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

    ‘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.  

  • Exclusive: First Seasons with Eli Tomac

    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.

  • Exclusive: First Seasons with James Hinchcliffe

    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.

  • Exclusive: First seasons with Paul Tracy

    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.

  • Exclusive Interview – First-Seasons with Steve Torrence

    Exclusive Interview – First-Seasons with Steve Torrence

    In a continuation of our “first-seasons” features, we caught up with three-time Top Fuel Champion Steve Torrence who reflects on his early years in NHRA.

    Torrence, a Kilgore, Texas native, spoke about his early ranks in the sport including transitioning from Alcohol dragsters to Top Fuel dragsters, his first start at Richmond in 2006 and his first victory in Atlanta of 2012.

    He also discussed various other topics surrounding the early years of his NHRA career.

    SM: Your first Top Fuel season came in 2006 where you raced in three races that year at the age of 23 years old, which at the time was considered a fairly young age in the sport. Can you discuss what it was like making your debut during that time period and why that age was the right time to race professionally? 

    ST: “Honestly, it was the right place, right time for me in 2006,” Torrence said. “In 2005, I had started driving Alcohol dragsters in the top Alcohol class and won the championship, which then led me to a relationship with Evan Knoll. Late one night in ‘06, Evan called and said ‘Hey. I want to put you in a Top Fuel car with J.R. Todd.

    “So, I flew to St. Louis and got my license the Monday after the race for J.R.’s car and made my debut later that year in a Top Fuel.”

    SM: Prior to entering the Top Fuel ranks, you competed in different classes such as the Pro Modified Outlaw classes and the alcohol dragsters. As you were making your transition from alcohol to Top Fuel, was there a learning curve during that period, or were you starting to get comfortable racing Top Fuel since you had experience in the alcohol drags? 

    ST: “The people who tell you who don’t have a learning curve are full of shit, because nothing compares to the acceleration and power of a Top Fuel car,” he said. “There’s always a learning curve. It may not be nearly as steep coming from an Alcohol car, but definitely a curve.”

    SM: As you entered the 2006 season, you only ran a part-time schedule, competing in three races, then taking ’07 off, before eventually running full time in 2010. In those early years, was it hard for you to manage expectations such as race wins despite running a part-time schedule? Could you expand a little bit on running part-time for a few years?

    ST: “I was so blessed and thankful to even have an opportunity to drive a Top Fuel car, but it was an underfunded team,” Torrence said. “Somewhere in ‘09 or ‘10 had CAPCO (Torrence’s current sponsor now) on the side of it, but nothing compared to what it is today. We started our own team in 2011. You go out there, you utilize your opportunity as a stepping stone or a position to be able to drive for one of the bigger teams, or just get some name recognition. 

    “There was one opportunity I had to win a race at the time and (losing that race) lives with me forever. I lost on a holeshot, where I could have gone to the final. At those times though, you need to manage those expectations and say ‘Hey. Let’s go a round or two and be content, happy with that.’”

    SM: Your first Top Fuel start came at Richmond in 2006. You qualified 11th and had your first-round matchup against Larry Dixon. Prior to that first-round matchup, what were the weeks of preparation like leading up to your first Top Fuel event? Were you starting to get anxious or nervous, or since you already had so many years under your belt, were you already feeling primed and ready?

    ST: “Looking back on it (my first Top Fuel start), I was ecstatic,” the three-time Top Fuel champion said. “I mean, that was an opportunity of a lifetime to go drive a Top Fuel dragster. I could only imagine how excited I was. I went there ecstatic. I was the new kid on the block wanting to make a splash. The thing that stands out the most about that race was making a solid pass and throwing the parachutes and the parachutes came off. That’s what I remember about the whole weekend.”

    SM: Back then, Larry Dixon was one of the greats in Top Fuel. As you were slated to face him in the first round, do you recall ever being somewhat intimidated or were you more excited that you would race Larry? 

    ST: “Probably not,” Torrence said. “Driving the A-Fuel car the year before, we went to 13 races and won nine of them. So as a driver, I was very confident. I probably wasn’t intimidated. Even though you’re nervous, I probably went into that thinking ‘I’ve got to prove myself.’ You have to go out there and say ‘I’ve done this.’”

    SM: One race later at Las Vegas, you had your first career round victory against Cory McClenathan. How special was it for you to gain your first-round win by defeating McClenathan at Vegas? Just talk about the run.

    ST: “Cory was one of my favorite drivers when I was a kid, so that’s pretty cool to be able to get that first career round win against him.”

    SM: Eventually, six-years later, you earned your first runner up finish at Norwalk racing Spencer Massy. Even though you ran part-time in your early career, did you ever feel like that you were never going to get a runner up despite being solidly consistent up until that point? 


    ST: “From 2006 to 2011, we didn’t have that type of car caliber under me,” Torrence said. “I never had the thoughts of ‘no I can’t win.’ “It’s just a great race car, makes an okay driver look good. A great driver and an okay race car, is just okay. It takes both elements to be successful.

    “When we started in ‘11, we ran well. In ‘12, that (runner-up) was fairly early in the season. I mean you go to Norwalk and you runner-up. I think we had a couple of runner-ups really quick. I will tell you, there is nothing more difficult than winning your first race, because those early rounds are just rounds. When you’re in the final, you’re racing for the Wally (NHRA’s trophy). Mentally out, you can psych out of winning. You can distract yourself, but once you’ve (won), the final becomes similar to the other rounds. However, you have to mentally overcome that and have that experience.”

    SM: Later on in 2012, you won your first career race at Atlanta defeating Tony Schumacher. Have you ever had a chance to watch that race back and what does that victory still mean to you?

