NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 8, 2021
RICK HENDRICK, OWNER OF HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS, Daytona 500 Media Availability Teleconference Transcript:
WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE ON RACE MORNING THIS YEAR WITH EVERYTHING BEING DIFFERENT?
“I think I went to two races last year. Daytona and Phoenix, and I was like every other fan and was watching it on TV and it was so strange. But NASCAR did a heck of a job to get it in. So, I am going to be in Daytona, and I am going to be nervous as I can be. A, because it’s the first time I have been back and B, it’s the Daytona 500 and you know you hope you can come through it okay. I guess I always get nervous at it for two times. The time when they crank the engines and if we are leading and its about to end. Those are the times when I get nervous.
“I just think there is so much excitement around the sport and it looks like we are getting ready to get to the end of this virus. Maybe not the end, but get enough people vaccinated so we can have fans back here. Hopefully by the summer, in full force. We’ve been through a tough time last year so knowing we have a vaccine that works and going to the Daytona 500. I would have loved to see The Clash on a road course, so I will probably end up with four cars, when its over. So, it’s exciting.”
WILL YOU BE ON PIT ROAD, OR WILL YOU BE IN A SUITE? ALSO, IF YOU ARE DOWN ON PIT ROAD WILL YOU BE ABLE TO WHISPER A WORD IN YOUR DRIVER’S EARS?
“I can do that, but I have learned over the years that most of the times when I make a suggestion it’s a mistake. So, I am going to be in the pits. I like being down there with the guys and it gives me a chance to be with them and I am really looking forward to it.”
CURIOUS IF YOU ARE GOING TO BE IN THE PITS, HAVE YOU BEEN VACCINATED?
“Yes, I just got my second shot about a week ago. So, I have a few more days now, but I am very lucky. I have had a lot of health issues, so I was on that list and I got number two.”
YOU HAVE SEEN DRIVERS WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS AND THEN CHANGE A LITTLE BIT. HAVE YOU SEEN ANY CHANGE IN CHASE OR IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU HAVE TOLD HIM ABOUT AS FAR AS WHAT TO DO OR AVOID DOING?
“You know, I think Chase has such a sharp head on his shoulders that you don’t have to tell him much. He celebrated and now he is ready to try and go do it again. He is racing other cars just to introduce himself to the rest of the world. But man, Bill and Cindy have done a super job with him and he has got his head on right. So, he is a competitor, but I think he takes all of it in stride. So, I am excited about this year with Chase.”
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE NEXT GEN CAR AND THE PROCESS AND TESTING SO FAR?
“Anytime you bring out a new car you are going to have to refine it. Just look at history, it’s always been that way. I think you have all the teams working on the same piece now, and we still have some work to do. But when you get a piece, and all the teams work with NASCAR, we will refine it. So, we will be good, and we will be good when next year rolls around. I think the tough part about it is we have to race this year, and we have to build the cars we are racing now. And then we have to build those cars at the same time. So, you are trying to win races and a championship, then you are going to factor in the new car for next year. It’s a load to do, but NASCAR has done a great job. They have worked with all the teams and different people have been in the cars. They will keep refining them and we will be good.”
REGARDING COST OF THE NEXT GEN
“At first you have to buy all the parts and pieces, and then you have to get rid of what you have. As time goes on, I think we will really see the benefits in the cost saving in the second and third year. The first year is going to be expensive, but in the long run its almost front-loaded. Once you get the equipment and the cars and parts, then as years go on, it should be cheaper. You won’t need the labor and you won’t be out trying to invent new pieces.”
IS THERE A MINDSET THAT CHASE AND THE 9 TEAM NEED TO HAVE IN GOING INTO THEIR FIRST YEAR OF A TITLE DEFENSE?
“Its one of those things when you have a competitor in Chase that is calm and cool, he knows how to race, he takes care of the equipment, he can run fast, and he can lead laps. But he is more confident in himself and he and (crew chief) Alan (Gustafson) are really clicking. I couldn’t believe the confidence level they had when they went into Martinsville. Alan said, ‘I am going to win that race’. Then to go into Phoenix, when he had to start from the back, I talked to Chase and I said, ‘man, I am sorry’. He said, ‘Well, I get to pass more cars’. The confidence level with Chase Elliott is unbelievable and also with Alan. They think they can win every week. Just let it come to you. Bill (Elliott) is there talking to him and he is just way more mature than his age. And that is something that Dale Earnhardt Sr. told me one time. He said you have to know when to race. He said you have to know how to race, but you have to know when to race. And Chase does that.”
WHAT KIND OF RECEPTION DO YOU THINK KYLE LARSON WILL RECEIVE IN THE GARAGE AND IN THE GRANDSTANDS?
