I had the wonderful opportunity to chat with Denny Hamlin’s girlfriend, Jordan Fish. Jordan met Denny when she was a dancer for the Charlotte Bobcats five years ago and since then their relationship has grown to the point where they’re now ready to welcome their first child — a girl — into the world later this month. Jordan is super sweet, honest and open. I had a blast talking with her about her life with Denny and learning more about who she is as a person.
All posts in Interviews
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interview: a conversation with ryan newman
On the day of the last race of the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season I had the opportunity to interview Ryan Newman (as you can see in the photo above). This was all thanks to his sponsor Quicken Loans who brought me down to Miami last month. It was a quick but really interesting conversation.
a NASCAR wife interview with samantha busch
The thing I love the most about interviewing wives & girlfriends of NASCAR drivers is that you get to see them through a different perspective. That different view, of seeing them as regular people, is my number one goal for this site (well, that and getting to do this full-time) and it’s the reason I was really excited to interview Kyle Busch‘s wife, Samantha. I sent Samantha a bunch of questions that she’s answered — awesomely — below. I really think you’ll dig this interview and maybe look at Kyle differently as a result.
interview: discussing ‘in the red’ with dale earnhardt jr.’s former publicist, jade gurss
I’ve been pretty clear about the fact that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the reason that I became a NASCAR fan and subsequently a NASCAR blogger. I’ve chronicled what it meant to me to get to stand in on one of his press conferences and how the MTV documentary “True Life: I’m a a race car driver” is what piqued my interest in racing.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with scott speed
I’m so happy to share a new interview with you guys, it’s been awhile! I met with Scott Speed at the road course track in Sonoma (formerly Infineon Raceway) during the NASCAR race weekend back in June. He’s a fellow northern California native so it was especially good to meet him and get his fun answers to these questions.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with jimmie johnson
Five-time Sprint Cup Series Champion Jimmie Johnson was my final interview at this year’s Champion’s Week in Las Vegas. He’s also the only driver (so far) that’s actually met James Lipton who hosts Inside the Actor’s Studio on Bravo and asks these very same questions of his guests. So in a Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon sort of way I’m now connected to James Lipton. 
interview: inside the actor’s studio with kevin harvick
Another interview and another first. Now I’ve interviewed both a wife and a husband, first DeLana Harvick and now Kevin Harvick. I spoke to Kevin during this year’s Champion’s Week in Las Vegas (and let him know that I asked DeLana these same questions) and it was very clear — as he acknowledges at one point — that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind to answer my random questionnaire. He still did a great job and I completely understand how my questions could throw him since they’re no where near the standard issue questions you get during that week (or at any time really during the season). Still, superfun (and funny)!
interview: inside the actor’s studio with ryan newman
Ryan Newman had never heard of Inside the Actor’s Studio but he said he’d “go with it” when I interviewed him in Las Vegas earlier this month. He was very nice and “go with it” he did. I think he earns the distinction as the first driver to spell out his favorite curse word.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with richard childress
Richard Childress is many things. He is the owner of Richard Childress Racing, the grandfather to up & coming NASCAR drivers Austin & Ty Dillon, the man that will make you hold is watch while he puts some guy in a headlock and the second NASCAR team owner I’ve had the pleasure to interview (Chip Ganassi is the first). I caught up with him in Las Vegas after he’d won the Buddy Shuman award at the NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon and his answers to the ITAS questions are awesome. He didn’t hesitate or take a really long time to answer the last question, it seemed like something he’s thought about.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with denny hamlin
The following interview with Denny Hamlin took place in Las Vegas during this year’s Champion’s Week. You might ask yourself who “Bill” is while reading this and I can’t tell you who he is either, I didn’t stop to ask him before going on to the next question. Did I mention that getting interviews with all the drivers on my list was my top priority? So I was in full on autopilot mode of “Just keep going!!! There’s no time! No time!” Anyway… If you know the Bill he’s referring to please let us know in the comments.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with dale earnhardt jr.
Not going to lie, it was very cool to get to interview Dale Earnhardt Jr. He’s a big part of why I have this blog and why I love NASCAR. I can’t even process the fact that I spoke to him and said, “Hi Dale” like I knew him or something. I spoke words to him and he spoke words back to me. He said, “Thank you” to me after I said,”Thank you” to him, when it was all over. Crazy, right?
interview: inside the actor’s studio with jeff gordon
So this is the first of several “Inside the Actor’s Studio” interviews I completed while I was in Las Vegas for Champion’s Week. Jeff Gordon’s birthplace is Vallejo, California which is only 25 minutes from where I grew up and still not that far from where I live now. So he’s obviously someone I’ve known about since I was a kid outside of the fact that he’s a four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. And obviously it was a HUGE deal to meet and interview him. He’s a very nice man who always gives thoughtful answers to any question anyone throws at him. So this was fun. Enjoy!
interview: inside the actor’s studio with delana harvick
This is a sort of “bonus” interview I got to do with DeLana Harvick, wife of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver & 2011 Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship contender Kevin Harvick, during the Kansas Speedway race weekend last month. You can read my long-form interview with her here.
a nascar wife interview with delana harvick
I had the awesome opportunity to meet and interview DeLana Harvick at Kansas Speedway last weekend. DeLana is married to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kevin Harvick, who pilots the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing (RCR). Kevin is currently 2nd in The Chase for the Sprint Cup Series Championship points standings, just ONE point behind the leader, Carl Edwards. Needless to say, this has been a big year for the Harvicks, one that included moving the racing side of Kevin Harvick Inc. over to RCR.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with matt crafton
I met and interviewed Camping World Truck Series driver Matt Crafton during the hauler tour for SYLVANIA during the New Hampshire Motor Speedway race weekend last month. Matt drives the No. 88 Menards Chevrolet for ThorSport Racing. He’s currently 8th in the points standings and hails from Tulare, California which is the same hometown as my brother-in-law. I knew there was a reason why I liked Matt Crafton.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with tony kanaan
I had the opportunity to interview popular IndyCar driver Tony Kanaan at Infineon Raceway this year. Tony, or “TK” as people like to call him, was so very nice and a fun interview.
Enjoy!
interview: inside the actor’s studio with ryan briscoe
I interviewed Ryan Briscoe, driver of the No. 6 Team Penske Dallara-Honda, at Infineon Raceway during the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma weekend last month. It was great getting to meet him and ask him these fun questions. The more I do it, the more it feels like I’m giving people a 3 minute psych test or something. I love it. When Ryan gave me his original answer for his favorite word he wasn’t totally satisfied with it, so he tweeted me later with his final answer.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with helio castroneves
I interviewed Helio Castroneves just before the autograph session that he and his Penske teammates were taking part of at the Macy’s men’s store in San Francisco the week of the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway.
I didn’t realize until just now that I missed a question in the questionnaire, which is crazy considering I’ve asked these questions a million times now. Anyway, it’s still a good interview. Helio laughs a lot and has a great personality. He’s just as you’ve seen him on TV, which is very refreshing.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with mario andretti
Yep, I got to meet THE Mario Andretti, which, if I do say so myself, is pretty freaking amazing. He’s a LEGEND. Think about it: When people make jokes about people who try to drive fast they say something like, “Who do you think you are, Mario Andretti???” But he actually IS Mario Andretti and I got to ask him the fun little Inside the Actor’s Studio questions. I’m so glad he humored me. It was truly an honor.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with casey mears
The following interview with Casey Mears, driver of the No. 13 Geico Toyota Camry, took place in the garage at Infineon Raceway. It was a surprise for both of us since I didn’t have a time scheduled with him and I just saw him standing there talking to a couple of guys and figured why not go for it. I interrupted (politely) and asked if I could interview him. He was a good sport and had some great answers. I sincerely appreciated the time he took to speak with me.
a nascar wife interview with shana mayfield
I interviewed Shana Mayfield, the wife of suspended NASCAR driver Jeremy Mayfield, in 2008 and I’m finally posting it today. We talked for little over an hour which is the longest interview I’ve ever done (what’s below isn’t even the entire conversation). For a couple reasons, which I won’t bore you with, I didn’t get it transcribed until this year.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with trevor bayne
I interviewed the reigning Daytona 500 champion, 20-year-old Trevor Bayne, at Auto Club Speedway earlier this year. It was a lot of fun and Trevor was super nice. As you’re reading the interview just imagine a lot of laughter throughout. He had a really great attitude in approaching all of the questions.
As I’m sure you’ve heard Trevor has been dealing with some medical issues and is working to get his symptoms diagnosed as soon as possible so that he can get back into a racecar this year. I really wish him all the best and hope that he can get back to the track as soon as possible.
