July, 2000 -
Scott Pruett of PPI Motorsports, who switched from CART to its NASCAR operation this year, talked with NYAutoRacing's Kevin Ma about his rookie year in NASCAR and the future prospects of Amercian Auo Racing.
KEVIN MA: How's your season gone so far?
SCOTT PRUETT: It's been pretty good, considering we just started [the NASCAR program] last October and basically from nothing. Being a rookie driver and never doing things like this before and with a rookie team, I think things are going well and it gets better all the time.
KM: What's your transition been like from being a veteran in Indy Car to a rookie in NASCAR?
SP: Huge. It's a big difference, more than I expected. I knew it is going to be a big transition from Indy Car to Winston Cup car and looking out a year ago, I knew there would be some crossovers and experience I could bring to it from my racing years. But the truth is there are not much crossovers.
KM: Can you compare the differences between driving an open wheel car and a stock car?
SP: You know there are so many of them, so it will be hard to talk about all of them. Some of the major ones, however, are the car set-ups and wheel-to-wheel racing we do in Winston Cup and not so much in Indy Car. The car itself is a lot different to drive and how you drive it. What it takes to get the most out of the car for one lap for qualifying and for the race. How you go about passing guys with the draft. In the past ten years, I learned how to not use draft to get by other cars because Indy Cars are aerodynamic cars and when you get into dirty air, you lose downforce; where in Winston Cup, you don't use a lot of downforce anyway, and you use the downforce effectively to get by – those are just some of the differences. There are so many of them that I am just surprised all the way through.
KM: Do you think having 35 races in a year for Winston Cup is too much?
SP: I think that's a lot of racing. It's hard to say. It is really tougher on the crew than it is on the drivers. The preparation of the cars, get them to and from the racetracks as you do a lot of races back-to-back, the only thing I can say is for many years in CART, even though we only ran 18 to 20 races, we were doing 40 to 50 days of testing in a year, so we actually on the road the same amount of time except people didn't see you. I certainly want to be racing but we were just going to the racetrack testing.
KM: In terms of machinery, can you give us some idea of what are the differences between a turbo-charged Champ Car and the traditional Stock Car?
SP: The basic difference is like driving a Ferrari and a pick-up truck. They are just two totally different types of cars. One is very purposed built, a lot of downforce, not much weight _ an Indy Car weighs 1500 pounds compared to a Winston Cup car which weights 3400lbs; Indy Car has 900bhp and Winston Cup car has 750bhp. I think more than anything is the tires where Indy Car has a lot of rubber on the ground, where the Winston Cup car is pretty tire-limited. The size of the tires with the same front and back like a road car, and it is not as precise.
KM: Recently Ford appointed Cosworth to take a look at the Stock Car engines. Can you give us some information on that?
SP: I can't. I just don't know. I know that they said Ford would like to have Cosworth to take a look at it, but when typically something like that happens, it takes about a year before you really start getting some pieces, so I don't expect any big gains from Cosworth.
KM: You had a nice run at Sears Point until you were spun out by Jeff Gordon. Can you tell us what happened on that lap?
SP: Well, Jeff went into the back of me and spun me out of the way. Winston Cup is very physical, there is a lot of wheel-to-wheel banging and I guess that is just part of it.
KM: Were you happy to go back to road course racing?
SP: Yes. It would be interesting to go to Watkins Glen. Looks like we will run well there and get a good performance from that track. That's why we didn't go testing there because we have a good road car straight out from the box, so I think we are going to have a good chance at Watkins Glen. From the team stand point, we focus a lot on the ovals because we well know that's what we need to make progress.
KM: Do you think NASCAR should add 1 or 2 road courses?
SP: I do. I think a lot of drivers do as well because most of the teams they build specific cars to do road races, and unfortunately we only do it twice a year. I think adding two more would be real good. I think there are some very good tracks that they can go to like Mid-Ohio that's being expanded more to reach out to NASCAR.
KM: You were testing at Indy earlier this week. How was it?
SP: It went well. This is the first time we are there with a Winston Cup car. We were pleased with the test even though we need more testing. Coming out of the box and the car is up to speed immediately; I think it is pretty good.
KM: Are you happy to go back there? What do you feel about racing in Brickyard 400 this year?
SP: I am very excited. The last time we were there in Indy Car was 1995 and I almost won that race. Now we are back! I have been there many years and there are so many Indy Car teams based out there, it is just the prestige of being in Indianapolis. Between Indy and Daytona, those are the two most exciting Winston Cup races on the schedule.
KM: Do you think NASCAR should change its technology, like ditching carburetor for fuel injection system?
SP: Well, I don't know I am the right person to ask. I am coming from a racing arena driven from technology, so there is an understanding level over there. However, what NASCAR has done is tremendous – the races they have, the wheel-to-wheel racing we see week in and week out, which is tremendous. I think there is something that can be introduced to help, but at the same time I understand the situation that they want to be really careful in terms of technology that they bring in because they might start to open a whole new can of worms.
