YOU’RE WITH A NEW TEAM THIS YEAR.  HOW HAS IT GONE SO FAR?  “There are a lot of new
things.  Obviously, I’m with a new team, but another big thing is I
had never driven the 2013 car yet, so I have some things to learn in
both directions.  I’m driving a Ford again, so I’m excited about that,
but it’s been interesting for sure.  I think Todd and I are working
good together and learning each other.  I think he’s trying to figure
out when I say it’s tight, how tight is it?  He’s trying to get a
reference on the magnitude of adjustments we need to make, so I think
we’re getting there.  We’re making some changes on the car.  We still
need a little bit more speed in it, which you’ll never have enough
speed because you’re always working on that more and more, but I think
so far, so good.  I think we’ve had some good direction to go back to
the shop and work on and try to find some more.”
 
HOW WAS YOUR USO TRIP AND WHAT IMPACT DID IT HAVE ON YOU?  “It was
really cool because we got to go to Kuwait and Germany.  Kuwait was
definitely an eye-opening experience.  It was actually a lot different
than I thought.  I was kind of expecting to go there and see a bunch
of mud hut type houses and things like that, but it was really nice.
There is a huge city there, but then you go out in the desert and you
meet a lot of the troops that are out on the bases and it’s a
different world out there.  But all of the Kuwaitis were really nice
people and welcomed us, so I thought that was really cool, and
obviously to meet the troops and hear some of their stories about
what’s going on.  We got to go for a ride in a Humvee and a couple
other vehicles out there and check out their toys out there, so I
thought it was interesting.  I learned a lot and then we flew to
Germany and I figured out it was a lot colder there because it’s
snowing there right now.  I froze my butt off, but it was cool because
we went to the hospital where a lot of the guys go who are fighting in
Afghanistan.  We met a lot of the troops and doctors, so it was
definitely worth it to me.  I thought it was definitely an eye-opening
experience.  It’s the least I could do for what they do for us.
They’re possibly sacrificing their lives.  It’s pretty easy for me to
just fly over there and say hello, so I should at least do that.”
 
DID YOU DO THE HORSEPOWER CHANGE YESTERDAY AND WHAT WERE THE PLUSSES
AND MINUSES OF THAT?  “My initial thought when I jumped in the car
with the horsepower  was it was like a Nationwide car on steroids, and
then when they took the horsepower away I said, ‘Oh, it’s like a
Nationwide car.’  It was kind of what I expected.  Personally, I’m
more for the horsepower.  I think most drivers would probably say
that.  I think more horsepower the better, personally.  That’s just
human nature.  You always want more horsepower in your car driving
down the road too, so it’s the same thing as a race car driver and I
think it puts on great racing out there.  I think if you watch the two
practice races or whatever you want to call them out there, I thought
the one with the horsepower was a little bit better, personally.”
 
WILL WE SEE TRACK RECORDS BROKEN THIS YEAR WITH THIS NEW CAR?  “You’ve
got a lot more downforce, but these cars have more drag, so you don’t
really feel like you’re accelerating that much down the straightaway.
That’s why I’m saying when you take the horsepower away you don’t feel
like you’re accelerating much at all, but, like I say, you’ve got
downforce.  You’re going through the corners a lot faster than what we
did before because you’re in the gas a lot more.  I think at certain
tracks you will and certain tracks you won’t.  It’s interesting.  It
is cold out, so that’s a lot of temperature and that’s a lot of speed
in the race track right now.  And with it being cooler out today,
we’re going even faster, so you take all of that with a grain of a
salt.  I think speeds will be up.  I think there is definitely some
possibility for track records being broke, but we have to kind of wait
and see what the package is gonna be when it’s all said and done here
from NASCAR.”
 