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What is your favorite word? Epic
What is your least favorite word? The “G.D.”* word, when people are cussing and stuff. That’s terrible.
What turns you on? Here’s my favorite thing that ever happens: When we’re going out to wakeboard, we’re going to get a set on the lake, and you roll out and it’s, like, perfect weather but then the lake’s just glass. The wind’s down, you go out and the water is just glass. We call that, “butter,” because you don’t want to wakeboard on some choppy water.
What turns you off? Bad weather. When it’s cold & rainy that’s terrible. That’s my least favorite thing in the world. If it’s cold & snowing I’m good with it. Or if it’s raining when it’s warm I’m OK, but, like, cold rain is the worst thing in the world.
What sound or noise do you love? Car engine.
What sound or noise do you hate? Nails on a chalkboard is the worst.
What is your favorite curse word? I don’t have one. I don’t say them.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d like to be in action sports. A wakeboarder or snowboarder, something like that I’d like to try. I know I couldn’t be a gold medalist in the X Games or anything but that’s what I’d like to do.
What profession would you not like to do? I do not want to be the guy cleaning out the port-a-potties. No, thank you on that one.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Well, it does, and I want to hear him that say, “be proud.”
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*Ed. note: By “G.D.” he meant, “God damn”
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with kenny wallace
This is my new second favorite ITAS interview of all time, it came REALLY close to beating my top favorite which is the very first one I ever did with Tony Stewart. After Kenny Wallace answered the first question with the word “Fuck” we all laughed and he said, “That’s the truth! I can lie, I can lie!” I was all of course “No! The truth is better!” I knew we were in for a super special interview. Kenny is so funny but so honest, straightforward and genuine about everything he says and does.
He’s a man on a mission to win in the No. 09 American Ethanol Toyota Camry for RAB Racing with Brock Maggard in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and I sincerely hope it happens for him. Both he and his team owner Robby Benton, were great fun to talk to when I met them both at Auto Club Speedway earlier this year.
This was such a fun interview to do, I hope you enjoy it!
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What is your favorite word? Fuck
What is your least favorite word? Negativity
What turns you on? Sex
What turns you off? Failure
What sound or noise do you love? “You’re clear,” that means I’m done jacking with that guy when I’m racing. When my spotter says, “You’re clear.”
What sound or noise do you hate? “Inside, inside, inside.” Multiple times. It means I’m getting freight-trained. It means I’m so slow everyone’s passing me.
What is your favorite curse word? See the first question.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would like for one year to be the bat boy for the St. Louis Cardinals. I would love to do that. I love my town of St. Louis and I thought, “How cool would it be?” I hear people change professions every once in a while, I’ve raced my whole life and I think there’s 162 games in a baseball season, whether it’s 162 games or all the home games, I would love to, for one time, be the bat boy for every damn game. I love baseball.
What profession would you not like to do? This is going to sound crazy. I would never want to be a crew chief again, because I was a crew chief. There’s no win. They’re in a no-win situation. It’s never good enough and it’s never enough.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with jeremy clements
Jeremy Clements is my new sentimental favorite driver. Maybe it was because Jeremy and his crew chief, Ricky Pearson, were so hospitable to me when I interviewed him at Auto Club Speedway in March but I also think it was because he was just genuinely nice and humble.
He’s working on learning as much as he can every time he gets into his racecar and he’s already achieved one of his goals for the year which was to get locked into the top-30 in owners points (they’re currently 22nd) so that he and his team wouldn’t have to worry as much about qualifying each week. Jeremy sits 16th in driver points, but they’re still hoping to have enough funding so that they can run their No. 51 www.racedaysponsor.com Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for the entire year, something he’s never done before.
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What is your favorite word? Speed
What is your least favorite word? No
What turns you on? Beautiful, sexy women
What turns you off? Bad attitude and stuck up people.
What sound or noise do you love? A roaring engine.
What sound or noise do you hate? That silence before you hit the wall. The tires are screeching, there’s silence and then it’s “boom!” I hate that because you know it’s coming.
What is your favorite curse word? Fuck. I say that on the radio in the car a lot if things aren’t going right.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’ve never even thought of that, ya know? (Me: Really?) Yeah (Me: You’ve always wanted to be a racecar driver?) Yeah, since I was in elementary school when I raced go-karts. Another profession, I’d like to be a stunt car driver, something like that. That’d be cool.
What profession would you not like to do? There’s a lot of them. I don’t ever want to work at McDonald’s or fast food, waiting on people in restaurants. I think that’d suck.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Come on in, buddy!
(Photo credit: Jeremy Clements Racing)
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with robert richardson jr.
Out of all of the drivers that I’ve interviewed and asked about their goals for the year, Robert Richardson Jr. is the ONLY one that included a personal one. “Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay in shape,” said Robert. That’s admirable, and it makes me wonder what personal goals other drivers have for this year. I mean, think about it, as a woman I am CONSTANTLY turning the goals that I have for my personal life over and over in my head (it’s usually something like “Where the hell is he already!?!”). So I wonder what some of those drivers that “have it all” are working towards in their personal lives.
Anywhoo, back to Robert. He drives the No. 23 Wildlife Conservation Society Dodge for R3 Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I spoke with him at Auto Club Speedway earlier this year and he had some pretty interesting responses.
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What is your favorite word? I’m pretty religious so I’d probably have to say, “God.” I look up to Him quite a bit.
What is your least favorite word? Any cuss word really, especially if it’s being directed at me. I don’t know, anything negative really.
What turns you on? Well, as far as hobbies & stuff I like to hunt and fish and, obviously, I like to drive racecars. I guess you can say my girlfriend turns me on, I’ll give her a little credit.
What turns you off? Not succeeding and, like I said earlier, anything negative from anybody–whether they’re putting themselves down–I just don’t like to hear that stuff. I always try to keep everybody up beat and positive. I learned that from playing football, playing quarterback, you’re a leader and you just have to keep everybody pumped up when it’s time to go.
What sound or noise do you love? Racecars obviously. I like country music, any kind of music really. I listen to rap, rock & roll, things of that nature.
What sound or noise do you hate? Fingernails on a chalkboard
What is your favorite curse word? Favorite cuss word? I don’t know, I never really thought about that. I’ll swear on occasion. (Me: It could be something you say in place of a curse word) Uhm, “Shit.”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I was an art major in college and photography was my focus, but I was also well-rounded in painting and drawing and things like that. So I might want to pursue that at a later date.
What profession would you not like to do? Probably a police officer or working for the government.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Come on in!
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with aric almirola
Aric Almirola wants to win races and contend for the Championship this year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Aric pilots the No. 88 Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet for JR Motorsports and currently sits 6th in the points standings after Talladega. I did the following interview with Aric at Auto Club Speedway back in March.
Ya know, a lot of guys have said that nails on a chalkboard is the sound or noise that they hate but I was thinking about it–who has a chalkboard these days? I mean, really, when was the last time they heard that? I guess it’s just one of those things that you just know is a really annoying sound. Actually, now that I’ve written that I’m remembering times I had in elementary school when I accidentally scraped my fingers on a chalkboard and it’s creeping me out, not so much the sound but the feeling. Good thing kids these days only have to have to deal with dry erase boards.
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What is your favorite word? I say, “Really” a lot.
What is your least favorite word? No
What turns you on? Fast cars
What turns you off? People driving slow in the fast lane.
What sound or noise do you love? The sound of an engine.
What sound or noise do you hate? Nails on a chalkboard.
What is your favorite curse word? I don’t curse very often, but I guess it’d probably have to be “Hell.” Or maybe “Damn.”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I wouldn’t be very good at it because I’m only weigh 165 pounds, but I would love to play football. I think it’d be interesting to just play a couple downs, if I didn’t get killed. (Me: Any particular position you would want to play?) I think I’d like to play wide receiver but only if the ball is thrown to me. I don’t want to play wide receiver if I’m just running around or having to block for the running back. I’d want the ball thrown to me every down.
What profession would you not like to do? Hockey, for sure. I would not play hockey. All of those guys are missing teeth and they always fight. Hockey is not for me. I can’t even watch hockey. I understand it, I understand the concept, but for me watching it is even tough because you can’t see that little black puck it goes so fast.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Heaven does exist, in my mind, so that’s not even a question for me. If I’m waiting on God to say something hopefully it’s “Come in.”
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with michael annett
What are Michael Annett’s goals for this year? “Definitely to be consistently running in the top-10 each weekend,” said Annett. “Hopefully those top-10 runs turn into top-5s and that gets us top-3, top-5 in points.”
