SONOMA, Calif. -- Rick Hendrick's Hendrick Motorsports leads the Chevrolet teams with wins on Sears Point Raceway's road course. Jeff Gordon won three straight here on this scenic Northern California circuit, in 1998-2000, giving Chevrolet Monte Carlo a total of five victories here since 1989. Dale Earnhardt (1995) and Ernie Irvan (1992) won the other two. Only Ford has been able to match Chevy's success here, with five wins as well.
Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Monte Carlo for Hendrick Motorsports, holds the race record on the 1.949-mile course of 78.789 mph; 2 hours, 26 minutes, 46 seconds, set June 25, 2000. The race record on the 2.52-mile circuit is held by Ernie Irvan in a Chevrolet, established June 7, 1992, of 81.413 mph; 2 hours, 17 minutes, 26 seconds. In 2001 the track was reconfigured from 1.949 miles to 2 miles.
Nearly midway through the 2002 season, the successful Hendrick Motorsports operation is going through unplanned changes, with the replacement of Jerry Nadeau with Joe Nemechek in the No. 25 UAW-Delphi Monte Carlo, and, most recently, with the addition to that team of new crew chief Brian Pattie, formerly Nemechek's car chief at NEMCO Motorsports, owned by Nemechek. Ken Howes, who took over crew chief duties when Tony Furr stepped down in April, returns to his position as director of competition at HMS after seven races.
Following are conversations with Joe Nemecheck, Brian Pattie, Ken Howes and Rick Hendrick:
JOE NEMECHEK:
ON BEING WITH HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS AND HAVING BRIAN PATTIE AS CREW CHIEF: "Being with Hendrick Motorsports is a very unique opportunity. Itıs kind of strange how all the things happen when they happen. In the past Iıve run well at the road courses. Brian has been with me with my Busch team for some time. We have a few poles at Watkins Glen with the Busch Series car, when I was driving and also when Ron Fellows was driving. Just getting Brian on board with myself and Hendrick means a lot to me because itıs someone Iım used to dealing with, who knows what I need in a race car and he can see what the cars have and kind of whatıs going on and what we need to do to get them to where I can be competitive. And I think thatıs one of the keys."
ON COMMUNICATION BETWEEN DRIVER AND CREW CHIEF: "Communication is the key in any business. This oneıs no different. Brian and I have a good relationship and I think weıre best friends and thatıs a big part of how these teams run. You look at the teams that are successful right now and theyıre established; theyıve been there. All of a sudden I got an opportunity with a great team and we donıt have the pleasure of building relationships. We need performance now. This is the quickest way that I feel we can get that."
ON DRIVING SEARS POINT (Nemechek did not race at Sears Point in 2001. In 2000 he started 19th, finished 11th his best finish at this track. In 1999 he qualified his best, sixth, and finished 19th): "Sears Point has been a pretty good race track for me over the past few years. It seems like we qualify decent there and we race really well, and somehow some way, toward the end of the races Iıve managed to be in the top 10. A lot of the times we have been in the top five. Pit strategy kind of plays a part in it. Iıve had decent finishes the last two times I was there. And, actually we had been in the top five in both those races and then at some point in time you get a late caution, guys will stop and put tires on, you elect to stay out, and some of them will get by you. Thereıs a lot of pit strategy involved in it. Iım looking forward to going back out there. I missed the race last year. Iıve got some learning to do, just because I missed the race there last year. They changed the track, but then they changed it again. I didnıt have the luxury of testing out there because I didnıt know I was going to be racing it. We tested with Ron Fellows out there in our 87 car and he ran extremely well, so Iım looking for good things this weekend."
ON RACING AGAINST FELLOWS: "Iıve done it before. Ron is one of the best road racers Iıve ever met. I think heıs the master of Watkins Glen. He can drive anywhere he needs to go. Sears Point is a little tougher race track just because itıs kind of a slower track. The difference, just like Le Mans, is youıve got a lot of really fast corners (at Watkins Glen). Ron knows how to use his momentum to his advantage. Thatıs one of the keys for him at Watkins Glen."