WHAT HAS THIS TRANSITION BEEN LIKE FOR YOU AND HOW DO YOU FEEL YOU AND
BRAD WILL COMPLEMENT EACH OTHER?  “It’s been pretty cool, for sure.
We’ve been working with each other throughout the off-season and kind
of getting a gameplan on and what’s gonna happen, but yesterday was
the first time we worked together at the race track driving a race car
and then sitting down with him and talking about, ‘What do you think
about this?  What’s your car doing?’  Back and forth, and it’s been
really good.  The lines of communication have been very open between
both teams and I’m really excited about that.  I think that’s
definitely one of the biggest things I like over there right now.  I
think that’s definitely cool having Brad working with me and vice
versa.  I think it’s gonna be good.  I’m excited about it.  They
include me a lot, even with the decisions on personnel, so I like how
they include the driver a lot.”
 
DO YOU EXPECT THIS CAR TO ACT MUCH DIFFERENTLY IN TRAFFIC THAN THE OLD
CAR?  “It did seem quite a bit different.  I think we’ve got to
fine-tune it still into being able to race better.  You always want to
keep the racing as good as possible and that’s the whole reason to get
this ’13 car out there is to hopefully improve the racing.  I feel
like it was good for us to go out there, run in a pack, and see what
it’s like.  I know some of the things I used to use to pass cars, some
of the tools I would use, doesn’t really work anymore, so I to kind of
learn and try something else.  I think throughout the whole field
drivers are gonna have to be doing that – to find new ways to pass
guys and change things up because these cars are different.  I think
there will be some more fine-tuning to try and help us race around
each other easier throughout the year.”
 
CAN YOU TELL ANYTHING DIFFERENT ABOUT THE CAR AS FAR AS WHERE YOU ARE
OUT ON THE TRACK?  DOES IT REACT DIFFERENTLY GOING INTO THE CORNER?
“I think as far as the line, it’s still a race car.  My line is fairly
similar.  My line has gone more to a Nationwide line, I will say that.
 Having more downforce it doesn’t feel like you have as much
straightaway speed, so you’re able to arc the corners more.  The cars
handle better, so it goes more to that.  The big thing, I think, in
traffic that I think changed the cars a lot is you took a lot of that
yaw away, so the cars aren’t sideways anymore.  It doesn’t seem like
there’s as much air going down the left side, so sticking your
left-front out and trying to get air on your left-front fender didn’t
seem like you got the reward as you used to get.  I think that’s
probably one of the biggest things that has made these cars drive
different in the pack.”
 
ARE THERE WAYS YOU THINK BRAD IS GOOD AT THAT CAN HELP YOU AND VICE
VERSA?  “He won the championship, so he’s pretty good.  He seems to be
pretty good.  It’s really cool to have a teammate that’s a student of
the sport, that really studies it and will push me to do things
differently.  I think the coolest thing that Brad is able to do is
he’s able to think outside of the box – like way outside the box.  I
think that’s interesting to me, to see the way his mind works.  I’ve
learned a lot the last couple days and the ways he thinks through a
race car is a little bit different than normal, and I think that’s
cool. I think it’s good to have a little bit of both on a team, so I
can learn a lot on the way he leads a team and drives a race car and
the way he sets up his car.  I seem to be a little bit different, the
things he looks for.  There are a lot of different things.  The way he
drives his car is a little bit different than me, too.  Taking some of
his techniques, I’ve tried them out there and there are pros and cons
to everything, but it gives me a few more tools to work with when I’m
out there.”
 
CAN YOU GIVE AN EXAMPLE OF HOW HE THINKS OUTSIDE THE BOX?  “There are
definitely plenty of ways.  When I say think outside the box I’m
thinking just the way he drives his car.  I don’t want to let his
tricks out in the open, but just the way he looks into a long run
differently than I do or I’ve really seen out there before.  So it’s
kind of interesting to see that part, for sure.”
 
DO YOU HAVE ANY CHRISTMAS OR NEW YEAR’S PLANS?  “I’m gonna stay home.
I have plenty of stuff to do here.  I’m trying to catch up from being
on the USO Tour.  I don’t really have many other trips scheduled.
We’ll have a few appearances coming up.  I’m gonna go on a Shell oil
rig, so that will be kind of cool to check that out, but, for the most
part, I’m staying here.  We’ve got a few more photo shoots to do, so
we’ll stay busy trying to acclimate myself with Penske Racing and I’ll
be over there as much as I can to get the team ready.”
 