I had the opportunity to interview Michael, driver of the No. 62 Pilot Travel Centers Toyota for Rusty Wallace Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last month.
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What is your favorite word? Tenacious
What is your least favorite word? Soggy
What turns you on? As far as?? (Me: Anything) I like anything with some chrome on it. A good looking truck or a good looking boat, or anything like that.
What turns you off? People with bad attitudes.
What sound or noise do you love? Sound of cars running at their highest performance. That second right before you hear the rev limiter go off. The sound right before that.
What sound or noise do you hate? Probably nails on a chalkboard or even fingernails on a paperback book, on paper, that bothers me too.
What is your favorite curse word? Probably “Fuck.” Pretty easy.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional bull riding.
What profession would you not like to do? I would hate to be an author. (Me: An author?) Yeah, I hate reading books, writing papers, anything. I hate that.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Hopefully, he says, “Welcome.” I hope so.
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with jason leffler
I was just thinking, if you had told me 5 years ago that I would be asking NASCAR drivers what turns them on right now, I would have told you you were nuts. But now it’s just my reality.
I interviewed Jason Leffler at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He drives the No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Jason is one cool dude and was the first person to answer “favorite curse word” with such a smooth delivery I actually had to complement him on it.
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What is your favorite word? Fast
What is your least favorite word? No
What turns you on? Besides hot girls? Race cars.
What turns you off? Slow race cars.
What sound or noise do you love? Sound of an engine.
What sound or noise do you hate? Alarm clock
What is your favorite curse word? Fuck
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I want to be an actor.
What profession would you not like to do? I wouldn’t want to be the president.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Look at this beautiful race track, you can race for eternity here.
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with j.j. yeley
J.J. Yeley has a great name doesn’t he? It’s one of those names that’s just fun to pronounce.
I interviewed him at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and totally dug his attitude towards making some noise in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series these days. J.J. drives the No. 46 Chevrolet for Whitney Motorsports and he had this to say when I asked him about his goals for this year: “My goal for the way things are right now are to help this small team that I’ve been driving for find a sponsor to where we can go out and prove to people that even though we’re a small group of guys that we can still get the job done. It’s a lot of fun being the underdog when you go to the race track because the expectations that people have for you are low, but to go out there and surprise people is a lot of fun.”
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What is your favorite word? Sweet
What is your least favorite word? It’s usually when I hear my name, because it means I’m in trouble. Least favorite word? I don’t think I have a least favorite word. Oh, I know “Hot,” when people say, “Oh, that’s hot.”
What turns you on? Smiles. I like when people smile.
What turns you off? Attitude
What sound or noise do you love? My daughter laughing.
What sound or noise do you hate? The alarm clock.
What is your favorite curse word? I’ve cut way back on that because I have a 6-year-old. But I would say it’s a four-letter word. (Me: But which one?) Let’s leave it as a four-letter word because sometimes it varies.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? If I was not a race car driver, based on my life, I would become a taxi driver. (Me: Really?) Sure, ‘cause it’s the closest thing to racing. You get to drive a car really fast, completely ignore everyone around you. (Me: This is true) Yea, I think it’d be fun.
What profession would you not like to do? I wouldn’t want to be a dentist.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? I get to sit in the big chair.
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with joey logano
I didn’t realize exactly how tall Joey Logano is until I interviewed him at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It was right after his Sprint Cup Series qualifying run and I found myself standing next to him thinking, “Heey, he’s really tall!” You don’t get a lot of racecar drivers that are noticeably tall, tall. He’s 6’1″. Anyway, Joey was funny. Having just transcribed this and heard his responses again I realized he didn’t actually answer a couple of them. I think that’s a first.
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What is your favorite word? Wicked
What is your least favorite word? [laughs] I don’t have a PG rated answer for that one. (Me: Really? For your least favorite word?) What is your least favorite word? I don’t have one.
What turns you on? Racecars
What turns you off? Every answer I come up with is not a good answer. (Me: [Inaudible]) No, it’s just not a good answer for me to say. That’s a loaded question (Me: No, it’s not. Just think of it as something you don’t like) Lying. I don’t like lying.
What sound or noise do you love? A big ol’ motor.
What sound or noise do you hate? Knives against a plate, or chalkboard scratch, that kind of thing.
What is your favorite curse word? Depends on the moment. [laughs]
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I never really thought about trying anything else. Maybe hockey, I enjoy hockey a lot. Hockey’s cool.
What profession would you not like to do? I would not want to sit behind a desk all day, that’d be hard for me.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Come on in!
interview: inside the actor’s studio with steve wallace
When I arrived at Steve Wallace’s hauler to interview him at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the day before his Nationwide Series race, I could tell he wasn’t having a very good day. He hadn’t said anything yet and he seemed like he’d rather not have to do an interview. As you’ll see in the interview below, the source of his annoyance reveals itself. At the end of the questioning I asked him what his goals are for this year and Steve said, “Definitely win some races, run good. We’re really plenty capable of it. We’ve just had a really shitty start to the year and haven’t had luck on our side. Our cars aren’t handling as good as they need to, so we’ve got a lot to fix.”
I will say, though, that as we went through the questions he seemed to relax and overall I dug his answers, especially what he’d like to hear God say when he gets to heaven.
For the record at Las Vegas he ended up finishing 16th, which isn’t super terrible, and the following race at Bristol he finished 11th (Better!), then 27th at Auto Club Speedway (Uh oh). So it looks like they’re still got their work cut out for them.
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What is your favorite word? Dude
What is your least favorite word? Y’all
What turns you on? In what way? (Me: In whatever way you think. Think of it as, like, what makes you happy) What makes me happy. When my car’s fast. Today it’s not. I’m not happy today. Or yesterday. (Me: But you can work on that, right?) Yeah.
What turns you off? People with chips on their shoulders.
What sound or noise do you love? Engines
What sound or noise do you hate? Loud screeching noises, like nails on a chalkboard. Anything that squeals.
What is your favorite curse word? The F-bomb.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional fisherman.
What profession would you not like to do? Aw shit, there’s a bunch of them. Anything that has to do with an office would not be good for me.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? That I’m a badass, that’s about it.
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with justin allgaier
This interview with Justin Allgaier took place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the same weekend that he finished second in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Sam’s Town 300, just behind his part-time Turner Motorsports teammate Mark Martin. It was a huge weekend for those guys.
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What is your favorite word? Rollability. It’s a word that came from trying to figure out how to make the racecars go faster and it just kind of stuck. I don’t know if it’s a word or not.
What is your least favorite word? “Like” because I say it all the time and it drives me nuts and I try to keep myself from saying it.
What turns you on? My wife.
What turns you off? Bad smells.
What sound or noise do you love? I actually like the sound of fire. The cracking and the popping of fire. I’ve always really liked that sound.
What sound or noise do you hate? Ambulances or emergency vehicles. The sirens, I can’t stand sirens.
What is your favorite curse word? I don’t really cuss, that kind of eliminates my favorite curse word. (Me: Do you have something you say in place of a curse word?) I say, “Eff” a lot. It’s kind of odd but that’s my curse word, I guess, if I have one.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? The graphic arts industry. I started out when I was younger doing my own decals on my racecars and I absolutely love it.
What profession would you not like to do? Anything to do with sewers or sewage. We were actually reading at thing today about how they’re going to turn sewage water into drinking water and that really bothers me. So that would definitely not be a profession I would want to be in.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Just to say that I did the right thing. I think that would be the most important.
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with kasey kahne
Here is my “impromptu” interview with Kasey Kahne that took place at Auto Club Speedway a couple weeks ago. When we got to his least favorite word Kasey said, “I don’t know, these are really tough. This is the hardest interview I’ve had in a long time.” We left that question, went through the rest and came back to it at the end. Also, of note, when he said “Nice” for his first answer he drew out the “ce” sound, so it sounded more like “Nighssss.”
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What is your favorite word? Nice
What is your least favorite word? Retard
What turns you on? Girls
What turns you off? Negative people.
What sound or noise do you love? Music
What sound or noise do you hate? Screaming. I hate screaming.
What is your favorite curse word? Fuck
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d like to be a golfer. Actually, I’d like to be a bull rider.
What profession would you not like to do? I really wouldn’t want to be a garbage man.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Hi.
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with jamie mcmurray
I didn’t get to meet Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, and ask him these questions in person but he was super gracious to send over his answers via email. Good stuff.
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What is your favorite word? Winning
What is your least favorite word? Can’t
What turns you on? My wife
What turns you off? Germs
What sound or noise do you love? The quiet sound of my son’s breath when he falls asleep on my shoulder
What sound or noise do you hate? Fingers down the chalkboard
What is your favorite curse word? Try not to use them much
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional bass fisherman
What profession would you not like to do? Ice Road Trucker
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Well done my son!
