, Williams was a star linebacker at Wake Forest and played pro ball for the Minnesota Vikings before being tapped to become a NASCAR pit crew member.

Williams was recommended by his agent to try out for a NASCAR team position, which has now led to his passion and love for the sport. And he has been incredibly successful, with nine years under his belt in one of the most demanding positions, that of front tire carrier, on a pit crew team for one of the top elite teams in NASCAR.

What makes Williams unique, however, is the way that he carries out his pit crew role, with a dedication to fitness, both physically and mentally, his flair for fashion, and his love of his family.

Williams is absolutely devoted to his workout schedule, which encompasses almost half of each and every work day.

“It just never stops,” Williams said. “We have a stringent training regimen at work.”

“Throughout all my career and life, I’ve played sports and worked out,” Williams continued. “This team does such a good job with their training that it’s easy to stay in shape.”

“They make it accessible and a part of your everyday routine.”

As Williams explained it, the teams at Hendrick Motorsports work out together in groups and subgroups, depending upon their position and function on the pit crew.

“We are set up by teams and then the tire carriers have their group,” Williams said. “It’s pretty much divided where the No. 5 and No. 24 work out and then the No. 48 and No. 88 teams work out at another time.”

“Sometimes we will have competitions where we will compete amongst each other.”

One of the other major assets of Hendrick Motorsports are their workout facilities, which Williams deems “amazing.”

“Our facilities rival some minor league and professional teams just by the staff, the amount of money into it, and the focus they put into it.”

The team’s facilities include gym equipment, a turf facility and an Olympic style track. But one area has become a favorite for Williams, the yoga facility.

“Actually I never took yoga seriously in the past and really just went to look at the teacher,” Williams said. “Yoga is hard for me to do because I’m so heavy.”

“The poses are hard but it’s mandatory that I go so I had an open mind to it,” Williams continued. “I talked to my instructor and she developed a routine for what I’m good at.”

“She gave me poses that would help with the flexibility and now I look forward to it,” Williams said. “Now I’m limber and I really love it.”

In addition to the physical fitness, Williams also incorporates diet and sports psychology into his workout regimen.

“We have nutritionists onsite,” Williams said. “They give you the guidelines and go to the grocery store with you and show you how to read the labels and show you what you should and should not buy.”

“It’s second nature to me,” Williams continued. “I just do it.”

“And another help is that my wife is competing in figure competitions and with her, diet is very important and strict,” Williams said. “And that helps a great deal.”

“But she knows that I cheat sometimes and me and the kids do too.”

Williams also acknowledged that so much of the sport is mental as well, particularly on the over-the-wall crew where there are periods of inactivity before and during the race mixed with incredibly demanding periods of intensity and pressure as the car comes to pit road.

“It is nerve-wracking,” Williams said. “Some think I’m emotional and intense but as soon as I get off the plane on race day, I’ve got my headphones on.”

“I have to basically exit my nice guy Dion body and turn into a machine,” Williams continued. “I hate messing up. I hate mistakes and I strive for perfection.”

“That’s what I want,” Williams continued. “To do that, you have to become a machine at the track.”

“There is a lot of dead time but what I do is think about every scenario,” Williams said. “My music is strategically planned throughout different parts of the day.”

“About an hour before the race, you have to find that time to not be around anybody and find that place where you can think.”

While there are certainly physical aspects of carrying the heavy Goodyears over the wall, there is also incredible pressure to perform, with all eyes watching and evaluating that performance on each and every pit stop.

“Everybody from Hendrick Motorsports is watching you,” Williams said. “Our parameters for front tire carriers is to put the tire on the car in .7 seconds or better.”

“They have helmet cameras and overhead cameras and they are timing it with Dartfish,” Williams continued. “If you don’t get it right, you have a red mark next to your name and everyone sees it.”

“It’s just very stressful,” Williams said. “But when you’re on your game and perform well, that’s what I love.”

