NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
GOODY’S HEADACHE RELIEF SHOT 500
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 24, 2014
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY BREAST CANCER AWARENESS CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media and discussed her first time racing at Martinsville, her thoughts on the crew chief and team switch in 2015 and many other topics. Full Transcript:
TALK ABOUT HOW THINGS ARE GOING AND YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT THE CHANGES TO YOUR TEAM ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK:
“Talladega was just about right. Going into the pits leading, coming out leading and having Jimmie (Johnson) behind me. I knew there wasn’t very much left because I knew that we were not that far off on making it on fuel so I knew it was a pretty short distance. I thought ‘wow this is going to be awesome, me and Jimmie.’ Then I was like ‘and Jimmie has got to win to get in the Chase’, I’m like ‘this could get really messy’. But then the yellow came out, so then it could have gotten a different kind of messy, but we were in a good spot. I think in general things have been going alright. We have been running better here at the end of the season and putting our races together better, I think we had some speed like we have had lately earlier this season, but just weren’t able to fully execute or had either mistakes on my part or failures or mistakes on pit lane that would affect our outcome. In general things have kind of just been coming together a little bit better lately.
“With NASCAR changing some rules and letting us know at this point what they are going to be for next year we know that we are not going to get a lot of on track time before next season. So if the team wants changes made or has ideas it’s probably in everybody’s best interest to make moves now so that things can start off on the right foot for 2015 instead of starting from scratch and trying to develop an accurate dialogue and relationship on the radio. I know Daniel (Knost) he was my race engineer when I did the 10 races with (Greg) Zipadelli for Stewart-Haas in 2012. Really nice guy, very smart and he is definitely a lot like the kind of engineers and in fact in IndyCar it was called an engineer instead of a crew chief that I was used to dealing with. We have gotten along anyway regardless of whether he has been on my car or not. I’m definitely open minded and looking forward to the opportunity to see how it will go with him.”
EARLIER GREG ZIPADELLI WAS SAYING THAT YOUR PERSONALITY AND WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING FOR MIGHT JUST MESH BETTER WITH AN ENGINEER TYPE THAN AN OLD SCHOOL CREW CHIEF TYPE. CAN YOU EXPAND ON WHAT THAT IS?
“I just think that it is something that I’m used to. I’m used to someone that has an engineering approach to what they do and I don’t think that it has to be that way, but I think that everybody is looking for some magic and a relationship that takes you to the next level. And maybe getting back to something that actually just having something I haven’t really had in NASCAR yet, I’ve had kind of all more crew chief style, crew chiefs, old school crew chiefs, that maybe it will be something that will work better. I don’t know.”
TALK ABOUT WHAT YOU REMEMBER FROM YOUR FIRST RACE AT MARTINSVILLE AND SECOND OF ALL WHO ARE A COUPLE OF PEOPLE WHO WERE YOUR HEROES IN RACING GROWING UP?
“I have a lot of fond memories of my first race here in Martinsville. I think I finished 11th, I was two laps down at the beginning. I had to start in the back for an engine change and then I spun and I was two laps down. Then I got them all back and finished 11th. I had an awesome first race here at Martinsville. I had a hot dog. I haven’t had a hot dog since then. I just walked by the concession stand and said I will be back for a hot dog tomorrow. I don’t want to risk eating it on race day. I’m not really sure that is a good idea. Even if I feel sick I feel like it works. They don’t look like regular hot dogs, but maybe that is because they don’t have the regular effect of a hot dog. They help you in the race car. That is my plan this weekend.
“As far as heroes go, my answer is usually a little bit disappointing. I didn’t really have any. I just didn’t. I didn’t want to be like anyone. I wanted to learn from people that I was around and make myself better, but as I always say I wanted to be the first Danica Patrick, not the next somebody else. I had a lot of people that I learned from that were very valuable in my career and helped me along, but nobody that I idolized or was my role model necessarily.”
GREG ZIPADELLI SAID EARLIER TODAY THAT YOUR SPEED ON THE TRACK AND YOUR QUALIFYING WERE CERTAINLY MUCH BETTER, BUT THE RACE RESULTS WEREN’T AND AT THE END OF THE DAY THAT IS WHAT MATTERS THE MOST. IS THAT YOUR KIND OF APPROACH BEHIND THE MOVES IS THAT REALLY THE CRUX FOR MAKING THE CHANGE?
“I don’t know if necessarily… you always want the results sure, but I think that within the team we are all smart enough to know that if the speed is there and at times it’s going well enough it will come together. I also am not the one that makes the ultimate decisions. If that is what he said, then I guess that is what he said. But from my perspective there are more pieces than just me. Obviously in this situation there is Kurt (Busch) and there are all kinds of people involved. Collaboratively apparently this is the move that they thought would be the best for everyone and give us the best head start at 2015. Perhaps the opportunity for things to improve because for me it’s not as though they were bad, it’s just you wants to go out there and win every weekend. I’m sure Kurt (Busch) wants to do the same. Until you come across a relationship like Jimmie (Johnson) and Chad (Knaus) have perhaps there is always room for improvement I guess.”