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with jennifer jo cobb
So, I have to tell you guys something. Jennifer Jo Cobb is my new hero. I couldn’t respect this woman more. She has a passion for racing that is obvious and deep. I spoke with her at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, well before the brouhaha occurred at Bristol, and it was clear to me then that she wasn’t someone that was casual or wishy-washy about her racing career.
When I asked her about the goals she has set for herself in the NASCAR Nationwide Series she answered without hesitation. “Win Nationwide Series Rookie of the Year,” said Jennifer, “And improve my position each and every week to become a respectable competitor in this series.”
I really, really hope that she can be as successful as she wants to be in NASCAR. We need more strong women in NASCAR, not just behind the scenes and in support roles, but also on the track.
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What is your favorite word? Fabulous (Me: Good answer!)
What is your least favorite word? Can’t
What turns you on? Going very, very fast
What turns you off? Going very, very slow
What sound or noise do you love? The engine of a race car
What sound or noise do you hate? The alarm clock
What is your favorite curse word? I say “Freaking” more than anything.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? CIA. Sometimes I think about what I do as a living and I’m like, “Does it matter? Is it making a difference? Or is it all just fun?” And so I think I would love to work this hard, as hard as we work, for a mission that really counts for something. It has a beginning, it has an end, it has a “mission accomplished.” (Me: I think that what you do is very inspiring to other female drivers) I’ve been thinking that lately, especially my story. I hope it provides hope for people. So maybe that gives what I do a little more meaning.
What profession would you not like to do? EMT (Emergency Medical Technician). I wouldn’t want to put my hands in someone else’s blood.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Oh, this is easy. I want to know where all the things I have lost have gone. But what would I want to hear him say? Job well done.
(photo credit: cobbracingteam.com
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with matt kenseth
Matt Kenseth. What can I say about Matt Kenseth? Well, he’s funny for one. He made fun of my name when I interviewed him in Las Vegas a couple months ago during Champion’s Week. He’s also the first driver I’ve interviewed to end up not answering all of the questions in the “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire. As you’ll see below at “What turns you off?” there’s an exchange that involves me, Matt and Jeff Burton, but there’s no actual answer. We came back to it, but he still didn’t have any answer. Which was curious to me because I would think it’d be harder to think of an answer for “What turns you on?” than the opposite of that.
Anyway, Matt was supernice and a very good sport. Definitely another good interview.
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What is your favorite word? Lately I’ve been noticing everyone says “Like” all the time, and I caught myself doing it so I’ve been trying to get myself to stop doing it when everyone around me uses it like crazy.
What is your least favorite word? When somebody uses God’s name in vain.
What turns you on? My wife
What turns you off? Can’t answer that one. (Me: what turns you off?) These are tough questions, where are you going to write these at? You’re going to get me in a lot of trouble. I can’t answer that. [To Jeff Burton] How can you answer all these? Like ‘What turns you off?’ (Jeff Burton: Everything’s not sexual, Matt). [To Me] Ok, let’s keep going. (Me: You want to come back to it?) Yeah.
What sound or noise do you love? I like hearing race cars start up
What sound or noise do you hate? A couple people’s voices. Gosh, I’m not quick thinking on my feet today. Can I come back to that one too?
What is your favorite curse word? I don’t know, I try not to curse. I guess I don’t have a favorite.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Well it’s way to late in life to do it now, but if I was going to be something else I probably would have been interested in joining the Air Force, try to be a fighter pilot.
What profession would you not like to do? Well I’m pretty fortunate because it’s hard to call this a job, so I think anything other than this would be not as good.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome in!
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with kyle busch
Kyle Busch drives the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. He married his longtime girlfriend Samantha Sarcinella on New Year’s Eve last year and the word from Kyle (via Twitter) is that their wedding will be featured on The Style Network in March of this year.
I interviewed Kyle during Champion’s Week in Las Vegas last year and some of his responses kinda surprised me, especially the profession other than his own that he’d like to attempt.
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What is your favorite word? Well, I have a favorite saying, but not a word. “It doesn’t surprise me”
What is your least favorite word? Second
What turns you on? I mean, is that like, I gotta get context there. *laughter* (Me: Whatever you think) Hmm, racing. That’s easy.
What turns you off? People that aren’t true to themselves.
What sound or noise do you love? The roar of an engine
What sound or noise do you hate? The skid of tires
What is your favorite curse word? Uh, hold on. What’s that one? Oh, I can’t say that one. Uhm, “fudge.”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Crew chief. Something still in racing.
What profession would you not like to do? A 9-to-5 corporate desk job.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? I’d like for him to tell me that I did a great job while living his path for me.
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with kurt busch
Kurt Busch is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver for Penske Racing. 2010 was his last year in the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, this year he takes on the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Dodge (as you can see in the photo at left).
“I am honored to represent the Shell and Pennzoil brands in the NASCAR Cup Series starting in 2011,” said Busch. “I look forward to building on the success of our storied past at Penske Racing with our new sponsors at Shell and Pennzoil.”
This was by far the fastest interview I’ve ever transcribed, I didn’t realize he was so speedy about it until just now. I liked his answer for the last question, I don’t think anyone’s answered it that way ’til now.
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What is your favorite word? “Let’s do it.”
What is your least favorite word? “I don’t want to.”
What turns you on? Family
What turns you off? The travel
What sound or noise do you love? Race cars
What sound or noise do you hate? My alarm clock
What is your favorite curse word? Oh, hell.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Baseball
What profession would you not like to do? Hockey
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? I’m proud of you, son.
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with chad knaus
Chad Knaus is the spectacularly successful crew chief of the No. 48 Lowe’s team at Hendrick Motorsports. He celebrated the team’s fifth-straight NASAR Sprint Cup Series Championship with his driver, Jimmie Johnson, in Las Vegas for Champion’s Week which is where this interview occurred.
My only regret was not getting to interview Jimmie with the same questions as he was seated right next to Chad in the press room. Jimmie wasn’t occupied with anyone during my time with Chad and I can’t for the life of me remember why I didn’t just go to him next, he must of started talking to someone and I didn’t want to wait is my best guess.
Anyway, the interview with Chad was great as you can read/see below. He hasn’t been “turned off” in quite some time.
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What is your favorite word? No
What is your least favorite word? No. Being told “No.” *laughter*
What turns you on? Winning
What turns you off? Losing
What sound or noise do you love? I love the sound of the ocean.
What sound or noise do you hate? People arguing.
What is your favorite curse word? I don’t think I can say that. *laughter* Favorite curse word? Probably “Damnit.”
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would like to at some point to get to work inside a business environment, be a board member or something along those lines.
What profession would you not like to do? Work in a factory.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Good job.
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with clint bowyer
Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 33 Cheerios Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, is a character for sure. He’s a funny guy and I’m really happy with how this interview turned out–I laughed while I transcribed it! Hopefully all of that comes through. In addition to the questions below I asked Clint if he had any special plans for the off-season and he said, “Whatever I want, that’s what’s nice about the off-season you have the opportunity to do whatever you want for a while.”
This ranks up there as one of my favorites for sure. I had to leave in our conversation about these answers because without it, it just wouldn’t make sense and it makes it funnier.
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What is your favorite word? *laughter* I can’t tell you
What is your least favorite word? No
What turns you on? Everything. Well, this is not fair! *laughter* (Me: Yes it is!) What turns me on? Uh, cars.
What turns you off? Penalties. Penalties suck.
What sound or noise do you love? An engine turning 9500 RPM.
What sound or noise do you hate? An engine expiring.
What is your favorite curse word? I cannot tell you that. I like ‘em all. I put ‘em all in play, put it that way.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? *laughter* I don’t know, give me a good one, what would you do? You gotta help me sound cool. (Me: Uhh, I don’t know, an actor?) Uh, a rockstar.
What profession would you not like to do? Uh, man. How about that one, what profession would we not want to do? This is collective group effort. (Me: I’ve heard sewage stuff, trash collector) I was going to say shit hauler would be bad. Shit hauler. Is this going to be on, like, public record? (Me: It’s going to be on a blog on the internet, it’s going to be there forever) Oh great, the internet’s forever? I don’t know, help me come up with a better one then. (Me: An office job where you have to sit in one place?) Uhm, man, I don’t know. Try to keep track of me, put it that way.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? What would I like him to say? Welcome! *laughter*
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with kevin conway
Raybestos Rookie of the Year award-winner Kevin Conway started the 2010 season in the Sprint Cup Series driving for Front Row Motorsports but ended it with Robby Gordon Motorsports. I met Kevin in Las Vegas after the NMPA Myers Bros. Awards Luncheon where he officially received his Rookie of the Year award.
