By Brian T. Smith
Assistant Sports Editor / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: March 14, 2008

BTS: How has the transition been for you into the world of NASCAR?

DF: The transition, some days it’s good and some days it’s more difficult. I thought it was going to be a challenge, but there’s some days that it’s an even bigger challenge than I thought it was going to be. Atlanta was one of those days in the Sprint Cup car. I think everybody had a difficult day, but coming from the back where I was, I had a bit more problems. So, days like that are pretty difficult, but other days I feel ahead of the curve a little bit. In the Nationwide car, I’ve felt ahead of where I need to be. But I’ll say it’s never dull – let’s put it that way.

BTS: What are the primary obstacles you and your crew are facing right now?

DF: One of the biggest obstacles is the lack of grip that these cars produce. I’m coming from cars that have a tremendous amount of downforce and a lot of mechanical grip and that weight a lot. And, all of a sudden, I’m coming to a car that doesn’t have any downforce to speak of. The mechanical grip is minimal. And weighs less. So, all those things are some of the biggest challenges that I’m facing. But that’s part of the learning process. And I can see how, now driven the car, the guys with experience and the guys who are winning, what a great job they’re doing.

BTS: Is it hard to find the time to test the car out and figure out what is going to work best?

DF: It’s been difficult since the season started to fit in testing and development. I’m doing some of my learning stuff at the races at the moment. The end of next week, we’re going to go do some testing. But the things that are probably difficult for me and my team is that I want the car to feel a certain way. And I’m looking for a certain amount of stability that just isn’t available. So, sometimes I’ll take my crew chief, and I’ll say I want the car to do one thing, and I’m asking for the impossible sometimes. And I’m maybe making the car worse because of that. So, now, I’ve got to the point where I just get in the car and drive it and make little changes and learn to live with what I’ve been given.

BTS: What is the biggest difference to you between Indy and NASCAR?

DF: With Indy Car, there was sort of that one big race, with the Indy 500. But one of the things that I love about NASCAR so far is the size of each race. I was coming to Bristol tonight, and there were all the motor homes and trailers … the race is huge. Just seeing that week-in, week-out, the size of the sport is just incredible.

The size of the schedule is definitely different. The Indy Car season doesn’t start for another two weeks. And last season was over by Labor Day.

BTS: How are you feeling about things right now?

DF: There are things that I’m really enjoying. But, at the same time, I have not been enjoying finishing at the bottom. That’s been the frustrating thing. And I hope we start improving it and the results get better. I’m enjoying the learning process of it, but I just want it to go a little bit quicker.

BTS: What about the reception you’ve received from the fans?

DF: The fans have been great so far. I’ve really enjoyed the interest from the fans a lot. And that’s been nice. The other drivers have been fantastic. They’re friendly. They’re competitive on the track, but that’s what you’d expect. I’ve been really happy with the reception so far.

BTS: Have you ever been to BMS before?

DF: I’ve flown over the track before. I went to Martinsville last year, and I flew over the track in a helicopter and it was just huge. When I walked in there tonight, and I first saw it, I started laughing. I was with my bus driver, and I just looked at him and I started laughing. It looks, to me, like the world’s biggest soccer stadium, with this amazing race track in the middle. It just looks like an amazing place to go race.

BTS: What about the future of NASCAR? You and Juan Montoya are definitely giving the sport a different look than what it had just 10 years ago.

DF: The one thing Juan and myself can probably do is take NASCAR to a European market, Central America, maybe. Give the fans of Indy Racing something to focus on. But as far as NASCAR, I think they’ve been doing a great job with the growth of this sport. The people who run it have been doing an amazing job for a long time. From the outside, whenever I’ve watched races as a fan, I’ve noticed that sort of corporate side to it, and that’s still there. But I think the one thing I’ve understood in the short time that I’ve been here is: this people are racers. Their No. 1 goal is to go out there and race. And they love to race. And the people of NASCAR who run the sport are racers as well. That was a nice … when I came to the sport, I discovered that.

BTS: Is it ironic that Indy decided to come together after you left the sport?

DF: It’s something that I was waiting on for a long time. And it’s something that I think is going to be a great thing for the open wheels and the Indy Car series. I would’ve been a lot happier if it had happened while I was there, in the last five years. But it wouldn’t have made any difference in my decision to move to NASCAR. I’m very happy with the decision I made.

BTS: Are you finding easier to handle your main car or the Nationwide car?

DF: I’m finding it easier right now to drive the Nationwide car. My team has a lot of history with that car. They understand it and they know what to take to the track. When I show up in my Nationwide car, I’m confident. When I jump in the car [Friday], it’ll be the first time that I’ve ever taken it at Bristol. The guys raced the Car of Tomorrow last year, so that’ll make it a bit easier. But I’m trying to learn from zero, and the guys are still trying to learn the car as well, so it makes it pretty interesting.

BTS: At this point in the season, how are you feeling as a racer? And how are you viewing racing at BMS?

DF: I came over here to learn something completely different, as far as learning to drive a stock car and trying to be competitive in NASCAR. And, for me, Bristol is probably as different of place from what I’m used to driving. When I was young, I used to always love when the Bristol races were coming up. And this year, people would ask me, ‘What race are you looking forward to?’ And I’d say, ‘Bristol,’ – like I’m absolutely insane. I think it’s going to be fun.