microphone pict

©1997 SpeedCenter Internet Publishing, Inc.

Extracts of
Teleconference
on July 22, 1997

Jimmy Vasser: We are certainly not out of the points

The champ

 

Jimmy Vasser's season has been less than stellar so far. At the U.S. 500 he will return as the defending champion, with the goal to make things happen. He points at a lack of road course testing when explaining his struggle this season.

The moderator was once again CART's T.E. McHale.

T.E. McHALE: "Jimmy, the driver of the No. 1 Target Reynard Honda enters Sunday's U.S. 500 presented by Toyota at Michigan Speedway as the defending champion having driven to victory from the pole position last season. It was his fourth victory in the season's first six events propelling him to his first PPG Cup Championship. In the process Jimmy became the first driver in the PPG CART World Series' history to complete every race en route to his title. Jimmy also set the track record at Michigan Speedway with a lap of 234.665 miles per hour set during the qualifying for last year's Marlboro 500.

"Earlier this season Jimmy tied Al Unser Jr.'s PPG CART World Series record of 25 consecutive race finishes, a streak which has broken at Portland. He also put together a streak of 15 consecutive points paying finishes which ended at Portland as well.

"Entering this weekend, he has scored in 25 of his past 28 PPG CART World Series starts including 9 of 11 this season. Through 11 events, Jimmy's season best finishes have been 3rd at both Homestead and Milwaukee. He enters this weekend's U.S.500 ranked 7th in the PPG Cup standings with 75 points. The U.S. 500 presented by Toyota, round 12 of the PPG CART World Series, will be televised live by ABC on Sunday, July 27th at 1pm Eastern daylight time."

Question: "This has been a pretty difficult season for you, I know, especially after last season. What is it going to take coming back to Michigan as defending champion, your last win, what is it going to take for you to feel like you have accomplished what you want to accomplish the rest of the season?

"We have been really off the mark quite aways"
Jimmy Vasser

Jimmy Vasser: "Well, I think, you know, we are still focused on the big picture and the main goal is winning the Championship. It is not — we are not out of it by no means. We are about — we are 30 some points out with six events left to go so we are just going to keep focusing on each race. And, there is no doubt about it, we will need to win a couple here real soon. and so, you know, we are still taking it one at a time. And, we are certainly still in the points race.

"To answer your question, what is it going to take, we just need to start unloading off the trailer with the setup that is a — that is more inside the picture frame so to say. We have been really off the mark quite aways with the setup and been struggling to get the car back somewhere in the range of a competitive speed. We have been working all weekend, so I hope to come off the trailer at Michigan set up somewhat close. It is not the same setup as far as I could tell, we tested there a bit, than last year because they took some downforce away, about 600 pounds. And, so we are struggling with mechanical grip. That will be something that we are going to be focusing on and working on at Michigan this weekend."

Question: "Jimmy, when you guys went to Michigan last year, obviously there was a political hoorah that — with Indy and hat have you — how big is this race in the current — what I am getting to, does this series lack the one showcase race right now that jumps out and grabs people and grabs their attention to the entire Series?"

Jimmy Vasser: "Well, I think there is a few races on the series that are premier events. But, you know, I think this year the way that CART has structured the schedule, and so forth, that all the races are pretty much equal in points paying position and also prize money.

"Last year, you know, the U.S. 500, it was on — run head-to-head with Indianapolis for a much, much bigger prize money than our purse we are going to have here this weekend at Michigan. So, I don't think you can say it is the same magnitude that it was last year.

"Although, I think there is no doubt about it, that the U.S. 500 is one of our showcase or premier events. I don't think you can say, in answering your questions, that one race stands out as a crown jewel, so to say."

Question: "Jimmy, very simply, has the season been frustrating to you?"

Jimmy Vasser: "Well, you know, I try not to let myself get frustrated. It certainly hasn't gone the way we would like it. We haven't won a motor race. We have been in position to do so on two or three occasions and it just hasn't gone our way. We have had some difficulties here in the past few events.

"we are certainly not out of the points"
Jimmy Vasser

"But you know, we are that — motor racing is tough that way and we are optimistic. Like I was telling Mike earlier, we are certainly not out of the points. But it is time for us to show some muscle, and , you know, win a couple of races or be in a position to and score some real high top points paying positions here for the next, you know, at least three races in a row. And then put us in a position where we can have our own destiny in our hands towards the end of the season and win the championship. That is still our focus. We still believe we can do it. Target/Chip Ganassi Team is certainly capable of doing that, with Zanardi having some great performances, so we have been focusing on our side of the team. Something is missing on our side of the team, one of the ingredients, and we are working real hard to get it back."