This is the second of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” interviews that I did during Champion’s Week. There are many more to come so stay tuned.
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What is your favorite word? This year I would have to say it’s been “Plethora” and I really don’t know why, it’s just been used a lot.
What is your least favorite word? Probably “hmm,” I hate it when a girl is like “hmm, hmm.”
What turns you on? Being competitive and winning races.
What turns you off? Negativity
What sound or noise do you love? Race cars
What sound or noise do you hate? Silence
What is your favorite curse word? The F-word can be used in so many different ways, so it’s probably the best 4-letter word because it’s used in many different ways.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? If I couldn’t be a race car driver I’d probably like to be a fighter pilot.
What profession would you not like to do? Anything in a cubicle or a desk job.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome, welcome home.
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with shannon spake
Shannon Spake is a pit reporter for both the NASCAR Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series telecasts on ESPN and is a reporter for ESPN’s studio programs such as NASCAR Now, SportsCenter and ESPNEWS. She’s also a wife and a mother to twin boys who will celebrate their 1st birthday on New Year’s Day.
Shannon, just like her ESPN co-workers, was super nice and gracious. I asked to interview her and Marty Smith on the fly while in the press box at Auto Club Speedway back in October. So I really appreciated the time they took to answer these questions after I sprung the request on them out of the blue.
Again, more great answers!
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What is your favorite word? Determination
What is your least favorite word? Failure
What turns you on? Being completely satisfied in something I just accomplished.
What turns you off? Laziness
What sound or noise do you love? I have twin boys, the sound of them–whether it’s crying or laughing–just the sounds that they make.
What sound or noise do you hate? The sound of nails on a chalk board or knives on a plate.
What is your favorite curse word? A–hole.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Maybe an actor, I think. I think it would be fun to be on a movie set with everything being fake and so over the top, I think it would be fun to be a part of that world.
What profession would you not like to do? Anything that involves jumping out of airplanes or working at high levels because I’m really afraid of heights and so I think anything that involves being way up in the air in any way, I don’t think I’d be interested in that at all.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? You did well.
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Follow Shannon Spake on Twitter @SSpakeESPN
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with jeff burton
Jeff Burton, driver of the No. 31 CAT Chevrolet Impala for Richard Childress Racing, is cool. He finished the year 12th in points and out of the drivers I interviewed in Las Vegas he struck me as the most “polished.” And I guess what I mean by that is that he was professional but relaxed and just himself. He just seemed the most mature, not that everyone else wasn’t it’s just that you understand why people always look to him for his opinions.
Later when I was interviewing Matt Kenseth, Jeff was standing nearby waiting to hear Matt’s answer for “favorite curse word.” When I asked Matt about what turns him off he had a hard time and looked to Jeff and said, “How can you answer these?” to which Jeff replied, “Everything’s not sexual, Matt.” It was so funny and all said with a laugh.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with marty smith
Marty Smith is a really nice guy. And I’m not just saying that because I know he’s going to read this at some point. I just appreciated how nice he was to me when I introduced myself to him during Champion’s Week last year and every time I’ve seen him since then he’s 1.) remembered me and 2.) stayed cool. Why is this important or notable? Because he doesn’t have to be like that. He could be a prima donna and he’s not.
Marty is a writer and reports for ESPN2′s daily NASCAR news and information program NASCAR Now, as well as SportsCenter, ESPN First Take, ESPNEWS and ESPN.com.
Marty’s interview was fun because his answers were really thoughtful. If you follow him on Twitter then you already know that he’s a serious fan, and friend, of country artist Eric Church which makes sense when you read his answer for the job he’d like to attempt. A fun fact is that he shares the same turn-off as his ESPN co-worker Brad Daugherty.
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What is your favorite word? Credibility
What is your least favorite word? Money. The reason that that is my least favorite word is because I think it drives the perception of worth entirely too much in our society. There’s a whole lot of things that are richer in life than green paper.
What turns you on? Intelligence
What turns you off? Haughtiness
What sound or noise do you love? My son and daughter’s laughter.
What sound or noise do you hate? Plastic being pulled across concrete.
What is your favorite curse word? The S-word.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? A country music songwriter in Nashville, who wrote songs that send a message, real and honest and far from pop, that offered truth about real-life issues and adversity and failure and triumph, that spoke to people on an intimate level and and didn’t dilute the highway of truth that country music is. Of course, I’d hope my songs were coveted by great artists, and actually recorded. For me, nothing triggers introspection and true emotion like a great song. Songwriters are the most talented people on Earth, as far as I’m concerned.
What profession would you not like to do? I would not like to be a doctor based on the fact that there is so much at stake.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? I appreciate the way you treated people while you were there. Thank you for your convictions. Come on in, brother!
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
inside the actor’s studio with brad daugherty
I interviewed Brad Daugherty, NASCAR Race Analyst for ESPN, at Auto Club Speedway this year. We all know that Brad is a former professional basketball player and is really, really tall but it’s not until you meet him that you really, really realize it.
I’m sure Brad must be asked how tall is all the time and I didn’t want to ask him, but it just came out because, you guys, he’s REALLY tall. Seven feet tall to be exact. I’m 5’9” and he’s in the small group of people in this world that has ever made me feel small in their presence, as you can see from the photo at left.
But more importantly Brad was a great interview. He’s super nice and not “haughty” at all, as you’ll see below.
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What is your favorite word? Ancillary. I like to say ancillary. I use that a lot, even out of context.
What is your least favorite word? Surreptitiously. It’s a very difficult word, sounds really smart but it’s really difficult to say, especially when you’re on TV, so I try to stay away from that word.
What turns you on? Beautiful, sunny days like today, it really gets my attention. I feel good, really energized. I got up this morning and opened the blinds and saw the sunshine, it just really makes me feel good. About everything feels better, I went and ran this morning, felt great. I love a beautiful, sunny day.
What turns you off? Haughty* people. We meet a lot of successful people because of what I did playing pro basketball and what I do now. You meet a lot of people who think they’re successful because they’ve made a lot of money and there’s an air that comes with that that really irks me and bothers me.
What sound or noise do you love? I love the sound of a racecar, a racecar engine. I’ve been around the sport for 30 years and every time they say “gentlemen, start your engines” I still get goosebumps.
What sound or noise do you hate? Fingernails on a chalkboard.
What is your favorite curse word? I try not to curse, but I’m an old mountain boy so I say “Dang it” or “Daggum it” a lot, a lot. My kids have gotten me to say “Sugar” instead of saying the other word, so I say “Daggum it” and “Sugar” a lot.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Love to be a hunting or fishing guide somewhere in the world. I love the outdoors. I love to hunt and fish. And I’d love to spend enough time in one really isolated place that I knew the region well enough to guide and teach and help. Being a hunting and fishing guide would be awesome.
What profession would you not like to do? I would not like to tar roofs. I see those guys out there in the middle of the summer time taring roofs and that’s got to be a tough, tough job.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? When I do get there, I hope he has a great sense of humor and I’d like to hear him say, “You were not always right, you were very faulty, but I appreciate your heart and your effort,” and if he says that I’d be tickled.
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*haugh·ty [haw-tee]
–adjective, -ti·er, -ti·est.
1. disdainfully proud; snobbish; scornfully arrogant; supercilious:
haughty aristocrats; a haughty salesclerk.
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
inside the actor’s studio with brad keselowski
So this was my favorite driver interview with the ITAS questions, so far. Brad Keselowski drives the No. 12 Penske Dodge in the Sprint Cup Series, and the No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge in the Nationwide Series for Penske Racing. With only 3 races left, Brad is on track to win his first NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship this year (he’s 485 points ahead of Carl Edwards, so this is a lock).
I met him outside of his hauler after his qualifying attempt at Auto Club Speedway for the Pepsi Max 400 last month. I wasn’t sure what to expect from him, I guess I thought he might be kinda boring. I don’t know why I thought that but he was really fun and gave some interesting answers as you’ll see below. I guess I was surprised by how relaxed and conversational he was, there were no walls up or some sort of facade. He was really nice and now that I know how he is, I want to ask him, like, way more questions.
inside the actor’s studio with travis kvapil
Travis Kvapil drives the No. 34 Long John Silver’s Ford for Front Row Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Travis was the first driver I’d interviewed at Auto Club Speedway during the Pepsi Max 400 race weekend and he was also the first driver to say that his wife was what turns him on. That ended up being a popular answer that weekend.