WHEN IS THIS OIL RIG TRIP?  “It’s coming up.   It’s in January at some
point, so it will be kind of cool.  They take you out in a helicopter,
so it will be cool to check it out.  It’s going to be neat.”
 
YOU’RE DOING SOME ICE SKATING AS WELL?   “My parents are running the
outdoor ice rink at the drag strip (in Concord, NC).  They teamed up
with Charlotte Motor Speedway and they have the rink down at Extreme
Ice Center in Indian Trail, so they’re trying to promote their rink
and they’re going to run the one up here, too.  My sister is a figure
skater, so that’s where the ice skating stuff comes from, so I’m gonna
go out there tonight and skate.”
 
YOU PLAYED SOME HOCKEY GROWING UP, RIGHT?  “Yeah.  That’s why I drive
race cars now (laughing).  I wasn’t very good.  I was laughing and
joking with Brad.  I said, ‘Both of us aren’t very coordinated.
Everyone would laugh if we had a basketball game against each other.’
I think it would be the funniest thing you’ve ever seen.  It would be
hilarious.  I think I might have him beat, but I’m pretty bad.”

YOU’RE WITH FORD NOW.  HOW DOES THAT FEEL AND HOW HAS THE TEST GONE SO FAR?  “It’s hard to get a great read on the whole manufacturer change because,
obviously, it’s a different car, but I think all the signs are there that we have the potential to be just as strong, if not stronger, than we were last year, which is very, very encouraging.  We still have to work for it and make it happen, but the signs are there.  It’s been a lot of fun having the first day today working with Joey, which I think has been probably more of an adjusting process than the actual car itself, and a good adjusting process.  I’m curious to see over time how we can work together and push each other to be the best we can be, so I’ve had a lot of fun with that so far.  We’ve got a lot of work to do.  We’re only a half-a-day into two really important days, not only for Penske Racing but for the sport itself and, hopefully, we can continue to show progress.”

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS YOU CAN LEAP INTO THE FORD AND DO AS WELL?  “Those are hard questions because you get into things that are somewhat
proprietary, but I think the level of engagement from the Ford camp is very, very high, which is extremely encouraging and that’s from the top on down.  That makes me feel more confident than anything else because at the end of the day this is a people sport.  You look at the cars and you look at the aero or whatever it might take to be the best you can be and those things tend to work themselves out when you have the best people and when you have people that are engaged and all are sharing a common goal and work ethic.  So I look at that as it stands right now and I’m very happy with that desire and passion we share as a team and from the manufacturer perspective as well.  That commitment is across the board and it feels really good and makes me feel like the potential is there to be just as good, if not better than ever.”

HOW DO YOU BREAK IN A NEW TEAMMATE AND WHAT DO YOU NEED OUT OF JOEY TO PUSH YOU?  “The best way I can break in Joey is to get him one of
those championship glasses and take him out for night.  I think he’d\ really enjoy that and I’d really enjoy it (laughing).  I think it’s really important to keep going and in order to have the same success in the future that we’ve had in the past that you don’t necessarily feel like you can’t be any better, and I certainly don’t.  I feel like
there are a lot of areas that I can improve and be better and I think there are things Joey does right out of the gate that are better than what I do.”

SUCH AS?  “I think he has the ability to unload at a place like this and just instantly be fast and that’s not my style.  It’s something that I would like to add to my arsenal because there are times where that’s really, really helpful, so those are some of the things I look at.  There is a whole list and I don’t want to get into all of them
because some of them are, going back to proprietary, something that Joey has worked very hard on and he deserves not necessarily the
recognition, although he does deserve that as well, but he deserves the quiet dignity that goes with that success, but, either way, at the
end of the day, I think that Joey is an elite talent in this sport and if we can work together that we will both be better.  I would rather
finish second to him next year in every race and even the championship, than to rest on my laurels, not get any better and the whole field does, and run fifth, 10th, 15th, 17th – whatever it might be – and beat him.  I think it’s that spirit that is gonna drive us to be the best we can.”