    ST: “I have probably watched that race before, but I can tell you everything about that run,” he said. “We go up there and I had been good on the (Christmas) tree all day. I was .046 (reaction time) something, on the final. Tony, I believe, rolled the car a little bit early on the tree and was .031 on the tree. We were shallow. The car went out there and ran an 89 something, just a nice A to B run.

    “Tony smokes the tires (went a 91 for ET) and to be able to get your first win against Tony Schumacher is pretty strong. He is the winningest Top Fuel driver ever and winning against him held more merit. You didn’t get there by luck or beating people. That (win) was pretty cool.” 

    Torrence’ first win at Atlanta 2012, Photo Courtesy of Natalie Torrence

    SM: Do you ever remember getting any congratulations from Tony or a “good job” afterward? 

    ST: “He (Schumacher) came over and congratulated me and told me good job,” Torrence said. “I mean Tony’s a pretty cool guy. He gives credit where credit is due. I remember the whole conversation we had. Later in the year, we made a deal where I told him I want that helmet (Schumacher’s). He said, ‘you’re going to have to beat me to take it.’

    “Later in the year, we raced and I beat him in a round. He came over and gave me that helmet. So, I have that helmet at home in my trophy case.”

    SM: After Atlanta, you won two more races at Englishtown and Seattle before finishing ninth in the points that year. After winning that first race, were you and the crew starting to click together to get those victories and runner-up finishes? 

    ST: “Oh yeah, for sure,” he said. “At that time, you’re still kind of getting the right people and everything put together. Richard Hogan, he’s been my crew chief since day one. You know, everyone was kind of feeling each other out. I can say that now and see how long that’s taken us now. Though when you get to those final rounds and secure victories, it breeds confidence. Not only the driver, but the crew chief and everyone on the team.”

    SM: As you continue to reflect on your career, are there any races from your early years that you look back on and you’re thinking ‘Man, I wish we had another chance to get this victory back’?’ Do any of those races come to mind? 

    ST: “Oh yeah definitely,” Torrence said. “I think I was in the final at Indy three or four times before we ever won it. It’s not that we were really beating ourselves, we were just losing close races. I think if you look at the final in Indy of ‘16, it was one of the closest races of the year. I raced (Tony) Schumacher in the final. It was just a crazy race, but we had a few of those.”

    SM: Some racers collect their own merchandise 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 season(s)? 

    ST: “I actually don’t,” the three-time Top Fuel champion said. “There are some things I wished I would have kept. I’ve got some old hero cards that I kept. Those are kind of neat to look back and be like ‘Damn. I’ve been doing this for a long time.’

    “There are certain things I’ve kept. I keep all of my helmets, certain firesuits, some of the hero cards. Now, I’m a little better about keeping those kinds of memorabilia.”

    SM: I’ve been asking drivers what their favorite Wally is out of their collection. What is your favorite Wally and why? 

    ST: “The first ones that come to my mind are shiny, gold polished ones that say world champ,” Torrence jokingly says. “Atlanta 2012 will always stand out in my mind. When you win a race with your own team, that will always stand out the most.”

    SM: Following up on your championships, talk about your first one in 2018. 

    ST: “I’m probably one of the drivers of late that has won a championship with and without the Countdown (NHRA’s version of the playoffs), he said. “Both ‘18 and ‘19 was the Countdown, but with ‘20 that was COVID so there was no Countdown. ‘18 was the year where we swept all six races of the Countdown. That (2018 championship) is by far my favorite.

    “We were so close in ‘17. We had the wreck at Dallas in the middle of the Countdown and we weren’t prepared enough in the backup car to make that seamless transition and we ended up losing the race the last day of the season to Brittany Force. Had it not been for the Countdown, we would have won the championship well before the season ended.”

    SM: Wrapping this interview up, it’s hard to believe your first Top Fuel start came 15 years ago. However, if time travel was available, what would a 38-year-old Steve Torrence tell a 23-year-old Steve Torrence? Is there anything you would do differently? 

    ST: “Oh yeah, I definitely would do things differently,” Torrence said. “I’ve had to learn those few lessons the last few years. Never lose your drive or intensity, always be you but be careful with what you say.” 

    In Torrence’s career, the CAPCO driver has won a total of 46 races in 259 starts. In addition, he has 23 career runner-up finishes along with 36 semi-final, 69 quarter-final round appearances and 81 first-round starts. He also has 30 No. 1 qualifiers and four DNQ’s with a record of 387-209.

    So far in 2021, Steve has amassed six wins in 11 races, one runner-up finish, two semi-finals and three No. 1 qualifiers, generating a record of 30-5.

    Fans of Steve Torrence can like him on Facebook and follow him on Twitter and Instagram. Additionally, you can check out the Torrence Racing website here.

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

  • Interview: Catching Up with Travis Pastrana

    Interview: Catching Up with Travis Pastrana

    In this week’s interview, Speedway Media caught up with Travis Pastrana who recently made a Truck Series start at Kansas Speedway with Niece Motorsports. The Maryland native discusses what brought him to Niece for his latest NASCAR run. We also discussed his first NASCAR run in 2012 and 2013 and whether Pastrana would ever be open to doing a full-time schedule again.

    SM: Let’s talk about your previous experience in NASCAR in what was then the Nationwide Series from 2012-2013. What drew you to NASCAR back then and made you want to give the sport a try? Was it difficult to try and find a ride? 

    TP: “Yeah, I mean for sure,” Pastrana said. “I won four off-road rally championships. It’s (the series) basically like off-road racing and I had plans on going to the WRC Championship and Subaru had pulled their funding from the WRC and that was the car I had kind of been in.”