You can tell from this interview that Travis is big family guy and loves his children, Kelsey, Carson and Caden, dearly. So much so that he was the subject of a post about that fact over at the Yahoo! motorsports blog From the Marbles.
I dug his answer for least favorite word, I need to remember that saying. Seriously, between Travis and David Gilliland, the drivers at Front Row Motorsports are really helping me become a better person!
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What is your favorite word? Green, Green, Green (He loves to hear that every Sunday)
What is your least favorite word? Can’t. I preach to my daughter “can’t never does.”
What turns you on? My wife and fast cars.
What turns you off? Pessimistic, downer-type people.
What sound or noise do you love? Race car engines and probably just my kids running around the house playing.
What sound or noise do you hate? Two or three in the morning when the kids wake up crying from being sick.
What is your favorite curse word? Definitely the F-bomb. I overuse it and I try not to so much around the kids for sure.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I’d like to be a pro football player, a quarterback. I think that’d be awesome.
What profession would you not like to do? Not because it’s that crummy of a job, but a truck driver or freight hauler where you’d be away from your family for a long time.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome.
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
inside the actor’s studio with david gilliland
David Gilliland drives the No. 37 Taco Bell Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports. I got to give him the Inside the Actor’s Studio/Bernard Pivot questionnaire at Auto Club Speedway during the Pepsi Max 400 race weekend.
His least favorite word struck a chord with me because I’ve been guilty of using it and I have really made a concerted effort in the past few months to not use it anymore. It’s just not cool and totally unnecessary.
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What is your favorite word? Cool
What is your least favorite word? Retard. I hate it when people use that word.
What turns you on? My wife
What turns you off? Smelly people
What sound or noise do you love? The sound of an engine running
What sound or noise do you hate? Nails on a chalkboard
What is your favorite curse word? Damn
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional fisherman
What profession would you not like to do? Trash collector
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Welcome
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
inside the actor’s studio with marcos ambrose
I interviewed Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Toyota, right after the first practice session on the Friday before the Pepsi Max 400 at Auto Club Speedway. I got the distinct impression that he wasn’t very happy with his car and I think you might get that idea too after you check out his answers to the ITAS
Still, he had some fun answers and this was the first time I’ve ever had to go to the dictionary (well, dictionary.com) to find out how to properly spell a person’s response.
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What is your favorite word? G’day
What is your least favorite word? Cattywampus*
What turns you on? Racing cars going fast
What turns you off? Bad handling race cars
What sound or noise do you love? Sound of an engine
What sound or noise do you hate? Birds
What is your favorite curse word? The F-bomb
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Professional golfer
What profession would you not like to do? Anything to do with sewage
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Would you like a second shot?
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*The definition of cattywampus:
–adjective
1. askew; awry.
2. positioned diagonally; cater-cornered.
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
inside the actor’s studio with juan pablo montoya
Now that I’ve finally finished my writeups of the Pepsi Max 400 race weekend at Auto Club Speedway I can finally get to my the interviews I did while I was there.
My interview with Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the No. 42 Target Chevy for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, was VERY fun as you’ll see below. That guy had some great answers. But another interesting story I heard about Juan Pablo came from a conversation I had with a German journalist covering the race that weekend. We chatted about Formula 1 racing and how they treat the media (not very well at all) and the difference between interviewing F1 drivers and NASCAR drivers, more specifically how Juan Pablo has changed as an interviewee since leaving F1 and coming to NASCAR. The journalist told me how surprised he was to find a much more chatty Juan Pablo that weekend than he had met back in his F1 days, a time when you’d leave the interview wondering why you bothered in the first place.
I’m so glad I got to meet the more relaxed Juan Pablo!
interview: inside the actor’s studio with chip ganassi
So here’s how this interview came about: My brother-in-law’s brother works with a childhood friend of Chip Ganassi’s. My BIL’s brother told his coworker about me and my blog, and it just so happened that the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway was coming up, and he, Chip’s friend, was going to be at the race and could introduce me to the team owner.
I am super grateful to both men for making this happen. I was excited that I could meet Chip, especially this year when so many wonderful things have happened for Target Chip Ganassi Racing and Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, winning the Daytona 500 with Jamie McMurray, the Indianapolis 500 with Dario Franchitti and the Brickyard 400 with Jamie McMurray.
Incidentally, yesterday was my birthday but it was also declared “Chip Ganassi Day” in Pittsburgh, PA.
I was very nervous meeting Chip, but he was nice and had a good sense of humor about the ITAS questions as you’ll see below.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with elliott sadler
Meeting and interviewing Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 19 Stanley Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, was fun. Plain and simple fun. He’s a funny guy, very personable and clearly in love with his 5-month-old son, Wyatt. In addition to asking him those same 10 questions from ITAS, I asked him about being a new father and how, if at all, it’s changed his approach to racing.
“No,” said Elliott. “My feeling about racing has not changed at all other than I’m more determined now than ever because I don’t want my son to think I’m a failure. That’s the biggest thing. I take more things to heart. When we run bad I take it a lot worse now than when I did before he was born just because I don’t want him to think that his dad couldn’t do this or shouldn’t do this.”
When he said that I had, like, 50 internal responses going on at the same time. First, I wanted to tell him that his son is going to love him no matter what place he finishes in a race. Then at the same time I was, like, “For the love of god please let him win a race!!” It broke my heart a little bit, if I’m being honest. I wasn’t expecting him to be that candid. I know Elliott can win and maybe getting back with his former crew chief Todd Parrott will help that happen sooner than later.
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What is your favorite word? Awesome
What is your least favorite word? Trouble
What turns you on? Being at home, being around my family. I love being from a small town and just being back at home with all my friends and family. It just seems like we never have a bad time, everything’s always going in the right direction.
What turns you off? Any bad Sundays or any frustrating Sunday is a big, big turn off for me.
What sound or noise do you love? The ocean. I go to sleep to it every night with my sound machine. I love it.
What sound or noise do you hate? Alarm clock. It’s always too early.
What is your favorite curse word? The F-bomb.*
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would have loved to be have been a professional basketball player. I just love that sport. I love following it. It’s a game I’ve always been intrigued by.
What profession would you not like to do? Hockey. I wouldn’t want to do hockey ‘cause I can’t ice skate. I tried ice skating when I was, like, 17 or 18 years old and my butt hurt for a month.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Thank god you made it!
*It should be noted that Elliott polled a bunch of people in the hauler on what cuss word he used the most before settling on his favorite. That was funny.
Elliott Sadler and me after I interviewed him at Infineon Raceway this year.
Follow Elliott Sadler on Twitter @Elliott_Sadler
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with aj allmendinger
At Infineon I interviewed fellow Bay Area native AJ Allmendinger, asking him ten questions from Inside the Actor’s Studio and he had some good answers.
AJ drives the No. 43 Best Buy Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports and he was a very nice & very funny guy. There is a photo of me with AJ but I have made an executive decision to not post it for the very simple reason that I look like crap in it. My eyes were closed too. So I’m sure you all understand why I can’t post it. But wait till I post my interview with Elliott Sadler, that photo came out great. I look respectable in that one.
Without further adieu, here are AJ’s answers:
interview: inside the actor’s studio with regan smith
Regan Smith drives the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and I got to meet him during the race weekend at Infineon Raceway. Unfortunately, his first road course in three years didn’t end very well, he got caught up in that gnarly crash on the frontstretch and walked away with a fractured wrist. He’s currently 30th in the points standings but hopes to end the year at least in 25th. It may not sound like a big deal but for a team that’s growing and learning to work together ending the year with a slew of top-20, and hopefully top-15, finishes would be great accomplishments.
“Where we started at to where we are now we’ve made some huge gains and we knew that’s what we needed to do coming into this year,” said Smith. “We’ve had a lot of changes, a lot of new people and a lot of stuff that was different for us than last year. So I feel good about where we are right now. I feel like the coming weeks are really going to be good for us, step us up another notch in the garage from where we are right now.”
interview: inside the actor’s studio with david reutimann
On Friday at Infineon my first questioning of the day was with David Reutimann, driver of the No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine for Michael Waltrip Racing. David is dad to his 8-year-old daughter, Emilia, and since it was Father’s Day weekend I thought it only fitting I should ask him a bonus question about what he thought was the best part of being a dad. “I don’t think there’s any downside to being a father,” he said. “I think having an opportunity, especially early on when they start talking, to show them everything that’s completely new to them, like a bird, is the most rewarding thing. And I miss it, too.”
That was such an “Awww” moment. It’s always fun to hear people talk about their children and what it means to have them in their lives. So without further adieu, here are David’s answers to the ten questions. He was a great sport, and I loved his emphatic response at the end (the first!) that Heaven does indeed exist.
