NEW CORVETTE C7.R SHARES TECH WITH NEW Z06
 
• Co-developed with 2015 Corvette Z06, sharing chassis, engine technologies and aerodynamics strategy
• Makes competition debut Jan. 25 at the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona
• Continues legacy of Corvette Racing, which includes 90 global victories and 10 manufacturer championships since 1999
 
DETROIT – Chevrolet today unveiled the Corvette C7.R race car, which was co-developed with the all-new 2015 Corvette Z06. They represent the closest link in modern times between Corvettes built for racing and the road, sharing unprecedented levels of engineering and components including chassis architecture, engine technologies and aerodynamic strategies.
 
“When it comes to endurance racing, Corvette has been the benchmark of success for nearly 15 years,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “A great deal of the team’s success can be attributed to the symbiotic relationship between Corvette Racing and the production vehicles. The 2015 Corvette Z06 and new C7.R will be more competitive on the street and track due to successful design of the Corvette Stingray – which itself is heavily based on the C6.R race car.”
 
Corvette Racing will field two C7.R race cars in 2014, starting later this month at the 52nd Rolex 24 At Daytona on Jan. 25-26. The race kicks off the TUDOR United SportsCar Championship – a new series debuting this year after the merger of the American Le Mans Series and GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. The C7.R will compete in the GT Le Mans class in 11 races around North America.
 
The team is also is expected to compete in June at the 24 Hours of Le Mans – a race Chevrolet and Corvette Racing have won seven times – in the GTE Pro class.
 
Since the team’s competitive debut in 1999 with the Corvette C5-R, Corvette Racing has earned unmatched success. The C5-R and C6.R led Chevrolet to 90 victories around the world and 10 manufacturer championships in the American Le Mans Series. In 2013, Corvette Racing won five races and swept the manufacturer, team and driver championships in the GT class for a second consecutive season.
 
A key part of the team’s success is the technology transfer between Corvette production cars and race cars.
 
“Corvette Racing sets the gold standard for technology transfer between the track and street,” said Tadge Juechter, Corvette chief engineer. “We are continually taking what we learn in competition, and applying it to improve production Corvettes – which then make better race cars. As a result, the new Corvette Z06 is the most track-capable production Corvette ever while the new C7.R is poised to be even more competitive on the race circuit.”
 
Many of the architectural and aerodynamic features of the C7.R are based on equivalent components and technologies from the 2015 Corvette Z06, including:
 
New, aluminum frame
As before, the race car and the Z06 will share the same, production-based aluminum frame. However, for the first time, the frames for the race car and production Z06 will be built in-house at the Corvette’s Bowling Green, Ky., assembly plant.
 
By leveraging advanced manufacturing materials – such as laser welding, Flowdrill-machined fasteners and a GM-patented aluminum spot-welding process – the production structure is significantly stronger than its predecessor. For Corvette Racing, this equates to a race chassis for the C7.R that is 40 percent stronger than the outgoing C6.R.
 
“In the first lap in the C7.R, the drivers felt the increase in chassis stiffness,” said Mark Kent, director of Racing for Chevrolet. “The drivers instantly noticed that the C7.R handling was better over changing surface features and rough track segments. This is important as our drivers don’t always stay on the smooth pavement, and are constantly driving over curbing at corner apexes.”
 
Direct-injected engine
The addition of direct fuel injection to the Corvette Z06 will enable the technology to return to a Corvette race car for the first time since the end of the GT1 era in 2009. It promises greater efficiency, which can make a significant difference in long-distance endurance racing such as Daytona and Le Mans through fewer time-consuming pit stops.
 
“Direct injection offers two advantages for the race team,” said Kent. “First, it offers drivers more precise throttle control, so that even the smallest changes in the driver’s throttle position delivers a proportional response from the engine. Second, direct injection typically improves fuel economy about 3 percent. That could be enough to bypass one fuel stop during a 24-hour race. Given that races are often won and lost in the pits, a 3 percent gain in fuel economy could translate to a significant advantage in track position.”
 
Aerodynamics
The aerodynamic strategies of the Corvette Stingray came directly from the Corvette C6.R – including the forward-tilted radiator, functional hood and front-quarter panel vents, and rear transmission and differential cooling intakes.
 
The Z06 and C7.R take that aerodynamic foundation to the next level, sharing aggressive strategies for increased cooling and aerodynamic downforce, including similar front splitters, rocker panels, and front- and rear-brake cooling ducts.
 
“We worked concurrently with the race team developing the aerodynamic packages for the Z06 and the C7.R,” said Juechter. “We even used the same modeling software to test both cars, enabling us to share data and wind-tunnel test results. As a result, the aerodynamics of the production Z06 produce the most downforce of any production car GM has ever tested, and we are closing in on the aero performance of a dedicated race car.”
 
There are, of course, differences between the race car and production Corvette Z06. For example, the C7.R carries over the powertrain for the C6.R, as the GT rules limit the maximum displacement to 5.5L, and prohibit forced induction. By comparison, the new Z06 boasts a supercharged 6.2L engine estimated at 625 horsepower. Both engines, however, are based on the historic small block architecture.
 
The suspension on the C7.R is modified to accommodate wider racing tires and larger brakes, again part of the GT regulations.
 
On the aerodynamic side, one major difference is the shift away from U.S. National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or NACA, ducts on the C7.R. The C6.R used two NACA ducts, on top of the rear bodywork and near the position of the rear wheels, for cooling. For the new C7.R, there are now openings on each of the rear quarter panels, above the brake ducts, which will draw air to help cool the race car’s transaxle and differential.
 
Additionally, one of the primary results of the C7.R’s aero detail is making the rear wing a more-significant part of the car’s aero package. A larger radiator inlet has the added benefit of generating smoother airflow over the rear wing and making its use more efficient to the handling and stability of the race car at high speed.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PRESEASON TESTING
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 10, 2014
 
DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed the departure of Steve Letarte as crew chief in 2015, his outlook for the 2014 season and other topics.  Full Transcript:
     
 
THE MODERATOR:  We welcome now Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet.  Dale, welcome back to Daytona, 2014 season. Talk to us a little bit about your thoughts coming into a new season and what it feels like to be back at Daytona.
 
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  Yeah, I wish the weather would straighten out so we could get out on the track, but otherwise we’re just kind of hanging out.
 
I think I’ve been in the shop a little bit this off‑season.  Looks like everybody is geared up to get going and get out of the shop and get back to the racetrack and do some testing and just get back into the groove and get back in the car and get back with your guys and working on trying to improve what you’re doing.
 
There’s still a little bit of off‑season left, and we’re definitely going to make the most out of January, as we always do, before we have to really get to work. But everybody seems to be pretty excited about getting the year going.
Q.  Obviously with Steve just leaving, can you talk about your thoughts, and how long have you known, and what you think about the situation?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  Yeah, it’s definitely a unique situation.  He actually included me in on the discussion before the end of last year, and I had a pretty good understanding, whether he knew or not, what he was going to do.  I had a pretty good understanding what his decision was going to be when I left Homestead.
 
So I’ve had time to really wrap my brain around it.  It was hard because we are such good friends, and I really do enjoy working with him a lot.  But at the same time I’m happy for him because it gives him the opportunity to spend time with his family.  It’s something that’s really important to him, and the way these races are broadcast and how they’re presented to the fans is a big part of how the sport remains healthy, and I think that he’s going to be incredible in that role.  I think that he’ll ‑‑ I think that he’ll be really good.
 
I’m excited for him because I know he’s really looking forward to it.  You can tell when he talks about it how genuinely enthused he is about the opportunity.
 
And at the same time, you know, I’m not worried about this season and how focused we may be.  I know that he’s really good at separating things and keeping things compartmentalized, as Jeff Gordon likes to say about Steve.
 
I know that we’re going to be fine as far as how we’ll compete this year and how dedicated and how we might move through the process of the season.  I expect us to do nothing less than improve on what we’ve been doing and steadily keep moving toward our goals.
 
But it’s definitely going to be emotional and difficult at times, just because we really enjoy working together.  But I’m excited about the year.  I’m excited about our chances as a team.  We’ve got a great group of guys.  Steve is a great crew chief that’s going to get us a good opportunity to try to win some races.
And I think that the team, just based on the personalities and how well we all get along and mesh and how much fun we really had last year, I think that everybody can buckle down and do their jobs, and I think we can do well.
Q.  What do you fear the most about losing Steve as a crew chief?  In other words, kind of what are such his strengths that you’re like, man, how are we going to do this without him?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  Yeah, I think the one thing that I fear is just trying to get a guy in there that’s equally as talented.  I think ‑‑ I’m not really ‑‑ Steve is a great cheerleader and definitely built up my confidence and changed me as a race car driver and as a person.  Working with him has really helped me grow.  I think you guys have all seen that over the last several years.
 
I think I can carry that with me, what I’ve learned about myself and what I’ve learned about the job and what my job is and what my responsibility is to Steve and the crew chief.  I think I can carry that with me ‑ hopefully I can at this age.  Hopefully I’ve learned something and learned enough to do a better job for the next guy.
 
I think that my fear is just can we replace Steve.  It’s a guy that’s going to be hard to replace.  I’m not worried about the specific qualities that Steve has, but just will we be able to get a guy in there of equal talent, and how well will we be able to make that transition seamless.  It’s going to be a real challenge to do that, and I guess that’s my only concern.
Q.  You mentioned that you’ve had several months now to wrap your head around this and kind of come to terms with it, but when he first sat you down maybe sometime last fall or something and was like, hey, not even saying that he was going to do it but there was a possibility, was it like a gut punch to you? Were you taken by surprise?  What was your initial reaction?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  I think I heard about it at the Charlotte race, the second Charlotte race, and I asked him to come over to the bus.  I usually don’t take my bus to Charlotte, but I had it there.  Yeah, I was in shock.  I didn’t know what was going on.  I thought it might be something ‑‑ I didn’t know what exactly ‑‑ the rumors were kind of sketchy and unclear, and I didn’t know the specifics of what he was thinking about doing, just that he would even want to do anything different blew me away because we were all having such a good time and the team was moving forward and the trajectory was great for what we were trying to accomplish.  We were getting closer and closer to realizing our potential.
 
So yeah, it was a huge shock at first, and the more ‑‑ just for me personally, it was difficult.  And the more I sat down with him and talked about it, the more it made sense and the more I understood his situation, and I could put my own selfishness aside and kind of understand what was important to him and how this was good for him.
 
You know, he’s a good guy.  He deserves these opportunities and he’s earned it.
Q.  At this stage in your career how much input do you want to have on who your next crew chief is?  Will you make suggestions?  Will you have say in the final decision?  How will that work?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  I won’t make any suggestions at all.  I will leave that up to Rick, Doug.  I would love to have input from Chad Knaus and Steve.  I think that Steve knows what makes this teamwork.  Steve knows how I can be successful and how the individuals within the team can be successful.  I think he’d be a good guy to sort of pick at and hope that Doug and Rick would include him in that conversation at times.
 
I think it’s important that Chad has got a lot of influence because he knows how well the shop works together and what the culture is in the shop and how a guy, a particular guy may mesh in that environment.
 
But I don’t really want to have any influence on the choice.  I want ‑‑ I think that those guys are the ones that can make the choice and have the most success with that decision.  I’ll just kind of ‑‑ it was Rick and upper management that decided to put me with Steve.  I didn’t know how that was going to work out.  I didn’t know much about Steve.  I knew him and Jeff were not really clicking at that point in time in their careers, so I didn’t know ex
actly what was going to happen, but I just wanted to trust their judgment, and that’s what I’m going to do.
Q.  You touched upon the cheerleading thing about Steve and how he made you a better driver.  Could you expand on just why specifically you connected with him so well over the last few years?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  Yeah, I think the reason why we got off on such a ‑‑ we really took off at the very beginning of our working relationship because he was always positive.  I’d just been ‑‑ I’d beat myself up and went through such a struggle on the racetrack and professionally I was having a hard time up until that point in the couple years before I worked with Steve.  And things just weren’t good at all.  I couldn’t get any traction, couldn’t get anything going in the right direction, and I didn’t know why, why I didn’t run well.  I couldn’t see a problem with the team I was with.  I couldn’t see a problem with the people I was working with.  I couldn’t see a reason why we were so unsuccessful.
 
When I went to work with Steve he was just always real positive, we’re going to get this figured out, we’re going to get it better, and when we didn’t run well, he didn’t ask me why we didn’t run well, he said we’re going to figure out why the car didn’t perform, we’re going to give you a better car and we’re going to improve the body or build a new chassis and we’re going to do things that can help you drive and race like you want to.
 
And then when we would go and physically do those things, build a new car or cut the side off of a car and take it back to the racetrack, we improved.  It took a lot of pressure off of me as I wasn’t the reason for all the failures and all the struggles in the past.  When we would not run well, he could point to an area where we could improve, and we would improve that area and the performance would pick up.
 
It was a lot of fun, take the pressure off of me and just be able to go to work and see things change and get better.  That was just a great experience.
Q.  You said you were happy for Steve.  As much as you were, with the momentum that you guys were apparently coming into the season with, was it tough just to think, oh, man, why now?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  Not really.  I had a lesson back when I raced late models, I was working with Gary Hargett, and Gary Hargett and I worked together in ’94, ’95, and he became kind of like a grandfather to me, really, really, really close relationship.  I spent a lot of time with him throughout the week and throughout the weekend, and when we went to the racetrack we went together.  It was just a great relationship.
 
And there was a day where I had an opportunity to move my cars from his shop in Union County up to my shop to be able to work on them.  It was an hour drive.  And at that time I was working at the dealership in Newton, and then I would drive to Gary’s at the South Carolina line and work on my car on Wednesday nights and then I’d drive back down on Fridays and go racing at Florence and Myrtle Beach on Friday and Saturdays, and it was a lot of driving around.
 
My father said, all right, we’re going to bring your cars up here and I’ll give you some space to work on them and you can keep them up here and learn how to build these cars and fix them, and I was just missing out on that experience being able to work on my own cars and understand them.
 
But I had to take it away from Gary, and I wanted him to come up to the shop and work, and he didn’t want to drive an hour up there to work, so he decided he wasn’t going to do that, so he had to split up.  I was taking the cars and moving the cars up to Mooresville because that was what was good for me and my career, but I was going to have to do it without Gary.
 
And that was a real, real difficult choice to make.  That was just a lesson I learned early, that things in the sport, no matter how great they are and how much you enjoy them, aren’t always going to stay the same.  This is just another situation where that’s come true.
Q.  What do you imagine life will be like without Steve as your crew chief beyond this season?  And how has your time with him prepared you for the next step?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  Yeah, I think that Steve ‑‑ I’ve grown a lot as a driver working with Steve, and I feel confident that we can continue to see success.
 
