NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FORD ECOBOOST 400
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
NOVEMBER 16, 2012
TONY STEWART, NO. 14 OFFICE DEPOT/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET, met with members of the
media at Homestead-Miami Speedway and discussed making his 500th career
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start, the high and low points of the season and
other topics. Full Transcript:
500TH START THIS WEEKEND CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT MILESTONE?
“It means I’m getting old (laughs). I’m pretty proud of that. It’s a cool
accomplishment. I remember when I came in the series watching guys get
recognized for their 500th start. That is pretty neat.”
LAST RACE WITH OFFICE DEPOT TALK ABOUT WHAT THEY HAVE MEANT TO YOU AND YOUR
ORGANIZATION:
“They have been awesome. They were the first company that came and wanted
to be a part of this program when it started. Even before I actually signed
my deal with Gene (Haas) was when they came and say ‘hey we don’t know if
what we are hearing you are doing you are going to do, but if you are we
want to be a part of it.’ That was nice to have that kind of vote of
confidence from somebody like Office Depot.”
IN YOUR MIND WHAT ARE THE HIGH POINTS AND LOW POINTS OF THIS SEASON?
“I think the high point is probably winning at Las Vegas, winning at a track
we hadn’t won at before was definitely a high point. A lot of places that
we were so good at last year in the Chase, not being good this time and this
year around was a little disappointing.”
DO YOU FEEL DISCOURAGED GOING INTO NEXT YEAR GIVING THAT YOU RECENTLY
HAVEN’T BEEN RUNNING WELL AT THE SAME PLACES YOU RAN WELL AT LAST YEAR?
“We’ve got such a different car and different package next year, everybody
just kind of starts over. I am discouraged that we are finishing this way,
but not because of what it’s going to lead to next year. Everybody is going
to start with stuff that is totally different package wise than what we
have. A totally new body that is obvious to everybody, but things
underneath the car that the guys are doing to the cars this year that we are
not going to be allowed to do next year. There are a lot of changes and it’s
going to be a whole new learning process starting over in Daytona.”
WHAT TYPE OF RACE DO YOU THINK WE ARE GOING TO SEE ON SUNDAY?
“You always ask that after practice when nobody has ran around each other.
I honestly have no idea. When we went on the race track there was rubber
all the way across from the bottom to the top so they are obviously using
the whole race track before we even started. That is a good sign that the
race track still moves around.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT JEFF (GORDON) DID LAST WEEK?
“I’m not going to get involved in that.”
THE ELDORA RUMOR HEATED UP AGAIN CAN YOU SAY ANYTHING ON THAT?
“When we have something to say we will tell you guys. It’s starting to get
annoying every week it’s like we don’t even know answers and you guys want
answers that we don’t even have answers to. When we have answers we will
come to you guys I promise we will not let you be left out of this.”
LAST YEAR GOING INTO THE FINAL WEEKEND YOU AND CARL (EDWARDS) KIND OF TOOK
SOME JABS AT EACH OTHER IN YOUR ESTIMATION WHAT IMPACT CAN THAT HAVE SAY
BETWEEN BRAD (KESELOWSKI) AND JIMMIE (JOHNSON)?
“I don’t know I haven’t been paying attention to what they are doing. It
affects different guys different ways.”
DOES THE CHASE GET MORE DIFFICULT OR EASIER WHEN YOU HAVE SOME WHAT OF A
CUSHION OR IS IT BETTER IF YOU DON’T HAVE A CUSHION AND JUST RACE KNOWING
YOU NEED TO PUSH IT EVERYTHING AS HARD AS POSSIBLE THE WHOLE WAY?
“I don’t know. We’ve been in both situations. The whole day is evenly as
tough no matter where you are at it’s a tough day. There is nothing easy
about it.”
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car
brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4
million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with
fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design
and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at
www.chevrolet.com.