KM: In terms of the tracks, do you think you need to have a steep learning curve driving on a what I call the parking lot -- half-mile ovals like Martinsville?
SP: The first short track I did ever in my life was this year in Martinsville. I have a lot more to learn on those tracks and the other thing is 80 percent of these tracks I never been to, so the first time I got a chance to drive there on Friday, I had a very steep learning curve to have the car qualified for the race.
KM: PPI Motorsports is going to move its major racing operations to North Carolina from California next year. What's the significant of having a new facility over there?
SP: Having everything under one roof. Carl [Wells] spends a lot of money with the Indy Car program as well as the Winston Cup program, we have the beautiful facility out West, and so he is looking to move everything to North Carolina to spread out the resources among all the teams – just to lower the cost. If you look at how much it takes to run a team in California, he is the only Indy Car team left out there, and clearly because of the cost doing business. By moving everything under one roof to Hickory, N.C., I would say he is going to save a significant among of money.
KM: Scott, what's the future on PPI's NASCAR operation?
SP: This is the first of a three-year deal with Tide and the first of a five-year program with McDonalds in Busch Grand National Series, and then the team will graduate to Winston Cup.
KM: I talked to Orial Servia about PPI Motorsports last week, do you give some advice to the CART operation, too?
SP: I don't. My job so far is what I am doing right now with the NASCAR program. Like last year, when I was racing in CART, I did give some guidance to Cristiano (da Matta) and some help. However, this year being in Winston Cup is just way too difficult as you need to be there week in and week out, so my schedule is pretty full compared to everyone else.
KM: What's your view on CART racing in Europe next year?
SP: I think it is great. CART is generally looking where to expand and we are seeing the expansion on a global level, there is a lot of talk going to Europe so I think it is just the next step of global expansion of Indy Car racing.
KM: Now, do you think NASCAR should race overseax also?
SP: I don't know. We are going to get 36 races next season. In theory, I think that would be great, but in practice, I think it is almost impossible because there is so much equipment that needs to be shipped overseas and there are so many races run back-to-back, just the logistics of doing it would make it possible. I know we had one race in Japan but right now I think they still need to open up the market in the United States. NASCAR doesn't get into Pacific Northwest at all and they are expanding to Chicago and Kansas City next year, which is good. They are moving on expansion but on a global level, I just don't feel it is logistically possible.
KM: What's your view on the future of American drivers? Seems like every talent is jumping into the NASCAR bandwagon right now. What about open wheel racing such as Formula One and Champ Car?
SP: Being right in the middle of it after so many years and being an American driver myself, the U.S. just looks at things differently compare to countries like Brazil or South America. There are a lot of Brazilian drivers that come out of racing down there and jump into Indy Car, and have the financial support and sponsors backing them to get that opportunity. Unfortunately, you don't see U.S., and even Canadian companies, like Players, support their fellow Canadian drivers, I think programs like that are terrific. You don't really see too many American corporations getting in and really supporting American drivers with Indy Car Racing.
KM: Similar question here. There are some British drivers from British Touring Car Championship who would like to get a taste of NASCAR in America. Do you think it is possible?
SP: No. It is just way too different. Driving Trans Am cars and all different types of cars, the only way to make it to NASCAR is to start with the whole process. You have to start late models, driving on the short tracks and 1-mile tracks, and if you are successful, then move into the Busch and Craftsman's Truck Series for a couple of years over there. Winston Cup is very difficult and you don't get much time to get it right on a given weekend before you qualify. You basically have only four runs [one lap run] before you qualify, and you have to be on and know what's going on unless you have the circumstances to work with you for a number of years to move into it.
KM: Scott, auto racing as a sport, do you think the sports should enter a big market like here in New York City?
SP: I do. We used to come to the Meadowlands, which was a tremendous race. A lot of fans, a lot of support, and I love going to New York anyway. You are down in Manhattan, catch a show on Broadway, dine at awesome restaurants and there is just so much to do in the city. Unfortunately, we don't get to come up there anymore, so that is the market I would like to see explored over there.
KM: You wrote a children's book with you wife earlier, what is it all about?
SP: It is called "Twelve Race Cars". It's been doing great. We have it published, currently is available on Borders and Barnes & Nobles websites. We wanted to have something nice and full of color, and something affordable, $12.95. It is just tremendous.
KM: Finally, are you happy with you move to NASCAR, and what's your view on the future of Racing in America as a sport?
SP: I am very happy with the move. At 40 years old making a career change like that it's been a heck of a challenge. I just sit back and let things happen, breaking grounds for Firestone and Toyota. I just looked into opportunities, something I wanted to do in my career. Something that when I hang my helmet up I can look back and see I have raced almost every form of racing in which not many drivers can do that. The future of racing is going to grow but not as fast as it used to, I just think it is impossible. With the TV package that NASCAR is having next season, and also Formula One and Indy Car, just having more exposure. People love to go to races and support their favorite teams and this is going to help.
