NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
ADVOCARE 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 30, 2013
 
 
 
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA TO START THIRD IN THE ADVOCARE 500
FOUR TEAM CHEVY DRIVERS POST TOP 10 STARTING SPOTS
 
HAMPTON, GA – Aug. 30, 2013 – With a best speed of 188.539 mph in 29.405 seconds, Juan Pablo Montoya put his No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS in the third place starting postion for Sunday’s Advocare 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. This qualifying effort was Montoya’s fourth Top-10 start on the 1.5-mile oval, and his ninth Top-10 start of the season.
 
Behind the wheel of his No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet SS, Jeff Gordon posted a solid qualifying run of 188.053 mph in 29.481 seconds to earn a fifth place starting position. With that, Team Chevy will occupy two of the top 5 starting places in the 500-mile race.
 
Other Team Chevy starters in the top 10 are Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 National –Guard/Race2Achieve.org Chevrolet SS in eighth and Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe’s Dover White Chevrolet in 10th.
 
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Ford) won the pole position, Carl Edwards (Ford) qualified 2nd, and Denny Hamlin (Toyota) qualified 4th  to round out the Top 5 starters.
 
The Advocare 500 will take the green flag on Sunday evening, September 1st at 7:30 p.m. ET and air live on ESPN TV and PRN Radio.
 
 
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 3RD:
POST QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT:
 
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR LAP AND JUST PRACTICE IN GENERAL TODAY
“Most of practice was done in race trim. We only had two laps in qualifying trim and we kind of struggled. We were kind of loose there every run we did and we worked a lot on the car. At the end, when we went to qualfiying trim, it was actually pretty good. I actually ran a 40-something in practice and it was kind of disappointint to run a .40 tonight. It felt really good but just bottomed-out in (Turns) 1 and 2 and I had to get out of the gas. It’s okay. I’m in. Can’t complain.”
 
DID YOU HAVE AT ALL ENOUGH PRACTICE TO GET A FEEL ABOUT THE NEW TIRES AND WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO BE LIKE?
“What do you expect when you come to Atlanta? That they’re going to fall off, I don’t know how much, but I would say at least two seconds in the fuel run, to more like three probably. And just keeping the tires on it is going to be very important. They seem really good. When they’re new, they’re really good. When they’re brand new you have a ton of grip and a lot of stability and they are really easy to push, so it makes it fun.”
 
DO YOU FEEL ANY DIFFERENCE WITH THE NEW TIRE COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS TIRES YOU’VE HAD?
“I think we used the tires a year ago. So, a different car.”

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
ADVOCARE 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
AUGUST 30, 2013
 
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED THIRD
ON HIS LAP:
“I was really expecting to run in the 20’s to be honest with you.  I ran in the 40’s in practice in the heat.  It just bottomed out and with the cooler conditions the track grip bottomed out and I had to get out of the gas in (turns) one and two.  It’s okay.  I mean I can’t complain I’m third.  That is probably a top five start.”
 
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED FIFTH
ON HIS LAP AND TRACK CONDITIONS:
“I’m a little bit concerned that the conditions are going to improve here and that we may have just been right there on the edge of when the track is going to get better.  The car has been really good all day.  Gosh, I’ve been so happy. That backs it up because it wasn’t a perfect lap, but still decent lap.  I got through (turns) one and two I thought really good and (turns) three and four just a little bit too tight.  I’ve been so thrilled with the car all day.”
 
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/RACE2ACHIEVE.ORG CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED EIGHTH
ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP:
“I think we finished eighth.  That was a real good car.  The car had a lot more speed than that in it.  There was such a huge difference between the track I think in practice and qualifying that I really underestimated what kind of race car we had.  Got to give Steve (Letarte, crew chief) and my engineer Kevin (Meendering) a lot of credit because they had the car ready.  The car was really good real fast.”
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S DOVER WHITE CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 10TH
HOW CHALLENGING WAS IT TO FIND THAT FAST LINE HERE AS THE SUN BEGINS TO SET?
“There’s nothing like taking the line in qualifying you didn’t run in practice. That was interesting. And the first time through, that seemed to work pretty good. So, it’s so hard to tell. I think the track is going to pick up some more speed. If we can stay in the Top 10, that will be good. The lap felt nice. I just don’t know how it’s going to stack up. I’m encouraged because we’re right there with Kyle (Busch), but the temp just seems like it’s dropping. I don’t know if it was because it was in a hot car and got out and now it feels cooler, or what; but it does feel like the temps are coming down a little bit.”
 
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON BABY WATCH?
“It is getting close. And I’m really just going off my wife’s pulse on it all and she’s pretty calm and relaxed about it. We’ve had weekly doctor checkups and everything is going great and it looks like we don’t have anything to worry about right away, although I’d love for something to happen this weekend or next weekend and but everything is great. Mom is healthy and baby is healthy and we’re just kind of waiting for when No. 2 decides to come out.”
 
WHEN IS THE DUE DATE?
“Chicago weekend. “Richmond and here is real easy. It’s easy for me to mess with the situation being locked-in. Chicago, it gets kind of tricky there and there is no one more focused and committed on the No. 48 winning a championship than Chani, and she is like you need to be in that race car and do your job. So, that’s letting me sleep well. And I clearly want to be there for the birth of our second daughter.”
 
IS REGAN SMITH THE BACK-UP FOR THIS RACE?
“Yeah, it must be. Yeah it is kind of convoluted with Regan and James and how things bounce around; so yeah, I’d think it would be Regan.”
 