I want to give Steve a lot of credit for how I’ve changed, and he does have a lot of influence on the performance of the team, but I feel confident the team is going to be just fine no matter who the crew chief is.  There’s a culture in that shop, and it’s a culture of success and winning, and anything else is not acceptable.  I feel like that will continue after Steve is gone.
 
I’m not really worried about whether we’ll be able to maintain our consistency and keep getting better.  You know, I think ‑‑ like I said, I think the things that I’ve learned with Steve and what he’s taught me and how I’ve grown as a person and as a driver I’ll be able to try to maintain that and carry that into the next relationship I have with the next crew chief.
 
I really feel like he’s helped me become much more professional behind the wheel in handling my responsibilities and communicating and carrying myself as an adult and as a professional.
 
That was a bit of a problem for me when I was younger.  I’d kind of lose it behind the wheel every once in a while and argue and fight.  We definitely have moved quite a ways away from that.  There’s part of me that’s kind of ready to accept the challenge and see how the change affects the team and how ‑‑ it’s great that we’ve got a year to figure it out and find out who can come in there and take his place.
 
It’s going to be ‑‑ it’s not going to be easy.  The easiest thing would be for us to not have to make any changes, but that’s not the way life is.  We’ll face it head‑on.  But yeah, I think I’ve learned a lot, and it’s going to be a challenge and a good challenge, one I’m ready to accept, to try to create a new relationship with a new crew chief.  I’m sure that it’s nothing to worry about.
Q.  So he was like your college experience, since you didn’t go to college?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  I suppose, yeah.
Q.  Dale, Steve kind of mentioned that this year is going to feel a little bit like this is my last chance to win the Daytona 500 with him and different things like that.  If you were to be completely honest, do you feel like maybe it’s ‑‑ I don’t know if there’s going to be a different approach, if that’s the right word, but could you talk about how this season is going to be knowing this is kind of the last ‑‑
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  Yeah, we talked about that, and you know, your first reaction is to get really disappointed and go, man, you know, this is the last year and trudge through it and be sad.  But after you think about it for a while, it could have easily been a situation where he took a job in broadcasting this year and we would have left Homestead not knowing whether we would even work together again.
 
Fortunately we get to work together one more year.  Our friendship and I think how we enjoy working together excites us that we have that opportunity, and we’re enthused that we have the opportunity to go through this process for one more season and that it wasn’t cut shorter, and he gets to get it all out of his system, and I get to enjoy working with him for another year.
 
I feel almost lucky in that regard that I get the opportunity to work with him for one more season. He’s not going to work for another driver or another team, so it’s kind of his last hurrah, and hopefully he never has to come back to that job again and his broadcasting career takes him on into the rest of his life.  And I think it will.&nbsp
; I think he’s going to be fantastic.
Q.  Not just you but any driver, I guess, I would assume your crew chief needs change throughout your career.  I know you said you sort of needed a Gary Hargett figure when you started, but what do you need in the middle part of your career and the latter part of your career?
DALE EARNHARDT JR.:  I guess.  I mean, when I got hooked up with Steve, we became pretty good buddies.  He fit the role.  Whatever it was that I needed at the time, he was perfect for that role.  You know, I needed to get my confidence back.  I needed to perform on the racetrack to be able to see that and to be able to understand my capabilities and my potential again.  And we were able to do that, and he was able to help me through that process.
 
You know, like I said, I’m not going to make any discussions on who I think we should get in there to replace Steve, but I’m ready to win races.  I think that the team is getting really close to being able to accomplish that.  The way we ran last year was an improvement on the past season, and 2012 was an improvement on 2011.  I want to keep that going because we’re getting really close.
 
You know, whoever we bring in and whatever decisions that Rick and everybody makes in that regard, I hope they’re ready to keep moving in that direction.  I hope that we’re able to maintain the integrity of the team because I think all the guys that I got working with me are the best group in the garage, and we’ll just have to cross that bridge when we get to it.
But we’ve got a whole ‘nother season to go through.  It’s a long year and a lot of things that ‑‑ a lot of challenges ahead at all these racetracks we’ve got to run at, and we’ve got a lot of things unfinished that we’ve got to accomplish this year.
 
A lot of things going on.  A lot of things to think about.  We’ve got ‑‑ I’m confident in Hendrick Motorsports to be able to juggle that, for us to be able to focus on this season and try to run well and also be able to hunt for the guy that’s going to replace Steve.  I feel confident that HMS can get it all done.
 
THE MODERATOR:  Dale, thank you for your time this morning.  Good luck in 2014.
 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PRESEASON TESTING
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 9, 2014
 
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed his thoughts heading into the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season and many other topics.  Full Transcript:
 
THE MODERATOR:  We are now joined by Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.  Welcome here to Daytona International Speedway.  Can you tell us what’s it like to be here at the World Center of Racing as we get ready for the 56th running of the Daytona 500?
 
JEFF GORDON:  It’s fantastic to be back.  Unfortunately we didn’t get to do much today, so that was disappointing to watch it rain all day.  But no, the excitement has definitely been building.  I was saying earlier that I really love, for me, coming off of my vacation and getting to the shop and spending time with Alan and the engineers every year this time of year.  It’s exciting to hear all the things that they’ve been thinking about and creating ways to make you better as a team, make your cars go faster with some of the new rules that NASCAR implemented, with the cars, with the ride heights, just trying to figure out how we can maximize all those things to our potential.
 
So yeah, this is exciting to get down here to Daytona, especially with all the hard work that goes into Daytona of what we have to do to be fast here, be a threat for the pole, which is very important here.  When we get on the track, I look forward to seeing those results.
Q.  It was just announced that Steve Letarte is going to go to NBC in 2015.  I wonder how you think he’ll do and what effect it’ll have on Hendrick Motorsports and the progress that Dale Jr. will make in 2014 knowing that in 2015 his crew chief will move to the television booth.
JEFF GORDON:  Yeah, I think he’s going to do fantastic.  We all know Steve is a good talker, and he’s very knowledgeable about the sport, very passionate about it, and so I think they’ve made an excellent choice there.
 
You know, I think only time will tell how it’s going to affect them, but I think Steve is very, very good at compartmentalizing the commitment and what it takes to do his job as a crew chief and be the best crew chief that he can be, and he and Jr. have a great relationship, and I’m sure when the news first broke to Jr., it probably was a bit of an adjustment, but I feel like they’ve worked through all the details on how to maintain that level of competition, the momentum that they had from last year, and keep that going through this year.
Q.  Were you surprised that Steve opted to move from Hendrick where he’s been for 20 years to the broadcast booth?
JEFF GORDON:  Not necessarily.  I mean, I’ve seen him do some work with TV and radio over the last year or two, so I can’t say I was totally surprised.  He’s a young man that has a lot of talents and is always eager to take that next step in life.  He has a family.  It takes a lot to be a crew chief.  It’s quite a commitment, and I think this is a great opportunity for him.
Q.  I’m doing a story on turning points, twists of fate, that kind of thing, where drivers’ careers have turned and moved to the next level.  The thing that comes to mind for me was 1990 when Rick Hendrick and Humpy Wheeler were watching you drive a Busch Car in Atlanta from the stands.
JEFF GORDON:  ’91.
Q.  What would you say in your opinion would that be that twist of fate that got you to where you are as far as today?
JEFF GORDON:  I mean, there’s so many.  You don’t make it to this level without having some moments that kind of maybe separated you from others in the field and got you that opportunity, and I look at the successes and the failures.  Prior to me being hired by Raleigh Helming to drive on ESPN’s Thursday Night Thunder the night before the 500 where we set a new track record and won that race in fairly spectacular fashion, prior to that I was racing for McBride and Shoff in a sprint car in the All‑Star Series and got fired because I was tearing up too much of their equipment and wasn’t winning enough.
 
To me that moment where I did not succeed in that sprint car gave me a new opportunity to go and be very successful in a midget in a sprint car on pavement in front of a big audience that took my name from being an up and coming sprint car driver to being a talent in the open‑wheel field as well as a couple years later being a driver that even an owner in NASCAR would consider.
 
I don’t know if it was a specific moment, but I guess winning that race the night before the 500 would be the specific moment.
Q.  Given everything that happened last season, especially with the Chase, have you stopped to reflect and have any takeaway, what’s your takeaway from last season and then do you bring any of that into the following year, or is it a new slate?
JEFF GORDON:  Yeah, don’t be 11th or 12th in points going into Richmond, or 13th, or whatever we were.
 
For me it’s about getting off to a better start, and really the last two seasons we have not gotten off to a great start.  Some of it in our control, some of it out of our control.  I think definitely Vegas is on our radar.  We have not run well at Vegas the last couple years.  That has had an impact.  Even though it’s one race, it still has had an impact on the momentum and our confidence level.  Qualifying the last two years starting the season weren’t great, either.  We certainly seemed to get that turned around halfway through this past season, and hopefully we can continue that.
 
But I think just getting off to a better start.  That doesn’t mean you’ve got to go and win the first five races.  It just means try and eliminate the 20ths and the 25ths and try and put yourself in position to get those top 10s and hopefully turn those into top 5s or wins.  Get the points, get the momentum and then run with it.
 
In some ways Alan and I have had conversations about maybe we’ve been too aggressive at the beginning of the year trying to get off to a great start and things didn’t go well and we got a little bit behind on saying, okay, let’s get back to the basics.
 
I think we’re going to try to blend the basics and some of the new things that we think are going to be successful for us.
Q.  When you look at the all‑time numbers in the Cup Series, like you and a bunch of old guys are up at the top.
JEFF GORDON:  Thank you.  I appreciate that.  I shaved this morning because I had a beard that I had grown for about three weeks, and I looked in the mirror, and I was like, wow, man, I am really gray.  I felt pretty old this morning.  I was actually feeling a lot younger after I shaved until now.
Q.  That was kind of my question.  When you start a new season, do you feel like a veteran, experienced driver, or do you feel like a young guy with still a lot to prove?
JEFF GORDON:  Well, this time of year I always feel rejuvenated because I’ve had a break.  I feel excited because I see the things my team is working on, all the hard work they’ve done.  It’s a fresh start to the season.  I feel young at this moment.
 
But when I roll out of the bed in the morning, I realize that I’m 42 because I have aches and pains that I didn’t have 20 years ago.  I’m reminded of my age.  But when I get to the track, I’m still as passionate and as excited, if not more so, than I’ve ever been.
Q.  Jeff, you’ve got star power, shaven or unshaven.
JEFF GORDON:  Thank you.
Q.  What do you believe motorsports champions and celebrities, rock and country stars, what do you believe sets them apart and helps them rise to
the top?  There are plenty of musicians and actors and drivers who never do.
JEFF GORDON:  Yeah, I mean, it’s a great question, and I do think there are common denominators among different fields that seem to separate those that become successful and those that don’t.  I mean, sometimes it is just a lucky break, but I feel like most of the time it’s ‑‑ first you have to recognize the talent and then you have to really work hard at taking that talent to the next level, and then you’ve got to be at the right place at the right time.
 
I’d say that a lot of people would probably say the same thing, and that’s how it was for me.  I mean, I raced against plenty of kids growing up that I thought were very, very talented, but they didn’t get the breaks or they weren’t at the right place, or maybe they did lack a little bit of that extra effort that it takes to do whatever it takes to make it.
 
There’s some people that are just super passionate about it that maybe don’t quite have the talent but they find a way to work harder to make it work, and then there’s others that have all the talent in the world and don’t put enough effort into it and never make it.  I think it’s a combination, but you certainly have to have that lucky break, and I say lucky break, to me you make your own luck by how much effort you put into it.
Q.  You mentioned earlier about the struggles at the beginning of the season the last couple years.  You talked about being way too aggressive at times.  What do you mean by that?  Is that setups ‑‑
JEFF GORDON:  Setups, mainly setups.  You know, just on paper seeing things that are in the sim, in the wind tunnel, that you think are going to be something that separates you.  You go, aww, man, that setup just looks amazing on paper, we’re going to go super fast with this, and then you get to the track and there’s a sequence of bumps that are upsetting the car such that you’re not able to take advantage of that aerodynamic package that you guys came up with.
 
I don’t think that it’s been overaggressive on the track or in pit calls.  It’s mainly just been saying, okay, we’ve got this that is not something that’s proven, not something that we’ve raced before, but we think it’s going to be really fast, and you try to race it and then you go, okay, didn’t work this weekend, maybe we try it next week, and then you find yourself saying, oh, maybe it’s not as good as we thought it was, and let’s start rethinking it.  And all of a sudden you’re 10, 12 races into the season and you’re behind.
 
I mean, that’s just one small example.  There’s many things that we can do to be better, even at our best.  There’s some things as a group we can all do.  I’ve got to improve my restarts.  There’s no doubt about that.  That’s an area I can be more aggressive with and have a little more of that I‑don’t‑care‑what‑happens‑through‑Turns‑1‑and‑2 attitude.  And then there’s areas where maybe we could be more aggressive on our pit calls, as well, on the track position.  But then there’s other areas where we were too aggressive.
 
You know, it’s certainly a combination, but that with the setups is one thing that stood out in our minds when we talked during the off‑season.
Q.  To go back to Steve for a minute, you had a year where you almost won the championship with him in ’07, Jr. has come alive with him the last couple years.  What is Hendrick going to lose from a crew chief’s perspective when he steps away?
JEFF GORDON:  Yeah, I think we certainly had high hopes for a long future with Steve.  He’s been there for a long time, and he’s brought a lot to Hendrick Motorsports.  He started as a kid there and has really grown into being one of the top crew chiefs.
 
You want to be able to have that experience as well as knowledge.  He’s a smart guy, and you want to have that on your side in any shape or form, whether as a crew chief or in another role at Hendrick.
 
So yeah, to me the biggest thing that stands out is just how well he and Jr. connect and what the future will be for that position for Jr. beyond ’14.
 
THE MODERATOR:  Jeff, we really appreciate you taking the time to come in here today.
 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PRESEASON TESTING
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 9, 2014
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed his outlook for 2014, his quest for a seventh NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and many other topics.  Full Transcript:
 
THE MODERATOR:  We’ll continue with today’s media availability.  We’re joined now by six‑time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.  Jimmie, what’s it like to be back here at the world center of racing as we get ready for the 56th running of the Daytona 500?
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Definitely excited to be back.  Wish I was on the racetrack, like I’m sure everybody else does, burning some gasoline and learning about our race cars.  But Mother Nature has a different plan for us today, I guess.
 