“I love competing,” Williams continued. “That’s what it’s all about.”

Williams also acknowledged another mental stressor in his season this year, including not only the way that team No. 24 got into the Chase but also the pressure to perform now that they are in the Chase and coming to the end of the season.

“This year, just making the Chase was so dramatic,” Williams said. “Oh my God, it was like an emotional roller coaster.”

“I went from hating life and everyone not wanting to be around me to now everybody’s happy for me,” Williams continued. “And now I want to win more and be higher in points.”

“I’m glad they have a psychiatrist on our staff because we need it and he knows me by my first name.”

While Williams attributes much of his success as a pit crew member to his physical and mental toughness, there is another secret weapon that he employs. He is an admitted fashionista, particularly when it comes to his flair for shoes.

“Oh my God, it’s just bad about the shoes,” Williams said. “You look good, you’re going to play good.”

“I always look at being at the track as a job interview every single week,” Williams continued. “You never know who you are going to meet or who is watching you.”

“Our team and our driver has so many fans and you’re representing more than just yourself,” Williams said. “But yes I do admit that I have a shoe fetish.”

“I love sneakers and I love looking good.”

What really makes Dion ‘Rocko’ Williams tick, however, is his love for his family, including his wife and their three children, ages three, four and seven years old.

“I’m just blessed that I have a strong support structure,” Williams said. “My wife is very strong.”

“She’s from New Jersey so she’s tough,” Williams continued. “I’m a southerner and she’s a northerner so we’re complete opposites.”

“I’m the Southern gentleman and she is the hustle and bustle New Jersey girl.”

In fact, Williams said the fans would be most surprised that he is really a ‘house husband in disguise’.

“I am such a caretaker with my family and my friends,” Williams said. “My wife works too as a pharmacist.”

“Prior to me working full-time at Hendrick, I was strictly pit crew so I picked the kids up,” Williams continued. “I had dinner ready, I would get the kids their baths, and I did all this before my wife got home.”

“I’m very much a woman inside this man’s body and pretty untraditional,” Williams said. “If it were the 1950’s, I’d have the apron on.”

As much as he loves his house husband duties, however, Williams is very much focused on his over-the-wall role at Hendrick Motorsports, especially with just three races left to go for the season and a win under the team’s belt.

“If I had a job where I didn’t travel and experience all of this, I would not be as happy,” Williams said. “It isn’t for everybody but it fits perfectly with my personality.”

“I grew up overseas and a military brat with a different school every year,” Williams continued. “And then with college and football, this lifestyle is something that I just don’t think much about.”

“My kids and my wife know what I’m doing,” Williams said. “This is what I have to do.”

“And I feel like this is truly what I was meant to do.”

For more information on Dion ‘Rocko’ Williams, follow him on Twitter @DionRocko and on Instagram at Rockoslaw@instagram. And the ever competitive Williams urges all fans to do just that as indeed he is indeed in a head-to-head competition for followers with the No. 48 team.

Fans can also check out Williams’ flair for fashion in this newly-released video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eeZpfrtpdvM&feature=youtube_gdata_player

October 31, 2013
John Hunter Nemechek Ready to Step into His Own Spotlight

While many know and love his famous father Joe, John Hunter Nemechek is now ready to step out into his own spotlight as he makes his debut in the Camping World Truck Series this weekend at Martinsville.

Nemechek will be behind the wheel of the No. 22 race truck for SWM-NEMCO Racing, a new race team owned by Sid Mauldin in partnership with Joe Nemechek and company.

Nemechek’s truck will also debut some of the young racer’s sponsor partners who have supported him throughout his career, including SWM International, Wood Pellet Grills and D.A.B. Constructors.

And while this Truck debut is a dream come true for the sixteen year old racer, it is also a dream come true for family friend and new team owner Sid Maudlin.

“We are excited to be working with Joe Nemechek and have our first truck driven by John Hunter,” Mauldin said. “John Hunter is making a name for himself and we are so proud to be a founding partner as he keeps moving up to the next level.”