WHAT IS YOUR CHASE OUTLOOK AT THIS POINT?
“The tracks in the Chase are really good for us. The last three, four or five weeks, we’ve had a lot of different things go on. We have very fast race cars; the majority of them. I’ve blown tires and blown an engine, two different things there that have kept us from scoring points and then potential wins. But, I feel like we’ve got great race cars and great tracks in the Chase. It would be nice to have a little momentum leaving here and going into Richmond, although this race track and Richmond, we don’t have a track like either one of those in the Chase. Although momentum is key and important, if we don’t have the best Atlanta or Richmond races, we know that those 10 tracks in the Chase and really good for us and that’s where we’re really focused.”
 
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 E-Z-GO CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 15TH
ON HIS LAP:
“It looked a little worse than what it really was. You somewhat know what you have in the middle of the corner. I was just trying to keep the wheel as straight as I could and trying to leave skid marks off the corner. I didn’t feel like it was that good of a lap. I think it’s going to turn out okay and there’s been some good cars go. But it was pretty interesting. It’s such a fun race track.”
 
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 ASPEN DENTAL CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 17TH
DID THIS DRAW HELP YOU?
“I don’t know if the draw helped us, but it was a definite improvement over practice. I think we’ve beat as many guys now with 30 cars left, as we did in practice. So it was a definite improvement for our Aspen Dental Chevrolet. Not the lap that we wanted, but a huge improvement, which is what we needed.”
 
MARK MARTIN, NO. BASS PRO SHOPS/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 27TH
YOU WENT OUT EARLY. DO YOU THINK THAT MIGHT BE A DISADVANTAGE?
“Yeah, well, it’s not going to help any. The guys did a good job on the car. It felt good. I don’t feel like it was a spectacular lap, but it was a decent lap, respectable for what the car could do. It was definitely early. And it’s going to get real fast as we go on. So, we’ve got a good race car. We’re all comfortable working together now. We’re starting to get kind of in a groove. Last week was really tough and no time; and we’ve had some testing time now and a good day today. The wonderful thing is we get this evening to think about it and tomorrow to get a little bit more dialed in. So, I’m enjoying working with these guys. They’re a good bunch of guys and they’ve made me feel real comfortable.”
 
KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW/BEAUTYREST CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 32ND
ON HIS LAP:
“We ended up on the tight side and we’ll end up 30th.”
 

CORVETTE RACING AT BALTIMORE: Third and Fifth in GT Qualifying
Top-five positions for both Compuware Corvettes on crowded streets of Baltimore
 
BALTIMORE (Aug. 30, 2013) – Corvette Racing will start its two Compuware Chevrolet Corvette C6.Rs from the second and third rows of the GT grid for Saturday’s Grand Prix of Baltimore. The positions are solid ones for Corvette Racing and Chevrolet, both of which are leading in the American Le Mans Series’ team and manufacturer championships.
 
Tommy Milner qualified the No. 4 Compuware Corvette third Friday with a time of 1:30.007 (81.594 mph) around the 2.04-mile, 12-turn street circuit alongside Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. Teammate Jan Magnussen in the No. 3 Corvette ended the session fifth at 1:30.132 (81.480 mph).
 
Saturday’s race is the seventh round of the ALMS championship. Live online coverage begins at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN3. On Sunday, ABC’s coverage starts at noon ET.
 
“Baltimore is an exciting yet demanding venue,” said Jim Campbell, Chevrolet US Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “The ALMS GT class is extremely competitive so it will take the right combination of race strategy, smart and persistent driving, and efficient pit stops to work our way to the front of the pack. Baltimore is a critical race for the ALMS drivers’ and manufacturers’ standings.
 
“It’s great to have the support of so many Corvette owners in the Baltimore Corvette Corral,” Campbell added, “along with Corvette owners and fans from around the world as we work to defend the manufacturers, team and drivers championships in the ALMS GT class.”
 
Indeed, Milner and Oliver Gavin entered the weekend leading the GT drivers’ championship. The duo placed second in last year’s race at Baltimore and is the only pairing to win more than once in the class this season.
 
Magnussen and Antonio Garcia, stand fourth together in the championship, underwent some drama following an engine issue in the day’s first practice. The No. 3 crew changed the Corvette’s motor in less than two hours, and the car made the next session.
 
Bill Auberlen (BMW) was the fastest qualifier in class, followed by Joey Hand (BMW).
 
EDITORS: High-resolution images of Corvette Racing are available on the Team Chevy media site for editorial use only.
 
JAN MAGNUSSEN, NO. 3 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R
“What happened this morning was unfortunate, but luckily we didn’t lose that much time in practice. It’s a shame that the guys had to change an engine instead of concentrating on making the car go faster. But they did a fantastic job of getting it back out there for the second practice. In qualifying, the car was pretty good. It had a little bit too much understeer for me to really be able to have a shot at pole. I don’t know if we could have caught the two BMWs but it is very close behind them. Usually you don’t have to deal that much with traffic in qualifying. You have to make a quick decision – are you going to fight to get by or give some time and create a big gap. What I can say is that it will be worse tomorrow.”
 
TOMMY MILNER, NO. 4 COMPUWARE CORVETTE C6.R
“In the end, I could have gone quicker were it not for traffic early. It is what it is. Third place is good. Based on all the practice sessions and qualifying, it will be an incredible race. I laid it all out there in qualifying. It’s so close that if I didn’t push that extra last little bit, I would have been fifth or sixth and that puts us in a worse position for the race. In this case, qualifying matters because the race matters, and because it’s hard to pass getting the car up front is important. The car feels good and should be great for the race.”
 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
ADVOCARE 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 30, 2013
 
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Atlanta Motor Speedway and discussed the first practice session, the addition of Kurt Busch to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 and other topics.  Full Transcript:
 
HOW DID PRACTICE GO? TYPICALLY OPEN WHEEL DRIVERS DO WELL ON THIS TRACK BECAUSE THERE IS NOT ONE SPECIFIC LANE AND IT’S FAST:
“You know I think that it’s not an easy track.  It’s slippery so grip is at a premium and balance is at a premium.  We struggled with that at the beginning.  We were trying a whole different set-up and it really didn’t work.  The very last qualifying run was a little bit better. I finally felt like the car was in the track a little bit.  Hopefully, that means that we will be able to make it even better that amount again for qualifying.  I really think it has a lot to do with the car.  When it’s the slippery you don’t just go out and hold it wide open.  There is a lot of moving around and adjusting for the car and the balance.  It’s about that.”
 