But it’s great to be back.  There is no other sensation when you come into a racetrack like there is here.  So driving through the tunnel and popping out in turn four and looking around and realizing you’re here is always a great way to start the season.
Q.  Whether it was Hank Aaron chasing Babe Ruth’s home run record, this year, I think, is probably going to be different for you going for title number seven.  Do you anticipate sort of a different feel to this year as that goes on?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I haven’t put much thought into it.  But if it becomes and the opportunity is there in front of us and we get deep in the Chase and have a shot at it, that reality is going to be hard to keep that out of my mind.  I’m sure the questions that would come with it as well would let me let it slide by.
 
But amazing opportunity to have ahead of myself, to have six company championships is something I’m extremely proud of.  If I was able to tie, I don’t know what it would mean or what that experience would feel like, but to be up there with those two legends would be top of the list.  Pretty cool.
Q.  If you could give me ‑‑ I’m doing a piece on turning points in driver’s careers.  In other words, when you felt like you were discovered or something that happened in your career that got you noticed, what would you say that could be possibly for you?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Gosh, there are so many of them.  I mean, the first one would be when I was 15.  There is a man named Jeff Bennett that owned a pet food company that had five little buggies that raced in the Mickey Thompson Stadium Series.  One of his drivers left to be the back‑up driver for Cal Wells Toyota Racing Team that they had in the Truck Series.  When he left mid‑season, it left an opening for somebody to come in.  Through my dad’s persistence and some sponsorship help, I was able to get that seat and got going.
 
The next opportunity was one key race in Los Angeles at the Los Angeles Coliseum where I had a stellar night, and the head of the GM race shop at the time, Herb Fishel was there watching.  He sat in the grand stands and watched every event all night long, spotted me through qualifying my heat race victory and then the main.  That interaction later led to my chance to be a test driver for Chevrolet as they developed a new stadium truck and led to my job there and being part of the Chevrolet family at that point.
 
Then when things really got serious, I would say, and it led toward the asphalt path is when I met the Herzogs.  I was doing pit road reporting for Chevrolet.  They helped me with the opportunity.  But I was doing pit road reporting in the off‑road series in the Midwest, and met the Herzog’s there.  And that really got me going into the asphalt world.  Though it was maybe five years later before I was on the asphalt in the ASA, but that led to that opportunity.
 
Until then, I felt like IndyCar was the path for an off‑road racer and a west coast racer and stock cars.  I liked them.  I just wasn’t around them and it didn’t seem like that’s where my opportunities would lead me.  So being associated with the Herzogs and them being a team that Chevrolet wanted to groom and me being a driver they wanted to groom, it worked out and got us to ASA and Nationwide.
Q.  Do you have any idea how much testing you’ll do between now and the start of the season as far as the non‑plate package?  Do you have any idea what you feel like the new rules, and how they’ll impact how you drive the car?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  We have one test date set right now for a non‑plate track.  But I was in the shop yesterday and we’re not exactly sure where the rules are just yet.  It’s tough to complete the cars and go test and know what you’re going to have because we’re still waiting for the rule book to be finalized for the intermediate package.
 
But as soon as that stuff is nailed down, we’ll go to the track at least once.  I would assume probably twice before we unload in Phoenix would be a realistic goal at this point with needing to build equipment and getting everything up to spec and ready to race.
Q.  Brian France talked twice since the off‑season about incentivizing winning and risk taking and looking at it and essentially hinting at changes.  What are things that could be done?  I mean, obviously at the end of the day if you win, you’re going to win the championship.  It’s about the wins.  Does it need to be more about making winning more valuable?  Helping later in the pack, are there certain things to do?  Does it bother you when people think that you guys need more incentive to go for the front?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Yeah, I think for being in the car it doesn’t change the driver’s mindsets much.  I mean, it might take someone from roughing someone up to dumping him.  It might bring that in.  Maybe that is the excitement that some have in mind that’s the fix or would be more entertaining.
 
But I think it’s just more perception in some respects and looking at it and putting more weight on winning because it’s not going to change what I do in there.  I mean, I’m trying to get every point I can and win every race I can.  So I don’t see a big impact there.
 
But if it changes perception and pulls it in the right direction, awesome.  If it gives us great story lines to talk about and write about, awesome.  There is no down side in that.
 
But I think the big picture looking forward is format changes and qualifying is going to be far different than anything we’ve ever seen.  I think that is where the magic lies is in format changes.
 
Q.  Did you know the new qualifying format?
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I thought I knew it, but yesterday Chad brought me up to something different.  The last I heard was the town hall meeting we had, then I disconnected and was brought up to speed yesterday.  It’s way different, certainly will build a lot of excitement, tough to figure out.
 
The great thing as Chad and I were discussing, there are opportunities within that to get it right and get a bunch of poles.
Q.  Jimmie, when you’re a champion, especially defending champion, how do you improve?  What do you look at in the off‑season and what do you look at to be better than you already are, a six‑time champion?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Things always change with rules, tires, formats.  We always look at ourselves as individual members of the team and what we can do better at.  Last year let a lot of races slip away during the regular season that I shouldn’t have.  So that is an area that I’ve got to focus on for whatever reason, if it’s procedures during the restart or just not closing at the end.  I let some slip away that I need to corre
ct.
 
But we’ll all look at our individual areas.  This year, there is a lot of change, at least until the green flag drops come race time.  That will keep us all really busy for at least until the halfway point of the season, trying to grasp what the car wants with the new rules package and the format for qualifying.
Q.  I wanted to follow up on something you said earlier.  Conventional wisdom is you’re one of the best guys in the garage in terms of giving feedback and interpreting what the car is doing.  How much did your days as a Chevy test driver sort of engrain that mindset and help you develop that ability?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Those days really did.  I feel like being the B‑driver through my Chevrolet days and watching Rick Johnson in the stadium truck and Larry Ragland in the desert truck coming through the Nationwide ranks and actually going through ASA and watching Gary St. Amant who worked with me there.  In Nationwide I had a number of friends in the garage area that could help me.
 
I could spot early that communication was key.  I felt like my off‑road days, one helped me with the sensitivity of it, because it’s really tough when you’re on a dirt surface and you’re airborne half the time what adjustment really helped.  You had to focus in on what made the truck faster.  But at the same time it helped me compromise.
 
I feel like compromising is a big part of what we do on the Cup series and in a Cup car.  You have long runs; there is a big fuel burn on the car, balance changes from the start of the run to the end of the run.  The tracks, there is a difference between a turn one and two side to a three and four, and that compromise, I think, has helped me a lot from my dirt days to carryover.
 
There are times when it comes to qualifying trim that I have to lay down a fast lap, and that affects my qualifying performance.  I’ll compromise, and, yeah, we’re good then qualify tenth.  I should be a little more specific maybe in trying to perfect things a little bit more in qualifying trim to get that fast lap.
But I say all that with the old format, and now it looks like you’re on the same tire for however many laps you decide to run in the qualifying, so maybe the compromise will come back into play for me.
Q.  Can you talk about Kyle Larson coming in this year to Ganassi and how he’s going to do in your opinion?  What kind of challenges is he going to face with the pressures of Sprint Cup now?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Yeah, I think the biggest thing is just the pressures.  If he can keep his blinders on and live within the walls of his team, he’s very good at driving within his own means, and I think that’s key.  Just let time take its course.  Outside world will probably be less patient with him than his race team and sponsors will.  As long as he identifies that and stays within the walls of his shop, he’s shown he has the talent and he’ll mature and learn.
 
Unfortunately, part of the learning process is making mistakes, and the spotlight is going to be very bright on him.  Hopefully he can shrug that stuff off and keep growing.
 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PRESEASON TESTING
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JANUARY 9, 2014
 
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed the off season, her outlook for her sophomore season as a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and many other topics.  Full Transcript:
 
THE MODERATOR:  Danica, welcome here to Daytona International Speedway and the bright liquid sunshine that we have for you today.  Can you talk about your off‑season and getting ready to get back into the swing of things for 2014?
 
DANICA PATRICK:  I was getting ready in the hauler.  I had to like comb my hair ‑ I left Charlotte this morning ‑ and touch up my makeup.  I said, I’ve got to go talk to the media for the first time this year.  They’re like, oh, of course.  What are they going to ask you?  The first question is going to be, how was your winter.  And there it is.
 
THE MODERATOR:  I put it on a tee for you.
Q.  Are you engaged?
DANICA PATRICK:  No, I’m not engaged.  I’ll let you know when it happens.
Q.  How hard will you have to push yourself as a result of not being a rookie this year, or do you always push yourself that hard and it’s just a normal kind of push, and Tony Gibson says he may push a little harder on you this year.  Will that work?
DANICA PATRICK:  I think that we all have the same goal, so it’s all healthy criticism.  I always want it.  I want to know what to do to be better.  And I do think that the pressure builds more and more each year because there’s less and less excuses.
 
I feel like we have a lot of really cool stuff going on at the team and a lot of really interesting changes and new drivers and new personnel, and I think that ‑‑ I don’t know if anybody is as excited as Kevin Harvick is right now.  He seems just super excited.  But everybody is really looking forward to the year, and I think we all feel a lot of opportunity ahead of us.
 
I’m always pushing hard.  I mean, I can’t push harder.  But you can find new ways and areas to do it.  I’m all for that.
Q.  You’re now surrounded by two Cup champions and Kevin Harvick, who may get one in the future.  How do you expect that to help you for your career and this year?
DANICA PATRICK:  Well, I feel like we’ve got a bigger team.  It brought in new people, new ideas, new approaches, a new energy, and I think as far as drivers go, and they’re going to be able to lead the way really well.  They all have a ton of experience, and it’s just bigger.  Ryan did, too, and Tony, of course, but with Tony being gone and then having kind of the shuffle of the season, I think that this is going to be a year for opportunity, really.  I think that for me I’m able to feed off of their experience and making the car better.  So I’ve always felt like, whether it was IndyCar or now, I learn a lot more when we make good changes and make the car right, or better, because I start to learn the potential of the car as opposed to not knowing what the potential is and not knowing what I have to deal with and settle for.
 
So good changes help me learn what’s really possible with the car, and I think that’s what comes from guys with a lot of experience is they know what to do with the car.
Q.  You mentioned a little bit in your answer there, but when you look at 2013 and then going into 2014, why should the No. 10 team and you be better this year?  What do you see that says we’re going to be better because?
 
DANICA PATRICK:  Well, we’re going to be better because I have more experience, because we have more experiences together as a team, because we have more resources and more people, because we have a new energy, because we’re going to use our resources better as a team.  I think those are all reasons why we’re going to do better.
 
And beyond that it’s going to be hard work, too.  It’s not like you can just say, well, we have all these things going for us so everything will be easier.  You still have to put the effort in, and it’s who pushes hardest and who works hardest that tends to get the better results.
Q.  Are you seeing any examples of having more resources?
DANICA PATRICK:  Well, I think that as a team we were able to, as we expanded to four cars, we were also able to expand the shop and add new equipment, get a better relationship going, more fluid, with Hendrick.  So I think that those are all things that have been happening a lot over the winter and a little bit at the end of last year.
Q.  I was curious if it took you any convincing to do the showgirl at the American Country Awards and kind of what was the response like?
DANICA PATRICK:  The showgirl skit was really ‑‑ it happened at the show last minute.  It happened from Saturday to Tuesday to the show.  It was kind of an idea that popped up.  Myself and a producer that I had worked with at the ESPYs every year who I asked to come help me with it, we really wanted something that was going to stand out, be something that people would talk about, be something that would be good for photos, something that was going to make headlines, something to come away from the show on the next day.  So they came up with the showgirl number.
 
And I would say that the hardest part about that was the outfit.  I mean, we went round and round about ‑‑ I originally was in the outfit that the girls were wearing next to me, but like they ‑‑ I’m clearly not their height or shape, so I got a different outfit.  But it was like pulling teeth to get it.  They were definitely very protective of their uniforms and their costumes I should say.
 
But the lady that came and helped me from the show was really nice and helped me get into the costume during the show, so it was nice to have that experience on hand.
 
It took a little bit of convincing, but I was pretty much of the mindset that I’m up for anything.  So that’s why I did it.
Q.  What have you guys identified as specific improvement areas this year?  I know last year qualifying was a big deal.  Do you have a list of a certain group of things that if you think you can make jumps there that things are going to fall into place better for you?
DANICA PATRICK:  Well, I think that the core focus is really preparing better cars and bringing as good a cars to the track as possible, and that comes through using our resources, being able to build them more similar to each other as they come out of production so we can keep up with the cars and we’re all driving the same thing.  So I think that some of those things are overall what we want to work on.
 
Now, me as a driver, I need to work on still a lot of the same stuff that I was working on from the beginning of last year.  I think the weak areas tend to be the ones that for me I always have to work on.  But improving on qualifying, which I think that we did through the end of the year last year a little more.  We started to get into a good pattern with that.  But I think what showed itself is how we get to that point during the weekend.
 
For us it was a matter of not throwing big things at the car and not trying to throw the kitchen sink at it during practice but hopefully arriving with a close enough setup and then fine tuning.  What we found was there’s so much balance in tiny little things, whether it be packer or just little adjustments.
 
So I think that getting the car to where you want, these things ‑‑ these are big cars with a lot going on and one thing leads to the next with it.  To get everything just right and get all the travels and everything just right and the bump stops and everythin
g, getting that right was worth just as much almost as putting on a better setup.  So kind of fine tuning was one thing that helped us with our weekend.
 
But that’s the things that you learn over time.  We were all doing everything we could earlier in the year to throw different things at it to see if it was better.  But working more methodically at the end of the year seemed to help that.
 
Between that and just kind of getting more ‑‑ what shows itself in getting more comfortable in those first laps qualifying, first start of the race, restarts, all those things, they all kind of go hand in hand, and those are the areas that I have to work on.
Q.  How do you like the personality mix in the driver lineup you’re with?  It seems like a throwback to the Andretti days where you can have some candid and spirited but probably fun and productive conversations with that group, also.
DANICA PATRICK:  Well, we haven’t had a sit‑down all-together yet.  I know all of them pretty well on their own, so I feel like we’re going to have a lot of fun.  I feel like everybody is going to have their opinions, but I feel like there’s a lot of respect in the camp, and I think it’s going to lead to progress to be honest.
Q.  Tony was in here before you and he was asked to evaluate the team’s expectations for 2014, and he said that he thought that the team has three guys that can win every week and three cars that can make the Chase, and he said that wasn’t meant to discount your performance but he thought there was still opportunity for improvement and consistency there.  Knowing that last year you went to Tony and said, hey, what are you expecting from me, is it a relief to know that’s kind of what he’s looking for from you for 2014 is improving but not necessarily winning every week like the other three guys, and is it also motivation to get into that category but at the same time kind of comforting to know that’s what he expects?
DANICA PATRICK:  I think what you’re always going to get from all of us, and that’s honesty.  That’s the truth.  I’m not there yet.  I’m not in a position to win every weekend.  That’s going to take some time.  I’m in a fortunate position that I have three teammates that can win every weekend and make it to the Chase.  That’s incredible for me to be able to learn from those.  And very strong characters that are going to really help the team go in the right direction and teach me how to do that.
 