“One of our good friend’s dreams has been to be a car owner, whether it be Nationwide, Trucks or Cup,” Nemechek said. “I was lucky enough that he has given me the opportunity to drive for him.”

“It’s been a blessing.”

The young racer also feels blessed to be making his Truck start at Martinsville, a track where he has most certainly been many times with his father. And although he is familiar with the track from that point of view, he also got the opportunity to go and test a few weeks ago in preparation for his foray into the Truck Series.

“It was fun,” Nemechek said. “But it’s different too.”

“It’s a short track so I was just trying to get used to the truck and what it likes,” Nemechek continued. “The truck is a lot heavier than a late model, it has more horse power than a late model, and the tire compound is different.”

“You can slide around in a late model where the truck you can’t,” Nemechek said. “It’s all about being smooth and it’s trying to build a notebook and get experience and all that type of good stuff.”

Although the truck is new to the young driver, Nemechek knows that he has a wealth of experience to draw from while at the race track from his crew chief, team and Dad to his already impressive racing resume.

“Everyone that works in our shop, from my crew chief to my Dad and team, we all have good communication with each other,” Nemechek said. “We talk and joke around but when we need to get serious, we understand each other.”

“I started racing when I was four in quarter midgets and mini-sprints and ran that for a few years,” Nemechek continued. “And then actually I jumped out of cars and raced dirt bikes for a while.”

“I raced motorcross and did very well but decided that I didn’t want to get hurt anymore so I got in the Allison legacy car and my first year we ran seven races and my first full season was 2011, where we won two races, two poles and won Rookie of the Year, with second in points,” Nemechek said. “In 2012, I ran the Allison legacy car for a full season and we won 13 out of 18 poles, 15 out of 18 races and won the championship.”

“While doing that, we ran a little bit of super late model stuff and won the pole at Milwaukee, which was one of the biggest races of the year,” Nemechek continued. “We went down to the Snowball Derby in Pensacola, qualified second to David Ragan, and led until we got caught up in an accident and finished tenth.”

“But we definitely had a car to beat down there.”

“This year we’ve been running super late models and I ran a couple K&N races,” Nemechek said. “We haven’t won a race yet, which is kind of frustrating but we did win a pole this year and the championship too.”

“I’m trying to keep that championship streak alive.”

So, what does the young racer hope to accomplish in his Truck debut at the short track in Martinsville?

“My number one goal is to make the race and be in the race because we have to qualify our way into the race,” Nemechek said. “We should make the race and when we do, my goal is to run all the laps and get as much experience as I can.”

“Hopefully, while doing that we will finish in the top fifteen but I’ll just try to keep learning.”

Not only does Nemechek have to learn on the race track, but he also has responsibilities at school, especially since he is just a junior in high school. And that off-track learning experience is one that he takes seriously for many reasons, especially since it has the potential to impact his on-track performance.

“I go to a private school so it makes it a little bit easier but it’s definitely a challenge to balance racing and school work,” Nemechek said. “My academics come first.”

“One of the deals I have with my parents and sponsors is that if I don’t make ‘A’s and ‘B’s, then all the money stops coming and all the racing stops until the grade gets back up,” Nemechek continued. “My parents are tough on me and it’s definitely hard but my school works with me and my schedule and I have to work with them to get assignments in before I go.”

“You have to complete the work and it definitely is a challenge.”

While the teen experiences the challenges of racing, school work and tackling a short track this weekend, he is most grateful to everyone, from his family to his growing fan base, who supports him as he works to achieve his racing dreams.

“Having my Dad there, I like it,” Nemechek said. “We communicate with each other well and we work with each other well.”

“That’s one of the good things about being close to your Dad,” Nemechek continued. “He lets me learn on my own instead of him telling me what to do.”

“I listen to him and he listens to me and it’s all about communication,” Nemechek said. “If he sees something I’m doing wrong, he will tell me.”

