NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 17, 2015
TODD PARROTT, INTERIM CREW CHIEF FOR THE NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media to discuss his challenge filling in as crew chief of the No. 31. Full Transcript:
WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE LIKE?
“Well I’m sure I will have my challenges. I have been here since December with RCR (Richard Childress Racing) as the XFINITY Series competition director. So working with all these guys with the Cup teams, the No. 3, the No. 31 and the No. 27 with Justin (Alexander), Gil (Martin) and Luke (Lambert) and all the engineers and everybody at RCR all the engineering department and all the aero department and that stuff. I’m very familiar with what is going on here. I have stayed over for some Sunday races. Obviously bouncing back and forth, you guys know my history. I have a lot of years in the Cup garage. Hopefully, it shows the depth of RCR, while Luke is going through his deal here with the suspension and stuff. We have a great bunch of guys. The engineers, tire guy and everybody that is filling in for the guys back at home. So we just go out and do our job and make the best of it.”
DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING SPECIFICALLY ABOUT RYAN (NEWMAN) DURING THE TEST?
“Yeah the test at Kentucky went great. It was good. We all talked about it. They talked about it and thought it would be good for me just to go listen to him, work with him a little bit. I never have. I have always admired Ryan Newman. There have been several times when I have been on the other side. He is a very aggressive racecar driver and I’m excited to get the chance to work with him. Kentucky went good. It was good for me to go there and work with all the guys, the engineers and just to get three days of testing in. Just kind of familiarizing ourselves with each other, going to dinner, hanging out and stuff like that. Coming here doing this is going to make it a lot easier. It’s not going to be easy by no means. This is a tough series and a lot of competition. I’m just looking forward to it.”
WAS THE KENTUCKY TEST YOUR FIRST TIME WITH THE 2015 CAR?
“The Kentucky test was my second time – well first time with the 2015 downforce configuration. I served as crew chief for Ty Dillon at the Daytona 500 with the No. 33 Cheerios car. Yes, that was my first time actually there with a group doing that. Obviously, I have been at the race tracks watching, listening and working with the XFINITY guys trying to share information on both sides of the garage. It was my first time, yes.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY PARTICULAR CHALLENGES WITH BRISTOL BEING THE FIRST RACING FILLING IN?
“I don’t think so. I’ve been coming to Bristol for a long time. It’s one of my favorite tracks. I won here with Dale Jarrett a long time ago. I’ve had successful cars. The race is fast, a lot of things happen, race strategy pitting two tires, four tires, staying out. So all of those things are going to come into effect, things that I’m going to have to brush up on in the next couple of days and watch some videos and races. We have a great supporting cast here with Grant (Hutchens) and Ryan Baldi filling in for Phil (Surgen). There is a lot of depth here at RCR. Like I said I’m just going to step in and do the best job I can and hopefully we have a little success.”
TALK ABOUT THE CHALLENGES YOU WILL FACE TO KEEP THE TEAM MOTIVATED THROUGH THE NEXT FEW WEEKS:
“It’s funny you say that. I sat down with them actually Wednesday it was raining in Kentucky. The guys that go on the road I sat them down up in the lounge of the truck and I said, ‘I’m not sure what is going to happen, but if it does happen and I do get the call to go to Bristol and work with you guys.’ I asked them I said ‘is there anything you need from me? What do you want? What do you like?’ I got a good feel for that group and what they want, what they need. It’s a great bunch of guys. It really is. To do the things they did last year, to finish second in the points, like I said a lot of depth and a lot of good people at RCR. I’m very comfortable with what I’m doing. I’m just filling in. I’m excited for the chance.”
HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE THE MOOD OF THE TEAM?
“It’s been tough I’m sure because there has been a lot of focus, a lot of media attention on them and their team. I think the Kentucky test for the guys that come to the race track and have to work on the car and do that stuff and the little talks we have had. The talks that Luke (Lambert) has had with the guys back at the shop I feel like the mood of the team is really good. We have to go out and do our jobs and come out of here with a good solid finish. That is what we came to do. I’m going to try to do everything in my power and what I know with all my racing history and try to do that.”
DO YOU EXPECT TO GET A LOT OF TEXTS AND STUFF FROM LUKE DURING THE WEEKEND?
“My phone is vibrating right now. It’s probably him. Yes, we have been communicating ever since the announcement yesterday. We will communicate throughout the weekend and through the day. Like I said, I’m just here filling in for Luke Lambert. That is all I’m doing.”
SOMETIMES WE HEAR ABOUT SUSPENDED CREW CHIEFS COMMUNICATING ON RACE DAY. DO YOU ANTICIPATE ANY OF THAT?
“Well I’m sure, like I said with text messages and instant messages that we have with the internet services and stuff like that. I know that there will be some communication of some sort. We haven’t really worked on that yet. I’m taking it one day at a time. When I walked through the gate today my goal was to come down here and qualify on the pole; to win the pole for Bristol with Ryan Newman and the No. 31 Caterpillar team. That is my goal today. I will take tomorrow when tomorrow gets here.”
WHEN DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE DEFINITELY COMING?
“Actually I was planning on driving up this morning having a nice relaxing drive through the mountains to get here because the XFINITY garage opened up at 10 am. But I did get the call yesterday probably around 5:30/6:00 p.m. that they were going to need me to come up here and crew chief the No. 31 car. I was ready to do that. Like I said, based on everything, the history and everything going on I kind of prepared myself all week long for being here. It’s not like it was a shock, something I had to really prepare for. Other than not really knowing the race car and what is going on. That information I’m not really going to worry a lot about today. These guys have a good hand on it. I’m just kind of going to oversee things and make some decisions as a group and go do our jobs.”
YOU ARE GOING TO BE HERE THOUGH. YOU ARE NOT GOING TO GO BACK AND FORTH?
“Well I’m going to go back and forth; when practice starts for the XFINITY guys, yeah absolutely. My job is the XFINITY competition director. I’m definitely going to be working on that. We have a really strong program with Ty (Dillon) leading the points and the No. 33 car close in owner points. It’s a strong program and I’m not going to, by no means, lose sight of that.”
DO YOU HAVE RACES SCHEDULED WITH TY (DILLON) IN CUP?
“No. I have no races scheduled. If they want me to do it I can do it.”
DO YOU WANT TO BE A CUP CREW CHIEF?
“I will do it for six or seven races, yeah. Ryan Newman, I mean come on, Ryan Newman, yeah, RCR, it’s a great opportunity for myself. Like I said, Ryan is an awesome talent in this sport and one heck of a race car driver. I’m excited for the opportunity. Do I love what I’m doing? Yes. I love being at RCR doing the job that I’m doing and working with the people that I’m working with. Like I said I’m just proud and honored and blessed in many ways to be here.”
YOU ARE NOT LOOKING AT THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET BACK ATOP THE PIT BOX ON SUNDAY?
“Nope, I’m not out to get Luke Lambert’s job or any of these guys. I’m just here to fill in and do the job they have asked me to do. Then I’m going to go back to doing the jobs that I am doing.”
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