So I just feel very fortunate to be in the position that I’m in, and I hope somewhere down the road sooner rather than later he can say four of us.  But I mean, I’m prepared if we start the year off and it goes like that, but I think that realistic expectations say that’s not where I’m at.
Q.  In terms of Daytona, we all remember after the 500 last year you were a little frustrated because of where you got stuck on that last run and you couldn’t try to make a move to win the race.  A year later if you’re in that same position again, do you feel like the experience you gained over the last year as a plate racer, would you be confident enough to do something different?  Do you think it might turn out differently?
DANICA PATRICK:  Possibly.  I mean, I think that I definitely learned how to make the run and do it.  I also learned that you have to practice it a little bit.  You can’t just go and bomb it on the last lap of the Daytona 500.  I’m very fortunate to be in the Shootout the weekend before the race so that I can practice those kinds of things and have more track time and especially more racing time.
 
I think that there is an element of having an idea of what to do, and there’s also the element of being around for a while that people trust you and are willing to work with you a little bit.  So I think it’s a little bit of both, but you’re not going to get their respect if you don’t try.
 
So I think it’s sort of a parallel progression.
Q.  I’m doing a piece on turning points as far as drivers, and I’m thinking in your case possibly Japan.  What I’m saying is what is something in your career that kind of puts you onto that next level or that next step?  Would it be the win in Japan?
DANICA PATRICK:  I mean, I think that for me the biggest turning point was 2005 Indy 500.  That was a big month for me.  That was a life‑changing point in my career.  You know, winning in Japan was great, but I think the 2005 Indy 500 played a bigger role.
 
THE MODERATOR:  Danica, thank you very much for joining us today.
 

TONY STEWART, NO. 14 BASS PRO SHOPS/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Daytona International Speedway and discussed his health, the preparedness of Stewart-Haas Racing for 2014 and many other topics.  Full Transcript:
 
THE MODERATOR:  Tony, welcome back.  It’s very good to see you here at Daytona International Speedway.
 
TONY STEWART:  Good to be back.
 
THE MODERATOR:  Talk a little bit about what it feels like to be back and be here at Daytona.
 
TONY STEWART:  It would be nice if it was dry right now.  But it’s Daytona and it’s February, and you get this when we come down sometimes.  But it’s nice to be back at the track, would definitely like to be in a car this week, but we’re still on schedule to be clear the day before the Shootout, so we’ll be down here for two days hanging out and watching our teams run.
Q.  I was at your shop doing interviews right before Christmas, and to a man, your team is ahead of the game from last year, at least that’s kind of the indication.  How far ahead are you do you think, and with Rodney Childers being there early, how do you hit this time of year early right now?
TONY STEWART:  I think they’re really ready for the test here, which I think last year we were still scrambling to get parts and pieces, so definitely ahead of the game there. There’s a lot of stuff going on at our shop with redoing the building that we’re currently in as well as the lot next door, trying to get it ready, so considering all that’s going on there, I think Rodney and all the rest of the crew chiefs have done a really good job, and Zipadelli in particular, have done a great job of being able to work around the construction.  Like I said, we feel like we’re actually way ahead of where we were last year this time.
Q.  Could you talk a little bit about what it meant to you to have fans pulling for you while you went through your rehab?  It’s a long process for you, but they were pulling all the way.
TONY STEWART:  Yeah, I mean, the great thing is our fans don’t stop just because we stopped racing.  It was cool to see through the winter, and we had an appearance last night in Jacksonville and had a lot of fans there, so it was exciting to see how excited they were of our progress.  It’s like little victories, like getting off of crutches and walking on our own again.  That’s something the fans picked up on, and that was like a victory to them.  It’s been pretty cool.  It’s not just been a personal thing every day when I get up, it’s knowing that everybody is following what we’re doing, and when we have these little personal victories, accomplishments of getting healed back up, it’s much broader than just what’s going on with me, it’s affecting a lot more people.
Q.  How is your health compared to how you feel?  What are the doctors saying?
TONY STEWART:  Not bad.  The weather ‑‑ I’m a pretty good barometer right now.  Seems like if the rain comes or snow or cold comes, I know it right before it changes.  But I feel pretty good.  I still have a little ways to go, but we’ve got four weeks to get ready the rest of the way.  Even when we get here in February, it’s not going to be 100 percent.  Physically I’m not going to feel 100 percent, but I’ll be able to do my job 100 percent, so that’s the main thing. I don’t mind it taking a little longer for the physical side to heal, as long as I can drive a race car when I need to when I get back.
Q.  Can you talk about how challenging it’s been for you both from a mental and a physical standpoint in getting back?
TONY STEWART:  Yeah, I guess the hardest part is just not knowing where I’m supposed to be.  I mean, I’ve never had an injury like this so I don’t have anything to compare it to.  I kind of base everything on a week‑to‑week deal, and on Sunday I kind of evaluate where I was the Sunday before and go from there.
 
It’s been kind of a challenge, I guess, from that standpoint.  The physical side of it is an obvious deal.  It’s getting everything healed back up and going through rehab and doing everything we’re supposed to do.  But just not knowing exactly what I’m supposed to feel like, if something hurts why is it hurting.  I’ve not had those experiences before.  The therapist gets his phone ‑‑ I think he sets it on his nightstand at night because I call him at night and ask him a lot of questions.  But having those guys around, it kind of takes the psychological side and kind of puts a lot of that at ease.
Q.  Does he pick up at night?
TONY STEWART:  Yeah, he knows if I call he’s picking it up.  I don’t think his wife is happy I have his cell number, but I’m happy I have it.  It’s been a peace of mind for me.
Q.  I’m curious how your stamina is.
TONY STEWART:  Welcome to Daytona.  (Laughter.)
Q.  In terms of how you’re spending your days ‑‑
TONY STEWART:  You put the pause in there, I didn’t.
Q.  Your stamina in terms of how much time you’re spending resting versus doing other things, and how you’re spending your days.  Obviously not being in the car and able to test and things like that, are you doing a whole lot more with getting the team ready?
TONY STEWART:  I’ve just got back to Charlotte two days ago, actually.  I did go home for break, went home on the 20th and came back the 8th.  I’ve been doing some therapy at the house, as much as I can do, which has been about 75 percent of what I could do at the clinic where I’d go do my therapy in Charlotte.  So I’ve been able to continue what we’ve been doing.
 
The days have varied obviously through holidays, traveling, being at family functions.  I went to a race in Fort Wayne in between Christmas and New Year’s, so I was up a lot those two days.  Those were probably the hardest two days of the off‑season for me.  Next week we’re going to the Chili Bowl and hanging out, so you’re up on your feet all day.
 
We’re basically back to normal days as far as being up and being up all day.  Occasionally you’ll sit down and get a break, but no more than anybody else would.
 
But I haven’t been just sitting the whole time I’ve been home.  I’ve actually been down and working and trying to make sure that we don’t go backwards by not continuing our therapy.  I actually go back to therapy Friday night when we get back from the test.  We’re actually going in late to do a therapy session.
 
I’ve been excited about it.  I kind of ‑‑ it’s hard to go, like I said, day‑to‑day and say, okay, today is better than yesterday because there’s days you get up and you hurt worse and you don’t know why, but consistently every weekend on Sunday where we’ve sat and said, okay, where are we at versus last week or two weeks ago, it’s been better.  I feel like we’re doing the right stuff to get ready.  The hard part is I still don’t get through the day like I would like to get through the day, but like I said, a week ago I wasn’t ‑‑ I couldn’t get through the day near like I could this past weekend.
 
It’s continuing to get better, and like I say, we’ve got four more weeks to get ready for that.  Luckily this is a smooth racetrack.  It’s not rough and bumpy.  If it were Dover, I would be a lot more concerned.  But the hard part with here is you’re just with your throttle, with your right leg, you’re on the gas so long.  That’s the only thing we’re worried about right now just because we just don’t know until we get in a car and actually run, and we’re not going to know that until the day before.  We’ll get a little bit of time in there, but we’ll know a little better after practice is over.
Q.  Percentage‑wise are you spending more of your time getting yourself better physically or more (inaudible)?
TON
Y STEWART:  I think during the last two weeks it’s been more getting myself better.  The hard part is when you’re out of town and you’re kind of removed from it.  The good thing was a lot of the team members went and had vacation days and took vacation, so we kind of were all on a little bit of break together.  They came back a little earlier than I did.  That’s the nice thing about having Greg Zipadelli.  I can be absent for a couple days and don’t have to worry about things.
Q.  While you’re laid up, have you had a chance to sort of come up with a bucket list of things you’d like to do when you get back in a race car, or race cars?
TONY STEWART:  February here is high on that bucket list.  We haven’t won here yet.  We’ve won here, just not on the right day.  The second Sunday would be nice.  That’s all that’s on the bucket list right now.
Q.  And on the other hand, have you had time to sort of reflect back at stuff you’ve already accomplished in cars through your career?
TONY STEWART:  Yeah, honestly I really have.  I’ve had a lot of time that ‑‑ I had a lot of spare time that I wasn’t used to, and just whether it was visitors coming and talking or telling stories, there’s a lot of things that even through the last couple weeks when I was home, seeing people that I haven’t seen for a long time and hearing stories, it’s pretty cool to finally have time a little bit to reflect back on what we’ve done in our career.
 
It’s like I told them at the end of every conversation, I was like, yeah, that’s just that chapter.  We’re still building chapters down the road.  It’s neat to talk about what we did in the past, but I’m excited to talk about what hopefully we can do in the future now.
 
Q.  When you mentioned that you’ll be cleared the day before the Sprint Unlimited and that you might not feel 100 percent but will be able to give 100 percent, can you kind of ‑‑ do you have any idea how much your most recent surgery, kind of, if not for that do you think you would be closer to feeling as good as well as being able to perform at the start of the season?
 
TONY STEWART:  Honestly, that second ‑‑ or the third surgery wasn’t really much of a setback in all reality.  We were actually ahead of schedule with the therapy when we had that surgery, so it basically just pushed it back to where we were right back on schedule again, and now it just feels like we’re back ahead of schedule again.  Twice we’ve been able to kind of push ahead of schedule it seems like, so pretty confident from that standpoint that that wasn’t a setback at all.  It’s still a question mark of what’s it actually going to feel like when we get in the race car and try to drive wide open for lap after lap.
Q.  Is this pretty much the schedule that you hoped for when this all happened?
TONY STEWART:  Yeah, we’re actually just a tick ahead of schedule still.  It’s the second time since the injury happened that the therapist has said we’re ahead.
Q.  Two questions:  Have you seen sat in a car?
TONY STEWART:  Yes, I did.  I had a seat fit at the shop about, I guess, three weeks ago or four weeks ago.  So it felt like an old pair of shoes.  The hard part was they kept telling me I had to get out of it.  I wanted to sit in it.  I felt like a kid.  I wanted to keep moving the steering wheel and everything else.  They said, you have to get out so we can finish doing our job with the seat.  That was kind of fun to get back in there.  It kind of felt like the first time I got in one.  It was that kind of excitement.
Q.  You can drive a streetcar?
TONY STEWART:  I’ve been driving for four months.
Q.  At the shop you had talked I guess in November about what a grueling off‑season this was going to be for Zippy and the huge undertaking.  How has that gone behind the scenes and the job he’s done?
TONY STEWART:  Why do you think I went home?  I didn’t want to be around.  (Laughing.)
Q.  But you said that just because you got hurt, you didn’t have the luxury of taking time off?
TONY STEWART:  He’s not going to give me that much luxury.  He’s done well with it.  I think when all this happened it was a thrash at first to kind of figure out, okay, how are we going to do this, and I’m pretty proud of Zippy and everybody at our shop.  I think everybody got a plan together, and they’ve been sticking to the plan.
 
Like I said, I haven’t been there the last couple weeks, but the atmosphere at the shop, we’ve not seen it.  I’ve not seen it the five years I’ve been there.  It’s just at a high it’s never been at before.
 
I’m really happy with where we’re at with it.  I mean, it’s, I think, the best scenario and the best place we’ve been in since we’ve been a part of the company.
Q.  You touched on this a little bit when you mentioned that you have gotten in the car and everything, but with so much at stake, does the fact that you guys will be down here for so long for Speedweeks kind of allow you to not be as concerned about how you’re going to do in the car?  And also, do you have ‑‑ have you been able to make racing plans outside of Cup for 2014, or is that just on hold until you know how you’re going to do?
TONY STEWART:  We haven’t even worked on a schedule for my sprint car.  I’m going to run races.  We’ve got a sponsor for it.  We’re going to go ahead and run, we just are kind of playing it by ear right now.  They’re getting stuff ready.  The Cup car is the priority right now and making sure that we’re comfortable there.
 
Like I say, I’m going to feel ‑‑ I’m not going to feel 100 percent physically, but I’m going to feel 100 percent enough to drive a Cup car.  Bouncing around in a sprint car is a little different deal.  We’ll take a little more time ‑‑ there’s not a sense of urgency.  There’s not a set schedule for it yet.  It’s more making sure that I feel 100 percent.  They’re not going to back Daytona up for me if I don’t feel like I’m 100 percent getting ready for it, so this was the priority, obviously.  But we’re pushing ahead on that side, as well, and getting cars ready.
Q.  I’m assuming there’s no doubt whatsoever in your mind that you’ll be able to race in February?  At what percentage do you think you could perform right now if you had to get in the car?  And at what percentage would you put on your positivity that you’re going to be able to race when February rolls around?  And the second part, Mark Martin’s role with you guys this year, what do you see him doing, a little bit of everything, or just talk about him if you would.
TONY STEWART:  Yeah, especially today is a perfect example.  While I’m still healing up, Mark is helping out and doing the testing for us.  His role is huge, obviously.  I mean, when he comes to the shop, he doesn’t come around and just walk around and smile and say hi to everybody.  I mean, when Mark shows up at the shop he’s got an agenda and he’s wide open when he gets there getting it done.
 
I think there’s more that he can contribute that I even realize he can at this point, but he’s been very good about when he comes to the shop of working with all the crew chiefs and being a big asset of getting things ready for this year.
 
I don’t know any team other than us that have somebody like Mark that can do as much as he can do right now.  He’s so versatile with being able to drive and at the same time being able to go and help with direction on things that he sees that he knows needs changed and things that we’re doing right that they need to pat the guys on the back for. From that side, he’s been a huge asset.
 
As far as percentages, I’m 100 percent confident when I get here in February I’ll be fine to
drive and race and be able to do everything I need to do.  Today I can’t sit here and say I’m 100 percent, but I’ve got four more weeks, and four weeks to go, I’m a lot further along now than I was four weeks ago, so I’m confident when we come back I’ll be fine.  It’s hard to know when you get in the car 100 percent.  But I feel like I could get in the car and drive right now.  I just don’t know, like Holly said, about my stamina yet.  I’m kind of curious to know about my stamina, as well.
 