“I’ll adjust and we just bounce ideas off each other.”

“I’m also grateful to my fans and I want them to know that I appreciate everyone who supports me and believes in me,” Nemechek said. “My motto is to never give up and I want them to know that I’ll race as hard as I can and do the best that I can with what I have.”

“Their support means a lot to me too.”

Whatever happens at Martinsville in his Truck debut, Nemechek acknowledged that he does indeed have that same fire in his belly for racing as his father and hopes that someday he can achieve that same success, as well as following in the footsteps of some of his other racing idols, like Jimmie Johnson or Tony Stewart.

“Yes, I do love racing,” Nemechek said. “It’s in my blood.”

“I know that my Dad wants me to do it but at the same time, I think he wishes he would have got me a set of golf clubs instead of a race car when I was young,” Nemechek continued with a laugh.” But I love to do this and pretty much this is what I want to do in my future.”

So, what will the young racer be thinking when he gets behind the wheel of his truck and cinches his belts tight for his first ever NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race?

“There’s going to be nerves, especially when it is your first time,” Nemechek said. “But I’m also going to be excited at the same time.”

“It all balances out when you strap into it, you forget all about the nerves and the excitement,” Nemechek continued. “You’re just focused on the race.”

“I’ll smile and then I’ll be having a good day.”

For more information about John Hunter Nemechek, visit his website at www.johnhunternemechek.com

or follow him on Twitter @JohnNemechek.

October 22, 2013
NASCAR BTS: Kevin Hamlin is Calling All the Shots

While many in the garage area are busy juggling a multitude of responsibilities, this week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes (BTS) focuses on Kevin Hamlin, who is calling all the shots from the spotter’s stand to watching over young drivers starting out in their careers.

Hamlin currently spots for NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne, as well as up and coming drivers Jeb Burton and Brad Sweet. He has also taken over responsibilities for guiding the career of Cole Whitt, who has recently progressed through the ranks to the Cup level.

Hamlin, however, did not start out in these roles until after having his own career as a driver himself, honing his craft in the Pacific Northwest. And for Hamlin, racing indeed has been in his blood.

“It is a family thing,” Hamlin said. “Both my parents drove, so I was born into it.”

“My mom and dad met at a speedway way back when, so I spent my weekends there growing up as a kid,” Hamlin continued. “I raced quarter midgets and then late models and had some success doing that.”

“I won two championships in the NASCAR Northwest Series and then married my high school sweetheart, conned her into moving to North Carolina six months later, and we chased the dream.”

Hamlin continued to pursue his racing career in North Carolina, from an ARCA deal arranged by Brendan Gaughan to a driver development deal with Chip Ganassi Racing. It was then his career took an interesting turn.

“By the time I knew my contract was up and I was doing a lot of start and parks and test driving (I’ve got more laps in a Cup car than I do a Nationwide car or Truck), I decided I wanted to be more involved in a team aspect than race,” Hamlin said. “While I was racing I was also spotting for John Andretti and Travis Kvapil and getting my feet wet at this higher level.”

“That turned into a deal with Clint Bowyer and then Ty Dillon,” Hamlin continued. “And then I went over to Kasey (Kahne) when he was looking for a guy and it has been a good year and a half so far.”

Spotting for Kasey Kahne has led to a whole additional level of calling the shots in his career as Hamlin has developed his relationship with the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver. In fact, he said that the chemistry between them came about almost immediately based on the type of spotting he had done previously for Clint Bowyer.

“I think Clint Bowyer, when I spotted for him, made me into the way I spot now,” Hamlin said. “Clint wanted a lot of information, where other guys are running, where he is getting beat, etc.”

“So, when I did those first few races for Kasey, I just spotted the way I did for Clint and I told him if he needed anything different that we would figure it out as we go,” Hamlin continued. “But he liked what I gave him and it clicked right away.”