YOU LIKE HIGH SPEED TRACKS.  HOW DOES THIS PLACE SUIT YOU?
“I don’t know if I necessarily like high speed tracks.  I think it’s being able to work with the car and make it better.  I feel like I’ve had good success on everything in stock cars from real short tracks like Martinsville to big tracks like Daytona and road courses in Nationwide.  I used to think that I had a sort of track that I was best at, but I think it just has to do with where the strengths of your team are and where you just make progress on the weekend.  It could have been easy to melt down a little bit in practice and get everyone upset and take ourselves out of the game, but we all stayed calm.  We worked hard and our last run was our best run. That is the kind of stuff that we need to pull us through the weekend.”
 
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON KURT BUSCH JOINING STEWART-HAAS RACING IN 2014?
“I am glad that came out officially.  That is always nice when we there is a yes or a no to it, but it all happened pretty quick as everybody knows.  I’m looking forward to it.  Kurt (Busch) is a great driver, very fast and I’ve always gotten along with him.  I feel like we are going to have a pretty fun team.”
 
ARE YOU GLAD THE TEAM LINE-UP IS ALL DONE FOR NEXT YEAR?
“It is nice.  I think it helps from a team perspective to get things in order and in line for the year because there is going to be a lot that we are going to need to get organized everything from space at the shop to airplane space.  There is a lot for the team to get in order and this gives us the appropriate amount of time to do it without having to skirt around making it look obvious.”
 
IT’S A VERY BOISTEROUS TEAM SOME OF THESE GUYS ON THE TEAM…
“There is a girl too.”
 
WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR TEAMMATES FOR NEXT YEAR?
“I think they are all great drivers and I think I have a lot to learn from all of them.”
 
DOES IT TAKE ANY OF THE PRESSURE OFF OF YOU AS FAR AS IF THE TEAM DOES STRUGGLE THERE IS ANOTHER VOICE THERE?
“I think the best part about having more drivers is one we are going to start hiring people.  We are going to get some fresh ideas and perspectives in.  We are just going to have more brain power.  There are going to be more crew chiefs, more engineers, more of everything and then when you have a line-up like we do there is a lot of experience there especially those other three guys.  I feel like it’s going to help our team from top to bottom.”
 
DID YOU GET A CHANCE TO SEE ANY OF GENE’S (HAAS) PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK?
“I read a little bit here and there, but I didn’t see much of it.  I was back in Indiana with my family.  Obviously, Gene (Haas) was in a position year’s back where he was the team owner and had drivers.  Then obviously the Tony (Stewart) equation came in where he becomes a partner and I think he got excited about wanted to kind of have his own driver again.  So be it.  Again, I’m all about bringing great drivers into the team.  It’s good for everybody, especially good for me.”
 
HAS HE BEEN A LEADER IN THE TEAM OR JUST STAYED IN THE SHADOWS?
“I guess from my perspective, I feel like in general, he kind of trusts that the right people are in the right places. And Tony (Stewart) and Brett (Frood) and Eddie (Jarvis) and Zippy (Greg Zipadelli) and everybody know what we need as a team. But, then again, I wasn’t around back when it was his. So, I think he’s been a little more on the silent side from my perspective. But he’s definitely been there and whenever we’ve talked, we’re always talking about the car and things like that. So he’s just passionate on sports.”
 
ON FANTASY FOOTBALL:
‘Yeah, I was just saying today that you ought to do our Fantasy Football and Ricky (Stenhouse) said I think that’s all done. Everybody’s done their draft. But we put one together today is the point. So there are 12 of us on the team now or in the division or whatever, so I think we’re all a little lazy and we’re auto draft.”
 
SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO PICK?
“Let’s face it. I’m a football fan, but I’m not really sure I can put a whole team together from all the different teams. Now, if we’re just talking about like the Bears, Packers, Lions, and those teams, I’ve watched them enough that I could probably pick out some good ones. But I found that last year doing Fantasy Football at JR Motorsports, I found that I learned a lot more about a lot of other teams and a lot of other players because I had to pay attention to other people. So, I’m actually looking forward to auto draft because it helps me learn about other teams and other divisions. So, I’m excited because it’s really fun to do in the winter and I like it.”
 
HOW BIG OF A BEARS FAN ARE YOU?
“I go to games every year. I’m a big Bears fan for sure. I always watch their games. I even get nervous for their games. That means that’s a fan, right? I’m sure I’m not the biggest fan but I’m a big fan for sure.”
 
WHEN YOU HAVE PLAYERS FROM OTHER TEAMS PLAYING THE BEARS IN THE FANTASY DEAL…..
“It almost makes me not want to have anybody from the Packers. Because if I have players from the Packers, that means I’ve got to cheer for them. It’s tough.”
 
