NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
NEW HAMPSHIRE 301
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JULY 15, 2016
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 WHELEN CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media and discussed why New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of his best tracks, his decision to compete in two Whelen Modified races this weekend, his thoughts on Dale Earnhardt, Jr. not competing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and many other topics. Full Transcript:
WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS RACE TRACK THAT YOU LIKE SO MUCH?
“Well, anybody that has been here as long as I have, which I’m not dating myself too much, but I always say that this is my least favorite race track. Now, after seven poles and a few wins, it is probably one of my best race tracks. I’ve always said this is the birthplace of track position. We have always really spent a lot of time in qualifying trim here and qualified well. That I think pays dividends for the race itself. I kind of equate the race track to Indianapolis Raceway Park (IRP), which was a track that I had a lot of success at back in my open wheel days. I think just being able to feel the car on top of the race track and the tires kind of sliding around and holding the car to that edge is probably what makes me enjoy the race track as much as I do.”
HOW DIFFERENTLY DO THE WHELEN MODIFIEDS DRIVE THAN THE SPRINT CUP CARS HERE?
“Well the Whelen Modifieds drive a lot different. Different tires, different power to weight ratio, different center of gravity, a lot less downforce and much more emphasis on mechanical grip than aerodynamics. So, they do drive a lot different, but you still have to do the same things at the race track. The walls are in the same spot. You break the corner up into entry, middle and exit in three different locations and attack it accordingly. They behave quite a bit differently in traffic. The Modified will get looser in traffic, the Cup car typically grows on top of the track and you lose the whole car a little bit more. You have to adapt, but you have to adapt anyway. You just have to know what to do.”
WHAT IS YOUR OVERALL REACTION TO THE DALE, JR. NEWS AND HOW YOU THINK NASCAR HANDLES CONCUSSIONS IN GENERAL:
“I mean the news I think kind of came as a shock from my standpoint because it was after a weekend that he really only thought he had sinus troubles. In fact I was actually texting him back about trying different kinds of honey because that is what my wife uses. It’s kind of like, here I go talking to a guy about trying different honey and he is out of the race car the next week. I think with his past… I don’t have a lot of knowledge to elaborate on, but I think with his past he is the most experienced driver with respect to concussions and concussion symptoms and things like that. I don’t know, I haven’t talked to him first hand personally or via text to see how he is doing. But, I think he had to make a decision for himself and for his family that was probably the right decision. The race track will be here the next time.
“As far as how NASCAR handles it, I’m not sure. I don’t know exactly what the protocol is. From what I have read he took himself out basically, saying that ‘hey I don’t feel well, let’s go see a doctor.’ He didn’t have to go see a doctor. I mean there is always a balance in there. I don’t know when NASCAR steps in and say ‘hey you are not’ or if they listen to the doctors. I haven’t been in that situation first hand to know. So, I don’t know.”
WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK COMPETING IN THESE WHELEN MODIFIED RACES YEAR AFTER YEAR?
“Hopefully, it just adds to the fun. The main goal obviously is to win the Cup race, but to come here and have two chances to win a Whelen Modified race and having Whelen on the Cup car this weekend is kind of an added bonus to tie it all together. I’ve got to thank Whelen for sponsoring us for this race this weekend. Really, it’s about having fun and adding to, hopefully, making a good weekend a great weekend.”
ON THE POSSIBILITY THAT JEFF GORDON COULD DRIVE AT INDY NEXT WEEK, CAN HE JUMP BACK IN A RACE CAR AND BE JEFF GORDON AFTER THIS TIME AWAY?
“He probably is going to have to. Somebody else is not going to sell as many t-shirts (laughs). I mean, yeah, I don’t think the race cars have changed…if that was the case and if that did happen, then yeah, I wouldn’t say it’s out of the question. I mean I think he is full capable if that is what you are asking.”
WOULD THE TIME OUT OF THE CAR HAVE LITTLE IMPACT ON A GUY LIKE HIM?
“Yeah, just because you go to the nude beach for a couple of months doesn’t mean you don’t know how to put your underwear back on (laughs).”
DOES WHERE YOU SIT IN POINTS AND PLAYOFFS AND ALL THAT STUFF FACTOR INTO A DRIVER’S MIND WHEN THEY DECIDE TO GO SEE A DOCTOR KNOWING THAT THE DECISION MIGHT NOT BE BEST FOR THEM COMPETITIVELY?
“I think just in knowing Dale, Jr. and some of his past that he knew it was the right thing to do. I think he has been in that position before and wished that he hadn’t done it. I think we all kind of know that. He has taken a good lick whether it was at California or Kansas test and things like that where he feels the effects. I don’t think it is right to say that he took himself out. He made the right decision. Saying taking yourself out is not a positive move right? It sounds negative. He has put himself in a position to make himself healthier. From a Chase standpoint, to answer your question, yeah, it’s probably one of the toughest things to do to be in the position that both he and I are in. Coincidently right there within a few points of each other. If I was in the position it would be very tough for me I would think, but I don’t have the past that he has to know the right move.”