    “I had the chance to talk to Trevor Bayne and a couple of other guys. I went and hung out with Jimmie Johnson at Auto Club and he had won that day. I said to myself, ‘This is awesome. What would it take to get there?’ We just started talking. Rob (Benton) and Michael Waltrip (Team Owner who gave Travis a chance) were just awesome and asked me, what do you want to do? I said, ‘I would love to drive the Daytona 500 one day.’ They said, ‘well you just can’t jump in and drive the Daytona 500, but let’s start talking about a plan that will help get you there.’ I then started doing K&N Series, Late Models. I didn’t really know a lot about NASCAR. One of my friends (Irish Sanders) who was friends with Tony Stewart had got hurt and asked me if I wanted to race a Silver Crown car in two weeks. I said, ‘Sure. Sign me up.’ I showed up and got my butt handed to me. Despite that, I wanted to give racing a try and thought it was fun.”

    SM: Your first start came at Richmond in 2012 where you started 25th and finished 22nd, two laps down. There seemed to be a huge learning curve for you as you adjusted to NASCAR. Can you explain the challenges of this type of racing and how it was different than what you had done before? 

    TP: “I think if you look at it, my qualifying results were significantly better than my race results and that was complete opposite than what I was in Motocross,” he said. “In motocross, you could find out how to take chances and do stuff no one was going to do. But in vehicles, it didn’t come down to how much time you were willing to put in, like prep and training (which made you a good motocross racer). In NASCAR, success came to research. Literally working with your crew chief. Going over all the notes and learning about the different aspects of the sport. Some of that was very foreign to me.”

    “So for me, I think Chase Elliott is a great example. At age 15 or 16-years-old, he won his first K&N race in a race where I felt like Waltrip and the guys were the best car. It was the one time I got to a race (maybe one other time at Kentucky in Nationwide), where I was like, ‘Holy crap, we could win this race.’ I drove dead last all the way to second and then bumped Sergio Pena for the lead. It took all the air out of my car. And I was like, ‘I cannot believe this!’ All I had to do was relax. To sum it up, it comes down to how much you can work with your team. How you don’t use your tires up, etc.”

    SM: Did you lean on any drivers when you first entered the sport?

    TP: “Definitely, Brett Moffitt,” Pastrana said. “He took me under his wing. He (Moffitt) was getting in his Truck (at Kansas), gets out and runs to the back of the grid and he was like, ‘Hey when you’re doing restarts here, it’s not like an initial start. Seven to eight laps in, you will spin the tires.”

    SM: Later on in 2012, you started driving for Jack Roush to race in the No. 60. What was it that brought you to Roush?

    TP: “It wasn’t an offer, he said. “It was me going to him. I funded all of my own stuff. I took most of my savings and put it into NASCAR. People questioned me, ‘why did you quit?’ I just realized I wasn’t good enough. I was never good with pavement to be quite honest. For me, it was about making the best out of every situation.”

    “Though, I loved (Greg) Biffle. Even Carl Edwards, one of my all-time heroes. Same thing with Trevor Bayne. I wanted to be under Trevor and learn from those guys. The 60 at the time was victorious in Nationwide. We did a test run and I was fastest in practice and we qualified fifth at Richmond, mI y first race with those guys (Roush). We ran up front and I was respectable in the race. That’s why I signed a contract with those guys.”

    SM: At Talladega, you won your first career NASCAR pole. Was that a special moment for you knowing that you were still somewhat new to the sport?

    TP: “The restrictor plate really came down to, you have to hit your marks, but if your team has a good car, that (qualifying on the pole) proved we had the best motors, Pastrana said. “So for me, it (winning the pole) was awesome. To be able to run up front, lead some laps was awesome. But I honestly think qualifying second at Kentucky was my most proudest moment even though I missed my lap.”

    SM: Before the Kansas weekend, your first connection with Al Niece was the Las Vegas event back in 2017. What drew you to Niece and what sparked your interest in NASCAR again?

    TP: “In 2017, I kept it (NASCAR) in the back of my mind and wanted to make a real effort,” he said. “I didn’t necessarily know when or how, but I knew what it took to be the best in the sport. I’m not saying I could be the best in the sport, I’m just saying I knew what you had to do to be successful. In my first year of the sport, I had my first kid and had another one (kid) on the way. I just thought to myself, I wanted to be a father and wanted to be sure, we were (my family) financial enough to do that. So, I went back to my regular job.”

    “(However), I still wanted to give it (NASCAR) a shot. My car chief at Roush (Cody Efaw, now General Manager of Niece Motorsports) was starting a new team. He asked me, could you help us bring some sponsorship? I was able to do that and we had so much fun. Unfortunately, we did something stupid on the Truck, and couldn’t really get going. The race was pretty much close to their first start as a team. Al Niece (Team Owner) said to me, ‘Hey when we get ourselves a winning team and get a winning driver, you’ve got to come back. We wanted to thank you for helping put us on the map.’

    “So Ross Chastain nearly won the championship last year. I literally got a call (last Wednesday afternoon) and the team (Kaulig Racing) said Chastain couldn’t drive both races because it’s hot and they were focusing on Xfinity efforts. He (Cody Efaw) told me that they (Niece) wanted to repay you and want you to drive our Truck. I said, ‘Yeah, I’m in, in a heartbeat.’

    SM: What it was like being back in NASCAR that weekend and the race itself? Did you enjoy racing trucks?   

    TP: “Yeah, I did,” Pastrana said about racing in the Trucks at Kansas. “It was disappointing we had a tire go down in the first run. I was like alright, just don’t get lapped. We were super free. We would work our way up to 20th and then they (NASCAR) would put the lead cars back on the lead lap. What I really wanted to do was get behind some of the top guys and figure out what I was doing.”