WHO IS IN YOUR LEAGUE?
“It’s like Ricky and I and a bunch of our friends and some family. So, yeah we’re trying to come up with a team name and we couldn’t.”
 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
ADVOCARE 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 30, 2013
 
CHIP GANASSI, OWNER EARNHARDT GANASSI RACING WITH FELIX SABATES, MET WITH MEDIA TO ANNOUNCE THAT KYLE LARSON WILL DRIVE THE NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET IN 2014.  JOHN OLGUIN, VP OF COMMUNICATIONS WAS THE MODERATOR.  FULL TRANSCRIPT:
 
JOHN OLGUIN:  Good afternoon, everyone.  Welcome and thank you all for being here.  I’m John Olguin, head of communications at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.  We’re excited to be here today to introduce the 2014 driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet.  We think it’s a great day for not only our team but for our 24-year partner with Target and also for the sport.
This driver currently sits eighth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series standings with 13 top 10s and six top 5s in 23 starts.  He’s started twice in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he won at Rockingham and finished second at Eldora.  
He is a two-time SPEED performer nominee both in 2011 and 2012.  He is the 2012 NASCAR K&N Series champion and Rookie of the Year.  He’s a graduate of the NASCAR Driver For Diversity Program and their Next Program as well.
We’re pleased to announce the 2014 driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet is Kyle Larson.
Obviously we have here with us Chip Ganassi and Kyle.  Let me start with you, Chip.  Give me your thoughts on this announcement.
 
CHIP GANASSI:  I have some prepared comments here, ladies and gentlemen.
Certainly we believe that Kyle is the future of the sport.  He’s a unique talent.  Let me be very clear, this was a racing decision.  We felt that Kyle was the best short-term and long-term fit for the team and for Target.
While our team has been partnered with Target for 24 years, when we decided to make the change, we wanted to make sure we found the right driver, someone that would represent their brand as well as have a chance to win races.
Kyle was our first choice.  We did not offer any deals to any other drivers.  We talked to other drivers.  We’re thrilled to have Kyle.  Nothing he has done makes us feel he cannot move to the Sprint Cup Series.  As I said, we spoke to a number of current Cup drivers.  At the end of the day we felt that Kyle was the best option for our organization.
We do feel that we need to continue Kyle Larson’s growth, and putting him in a Cup car was the very next step.  We’re sure there will be some growing pains but we’re sure he’s ready.  Some of those growing pains will come whatever his first year in the series is.  It’s a good opportunity.
My expectations and advice to him will be to keep the car on the track and run laps.  As many of you already know, this kid is a special kid.  We couldn’t be more proud to have him here today announcing him as our driver for next year and beyond.
 
JOHN OLGUIN:  Kyle, what are your thoughts?
 
KYLE LARSON:  I’m really excited, excited to be a part of the Target brand.  Everybody knows the Target logo when they see it.  It’s a pretty iconic car.  I think I can do okay.  Like you said, there’s going to be some growing pains, I’m sure.  I think I’ll learn a lot and I’ll grow as a driver and mature as a person.
 
JOHN OLGUIN:  Let’s open it up to some questions.
 
Q.        Kyle, how much of a whirlwind do these last few years feel like to you?  Will moving up to the Sprint Cup Series cause you to focus more on that and less on all the other racing you’ve been doing?
KYLE LARSON:  It’s definitely been quite a whirlwind.  I was walking over here saying a year ago today I was making my second Truck start.  It’s been a really quick road.  But I feel like I’ve done okay with it and learned quite a bit.
As far as next year goes, I know I’ll have to focus more on the Sprint Cup stuff.  I understand it’s probably going to be the toughest step in my whole career.  I’m going to have to dedicate a lot of time to it and grow as a driver, do a great job for Target, for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and make everybody there happy.
 
Q.        Chip, obviously the past several seasons you’ve tried to double and redouble your efforts to try to get back to where you want your team to be.  Can there be a difference here when you have a young, fresh driver that everybody is enthusiastic about, does that help you throughout your team, even in your shop?  Do you have hope to believe that you can come yet again with a fresh new effort?
CHIP GANASSI:  That’s a good question.  I think we’ve made some steps since the inception of our team.  Some were solid steps.  Looking back, some were not so solid.  But it’s a building process.
I think we made a big step this past year.  Our cars are a lot better.  They seem to run at the front a lot more.  You know, we led some races.  We’ve been running at the front a lot.  Having the right drivers certainly doesn’t hurt.
Are we there yet?  Do I think I’m there yet?  You’re never there.  You’re never there.  Until we can win on a consistent basis and win championships consistently, we’re not there, you know.
 
Q.        Bottom line, are you counting on winning some races with Kyle next year?
CHIP GANASSI:  Am I counting on winning races next year?  That’s a good question.  I think Kyle is the kind of driver, when he sees an opportunity in front of him, he takes it.  If that means it’s a win, hey, great.  There’s no pressure for him to win his first year out.  I don’t think there’s any pressure like that.
I mean, the kid’s done very well in every step he’s made in his career so far.  I see no reason why this should be any different.
 
Q.        Chip, Kyle has been compared to Jeff Gordon, to Tony Stewart.  First of all, what kind of a game-changer can that be for the organization, signing him at such a young age?  Do you anticipate you’ll get him in any Sprint Cup cars this year as far as running a race or two before the 2014 season?
CHIP GANASSI:  I appreciate those comments.  They all said nice things about Kyle.
In terms of comparing him to drivers, that’s something for you guys to do in the media.  I’m not somebody that’s going to sit here and compare him to anybody.
Obviously, when those guys came into the sport, guys like Jeff, Tony, Jimmie, they were certainly game-changers when you look back on it now.
I think to say we’re sitting here today with a game-changer, I think that’s a bit rambunctious.  We have to see what the guy does.  Maybe when he’s been in it as long as those guys have, we’ll be able to look back and do that.  I wouldn’t go as far as doing that today.
In terms of Cup races this year, right now the plan is to try to do that.  I don’t foresee that happening.  It’s never been my MO to push anybody out of any cars that are on our team.  As you know, Juan has been a great asset to our team for many years.  I’m not going to push him out or do anything like that.
I would think there’s opportunity to get him in Cup races this year and we’re going to take advantage of those opportunities.
 