“We’ve developed a lingo to where even if I feel like I’m not on my ‘A’ game for whatever reason, he still knows enough the way I do it to know where other cars are around him at all times,” Hamlin said. “Honestly with Kasey it’s been really easy and for whatever reason we hit the ground running.”

Hamlin, like all spotters, has had to learn a different way to call the shots for his driver as a result of what happened at Richmond prior to the Chase. And for Hamlin, life became more complicated but also a bit quieter as well.

“The spotter’s role has changed,” Hamlin said. “The spotter’s role isn’t clear high, clear low and wreck in turn two anymore.”

“Maybe that’s the way it used to be but the role has really developed into letting the driver know where other guys are at, when they are pitting, and trying to work out strategy,” Hamlin continued. “There was a lot of talking back and forth on the digital radio about what you wanted to do with that.”

“It’s a lot quieter for me now that I don’t have the digital because of what happened in Richmond. “

Thankfully, Hamlin’s worst experience calling the shots was not with current driver Kasey Kahne. But it was so bad, however, that it actually became a You Tube video of how not to react on the spotter’s stand.

“My worst spotting experience was at Bristol with Clint,” Hamlin said. “There was a big wreck getting into (turn) three and I got him through the wreck but stupid me said we’re clear, clear, whew and they were wrecking again right in front of him and Clint ran right into that.”

“So, he chewed me quite heavily for that and guys on the No. 33 team were a rough group back then and they were jabbing me about that too,” Hamlin continued. “I learned until your driver gets with that pace car, your head is still on a swivel trying to watch what is happening.”

“So, that is one of my most memorable not so fun experiences.”

Although spotting for Kahne and others keeps Hamlin very busy, he also is calling the shots in a whole new area of the sport, helping to look after the social and digital properties of several drivers, as well as the careers of several upstarts.

“While I work for Hendrick spotting, my day job is working for Fuel Sports Management group, which is Kasey’s agent and they represent a bunch of different drivers,” Hamlin said. “And I also look after young drivers since I’ve had experience looking out for drivers like the next Kyle Larson.”

“I’m the competition end guy where there are others who are better at the contracts and business aspect,” Hamlin continued. “So, it’s a good little mixture of what we’ve got going.”

“My role there has also progressed into working with Cole Whitt’s day to day stuff.”

“I helped put together the deal with TriStar Motorsports for him and with Swan Racing,” Hamlin said. “So, I’m trying to grow as a day-to-day manager for a Cup driver and trying to learn the business side of the sport as well.”

“As much as I love spotting, am I going to be doing it in fifteen years? I don’t know,” Hamlin continued. “So, you have to have something to do during the week to help support the family.”

“That’s where that new role came in.”

Hamlin is most excited about calling the shots in one other area, that of his family and being with his wife, daughter and son.

“There is a lot going on but it’s nice because if I’m done at three o’clock on Tuesday, I’ll pack up my computer and head home and I can work at home,” Hamlin said. “I have that option so I can see my kids and hang out with my wife and still do that family time thing that is so important.”

“We travel so much that it can really wear on you being away from the family.”

And where would race fans be most surprised to see Hamlin ultimately calling the shots?

“I’m really good at coloring,” Hamlin said with a sly grin. “My daughter Grace, who is five, and my son who is three, like to color.”

“My wife is a stay-at-home mom and works her tail off,” Hamlin continued. “So, for me to just come home and hang out and color is fun.”

“You get me a ‘My Little Pony’ picture and Grace and I can hammer that bad boy out.”

For more information about how Kevin Hamlin is calling the shots behind the scenes or for any expert coloring advice, follow him on Twitter @KevinHamlin.

October 14, 2013
From Nationwide to Sprint Cup, success remains for crew chief Jason Ratcliff

DOVER, Del. – Behind every driver is often an even better crew chief.

While Matt Kenseth is a past NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion who’s just now enjoying the best year of his career, he isn’t the only one on the No. 20 Home Depot team at Joe Gibbs Racing doing so.

