With experience in virtually every form of auto racing, Adam MacKinley is a driver that brings a wealth of experience to any team that he is part of. And Phoenix International Raceway is like a second home to MacKinley who raced USAC Silver Crown and Modifieds on the track in the earlier part of 1990's.

The history of MacKinley starts when he began racing motorcycles and karts at only 8 years of age. Mastering his skills, he was presented with an opportunity to get behind the wheel of a dirt stock car. Moving to the larger stock cars proved to be of little challenge as he quickly begin to win state and regional championships.

The biggest break of MacKinley's career dispensed in 1993 when he was hired as the back-up and test driver for the late Scott Brayton. Since then he has been competing in CART, IRL, USAC, SCCA and ASA Series.

This year MacKinley has formed MacKinley Motorsports and plans the run for the 1999 Featherlite Southwest Series Rookie of the Year Award.

RacingWest: What’s your favorite part about racing at the Copper Classic and what significance does the Copper World Classic have in your career as a driver?
Adam McKinley: Returning to PIR for the CWC will be like returning home, I raced USAC silver crown cars and Modifies there in the early 90's.

RW: Considering that PIR has two distinctly different corners, which do you, set your car up for to be the best you can or can you get both?
AM: My experience with PIR is I prefer to have a car that is setup to run tight in turns 1&2 and the be a little lose in 3&4.

RW: Track record being a 27.386 held by Hornaday from the 1995 CWC, do you feel that this record will go down this year and how will you do it?
AM: It is very possible for the record to be broken, since this is our first tour race we just want to qualify and run clean. So I don't think we're going to break the record. (But stranger things have happened to new rookies!)

RW: NASCAR has a new Monte Carlo body this year (straight up). Do you feel this is an advantage on the PIR mile?
AM: We think the new style will give the car more equal down force on all 4 corner of the car and make the car stick better in the corners.

RW: Since this is only a 50-lap race, will it be 50 flat out or will you have to conserve the car a little?
AM: Since this is our first race on the SWS tour, we will tend to be a little more conservative at the first part of the race and let the field sort out, then see if we have anything for them at the end.

RW: If you could compare Phoenix to any other track the Series races on, which one would it be?
AM: PIR in it's own right is unlike any other track that the tour will compete on this year, it's very fast and very unforgiving.

RW: What is your goal, Win? Exposure? Experience?
AM: To just say Winning! Would be too easy! From a business stand point; we want to get as much exposure for our corporate sponsor as possible and at the same time be gaining valuable experience on the SWS tour.

RW: What advantages can you offer a sponsor for this race over other teams?
AM: We make our sponsor commitments a priority over everything else, from a marketing business stand point the sponsors needs come first and racing comes second. Without the marketing program we develop for our sponsor we wouldn't be able to race.

RW: What will you do now that there is not longer the Toolies/drivers get together on Thursday night before the race?
AM: Well, I would venture to say my crew will be hard a work, prepping the car that night and as for myself I will be in Homestead, Florida for a tire testing session for Firestone till the Friday before the CWC.

RW: Do you have any sightseeing planned during your trip to Phoenix?
AM: Being that I'm an Arizona native and live in the Phoenix area, I think I'll pass on the sightseeing. But seriously! if any one coming here would like some suggestions on places to go or things to do! just e-mail us at AMacKinley@aol.com.

Source: RacingWest
Posted: 1/26/99