Q.        Chip, you call him a special talent.  What makes Kyle a special talent in your mind?
CHIP GANASSI:  Well, you know, you hear those words a lot.  That gets thrown around a lot.  Believe me, I’ve seen my share of young guys come along in motorsports.
I would say that, you know, my first indication was at Daytona this year.  I remember watching him in the race, hearing all the time how special he
is, how special he is.  He’s running around the Nationwide race 14th or 12th.  I thought, What the hell is so special about this kid?
Sure enough, at the finish line, he was right there.  Of course, he was here and there at the finish line at Daytona this year, I should say.  Be that as it may, that to me was special.  I’ve seen that five or six, eight times now.  He gives you the impression he’s dilly-dallying in the middle of the pack, not paying attention.  Always at the end he’s where it seems to matter to be.  That says something to me.
 
Q.        Kyle, you handle yourself in many situations very calmly.  People were looking at you as a young guy, look what he can do.  As you move into the Cup Series, it will be, Did he move too fast?  Is all that attention going to be the toughest part for you?
KYLE LARSON:  I don’t know.  I think I’ll pay attention a little bit to it.  As long as I’m out there, you know, living up to my expectations and Chip’s expectations, that’s all that really matters.
Like you said, I’m not one to pay attention to all the hype or the pressure that other people put on me.  I just try and go out and do the best I can.  I don’t see myself doing any different next year.  I’m not going to push it harder than I think I can push it.  I’m just going to try and do the best I can.
If that’s winning races, contending for wins every week, that’s great.  If I’m running top 15, I’m happy with that, too.  It’s going to be a fun year next year.  I think I’ll learn a ton and I’ll enjoy it quite a bit.
 
Q.        Chip, knowing that this is an incredible talent, how do you groom him, bringing him up to this series, what do you do to make it easier on him as he comes into the series?
CHIP GANASSI:  Well, I think a big part of it was certainly his Nationwide experience this year.  In fact, we’re planning on Nationwide next year, as well, being in both series.  I think he’s in a great team with Turner Scott Motorsports.  Those guys have done a great job.  I think it’s kind of a plus that he’s with a bona fide Nationwide team.  It’s not a Cup team there doing a Nationwide car.  It’s a bona fide Nationwide team.
A lot of people think his learning curve is a little steeper doing it that way, but that will pay dividends down the road.  So I think that’s pretty important.
I’ve never considered myself a great coach or anything.  I’m sure they’re out there.  We just want to win races.  We want to be at the front.  This is not a complex thing we’re talking about up here.  It’s racing cars.  We have a young talent here that deserves a shot, and we’re giving him his shot.
 
Q.        Kyle, I don’t know if you’ve heard the debate the last couple weeks, but how ready you may be for this step.  Does it bother you?  Does it motivate you?
KYLE LARSON:  It doesn’t bother me at all.  I’d like to prove the people that don’t think I’m ready for it wrong.  The guys that think I am ready, let them pump their chest out a little bit.
Like I said, you know, as long as I’m running top 15, I’m happy with that.  I don’t know if the fans and media people think that’s good enough.  I think that’s about where I’ll set my goals for next year.
Like I said, I’ve never let the pressure get to me of running well or doing whatever.  Just always kind of sat back and raced, tried to do the best I could.  I think that’s paid off for me in all the years I’ve been racing.
I was always young.  Starting off racing Sprint cars, I was the youngest to start off in California at 14 years old, did well, proved people wrong.  I’m hoping I can do the same next year in the Cup Series and go from there.
 
Q.        This situation is nothing new to you?
KYLE LARSON:  No, I wouldn’t say so.
 
Q.        Chip, when it was clear that you and Montoya were splitting, in Europe the comment was you would bring him back to open-wheel racing.  To what percentage was Target, your sponsor, involved in signing Kyle or was it your own decision?
CHIP GANASSI:  It was our own decision.  It was a racing decision.  Target has been our sponsor for a long time, but it’s a team decision.
In terms of Juan, bring him back to open-wheel racing, whatever, I think at this time let me say this:  Juan has been a great asset to our team for many years.  We’ve enjoyed a lot of success with him.  He’s not only a driver of our team, he’s a great friend of mine.
I think there are always opportunities in our team that seem to present themselves.  You never know from time to time when those come along.
With all the different cars we have, it does make for some great opportunities at different times.  I’m certainly not counting him out of any opportunities or potential opportunities coming along.
 
Q.        Kyle, as you’ve already seen in this press conference, there’s a lot of people who have at some time or another questioned whether or not you’re ready.  For a young guy who is starting out in racing, whose goal is to race in the best and biggest series that there is, is there ever a time you’re not ready?
KYLE LARSON:  I don’t know.  I feel like I’ve learned quite a bit this year in the Nationwide Series, the K&N Series, all the stockcar stuff.  Even the Sprint car stuff I run helps when I come over here and race the stock cars.
I guess there’s a point when somebody’s not ready.  But I feel like I am ready.  I feel like I can go out there and contend.  I raced with some Cup guys in the Nationwide Series this year and learned a lot from them.  Raced them hard.  Beat some of them.
I think I can do it.  I think Chip obviously thinks I can do it, so that’s all that really matters to me.
 
Q.        Ryan Newman said earlier today when an owner comes up to a young driver like yourself and offers them a deal like this, it’s up to the driver to have the maturity and responsibility to say if he’s ready or not.  Was there any doubt in your mind that you could do this?
KYLE LARSON:  No.  Like I said, I think I can do it.  These opportunities don’t come about very often.  You never know when you have another shot like this.  You have to capitalize on it and do the best you can.
You know, there’s been people that are a lot younger than me that got their start in Cup.  I think I’ll do okay, like I said.  I’ll be all right.
 