ON THE REST OF THE SEASON: "Our short-term goals are to start running top 15s. We just need to show that the team can be competitive. The last few weeks have been pretty stressful. Iıve wrecked some race cars. We didnıt run as well as I thought at Michigan. We just kind of struggled the whole time there. This week we cut some bodies off and moved some stuff around just trying to improve and get some of the aero balance that Iıve been used to. Weıre going to go from there. Right now, short-term goal is top 15s, thatıs all we want. I think there are some tracks that are coming up that weıre going to have an opportunity to win that. When you have two teammates running good, thereıs no reason you shouldnıt either."
BRIAN PATTIE:
WHAT WILL YOU HAVE TO DO TO PREPARE THE CAR FOR SEARS POINT? "The road course cars here (at Hendrick Motorsports) are well established. (Jerry) Nadeau is a good road racer. Actually, I think the car weıre taking to Sears is the one that he qualified so well and ran well at Watkins Glen. The cars are professionally maintained and built here. I havenıt road-raced with Joe since 1997. And we sat on the pole and finished third in the Busch race there and thatıs the last time I road-raced with him. Ever since (then) Iıve been with Ron (Fellows). Hopefully he can adapt to some of the setups that Ron runs because Ron runs exceptionally well. Weıve actually tested some of the road races with Ron and then had Joe jump in. Heıs done quite well. He wasnıt at the pace that Ron is, but I donıt expect him to be. But hopefully we can get the setup closer. Itıs a pretty big difference between the normal NASCAR deal and Ronıs setup."
ON RON FELLOWS DRIVING A NEMCO CAR AT SEARS POINT: "He's driving No. 87. We tested there at the end of April on a two-day test and ran really well. We just concentrated on race stuff a day and a half, so that carıs pretty well set up and theyıve got their qualifying setup and race setup established. Theyıll run pretty well. Joe was out there but didnıt make any laps. At that time he didnıt have a full time deal."
WILL YOU BENEFIT FROM WHAT YOU LEARNED THERE TO PUT ON THE 25 CAR? "Of course. Itıs so hard to be competitive anymore. (We shared) the information between the 24 and 87 (and in) our first race in ı99 we finished second behind Jeff (Gordon). Itıs kind of nice to have both setups to learn from. I look for Joe to run in the top 10; thatıs our goal this weekend."
ARE YOU INVOLVED IN RONıS CAR AS WELL? "Of course. I donıt think he would let me just walk away that easily. He and I have become pretty good friends here the last three or four years. Heıs kind of bummed that I left. I told him that I didnıt leave full time, Iım still overseeing this 87 Busch program. I really wonıt make all the changes. I canıt do so and give the 25 team my full effort. Iım sure at nighttime Iıll be debriefing with the now crew chief there and helping him out. I donıt know if you really need a lot of help with Ron driving the race car."
WHO IS CREW CHIEF? "Eric Phillips. Heıs been a car chief on that team with me since ı97. Weıve been trying to groom him as a crew chief so that in the future years when we start owning more teams I could be more of a manager type. Heıs assumed the role, whether he likes it or not."
KEN HOWES WAS STILL CREW CHIEF AT THE RECENT V.I.R. ROAD COURSE TEST. DOES IT HURT THE EFFORT WITH YOUR NOT BEING AT V.I.R.? "Not really. The information is all written down. Just trying to get the feel of what the driver wants would have helped, but weıll just do the best we can with what weıve got. Theyıve got a good brake package and theyıve got good setups and good cars. Weıll just all have to learn pretty fast at Sears with the two-hour practice we have and qualifying. I think Joe will do just fine."
DOES AERODYNAMICS PLAY ANY PART AT SEARS? "At Sears it probably doesnıt as much, because the average speed is down; mostly the corners are slower. Iım sure at Watkins Glen reaching speeds upwards of 200 down the backstretch they definitely come into effect. Theyıve got pretty long straights between 5 and 10 there and down the frontstretch. In Sears you really donıt have any straightaways -- between 3 and 4, I guess, and between 4 and 8, (but) theyıre minute. Handling and patience and forward traction are the keys to winning Sears Point."
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS? "Right now top 15s would do this team really well. Joeıs run in the top 10 in the past there and just never finished. Heıs run in the top 10s at Watkins Glen and just hasnıt finished. Hopefully weıll just keep his head on straight, come up with a strategy and pit before the caution that last time. Usually, who runs up front is who catches a caution (to his advantage) there at Sears. A top 15 would be good; but a top 10 would make me happy."
