NASCAR-CUP: Stewart-Haas Racing leads off the Media Tour at Charlotte

NASCAR Sprint Cup media tour kicks off in Charlotte

For the 30th time, the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway is underway in the Charlotte suburbs and some 250 reporters from around the nation and a few from overseas are in attendance. During the comprehensive four-day tour, the media will meet with the principals of the major Sprint Cup Series teams to discuss the season ahead, changes that have evolved in the off-season and the general state of the sport.

On day one, Stewart-Haas Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing were the featured teams and fittingly, newly crowned Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart along with Ryan Newman and new teammate Danica Patrick along with their respective crew chiefs led off the proceedings.

Stewart appeared very relaxed and indicated he had spent the bulk of the off-season in the team’s shop, tending to business and giving support to the team. He said winning his third championship has not changed his life to any measureable degree. “After the first one, the second and third ones don’t change your life. It is just fun to be around the shop and see how excited they are after winning the championship,”

Except for a pair of short-track races, Stewart stayed around the shop and did not celebrate the championship. “I didn’t really do much of anything in the off-season; just business as usual,” he said, adding his presence in the shop to assist in the transition for the team’s new additions – Steve Addington and Patrick, in particular.

Describing his team, he stated, “We are just a bunch of low-key, hard-core racers that just want to race and that’s the attitude this team has.” He went on to say that he and Addington have been working well together and they both want to succeed, winning races and having strong finishes.

Stewart’s team has added several sponsors and believes the economy is starting to turn-around. “It is the best position sponsor-wise that I have been in since I partnered up with Gene Haas,” he said.

As expected, Patrick commanded considerable attention discussing her full-time transition to NASCAR’s Nationwide Series and her part-time involvement with Stewart’s Sprint Cup team. “I am very fortunate to be in this position and I have wanted to race in NASCAR full time for a long time,” she said.

Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: Eric Gilbert

She also advised that she will not be participating this this year’s Indianapolis 500.

“Starting with the Nationwide side, there are some tracks where I have not raced,” she said. “My expectations are different for those tracks. For the most part, I am after solid top-10s, get into the top-5 and I would like to get into victory lane. Regarding the Cup stuff, “I don’t know what to expect but at Daytona, the cars are very fast, so I feel good about that race. There’s a real good chance if luck falls our way that we could win it. Trevor Bayne showed the way last year. After Daytona, a top-20 finish would be good. I like long races and I feel like I can get more comfortable with the car, and hopefully that plays into my favor.”

Greg Zipadelli will be her crew chief. “It is a great opportunity for myself and the next chapter in my life,” Zipadelli said. “I can’t say enough about the Stewart-Haas organization; they have done so much to help me make the transition.”

Added Stewart about Patrick’s season ahead, “I know what is like and I think these 10 races she should just try to finish the races. She is so good about processing the information and she can explain it to you right away. I am not worrying about her finishes, just making sure she gets the laps and the experience in the car. Success won’t be judged by her finishing positions.”

Stewart will open the Nationwide Series season at Daytona, looking for his fifth straight win in that event and his seventh in the last eight races.

Newman was in good spirits and eager to get the new season underway. Also, he is looking for improvements in his team’s performance. “I feel like Tony Stewart whipped my tail at the end of the year,” the Indiana native said. “We just have to be a better team – not just for 10 races but all the way around – to have a shot at the championship.”

Regarding the new fuel injection system, he added, “It is a learning situation for us. I feel EFI will give us a chance to be better than anyone else. EFI is expensive, but fans can relate to it, which is good.”

Tony Stewart, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet and Danica Patrick, Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

Photo by: Eric Gilbert