Ford Performance NASCAR Notes and Quotes
Charlotte Media Tour – Charlotte Convention Center
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Ford Fusion – HOW IS THE TRANSITION GOING? “Good. We have a lot of the same people as we did last year. There are really only a handful of people that are new. The people that are coming on have known everybody on the team a long time, they have worked together at another point. It will be seamless, which is what you want. I am excited for the transition and it should be pretty simple.”
ANDREA, YOUR ENGINEER, THERE AREN’T TOO MANY WOMEN WHO ARE RACE ENGINEERS. “Yeah, Andrea is great. I have worked with her for a long time at Team Penske. She was the engineer with Jeremy on the Xfinity car back in 2012 and 2013 and I believe 2014 as well. We are really lucky to have her as my engineer. She does a great job. She did an amazing job last year in her first year as a Cup engineer. I think she will keep getting better and better as years go on. We are really lucky to have her. She is one of the smartest individuals that I know and I think she will keep improving as she gets more experience.”
DO YOU EVER HAVE TIME TO HANG OUT IN THE SHOP WITH YOUR DAD? “Yeah, I do actually. I spend a lot of time with him at his race shop in the offseason when I am around. We just spent a full day decaling up his new Sprint Cars. I like to spend as much time as I can there. That is where I grew up racing my late models. Whatever I can do to spend time with him to help him with whatever he needs, I am there.”
SHOULD WE EXPECT GRADUAL IMPROVEMENT OR DO YOU FEEL THIS COULD BE A BREAKOUT SEASON? “Hopefully it is a breakout season, that is what you want. Obviously you want to keep getting better year after year and keep improving on the previous season. I think with experience we got a lot better last year and I hope to have a huge year. You sit back in the offseason and try to figure out what you can do better team wise or what drivers can do personal. Off the track to prepare for the weekend, everything. I think we did a lot of that in the offseason and hopefully we will make a jump to be dominating races and leading the most laps. That is what I think we can do this year to really take that next step forward.”
WAS THE ATTENTION AROUND YOUR NEW HAIRCUT SURPRISING? “Yeah. Honestly it was a lot more than I thought. It has kind of started to die down a little bit finally. It was a little bigger story than honestly I would like it to be. It surprised me. It is gone now and hopefully we can move on from that.”
DID YOU DONATE YOUR HAIR? “Yeah, I was looking at places to donate it. My cousin is a hairstylist in Moresville and she cut it off and said it wasn’t enough. They couldn’t use enough of it to make a full wig. That was unfortunate. I would have liked to donate it. I was kind of depressed when they told me it wasn’t enough to give to an organization.”
DO YOU LIKE DOING THE TV AND MOVIE STUFF LIKE TAKEN? “Yeah, the Taken thing up in Toronto for NBC was really cool. We were there for two days and we filmed all at night so we would film from 6 pm to 6 am for two days straight. It was maybe 15 degrees in Toronto and snowing and we were just in a little tent for like 12 hours waiting to film your deal. I wasn’t in it very long but I was out there the whole time. I like doing that stuff. I have always been fascinated and curious of that side – TV and movies. I compare it to NASCAR where until you see it first-hand you don’t know how much work goes on behind the scenes and how many people are involved to make one little scene of a movie. You don’t realize how many people are involved to put a race car on a track either. I think that is a cool thing we have in common with that industry. Hopefully I get more opportunities to do that in my spare time or offseason.”
“I don’t think it is hurtful if you can get on TV, whether it is the Taken deal or a voice in Cars or the Logan Lucky movie. I don’t think it is a bad thing at all. Especially if you enjoy doing it and it is something I enjoy doing it.”
THE COMMETNS KYLE BUSCH MADE YESTERDAY REGARDING NASCAR’S CHOICE IN MARKETING DIRECTION. WHAT NEEDS TO BE THE POINT YOU GET ACROSS TO POTENTIAL FANS? “I have been really fortunate to get a lot of great chances from NASCAR to go do things outside of motorsports. NBC and NASCAR were a bit part of doing the Taken thing and the Cars voice and Logan Lucky. That was all really from NASCAR. I have always been very open to do a lot of things that they want and it is not always stuff like that. You go do some markets where maybe you don’t think it will be a good market but you do it anyway because it helps the sport and helps yourself. It is a win-win for everybody. I feel like if some drivers were more willing to do these things they would get asked more to do it. The reason I get asked to do it a lot is because I say yes a lot because I think it is good for the sport and myself. I can tell you personally that he (Busch) doesn’t like doing a lot of stuff so that is why they don’t ask him to do a lot of stuff. That kind of made me upset how he bashed that part of it. To each his own. If he doesn’t want to do anything, so be it. I just think it is really important to have not only young drivers but all NASCAR drivers trying to be pushing to get to new demographics of the world to get interested in our sport. Whether it is young fans or new fans that don’t pay attention to it who aren’t young. That is everybody, not just young drivers that will make people appeal to the sport. I think everybody should be more open to helping the sport out because that is how it is going to survive. I am trying to do the best I can at it and a lot of other drivers are helping too, just trying to get more and more every day.”