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What is your favorite word? No
What is your least favorite word? Yes
What turns you on? Driving fast
What turns you off? Fast people in a slow lane. Yea, there’s another lane out there, stay in it. (laughter)
What sound or noise do you love? I love the sound of basically any race engine.
What sound or noise do you hate? That same noise when it wakes me up too early when I’m in the infield at a race track.
What is your favorite curse word? Wow, I don’t really have a favorite. I try to avoid it although they do come out. I try not use any of ‘em but I’ve used them all. Probably, “Dang” or a derivative of that.
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? A crab fisherman. Just attempt it, (laughter) I don’t know that I could do it full-time.
What profession would you not like to do? An exterminator
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Oh, absolutely Heaven does exist. I would like to hear Him say, “Come on in.”
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with martin truex jr.
I didn’t interview Martin Truex Jr. in person this past weekend at Infineon Raceway, but he was able to answer the questions and email ‘em to me. He’s got some very fun and interesting answers.
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What is your favorite word? Sweet
What is your least favorite word? Uber
What turns you on? Fishing
What turns you off? An obnoxious person
What sound or noise do you love? A V-8 engine
What sound or noise do you hate? A 4-cylinder with no muffler
What is your favorite curse word? Shit
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
What profession would you not like to do? A clammer
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Your granddad is waiting to meet you.
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Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
interview: inside the actor’s studio with tony stewart
On Thursday night in Charlotte I was laying in my bed at the hotel willing my body to heal itself while at the same time wracking my brain trying to think of questions to ask Tony Stewart.
I was set to interview Tony the next day at the Office Depot in Pineville, a small suburb just south of Charlotte, before he signed autographs for his fans.
I didn’t want to ask Tony the usual questions about his car for the race that weekend, or how he felt about Charlotte Motor Speedway or anything about his team and the usual competition-related questions. I only want to ask people things that I’m curious about. Of course what I really wanted to ask him about was his love life, but since this was my first time meeting him EVER I figured that wouldn’t be the way to go.
Plus, this is Tony Stewart. He’s the most intimidating person, at least to me, to interview. I’ve been at press conferences where he’s cut people down with like two words. I’ve seen people live that Southwest commercial where they ask “Wanna get away???” because they asked Tony something he felt wasn’t worthy of an answer.
interview: brian scott tops the rookie charts
Brian Scott drives the No. 11 AccuDoc Solutions Toyota Camry for Braun Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The 22-year-old Idaho native currently sits 8th in points after last weekend’s crazy-as-usual Talladega race. He’s also leading in the hunt for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award.
In talking to Brian I was struck by how self-aware and contained he was, just like all of the Nationwide drivers I’ve interviewed recently. They really know who they are and what they want to accomplish. I don’t want to be all cheesy but they’re really driven to succeed, and Brian Scott is no different.
Enjoy!
interview: michael annett digs chick flicks
Michael Annett drives the No. 15 Pilot Travel Centers Toyota Camry for Germain Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. After this Monday’s race at Texas Motor Speedway Michael is ranked 15th in points. With his time in the ARCA series where he racked up two wins, at Talladega and Daytona, he’s proven that he’s an up-and-coming driver that you should keep on your radar for sure.
I spoke to the 23-year-old (he turns 24 in June) former hockey player for the first time last week to chat about what life is like in the Nationwide Series.
I’ll be totally honest with you guys the part of this interview that I LOVE the most is when Michael reveals what his true favorite food is and his affinity for chick flicks. I thought it was really cool that he was willing to admit that fact and I told him so. So ladies, if you’re not already a fan of this guy you will be after you read that. Oh, and did I mention that he’s also adorable?
interview: meet scott lagasse jr.
Scott Lagasse Jr. drives the No. 43 Ford Fusion for Baker Curb Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The 29-year-old Florida native is currently 10th in the point standings, one of only three Nationwide Series-only drivers in the top-10. This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway his Ford Fusion will sport the Autism Awareness Puzzle Ribbon in honor of Autism Awareness Month.
I learned about Scott last year and, I’m being completely honest here, I was taken with him because (1) he’s taller than most of the Nationwide Series drivers and (2) he looks like the guy I had a crush on when I was 19. But seriously, he’s a really talented driver that’s risen quickly through to ranks to make his way into the world of NASCAR racing.
I had the opportunity to ask him some questions and he was super nice. Here’s the result!
kyle petty interview: driver marketability and the future of petty enterprises
Hello! Today has been insane let me tell ya, but the one awesome thing has been writing up this final post of my interview with Kyle Petty. Again, this interview was done last week during Kyle’s promotion of Prostate Cancer Awareness Week.
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Me: In regards to Prostate Cancer Awareness, a lot of the readers of my website are women, what’s the most important thing that they can do for their husband or father to help them to go out there and see a doctor about this?
Petty: When had our STAY ON TRACK for Better Prostate Health booth set up at Michigan I was surprised at the amount of women who came through and would bring their husbands, or would say “My father had prostate cancer, it runs in our family and I’m trying to get my brothers to go and I really appreciate you guys speaking up on it.”
I think prostate cancer for so many people and especially guys, guys just are afraid to go be checked. And just like I said before, as my father uses the example of putting together a pit crew for his prostate cancer, I think so many guys will baby their car, change the oil, do everything they can with their car and their lawnmower, and their fishing boat or whatever it may be but they disregard their body.
kyle petty interview: nascar fitness and performing at dale jr.’s concert
Here’s more from my interview with Kyle Petty. You should note that we spoke last week and so when he mentions “this week” he’s really talking about last week.
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Me: I know that you were on a Fitness TV show talking about your fitness regimen and health being a race car driver. It’s not something that people talk a lot about with NASCAR in terms of being an athlete. So how important is that to a race car driver to be physically fit and healthy and to have strength in the car?
Petty: Incredibly important. I think most people assume that if you play stick and ball sports you’re naturally an athlete, you’re in the best shape that you can be in and that’s the way it is. I think you’ve got to be in shape to drive a car at 180 or 190 miles an hour or to make split second decisions that can almost in some instances be life and death decisions. So when you look at it like that from your mental sharpness to your physical sharpness and that goes hand in hand. You hear so much about exercise and how that stabilizes and what that does to your mental well being and your attitudes, I think exercise is important.
dale jarrett interview: ned jarrett called it
So this the last post in the series dedicated to my interview with Dale Jarrett. It’s my last but probably my favorite because I got to ask him about that awesome Valentine’s Day of 1993 when he won his first Daytona 500 by beating Dale Earnhardt. Ned Jarrett, Dale’s father and a former two-time NASCAR champion, was the racing analyst on duty that day and coached his son home to victory.
It’s one of my all-time favorite NASCAR moments and if you don’t remember check out the video below and then read Dale’s response to my question. So sweet!
dale jarrett interview: nascar rules and the pressure to perform
Me: If you had to pick one rule or change that NASCAR made during your career which one had the biggest impact on your career and on you as a driver?
Jarrett: I think probably the biggest thing that came along as far as a change was whenever they required everyone to wear the HANS device. I look at that as a very positive impact and unfortunately this positive impact came from some negative things that happened. We lost a couple of lives to get to that point, to be able to make that decision and make that happen. To me that’s the best thing that has been done in our sport.
There’s a lot of things that have been changed, a lot of rules, some that would be up for argument whether they were better for the sport or just things that were done from what they felt like was necessity to make changes. The racing back to the caution thing where people could get laps back, that was getting a little bit out of hand and something needed to be done. People will argue they don’t like the idea, that now that it’s changed, that someone gets a free pass to get a lap back but it seems to have all worked out better for the sport.
dale jarrett interview: media coverage and retiring numbers
The following is more from my interview with ESPN NASCAR analyst Dale Jarrett, after this there are a couple more posts to come — all good stuff.
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Me: Do you think that NASCAR could get bigger in terms of media coverage? It’s huge in its own right, but it still doesn’t quite get the respect, I think, that the NFL does and the NBA. Do you think it could get bigger and that the coverage could expand?
Jarrett: It could expand and it has expanded a lot, but what everyone would need to understand is how different our sport is because we don’t really have home teams. That’s the thing that separates our sport from getting more media coverage is that we don’t have that home team in Los Angeles or New York. The teams are based primarily around the Charlotte/Mooresville area.
dale jarrett interview: talkin’ about joey logano
Me: So switching gears a little bit, to Joey Logano. He’s 18 and he’s going to have a full-time Cup ride next year, do you think that’s a case of too much, too soon or is it different for everyone? I mean, do you think there should be an age restriction in racing at the Cup level?
