Question Quest Story and photos by Dwight Drum Web work by Larsen & Drum
Drivers about Drivers
Fans often wonder what drivers think about each other. Since most of the information available to the public comes from words released in the public, opinions are often tempered.
Face it folks, if you were asked to make a comment about your neighbor knowing your neighbor would read that comment soon you might step around your harshest thoughts too and choose careful words. That's human nature.
Magnify a simple statement by a NASCAR driver by the national media and hard words can take on a long life.
When Tony Stewart was recently asked if it's worth it to make comments that people don't like he explained, "I don't think it's worth it to be honest. It's just a lot easier just to be kind of plain-Jane and know that when you leave the track Sunday night you don't have to go to work Monday and Tuesday putting out fires."
We all read between the lines in real life when we sense friction between people. Personalities represent a spectrum of behavior and not all mix well. All too often a brutally honest person frequently pays a social and even an economic price for loose verbiage.
That said, public statements by drivers are often true and honest. Just don't expect repetitively offensive remarks from drivers that represent sponsors for a living. Put yourself in their seat and you'll feel that there is more pulling on them than G forces in every corner.
"Drivers about Drivers" is our presentation of words shared in public air. It's your read from here on in.
Source: NASCAR transcripts, team press releases
Kevin Harvick about Tony Stewart
IN YOUR OPINION, WHO IS THE GREATEST DRIVER IN ANY SERIES?
"I think the most diverse driver would have to be (Tony) Stewart just because he's been in the Indy car. He's won in Indy cars, he's won in stock cars, he wins in midgets, wins in dirt cars, everything that he runs in. I don't think anybody else has that broad of a racing spectrum I guess you can say of what they race now because most people don't race like that on a week-to-week basis and he races on a week-to-week basis in everything."
Jeff Gordon about first meeting with Dale Jr:
On what his first impressions of Junior were before he got to Cup and what his potential was going to be? Do you remember meeting him at North Wilkesboro?
"He was racing at North Wilkesboro with his sister at that time (laughs) so it was pretty funny because I was actually talking to Dale Sr. on pit road there that day. He introduced me to I think to both Kelly and Dale, Dale was pretty shy, like he is now. Quiet, didn't say a whole lot. I remember looking at the car and giving Sr. a hard time because he was making them work hard, put it that way (laughs). If he was successful out there on the track in the late models, or whatever kind of car that was that was driving, it wasn't because he had the best equipment, I can tell you that. I thought that was pretty interesting. I also thought it was pretty cool of Dale, Sr. to not just go out there and give them all the best stuff. I think he knew he was going to be under a microscope having that name and he did it for all the kids from what I understand. Any of them that got in to a race car, he wanted to make them work for it like he did and have to learn the cars, have to drive a lot of different types of equipment and work his way up to get him better equipment.
"He didn't say a whole lot at that time, it was hard, it is not like I could give you a real good impression cause he was quiet and he was young. It wasn't until later I got to know him a little bit better."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. about Jeff Gordon:
Dale, I was curious to know, before you made it into Cup, what was your impression of Jeff Gordon? Did your dad give you any indication about how good a driver he was before you actually started racing Cup races?
"Well, I met Jeff Gordon, the first time I met Jeff, I was at North Wilkesboro practicing for a Late Model race I was trying to qualify for. We happened to be there the same weekend as the Cup cars. We were trying to make that race. I was out on pit road doing something with my car, whatever.
"Dad walked up and introduced me to Jeff. Jeff was sitting on pit wall. That wasn't the first time I met him. I'd met him before. Dad introduced me to him when he was in the Busch Series. Jeff was driving for Bill Davis. He introduced me to Jeff. Jeff was sitting on the pit wall at Charlotte one week. I was really young, probably 14 or 15. Maybe older than that.
"Anyways, he introduced me to him again at North Wilkesboro. Dad, you know, I don't know, he never introduced me to people. So for him to be doing that, I figured there was something important going on, some reason I needed to know this guy.
"He introduced me to maybe -- I can't -- the people that he introduced me to in that sort of a situation, in that context, he'd only done that maybe a dozen times. I felt like it must be pretty important. He must have felt like Jeff was really talented and gonna be around for a while, so...