GIVEN THE FACT YOU HAVE SHOWN OBVIOUS PROGRESS WITH (TONY) GIBSON SO FAR THIS YEAR DO YOU FEEL LIKE PERSONALLY YOU WANTED OR NEEDED A CHANGE TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP FORWARD?
“I’m not sure. I think that things had started to definitely take a nice turn in a better direction the last part of the year. I was open minded to anything. Like I said, ultimately at the end of the day these decisions are not made by me. I feel like things had been going in a nice direction, but again there is a bigger scale of things going on than just me. So the rearranging took place, but I’m very open minded and I’m not scared of change. I definitely am one that believes that you can’t know if something can be better unless you try it. I’m ready for the challenge and the change and the possibility of it being better than what it is.”
DANIEL (KNOST) IS LISTED AS AN INTERIM (CREW CHIEF) IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD WANT TO SEE OVER THE LAST THREE RACES THAT WOULD MAKE YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH HIM BEING YOUR CREW CHIEF NEXT YEAR?
“I think that we click and the things that are felt in the race car and then conveyed over the radio and the changes that are made in relationship to that. If that takes a fast course in a good direction, and we seem to click well and make progress throughout the weekend then I think that will be a really positive sign. I think that is always a challenge. If that is good then that is I feel like a good sign for the future. I know I already get along with him as a person. As I have said, I have worked with him before and I have seen him plenty of times in the shop. We have chatted plenty of times. I know I get along with him. Now it’s time to see if we get along in a competitive atmosphere where it becomes more technical than just friendship.”
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT KNOCK-OUT QUALIFYING HAS BEEN IN YOUR SECOND YEAR IN CUP RACING?
“I can think of some times that it has helped me. There have been a couple of times that it has. I feel like maybe there are more times that is hasn’t though. I think in the first round of everybody going out and qualifying. I feel like we usually find ourselves in a pretty good spot and sometimes then go down from there or don’t get better in the second round or something like that. It’s definitely; I’ve qualified much better, so I don’t know. I can’t attribute that to one thing. I can’t tell you whether or not that is the mind frame that I am in because you have more opportunities or if it is just because we are in a better position of working together long enough that they have identified the little things that I need that help me in qualifying or if it’s just me getting better, I haven’t been around long enough to have enough qualifying runs to create an average one direction or the other. All I know is qualifying has gone better and for that I’m very happy.”
TALK ABOUT BEING A SENIOR EDITOR FOR THE PLAYER’S TRIBUNE:
“How does that come across to all of you guys?”
HOW DID THAT COME ABOUT; DID YOU ENJOY WRITING THE FIRST STORY; DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEAS ABOUT YOU ARE GOING TO WRITE ABOUT NEXT?
“I don’t think that what I will do next will be writing. I guess that leads me into what I feel is really interesting about the Player’s Tribune is that it is a platform that allows athletes first and foremost say what they want to say in their own words. Then I will use the first piece as an example. You know, there are writers on staff at the Tribune. I was with them for an entire day everything from working out, to grocery shopping, to going to buy curtains. They were with me the whole time, hair and makeup getting done for Kevin Harvick’s event that was a couple of weeks ago. They were with me the whole time. It was turned around and published like within a day or two of them being with me. There are writers for it, and then I went through and edited. And I edited a lot actually. Quite a bit. So, it is crazy to think that the way that I went and put it into the computer which was very informal, but my voice, is literally what was published. That is what I am using as an example that your words is exactly what is put out there.
“Beyond that, then there is that ability to be able to do things that let people see a side of your personality that you might not have a reason to show. I want to try really hard to make people think I’m funny. I’m going to try really hard at that. Other than that, whatever it is as an athlete you feel like you want to put out there, maybe it is to correct something. Maybe there’s something that happens, and perhaps it gets written about and you don’t feel like it has been portrayed the right way. It will give you a chance to go and tell your side of the story. I really see it as an opportunity for me because I feel like I have a good relationship with all of you, and I feel like you guys do a nice job for me and write really great stuff. But there is no reason for you to paint me in a funny picture, or show my more Martha Stewart side. So, this gives me the opportunity to do some of those things. So, expand my brand, and show different sides of my personality. And then do it along with other athletes which is I thing a really interesting way to see things from an athlete to athlete perspective. I think it will be really fun to have athlete to athlete Q & A’s and things like that, just stuff that might not otherwise get the chance to happen. I’m just flattered that I was asked to be a senior editor. Derek (Jeter) has put together a really cool program, and I’m glad I’m in it.”
THIS WEEKEND IS SPECIAL FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS:
“Why?”
IT IS THE 50-YEAR MILESTONE OF THE TRACK PRESENTING A GRANDFATHER CLOCK AS A TROPHY, AND ALSO THEY ARE RUNNING SPECIAL PAINT SCHEMES TO HONOR WENDELL SCOTT HERE, WHO HAD TIES TO THE AREA. WITH THE SPECIAL PAINT SCHEMES AND THE TRIBUTES IT ALSO BRINGS TO LIGHT SORT OF THE DISCUSSION OF THE DIVERSITY IN NASCAR, AND WITH YOU…
“I have never benefited from the Diversity Program.”