“I think Kyle will get a very good reception. Most people know how hard he has worked to make things right, or to say he is sorry, or to take ownership. The body of work he has done has been amazing and we announced some sponsors for him last week. And one of the sponsors said they were covered up in emails and calls where they were excited they were sponsoring him. And we have other interests. So,
fans love him, he drives the wheels off the cars whether its Sprint Cars or Midgets. He is a racer and from a personal relationship with him, he is excited about what he is doing off the track. Whether its his foundation, working with the Urban Youth Racing School – which he was working with them before anything happened. I have seen a different kid, well not a kid, but his life has changed, but he is determined to win. If you make a mistake and you not just own it, but you dedicate your career to be a role model for other people who have made a mistake; or people that haven’t thought about it into the depth that he has now. I feel like he is going to be very popular and we are already getting calls on him. I think the proof is in what he has done, and people can see that.”
HOW COSTLY CAN A WEEK OF DAYTONA BE AS FAR AS CRASHES AND HOW TROUBLING IS IT FOR THE UPTICK IN THE NUMBER OF CARS IN CRASHES THERE?
“It’s super expensive because usually in a crash there, there is no fixing it. You just junk it. When you go down there and maybe lose one in The Clash and two or three in the 500, I’ve lost four there before, its costly. You put so much work into those cars to make them as aerodynamic as can be. They are like a fine watch, and when the race is over, they look like they raced at Martinsville. It’s just something we live with and it’s the Super Bowl for us. I am really glad that we are running the road course in The Clash because I don’t think we will have nearly the opportunity for wrecks as we would have on the oval. It’s the most expensive race we run.”
WE HAVE THREE NEW TEAMS AND OWNERSHIP GROUPS. IS IT GOOD TO SEE SOME NEW PEOPLE COMING IN AND IS THERE INTEREST YOU HAVE SEEN FROM OTHER GROUPS?
“There is tremendous interest in it and I think the word has gotten out that its going to be cheaper to do down the road. I think the new team with (Michael) Jordan and Denny (Hamlin) is excellent for our sport and create a lot of interest from other fans, whether they are basketball fans or whatever. So, all these new teams that are coming in, and the new people that are interested, that is good for us. It keeps us healthy, brings new sponsors, and new fans. I am excited because when you look at NASCAR last year and the ratings against other leagues, we kind of held our own, and I think the interest is there.
“Again, I think NASCAR did a heck of a job. I never dreamed that we would get through the year, run all the races, and get to the championship. Matter of fact, they were kind of the pioneer that showed a lot of the other sports how you could do it. So, I feel good about NASCAR and I probably feel the best I have felt in years looking at the competition level, the rule packages, and the interest in new teams coming in. Everybody was asking who was going to replace me, Roger (Penske), (Jack) Roush, and Joe (Gibbs). Now they are leaving us old folks alone and are talking about the young folks coming in. It’s good for the sport.”
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT CHASE ELLIOTT DOING SO MUCH OFF-SEASON RACING? WERE YOU AWARE THAT HE WANTED TO DO SO MUCH AND THAT THE SCHEDULE WOULD BE SO FULL?
“In the perfect world, I wouldn’t want him to race anything; but it means so much to him. And I think anytime they can drive whatever it is, it helps them. But you always worry about them getting hurt. But I think the desire is so much there, for both him and Kyle, I’ve made it pretty plain that I don’t want to see you racing in the weekends and around the events that we have. If you can pick your times that don’t affect the team; and when it starts affecting the team, stop them.”
IF THERE IS ANY TRANSITION OR TRANSLATION INTO THE SEASON, AND HE GETS A MONSTER NUMBER OF WINS OR SOMETHING, IS THAT GOING TO BE SOMETHING YOU ENCOURAGE?
“I’m not going to encourage them to do it. I’m not going to do that. I feel like the relationship with those guys, they want to run those races and whether it’s a dirt modified or a Chili Bowl or whatever, the safety is a lot better than it used to be, but you can get hurt in anything. I just think it’s that spirit. I would rather have a guy that wants to drive every day than a guy that doesn’t want to do anything and show up to run a race. But it’s got to be off-season. You can’t inflict with the job we’re doing every week and they’re not focused on the job at-hand. I think the risk is getting hurt. If it’s just a lack of focus, we’re going to handle that part. It’ll have to stop.”
DOESN’T A RISING TIDE LIFT ALL BOATS? THESE GUYS ARE OUT THERE SINGING THE GOSPEL OF NASCAR. ISN’T THAT GOOD FOR MOTORSPORTS IN GENERAL?
“Yeah, I’m sure it is. If you look at the ratings at the ROLEX 24, when Chase drove a car, and Jimmie got in the car, if you look at the air time those sponsors, I think the viewership was up 18 to 20 percent. I may have those numbers wrong. But that was a draw of having Jimmie Johnson, seven-time champion, and then Chase Elliott, most popular driver and a champion in those cars. They had a lot of great guys from INDY and all that, from all over the world, but those two guys were the centerpiece that got all the attention. And it helped them some and it made for good TV.”
IS THAT A GOOD FOR GENERAL MOTORS AND HENDRICK AUTO?