Question: "When you say something is missing —"

Jimmy Vasser: "If I knew what it was, I'd tell you. We would fix it."

Question: "You have also got the IROC race this weekend. I was just wondering how difficult it is to juggle two events one weekend or is it sort of a release to have another outlet?"

Jimmy Vasser: "I am really looking forward to the IROC. It has been a great experience. And racing with the Earnhardts and the Waltrips and the Martins and so forth, and although, you know, it's going to be difficult. I think on Sunday morning, we are going to have a CART warm-up, an IROC race, and then 500 miles, so I think it would have been a little better to have the race on Saturday. It gives us a little more complete focus on the U.S. 500. But, I am looking forward to it. It is going to be a full day of racing, and it will be great if we can take two victories."

Question: "Mark Blundell is having a kind of breakthrough kind of year very similar to yours last year. Can you comment on what you see in those guys, he and Gugelmin, that is going so right? It reminds me so much of you and Zanardi last year."

Jimmy Vasser: "Well, just there are so many ingredients to go in and making the pie, so to say — you know, they are geling their team. Their team has worked awfully hard in the off-season or over the last few seasons and doing a lot of research and development and doing a lot of work with their race car. For them to run good consistently, you know, it is pretty much a team sport, absolutely, and you know, they got good setups coming off the trailer on Friday, and they are competitive all weekend. It is just hard work and some of it is paying off for them. And you have to give them credit where credit is due. Both, Mark and Mauricio, are doing a heck of a job behind the wheel. When they didn't do so well, I don't think you can say it was the driver. All of a sudden some things coming together and the guys are up front. It is the whole package. They have got setups and everyone is working good together. I am sure that is what is going on, good chemistry."

Question: "Do you see Blundell as a real threat on ovals also now?"

Jimmy Vasser: "I am sure he is capable of running up front. I don't think he has run up the front consistently on ovals. But, you know, he is learning every time he goes out. I think he ran very strong at the U.S. 500 last year in his comeback race, so he is certainly a threat to win coming back now with the equipment he has and also his level of experience."

Question: "About not getting the amount of testing time, is that a concern you have expressed to Chip?"

"we do a lot of tire testing. It doesn't enable out team to do setup testing as much as we would like"
Jimmy Vasser

Jimmy Vasser: "It is not — the team does what it can and with the time it has in the testing schedule. I have race concerns about, you know, the state of, you know, our setup when we arrive and how I think it affects our effort. Our upper management knows our situation as far as testing goes, and I think, you know, they have tried to do everything that they can to do within their power to get us out on the racetrack. But, the schedule now is very tight, and the season obviously — budgets have set at the beginning of the season, so a lot of these testing dates, they can't get juggled around too much. And, so I think we have done pretty much all — we do a lot of tire testing. It doesn't enable out team to do setup testing as much as we would like. And, you know, I think it is definitely hurting our effort at this point."

Question: " So, is this the kind of thing where you sit down and say, okay, next year — we learned this year, it's got to be different?"

Jimmy Vasser: "Yeah, next year, and also trying to just, at least, squeeze in — you know, we really only have one street circuit left in Vancouver and we really looked at the calendar to try to find a place where we can test and time that we can squeeze a test in. And, it is very, very difficult. I mean, we are going to be — we are racing in Michigan this weekend. I have to go to japan next weekend for opening ceremonies for the Motegi Circuit with some demonstration laps, come straight back, go to Mid Ohio race, go straight up to Elkhart Lake race at that point in time. The team needs a break to turn the cars around and you only have a couple of weeks to get it done and then you have to go back to Vancouver. Nothing is going to fit in. There is not a whole lot that can be done. And, certainly, when you are looking at the calendar for the next season, you have got to — we are going to take these things into consideration and I just — I need to be out there testing a little more than I have been on road course situations for the team. They seem to use me a little more on the oval applications.. But I think it is certainly hurting me and my driving style, you know, lack of road course testing."

Question: "So if I may ask a follow-up, with that oval track at Michigan, coming at a perfect time for Jimmy Vasser?"