Q.  You’ve got a bigger team, new drivers, and a shop under construction.  What’s possible for this team this year considering all that?
 
TONY STEWART:  I think it’s ‑‑ I think every week we for sure have three guys that can go out and win the race, and I think on the fourth driver, I think Danica has got potential to be more consistent this year.  I think she’s got three teammates that are going to be behind her 100 percent.
 
You know, I think we can win a lot of races.  I think realistically we could get three cars in the Chase.  It wouldn’t surprise me at all.  I’d almost be a little disappointed in all three of these cars don’t make the Chase by the end of the year.  It’s not that we’re discounting Danica, but it’s still a work in progress.  She’s still learning.
 
This year I think will be a big year for her.  I think she’s going to ‑‑ I think having that first full season under her belt now and being able to go to every place twice and get the feeling of what a Cup weekend is like, I think all the news wore off of that this year and I think she knows more what to expect and it’s more a matter of focusing on the things that she can be better at.  I think all four of us have the potential to do better than all four of us did last year.  But for sure I feel like we’ve got three cars that can win races and make the Chase right now.
Q.  Can you talk at all about your plans for the car that you were planning to race in the Chili Bowl?
TONY STEWART:  I’m not racing it.  Kasey Kahne is running it.
Q.  I understand that, but what do you plan to do with the car?
TONY STEWART:  The car is going to be raffled off, and I can’t even tell you what the website is right now to be honest.  I’ll make sure Mike gets you that information later.  But what we decided to do is Bob East built the car.  It’s our motor and drive line in the car, and what we decided to do was take the motor out of the car after the event.  You don’t have to purchase to get a ticket, but they’re taking donations for the Charlie Dean fund.  I think the raffle is going to go on two weeks after the Chili Bowl until the end of the month, and then somebody will have the car that Kasey Kahne drove and that we owned at the Chili Bowl this year.  I thought that would be something that ‑‑ like I said, Bob was willing to donate the car.  We were willing to donate the drive line and parts and everything but the motor.  I thought that was something that’s a pretty cool keep sake that somebody can get from the Chili Bowl this year that has two guys that were really good friends with Jason attached to it.
 
THE MODERATOR:  Tony, thank you very much for your time today, and it is great to see you back here at Daytona.
 

CORVETTE RACING AT DAYTONA: Final Dress Rehearsal for Rolex 24
Solid start for new Chevrolet Corvette C7.Rs in Roar Before the 24
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan 5, 2014) – Corvette Racing moved a step closer toward its return to the Rolex 24 At Daytona over the weekend with a successful three-day test at Daytona International Speedway. Oliver Gavin in the No. 4 Chevrolet Corvette C7.R set the weekend’s second-best time for the GT Le Mans class during the Roar Before the 24 with a 1:45.743 (121.200 mph). It’s the annual test that serves as the last tune-up before the opening round of the new TUDOR United SportsCar Championship.
 
Gavin partners with full-season teammate Tommy Milner and Robin Liddell in the No. 4 Corvette for the Rolex 24. Jan Magnussen was third-fastest in the class with a 1:45.792 (121.143 mph) in the No. 3 Chevrolet Corvette he shares with Antonio Garcia and Ryan Briscoe. Both Corvettes set their fastest times in Friday’s opening session.
 
The three days in Daytona Beach were focused on constant development and establishing a baseline setup on the Corvette C7.Rs, which will make their competition debuts for the twice-around-the-clock race on Jan. 25-26. The Corvette Racing crew progressed through a comprehensive list of settings and adjustments on the high banks at Daytona.
 
Sunday’s two sessions were the final ones before Corvette Racing and its two new-for-2014 Corvette C7.Rs return for the 52nd running of the Rolex 24. The event is an important part of Corvette Racing history for multiple reasons. In the team’s last appearance at Daytona, Corvette Racing won the 2001 race overall with a Corvette C5-R. The Rolex 24 also was the site of Corvette Racing’s debut on Jan. 31, 1999. Since that first event, the team has competed in 150 other events around the globe with 90 victories worldwide, 10 team and manufacturer championships in the ALMS and seven victories at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
 
The TUDOR Championship is the result of a merger between the ALMS and GRAND-AM’s Rolex Sports Car Series. Corvette Racing will compete in 11 races around North America plus the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
 
EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.
 
ANTONIO GARCIA, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“So far we have been running our development program and learning everything we can on the car. Being here and racing here for the first time in many years, we don’t have any backup data on how the C6.R performed here. It is brand new for us, but everything has gone very well. Being a new car, we don’t know if we will lack any information or experience here. The way the car has run, it’s obvious everything is evolution from the C6.R and it’s progressing well. Part of our focus was getting Ryan comfortable, and we wanted to help him with any questions he had. At end of the day, he is a professional driver and has fit in very well.”
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
““For us it this was an important weekend. It has been a productive couple days. This was the first time we got a chance to see how we stack up against the rest of our competition. But the main program has been to continue the development of the car. Come race time, hopefully we will be where we need to be. It’s still early days but everyone will be very close during the race – as it has always been in GT racing. We’ve run through several of our development packages with the new car and gotten Ryan up to speed with the team and the car. It’s all gone well. It’s very exciting what’s going on with the merger of the two series. I think everything looks great with a really cool field of cars. It’s different for me this time as it is the beginning of a championship. Usually all the other years I’ve been here, I’ve been a third driver. Now there is more on the line than trying to win the Rolex 24. For sure this is the start of a long, hard championship.”
 
RYAN BRISCOE, NO. 3 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“The car was a lot of fun to drive. I would say it exceeded expectations on grip level, handling and overall performance. The team worked great, and it was a fantastic experience. I got plenty of miles in the car and came away feeling very comfortable. I did my first run Friday, and that was a great chance to get a good impression. The next time I got in, I felt like my lap times were becoming competitive. I was able to start feeling balance changes. We actually went through quite a bit of setup work over the three days. For me, the good thing was getting out there and being used to the car with traffic, in different temperatures and a couple different tire compounds from Michelins. It was really good getting a feel for the car in the all the situations we will face in the race. I feel like I checked all the boxes.”
 
OLIVER GAVIN, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“This has been a pretty good test. It was a little unusual in that the conditions were very cold for the first two days. That was a little bit of a challenge trying to get the car right. We’ve managed to get it comfortable and nice to drive. Every driver has been through in the car and got to a good level of comfort. We are still looking to improve it in areas, but I think we have our base setup for here. Let’s see what the weather does for that week at the end of the month. You’re never really too sure how that’s going to turn out. Today, it was a good 10-15 degrees warmer than anything we saw the first two days.”
 
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“I think we are in good shape for the race. Throughout all of the testing that we’ve done so far, the car has been reliable. The same was the case here. It was quick and it was reliable. We had no real mechanical issues that – on the surface – that we should be worried about come race time. All in all, it was a great three days for us. This was a great test for us.”
 
ROBIN LIDDELL, NO. 4 CHEVROLET CORVETTE C7.R
“It’s been a very productive test. Having done this event enough times, you get a sense for how these type things go. We’re working toward our own agenda and making sure the car is comfortable and consistent for a 24-hour race. With additional classes, it’s the Daytona 24 Hours of old. It’s important for all of us to keep focus on the bigger picture. This team has huge amounts of experience and fantastic results and achievements in the past. They know how to win races. The car feels very good, well-balanced in the infield, good under braking. At this point, I think we are very happy with things. It was a little frustrating with the number of red-flag periods and traffic, it’s quite helpful in terms of getting accustomed to how things will go during the race.”
 
DOUG FEHAN, CORVETTE RACING PROGRAM MANAGER
“Coming into the Roar, Corvette Racing had a very comprehensive test program in place. The constant change in weather conditions was a challenge, as was dealing with the number of on-track incidents. However that is the nature of endurance racing. We are satisfied with the work that the team accomplished and feel like we are on solid ground for the race in three weeks.”
 

CORVETTE DPs AT DAYTONA: Fittipaldi Sets Prototype Pace in Roar Testing
No. 5 Action Express Corvette DP leads Chevrolet contingent in testing for Rolex 24
 
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 5, 2014) – The final on-track preparations for Chevrolet’s Corvette Daytona Prototype teams are complete ahead of the opening round of the inaugural TUDOR United SportsCar Championship. Christian Fittipaldi in Action Express Racing’s No. 5 Corvette DP set the fastest time for the three-day Roar Before the 24 at Daytona International Speedway – the annual test that serves a dress rehearsal for the Rolex 24 At Daytona.
 
Fittipaldi’s best time of 1:38.630 (129.940 mph) came in the Roar’s opening session Friday morning. The Brazilian led a contingent of Corvette DPs that held five of the six fastest speeds during the three days.
 
“We applied everything that we learned in the sessions we had prior to today – once in November and twice in the beginning of December,” said Fittipaldi, who drove with full-season teammate Joao Barbosa and Sebastien Bourdais. “The car felt pretty good. I think that the track conditions were a little bit strange (with the changing weather). We need to make the best of it because when it comes down to race time, maybe we are going to have exactly the same stuff out there. I have raced here before where we have had even colder weather. So we pretty much need to be prepared for all kinds of stuff out there.”
 
Richard Westbrook was second-quickest on the weekend in the No. 90 Spirit of Daytona Corvette DP with a 1:38.989 (129.549 mph) lap. He drives with full-season teammate Michael Valiante and Mike Rockenfeller.
 
“It has been a very productive three days at Daytona for the Corvette Daytona Prototype teams in preparation for the Rolex 24 Hour race, said Jim Lutz, Chevrolet TUDOR Championship Daytona Prototype Program Manager. “All of the teams had the opportunity to work with the latest technical regulations IMSA has put in place thus far for the class. Every driver for each of the teams was able to get ample seat time throughout the three-day test.
“Additionally, the varying weather conditions have allowed the teams to work on setup for the numerous scenarios that can occur during the race. We know we will have to adjust to the final set of regulations prior to the race, but our Chevrolet teams made great progress during the weekend, and we feel like we have the reliability and preparation necessary for the race.”
 
Chevrolet enters this year’s Rolex 24 off two consecutive DP engine manufacturer titles in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series. The championship merged with the American Le Mans Series to create the TUDOR Championship, which features DPs as part of the top-level prototype class.
 
As the season continues following the Rolex 24 Hours the Corvette DP teams – Action Express, Spirit of Daytona, 2013 DP team champion Wayne Taylor Racing, GAINSCO/Bob Stallings Racing and Marsh Racing – will lead Chevrolet’s fight for additional victories and championships. Chevrolet ended Rolex Series competition with 20 Daytona Prototype victories – 16 by Corvette DPs since it debuted in 2011 – and nine in GT. The Bowtie brand also captured DP engine manufacturer championships in both 2012 and 2013, plus the 2011 GT title.
 
EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.
 
RICHARD WESTBROOK, NO. 90 SPIRIT OF DAYTONA CORVETTE DP
HOW DO YOU FEEL THE THREE DAYS OF TESTING HAVE GONE? “We have turned up with a really good car, and the team is working just great. I just have to really thank all the boys on the team. The new staff as well. Everything seems to be clicking into place. We’ve just kept our head down, fine-tuned and the results seem to be coming toward us. We have a really nice, comfortable car to drive that seems to be quick. Just really nice working with the two Michaels – Mike (Rockenfeller) and Michael (Valiante). There is a great atmosphere in the team. Looking forward to the 24 (Hours).”
IS IT GOOD FOR THE TEAM WHEN YOU TEST IN SUCH VARYING TEMPERATURES AND WEATHER CONDITIONS FOR THE RACE? “What was very encouraging is normally in our car, we’re not very good in the heat. The hotter it gets, the worse we get. The car felt really good when it got hot. That is really encouraging.”
JORDAN TAYLOR, NO. 10 WAYNE TAYLOR RACING CORVETTE DP
TALK ABOUT THE PROGRESS MADE WITH THE CAR HERE DURING THE THREE-DAY ROAR: “This is our first test really with all the updates. We did a test in December with half of the updates for the car, so now these three days we’ve really spent a lot of time getting to know what the car is going to be like this year. For the drivers, there is a little bit to get used to – mainly with braking. But for the engineers and the crew, they had a lot more to do just to understand the car; how it works and how to prepare for a 24-hour race. I think we did learn a lot. All the drivers are now comfortable in the cars. I think the crew has a much better understanding of what it is going to do for 24 hours and I think it makes us a lot more excited now that we know what to expect going into the 24 Hour.”
MENTALLY WHAT DO YOU DO BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN YOU JUMP IN THE CAR FOR THE FIRST PRACTICE OF THE RACE WEEKEND? “We have data to go over. I think the biggest thing is mentally preparing for the long race. Obviously physical training. We have a lot of data to go over for drivers to get to know: maybe I am losing a little bit here; maybe I’m a little bit better there. On-board cameras to study. I always like to watch the previous year’s race so every time I am around the TV, I’ll turn it on to watch it and learn interesting passing places that you wouldn’t really think of – where people are usually going off; where they are making passes in traffic. You can learn a lot from historical races.”
RICKY TAYLOR, NO. 10 WAYNE TAYLOR RACING CORVETTE DP
TALK ABOUT THE CHANGING WEATHER DURING THE TEST AND HOW THAT HELPS PREPARING THE CAR FOR POSSIBILITIES DURING THE RACE: “It has helped the drivers I think. The team focuses on mostly the weather conditions that are going to be related to the race conditions. But the drivers through the 24 Hour go from daytime when it is normally warm, to nighttime and it is freezing cold, then to daytime when it warms up again. No matter what the car is setup to do, we have to be able to deal with all the conditions. We got a bit of everything this weekend, so if we have a car setup for the cold, we know what that is going to be like in the cold and then to the hot. And vice versa; if we have a car setup for the hot, we know what it is going to be like in the cold. So we know how to drive a good car and a bad car.”
THERE ARE FOUR DRIVERS, ALL WITH DIFFERENT STYLES, PREFERENCES ETC.  HOW HARD IS IT AND WHAT COMPROMISES DO YOU HAVE TO MAKE AS A DRIVER TO GET A CAR THAT WORKS FOR EVERYBODY? “There has been a little bit of compromise here and there – a little bit of differences in what we all want. But I don’t think there has been much sacrifice. I think we still are improving the car more and more. We haven’t taken any steps backward to suit a driver particularly. We are moving down a good road, and making the car a better race car.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS, SIX-TIME NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES CHAMPION, WAS THE GUEST ON THIS WEEK’S NASCAR’S WEEKLY TELECONFERENCE.
BELOW IS THE TRANSCRIPT: 
THE MODERATOR:  Good morning, everyone.  Welcome to today’s NASCAR teleconference with Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.
 