    “When we were tight on the second stage, I was right around 10th place. So, I was three tenths off of where I needed to be to run up front. I still was pretty happy with that. I know Kansas was pretty dirt track, if you will. It’s not a dirt track pavement, but you’re slipping and sliding. You have to be perfect.”

    SM: Are you open to more NASCAR opportunities in the future such as a full-time ride in the Truck Series and the chance to compete for a championship?

    TP: “I really love to race,” he said. “But knowing right now where I am at with life, I don’t have time to take this seriously enough where I deserve a full-time ride or take a ride away from an up and coming kid or a driver of any kind. I would step into that role in a heartbeat, but also understand, I’m not good enough at the moment without putting in a lot more time. (NASCAR) takes a lot of time and passion. If it was just the races on the weekend, then no problem.”

    “In order for me to be the driver I want to be, it would be every waking second of the day of trying to figure it out. I love that challenge, I love NASCAR. I was thankful enough for Cody (Efaw) and Al (Niece) to give me another opportunity. I’m not expecting more opportunities (in the future). Unless, it’s a mile and a half, or helping younger prospects.”

    SM: With that in mind, where would you like for your last NASCAR start to be?

    TP: “The Daytona 500,” Pastrana said. “That race has always been on my bucket list.”

    SM: Wrapping it up, when you look back on your NASCAR career, what’s one moment or memory that will stick out to you?

    TP: “I think it’s the comradery,” he said. “To have Joey Logano step in my car one time because he was following me and he thought he was loose. He jumped in my car at New Hampshire during practice. The same thing can go for Denny Hamlin at Richmond. He waits for me to go out. I wasn’t even ready to go out and he was like, ‘Hey, You about ready to go out?’ I said, ‘no.’ Denny responds, ‘I’ll wait for you at the exit.’ I was blown away by that moment of Denny wanting to see me succeed. For me, that really meant a lot. That was very cool.”

    In Pastrana’s NASCAR career, the Maryland native has a total of 42 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts with four top 10 finishes and one pole, with a best finish of ninth at Richmond. In addition, Pastrana has four Truck Series starts and 11 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Starts (earning a best finish of fourth at Iowa in 2012).

    Special thanks to Travis Pastrana for taking time out of his busy schedule to do the interview and special thanks to Michelle Brachowski for coordinating the interview.

    Fans of Pastrana can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

    In addition, those who are interested in Niece Motorsports can like them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and visit their website for additional information.

  • Catching Up With NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver Ben Rhodes

    Catching Up With NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Driver Ben Rhodes

    In this weeks feature story, we catch up with NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Ben Rhodes. Rhodes, a Louisville, Kentucky native, drives the No. 41 ThorSport Racing Ford and has been competing in the Truck Series full time since 2016 with one part-time season in 2014, competing in only four races that year.

    We talk everything racing from how he got his breakthrough in the sport, to the NASCAR Next class, how he and Carl Edwards became friends, and what Rhodes thinks of his season so far.

    Before moving through the ranks of being a racecar driver, Rhodes started at a young age just like most other drivers.

    “I actually started racing when I was seven years old at Sportsdorm Speedway right across the river from my hometown in Louisville, Kentucky,” Rhodes said. “It all started at home. I was on four-wheelers, dirt bikes, go-karts, all at a very young age, at about three-years-old. Whenever my brother and I started racing the go-karts around the house, down the driveway trying to spin the go-karts around as many time as possible, still keep going in a straight direction, I think my mom figured out real quickly we were a little bored.”

    “She talked to my dad and we went out to a local racetrack,” he said. “I’ll tell you the first time didn’t go so well, but after sticking with it and I’m glad I did, I think I found a passion and something I loved ever since.”

    From there on, the Kentucky native progressed through the ranks of NASCAR competing in the K&N Pro East Series, which is a developmental series for all young NASCAR stars. He ran there for two years earning five wins, 13 top fives and 18 top 10 finishes, along with six poles. Rhodes describes how he got that breakthrough in the sport.

    “It was interesting for me to kind of move up to that level,” Rhodes said. “The cars were heavier, they still had a very similar setup to the late model stocks that I drove. But they were heavier, more horsepower and they drove like a true stock car. So it was a little different and it was a little bit of a learning curve in 2013. I did part time in 2013 and I felt ready.”

    “I felt ready and I felt that 2014 was our time to shine. Boy, it was a really good season. I mean it was interesting again to see that we had pit stops. They weren’t live pit stops, but there were just so many different things we had to work with that season that I’ve never worked on before. It was such a huge stepping stone and confidence builder for my entire career.”

    Rhodes also talks about how different the pit stops were as it was his first time doing them.

    “It wasn’t too hard,” the No. 41 ThorSport driver said. “They weren’t live, but it was still interesting that, hey you’re racing, going hard as you can and then you have to slow down and come down to a complete stop for four or five minutes. I think that was actually harder to adjust to than the current pit stops that we’re doing in NASCAR, the live pit stops. Just for the fact that you had to come to a complete stop, you had to wait for so many minutes with the guys working on the car and everything. It was just kind of weird to experience that.”

    From there, Rhodes competed in four Truck Series races in 2014 driving for Steve Turner but ultimately went to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2015 driving for JR Motorsports, for 10 races. It wasn’t until after that season when he got the call from ThorSport to drive for them full time.

    “ThorSport Racing actually contacted me after my season with JR Motorsports,” Rhodes said. “I’m really glad that they did. It’s been a really awesome experience ever since. Duke Thorson is such an incredible guy. Duke and Rhonda Thorson, they own the team, but their leadership stands from the top and works their way down through the company. Awesome culture.”