Q.        Kyle, a number of people have said, including Jimmie Johnson and a couple of other drivers, that the Cup car may actually suit your style better given your background with the higher horsepower and greater weight.  Wondered what your thoughts on that are.
KYLE LARSON:  I believe so.  The Nationwide stuff, I don’t know, it’s about 200 horsepower less than a Cup car.  With my Sprint car background, they’re 1400-pound cars with 900-horsepower engines.  I’m used to having way too much horsepower.  I think it will translate well to the Cup cars.
I’ve gotten to test earlier this year at Rockingham.  I feel like I did pretty well in it, enjoyed it.  I feel like it suited me a little bit better.  We have to finesse the car a little bit more.  It wasn’t so much momentum driven.
I think that’s where I struggle a little bit in the Nationwide stuff, I probably don’t understand momentum quite as good as Kyle Busch or somebody.  That’s why I think the Cup stuff will be a little bit better for me.  We’ll just have to wa
it and see, I guess.
 
Q.        Chip, talking about the opportunity he may have this season to run a few races in preparation for next year, what experiences specifically would you like Kyle to have to kind of condition him for running in the Sprint Cup Series?  Kyle, in running both series, is there any room for Sprint cars as well on the schedule?
CHIP GANASSI:  That’s a good question.  What kind of experience?  Obviously, there’s no better experience than being in the races themselves, just going through all these sort of cycles that you have to go through as a young driver coming into the sport.
I think a lot of those he’s been through already.  These younger guys that come along today, they seem to take a lot of these things in stride that we all as adults think they’re big deals, scary things, whatever.  These young drivers seem to take it like a fish to water.
He’s shown a great ability to field anything that gets thrown at him, if you will.  So I think that’s what said it all for me.
KYLE LARSON:  Racing both Nationwide and Cup next year, that takes up about your whole weekend.  I know I won’t be able to race as much Sprint car stuff.  I’m cool with it.  Getting more experience in stock cars is a little bit better than racing Sprint cars.  That just shows where my focus is at being in the NASCAR stuff.
If I could still race 10 Sprint car races next year, I’d be totally fine with that.
CHIP GANASSI:  Not all of us might be (laughter).
KYLE LARSON:  I run nearly 55 to 60 this year.  That’s a bit much.  I’m ready to slow down a little bit.  If I could still be part of Sprint car racing, whether it be in ownership or having a small part in it, I would still enjoy it quite a bit and feel like I’m over there racing.
 
Q.        I don’t know what Kyle’s contract situation was with you before all this came down, but I do wonder, how important was it for you to give him this opportunity so somebody else didn’t?
CHIP GANASSI:  You know, I don’t know.  That’s a question that’s probably three years old.  I mean, that’s how long ago I met Kyle.  I don’t know.  I think that’s about when we did our first deal, two or three years ago.
To tell you the truth, I don’t have a good answer.  I think you know me well enough to know I have a pace at which we do things at our team.  Outside interference doesn’t affect that much.
 
We have our plan.  We work our plan, plan our work.  I’m sorry, but your column doesn’t influence me that much (laughter).
 
Q.        Chip, will Kyle run the full Nationwide schedule next year or just companion races or go for the title?
CHIP GANASSI:  Yeah, I mean, hopefully he’s running for a championship there next year, too.  Is he going to run every race?  That might be a stretch.  The idea is to do that.  The idea is to run as many as he can.  If he misses one or two, he may have to.  Not just companion races, no.
 
Q.        Chip, in your career you’ve brought in a lot of young guys with good and bad results.  What were you looking for during his Nationwide races to know that this was the right move?
CHIP GANASSI:  You know, I think I answered that already.  His level of maturity approaching the racing, of the race itself.  I said earlier I thought it looks sometimes like he’s back there in 10th or 12th, but always seems to be in the top 5 at the end.  I think that’s a good thing.
You know, there’s obviously a lot of questions about whether a guy like Kyle, I’ve heard from everybody, It’s too soon, too early.  Let’s take the list of drivers that we say it’s too early or they came too early and put that list over on one side.  On the right side let’s put a list of guys that at tracks all across the country, Saturday night tracks, dirt tracks, that never got the opportunity.  How long is that list, okay?  That list is 50 times longer than the list of guys that came along too soon.
As I said, there’s an opportunity here.  He’s a great driver.  He’s obviously the number one pick, as said by many other people besides myself.  Nobody deserves a shot more than he does.
 
Q.        Chip, certainly over the last couple of years you’ve made a lot of changes within your organization.  Is it to the point where your organization was ready for this type of opportunity to have a young kid?  Maybe I’m going out on a limb, but typically a young driver isn’t going to be able to come in and say, We need to do this to make the car better.  Has your team gotten to the point where you can take this opportunity?
CHIP GANASSI:  I think so.  You know, I think our cars, like I said earlier, have shown they can run easily in the top 5, top 10 on a pretty regular basis this season.  For one reason or another we’re not there at the end.
But I think plugging in a guy like Kyle, certainly the team is ready for that.  Again, until you’re winning every race and you’re winning every championship, you know, you’re never really complete, your team is never really complete.  I’m sure every race team in this garage area would like to tweak one or two things on their team from time to time.
What you’d like to do and what you actually can do are two different things sometimes, whether it’s availability of people, resources.  Lots of things come into play.  It’s not like scripting a movie.  It takes a lot of things to happen on one of these teams when you make changes or you anticipate improvements.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
ADVOCARE 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 30, 2013
 
KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING/BEAUTYREST CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Atlanta Motor Speedway and discussed the new tire at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his move to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 and other topics.  Full Transcript:
 
BIG WEEK FOR YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR ANNOUNCEMENT AND SIGNING WITH STEWART-HAAS RACING:
“It’s tough to have the present to work on and try to get Furniture Row in the Chase and then the future with Stewart-Haas Racing.  It’s tough to balance it all, but it was nice to do the announcement Tuesday.  It’s exciting to have the future set where 2014 and beyond will go, but at the same time you know it gives you a breath of fresh air coming to the track and kick butt these next two weeks with the Furniture Row guys.  I think the most important two races in the No. 78 cars history are these next two.”
 