Jarrett: Well, obviously now that there’s the 18-year-old rule to whether it’s the Nationwide or any of the NASCAR events, the Trucks or anything, I think that’s a good thing.
Is it too much, too soon? Well that’s going to be hard to tell, I guess we’re going to have to see. If it’s happened before that an 18-year-old, and I don’t think that it has, has gotten a ride — ya know it’s rare that they get a ride at that age in the Cup Series — but to get a Championship caliber ride that’s what’s so very different this day in time versus things that have happened in the past.
dale jarrett interview: from racer to broadcaster
Okay, so last Tuesday, as if having a great time at the Pepsi 500 in Fontana wasn’t enough, I had the great pleasure of speaking with three-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Jarrett.
It wasn’t just a pleasure, it was a freaking honor to talk to this man. I’ve always liked him and I’ve always respected him as a driver. He’s a legend in NASCAR and if you told me a year ago that I would actually get the chance to talk to him I would have told you that you were crazy, but also that I liked your imagination.
So talking to him was fun and it was great to hear his opinion on the topics I brought up. He isn’t one to be closed up and cocky. He exudes niceness and this sort of regular Joe normalcy that I love. Plus he just talks, ya know? He doesn’t lead you around and give you nothing, he’s real.
So without further hubbub here’s the first of five posts devoted to my interview with the awesome Dale Jarrett.
interview: meeting travis kvapil – part two
Finally, here is part two of my interview with 32-year-old Wisconsin native Travis Kvapil, driver of the No. 28 Hitachi Power Tools Ford Fusion for Yates Racing.
I had intended to get this online yesterday but I didn’t get home until late Monday night after driving over 300 miles. Plus Tuesday morning I interviewed retired NASCAR driver and current ESPN racing analyst Dale Jarrett. So when you combine trying to come to terms with the fact that I did indeed speak to THE Dale Jarrett yesterday and the amazing birthday weekend I had at the Auto Club Speedway and the fact that I haven’t been feeling well these past couple of days it has led to me being very late with posting all of this stuff. So bear with me!
I know in part one of this interview I’ve already stated that Travis was super nice but I have to say it again and add that he was honest and forthcoming. I like writing about the Yates Racing guys because I feel like they’re in a very good position to do great things in their careers, their stories are just beginning really, and it’s nice to know that in meeting Travis it didn’t cause me to lose my belief that a win for him and his teammate are just around the corner.
interview: meeting travis kvapil – part one
I had the opportunity to speak with Travis Kvapil, driver of the No. 28 Hitachi “Inspire the Next” Ford Fusion, one-on-one before practice and qualifying today at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California. I have to add that this is the first time I’ve interviewed a driver in person. The whole morning leading up to it my stomach was in knots and I was so incredibly nervous. In the end though, it went really well.
Travis was really nice and super easy to talk to, definitely a good guy with a realistic understanding of the sport of racing. I should confess that the real reason I’m breaking this interview up into two posts is that I forgot to bring my laptop charger. It never fails; I always forget something when I go on a trip. When I went to Chicagoland I forgot my toothbrush.
And so here’s the first part of my session with Travis. Part two should be posted sometime Tuesday after I get back home. I’ll also have a ton of other posts to share about my Labor Day weekend in general.
interview: chatting with david gilliland – part two
The following is the second (and final) part of my interview with David Gilliland, driver of the No. 38 DISH Network Ford this weekend at Watkins Glen.
I think you’ll find that what he has to say is truly refreshing. Here is someone who is determined to see his dreams realized and is all about doing the work necessary to make that happen. And frankly I can’t think of a better reason to sponsor the guy.
Oh and as you read this you should know that I am very aware of the fact that I used the word “feel” waaay too much.
Me: How do you feel about Yates Racing as a whole, as an organization? Do you feel like you guys are definitely moving in the right direction in that the base is becoming more and more solid to become a Championship organization?
interview: chatting with david gilliland – part one
What a difference an interview makes.
Today I had the opportunity to speak with NASCAR Sprint Cup and Yates Racing driver David Gilliland. He’s a true class act and a pleasure to talk to, so much so that I’ve decided to break this interview up into two posts. When you listen to him talk about racing you truly get the sense that this is a guy that is dedicated to being the best that he can be and making the most of his career in racing. He also comes across as very realistic and genuine.
In this segment we talked about how he feels about his car for tomorrow’s race at Watkins Glen International plus his thoughts on his chances at landing his first Sprint Cup win this year.
Me: So first let’s talk about Watkins Glen, how do you feel about your car after being in practice today and your chances for tomorrow?
Gilliland: Yeah, I feel like we’re good. We just worked on all race trim stuff obviously because we’re not qualifying or anything like that. So that was the main thing, we just worked on race trim stuff. We’ve got the car to where it feels good and comfortable and consistent on the times. I think we’re starting 26th or 27th tomorrow, so just gotta be there at the end.
Me: How do you feel about going against the so-called road course ringers? I mean, you did really well at Infineon; you had your best finish of the year, and your career in Cup so far, at Infineon, so do you feel like you can give them a run for their money tomorrow?
Gilliland: Yea, I think Infineon, I’ve had some experience there, I’ve raced there before while Watkins Glen I’ve only raced there one time. So it’s definitely a little more challenging for me, Watkins Glen is, but we came a long ways today and I’m definitely much better than I was here last year. I felt good [about the car today]. And a lot of the road course guys they run a lot of the different series that the road course guys race and run Watkins Glen quite a bit so they have a lot of laps on this track. I think that’s definitely an advantage but we’re going to just do our own deal and we feel really good about our race car, it’s the same car we had at Infineon so we’re just going to try and do what we can.
Me: Do you feel like your team is capable of winning this year?
Gilliland: Yes, I do. I think we had a shot last week at Pocono and we ran out of gas, which was a very big disappointment for us, but we had a very fast car, we qualified third, ran well. Infineon I felt like we had a very good car. At Daytona this year we ran very, very well, had a car capable of winning. There have definitely been some cars that have been capable of winning. Our team, we’ve got a lot of new guys and I think that’s where some of the struggle has been this year, but that will come with time. Hopefully we can put everything together and get our first win this year.
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Check back tomorrow for more from my interview with David where we cover topics like his connection to Kyle Busch, his Yates Racing teammate Travis Kvapil, and how he feels about his fans.
interview: shedding light on paul menard
This past week, before the great American tire debacle race at Indianapolis, I had the great opportunity to speak with the driver of the No. 15 Menards Chevrolet, Paul Menard. Paul is in his second full season as a Sprint Cup driver but is in the beginning of his 5th year of driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. If you’re a regular reader of my blog you’ll know that this was my very first interview with a driver. Hell, it was my first time talking to a driver longer than just saying “Hi.” So needless to say I was nervous, and I think it went well but there were some hiccups.
After asking my first couple of questions, without incident, I asked if Paul had made up (or talked to, or made peace) with Tony Stewart since the pit road incident they’d shared last year during the Bank of America 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. He just answered “next question.” Yeah, that was awkward. Oh and then later on I asked him, on behalf of all the female fans out there, if he was dating anyone, or had a girlfriend, to which he responded “that’s my business.” Oops. And he was right of course, it is his business, but I wasn’t expecting that.
a nascar wife interview with michelle gilliland
In June of 2006, David Gilliland stunned the NASCAR nation by winning the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway, becoming one of only two non-Cup drivers to win a Busch (now Nationwide) Series race that year. Gilliland who was just a rookie driver with a part-time deal driving for Clay Andrews Racing was now considering serious opportunities with major NASCAR race teams from owners with last names like Childress, Yates and Roush.
Just a year and half later, Gilliland is driving the No. 38 FreeCreditReport.com Ford Fusion for Yates Racing in NASCAR’s top series the Sprint Cup Series. This turn of events changed not only Gilliland’s life but that of his young family that includes wife of 11 years Michelle and their two children, son Todd, age 8 and daughter Taylor, age 5.
Michelle Gilliland is a stay-at-home mom whose feet are firmly planted on the ground. She understands the demands of her husband’s job and tries her best to give her family the love and stability they need. I spoke with Michelle about what it’s like to be a NASCAR wife and how her husband’s success has – and hasn’t – changed their lives. Before I get to that though, I must say that Michelle is totally cool person. She is definitely a woman who understands the reality of this business of NASCAR and it so clear that she adores her kids and her husband.
I’m so glad I got this opportunity to speak to her. If you only read one part of this interview make sure it’s the part where she talks about the day David won the Busch race at Kentucky. The part about her son cheering on his father has got to be the sweetest moment ever!
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