Johnson clinched his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in eight years on Sunday at Homestead‑Miami Speedway, earning Hendrick Motorsports its 11th series title.  He stands only one championship behind NASCAR Hall of Fame members Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.
 
Jimmie, you’re in the midst of a two‑day Champions Tour.  What has been the highlight of your victory celebration and the tour so far?
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  There’s been a lot of great stops.  The media and opportunities we’ve had have been awesome, Letterman, Kelly & Michael.  I’ve been very well‑received, warm welcomes across the board.
 
I’d say the best part really was enjoying things Sunday night with my crew guys who put so much time and effort into the season.  To finally have the weight of the championship off our shoulders, have the success that we did, it was good fun, to say the least.
 
THE MODERATOR:  This evening at 6:00 p.m. eastern, you will be the first athlete to guest host SportsCenter.  What does this mean to you?
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  It’s a great opportunity, one I’m a little intimidated by, to be honest.  It’s one thing to be asked a question on camera and answering something I know about what I know about my sport, whatever it might be.
 
To actually host and carry on a show is something totally different.  I’m nervous, but I know I’m going to have John Lindsey with me on there helping me out.
 
THE MODERATOR:  We’ll now go to the media for questions for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson.
Q.  Could you talk about how much you appreciate this coming off of the two‑year low in the championship battle.  How do you see your responsibility going forward as champion?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I look back on those two years, and there wasn’t anything from those years that motivated me any more than normal.
 
I’ve been so fortunate to win the five before that, it’s kind of crazy to look at missing a couple opportunities or not being a factor, especially in the ’11 season.  Last year we were in the mix.  As I mentioned before, I just want to be in the mix.
 
To have expectations to win championships is unfair or what.  I think it’s more realistic to expect an opportunity at a championship.  To win, that’s a whole different story.
 
I made the Chase every year it’s been around, so I’ve had that opportunity.  I take a lot of pride in that.  My motivation to follow through this year and to work as hard as I can really is the same motivation I’ve always had to succeed in this sport.
 
I’ve worked so hard and long to get to this point, I’m finally on top of my game.  I’ve worked a lifetime to get here.  There’s more motivation staying on top for those reasons than chasing stats and the historical things that are out there in front of me now, it’s really something that comes from within.
Q.  Jimmie, I know it’s been less than 48 hours since you won the title.  How quickly did the buzz from winning the championship wear off?  At what point are you back in next year’s mode?  Hosting the ESPN SportsCenter deal, is that something that you want to do?  Where does it fall as far as some of the things you’ve gotten to do in past championship years?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  It’s an opportunity that we’ve kicked around for a little bit.  We had the date on the books in I guess late summer trying to make it happen.  With Chani being pregnant, we had to cancel on it.
 
So since we’re heading to Bristol, it was real easy to transition into it.  Honestly, I’ve been pretty intimidated by this opportunity, although it’s one I want to take advantage of.  We’re going to go up, make a special trip, on and on.  We’re fortunate to be in Connecticut following the season, just make me do it, make it happen.  Now I’m in that position and we’re making it happen.
 
The first part, the buzz, it will last a while for sure.  Pre‑season testing will start things focusing back on the year really.  My team, they were at the shop yesterday, Chad was, as far as I know.  Those guys work so hard through the season.
 
The rules packages, on and on, shoot, they’ve probably been in ’14 mode for a couple months focusing on the areas we can, transporters, pit boxes, things that can be done in advance.
 
For me it’s really February when we get to Daytona and we start racing.  It might linger a few more weeks after that when I’m introduced in various situations.  When timing and scoring goes hot again and it matters, that’s when things transition into the new year.
Q.  Jimmie, I know the season just ended.  This is your sixth championship.  With the recent exit of Dario from IndyCar, then Dale and Petty, is there a point you’ve set where enough is enough, where the danger gets too much, or will you race as long as you want?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Danger in our sport is something I’ve faced since I was a kid racing dirt bikes.  I think racers like to ignore those dangers.  We pursue our passions and our dreams.  As time has gone on, the advancement of safety, especially the NASCAR tracks you compete on, we’ve been really able to make our sport safe.
 
Again, there are dangers.  There are things that I choose to overlook.  Having a family does make me think at times, especially when I’m out of the car.
 
But, again, it’s what I do.  I put a lot of confidence in the SAFER barriers, the head and neck device we all wear now, the research and development that’s gone into making NASCAR as safe as it is today.  I find great peace in that.
 
There still is the risk.  I think it’s smaller than it’s ever been.  My wife and I both take comfort in that.  It’s just part of racing.
Q.  Your thoughts on what makes Chad such a great crew chief.  You guys have been together a long time.  Obviously you get along 90% of the time. When you do have a dispute, when you see things differently, does he usually win?  Is it a 50/50 deal, or what?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  It’s a team sport.  It takes all the members of the team to get it done.
 
Chad, the responsibility he carries, he has more I think pressure on him than any member of the team.  He has to keep a balanced budget within Hendrick.  He’s responsible for the guys that go over the wall, for the guys that turn the wrenches, he’s responsible for the speed of the car, technology advancements, all those things.
 
I have a pretty stress‑free week until I show up at the racetrack. He is greatly responsible for it all.  What percentage is hard to say.
 
I know the pairing of us, there’s something magical there and it works.  I say this confidently:  I would not have the success I’ve had in this support if it wasn’t for Chad and our relationship together.  So I give him a major tip of the hat, the total credit that’s due.  He’s a big part of all that.
Q.  When you have a dispute, does he get the final say or is it a 50/50 deal?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Final say?  He really leads the team on many, many levels.  When it comes to calling the race, I had an idea the other night about our tire strategy.  I’m glad he didn’t listen to me because it played out completely the opposite and he was right.
 
I just find I get to verbalize what I’m feeling in the racecar, pass it along to him,
let him decide on all the big topics.  I’m basically good at being told what to do (laughter).
Q.  Sunday night I think was maybe the most emotional that we’ve seen you ever.  What is it like now having a family there, two little girls, to celebrate with?  We saw pictures you were posting.  What is it like to see Genevieve and having a family to share with?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  It’s an incredible experience.  There’s such joy and pride.  My family makes a lot of sacrifices to support me.  So from respect and appreciation of the sacrifices made.  I’m not sure why Chani was emotional as she was.  She’s typically not, nor am I.  When she started to lose it, it sucked me in, I started to lose it as well.
 
There was just an overwhelming sense of pride.  It comes from a lot of different angles, the work that goes into it, the sacrifice.  I’m just a proud father and a proud husband.
 
There’s something activated in me ‑ I think all parents can speak to this ‑ once you have kids and they’re born, your heart changes and you love in different ways, a different capacity.  All that stuff is going on, leads me down the road to where I am today, the position I’m in today, enjoying those moments.
Q.  After you held up the Cup, you leaned down and looked like you were talking to Evie.  What has it been like watching her trying to understand this?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  It’s been really neat.  She gets it for the most part.  The championship part, I’m not sure she understands how that all works just yet.
 
She knew I didn’t win the race, but we were holding the trophy and celebrating.  She asked me a couple questions I’ve been trying to explain.  I’ve been trying to explain for a few weeks about the championship, the points, what daddy is trying to do.  It still hasn’t registered yet.
 
Denny was in Victory Lane.  She didn’t understand why we were celebrating.  It’s been fun trying to teach her all those things.
Q.  Are you a Carolina Panthers fan?  If you are, are you going to have to talk about the game last night?  Will you be smiling inside?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I’m sure I’ll talk about it.  I don’t know what I have in store for me at SportsCenter.  I’m sure it will come up.  Where I live, I keep an eye on sports teams that are there, have friends that are on the court and field, in offices over there.
 
I definitely watch with interest and was happy to see them win last night.
Q.  What has been the most surprising, the thing that stands out in the last 36 hours, as far as the celebration or the media tour that you’ve been on since Sunday night?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I’d say the magnitude of the sixth championship.  I knew it would be big if we were able to accomplish it.  But it’s traveled wide and far.  That’s been the most surprising thing to me.
Q.  You’re part of a four‑car group with Jeff and the rest of the guys.  How come they can’t get up to where you guys are?  Is it not a fully open shop?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Yeah, I know that’s a popular question.
 
There are four cars.  We all have the same equipment.  We do develop our own styles as far as a driver, a crew chief, the way we set our cars up.  We kind of migrate off into different directions, although they are close together.  We do end up with differences in our cars.  That boils down to the crew chief and driver styles.
 
We look outside of our four cars, the Stewart‑Haas organization, they have all the equipment as well.  When you break it all down, at the end of the day, I put the weight in the people.  The connection and communication between the driver and crew chief is really where that starts.
 
You can branch off into race calling, drivers competing, tracks, things like that are other sidelines that play a key factor into it.
 
But I put a lot of weight into the driver/crew chief relationship.  Over the years we’ve seen pairings that work and I feel fortunate to have that happen with me and Chad.
Q.  After the race on Sunday night it sounded like the crowd was actually cheering you.  Do you think you’ve turned a corner as far as winning the hearts and minds of the fans?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Potentially.  There was a lot of cheering, through all the social channels, a lot of respect being shown for the 48.  I can’t tell you how many things I’ve seen.  Not usually cheering for you, but congrats, respect.
 
At the end of the day, that’s what I would hope for.  People don’t have to be my fan.  But I’m a very respectful person.  When respect is shown to me or handed out to me, I take that and appreciate it.
Q.  Can you remember when you first got fans and how they have multiplied and reacted over your career?
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Yeah, I can remember when I was racing the Nationwide Series, we were with Excedrin for a sponsorship.  I can remember sitting outside of numerous convenience stores around the country as my sponsor obligations under a pop‑up tent with autograph cards, samples, trying to pass them out to people.  They thought I worked for Excedrin and wondered where the racecar driver was (laughter).
 
Things have changed a lot since then.  Once I started and was a part of the Hendrick group, things started early for me.  I was still in the Nationwide Series when Jeff and Rick signed me.  I quickly inherited a lot of Jeff Gordon fans.  If Jeff was going to pick me, they were going to be a fan of me as well.
 
Over time that changed.  I think a large majority of Jeff Gordon fans despise me because of the success I’ve had.  Things always evolve and turn and twist. It was in that period of time once I picked up my contract with Hendrick, I assumed a large fan base at that point in time.
Q.  A lot of people think the racetracks in the Chase should be changed.  With your success, you probably would like to see it stay the same.
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  The tracks that are in there are pretty good for us, so I would love for it to stay the same. At the end of the day, I want what’s best for our sport.  If it’s best to change, move markets, road courses, whatever it be, I want to see our sport grow and thrive, so whatever is best for our sport.
 
THE MODERATOR:  Thank you for joining us today, Jimmie.  Congratulations again on the championship.  Enjoy hosting SportsCenter tonight.
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Thank you.

Jimmie Johnson Wins 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship to Claim Sixth Career Title
Feat Marks 29th Driver Championship for Chevrolet; Kevin Harvick Finishes Third in Final Standings
 
HOMESTEAD, Fla. (November 17, 2013) – Jimmie Johnson is the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) champion. It is the sixth time in a record-setting eight-year span that Johnson, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS fielded by Hendrick Motorsports, has claimed the coveted crown.  His first five championships came consecutively in a run that started in 2006.
 
“I am at a loss for words, but I am so proud, and so thankful for this opportunity at Hendrick Motorsports,” said Johnson.  “Thankful that Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick gave me this opportunity back in 2002. Thankful that Lowe’s came on board. I want to say hi to all the employee-owners that are watching; everybody back at Hendrick Motorsports in all departments. This sport is about people and our people at Hendrick Motorsports, especially on this 48 car, rose up and got the job done. I am so thankful to be able to drive for this race team, and so honored and so excited to have a six-pack.”
 
Johnson’s title also delivered Chevrolet’s 29th NSCS driver’s championship.  On the strength of a total of 16 wins this season by Team Chevy drivers, Chevrolet also captured its 37th Manufacturers’ Cup.
 
“Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus, Rick Hendrick and the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS team on winning a remarkable sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “Preparation, strategy, teamwork and great driving were key elements of the No. 48 team’s success this season.
 
Campbell added, “The Hendrick engine shop along with our powertrain engineers prepared Chevrolet-Hendrick V8 engines that delivered the right combination of power, fuel economy and reliability all season long.”
 
Johnson’s ninth-place finish in today’s NSCS season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway cemented the championship-winning effort for his Chad Knaus-led team.  Heading into the final race of the year, Johnson carried a 28-point lead.  After qualifying seventh, Johnson went on to run as high as second place, and as low as 23rd in the 267-lap/400.5-mile race. He finished the 2013 NSCS season with six wins, 16 top-five finishes, 24 top-10 finishes and three poles.
 
The list of Johnson’s accomplishments leading up to becoming only the third driver in NASCAR history to capture six or more titles, is filled with unprecedented statistics as he joins NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, Sr.- both of whom have seven titles apiece. However, neither won six titles in an eight-year span. Johnson’s 66 Series’ wins since 2002 are 30 more than any other driver in that span. In addition, he is the same age (38) as Petty at the time of his sixth title, and four years younger than Earnhardt when he won his sixth crown. He also was the first driver in NASCAR history to capture five consecutive championships.
 
Johnson has never driven for any team other than Hendrick Motorsports in NSCS competition, and he has never piloted anything but a Chevrolet, not only in NASCAR competition, but throughout his four-wheel vehicle racing career.
 
Additionally, the title is the 11th time that Hendrick Motorsports has won the owner’s championship. The accomplishment placed Rick Hendrick in an elite class of his own as the all-time NSCS owner’s championship winner. Chad Knaus’ championship total (six) ranks him second all-time among crew chiefs in NASCAR history. Only Petty’s long time crew chief Dale Inman has more – a total of eight.
 
In his final race as driver of the No. 29 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet SS, Kevin Harvick drove to a 10th-place finish to clinch third in the final points order. It is the sixth time in his career that Harvick has finished in the top-five in the final points order including three times in the past four seasons.  He entered the season finale a mere 34 points down to Johnson, and finished the same, 34 points, behind the newly crowned champion.
 
Other Team Chevy drivers in the 2013 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finished the 2013 season’s final race and secured their final place in the 2013 Chase standings as follows: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet SS, finished third in the race, and fifth in the final standings; four-time NSCS champions Jeff Gordon, No. 24 Axalta Coating System Chevrolet SS, finished 11th in the race, and sixth in the final standings; Kasey Kahne, No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS, finished 13th in the race, and 12th in the final standings; Ryan Newman, No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet SS, finished 17th in the race, and 11th in the final standings and Kurt Busch, No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet SS, finished 21st in the race, and 10th in the final standings.
 