HOW DOES GOING TO RICHMOND AND HAVING TO CLINCH HOW DOES THAT CHANGE YOUR APPROACH THESE NEXT FEW WEEKS?
“We won’t have any type of cushion whatsoever.  We have to race these next two against right now I see the Penske cars as the two we are racing heads up.  After Sunday night after the Atlanta race we will see exactly what numbers are going to be in front of us and how that will play out, but we can’t go there to run 10th.  We have to go there and run top five in these next two races.”
 
HOW WELL PREPARED IS THIS TEAM FOR A RUN AT THE CHAMPIONSHIP IF YOU MAKE THE CHASE?
“I hate to play the ‘what if’, but ‘what if’ in this case is a good ‘what if’ and that is if we make the Chase.  We have one test left which we will probably utilize at Martinsville, which is probably my weakest link.  Just the speed that we’ve had at all the race tracks, the diversified race tracks this year, I think we will be great in the Chase.  I think we can put up a good showing.  Then the pit crew they are going to have to step it up and know that it counts now.  The Chase for us started a few weeks back.  We’ve had to be perfect and run sixth and run third and run these top fives up against the stats every week.  When we had a week like we had last week with the right-rear hub falling off while we are leading the race those are things that are tough to overcome.”
 
YOU HAVE HAD VERY STRONG CARS WITH NOT VERY GOOD FINISHES AT ALL WITH DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.  YOU KNOW AS WELL AS ANYBODY THAT YOU COULD BE SITTING IN A VERY GOOD POSITION HAD THINGS FALLEN YOUR WAY JUST A FEW RACES:
“You know the best part about when you have something fail is going back through and dissecting exactly what happened and how to learn from it.  This single car team has done that every time we have had a problem there has been new procedural things to bounce back from and not have that same problem happen a second time.  Another thing that makes it easy for this group to bounce back is just the raw speed we’ve had every week when we unload.  We’ve been fast everywhere we go.”
 
HOW DIFFICULT IS IT FOR YOU TO LEAVE THIS TEAM AND GO TO ANOTHER TEAM? 
“The toughest part about switching teams is the notification with the current group that you are with.  There is big disappointment in that.  It’s tough because we have so many weeks left in our campaign this year to run hard.  It’s just the nature of this sport.  If you are not settled by September 1st you are behind in a lot of categories.  The number one category is just making the announcement, creating the buzz and then getting people lined up to know that is where they should look to commit to for the next year.  If you are making decisions about your team move and where you are going to be in the next year in December the next year is a waste.  You have to get things done as early as you can.”
 
HOW MUCH OF THE SUCCESS OF FURNITURE ROW RACING THIS YEAR WAS THE FIVE OR SIX RACES YOU RAN LAST YEAR?
“It was amazing to get together, to get the bugs worked out and team communication.  Walking in the hauler now we have our run through sheet we have our run log.  We have all of our procedural things in place.  Last year during those six races I didn’t know Todd (Berrier, crew chief) from Cole (Pearn, lead engineer) and how to talk to each one of them and just did like in the garage knowing who I was going to talk to on the radio next.  You just get through all those sequences and it just that is when you are building speed is knowing how to talk to the guys with ease.  Last year was great to get together with the team.  I’m going to finish the season strong with these guys though. We have a lot of unfinished business.”
 
DO YOU GET A SENSE THAT YOUR GUYS ARE NERVOUS ABOUT WHAT THEY WILL BE DOING NEXT YEAR?
“Yeah there is always that unknown and it’s tough within our sport like I was saying earlier you have to commit to something in September for next year, but then you still have three months that you are working with the same group of guys.  In a nutshell there are still 12 races left.  That is a third of the season.  We still have a long way to go together and that is the focus it’s on the present and it’s right now.”
 
WERE YOU SURPRISED THAT FURNITURE ROW RACING WAITED AS LONG AS THEY DID TO EXTEND YOU AN OPPORTUNITY?
“Yeah, it was a bit surprising; especially with all the success we had this year.  I had hoped that I exceeded in all the categories on how they evaluate their drivers.”
 
IN REGARDS TO THE NEW ZONE TIRE THAT WILL BE USED THIS WEEKEND AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY:
“The zone tire is something that is going to be very unique.  I hope that it turns out really well.  We always want durability, but we also want raw speed.  This tire I believe will provide us both.  It will be exciting to see the long runs as well as here in practice the short run tire temps.  There could be something just as simple as adding a ton of camber to the car will make you turn better.  At the same time you won’t have to worry about durability.”  
 

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
ADVOCARE 500
ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 30, 2013
 
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 ASPEN DENTAL CHEVROLET SS, met with media and dicsussed the next two races leading into the Chase, the new zone tire, maintaining team momentum while planning to go to another team and season-end, the intensity of the Richmond race, and more. FULL TRANSCRIPT:
 
THE MODERATOR:  Ryan, talk a little bit about these next two races and your team’s mindset.
RYAN NEWMAN:  I think for us the absolute mindset is to focus on the racing part of it and know that these next two races are going to be what proves what we’re capable of in the next 10 if we can get what we need to done in the next two races.  As Stewart said a few years ago, we’d just be taking up a spot in the championship race.
From our standpoint, it’s our job doing business as usual, doing our best to get the best finishing position we can, no extra risk.  Especially here at Atlanta, things get spread out a little bit and you end up with 10 cars on the lead lap, that type of thing.
Having a good racecar here is extremely important – probably more important than Richmond.
 
THE MODERATOR:  We’ll take questions for Ryan.
 
