When the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series hits the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday for the 20th annual event, Chad Knaus has the opportunity to again make driver Jimmie Johnson stand above the rest.
Not just on the pagoda of Victory Lane, but in the record books, a place they are already so familiar with. The Lowe’s Chevrolet team from Hendrick Motorsports will attempt to defend their 2012 victory, their fourth Brickyard 400 win. It tied Johnson with teammate Jeff Gordon for the most at IMS in the series.
A fifth victory on Sunday would place Johnson ahead of other racing greats, such as A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. It would tie him for most all-time IMS wins with Formula 1 superstar Michael Schumacher.
But for Knaus, he’s already an IMS great. With the four Brickyard wins in his pocket, Knaus is the winningest crew chief at the speedway. He won with Johnson in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012.
“I think quite honestly, all of those victories were so special. Last year’s was a lot of fun, from the standpoint of really having a super dominant racecar, so that was definitely one that stood out,” Knaus said this week, while looking ahead to the Indy weekend.
“I think one that was always kind of fun and different was probably not the one that the sport is most likely the happiest about, is when we did have the tire issues up there [in 2008] and we were running out of tires and we were throwing a lot of cautions and we were actually able to maintain and win that race.
“That was a lot of fun. I think that was our second one. They are all just so special. It’s such an amazing racetrack, so much history.”
The NSCS comes off their final off weekend of the year. It’s now 17 straight weeks until the conclusion of the season at Homestead where a champion will be crowned. There are only seven races remaining until the Chase begins in Chicago and Knaus has Johnson sitting atop the point standings with a comfortable 56-point lead.
Four wins – tied for most on the season – and a few impressive late race comebacks are the reason why some believe Knaus and company are already in control of another title run. Except, Knaus is always the realist and never one to stop working. Even during the week off he revealed he only took three days off of personal time.
The team is still hard at work, Knaus not having to remind anyone that in seven weeks all that they’ve accomplished will mean nothing. The big point lead, wins and momentum. Twelve teams will start fresh and that’s when it’s time to be on your best game.
“The issue is making them [the team] realize that in seven weeks they have to take their games to the next level and that’s really hard to do,” said Knaus.
“Because if you sit back now and think that you can coast until Chicago, you’re sadly mistaken, because most important thing to do going into Chicago is to make sure you have momentum on your side, and that’s what our focus is.”
As for the upcoming weekend, the team comes off a solid sixth place finish in New Hampshire. A hard fought weekend that included inspection problems and having to start 43rd. Knaus was never rattled, taking responsibility for a mistake, sticking to his strategy and faith in a fast car with a great driver.
After 11 years together, 62 wins and five championships, there’s no reason for Knaus not to be. Adversity has never defeated the duo and success continues to amount. Not surprising for a man whom others – the ones not continually enraged by the domination – call the hardest working guy in the garage. A man who admits that he’s not one of the most educated crew chiefs but who lives with one recurring nightmare everyday, every weekend.
“It’s kind of funny; I always am in just a semi-state of a little bit of fear. I’m not going to lie,” he revealed.
“I fear the fact that one day, we’ll never win a race again. I fear the fact that one day I won’t work with Jimmie again. I fear the fact that one day, I won’t have this amazing facility at Hendrick Motorsports to work in. And I try to work as hard as I can every single day to go out there and win races, because I know at some point in time, it’s going to go away.
“And you just can’t take anything for granted.”