I ASSUME WHEN YOU ARE RACING YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE RACING AGAINST ON THIS CHASE BUBBLE. WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE KNOWING THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO LOOK FOR HIM THIS WEEKEND, BUT KNOWING WHY HE IS NOT HERE?
“That doesn’t change my perspective or my goal. I’m not looking in the mirror saying ‘where is Dale, Jr. at right now.’ I’m trying to look out the windshield making sure that I’m winning the race for myself. That is the selfish side of a race car driver.”
THE DECISION TO RETIRE IS A VERY BIG DECISION. FOR JEFF GORDON, WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO GET BACK IN THE CAR WHEN YOU HAVE MADE A LONG TERM DECISION NOT TO RACE ANYMORE? HOW WOULD THAT AFFECT YOU?
“If I was Jeff Gordon? In our position as we have seen other drivers in the past when you say the word retire a lot of us don’t mean it. You look at Mark Martin and a few others. It’s not an easy answer because we are still plenty capable. I mean I put Mike Skinner in my car when I was on baby duty and he was still active, but not as active as he had been and was kind of semi-retired. Guys can do it, it’s not that difficult and he never had to get in the race car to race it, but he did practice it. There are several guys out there that are either retired or … either way they are still fully capable. What we do is difficult, but if you have done it before the cars don’t change that much.”
THE PIT ROAD CONTROVERSY AT KENTUCKY WITH MARTIN TRUEX, JR. DID YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO REVIEW THAT TAPE? DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON HOW NASCAR RULED?
“Yeah, I saw the video and I’m aware of the judgement call that they made. I think that all of us will be looking for some kind of answer. When I say all of us, I think all the drivers, all the crew chiefs, all the team owners will be looking for some kind of answer. I thought that the response was a little bit jaded with respect to we needed to set an example. We know what happens and the reference that was used I think was to the NBA was rather; I guess maybe, uncalled for, not exactly our sport. My perspective is there is a rule and we either stick to that rule or we don’t stick to that rule. We don’t just decide to make an example out of somebody on a given lap at a given race. It’s just not right. It’s not fair.”
IF THEY DO MOVE AWAY FROM SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT AND TELL YOU GUYS THIS IS WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO EVERY TIME, WOULD THAT HELP?
“That’s the understanding we’re under. I have gone to the officials after the driver’s meetings and asked if it’s okay to accelerate to pass somebody going into your pit box and they assured me that it was. And if Martin was not speeding, then there was absolutely nothing wrong, from my perspective, with what he did. Although I know that in the video and in the rule book, it says you are supposed to stay single file and not pass anybody on pit lane unless it is to the right.”
SO IF THEY CHANGE THAT AND TELL YOU ‘NO, YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO DO IT THE WAY IT SAYS YOU CAN’T ACCELERATE AT ALL UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES’, WOULD THAT ENHANCE THE LEVEL OF GAMESMANSHIP, DO YOU THINK, IN THE PITS? WOULD GUYS START SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE IT LOOK LIKE GUYS WERE PASSING ON THE LEFT?
“I don’t think we’re in a position in our sport to slow down to manipulate somebody else. I think that’s the 100 percent rule; and I think that would be more powerful than passing somebody to the left and trying to take advantage of a speed line.”
GETTING BACK TO THE MODIFIEDS, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE LEVEL COMPETITION OUT HERE? THERE ARE A LOT OF EXCELLENT DRIVERS IN THAT SERIES
“Yeah, people think that I come in here and I’m the Cup guy racing in the Modified Series; and really, it’s me racing against a bunch of great Modified drivers. Some of them are new. Some of them are building their careers and I don’t know them yet. But some of them have been around a long time. It’s an honor for me to race against Jamie Tomaino. I used to watch him when I was a kid. It’s fun to come out and compete with those guys that are at the top of their game; whether they’ve been there for 30 years or are trying to build a career for themselves.”
YOU’VE HAD SOME SUCCESS HERE AT NHMS. YOU GOT YOUR FIRST CAREER WIN HERE BACK IN 2005. WHAT EXACTLY DO YOU LIKE ABOUT RACING AT THIS RACE TRACK? DO YOU FEEL LIKE PERHAPS THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO WIN YOUR WAY INTO THE CHASE SO YOU DON’T HAVE TO THINK ABOUT POINTS RACING ON INTO SEPTEMBER?
“Yeah from my perspective, I’ve done well here in the past so that’s a bonus. But coming off our best finish of the year last week at Kentucky definitely adds to that mental and physical momentum that gives you as a team and organization is nice. It’s something that we’ve been looking for, for the last four or five months. It was a good finish that hopefully, with the addition of the performance that I’ve had here personally in the past, can lead us to that position of racing for the win versus racing for points.”
Connect with Team Chevy on social media. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/TeamChevy, follow us on Twitter @TeamChevy, and add +TeamChevy into your Google+ circles.
Team Chevy racing photos are available at:
About Chevrolet:
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 115 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