Q.        Ryan, what is your take, especially from the standpoint of an engineer, on the new zone tire, the tread that they’re bringing in?
RYAN NEWMAN:  I mean, I think there’s definitely a common sense approach to it that they’re using.  It’s something that they’ve been working on.  I’ve been a part of testing it several times at different racetracks.
Here at Atlanta, it’s the best worst-case scenario for that because it is the toughest track we have on tires.  The strength of that zone tread tire is the durability side of it.  The biggest part of the durability side of what we do is the inside shoulder of the right front tire.
I think all that being said, I hope there are no issues.  The reason they’re doing that is so there won’t be any issues because this new car is definitely the most challenging we’ve had on tire durability.
 
Q.        Ryan, I’m not really referring to your current situation with Tony, but looking back to say when you went from Penske to Tony Stewart, you tell your crew guys, I’m leaving to go to another team, how do you keep that momentum up until the end of the season is over with?
RYAN NEWMAN:  Quite honestly those guys did that for me because after the announcement was made in Loudon, we didn’t know obviously.  Our goal is, was, still is to make the Chase.  They rebounded for all of us and performed at Indianapolis the way we all needed to and the way we’ve been capable of all year.
That was the answer to your question.  I mean, they said, We’re not quitting, we’re going to fight till the end.  The end is the checkered flag at Homestead.
 
Q.        Ryan, you’re obviously fighting to make the Chase.  Next season remains unsettled.  Is it difficult to kind of compartmentalize the two, keep the focus on this year as opposed to thinking about what may happen next year?
RYAN NEWMAN:  I wouldn’t say it’s difficult.  I would say it’s more of a challenge because you have to, as you said, compartmentalize, stay focused at different times on different subjects.
All that being said, it takes away from your relaxing time in your mind, which is just as important as being focused on what you need to at a given time, be it 2013 or 2014.
I feel like mentally I’m capable of doing that and have been.  Basically I’ve been in that situation for the last 12 months.  So it really hasn’t changed for me.  I think I’ve honed my skills over the last 12 months to be in the right position right now.
 
Q.        Are you any more confident that you’ll have a Cup ride next year now compared to maybe three or four weeks ago?  Also, did you watch the press conference on Tuesday and did you laugh, did you cry, did you throw anything?  What did you think?
RYAN NEWMAN:  No, I did not watch it.  I have only read it and seen the quotes from different individuals.
To me it’s a unique situation that to me doesn’t really affect me, as I said.  In the end, it’s what they’re going to do in 2014.  I already knew I wasn’t going to be a part of that.
Yeah, I do feel more confident, to answer the first part of your question, that I’m moving along.  I have nothing obviously to announce.  But my focus is on these next two races.
I do have a different focus, as we talked about, on 2014, but that won’t happen this weekend or next weekend, it will happen during the week.
 
Q.        As a guy whose background is completely dissimilar, how do you think Kyle Larson’s background prepares him for getting in a Cup car?
RYAN NEWMAN:  I think no matter if it was Chip Ganassi, Roger Penske or Tony Stewart, or whoever, they would have went to Kyle and said, Do you think you’re ready for this?  There’s a part of a driver that has to take the responsibility in saying yes or no.
I think Kyle has definitely proven across the board he can drive absolutely anything anywhere anytime.  There’s a few drivers out there that can do that.  When I say ‘a few,’ there’s 20 or 30 that are that good.
I think no matter what announcement there is, in the end we all know Kyle has a lot of talent.  I think the biggest challenge he’s going to have ahead of him is not what happens outside of this room, it’s what happens inside of this room, the media part of it, the publicity part of it.  The potential pressure, if you let it get to you, is more of a challenge I think than sitting in the seat behind the wheel and doing your job as a driver.
 
Q.        Can you describe the intensity that a lot of guys are going to feel next weekend at the Richmond race, the guys around the bubble, and how that’s different from every other week?  It has to have something extra to it.
RYAN NEWMAN:  It does.  To me, maybe I kind of view it as watching golf on TV, where you watch, you know where the leader is, you seed the leaderboard, you know where you’re at starting the race, you have maybe the last round to make up, you see where guys are plus or minus.  You keep kind of track of that under cautions.  But when the green flag drops, you have your job to do.  That’s just like swinging the clubs.
I’m no golfer, but I see it like that.  It’s doesn’t go necessarily play-by-play, but event by event, if who is on what hole, what does he have left, where are we at in the race, who is good on fuel, things like that.
You kind of watch that.  But in the end, as a driver, you’re still focused on hitting your marks, not screwing up, not taking yourself out.
So I think to me that was the first thing that came to my mind when you asked the question.  I’m not a huge golf fan, but I’ve watched enough golf on TV to know that’s how the mental and physical part of it works.
 
Q.        How different is it now in the garage looking for a ride than it was when you first came in?
RYAN NEWMAN:  I didn’t have to look.  I don’t know.  I don’t know.
I came into this garage with a great ride, you know, obviously a great organization with great people.  We proved that, proved that out of the box, winning a pole my second race, a top five in my third race.  It came not easy, but it just came.
There was a lot of hard work involved, but that’s why I can’t say it was easy.  In the end, I can’t answer that because I know it’s not easy now.  That’s why going back to a kid like Kyle Larson, if you have a go
od opportunity like that, it’s hard to say no, and that’s the bottom line.
 
Q.        You would think performance, you win at Indy, that would assure you of something.  Do you feel like the next couple of races, that it’s on the races themselves?
RYAN NEWMAN:  Yes, it’s on.  There’s no doubt it’s on.  Indianapolis and all that stuff helped.  But I think if you look at my history in the sport the last 10 years, I’ve got a good résumé on and off the racetrack.  I think there are car sponsors and owners that appreciate that.
THE MODERATOR:  Ryan, thank you for your time.
RYAN NEWMAN:  Thank you.