WHAT’S AT THE TOP OF YOUR LIST FOR THIS YEAR?  “People.  It’s really tough  for any championship team to be able to keep all of the people
motivated because you’ve achieved a goal.  I think everybody starts out their career wanting to be a champion and wanting to be the best
and that keeps you motivated, but once you get that, it’s easy to lose your motivation and we have to find ways to motivate ourselves.  The
best employees we have at Penske Racing are always gonna be self-motivated, but, also, we have to find ways to make sure that there is no temptation to lose that motivation and I think that’s probably one of the biggest challenges we have.  The switch to Ford itself is good because it lends itself to having something to prove, and I think that in itself is a point I maybe didn’t make earlier. One of the best advantages of switching to Ford is it gives us something to prove all over again, that we can continue to be successful no matter what the manufacturer or no matter what the circumstance is and I think that’s very healthy.  I also feel like, as
a team, we have that motivation right now.”

DO YOU THINK WHOEVER GETS THE BEST AND FASTEST GRIP ON THE NEW CAR WILL PLAY A LARGE PART IN DETERMINING WHO IS SUCCESSFUL THIS YEAR? AND DO YOU THINK THERE ARE SOME TEAMS AHEAD OF OTHERS IN THAT AREA?
“Obviously, the faster you get a hold of the speed, speed is the basic necessity of a winning team, but that’s not all it takes.  It takes a lot more than speed to win and you still have to have some of the other things that go with it, which are execution and good fortune, and you have to have all of those other pieces that we could list out for days, but speed is the backbone of this sport and any team’s success.  Anyone who comes out of the gate with the most amount of speed has the potential, so it tends to be an area where we all go first, naturally, but it takes a lot more than that to be a winner and to be a consistent winner or a champion, and we know that too.  You
can’t get too carried away and sacrifice everything else to just get speed from a resource management standpoint, but we’re certainly gonna work there first.  It appears that there are a few guys that are just a little bit ahead of everyone else.  I think the Toyotas have shown that they’re gonna be really, really tough to beat with this new car. I really like the way they finished last year, and, for them, I think they have the capability of starting out next year even stronger than the field, so that will be interesting to watch, but there’s still a lot of testing and a lot of development left to be done.  However, if I was to venture a guess, I would definitely say that they’re at the top of the list.”

WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE A ROUSH FENWAY TEAM HERE AT THIS TEST AND IS THERE ANY APPREHENSION ABOUT HOW YOUR TEAM WILL WORK WITH THEM?  “Yes and no.  I think the best ways that we can work together are not gonna be at the race track, they’re gonna be off the race track.  It’s maybe not something that’s right in front of me on the radar, but the more involved our two groups can be, the better we’re gonna be.  I guess the priority is set more on projects that are off the race track.”

WHERE IS YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY?  “It’s not at my house, it’s at Penske Racing on display for the team guys.”

WILL YOU HAVE ONE AT YOUR HOUSE EVENTUALLY?  “No, I don’t keep trophies at my house.  I don’t believe in building a shrine to myself. It’s kind of weird.”

WHY DO YOU THINK A TOYOTA MAY HAVE AN ADVANTAGE?  “You rely on multiple things to build a sense for those speed potentials or whatever you might want to call it.  Obviously, the way they finished last year was very strong and even though it’s a different car with the body per se, it’s still a very similar chassis to what we’ve run
the last year and whatever advantage they seemed to have there seemed to be a lot in the chassis or based on that, so they’re gonna retain that.  And then from a resource standpoint it appeared they were able to build cars at a little bit faster rate than everyone else and get them on track at a further design point than most everyone else based upon what little information we were able to garner there.”