    “Just their love for the sport,” he said. “They don’t do it for the money. They put a lot of money into it and they do it just because they love it. They love it just as much as anybody in the shop, if not more. It’s pretty cool to see that. I’ve enjoyed every moment there. Sure, we had our ups and downs, but 2018 I’m looking to really go after this championship. I know that we have the championship caliber team and the equipment to do it.”

    Rhodes first NASCAR stock car race was at Bristol competing in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East. He started 21st and finished ninth that day. Rhodes talks about how hectic that day was.

    “It was interesting,” Rhodes said. “We led so many laps that we led the entire advertised distance. And then on the last restart, a driver that kind of started the rivalry, drove me going down into Turns 1 and 2 on the restart, took us three wide and basically doored us up the track, and almost hit the wall. Unfortunately, we lost the race because of that, but we dominated the whole time.”

    “If you’re going to be at Bristol, leading is the best place to be,” he said. “You don’t want to be in the back where all the carnage is. We had a really clean racecar up until that point. I was pretty mad afterward.”

    He also doesn’t really have a race he wishes that he could do over again. But just small mistakes that Rhodes wishes he could correct if given a second chance.

    “That’s hard to say,” the Kentucky native said. “Any race I wish I had a chance to redo. You never have a perfect race. Even our win at in Las Vegas, it wasn’t the perfect race. It worked out, but it wasn’t the perfect race. Every single race, there’s something I want to do over.”

    “I wouldn’t say it would be Bristol,” he said. “I would want to redo a race that I made a mistake on my own. It would be a race, where I could have easily fixed something and had a lot better finish. Maybe not even winning, but a lot better finish did not wreck the piece of equipment. Just really trying to make things better, not so much get myself the win. There’s plenty of those races where I could have fixed as well.”

    The 2018 NASCAR Next Class was recently announced with drivers Anthony Alfredo, Chase Purdy, Riley Herbst, Hailie Deegan, Derek Kraus, Will Rodgers, Zane Smith, Tanner Thorson, and Ryan Vargas. Rhodes was apart of the NASCAR Next class early on in his career and he explains how special it was to be a part of that, and who he thinks might shine from this class.

    “It’s hard to say,” Rhodes said. “They’re all really good drivers. They’re all kinds of superstars from their own domain. I think they’re all shining bright. That’s obviously why they were chosen in the NASCAR Next group.”

    “For me, I just have good memories spending time and racing my competitors, and learning about one another and just seeing a different side of NASCAR that I hadn’t seen before. I am actually really grateful that I had the NASCAR Next program and that I was a part of the group. It’s pretty neat to see where that started and where those drivers are from the first class, and where those drivers are in all the other classes after that. Just seeing how spot on they’ve been and scouting out talent.”

    Rhodes sponsor, Alpha Energy Solutions, has been with him ever since he started racing in the K&N series. They are based out of his hometown in Louisville, Kentucky and he explains what they’re mission is.

    “Alpha Energy Solutions is a mechanical service contractor,” Rhodes said. “It sounds like your local power company right? But it’s not, it’s a service contractor. Essentially, your electricity, heating and air, anything that keeps you nice and comfortable in your house. That’s what they work on. They don’t work on it for houses, but big commercial buildings. So, big offices, exhibitions centers, stadiums, just big buildings. They’re based out of my hometown, so that’s been a cool experience.”

    There’s at least one track that he wishes that was on the Truck Series schedule and Rhodes thinks it would be interesting to see it happen.

    “I would like to see Watkins-Glen,” he said. “That’s one of my favorite tracks. I loved it ever since I was a little kid. I remember playing on the NASCAR games and that’s the only track I ever wanted to race. I’ve had decent runs there, but I felt like I can do a lot better than what my results were when I ran there in the Xfinity Series and the K&N East.”

    “So I would love to take trucks there,” Rhodes said. “I think you would be wide open through esses. It would be a super fast track for us. There would be a lot of drafting and I think it would be a unique race. Something that Watkins-Glen really hasn’t seen before.”

    There’s one thing that fans might not know about Rhodes, but they could possibly know about it already due to his social media channels.

    “That’s a tough one,” he said. “What do they not know about me? Gosh. I don’t know, I’ve got my pilot license. Going for a little flight Thursday and some fans know it. They keep up with me on my social media. Others may not, but I enjoy flying and using that license being able to commute to different sponsors. Just kind of using that to my advantage with the busy travel schedule.”

    The Louisville, Kentucky native jokes around about the last famous person he has in his contacts and brings up a surprising fact and connection, that he made through his pilot’s license.

    “Celine Dion,” Rhodes jokingly says. “I’m just joking. I don’t have Celine Dion on my phone. Honestly, it’s probably NASCAR drivers. NASCAR drivers, we’re all kind of in a group or community, I guess you could say. Everyone knows each other. Probably the last one that I added was Carl Edwards before he announced his retirement from the sport.”

    “I haven’t really been able to keep up with Carl,” he said, “ever since he stepped away. “I wish I did. I probably should send him a text message to see what’s going on, especially when we made our Midwest swing because he’s a pretty good pilot. It would have been really neat to go up into a plane with him and learn a few things.”

    “But no, I haven’t texted him,” Rhodes said. “I need too. I think that would be kind of cool.”

    “It was actually Ford Championship weekend,” the Kentucky native said, “2016 Ford Championship weekend right before his last race of his career, at least for now. It was the night before his race, we actually had met. We were staying in the same place, the same little area, the community if you want to call it. We met at an ice cream parlor. He was there with his kids and I was there with my family, and we just kind of chatted a little bit.”

    So far in the 2018 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season, Rhodes has three top fives and five top 10 finishes, along with one pole. He assessed his season so far and thinks they can be a little better than they are currently.