Crew chief Jason Ratcliff is in his second full year as the team’s leader but he’s made it look as if he’s been here winning races for a while. In truth, Ratcliff has been winning races, a lot of races, but with different drivers in a different series. He and a guy named Kyle Busch took the Nationwide Series by storm a few years ago, winning a combined 22 races in 2009 – along with the championship – and 2010.

Gibbs promoted Ratcliff to the top in 2012, working with Joey Logano in his final year at JGR before Kenseth joined the company prior to the start of this season. After only one career win with Logano, Ratcliff has guided Kenseth to seven wins and the point lead with seven races to go.

“I think everybody in this sport, regardless of what position they’re in, want to get to the Cup Series, they want to go Sunday racing. Especially if you can come up here – and there’s some challenges – if you feel you can come here and compete every week, which we’ve been able to do,” Ratcliff said on Friday in the team’s hauler after completing all of the on-track activities for the day. Before talking about his move to the NSCS, he was debriefing with Kenseth and the team after they qualified second for the AAA 400.

“I enjoyed my Saturday stuff, the Nationwide Series was great and we were successful on Saturday and that was fun. I was completely content doing that but I knew if the right opportunity came along, which it did, I’d want to come over here.”

Throughout his NNS career, Ratcliff called the shots for some of the best drivers in the series. He won with not only Busch but also Logano and Denny Hamlin. As well as Jamie McMurray back in 2002 and David Green in 2003. The list of drivers he’s worked with is even longer.

Now at the sport’s top level, Ratcliff is again among the best. But he also has one of the best in a car he prepares.

“It’s a big challenge to come over, the competition is just unbelievable. You have so many good teams and drivers that can come out here and win every week,” he said. “So anytime you come to the Sprint Cup Series and you’re successful it’s a big deal in auto racing, I think.”

Sunday Kenseth finished seventh, unable to win three-straight to open the Chase. But he and Ratcliff remain favorites for the title and the competition has taken note, including five-time champion Jimmie Johnson who won. For Johnson, he acknowledged how tough the 20 team is and what Kenseth brings to the table as a driver.

Which might have made Ratcliff a little nervous to work with him entering the season. But instead, it’s been the right combination for both he and the driver.

“Nah, more so excitement,” Ratcliff revealed about what his reaction was when Kenseth signed with the team. “I think you’re a little concerned about, ‘Hey, are we going to work?’ Because you can take a good group, a good race team and a great experienced driver and sometimes it clicks and sometimes it doesn’t.”

Which was something Ratcliff and the 20 team focused on making sure didn’t happen. Now with almost their first full season together complete, it’s gone the best anyone at JGR could have hoped for.

“I knew Matt would come over here and do well with this group,” he said. “So we were really excited before it happened and we’re really excited about it now that it’s happened.”

October 1, 2013
Jamie McMurray Celebrating a Pretty Good Year

Last year at season end in Las Vegas, as he helped during championship week to unveil the new Chevrolet, Jamie McMurray pronounced his year miserable.

But this season, the driver of the No. 1 LiftMaster Chevrolet, is celebrating a pretty good year so far, especially after a top-five run at New Hampshire and an honor for his crew chief to boot.

“Other than getting tangled up on Lap 40, it really was a good race,” McMurray said. “We just really had a good car, had good pit strategy, and had good pit stops.”

“It was truly hard to pass there, but we were able to pass a few cars and then had good track position at the end.”

McMurray’s crew chief Kevin Manion also received the MOOG Problem Solver award, recognizing the team’s comeback after a spin out early in the race. In fact, McMurray and Manion’s No. 1 Chevrolet improved by a race-high 0.331 seconds in earning its second top-five finish in three races.

“Jamie and Kevin were running as strong as they have all year in the second half,” Tim Nelson, Federal-Mogul Motorsports Director, said. “You could tell that Jamie loved the setup of their MOOG-equipped chassis, and Kevin and the Earnhardt-Ganassi crew were nearly flawless on pit road.”