YOU HAVE A MUCH DIFFERENT FIRE SUIT.  WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT AND DID YOU HAVE A HAND IN HOW IT LOOKS?  “It’s a work in progress.  This is
something I’m working on to try to keep up with the Joneses.  All of these Hendrick guys have their new lightweight, cool fire suits and I don’t like getting beat on our off the race track.  I want to be the best everywhere, so I’ve got them helping me out.  It’s a work in progress.  I’m not all the way there, but I don’t like getting beat at anything.”

WHERE ARE YOU AS FAR AS THIS WORK IN PROGRESS?  “I’m about 80 percent there.”

How did the morning test session go with your new team?
"It's gone pretty good except for the last half hour.  I guess it was a good icebreaker.  I've been kind of nervous coming into
this morning and walking to a different truck and a different team and all of that stuff.  Anyway, my last run I proceeded to
go from second gear to first gear and over-revved the engine so they're back there changing it.  So, I think the guys are in
love with me right now.  Like, 'Where did we find this clown?  Give us the other one back.'  Other than that it's been good."

How does the 2013 Camry compare to the car you finished the 2012 season with?
"There's a lot of things different, especially for me, because it's all different than what I'm used to running.  But, the cars
feel good.  They've got a ton of grip.  I felt like they had a lot of rear grip especially with that cambered rear end.  I'm not
sure if that's necessary or not, but overall just seems like a lot more grip than when we raced here in the fall."

Do you know all of the guys on your team yet?
"A lot of them guys have been around for a long time so I know who they are and I've spent a little time over at the shop.  I
certainly don't know them as good as I'm going to or want to and all of that.  So, yeah, it was different.  I've got to be
honest, it was probably the first time I've been nervous in a race car -- getting in there and going out for the first time -- in as
long as I can remember.  It's always exciting and you're a little anxious when you go do something different.  It's been fun
so far."

Does it take time to build a relationship with your new crew chief Jason Ratcliff?
"Yeah, it takes time to get to know each other especially at the track.  How you do things and all of that stuff is certainly
more than a couple of hours.  But, it was really good.  I spent a lot of time with Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) here the last
month or so and getting to know all of the guys a lot better -- spending some time over there getting to know the technical
guys and all of that a lot more.  Like I said, it's only noon on the first day, but I've been really impressed how organized they
are and how they approach things."

Do you expect a lot of changes on the new car before you actually race it at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
"Well, I don't know.  I don't know what the rules are going to be for sure.  I don't have any idea how much they're going to
change or not change.  That's more of a NASCAR call than ours.  They haven't really had us testing anything yet and I
wasn't involved in any other 2013 stuff, so I'm not sure how different they will be when we come back.  But, I think it's a
great place to test.  It's really consistent.  The tires don't really drop off.  You can go in and out.  It's fairly smooth.  We race
here a lot during the year, more than anywhere else, I guess, as far as mileage.  I think it's a good place close to home and we
can learn a lot of stuff.  I still think even if they make some rules changes, I think there's still a lot we can learn here."

Did you over-rev the engine because you aren't familiar with these engines?
"No.  There's a couple of things probably to work on there -- the shifter or whatever, but it's just me.  My fault.  Everything
is different inside there and I just put it in first gear instead of third and it didn't work out too good.  It didn't blow it up, but
they just changed it for precautions.  Like I said, my guys are real impressed."

Was the height of the new spoiler an adjustment for you?
"It's pretty tall.  I wouldn't want it any taller, so yeah.  I haven't really been around any other cars and I haven't really
looked out the back too much or had anybody close to me to really look at it.  But, it does seem pretty big and obstructs your
view a little bit more than you had before.  But, on pit road when we were parked there waiting you can still see the tops of
other cars.  It kind of reminds me of the Nationwide cars a few years ago before they went to the new version of the cars.
They had pretty big spoilers on them.  You couldn't really see cars when they were right up behind you."