    “It’s okay,” Rhodes said. “It’s not where we want to be. It’s not where we should be. Just okay. I do feel like our season is going to become a lot better. Leaving Daytona, we were seventh in the points including a 10 point penalty. Going into Kansas we were second in points without even a win yet. We had so many top fives, so many top 10s and it was just really cool to see that momentum that we’re building.”

    “Two engine issues this year and a mechanical failure at Dover,” he said, “you know, we’re still not doing that bad. We’re fourth in points right now and I would like to see us further up. We should be further up. I do believe that we could have three wins right now and it’s just not me saying this, but my team, crew members, mechanics, are legitimately mad that we should have a couple of wins by now. They’re really mad about it with just the issues we’ve had.”

    “We need to get the issues, get rid of the mistakes, any issues on pit road, any issues with part failures, engine failures. We need all of that to go away. Once that’s gone, once we fix all of those things, I think we’re going to be right on track going after a championship and get multiple wins this year.”

    Rhodes has a Facebook live show that is called BR841 and it airs every other Wednesday. He explains how that came about.

    “I’m enjoying it so far,” Rhodes said. “We used to actually have this show called Live at Five. I would do it Monday’s at five. Just kind of Facebook living with the fans, just interacting. I turned it into more of a show this year called BR841, every other Wednesday night at 8:41. Kind of playing off my 41 number. Essentially, I have fans come on as guests and they join the show via video, and then we have other guests on like my teammate Myatt Snider, spotters, people from various racetracks, done big giveaways.”

    “So it’s just something, a cool way interact with fans,” he said. “It’s different. Kind of experimenting with different and new show rundown layout. We might change it up in the future, but we’re kind of having fun with it.”

    For more information on Ben, you may visit his website www.benrhodes.com. His social media channels are Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

  • Ryan Preece – Fueling his Passion to Win

    Ryan Preece – Fueling his Passion to Win

    Ryan Preece is the consummate racer. It’s not only his career choice, it’s the driving force that fuels his passion for winning.

    The NASCAR Next alum began racing full-time in the NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour in 2007. The following year, he became the youngest driver in the series history to capture a pole. Preece won the championship in 2013 and claimed another first as the youngest champion in NWMT history. No stranger to winning, he moved up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016, driving the No. 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports, where he faces the biggest challenge of his career.

    Accustomed to winning, he moved up to the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016, driving the No. 01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports, where he faces the biggest challenge of his career.

    His season has been one of ups and downs and Preece is currently 18th in the XFINITY Series point standings. In 12 starts, his best finish was at Talladega where he finished 15th. It was his fourth top 20 finish this year.

    I spoke to Preece about the different aspects of transitioning from the NWMT to competing in the XFINITY Series and why he still continues to race modifieds at every opportunity.

    The trick, he says, is “managing expectations. Every week, we’re pretty much in that bubble where it’s 24th–18th. When you’re racing against teams that have quite a huge budget, our goal is, with everything we’re doing, maximizing what we can.“

    “That’s why I still race my modifieds quite often, to manage the part of me that’s a racer and wants to win races. At the end of the day, racing against JGR, Roush and a lot of teams that have a lot of manufacturer support; I wouldn’t say we don’t have manufacturer support because we do. Chevy’s been really great to us, but their budgets are probably 10 times what ours is. It’s kind of hard to race against that.

    “But like I said, that’s why I race modifieds, to fuel the fire in me that wants to win.”

    Preece also explained how racing modifieds is a way for him to keep his confidence level high.

    “Because it’s my first year full time, every time you get out of the car you’re looking at the speed charts and saying ‘hey, what can I do here? What am I doing wrong?’ Every race car I’ve ever been in my entire life, it’s usually been one of the quicker cars to winning races. Right now, not having that, you sit back, you look back and wonder, ‘Where are we missing this, what am I doing wrong?’

    “That’s why I have to keep racing. I have to keep racing modified, I’ve got to keep racing whatever I can to keep winning races because it’ll mentally beat me up if I don’t.”

    While racing on a limited budget against cars with more horsepower is not ideal, Preece maintains that being competitive on the track is a combination of several factors.

    “To be honest with you,” he says, “I’m more of a person that’s going to say car goes 100 times further than motor. With the tapered spacer they run, horsepower is almost irrelevant. You’re on the throttle for so long especially with how much aero plays, you’re not out of the gas very much so that’s really the big thing.

    “These cars have come so far as far as how they’re set up. Ten years ago, 15 years ago, everybody used to call them taxi cabs because they used to roll over, drive different. Now they’re pretty immaculate right off the truck. You’re really nitpicking for everything you can get.

    “These cars that are top five, they’re nearly perfect. When you got a perfect race car, it’s hard to beat them. It’s the little things you got to start looking for.”

    Preece compares it to a puzzle and he’s quickly learning how all the pieces fit together.

    “There are always things I need to work on. I’d say right now it’s a lack of going to the racetracks experience. Even though I’m getting better with mile-and-a-half tracks, that’s something I’ve probably only gone to about six or seven times my entire racing career. I like them a lot but right now it’s just trying to find the feel we need. We’re getting closer, still just trying to find that feel because if you can’t find that feeling, if you don’t know what you’re searching for, it’s a struggle to find what you want and what you need.

    “I’m starting to learn that with these cars. The way these cars are set up, how I would go about it in my modifieds is totally different than this. So understanding the pieces of the puzzle, to break down what I’m feeling on the racetrack and relate it to what Zach (McGowan, crew chief) needs to do in the garage, you’ve got to break through that barrier and understand all the different pieces of the puzzle.”

    This year will certainly be a season of learning and growth for Preece and his team. But there should be little doubt that Preece will return to his winning ways; he simply won’t accept anything less.

