Bo Lemler, driver and sponsor of the #55 Legacy Motorsports Pontiac, checks in with his thoughts on the Las Vegas Race. This will be the 2nd race of the season for the NASCAR Winston West Series.

Although Lemler will not be participating in this particular race, he has taken the time to answer the questions for his fans. It is anticipated that the next Winston West race for Lemler will be either Phoenix or Mesa Marin.

RacingWest: How do you as a driver feel about the greater speeds involved with the big tracks?
Bo Lemler: The greater speeds never come into mind. I have found that it is easier to drive the bigger tracks than most of the short tracks due to the fact that you are not as busy. The only time that I have noticed any speed related things, is how long it takes to stop the car during a spin.

RW: How much input do you as a driver give your crew chief as far as changes that need to be made on the chassis?
BL: I have a chassis man that travels with us race to race. He is the only one that I communicate with in regards to chassis changes. He also doubles as my spotter.

RW: How do you feel your shock program will stack up against the other teams?
BL: Our shock program is one of the best you can get. Our program is tied in with a major team that runs the Winston Cup series.

RW: Which tire (Bias ply or Radial) are you most comfortable racing with and why?
BL: The bias ply tire is much more forgiving and gives much stronger signals when it is approaching its breakaway position. With having so little time on the radial tires, my body doesn't feel the subtle signals given off by the radials. When I was in Charlotte this past fall, I was at a party with Johnny Benson, Kenny Wallace, Rusty Wallace, Ken Shrader, and a few others and I ask the same question that you ask me. Their answer across the board was that it takes a minimum of 2000 laps to feel comfortable and at 4000 laps you can be real good.

RW: What tire do you plan to use at the Vegas race, Hoosier or Goodyear and why?
BL: If I were to choose, I would use Hoosier at all short tracks and Goodyear's at the big tracks.

RW: With the chance of ARCA drivers, or drivers from other divisions, will that change your driving style when you are racing with them?
BL: All drivers are basic as to what we do, The only thing I do different is try to watch the different drivers to see what style of driving they use. During practice I make mental notes to be used during the race. Where they come from or what series they run is not a factor that I look at.

RW: With Winston Cup and Busch car owners watching the race and possibly scouting, will you change your driving style to "show off" for the car owners?
BL: I never try to "showboat". Most team owners can tell if a driver has talent or not. If you don't drive your own race, using your own style, you will probably get caught up in a situation that you wish you hadn't.

RW: What is your goal, Win? Exposure? Experience?
BL: My overall goal is to be a successful team owner at the highest level. I am one of the oldest drivers on the circuit, and I need to know all aspects of the business. I consider myself to be a better than average driver, but I am a much better businessman. By doing the West Series, I can get great experience at a cost far less than back East.

Source: RacingWest
Posted: 2/22/99