virgivaughn: 2012 NSCS Pennsylvania 400 Q&A with Team Chevy Driver Tony Stewart

Tony Stewart - Photo Credit: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for NASCAR

TONY STEWART, NO 14 OFFICE DEPOT BACK TO SCHOOL CHEVROLET met with media and discussed racing at Pocono, drivers going for a wildcard spot to make the Chase, road course racing, the upcoming 2013 car test at Martinsville, and more.

HOW WAS THE FIRST PRACTICE SESSION?

“I think we’re decent; we’re not as good as the top guys on the board, obviously. But I feel like we’ve started solidly off the truck. We’re trying a couple of different packages to see if we can find something that’s a little better. But I’m pretty happy with the efforts so far.”

HAVE SOME THINGS CHANGED SINCE LAST YEAR OR ARE THEY PRETTY MUCH THE SAME?

“Honestly, I don’t remember what pace we ran last time. I think we’re gaining on it. I think we’re starting off better today than where we were last time we were here.”

ON THE HENDRICK CARS HAVING AN ADVANTAGE LAST WEEK AT INDY, DOES THAT APPLY TO YOUR CARS TOO?

“I don’t think we were quite that far that they were. But they’re not doing anything that’s illegal. They’re doing everything within the rules. So it’s just whatever package you’re running that’s working for you.”

YOU HAD TWO DAYS OF TESTING HERE BACK IN JUNE. DID ALL THAT TRANSLATE TO WHAT YOU WERE ABLE TO DO THAT WEEKEND OR DID YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO UTILIZE THAT THIS WEEKEND?

“It was definitely valuable. It definitely helped for that weekend, obviously, but I think the way we ended up the race is kind of how we’re starting here and basing what we started with today off the end of the weekend, so it just seems like it’s just going to keep progressing. The next time we come here you won’t even think about what you did the first test and what you did the first race. You’ll be working off what we did this weekend. So it’s constantly going to evolve.”

ON DRIVERS TRYING TO MAKE THE CHASE WITH A WILDCARD

“Well, if you’re trying to get a wildcard spot, you’re doing everything you can to win a race. If you’re close enough to get in the top 10 in points, you’re doing everything you can to get points. So, I don’t think that’s their mindset as much as just making sure they get in because if you don’t get in, it doesn’t matter what you do the last ten weeks. So the guys that are on the outside looking in, their focus from now until Richmond is trying to do everything they can to win races and get points.”

ARE YOU CONFIDENT ABOUT THE TIRE FOR MICHIGAN?

“I have no idea. I didn’t talk to anybody about it; I was having too much fun where I was at to find out what they did at Michigan.”

IN THE LAST SIX WEEKS, WE’VE HAD SIX DIFFERENT WINNERS. WHY HAS IT BEEN SO COMPETITIVE?

“I have no idea (laughs). I have no clue. I think one of those six races was Daytona so you can kind of throw that out of the equation, but the series is competitive. This isn’t some low-cut series that has two or three teams that can win. There are a lot of teams that can win every week.”

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’RE LOOKING FOR IN THE 2013 TEST AT MARTINSVILLE NEXT WEEK?

“No, honestly I’m not worried about it. That’s stuff that (Steve) Addington and (Greg) Zipadelli, and Tony Gibson will work on, as well as the Hendrick guys. From a driver’s perspective, it is what it is when we get it. I’m excited to drive it and see it up close first-hand.”

IS TRACK POSITION ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS ABOUT POCONO?

“It didn’t seem to be as important as I thought it would be here a couple of weeks ago. The track really got racy, which I think surprised all of us. I don’t think any of us thought a new track was going to be as racy as it was. I think track position is still going to be important, but I don’t think it’s going to be a death sentence if you don’t get up there right away.”

THE SUMMER NATIONALS ARE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ABOUT YOUR FIRST TIME GOING?

“It was just incredible to see how fast; I mean the corners are so long there that it’s easy to make a little mistake that costs you, especially the way the Nationals’ format is. Once you go on the track for qualifying, every time you go on the track you’re getting points, basically. I would say 70 percent of your weekend is what you do in that two-lap qualifying run that’s going to set-up how your week goes.”

HOW PREPARED IS YOUR TEAM TO WIN?

“Well, I wish I could say I felt better about it. I’m not feeling as confident as I would like, but I’ve seen things in both Steve (Kinser) and Donnie (Schatz) the last couple of weeks that show me that things are progressing and starting to turn back upwards. So, there’s something about when they go to the Nationals, they know how to set the bar up. So those are two of the last guys I worry about being ready to go when they get there.”

OVER THE COURSE OF YOUR CUP CAREER, HOW HAVE YOU SEEN ROAD RACING EVOLVE?

“There are just more and more drivers that are getting better and better at it. It’s actually pretty cool to see how many guys just keep getting better and better every year. It’s starting to be just as competitive as the ovals. There are really good guys every time. So, it used to be you could count on probably four or five guys that realistically had a shot to win on the road courses and now you’re kind of in the same boat as you are on a regular weekend. If anybody gets it, they can win. So, the drivers have definitely picked their pace up.”

OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, HOW HAS THE EMPHASIS ON ROAD COURSES CHANGED?

“If you look at the test at VIR and Road Atlanta, you see all the teams that are going. I think that shows how much emphasis the teams are putting on it. You know that with the points format, 26 weeks to get you in the deal and you’ve got to be good at both of those road courses (Sonoma and Watkins Glen). That’s two opportunities to get yourself in a wildcard position and two opportunities to gain points. So, the teams are taking it just as serious as they do any of the other events.”

WHAT WILL IT TAKE FOR A.J. ALLMENDINGER TO REGAIN THE CONFIDENCE OF SPONSORS TO GET BACK UP TO SPEED?

“I honestly don’t know because it’s not a position that we’ve really had to deal with much in this series. He’s a talented driver. He’s a good guys and he deserves to be in this series. So, whatever he has to do to make those steps happen, he’s got the talent and the skill to do it and he deserves another chance.”

WHAT IS THE ONE THING YOU LOOK FORWARD TO WHEN YOU COME TO POCONO? WHAT DO YOU LOOK FORWARD TO THE LEAST?

“The think I look forward to the most is getting on the helicopter to leave. The thing I look forward to the least is getting off the plane when I get here.”

About Chevrolet:

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 140 countries and selling more than 4 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature spirited performance, expressive design and high quality. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Source: Team Chevy, Press Release

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