  • Bobby Labonte Talks About His Uncertain Future & His Championship Past

    Bobby Labonte Talks About His Uncertain Future & His Championship Past

    Bobby Labonte is a Sprint Cup champion, a future Hall of Famer and a class act on and off the track. He’s won twenty-one races that include historic events such as the Coke 600, Southern 500 as well as the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. In the ten years following his 21st Sprint Cup victory, Bobby has been forced to endure some rough times but he’s kept his head held high and persevered through it all. Labonte has enjoyed the thrill of hoisting the championship trophy and he’s also experienced the humility of having to start and park. He is a gentlemen that deserves nothing but respect and it was my honor to talk to the champ at New Hampshire last weekend.

    I started by asking Bobby about his future and what it may hold for him but unfortunately, he knows as much about his 2014 plans as the rest of us do. As for next year, Bobby told me he really isn’t sure what he’ll be doing. I pointed out the fact that he could very well be the first “Triple Crown” champion (champion of Trucks, Nationwide & Cup) if he went to the Camping World Truck Series and won the title there but he didn’t show much interest in going down that road just yet. That led me to ask if he does not find a ride for 2014, what will he be doing and the answer I got was a simple; “I’m not sure…just not sure yet.”

    Bobby Labonte’s passion for racing in NASCAR has far from dwindled and if you think for a second that he has no desire to continue racing, you are extremely mistaken. In fact, the man endured laser treatment and acupuncture just so he could race at New Hampshire knowing very well that JTG would be putting AJ Allmendinger in the car the two races that followed Loudon. That’s somebody who just wants to race; that’s a champion right there. He could of just relaxed, missed New Hampshire and JTG would have had no problem getting AJ to sub but Bobby Labonte is a racer and wasn’t going to do that.

    As the interview progressed, I wanted to know what a 22nd victory would mean to Bobby after the tumultuous decade that followed his last triumph at Homestead in 2003; “It would be a highlight of all the wins…as any win, you’d cherish it but some of them are more important than others if you will. You’re next win is always the most important (I interject – because you never know if it will be your last). Right It would definitely be awesome; there’s no doubt about it and hopefully we can do that. I got a few more races with these guys this year and we’ll see what happens.”

    It’s no secret that Bobby Labonte has been treated poorly by some of his former employers and he’s been at the receiving end of multiple raw deals so I asked him what moment in his 20 year career has been the most difficult to deal with but instead of pointing out a specific situation, Bobby instead talked about how you should deal with adversity; “I always try to make the best out of any situation no matter what happens but sometimes, you make a choice and it may not be the right one but its what feels right in your heart. At the same time, what happens, happens. You get frustrated and you get mad but at the end of the day, its part of life and you just try to respect it as much as possible and move on and try to be as good as you can at whatever you can be.”

    This led me to ask Bobby if he had any regrets and once again, he answered just like a champion would; “You have points in time where you wish that you would have done something different but at the time, you make your best choices and no matter what it is, you try to make your best choices and not have any regrets. Life is going to be full of excitement and disappointments. Whether it’s based on your choice or somebody else’s choice, your best bet is to try and not let that bother you.”

    Now on a happier note, I wanted to know what Bobby’s proudest racing moment was out of all his impressive achievements and he said; “There’s too many to mention but obviously, winning the championship was great. That’s obviously something you can’t take away; it will always be there. That’s a great thing and of all the accomplishments, that’s obviously at the top of the list. Then there’s just being a part of the sport for so many years and I’ve always had a passion for it.”

    Then I turned my attention to the thousands of Bobby Labonte fans that have remained loyal to Bobby through all his trials and tribulations and what that support means to him; “To have the support of the fans through thick and thin…they view you in a way knowing that I’m kind of like them in ways and if I had time to listen to each one of their stories; you’d know that not everyone has had all unicorns and dandelions. The loyalty of people is amazing and they relate to me, I can relate to them and it’s cool that they like me for who I am I guess.”

    Keeping on the fan topic, I wanted to know what Bobby’s strangest encounter with a fan ever was; “There’s been several…some I can’t mention. You look back on it sometimes later in life and they were all great. They were excited to see you; some overly excited…showed you things they ain’t supposed to show you but that’s their personalty, their makeup and that’s just who they are and that’s okay. There’s a lot of people who are just excited to see you I guess. There are some things like I’ve signed dogs, prosthetic arms and legs and this and that but if that makes their day; that’s awesome.”

    Bobby Labonte is the perfect example of integrity, class, fortitude, and raw talent behind the wheel of a racecar. He will certainly be in the NASCAR Hall of Fame one day and even if you don’t think his on-track accomplishments are HOF worthy (which is ludicrous), you can’t argue the fact that he has persevered through situations that no champion like him should have deal with in the first place. I want you to honestly tell me how many NASCAR champions have been told to start and park? Tell me how many have been thrown out of their ride on multiple occasions for no good reason? (That was not a knock on JTG but rather some of his past teams) Tell me how many champions out there would endure such mistreatment and deal with it in the professional manner Bobby Labonte has?

    Photo Credit: Jennifer Chapple
    Photo Credit: Jennifer Chapple

    Bobby has gone through all that and now, he faces an uncertain future and even in what very well may be the twilight of his impressive career, he fights to return from an injury that left him with three broken ribs and a punctured lung just to compete in a single race. If that’s not Hall of Fame worthy, I don’t know what is. Also, if you had any doubt regarding the humbleness of this guy, I asked him at the end of the interview what he wants people to remember Bobby Labonte for. He didn’t say “I want people to remember that I beat the late, great Dale Earnhardt for the 2000 NSCS championship or that I was a 21-time winner.” He simply said that he wants people to remember “that I was just a plain and simple guy who just made an effort to do the right things.” It will definitely be a loss for NASCAR if he isn’t involved in the sport next year. We need more drivers like him, not less. Good luck with whatever the future may hold for you Bobby and hopefully that future involves wheeling your car into victory lane at least one last time.