Why were you so nervous today?
"I just didn't want to do anything stupid like I did, pretty much.  I don't know.  I guess I shouldn't say nervous, just kind of
anxious walking -- it's just different, you know.  Just go find a different group of guys in a different hauler and a different car
and everything is different inside the car.  Just to get used to it.  I couldn't wait to get to the track today and honestly I can't
wait to get back in the car here in a little bit."


Does the 2013 car feel like the old style of the car prior to the COT?
"Man, I don't know.  That's a long time ago.  Compared to the fall here, I guess I just feel like we've got a lot more grip,
which I think we do.  Some of the mechanical stuff they did with the rear end and I think we have a little bit more down
force than what we had before and we have a nice, cool day.  I just feel like we have more grip.  Other than that, I don't
really notice a big difference, but it is my first time in a car.  I've only got about 30 laps in one.  I didn't do any of the other
2013 testing and haven't been around any cars either."

Will teams be able to 'trick out' the new cars like they did with the COT?
"I think that NASCAR is constantly making rules -- they always have -- to react to things that teams learn through the years.
So, I think that they're always reacting to that and getting the tolerances closer and making more rules to keep you from
doing things.  So, certainly in the back I think the yaw is the same as what it was before.  It seemed like the 48 (Jimmie
Johnson) got on a -- running their cars sideways."
How did the morning test session go with your new team?
"It's gone pretty good except for the last half hour.  I guess it was a good icebreaker.  I've been kind of nervous coming into
this morning and walking to a different truck and a different team and all of that stuff.  Anyway, my last run I proceeded to
go from second gear to first gear and over-revved the engine so they're back there changing it.  So, I think the guys are in
love with me right now.  Like, 'Where did we find this clown?  Give us the other one back.'  Other than that it's been good."

How does the 2013 Camry compare to the car you finished the 2012 season with?
"There's a lot of things different, especially for me, because it's all different than what I'm used to running.  But, the cars
feel good.  They've got a ton of grip.  I felt like they had a lot of rear grip especially with that cambered rear end.  I'm not
sure if that's necessary or not, but overall just seems like a lot more grip than when we raced here in the fall."

Do you know all of the guys on your team yet?
"A lot of them guys have been around for a long time so I know who they are and I've spent a little time over at the shop.  I
certainly don't know them as good as I'm going to or want to and all of that.  So, yeah, it was different.  I've got to be
honest, it was probably the first time I've been nervous in a race car -- getting in there and going out for the first time -- in as
long as I can remember.  It's always exciting and you're a little anxious when you go do something different.  It's been fun
so far."

Does it take time to build a relationship with your new crew chief Jason Ratcliff?
"Yeah, it takes time to get to know each other especially at the track.  How you do things and all of that stuff is certainly
more than a couple of hours.  But, it was really good.  I spent a lot of time with Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) here the last
month or so and getting to know all of the guys a lot better -- spending some time over there getting to know the technical
guys and all of that a lot more.  Like I said, it's only noon on the first day, but I've been really impressed how organized they
are and how they approach things."

Do you expect a lot of changes on the new car before you actually race it at Charlotte Motor Speedway?
"Well, I don't know.  I don't know what the rules are going to be for sure.  I don't have any idea how much they're going to
change or not change.  That's more of a NASCAR call than ours.  They haven't really had us testing anything yet and I
wasn't involved in any other 2013 stuff, so I'm not sure how different they will be when we come back.  But, I think it's a
great place to test.  It's really consistent.  The tires don't really drop off.  You can go in and out.  It's fairly smooth.  We race
here a lot during the year, more than anywhere else, I guess, as far as mileage.  I think it's a good place close to home and we
can learn a lot of stuff.  I still think even if they make some rules changes, I think there's still a lot we can learn here."

Did you over-rev the engine because you aren't familiar with these engines?
"No.  There's a couple of things probably to work on there -- the shifter or whatever, but it's just me.  My fault.  Everything
is different inside there and I just put it in first gear instead of third and it didn't work out too good.  It didn't blow it up, but
they just changed it for precautions.  Like I said, my guys are real impressed."