Jimmy Vasser: "Well, yeah, it is time. There is no doubt about it. The perfect time, I hope that is true. But it is the next race, and we are, you know, we need — we are not out of the points, by no means, so we need to have a great finish here at Michigan, and have a good run. but, I am a bit concerned about the state of our setup coming off the trailer. We did — I did some tire testing at Michigan. It wasn't testing to really help, you know, our handling. It was just tire testing and I could tell that we were lacking in some mechanical grip. So, the team knows that and we are going to try to take some steps to fix that and hopefully we will be on the mark when we come off the trailer."

Question: "Last year four wins, four poles, finishing all those races running all those laps, such a great year. Was it too high a standard to meet this year to - were the expectations this year maybe too high"?

Jimmy Vasser: "No, absolutely not. We are capable of doing that at any time. We have been in a position to win some races this year. It just hasn't gone our way. We have struggled a bit in qualifications, but I think we have worked hard through the weekend and got our car working better for the races. So, you know absolutely not. We are capable of doing those same things. It just hasn't gone our way. So we are working hard and I think you are going to see the Target/Chip Ganassi in the winners circle a couple of times this year and we are going to get back up there in that points battle. We have been pretty much in the top 5 in the points, all season long. We are sitting 7th now, not far out of a top-5 spot and, you know, the top-5 is very close to the lead. So we are certainly in a position to win this Championship again and that is our focus. We have just got our head down right now working hard".

Question: "Do you think you are driving better than you did, maybe last year and just not have gotten out of it"?

Jimmy Vasser: "I am driving every bit as good. We are struggling with our setup. Things are going to go our way. We just keep throwing enough stuff up on the wall, something is going to stick. We are going to have a good run, again, I am very optimistic for this weekend. I think we have got a good shot at winning".

Question: "As defending Series Champion you obviously get a lot more pressure when you go to a race, you get probably more media wanting to talk to you, you have to do things like teleconferences a lot more. Does that make it tougher to focus on what you are doing when you are at the racetrack and is there something that can contribute to, you know, what makes it so tough to repeat because obviously it doesn't happen too often"?

Jimmy Vasser: "Well, you know, I don't know. I suppose you can make a case for that. It is a tough job along those lines. If you are winning or you win a Championship, it obviously becomes a little bit more intense along those lines, But, I don't think that that, you know, is getting - interfering or getting in the way of our performance. Everybody is professional out there and everybody is used to the schedules that we keep - not only with testing you know, in different racetracks changing over, but, doing the kind of media things that you need to do on behalf of our sponsors and your team and so - but when you get in the car and you put down the shield, it is still very peaceful and the job at hand is always the most important and everything else - you seem to forget about everything else while you are out there in the car. So to answer your question, I am not real sure. I don't think so. But I am not real sure that - you probably do have a point. It is probably important to try to shield yourself from some of that, if you can, just to make sure that you do have all your focus and all your energies pointed in the right direction".

Question: "Jimmy, I just want to clarify the team has done road course testing, but not you; Alex has done that"?

" we have gotten away from a good baseline setup that we have had mostly in '95 and '96"
Jimmy Vasser

Jimmy Vasser: "Alex has done predominantly most of the road course testing which is still very beneficial to the team. Alex is a great test driver and he does a good job. My only concerns as of recent are that I think that my baseline setup - we have gotten away from a good baseline setup that we have had mostly in '95 and '96 and my only suggestion to the team was that, perhaps, you know, the fact that Alex has been doing a bit more of that than I have maybe it suits his driving style more than it does mine. And you know, I am only trying to give suggestions and find answers for the reasons why we come to the racetrack on Friday with a car that the handling is just not really acceptable, you know, for me, if we are going to try and win this Championship".

Question: "So your driving style and Alex's are very different"?

Jimmy Vasser: "Well, not a ton. Sometimes we can drive the same setup, but recently we haven't been able to. I put Alex's setup - we were struggling in Cleveland. I put his setup on my race car because he was running so well and within a matter of laps, I grained the right rear tire terribly. It ruined the tire, so, obviously something in that setup didn't compute for my liking or for, you know - we are not really sure why it did that. So, you know, again the only reason I say these things is I am trying to find answers and raise questions and help us, you know, find a solution for some of the difficulties that we have been having".

Question: "In 1996 how did you divide up the testing"?

Jimmy Vasser: "I think we did similar things, but probably a bit more road course testing for me. I did a lot of the oval testing in '96 as well, although we didn't have the same problems that we have now. So, you know, maybe we did similar type of testing schedule last year that we did this year. But, last year we weren't really hurting so bad. We would come with a good setup and unload it pretty good on Friday most of the time".