    Check Out My Other Story On Bobby Labonte That Walks You Through His Remarkable Career: http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=60877

  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Talks About His Rookie NSCS Season

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Talks About His Rookie NSCS Season

    Following the opening Cup practice of the weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, I spoke with ROTY contender and 2-time Nationwide champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr. regarding his rookie season. The past few weeks, Ricky has turned a corner winning the pole at Atlanta before ripping off back-to-back top ten finishes. There is no doubting this guy’s ability and it’s only a matter of time before his true potential at the Cup level is fully realized.

    Talk first about the transition from Nationwide to Cup and the challenges you face as you try to adapt to the Gen-6 car.

    The biggest thing is obviously the horsepower. Having the Gen-6 cars being implemented this year at the same time I’m coming in; I thought (that) was a great time because everyone’s still learning. We haven’t really been as fast at Roush-Fenway as a whole as we wanted and we’re trying to figure this car out as a race team. Driving wise, it’s a big difference. There’s a lot more brake that you got to use and you can’t just jump right back into the gas with all that extra horsepower. It’s been a challenge trying to figure that out. One of the biggest things about Cup is that we always practice at the worst time of the day and then race at a completely opposite (time). In Nationwide, you practice early in the morning; the temperatures are a little cooler and then we race at night. With the Cup cars, we practice dead in the middle of the day so that transition from practice to the race is something I’ve been trying to figure out as well. There’s a lot of factors that go into learning these cars and we’re starting to figure it out.

    Every driver has their particular style of driving and how they want their cars setup; how do you like your cars to feel?

    Yeah, I like mine loose. I hate when our car doesn’t turn. If you listened on our radio, you would find that out. (chuckles) I like my cars to turn…I feel like when the car’s too tight with my driving style of driving (which is) really hard and aggressive, there’s nothing you can do but slow down to get the car to turn. When it’s a little looser, you can still drive it hard and try to get it to tighten up the harder you drive it so I enjoy a loose racecar.

    Going into this season, what were your expectations and have you met them?

    No, we have not met them. We wanted to be top 15 team in points.I think we can get maybe an 18th, 17th or something before the year’s up. We feel like we should have more top 10’s by now. I would like to be running top 10 consistently by now…we’ve done it the past few weeks but we still got to get that speed consistently every week. We’ve led laps which is a positive; we wanted to lead laps this year at some point but we just haven’t been able to finish the races off like we want to. We’ve been fast at the beginning of some races; had some bad luck when we have been fast but yeah, we definitely want some more top 10’s before the end of the year…we thought we’d have quite a few by now.

    The past few weeks, you’ve been doing a lot better. You got that pole and two top 10’s so what’s changed?

    Just getting more comfortable. The guys are working really hard and Scott (Graves) and the guys are making really good calls at the end of these races to keep our track position. I’m not the only rookie here; Scott is a new crew chief so he’s learning as well. At the beginning of the year, we had a lot of times at the end of these races where we tried to make these cars better and we would never make them better and we’d still be behind a lot of guys on the restarts. Staying out and keeping our track position has been one of the best things but you still got to have a decent racecar to do that. I think our cars have been getting a little better and I’m getting more comfortable as well.

    How close do you think you are to that first win…do you think you might be able to get it before the end of the year?

    That would be nice…if we can carry this momentum that we got going to some of these mile and a half race tracks like Charlotte, Kansas, and Texas; I feel like those are going to be our best shots at it. You know, Talladega we were really fast and we led laps there earlier in the year so if we can carry some momentum into those race tracks, keep making our cars better and I keep getting better as a driver; those would be our best shots.

    As you try to adapt to these cars, which driver has been the biggest help to you?

    The teammates are great help. Obviously, I can look at their data and see what they’re doing and how they’re driving the cars. Kevin Harvick has been another good one that has really reached out and helped me; especially at some of the tracks that I haven’t been to like Sears Point or Infinion…(Sonoma)…yeah, Sonoma or whatever it is. He’s (Harvick) raced with me in Nationwide so he knows my tendencies (in Nationwide) and he knows that they won’t exactly work over here. He’s been a big help as well.

    You know, as a rookie, sometimes the veterans pick on you so has anyone given you a hard time this year?

    Nah….everybody’s been pretty good. Some of them that I haven’t raced with; they’ll get a little madder than others like if I don’t give them enough room or whatever but everybody’s been pretty good. I haven’t really had any issues.

    I asked this to Eric McClure this a few weeks ago and got a pretty funny response (Ricky chuckles) and I’ve asked a couple other drivers it and gotten some interesting answers so I thought I might ask you…what’s the strangest fan encounter you’ve ever had?

    Mine hasn’t been too bad or at least from what I can remember. Normally, you’d remember something like that. Umm…I signed a guys forehead once; that was kind of weird because I don’t know why you would want someone’s signature on your forehead. (chuckles) That’s probably been the weirdest thing. It’s always a little different….sometimes they’ll show you pictures of their room and they’ll have pictures all over the place but it takes die-hard fans like that to keep our sport going.

    At just 25 years old, Ricky has an incredible future ahead of him. He’s got a solid ride with a top tier organization and he will most likely be a chase contender within the next couple of years. He only has two top 10’s in his rookie season but wasn’t there some other new guy a few years back who in his first full-time season, only finished inside the top 10 twice driving for a top level team just like Ricky? I think he is a Nationwide champion too actually. Oh yeah! He’s that guy we call Brad Keselowski…the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.