“It has been a strong inaugural season for the Chevrolet SS,” Campbell said. “Jimmie started the season winning the Daytona 500. Chevrolet teams delivered 16 wins that resulted in Chevrolet’s 37th Manufacturers’ Championship. Seven Chevy drivers made the Chase, and today Jimmie and the No. 48 Chevrolet SS team clinched the championship. Thank you to the Chevrolet team owners, drivers, crew chiefs, engineers and team members as well as our technical partners for their contributions.”

 
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FORD ECOBOOST 400
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
NOVEMBER 17, 2013
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, CHAD KNAUS AND RICK HENDRICK
NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS
2013 NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES CHAMPIONSHIP PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
 
KERRY THARP:  We’re joined by crew chief Chad Knaus and owner Rick Hendrick.  This is Hendrick Motorsports 11th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Owner’s Championship, most of alltime.  14th National Series Owner’s Championship.  Certainly the sixth with the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet.
            This is Chad’s sixth championship, all with Jimmie Johnson.  Chad has 64 career wins, all with the Jimmie Johnson team.
            Let’s hear from Chad first.  Certainly a terrific run this season and in the Chase.  You handled the pressure.  You won another championship.  How does that feel?
            CHAD KNAUS:  Boy, I tell you, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind, how long has it been, 30 minutes or an hour.  It was afantastic season.  I actually spoke to my guys in the meeting before the event.  You don’t know what’s going to happen when you come into these events.  We’ve unfortunately had a couple races this year that we didn’t finish as well as what we needed to to get that 23rd position to have clinched.
            So when we went into the meeting today, I told the guys, You need to really focus on what it was we’ve achieved throughout the course of the season.  We’ve led a bunch of laps, won a bunch of races.  We’ve taken a group of new individuals, new engineers, mechanics, pit crew members, they’ve all evolved into a pretty spectacular team.
            I don’t think we’re even close to the potential of the team yet.  That’s exciting for me.  But they have really, really bonded well together.  They care for one another.  They put the team first.  That’s something that’s hard to do, especially with a first‑year team.
            Ron Malec, Jimmie and myself are the only ones still here from 2002.  Bunch of new players.  It’s a lot of fun.
            KERRY THARP:  Rick Hendrick, you were in here the other day.  You were talking about how difficult it is to win these championships, how much they mean.  Maybe talk about this one that the 48 team performed so well.
            RICK HENDRICK:  You know, so many things happened along the way.  The car has been great.  Jimmie has been great.  Chad has been right on the money.  Jimmie just drives the wheels right off of it.
            But Matt had a heck of a year, unbelievable year.  They were putting pressure on us.  We were back and forth.  We get to Phoenix.  The first lap I thought we were going to wreck.  The first lap, when Harvick made the three‑wide, I thought Jimmie had lost it again.  He saved the car.
            These restarts are just treacherous.  I didn’t want to get excited about the championship until we could see the checkered flag here tonight.  I thought on the restart where we got the fender tore up, it could be a big problem.
            It’s hard to win one of these.  I’m really proud of Chad, Jimmie, for winning six, and the whole organization for getting 11.  I never thought I’d win one, let alone 11.  So we’re pretty happy right now.
            KERRY THARP:  We’ll take questions.
 
            Q.  Jimmie said out there in Victory Lane he doesn’t even want to start the discussion of seven championships and who is the best.  Rick, you heard Richard Childress say the other day he’ll go down in history as one of the best if not the best.  Richard Petty said he could win eight or 10 titles.  Denny Hamlin a while ago said, I think he’s the best there ever was.  When you go into next season, this is going to be a Chase for history, how do you deal with that?
            RICK HENDRICK:  Well, I don’t think Jimmie can train any harder and work any harder as an athlete to be in shape, or study what the car does, what the car needs.  And Chad’s the same way.  I don’t know how they can work any harder.  They don’t leave any detail undone.
            This week we’ve been talking about how we could be better next year as an organization.  I just think it’s the drive that they have.  I think when you look at Jimmie Johnson, I like to use the Parcells quote, You are what your record says you are.  To hear Richard Petty say what he said, Denny, the competitors, it’s taken a while for people to want to acknowledge it, but they all know how hard it is to do this.
            To come out and do it year after year, have the record he’s had, the combination that he and Chad havehad.  I’ve been doing this for 30 years now.  The attention to detail that Chad goes through preparing for a race elevates the whole company.  Jimmie elevates all the talent in our organization.
            So you look at the way Junior has run here in the Chase.  We’re excited about next year.  We think we’ll be stronger.
            I’ve never seen anybody with any harder work ethics than Chad and Jimmie.
            CHAD KNAUS:  I mean, it’s a multifaceted question clearly.  When you hear guys like Richard Childress and Richard Petty talk about Jimmie in that light, he is an amazing talent, there’s no doubt about it.  He can do things with a racecar that most mortals can’t.  Let’s just be straight with it.
            I’m very blessed to be his crew chief.  But I know that the resource that we have at Hendrick Motorsports allows him to be as good as what he is.  There’s no doubt about it.  Mr. Hendrick has given us everything that we could possibly need with engines, the chassis.  We’re able to turn around and make things happen quickly.  That’s not the way it is everywhere.
            Jimmie responds to that.  He’s very into what it is we’re doing.  He’s very studious, very intuitive of what’s happening around him, what’s going on when we’re testing or racing.  He feeds us great information.
            He’s pretty spectacular.  I mean, he really, really is.  He’s very fortunate to be racing for Mr. Hendrick.
            Let me tell you something, guys.  That dude’s pretty amazing.  He’s pretty spectacular.
 
            Q.  Do you think it will even faze him?
            CHAD KNAUS:  That’s what people don’t understand.  People think we come into the Chase and rac
het it up.  Okay.  We’re going to go, we’re going to make stuff happen.  I think that’s a mistake.  That’s not how we operate.  We try to operate at 10/10ths all year long.  When we get into the Chase, it’s kind of the norm.
            Trust me, that pisses Jimmie off.  Nobody wants to work that hard.  I demand that out of him, he demands that out of me.  We do all that stuff.  When you condition yourself to be operating at 10/10ths, when the Chase comes around, it’s more the norm than the anomaly.
 
            Q.  Chad, I know your mind is probably on the 2014 Daytona 500, but your numbers are getting towards Dale Inman’s.  React to that.
            CHAD KNAUS:  I’m not even close to him.  He’s an amazing individual.  He actually stopped me today.  He’s like, Son, you don’t know what hard work is.  I said, You’re exactly right, sir.  I have no idea.
            It’s the truth.  He’s been able to do it with multiple teams, multiple drivers.  I can’t even imagine.  He’s driving the racecar to the racetrack.  It’s a completely different set of circumstances.
            Yeah, we work hard.  We get headaches.  I work on a computer.  That dude was in there cutting with a torch, cutting, building, stuff like that.  No matter what we’re able to do with the 48 car, it will never surpass what those guys did.
 
            Q.  Chad, you talk about a lot of your guys haven’t been there for all five.  What did they learn from last year’s run that they used either as motivation or did you change any of your procedures this time around?
            CHAD KNAUS:  You know, we didn’t change a whole lot.  I feel like last year we had the best team.  Unfortunately midway through the season there were some problems and changes, rules changes, so on and so forth that took a lot of speed from Hendrick Motorsports to cripple us.  Otherwise I think we would have waxed thecompetition.  I don’t think it would have been close.  Unfortunately that happened.
            But coming into this year we had changes, a lot of changes.  It was good.  We had some guys that wanted to come off the road, get married.  We had Greg Ives, my right‑hand man for years, got a chance to be a crew chief with Regan Smith.
            So things change.  I think that’s one thing that has helped this team.  Throughout the course of our careers, we haven’t been afraid to change.  I’ve said it time and time again, that you either have to change thepersonality or change the person.  We’ve been very fortunate that a lot of people on the 48 have moved on to bigger and better.  That allows us to bring in new, fresh people.  When you’re able to bring in new, fresh people into a proven commodity, you get some spice, you get some life.  We’re very fortunate to have that this year.
 
            Q.  Rick, with all that you’ve accomplished, where does this rank?  Do you rank them?  Is this just another championship?
            RICK HENDRICK:  I think I said it earlier.  We barely made it through the first year.  Had plans to close the shop.  We got some help and we went on.  I’ve said this many times.  When we go to New York, I thought you go to New York to watch Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt get a championship every year.  Then we won one.  Then we had three back‑to‑back.  I thought it was going to be easy.  Then it was a dry spell.
            Then Jimmie gets on a roll and does five in a row, which I couldn’t believe it when we did three.
            Every one of them is special.  It makes you hungry to continue to try to win more.  Credit to all the folks at the company that go to work every day, from the engine shop, the chassis shop.  We’ve stayed together, stuck together.  They got this championship mentality.
            I’m amazed, the level of competition today is so fierce.  Any mistake or any problem, you get swept up in something, you don’t get a chance to celebrate like this.  We kind of enjoy it while we can.  Hopefully we can come back and repeat.
            But they’re all so special.  This one, I don’t know, I can’t explain.  After the last two years, I refused to think about winning it.  My wife is sitting out here.  I told her we weren’t going to win it.  She told me, You’re going to do it.  I refused to believe it.  It’s like these valve springs right here (laughter).
            But I’m very thankful for the talent we have and what they’ve put together and built.  It’s nice to be able to win 11 when Petty and them had 10.  You know, we’ll just keep digging and see if we can come back and be competitive.  Luck will be on our side next year, we’ll be able to win another one.
 
            Q.  Rick, it was eight years ago after this race where you had to have the meeting between Jimmie and Chad to make sure they stayed together.  Six championships together, if they keep doing this, will they stay together into perpetuity?
            RICK HENDRICK:  Chad is pretty hard to live with (laughter).  No, I’m just kidding.
            CHAD KNAUS:  He’s not kidding at all.  That’s the truth (laughter).
            RICK HENDRICK:  That is truth (laughter).
            In watching Chad and Jimmie both mature, they’ve learned how to not let things get to a point where there’s a boiling point.  Hopefully the success they’ve had, they know they’re stronger together than they are apart.
            I give Chad a lot of credit.  You know, he was running hard against Chip in those days.  He had to learn how to take defeat.  I’ve watched him like I think it was Kansas when we wrecked.  He very calmly said, This is what we need to do, get the car back out there.
            They have tremendous respect for each other.  The chemistry is the best it’s ever been.  The way they go about testing, the way they debrief.  I don’t foresee me having to have a milk‑and‑cookies deal again.  I think they can see the success where they are right now, what they’re capable of doing.  I don’t think they’ll let anything come between that.
 
            Q.  We all know how talented Jimmie is as an athlete, as a driver.  What can you tell us about Jimmie the individual?  He’s so overlooked into what an incredible person he is.  We just talk about his talent.  I’m not quite sure the fan base knows what an incredible hum
an being he is.
            RICK HENDRICK:  I see more 48 shirts out there than I do anything else now.  There are a tremendous amount of fans, Jimmie Johnson fans.
            I think Jimmie is such a special person, he doesn’t wave the flag a lot.  He does so many things for charity, Make a Wish.  They raise money, build houses, do things.  He doesn’t try to do things to gain attention or say, Look at me.  He’s more about letting his actions speak for himself.
            He’s just an unbelievable guy, father, friend.  I mean, I don’t see any flaws in Jimmie.  I think the most impressive thing about him is that he lets his actions do the talking for him.  He doesn’t brag about it.  He doesn’t try to promote it.  If he’s going to go out and run 20 miles Monday morning, eat like he eats, exercise like he exercises, he’s just a great guy.
            The talent, I mean, I think you guys have seen it. The car control is just unbelievable.  He’s very smart, not putting himself in tough situations.
            I heard McNabb say he wasn’t an athlete.  I’d like to see McNabb come run the Boston Marathon with him or swim the lake out here.  Guys like that don’t know what they’re talking about.  He wouldn’t have been Athlete of the Year if people didn’t know what kind of unbelievable athlete he is.
            CHAD KNAUS:  Look, man, Jimmie as a person, wow, he’s such a great dude.  It’s so funny, we’re so completely opposite.  He’s West Coast.  I’m type A, city, details.  He’s like, Man, things will be okay.
            The thing I think that’s the best about Jimmie is he always has the positive outlook.  How he’s able to maintain that is amazing to me.  I wish I had a little bit of that.  I’ve been fortunate enough to work with him for so long that he’s definitely rubbed off on me.
            When we get into situations where they aren’t the most comfortable, things are a little bit stressed, it’s really a good spot because I can look at him and he has been a mentor for me in understanding there’s more to life than just racing.  That’s pretty cool.  I owe a lot of my change in attitude to Jimmie because he’s opened my eyes.
            You have to realize, I’ve lived my whole life in these damn circles.  Middle of the racetrack, that’s where I live.  You see the circle, put me in the middle of it, that’s where I’ve been for 30 years of my life.  Jimmie has made me realize there’s more to itthan just that.
            It’s pretty special.  It’s a lot of fun.  He’s opened my eyes to a lot of things.  I love him like a brother.  He’s pretty special to me.  He’s a cool dude.
 
            Q.  Rick, not only with Jimmie’s success, but your organization has produced 11 of the last 19 Sprint Cup Series champions.  As Chad was talking about, the level of commitment that the 48 has and maintains, what is it about you or your organization that you’re able to do that in general for many of the people that come to work for you?
            RICK HENDRICK:  I think we just are very competitive.  When we show up, we want to do the best we can.  Everybody in every department, they push each other to go to the next level.
            I think after you win one, you want to win more.  But there’s a real spirit of family, too, inside our company.  Guys like Chad, you know, they share information and they work together and theyelevate the whole company.
            I go back to Harry Hyde built an unbelievable foundation.  Then people that came along made it better.  Randy Dorton, the engine shop.  Jeff Andrews now.  I think we want to go out and perform and do the best we can.  If we don’t, we go to work and work harder.
            Last year when we didn’t win, the last two years, it made everybody rachet it up.  Confidence is a big thing.  You look at, again, Dale and Jeff came on strong in the Chase, they can feed on each other, just want to see the company grow and do more, give people an opportunity.  Everybody shares in the success.
            Really, it’s hard to put my finger on it other than we know it’s important to stay together and we know it’s important to have a plan and we know it’s important to execute.  If we keep our organization tight, we’ll get beat now and then from the outside, but most companies gettorn up from the inside.  If we can eliminate that internally, we should be competitive every year.
 