With this success, McMurray has indeed expressed satisfaction in his pretty good year to date. And he even thinks this year has been better than when he won several of the major races on the circuit, including the Daytona 500 and the Brickyard race.

“Yeah, it’s been good,” McMurray said. “I think our cars have been even better than what they were in 2010 when we won some big races.”

“We haven’t been able to execute as well as we need to,” McMurray continued. “But the speed of our cars has been good so yeah, they’ve done a really nice job obviously with this Generation 6 car.”

“We were able to hit on a few things that really worked well for us at a variety of different tracks.”

McMurray is hoping to continue his pretty good year at Dover International Speedway this race weekend. While he has had some success at the Monster Mile, he also knows that the ‘monster’ is always lurking and ready to pounce.

“So Dover, I really enjoy coming here but at the same time, this is a track that if your car is not right, it’s miserable,” McMurray said. “You can’t get out of the way and for a mile track, the lap times are really fast.”

“So, it’s easy to go a lap down if you get off,” McMurray continued. “But at the same time if your car is good, it’s a really fun track to race on.”

As he celebrates a pretty good year in 2013, he is also looking forward to some of the changes to come for Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing, including the young up-and-comer Kyle Larson joining the team in the seat vacated by Juan Pablo Montoya.

“It will be new with Kyle (Larson) but Kyle’s been racing for a long time, even though he’s young,” McMurray said. “I already know Kyle so I’m looking forward to that.”

“It will be interesting to look at how Kyle approaches things, which will be different than what someone who has been around a long time has,” McMurray continued. “Sometimes you get fresh ideas and see another perspective on things.”

“Kyle’s actually getting to come to our organization at a really good time,” McMurray said. “It would have been a challenge for him a couple years ago because our cars were not really good.”

“But I think our cars are really good right now so he is fortunate to be coming on at a really good time for the company.”

As with most drivers not in the Chase, McMurray has just one thing on his mind as he ends up his self-proclaimed pretty good year.

“Just trying to win a race before the year is over,” McMurray said. “We’ve had really good cars and we have a couple of really good tracks like Charlotte coming up.”

“I also feel good about Dover,” McMurray said. “I thought we had the best car here in the spring and then a part fell off someone’s car and went through our radiator.”

“So, we had a really crummy spring race.”

“I think Charlotte will be a good track for us too,” McMurray said. “We ran really well there the last few times.”

“And Martinsville has always been a really good track for me too,” McMurray continued. “So, I feel like we have a few really good tracks coming up for us.”

So, will McMurray feel differently than he did in Vegas last year about this season when the checkered flag flies in Homestead?

“Last year, we were just terrible,” McMurray said. “We ran the last ten races just trying all kinds of off-the-wall stuff.”

“We never really hit on anything,” McMurray continued. “So, Vegas last year was just a bad season and when you end not running well, it makes for a long off-season.”

“But this year, our cars have been a lot better,” McMurray said. “I feel good about the last few races that we have left.”

“Certainly, this year has been a lot better than the last.”

September 28, 2013
Aric Almirola is Bringing Home the Bacon

Aric Almirola has a smile on his face and a spring in his step as he continues to bring home the bacon for in his No. 43 Smithfield Foods Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports.

And he could not be happier as he prepares to race at the ‘Monster Mile’, which he firmly admits is his favorite track on the circuit.

This will be Almirola’s ninth start at Dover International Speedway, where he won in the Truck Series in 2010 and where he posted his best finish of sixth in 2012.

“This is my favorite track just because I’ve had success here,” Almirola said. “I’ve had really good runs here and won my first Truck race here.”

“I’ve run really well in the Cup car here and have had good runs in Nationwide cars here as well,” Almirola said. “For whatever reason when I show up here, I run good.”

“That makes you really like a place,” Almirola continued. “So, I always get excited about coming here because I know I have a shot to run good.”

