NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
DUCK COMMANDER 500
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 7, 2016
BRIAN VICKERS, NO. 14 TAXACT MILITARY FILES FREE CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) and discussed his outlook for the weekend at TMS, the importance of being in the car for consecutive races and many other topics. Full Transcript:
ON YOUR FINISH AT MARTINSVILLE LAST WEEKEND, CAN YOU PUT IT INTO PERSPECTIVE HOW MUCH IT HAS TAKEN TO GET TO THAT POINT? NOT RUNNING EVERY WEEK MAKES IT MORE DIFFICULT. BUT, CAN YOU TELL THE DIFFERENCE SINCE YOU’VE BEEN IN AND OUT OF THE CAR OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS?
“Last weekend we had a great run. You always want more. We wanted to win the race. We had a great car. We weren’t quite as happy with it in the race as we were in practice. We had a different tire batch code and it seemed to affect the handling a little bit. But we made a lot of progress through the race and had a good finish. It is a challenge, you know, not being in the car every week; although it is kind of nice, at the same time (laughs). It’s certainly an added challenge. But, as you guys know, everyone in this room pretty much is on the circuit and understands the grind of the length of our season. But the last three weeks I think, have been great, working with (crew chief) Mike (Bugarewicz) kind of continually, and the whole team, and really building momentum we need to put a car in Victory Lane. I feel like we’ve done it in the last few weeks. Martinsville showed that. I feel like we have a good car coming here to Texas and hopefully we can build on that and take a seventh and turn it into a win or a top 5.”
HOW IMPORTANT HAS IT BEEN FOR THE TEAM OVERALL FOR YOU TO BE IN THE CAR THREE CONSECUTIVE WEEKENDS COMING INTO TEXAS? WHAT IS YOUR OUTLOOK ON TEXAS?
“It’s a good question. It’s probably a better question for the team, but speaking to them I know that their sentiment would be ‘it’s huge’. Having some consistency in the driver’s seat has been great for them and great for us to build that chemistry and work together. It takes time. It just does. From a communications stand point with me, the crew chief, the engineers, the spotter it takes time, but we are getting there. We are making it happen. It’s an honor for me to be in the car. I’ve said this before, I will say it again, I hate that I’m in the car because of the circumstances because Tony (Stewart) is injured and he’s not here. I have been in his shoes many times. I wish him nothing but the best. I would love to see him in the car soon, but happy to fill in for him until then. I think the more times we are together, the more times we are in this car the better it will get.”
HOW INVOLVED HAS TONY (STEWART) BEEN WITH YOU DURING THE RACES? HOW NICE OF AN ASSET HAS THAT BEEN?
“It’s been a great asset. Tony has been great to work with. Tony and I have always had a mutual respect and always got along. He has been great to work with me. Well, I won’t say we always got along (laughs). But we’ve by and large almost always got along outside of the race car. There has always been a level of mutual respect there. He helped me a lot when I was young, gave me tips as veteran drivers tend to do in the sport. Not everyone does it, but Tony has always been that guy where when you are young and you are the new guy coming in he is always quick to help. That was always great to have. Certainly we had our run -in’s. When you race hard for over 10 years together you are going to have a few disagreements, but nothing changed off the race track for us. Working together in the capacity we are now is unique and different. It’s really interesting. Now I feel like I know he is telling the truth (laughs). Before I just thought he was, but I wasn’t sure. How he has stepped into this role as kind of an owner, coach, mentor, whatever you want to call it, has been really impressive. I know it’s hard for him not to be in the car, but I think he is really enjoying it. I think he is, in a way, you know you are thinking a lot about what his future looks like after this season, he has already announced this will be his last season. What does that look like for him? I think he has found a great balance, at least with me, of not micromanaging the team, not micromanaging the driver, giving great insight and tips and advice when it’s warranted or he feels like it’s needed or it’s asked for. But he doesn’t try to tell me how to drive the car. He doesn’t try to tell the team how to set the car up. He very much lets the team kind of run its course and be a guiding hand along the way.”
YOU WERE LINKED TO AN INDY 500 RIDE WITH SCHMIDT PETERSON (MOTORSPORTS) HOW CLOSE WAS THAT OR IS THAT? IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU WOULD EVEN LIKE TO DO?
“Yeah, I would love to race anything, quite honestly. The Indy 500 would be one of them. I would love to run Le Mans again. I would love to race sports cars. I would love to be in this car. I am really enjoying this opportunity as well. I’m open to all of those opportunities. Indy is one of them. I would love to have something to announce, unfortunately, there is nothing to announce at this point. It is still on the table. It’s not done, but it’s not off the table yet either. We will continue exploring that and if it happens great, if not, move on to the next opportunity and maybe next year.”
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