HAVE YOU HAD A MOMENT WHEN THERE WAS SOME MAGIC CAPTURED WITH A YOUNG FAN OR ANY POTENTIAL FAN WHERE YOU THOUGHT YOU EARNED A FAN FOR LIFE? “Yeah, when I won the fall Xfinity race at Dover. It was a neat thing. NBC makes you get out and talk on the front stretch which I think is really cool talking face to face with fans right after you take the checkered flag and your emotions are at the highest. I saw a young fan standing by the fence and I gave him the checkered flag through the fence. He and his mother came down to Victory Lane afterward which was really cool. I feel like those little things you can do to get face to face with fans and make a memory. That is the biggest thing to me, making a memory for them that lasts a lifetime. I feel like that was a pretty cool moment and I was fortunate to have that moment with him. Hopefully there are many more like that.”
HOW MUCH IS SOCIAL MEDIA INVOLVED IN YOUR EVERYDAY LIFESTYLE AT OR AWAY FROM THE TRACK? “It depends. I go in spurts where I don’t look at it for a couple days and then sometimes I am on it all day. It just depends what mood I am in or how busy I am that day. At the track I try not to look at it too much. I try to focus on my job. Social media is helpful at the race track. You see updates and things like that. At moments it is a good thing but I go in spurts. It is a great tool and I use it a lot but sometimes I think a break from it now and then is a good thing as well and focus on your life and doing what you want to do. It is back and forth.”
HAVE YOU TALKED WITH BUBBA NOW THAT HE IS IN THAT PETTY RIDE FULL TIME? “Yeah. His first start in that car was at Pocono when I won the race. That was really cool. I am happy for him to get an opportunity like that. Honestly I was really upset to see him sit out the second half of that year after the Xfinity ride let go. He had a few starts with Petty when Aric was hurt and he did a great job in it and I am happy they made that work for this year. I know they worked hard on it in the offseason and he kept me updated throughout it. I am happy for him. I think he will do a great job in it. It is a fresh start for that team too, being a partner with RCR and a new manufacturer and new driver. I think that will really benefit that team well. I am looking forward to racing with him on Sundays. He knows the history behind the Petty name. It is almost like when I was driving for the Wood Brothers. He understands it and wants to learn more about it. I think that is a good fit. A really good fit for him. He appreciates racing and the history and Richard Petty. I wish them the best for sure.”
YOU SAY YES TO A LOT OF STUFF, DON’T YOU EVER WANT TO JUST TAKE A DAY AND LAY ON THE COUCH AND JUST REST? “Yeah, there are resting days for sure but you have to think of the end game. I would rather make other people happy than myself. If I have to sacrifice time, it is just time. It really doesn’t mean much to me personally. I would rather do something meaningful to the sport than to go sit on my couch. I don’t feel like I am doing anything then and feel I could be more useful somewhere else. I say no every now and then. The only times I say no really is when I have my job to do. If it will interfere with things like that. If it is just me, I try to take personal days too but that is for vacation. Very rarely do I say no to things just to sit on my couch. I can do that at night and I can do that when I retire. I want to do as much as I can right now to make it work and make other people happy and make this thing the best it can.”
YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE PENSKE FAMILY QUITE AWHILE BUT THIS WILL BE THE FIRST TIME YOU ARE TRULY IN A HOUSE CAR AT THE CUP LEVEL. WHAT IS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT THIS YEAR COMPARED TO THE LAST COUPLE YEARS? WHAT ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO? “I think just bringing back the 12 car to the Penske group is really special. The car hasn’t been around in a long time. I remember growing up watching Ryan Newman drive it and loving that car. Hopefully we can have the success he had in it and more. I have been lucky to drive for some great teams over the years with the Wood Brothers and now to drive a Cup car full time for Roger Penske is a dream of mine. Those are two of the most historic teams and names in the sport. I have been lucky enough to drive for both of them now and it will mean the world to me. There is really no pressure. You just want to go out and do the best you can, whether it is driving or the team doing the best they can as far as working hard and getting the cars to the track every week. If we can do that, that is enough. Our success on the race track is just a bonus.”
WHAT KIND OF LESSONS HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM ROGER ALREADY? “A lot. We don’t get to see him every day. He travels the world and is working more than he ever has I feel like. It is unreal the drive that he has. The advice is always – I think the best advice might be a little cliché but it is meaningful when he comes on your radio before the race and says that it is a long race. He is a patience guy. He is a very patient individual. You have to be with the stuff he does. Before most races, when he is there, he reminds us to be patient. You hear that a lot but coming from him is different. You make sure you do that. I think that is cool advice. Even though it is very simple you definitely take it to heart.”