“I do circle this on my calendar.”

So, what is it that makes Almirola so crazy about the Monster Mile?

“Each turn is different,” the driver of the famed Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 car said. “It’s crazy but the thing that makes it so special is the sensation of speed is unlike anywhere else we go.”

“There’s a lot of race tracks where we run 200 miles an hour and it doesn’t feel that fast,” Almirola continued. “And here, we only run 170 or so and it feels like we’re going 250 miles per hour.”

“It feels super-fast and it is a challenge to keep your focus,” Almirola said. “The race track will suck you in and that’s why it’s called the Monster.”

“It will bite you,” Almirola continued. “It’s very easy to overdrive this place and be too aggressive.”

Although a challenging track, Dover is also special to Almirola because of what his sponsor does to help those in need. This race weekend, Smithfield and Weis Markets partnered to donate 40,000 pounds of protein to the Maryland Food Bank, which is part of Smithfield’s “Helping Hungry Homes” program

“Smithfield does so much and it’s really important,” Almirola said. “This weekend, they gave 14,000 pounds between pork and bacon and ham.”

“That means a lot to be associated with such a great company and great organization that is willing to take some of the profits they make and give it back to the local communities to help feed people,” Almirola continued. “A lot of us take for granted that we go to bed on a full stomach and not everybody is that fortunate.”

As he looks forward to competing at his favorite track, Almirola admitted that his 2013 season has been going well too, especially in comparison with the previous year.

“We have run really well,” Almirola said. “I’ve been impressed with our improvements, especially over the last year.”

“That is a big testament to what Todd Parrott (crew chief) and all the guys on this team have done, stepping up their game and continuing to produce and give me fast race cars,” Almirola continued. “That’s what it takes at this level to be competitive.”

“I’m getting better as a driver, the team’s working together better and Todd is understanding these cars and the engineers are understanding these cars better,” Almirola said. “Just everything is getting better and that’s what we need to do.”

Almirola also credits his improvement, as well as the team’s, with doing some testing. And although he was not willing to share any of the new things they were trying on the car, he was most enthusiastic about what they were experiencing and looking forward to upcoming tests scheduled prior to season end.

“Doing some of testing, we’ve tried some things out of the box,” Almirola said. “We have a test coming up at Kansas next Thursday and we have a laundry list of things we want to try that we haven’t gotten a chance to try on normal race weekends.”

“We think that may be better or worse but that’s a good opportunity for us to find out,” Almirola continued. “This sport evolves constantly and if you don’t keep up, you get left behind.”

Almirola knows that the spotlight is a bit dimmed on him and his race team since they are not Chase participants. But he is not letting that deter him from achieving the goals that he has set for the remaining few races of 2013.

“Those guys raced for 26 races and put themselves in the position to make the Chase so they deserve to get that attention,” Almirola said. “Then it’s up to us because the only way for us to get the attention back on us is to be really competitive and run good.”

“I don’t race any differently now in the Chase or against the Chase competitors,” Almirola continued. “I race the same because I have just as much at stake as those guys do as far as each and every weekend.”

So, what would be the coup de grace for Almirola this race weekend at Dover?

“We want to get to Victory Lane really bad,” Almirola said. “We’d love to get that 43 car back in Victory Lane.”

“We have great sponsors, with Smithfield Foods, STP and Air Force and we want to get all of those guys to Victory Lane,” Almirola continued. “So, we’re working hard to do that and there have been a lot of late nights at the shop.”

“A win would mean a lot,” Almirola said. “Obviously driving the sport’s most iconic car is really special in itself.”

“But to get to Victory Lane in that car would be an amazing feeling,” Almirola continued. “Richard Petty has won 200 races and he deserves to be in Victory Lane again.”

“He got accustomed and used to being in Victory Lane back then and we want to get him back to Victory Lane and I’d like to bring that win home to him.”

September 28, 2013