Was the height of the new spoiler an adjustment for you?
"It's pretty tall.  I wouldn't want it any taller, so yeah.  I haven't really been around any other cars and I haven't really
looked out the back too much or had anybody close to me to really look at it.  But, it does seem pretty big and obstructs your
view a little bit more than you had before.  But, on pit road when we were parked there waiting you can still see the tops of
other cars.  It kind of reminds me of the Nationwide cars a few years ago before they went to the new version of the cars.
They had pretty big spoilers on them.  You couldn't really see cars when they were right up behind you."

Why were you so nervous today?
"I just didn't want to do anything stupid like I did, pretty much.  I don't know.  I guess I shouldn't say nervous, just kind of
anxious walking -- it's just different, you know.  Just go find a different group of guys in a different hauler and a different car
and everything is different inside the car.  Just to get used to it.  I couldn't wait to get to the track today and honestly I can't
wait to get back in the car here in a little bit."


Does the 2013 car feel like the old style of the car prior to the COT?
"Man, I don't know.  That's a long time ago.  Compared to the fall here, I guess I just feel like we've got a lot more grip,
which I think we do.  Some of the mechanical stuff they did with the rear end and I think we have a little bit more down
force than what we had before and we have a nice, cool day.  I just feel like we have more grip.  Other than that, I don't
really notice a big difference, but it is my first time in a car.  I've only got about 30 laps in one.  I didn't do any of the other2013 testing and haven't been around any cars either."

Will teams be able to 'trick out' the new cars like they did with the COT?
"I think that NASCAR is constantly making rules -- they always have -- to react to things that teams learn through the years.
So, I think that they're always reacting to that and getting the tolerances closer and making more rules to keep you fromdoing things.  So, certainly in the back I think the yaw is the same as what it was before.  It seemed like the 48 (Jimmie Johnson) got on a -- running their cars sideways.

DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/DIET MOUNTAIN DEW CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media today at Charlotte Motor Speedway during a test session to learn more about the 2013 car.  He discussed how the test has gone so far, how the car feels, what his expectations are for 2013 and other topics.  Full Transcript:

TALK ABOUT HOW THE TEST HAS GONE SO FAR AND THE NEW CHEVROLET SS: 
“Our test is going pretty well so far.  The cars drive really well.  I know everybody is probably real curious about how we think the racing is going to go.  It’s real early in the game, this is the first time I’ve driven the cars at all.  I’m really impressed.  I really like the balance of the car, the downforce seems to be relatively good.  The car has driven well for us today.  We will just move through the next couple of days here and keep tuning.  Trying things and see what the car likes and doesn’t like.  Hopefully, get some more testing in before the season starts so we can continue to understand.  A lot of the rules and decisions that NASCAR is going to make on this car, some are finalized, some are not.  It’s still a little bit of a moving target for the teams.  I’m real encouraged so far.”

DID YOU GET ANY SENSE OF WEATHER PASSING IS GOING TO BE ANY EASIER WITH THE NEW CARS?
DID YOU DO ANY DICING OUT THERE?
“No, we didn’t.  We didn’t get a chance to run any cars together or around each other too much.  That is kind of what I meant by it being early in the game.  It’s just we only run for four hours, just by ourselves.  From what I could see nobody else was really in a competitive kind of atmosphere out there with other race cars.  I think that the car has really awesome potential.  I like it already leaps and bounds beyond the COT or the old car we ran.  This car really gives me a lot of sensations that are similar to the old car that we ran four years ago or however long ago it was.  It’s still early.  I’m trying not to get too excited or form too big of an opinion or too solid of an opinion of the car.  We have got a lot of things to learn about it.  There are still some rules and things to be finalized and still a lot to learn.  I think it’s important for us as the drivers and the teams to try and help NASCAR as much as we can.  We are all sort of working toward the same goal this week, trying to put a good show on.”