ON COMING INTO A TEAM THATıS BEEN STRUGGLING: "Itıs a challenge. Itıs probably going to be more gratifying if I can get it turned around and get everybody where weıre running well and the morale back up and stuff like it. It will probably be more gratifying than stepping into a team thatıs won 10 or 12 races and then win another a race. Itıs really not the same. Weıve got a lot of work, but I feel confident that we can get it done."
YOU HAVE HISTORY WITH JOE. DOES THAT HELP? "I think thatıs the only reason why the whole deal came about with myself coming down here. He needs help; he was getting down on himself and obviously Hendrickıs stuff is top notch. Weıre just trying to find the glue between the driver and the car and we didnıt find it this weekend in Michigan. We learned a lot. There's just bits and pieces that are different here and there. Once we figure them out I think weıll be just fine."
COMMUNICATION IS SO IMPORTANT: "Itıs definitely going to help. (They) just needed somebody in here day to day. Ken Howes is a super talented guy, very professional, but I donıt know how he stayed sane with so many people pulling him in different directions and then still trying to take on the 25 team. I donıt know how he even attempted it, let alone did it for four weeks. Weıre just looking over notes weıre looking at tunnel data now, trying to get better on our intermediate stuff, get Sears Point stuff loaded. Weıre just in here day to day trying to get information right, get our cars turned around and, at the track, itıs between Joe and I. We made good changes this weekend; we just got to continue this. Weıve got to do some more tests and get the cars to where he likes them, and then weıll be fine. The communication level between Joe and I has been high for years and it hasnıt been any better in the last two or three years than it is right now."
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE RON FELLOWS FULL TIME IN CUP? "I donıt think he would give up his road-racing career to do so. Heıs got as much raw talent as anyone out there. Anyone that can do that much for the race car (is talented) and especially driving so many different types. Camaro. I know he drove the Camaros in Trans-Am, then he would drive the Ferrari WSC car back and forth. He drove the Cadillac when they were prototyping it. (Then) going back and forth to the Corvette, driving Super Trucks. Iım like saying, man, I donıt know how this guy does it. Obviously the talent level is very high in that guy."
ON THE REST OF THE SEASON: "The plan is to try to get top 20 in points (with Nemecheck and the 25 car). And run top 15s the rest of the year. Those are the only two goals that we have. Weıre trying to finish out the year on a good note and try to get a long-term relationship set up."
IS CHEVROLET AT A DISADVANTAGE ON OVALS BECAUSE OF THE AERODYNAMICS ISSUE? "I havenıt been here long enough to know the balance issues. I know in the Busch Series Chevrolet has been struggling for a balance issue and NASCAR seemed to take a real (long) while to take them to the wind tunnel. It seems like Chevrolet has got the short end of the stick this year in the Busch series. For Winston Cup they havenıt won the races that they normally have, but I donıt know how level the playing field is.
YOUıVE WORKED WITH HENDRICK BEFORE, NOW YOUıRE A CREW CHIEF FOR THE FIRST TIME: "Itıs pretty incredible. This is the same team that I worked for back in 1996. To come back and actually run the program is I guess a tribute to the success we had or Iıve had, I guess, since leaving the team in ı96. Weıve won quite a few Busch races and (we) just try to be professional and build really nice race cars, efficient race cars. And we try to build an efficient race team up at NEMCO Motorsports. Just got a very talented group of guys there. Itıs just amazing that your first Cup crew chief position would start at one of the big corporations in Winston Cup. Iım really excited. Itıs a heck of an opportunity, but itıs a lot of work, too -- especially when youıre struggling like the 25 has in the past 6, 8 or 10 weeks. Itıs a lot of work. It will be that much more gratifying to get it turned around when it does happen."
ON NEMCO MOTORSPORTS: "Last year we took on Evans Motorsports, which is Randy LaJoie. Both 7 and 87 cars are out of that shop. What I did was manage both and I was in charge, making sure all the cars were all the same, basically team manager for both, but crew chief on the 87 when we left for the races. This year is the same; thatıs what I was doing until last Wednesday when I got the phone call from Ken Howes to come down and meet with John Hendrick and Randy Dorton and the big guy here at Hendrick Motorsports, to start the crew chief job here on the 25 car."
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WIN ON A ROAD COURSE? "Moderate downforce, exceptional power band, a lot of forward traction, good brake package. If you take the driver out of the equation thatıs what the keys that youıre looking for in a race car. But youıve got to get the setup right for the driver. All drivers want different things and you gotta have luck on your side and you play cautions a little bit differently in road races than you do on ovals. If you can get it all in line itıs usually the key to running well. Hopefully weıll do that this weekend."