“Well yeah. I sell Cadillacs. I have five Cadillac stores and they were on the car. Ally, I do a lot of business with them and they were on the car. So, there’s my relationship with General Motors and the fact that I sell those cars, not that kind of car, but a Cadillac, and we reached a lot of different people. There’s another audience altogether that we can get interested in our drivers. I had so many people talk about and write about, and fans respond to Jimmie Johnson being so humble and easy to talk to and down to earth and engaged, and Chase the same way. Chase beat himself up after he got out of the car the first time and then he goes out there and picks his speed up. It impressed a lot of people. So, it’s just the more we can get those superstars out and get visibility the better off NASCAR is going to be. But that does show you the strength of our sport and what it can do when they show up and what the fan reaction is and interest is.”
THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PREDICTIONS GOING INTO THE 2021 SERIES AND WHERE DRIVERS AND TEAMS ARE GOING TO END UP. DO YOU FEEL LIKE HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS IS ALL THE WAY BACK TO ITS GLORY DAYS?
“I don’t know what you mean by the glory days; maybe when we won five in a row or whatever and had two or three cars battling for the championship. Hey, I’m just going to be satisfied to be in the mix. We want to make the Playoffs and then if we can go to the Final Four, then I’m going to be happy. Look if we can lead laps, win races, then the rest will come. We’re not in that dominant area where you can win 17 races in a year and I don’t think anybody is anymore. There are too many good cars and drivers. But I feel better about where we are today than I have been in probably three, four, or five years.”
KYLE LARSON SAID YOU SUPPORTED HIS ON-TRACK EDUCATION AND WORK TO HELP OTHERS AND BETTER HIMSELF. HOW SPECIFICALLY HAVE YOU SUPPORTED HIM? DO YOU WANT TO SEE THAT WORK AND EDUCATION CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THIS SEASON AND BEYOND?
“Sure. I mean he’s committed to that. And he’s doing a good job of showing people what you can do. Forget about that he made a mistake and said something. Forget about that part. Think about the Urban Racing School that he’s bought simulators for. And he had one of those kids and his mother at the race that he won in Dover and he’s very tight with that family. So, he’s been to Missouri, he’s done things with other foundations, and it has changed his life. That’s the thing that probably most people can’t see. But he is a different person. He’s looked at things he never looked at before. And it feels good to him that he’s making a difference. And so, I think he’s not going to stop. I can tell you that. He’s too involved with it now. And I think he can really make a difference in so many different areas, especially the Urban Racing School.”
ONE OF THE COOL THINGS ABOUT THIS COUNTRY IS THAT IT’S A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN GET A SECOND OPPORTUNITY IF YOU EARN IT, AND I’M GLAD KYLE LARSON IS GETTING THAT SECOND CHANCE. HOW MUCH PRIDE DO YOU TAKE IN BEING ABLE TO GIVE HIM THAT SECOND CHANCE?
“Well, I felt for him when it happened. And you know, I never knew how things were going to turn out. I didn’t know whether my sponsors were going to have a problem. I didn’t know how the fans were going to react. But I knew his heart. And I thought, this is a talented young guy and it’s a shame. He’s shown his heart now. He should have a chance. And so, I feel good about that. I also feel good about his talent in the car. I’ll have to say, you know, we didn’t know. I probably drove Jesse Essex crazy. But in my heart, I felt like, I’ve known him. I’ve worked with he and Chip (Ganassi) and this young man drives a motorhome with his family in it and goes racing. He didn’t tuck his head. He started doing things nobody asked him to do. He did what he had to do with NASCAR, but he went way over that.
“So, when you look at the character of what he is; a lot of people do things and they say I’m sorry, right? They just say I’m sorry and go right on running their life. And that’s all they have to do. And people say okay, we’ll give you another shot. This guy did ten times that. And he’s created an image and things in that community that people really respect him. So, I guess the answer to the riddle is that I’m a part of it, but it was Kyle’s heart and Kyle’s desire that got him back.”
AT ONE POINT YOU HAD ONE OF THE OLDEST DRIVER LINE-UPS ON THE RACE TRACK. IT LOOKS LIKE YOU MADE A CONSCIOUS DECISION TO RE-GENERATE YOUR TEAM BY GOING WITH YOUNGER DRIVERS. WHEN YOU MADE THAT DECISION, DID YOU HAVE A MINDSET THAT THERE WAS A PRICE TO BE PAID FOR THAT?
“When you see a guy with talent, no different than Jimmie Johnson or Jeff Gordon, or Chase, when I saw him at the age of 14, you have to say hey, he’s got the potential and it’s going to take some time. Nobody is just going to step into one of these cars. Look at Jimmie and Chase when they got in the 24-Hour race down there. They were lost compared to those other guys. But their learning curve came pretty quick. If you look at Chase and William and Alex, they all have grown in their experience level and their talent is showing. I knew it probably would be a drought for three or four years maybe. But I’m super excited about this year. Alex can win. William won Daytona. And they’re just going to get better. They’re not into their prime. They’re going to get better. It’s hard to believe that the average age is 26 and the eldest is 28. But it sure makes me feel just a wee bit younger. I mean I love to watch them. It’s like you’re watching your kids play high school sports and now they’re going to college and maybe they’re going pro. It’s fun to watch them get excited and do something for the first time. Like Chase, he grabbed me after the race and said can you believe this? It’s nice to win multiple times, but it’s really nice to see the first one.”
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