Just under two years ago Jimmie Johnson was making history capturing his sixth NASCAR Sprint Cup title. Today it is Kevin Harvick rewriting the record books by dominating an ever-changing NASCAR landscape in Jeff Gordon's final full-time season.
In an exclusive interview with Perform Media/Sporting News, Johnson shared his thoughts on catching Harvick, Gordon's retirement, Chase Elliott's debut this weekend at Martinsville, NASCAR's new aero-package, and more.
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Jimmie Johnson (Getty Images)
Q: Chase Elliott is making his Hendrick debut this weekend. How have you been mentoring him and helping him prepare for the tall task of replacing Jeff Gordon next season?
A: Luckily we got a year to get ready for that, it is no easy task. I think Chase is the perfect guy for the fit; he has a great pedigree as we all know and I think he has the right approach as well. He is starting a new era for the 24 and is not trying to be Jeff or fill Jeff’s shoes — he is going to create his own identity for the 24. What he did last year, I have no doubt that he is going to pull it all off. He is a very talented driver, I have been there for him for years, known his family for years, I am here for him and will do anything to help him.
Q: Kevin Harvick is on a roll right now but Martinsville is one of your better tracks. What's the key to getting out in front of the No. 4 car on a short track and staying there?
A: Qualifying is always important at Martinsville, you can make life a lot easier on yourself with a pole position on Friday. With the new rules package, I don’t think it is going to be a huge difference handling or aero-balance wise even though there are some changes for this year’s race vs. last year’s. But the engine power reduction and the rear-end gear ratio reduction is going to change things quite a bit. It is going to take a larger toll on our braking capabilities of the car and then the car isn’t going to come off the corners as well so we have a few things to learn on Friday and Saturday. Our team is always great at Martinsville and I love that racetrack so hopefully we are the first ones to figure it all out.
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Q: This season got off to a better start with a win in Atlanta, then things were up and down out West. How would you rate your West Coast swing and do you like the change in scheduling?
A: We need to be on the West Coast for sure. Some ways I think it is good, other ways — you know I have been on the West Coast so long I can’t switch back to East Coast time. I am so happy to see Phoenix sold out and Fontana sold out — it is incredible what those guys are pulling off out there. The Las Vegas crowd was nuts, we had great weather at all the tracks. Our start (this season) has been good, I think we have raced much better this year than we did last year. We still don’t have qualifying to the level of performance that we need it but we are getting smarter and have closed the gap quite a bit from last year so I think we are headed in the right direction.
Q: It's quite an accomplishment that Gatorade has been helping athletes for 50 years now. Can you explain what your body goes through and how you feel after a 500-mile race and how Gatorade assists in your performance?A: I am a big fan of all their products and it is really neat to have a company that I believe in and use regardless of the relationship. It is such a big part of my life, I have been with the company for over a decade now. I started using the product back when I was a kid racing dirt bikes. NASCAR is a tough season especially when you get into the summer months and being in the racecar at least three days a week and with my training schedule that goes with that — hydration is key to making everything work. I definitely notice days that I have not been on top of it. It is a big part of a driver’s weekly routine and routine on the weekend. You need to be as strong as you can on Sunday and be topped off ready to roll. You stack up week-to-week, practice sessions, training sessions, and all that goes on, it is a full-time job staying hydrated.
Q: Gatorade is offering fans the chance to sweat with the best and train with you for a day. What's a normal day of training for you like? How can you prepare yourself for the wear and tear of a race without actually getting into a car?
A: I find that cardio is the best thing, more endurance sports, upper-body strength is important and very useful in a crash. Personally I find that swimming works for me on strength and is also a great cardio booster. Running and cycling is a big part of my weekly routine as well. Sometimes I am in the weight room, but the majority of what I do is endurance-based. I am really focusing on that 3-4 hour window that I experience in the racecar on Sundays.
Q: The ultimate goal is to win your seventh championship. How do you stay in the moment week to week and not look ahead to the Chase knowing that you are already in?
A: The format has changed so much so it changes your mindset; you know you need to win but we crossed that off. Points kind of matter right now especially if you don’t have a win. In our situation with the win, we want to win more and send a message and take trophies home. But when you get to the Chase — every three races you have to make sure you are qualified (for the next round). Last year I had a much different feel, I don’t think the eventual champion (Harvick) had any comfort or was ever relaxed through the course of his championship chase. Whereas the championships I’ve won, we got off to a quick starts in those last 10 races and survived the last couple of races and was crowned champion. I guess what I am getting at is (the Chase) is a whole different animal. Especially when you get to the final 10 — there are no guarantees, there is not an easy weekend. We are managing the first 26 (races) making sure that our cars are fast and go to battle for those final 10 and see what happens.
Q: NASCAR's new aero package decreases downforce by about 300 pounds and should allow drivers more ability to pass in the turns. Are you a fan of the aero package, do you think the new package levels the playing field on short tracks like Martinsville?
A: There are so many elements that go into (a drivers) comfort in the ability to create passing, so changes that are made aero-wise then require changes to be made with the softness of the tires. Also mechanical grip and the shear weight of our cars puts a load on the tires, making it tough to handle. I feel like when we get to the short tracks it really boils down to mechanical grip. We made some good changes by lightening the cars and getting weight lower in the vehicle which makes it more comfortable to drive and we are getting softer tires on them. I feel good about where we are at. I think the competitors and the teams want to see more downforce come off the car and still have softer tires yet. We’ll see how 2015 progresses and where we end up for 2016. I think we are headed in the right direction but we still need another big change to take more aero off the car and add more mechanical grip so that we are not so aero dependent and really rely on the tires, springs and shocks for the car for grip and not what the air is doing over the top of the racecar.