ON THE CAR: "This is the Monte Carlo that ran at Watkins Glen with Nadeau last year. It qualified and ran in the top 10. Itıs a good car. I donıt think they have any bad cars here at Hendrick Motorsports."
KEN HOWES:
ANY TALK OF RE-ARRANGING CREWS SUCH AS RCR DID? "No. I donıt see any need for that right now. With crew chief Jim Long and Terry Labonte (No. 5 Kelloggıs Chevy Monte Carlo), things are coming on well there. Jimıs made a lot of progress. We feel like theyıve had some good races this year. We feel fairly pleased. Although it was a 15th place finish in Dover it was still a good run for the team. They were competitive. Terry drove hard all day and as competitive as it is these days, just to stay on the lead lap some of the days is an accomplishment. We feel good about the way that team is going right now. The 48 team? We wouldnıt change that. The 24 team and Robbie Loomis? Theyıll be OK. Theyıve not had the best season so far, but theyıre third in points. Weıre pretty encouraged; we know this stuff kind of cycles and in the second half of the year theyıll probably start to wake up out of the funk, come out of the fog and possibly enjoy another championship year. It will be interesting."
DID YOU EXPECT THAT JIMMIE JOHNSON WOULD BE SO AWESOME? "No. Itıs a total surprise to everybody; obviously a pleasant one. Our goals, our sights, were set a lot lower. You always hope to win a race or you like to think that you can. The reality was we knew it was a new team, (and) a lot of new people had come together. It was a team put together in a new way for us, because itıs two teams housed under one roof, which we had not done before. We were expecting to take some time to figure out the problems and let Jimmie gain more experience. So, yeah, weıre totally surprised."
THE 24 (JEFF GORDONıS DUPONT CHEVY MONTE CARLO) AND 48 (JIMMIE JOHNSONıS LOWEıS CHEVY MONTE CARLO) ARE IN ONE BUILDING? "They operate out of one building, which is not the way we have done it here before. You have a lot of people under one roof, so you have to have more management in place, more things you have to control. We felt like it was the way things needed to go, so we took the plunge and did it. It will be interesting to see if we can keep this going. Jimmie is way ahead of the curve, I suppose -- as the saying goes -- way, way ahead."
NO WAY TO GO BUT DOWN? "We understand that and weıre prepared for it. Perhaps they wonıt; maybe theyıll ride the wave for a long time. Who knows? Theyıve accomplished a lot, obviously, in a short time, so if they were to run into some problems, we can live with that. We will help them work through it and come out the other side. All teams go through that -- good teams, bad teams. Luck turns around sometimes and goes against you. You have a couple of bad races. We can live with that right now."
ARE WE AT A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD AT THIS STAGE? "No. Chevrolets are still at a disadvantage. Weıve got good drivers and good teams. We tend not to dwell on that too much here. The rules are the way they are and we are just working as hard as we can to do the best we can. If GM or somebody can politic to get us an advantage weıre certainly happy to take it and go on. The emphasis right now is on doing the best we can racing week in and week out."
RICK HENDRICK:
AS A SUCCESSFUL FOUR-CAR TEAM OWNER, IT MUST BE FRUSTRATING WHEN NOT ALL THE TEAMS ARE DOING WELL: "Itıs very frustrating. Itıs always frustrating when you have to make the kind of changes that we had to make on the 25 team mid-year. But, when you see that itıs not going the way it should youıve got to go ahead and make those changes. Itıs just tough when you have two cars that are running pretty good and two cars that arenıt. Terryıs (Labonte, No. 5 Kelloggıs Monte Carlo) running a lot better. But the 25 car has probably been the biggest struggle Iıve ever had in racing. Weıre determined to get it fixed and Iım very involved. Iıve been in the middle of all of the decisions and so I take all the blame or all of the heat, or all of whatever comes with it. Weıve just got to get it fixed."
DOES ANY ONE MANUFACTURER HAVE AN ADVANTAGE AT SEARS POINT? "I donıt think so. I think itıs going to be driver, and setup, and the crew calling the right shots. Itıs a driverıs track. The road-race guys do well there. Jimmie (Johnson, No. 48 Loweıs Monte Carlo) tested awful well there."