SO I GUESS FOR YOU, IN YOUR EYES, WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE FOR MORE WOMEN…
“Well, clearly then I wouldn’t think that there needs to be a Diversity Program if I’m here and I didn’t get in. It wasn’t like they asked me to be in it. They didn’t give my team or me any money. They didn’t say we’d love you…you know? So I would say that you have to just make it. And I’m not saying that being a girl hasn’t helped, but I didn’t need a program to make it happen.”
HAVE YOU ACCEPTED THE ROLE AS A TRAILBLAZER AS A WOMAN IN NASCAR AND A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUNG WOMEN WHO HOPE TO ONE DAY FILL YOUR SHOES IN THE SPORT?
“Do I hope to?”
HAVE YOU ACCEPTED YOUR ROLE AS A TRAILBLAZER AND A ROLE MODEL FOR YOUNG WOMEN? “Sure, I don’t really think about it that much. I think about my relationship with the young kids, and how that is really cool and special and unique. I really enjoy the kids, so that is something I think about, and I am grateful to be a role model to some of them. But, as far as beyond that, sure, I think it is what it is. But it’s not something that I set out to do. My parents never brought me up to feel like I was any different. So, I was never taught to be the fastest girl. I was taught to be the fastest. Sorry, we’re always hard on the young ones. I’m always hard on the young ones.”
WE WERE TALKING TO RICKY (STENHOUSE) ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR HIM WATCHING
HE WAS TALKING ABOUT HIS EMOTIONS LAST SUNDAY (MISSING THE TALLADEGA RACE). IT MUST HAVE BEEN A PRETTY EMOTIONAL WEEKEND:
“Well, I was really pissed off after qualifying. I mean I went to the NASCAR hauler and I said ‘what the — is this? Is that what we were trying to accomplish?’ Part of it was because it was Ricky, and part of it was because that could have just as easily been me. And, I know how important those races are to me and my team, but also my sponsors and the people who invest in those events, especially the big ones at the speedways, but all of them. Those are all very big races for us every year, all four of those. Obviously particularly the Daytona 500. And so, I was fighting for not having someone that wasn’t deserving being in that situation.
“So, but then, I went back to the bus after that, and I just felt really, really bad for him. I said…I don’t think any girl could probably relate as well as I can for you. Partly because of what I do, because it could have been me, and he wanted to go home. And, as much as a girlfriend, I wanted him to stay and be there. I was like ‘I get it, if you want to go home – go home. I get it.’ He wanted to ride the tractor all day and not even watch the race, which kind of for a second made me go ‘oh, then you won’t watch. I get it.’ I wouldn’t want to watch either if I was in that scenario, so I really understood where he was coming from. He ended up doing the right thing. He had some sponsor obligations the next day, and he was upset by that for a second. That just wasn’t going to change. At the end of the day, he didn’t fight to not make it happen. He knew that was the right thing to do. And he did the right thing, and stayed, and made the most of it. I just hope that no one undeserving is ever in that scenario in the future. Hopefully NASCAR does something that it doesn’t happen.”
INAUDIBLE:
“They didn’t give me a solution. But I don’t blame them. You really don’t want to argue with Mr. Helton. But I was glad they were all in there because I had thought it was important that they knew that, even if it was just me that was upset and scared. I said ‘I’m throwing my hand up saying I’m afraid it is going to be me next.’ I think they very much understood, and I think they as a series don’t want to see their cars that come week in and week out with sponsors not make the race. The last thing we want to do is lower the car count for qualifying, the car count for qualifying in Sprint Cup because we don’t have the cars to fill. I’m sure that they understand and they will do everything they can to make appropriate changes. But as they said, there is a lot going on to make those decisions, I understand, but I don’t fully understand.
“So, I’m sure that they’ll…I’d be surprised if there weren’t changes made for next year. And if not, I don’t know what the heck I’m going to do. Because I don’t think there is a way you can plan it that perfectly. I thought Ricky actually did the right thing being last because if you go out first, you are last. So their argument was about having 25 minutes and not using it right, and then giving five minutes and not using it right. I said ‘well the cars that went out and made the full five minutes are last. And the ones that almost made all five minutes with only one and maybe another car with them are virtually last, and those guys almost didn’t make the race then in a perfect storm if it would happened. If you go out first, you are basically driving to last. So you go out at the back, you suck it up and go to the back, and then you don’t make it in time. It’s like well, if you would have rolled out first, you would have been last anyway. So, I don’t think there is a way to do it that is calculated. I think it is a little bit of…no, it is a lot of a crap shoot and just getting lucky and being in the right place at the right time. The only thing he could have done different was be in the middle of that group. But how can you make that happen? You can’t make sure you are in the middle of the group. It’s a clock that you aren’t looking at and a scenario that you can’t see all of. Sorry I get a little long winded every time I talk about it.”
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