Question: "Do you feel that you have adequate testing but it is just not divided up as well as you'd like or do you feel that you need more overall testing"?

Jimmy Vasser: "I think that more overall testing is always better for any race team, not just our own. But you always learn when you go out and the more you can test and the more research and development the team has, it seems, you know the better your chances are going to be that you are going to find an edge over the other teams".

Question: "Andre Ribeiro's 3rd place last week at Toronto really underlined the importance of having the right chassis, the right engine, the right tires, all of that combination, besides having all the great chemistry within the crew. Can you speak to that, No. 1, having all the right equipment and then speak to the guessing game of what to do for next year decision-wise, do we keep the same tire company etc. because the guessing game, I would suspect, starts about right now"?

"it just ain't working because either equipment or whatever"
Jimmy Vasser

Jimmy Vasser: "Yeah, you are absolutely right. It is very apparent with somebody like Andre's performance difference from one weekend to the next with just changing, you know, an ingredient in the race car. You certainly can't say, oh now Andre - he decides he wants to drive fast - as I am sure he has been driving his heart out all season long. So, you can see the importance of having a good setup right there. And you are absolutely right, trying to sprinkle the right ingredients over the top are very important with tires and engines and chassis. So obviously a driver doesn't make those decisions. Team managers, and engineers and owners make those decisions. Driver has some input there is no doubt, but ultimately, those decisions are made by the upper management and the team ownership and they take various reasons into consideration. So, right now is the time, I think, for team owners to start, like you say, start thinking for next year".

Question: "Is it frustrating at all - let us take Andre for instance, some less educated people might think, well gosh, he hasn't been driving hard all year, he hasn't been driving his heart out and I am sure you have experienced that in your career where you are driving your heart out, but it just ain't working because either equipment or whatever. Is that frustrating that the public would still have a view that you are not driving correctly"?

Jimmy Vasser: "No, not really. Because I know that the public doesn't have all the information that they need to have to make a real - to make a good decision on what they believe. So all they can go on is what they see on the racetrack and it is always easier to point the finger at the driver of the race car rather than to try to find the intricate details or problems that might lie within. So, that doesn't frustrate me and I don't really blame the race fan. They really don't have all the information".

Question: "Is it tough being a driver, you either get all the glory or all the blame"?

Jimmy Vasser: "Yeah, that is part of the territory".

Question: "How well do you feel your coming up through the ranks in competitive Formula Ford Series helped you"?

Jimmy Vasser: "Thanks Lynn. I think that was probably the best training ground that I had in the lower Formula training that I did have. I mean, Formula Ford is traditionally the breeding ground for Formula car drivers and I ran in a very competitive region, the San Francisco region of the SCCA of which they had a wonderful pro. series, sometimes 50 cars and the very first pro. series race I ever won was in front of the IndyCar race - we had an interesting slot, we raced just before the IndyCars. It was like 11 o'clock in the morning on Sunday at Laguna Seca in 1984 and I still covet that as one of my more satisfying victories".

Question: "Real quickly, a difference between a tire test and a chassis test"?

Jimmy Vasser: "Tire test you show up and you are working for the tire company and they will have many, many different types of tires built differently in construction and compound, and what they like you to do is just to go out and run a few laps and find a balance with the setup that you have, and so, basically, balance where the car is just driveable. It is not doing one horrible thing or the other meaning understeer or oversteer, then you get right into a tire test. They will run a tire that they will call a control and that is a baseline set of tires and then they come and bolt tires on all day long. And they want you to - it is very important for you to keep the car exactly the same so you can get a clear read on the tires, the differences that you feel will just be the tires and their different characteristics and levels of grip. So you don't - you are asked just to leave the car alone. You don't have any time to try new, to try new pieces, new setups, and try to develop, you know, answers to your problems. That is the basic difference".

Question: "What is the percentage on your team - is - have you done like 80% tire testing and 20% ..."?

Jimmy Vasser: "I think that is probably a pretty close - pretty accurate percentage. I think it is probably 75 to 80% of our testing has been tire testing and, you know, although we do like to help out the tire companies, I think it definitely takes away from our team testing".

T.E. McHALE: "Thank you. With that I think we will wrap it up for today. I want to thank Jimmy Vasser for joining us this afternoon. We want to wish you the best of luck in Sunday's U.S. 500 presented by Toyota at Michigan Speedway.

Jimmy Vasser: "Thank you".