            Q.  Rick, a little while ago Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was here and he said he thought this was the best season he’s had with Hendrick.  Your thoughts about 2014 with the 88?
            RICK HENDRICK:  Again, you take the blown motor he had in the first race out of the Chase, he would have been right there.  He’s run so well.  You can’t win one of these championships ‑‑ you can’t run in the top 10 till you run 15th, and you can’t run in the top 5 until you’ve run in the top 10.  He’s consistently in the top 5, top 3.  His confidence is at an all‑time high.  He and Stevie are really clicking.  Chad, that shop, they work really well together.
            You can see it in his step.  I mean, he told me tonight that he can’t wait to go to Daytona.  I think he’s got a lot of wins.  I think he’s going to be a threat for the championship next year.
 
            Q.  You mentioned the McNabb comments.  A lot of drivers and fans got fired up by his comments, but Jimmie seemed to blow it off on Twitter and took the higher road.  Did those comments fire him up behind the scenes?
            RICK HENDRICK:  Jimmie, I don’t think he wants to try to prove it to anybody else, he just wants to prove it to himself.  Again, I’ve never seen anyone that works any harder and is any more committed to his physical conditioning, from the way he eats at certain times of the year, when he gets into the Chase, the way he works out.
            It might rattle him a little bit, but you won’t ever see Jimmie come out and take a shot at anybody on Twitter or anything.  Again, he lets his actions do the talking.  I think that’s why so many people respect him.  I think that’s why the garage respects him so much.
            He doesn’t have to run over people.  He doesn’t have to go out and brag about what he’s done.  He just shows up, does his job.  Sooner or later people have to say, You’re the deal.
 
            Q.  Chad, earlier you said that Jimmie does stuff in the car that mortals can’t do.&nbs
p; Can you give us some examples of that?
            CHAD KNAUS:  No, I’m not going to give away the secrets.
 
            Q.  I’m not going to understand it anyway (laughter).
            CHAD KNAUS:  Oh, man.  I’ve been fortunate to have worked with some great racecar drivers.  Every one of these guys are very talented.  Let’s be honest.  But Jimmie is good.  He does a good job of understanding the car.  When I say that, he doesn’t know a damn thing about setup, but he understands what the car’s doing.
            He can feel the car.  He can be one with the car.  I know that sounds foolish, it sounds weird.  But, seriously, go to a surfer and ask him about his surfboard.  Go to a snowboarder and ask him about his snowboard.  Go to a skier, ask him about his skis.
            When they’re able to get in that position and they feel the car, understand what the car is going to do, it’s pretty amazing.  Jimmie can really do that.  He feels what’s going on.  He says the craziest things.  He feels a bump here, a gust of wind there.
            One of my favorite stories, we were in Dover a few years ago, a lot of years ago now, and we were just having a great race.  We won the race.  We were sitting there in a team debrief.  He was talking about how going into turn one, there’s a little gap in the stands.  He felt like the wind coming through that gap in the stands was planting the nose and making the car turn down in the corner.  Robbie Loomis was crew chief of the 21 at the time and said, Is he just bat shit crazy?
            Let me tell you something, it’s true.  We had a huge wind coming through the gaping hole in the grandstands the whole day, and Jimmie picked it up.  He said, Man, I think the wind is blowing right there. If I come in there right, the car is turning the car right for me.
            You don’t have a lot of guys that can do that.  You don’t.  Jimmie can do it.  Does he do it every time?  No.  But there’s certain times at certain tracks that he can make things happen that other drivers just really can’t.
 
            Q.  Rick, what is your valve spring necklace?  That’s not from Junior’s Chicago engine, is it?
            RICK HENDRICK:  Oh, God, no.  This is what I was worried about tonight.  That’s probably the weakest part of the engine.  So Jeff Andrews and I were talking about it.  He said, I’m going to give you a valve spring to wear.  He gave it to me, I wore it.
            Thank goodness we don’t need this one.  But that’s probably one of the weakest parts of the motor.  We thought it would bring us good luck.  I’m superstitious.
            Just one thing, what Chad was saying about Jimmie.  If you monitor every driver out here all through the race all year long, you see how many times they get excited, go off on the radio, lose their composure, you won’t ever hear Jimmie do that.
            KERRY THARP:  Let’s hear from the man of the hour.  Now, Jimmie, when I introduce you next year, it will be our six‑time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.  You’re third on the all‑time list, one behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt.  He won this championship 19 points ahead of second‑place Matt Kenseth.
            Just talk about this season, talk about the Chase, talk about winning the sixth championship.
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  When I look back on the year, I think about the Gen‑6 car, the race to figure out what the car wanted for speed, the hard work from everybody at Hendrick, the way we’ve been able to connect through the 48 team, find speed in the car, develop the car, innovate in the garage area with the setups that are in the car.
            I give Chad all the credit in the world for honing in on those things, finding speed and building me fast racecars.
            We were in position to win a lot throughout the course of the year. Unfortunately we gave a bunch away.  I think we could be sitting here with a higher win total.  At the end of the day we won the big prize.
            That helped us through some of those races that got away, focusing on the big surprise,knowing we had speed, making sure we were organized, had our inventory of cars, test setup ready to roll.
            Just a well‑executed year top to bottom, especially in these final 10 races.  We didn’t leave many points on the table.  I can look back on a few tracks and think we could have had a few more points, but it really was a strong 10 weeks.  Last year we had eight great weeks, didn’t come up with it.  Matt had nine.  You have to have 10 great weeks to be the champion and we got it done this year.
            KERRY THARP:  Certainly, Jimmie, this is a huge accomplishment ‑ not only in NASCAR, but in the sports field.  Congratulations on this.
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Thank you.
            KERRY THARP:  We’ll continue with questions.
 
            Q.  Jimmie, I heard you say out in Victory Lane you really don’t think we should start this whole discussion about seven or eight, who’s the best of all time, until you hang your helmet up.  Fortunately or unfortunately, the discussion has already begun.  Denny Hamlin said he thinks you’re the best that’s ever been.  Richard Childress said on Friday you could go down in history as one of the greatest if not the greatest.  Richard Petty thinks you could go and win eight or ten championships. With all that going on already, how can you avoid this discussion?  Seems like for the rest of your career you’re going to be chasing history in some form or another.
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I agree.  That reality I’m fine with, look forward to the opportunity, hope that I can certainly accomplish more.
            I feel like this team is capable of a lot of great things.  There’s still great years out ahead of us.  But all of that is in the future, a seventh, an eighth.  Richard said eight to ten.  That’s all ahead of us.
            I don’t want to focus on that yet.  It’s not time.  I want to unplug, enjoy the sixth, let it soak in.  We’ll get to Daytona for testing soon enough.  I guess by then it’s probably appropriate to ask the question.
            I’m humbled by the nice things that have been said by competitors and owners, my peers in this
industry.  I think their opinion is very important.  I don’t think my opinion matters.  It’s not for the athlete, the driver.  It’s bestowed upon you, it’s passed down from others.
            If others are saying it, I’m not going to deny it, chase it away.  Sure, I would love to be considered that.  If you look at stats, there’s still numbers out there that I need to achieve.  That’s why I say, Until I hang my helmet up, it’s not necessarily a fair conversation to have.
            Honored to be in the conversation and I know I will have to face it, especially being this close to seven and having a shot to tie those guys.
 
            Q.  Jimmie, you came into the night needing only a 23rd.  It would have been difficult for you not to get that.  You could have blown an engine or crashed.  Could you start the race looking at it as a normal race because of all that?
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I truthfully and honestly did.  It’s my first time in 11 starts down here.  All the championship opportunities I’ve had, this truly was the most calm and normal weekend that I’ve ever had in the racecar.
            A few things go towards that.  Experience.  I think maturity, being prepared as a team, the steps that we went through to be prepared.  Testing at the tracks in Texas and here late in the year helped with that as well.  The vibe we had going, the energy.  We had a lot of things going in the right direction.
            It allowed me to enter this entire weekend as stress‑free as ever.  It felt like a normal race.  It really, really did.
            With 74 to go, everything hit the fan out there on the frontstretch, it got serious.  I’m not going to lie.  Up until then, it was the most calm and relaxed environment I’ve ever had down here.
 
            Q.  We know how hard you worked for this.  In years past not every fan was a fan of what you did.  Tonight, however, I don’t think there was any disdain or boos.  How did that feel in comparison to some of the years past?
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  It’s awesome to hear the cheers.  I guess I haven’t been close enough to it all to feel it.  I’m sure there are people that aren’t so happy with the 48 winning the championship.  That’s just how it goes.
            I don’t frame into my day, week or year anything based on that.  We’re a very tight‑knit race team.  We do our job.  If people want to hate on us, hating is technically whining, so they can whine all they want.  My hardcore fan base that supports me, I love them and appreciate it.
 
            Q.  Jimmie, we’ve talked about the possibility of winning seven or eight championships.  You’re only 38 years old.  Have you given any thoughts of reaching 105 wins?  How does it finally feel to have everyone on Twitter on your side?
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I did have some great support over the last couple days, which is awesome.  And, yes, I am an athlete, and so is every driver in one of these racecars.  Even Tony Stewart, even though he’s carrying a little (laughter).  He’s an athlete.  That’s just fuel for his engine.
            I don’t know if the 105 is attainable.  With all the wins Jeff has had, Jeff is going to set the mark for the current era in race wins.  I don’t know how you can get there.  The number is way too big.  Triple digits is insane to think of.
 
            Q.  Jimmie, you talked a little bit about wanting to enjoy this one more than maybe you had let yourself enjoy some of the previous ones.  Was it as enjoyable or more enjoyable going through these last 10 weeks than past championships?  What have you done in the last two hours to make it more fun and enjoyable as far as the celebration?
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Last year I think I was in a very similar space.  The last two races didn’t go well, so that kind of changed things.  We made it eight races through with a similar and enjoyable mindset.  Racing hard, not feeling the pressure, being in the moment.  Able to answer the bell at times.  We won at Martinsville last year, Texas, had ourselves in the thick of things.  That was similar to this year in how things felt.
            The last couple hours, I don’t know how to describe it.  Just looking around, soaking it in.  I kind of do care how long I’m here tonight, but I really don’t.  I want to enjoy the moment.  I watched my guys tear down the pit box and the pits as I was doing another interview a few minutes ago.  They got in a huddle.  I’m not sure what they said.  I’m watching it from affair, soaking it in, That’s my boys.
            I’m trying to enjoy it, soak it all in.  I don’t know really how to describe it, to be honest.
 
            Q.  I was here when you won number four and five.  I asked you this question.  People compare you to some other NASCAR greats.  Even more so now they’re comparing you to other sports greats, TigerWoods, Michael Jordan.  Do you see yourself as to type of world‑class athlete?  How do you see yourself?
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I’ve never thought of it.  When you mention Michael’s name, he’s given me a hard time that I only won five.  I can’t wait to send him a text and say, Hey, buddy, I’ve caught up (laughter).
            It’s not like me to think in that light.  It’s just not me.  I guess I need to open my mind to it because the numbers speak for themselves.  I find myself in a touchy situation at times where my quiet approach can be looked at as arrogant or cocky, and that is the furthest thing from the truth in what I’m trying to portray.
            Honestly, I’m just trying to, I don’t know, say the right things and keep my mind in the right space.  I haven’t let a lot in and it’s led to more success.  It’s kept my work ethic intact, kept me honest and humble.  I like that about myself.  I really, really do.  I don’t know if I want to open my mind and let it in, where I stand in the sports world.  It’s not time for that in my eyes.
 
            Q.  Earlier Chad pointed out that other than a few key people, you have virtually a newteam this year.  Did you have any apprehension at the beginning of the year?  What do you do with your new crew guys to gel?
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  We got off to a quick start with the Daytona 500, opened up at the other tracks with strong performances.  We could see where things were going.
   &nbsp
;        Chad has a great vision on the support system that needs to be in place so we can make the right decisions.  Dave, our engineer, was with us last year for a race or so when Greg Ives had to take leave for his child being born.  We got a taste of Dave then.  Transitioned well.  There’s another new engineer.  Well, Pete moved up.  New faces and new places to say the least.
            But Chad has had a great vision on how the pieces of the puzzle fit together.  That’s really his department, world.  He’s not afraid to make a change if need be.  We did make a change earlier in the year, on top of off‑season changes, just to get the ingredients right, and it certainly paid off.
 
            Q.  You touched on this in Victory Lane.  Talk about the emotions of your grandmother passing, those that have unfortunately gone in your life.
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Yeah, you know, these moments, I wish I could share them with so many I grew up with, from friends, people that worked on my off‑road trucks, my dirt bikes, ASA cars, on and on.  It’s hard to thank everybody.
            But through it all, my family has been my biggest fan, my biggest support.  My mom and my dad.  I lost my two grandfathers and my grandmother on my dad’s side through the last 10, 15 years.  They were just so proud of what I was chasing.  They were there for me, supporting me.
            Then my grandmother unfortunately passed away last month.  She was 92, and the biggest 48 fan out there.  She didn’t like the beard too much.  I feel bad about that.  But I stuck with the beard.  Outside of the beard, I haven’t done a thing wrong in her eyes, which is kind of crazy.
            Unfortunately I wasn’t able to make the funeral either, which stings a little bit.  We were here testing.  I knew she would want me to work on my car and make sure I got to Victory Lane.  Again, she was my biggest fan.  I know she was riding around there on that racecar with me tonight.
 
            Q.  You talk about not letting things in your head, the challenges you may face.  What have been the biggest challenges through the years past you’ve had to overcome? What would be the challenges you foresee at this point as you move forward in repeating this, continuing this type of success?  Maybe it’s too early, but if you look ahead, what’s the challenge?  Is it against you or the garage or what?
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  Well, I think keeping the 48 in its sweet spot.  People, the connection, the bond that we have, it’s a big part of our success.
            Where our sport’s heading is the other piece.  There’s change coming.  Don’t know exactly what it looks like yet.  From the competition side, we know the rules package is going to change.  You hear rumbling about format changing.  Our sport is ever‑changing, trying to adjust to an ever‑changingworld.  The target is moving on us.  I feel like we can chase the target pretty darn well, especially if we stay connected and united as we have.  I don’t see why that would change any.
            KERRY THARP:  Jimmie, you have become the first athlete, and notice I say ‘athlete’, to host SportsCenter on ESPN this Tuesday night at 6:00.
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I am scared to death.  It means I have to read something.
            KERRY THARP:  Can you talk about that.  How are you going to prepare for that?  That’s a daunting task.
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  We’ve been working on it for a while.  With Lydia’s birth, we weren’t able to pull it off earlier in the year.  I was relieved of my obligation.  But it’s shown back up.
            Honored to do it.  I have a hard enough time at the podium reading a simple acceptance speech.  To be on a live show trying to read a teleprompter is one of the most nerve‑wracking things I’ll do.
            KERRY THARP:  We can’t wait to see it.
            JIMMIE JOHNSON:  I’ll be smiling.
            KERRY THARP:  Congratulations to the 48 team, Jimmie Johnson, Rick Hendrick and Chad Knaus.