YOU INITIATED THE DEAL AT TEXAS MOTORSPEEDWAY TO TAKE A LUNCH BREAK WITH THE FANS. DO YOU THINK MORE OF THAT WILL COME FROM YOU? “Yeah, I like to do that stuff. It was out of the blue. I was on Twitter that day and a fan asked if there would be concessions in the stands for the test and they said no. I was like, ‘Well, I will go hang out.’ I don’t do anything for lunch. We debrief for like 15 minutes or so and then have like 45 minutes to hangout and eat. Texas actually jumped in and told me the day before I went up there the first day that they wanted to bring pizzas and come film it. I was just going to initially go up there and hang out and they jumped in and wanted to help out. Eddie (Gossage) is really great like that. That was neat. I want to do more of that stuff. Spontaneous. You don’t really schedule it. Just a day or two in advance and hang out with a small group of fans. I think that is what fans want. Appearances are great but I think if you can get done with the day, done with practice, things like that, you can go hang out and eat some food with fans and talk about where they are from, what they like about the sport. I think that is really neat. I hope to do more of that.”
DO YOU RIDE AROUND IN YOUR GOLF CART VISITING FANS ON THE INFIELD STILL? “I do drive around a lot on the infield or go outside. It is just something I like to do. We get done with our days pretty early. On Saturday we are done at like 3. We debrief and have a pre-race meeting that night usually but I like to drive around and meet fans or go to concerts that tracks are putting on. I think those are great. They need to do more of that stuff. I like driving around and meeting people.”
WHAT IS THE MOST OUT OF THE BOX THING YOU HAVE SAID YES TO FOR NASCAR? “I went on some E! network show called Watch What Happens Live. That was strange for me. It wasn’t in my wheelhouse and I was a little uncomfortable. There are a lot of small market things you do that you go out for a day and you fly back and forth just to go to a new station or something. If you don’t think it is important for you, it is important for them. It is important for that area to have you and promote the sport.”
WHAT WAS IT THAT CAUSED YOU TO ADOPT THIS PHILOSPHY WHEN IT COMES TO BEING SO HOSPITABLE WITH THE FANS? “I don’t really know if I can pinpoint an exact moment. I think growing up at the race track helped a little bit. My dad was always very open to fans and I appreciated that about him. Even when I was a little kid and noticed it, he was always very welcoming to fans. I think he taught me growing up that we are not around, NASCAR doesn’t exist without the fans. Anything we can do to show appreciation I feel like is part of our job to do that. Whenever we can show them a good time or an experience unlike they expected is something that really sticks with people for life. No sport would be around without fans. I think NASCAR does a great job of giving fans access to racetracks and meeting drivers but there is always more you can do. You are never maxed out on your potential to make somebody’s day. I try to venture into that world. As you get older, you care about them more and you understand the sport more and what it takes for them to get to a race track and rbing their family and you appreciate that more and more. I think that is why I have done more of that stuff the last year or two.”
DID YOU PICK UP SOME OF THAT FROM SHARON SPEEDWAY. IT ISN’T EASY TO PROMOTE RACE TRACKS THESE DAYS. “Yeah, my dad owns a dirt track up in Ohio and they do all sorts of things to try to help get fans. That track is tough because there are like four within like a 100-mile radius. So it is hard to get a fan to come to your race track. I think that is something they did there when I was growing up – I don’t make it out there much now racing every weekend – they really integrated the fans into things and had great entertainment and gave them tons of access and the fans appreciate that when they can feel a part of the family. I feel like I took a little of that from what they did at Sharon Speedway and try to apply that today.”
WE ALL KNOW FORD WAS LACKING IN THE 1.5 MILE PROGRAM LAST YEAR. DO YOU KNOW OF ANY SPECIFIC INSTANCE WHERE PENSKE HAD ADDRESSED AN ISSUE TO GET BETTER THERE? “Well, it has been addressed for sure. I will be honest; we weren’t as competitive as we would have liked to have been. Especially in the playoffs. We had moments where we were fast but we didn’t have consistency in the playoffs. There were a couple other cars that were great in the playoffs. Brad got to the Championship 4 but obviously you want to improve every time. They have been hard at work in the offseason. Even though we don’t have a new car coming out we have to work that much harder. The mindset hasn’t changed in the shop. We are always looking for ways to improve our cars, whether mechanical or aero. Yeah, there was a push maybe from other years where maybe we were more strong and you don’t feel like you have to lay catch-up a much but honestly we have a little catch-up to make on the 78 and other cars that were so dominant last year. I think they are the best group in the business at figuring out how to do things – the group we have at Penske – and I have no doubt in my mind that we will be successful this year.”