"But, you know, Jeff was winning championships when I was just kind of getting started. And I think indirectly he has a little bit to do with guys coming into the sport at the age they're coming in now, because to see him in there challenging and winning races and beating guys five, ten years older than him, it drove a lot of people that were really young.
"It drove a lot of people harder. It drove them harder to get there sooner. People were sort of -- had a pace about getting into the Cup Series. Whenever you got there. However old you were, that's how old you were, you know. You just got there however you could.
"I think Jeff, being as young as he was, I think he was 26 or so when he started really getting really some good results, you know, that drove a lot of guys, like myself back then, to thinking that we should -- I thought I should already have been in the series and that I was a late-bloomer, got a late start.
"I was sort of upset with myself that I didn't push myself to be in the sport quicker and apply myself sooner. When I was in my early teens, to try to apply myself to racing sooner instead of goofing off so much. And I think that's what you really see today."
Tony Stewart about Kyle Busch
Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing:
You have a new teammate in Kyle Busch. What does he bring to Joe Gibbs Racing?
"Kyle is a totally different guy than what a lot of people perceive him to be. I like Kyle. I'm proud to have him as a teammate and I'm proud of him as a competitor. He's just a kid who's happy-go-lucky. He's always laughing about something, and that's what we need. That kid loves racing more than anybody I know. He'll run three races a weekend if the Trucks are here and not even think twice about it.
"Kyle and I, our relationship together when he first started was a little rough, but even before he signed the contract, we got things smoothed out and learned how to get along well with each other. It's great having him here at Joe Gibbs Racing. I know people think he's a little rough around the edges, but I see a lot of talent in him. He's a great teammate. The test session that we had at Atlanta before the season was even over, working with him and talking to him and communicating with him, I knew then that he was going to be a strong asset to this team.
"He's learned a lot of patience. He's got a lot of qualities that are going to help this race team. Having all three cars up front every week is something that is going to make us that much stronger. Kyle is very much a team player already. He's so willing to give information and talk about what his car is doing. Having that information and having three guys that are up front, with our cars driving fairly similarly, is going to make us that much stronger of a race team. We have three guys that have very similar personalities that I think are going to mesh really well.
"He's got a different set of ideas that we haven't had in the past. We had our first team meeting as far as the three crew chiefs, the three drivers and the three main engineers from each team, where we all got together after the shortened happy hour session that we had at California. And listening to how Kyle and Denny and I all work together, the crew chiefs all work together, I really believe that's going to lead this team higher than it has ever been. That was really one of Kyle's ideas with the team, was to try to get us all together after happy hour. I know we tried to do it some last year, but I think he was really adamant about all three teams being able to get together like that and share information. I really believe it is going to help us be a better race team. The three of us, even Denny and I, it's got Denny and I communicating more than we ever have in the past."
(The fourth paragraph just above comes courtesy of SIRIUS Satellite Radio's "Tony Stewart Live" - Ed.) {All paragraphs are courtesy of JGR press relations - Racetake Ed}.
Mark Martin about Kyle Busch
"I've seen this coming for quite some time. Right now, he is the wheel man of the series. I can't use the explanation that I might in the garage. But he's doing it. He's getting her done this year. He's doing it.
"When you watch Jeff Gordon drive, Jeff Gordon goes really fast. But you don't see a whole lot there other than going fast. You watch Kyle Busch drive and not only is he going fast, but you see he's taking your breath too (laugh). I've been there before. When you're at the very, very top of your game. He's got car control and he's smart enough to be able to make it. He's not wrecking them and bringing them back on a roll back. He's putting it all together."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. about Martin Truex Jr.
What do you think of Martin Truex Jr.?
"Martin is a great talent. We've worked together a lot you know; his whole career. He's just so talented coming in. Right out of the box, you know, when he first started driving, he knew what he was doing. He just sharpens himself as he goes and becomes a better driver every week. He's really dedicated to his craft and that's the type of guy you want behind the wheel. So, I know he can get the job done. He's got a good team."
© 2008 Dwight Drum
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