HOW DOES THE CAR FEEL DIFFERENT?  DO YOU NOTICE THE WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION DIFFERENCES?  THE CAMBER DIFFERENCES? THE REAR SUSPENSION DIFFERENCES?
“The rear camber is a big deal.  I haven’t driven a car today with the old stuff and the new stuff, but I do know that it’s going to provide a ton of grip being able to camber the right-rear tire any more than we had in the past.  I know that is a big advantage to adding grip to the car.  The body on the car itself I think behaves better aerodynamically.  For the most part you still have a splitter and you still have similar geometry and what not.  We have a gigantic rear spoiler on the car.  You can’t see out of the car very well, but that spoiler is doing a lot.  NASCAR seems to think that spoiler is the one that is going to provide the better package for better racing.  It definitely gives the car a lot more comfort and it does resemble what we ran many years ago.  Those were some pretty good race cars back then.  The car really drives down in the corner, turns in the corner and turns off in the corner good.  I really don’t miss all the stuff we were moving around in the back of these cars last year, I don’t miss any of that stuff.  It did make the cars go faster, but they were a little bit more of a challenge to drive.  The sensations that you got going off in the corner crooked weren’t a lot of fun.  This is awesome for me personally I kind of like going in the corner with the car going straight, like it’s supposed to.  I’m enjoying this.”

CAN YOU COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE CAR THAT YOU ARE DRIVING TODAY WITH THE ONE THAT YOU DROVE IN 1999? WHAT KIND OF ADVANCEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE SINCE THEN?
“Well, we were talking about the horsepower.  There is about 100 to 115 more horsepower under the hood that is a huge difference.  That is 10 mph maybe at the end of the straightaway.  That changes everything about how a car is going to run a lap when you change the end of the straightaway speed that much.  We are running bump stops as opposed to; we weren’t coil binding back then, but as opposed to running a conventional set-up in the front-end.  That really changes a lot of things in how the cars drive.  Back in 1999 we were just straightening the rockers out.  In 1998 and 1999 on the Nationwide cars we had those old rolled under rocker.  We didn’t have anywhere near as much side force.  We really didn’t have moving the rear bumpers down to a science like we do now and getting the side force and the quarter panels straight on the cars.  Just a lot of different stuff, a lot of changes, the tires are tremendously different.  Now there is a lot less tread on the tires, we have a lot harder tire, a tougher tire, more durable tire.”

YOU TALK ABOUT THE FEEL OF THE CAR BEING MORE LIKE THE OLD CAR ARE YOU SAYING YOU NEVER REALLY ADJUSTED TO THE NEW (COT) CAR BECAUSE YOU SEEM TO BE MUCH BETTER DRIVING THE OLD CAR?  ALSO, CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON WHERE YOU STAND WITH SPONSORS?
“I don’t have any update as far as our sponsorship situation goes.  I thought the COT was just frustrating for me.  I had good runs and good races in it.  I had races where the car drove well and was comfortable, but I never really connected with that car from the very beginning.  Just personally I didn’t like the car.  I didn’t really appreciate it for what it was.  The cars that you see in the garage, you will stand there and see Fords and Toyotas and Chevrolets driving b.  It’s great because everything looks different.  Everything is recognizable, instantly recognizable.  You don’t have to think about the driver and the team itself to associate with a manufacturer.  You look at the car and you can see it instantly.  That is a great feeling for me.  I can appreciate the cars for that fact.  I know all you guys probably understand it, but I’m not sure a lot of people realize how important that is having that instant recognition on a manufacturer for our sport.  How much healthier our sport can be with that happening.  I can of like that when you see a car and you can recognize it instantly.  The cars for me the cars feel like they have a ton more downforce, but these are perfect conditions.  It’s real cool, the track has a great surface; this is a tough tire that is going to get ahold of it real good. So we are just flying out there and the car feels great.  If we got to Texas or Homestead which is worn out and you wear the tires out and start sliding around it may feel a lot more similar to the COT.  Today’s feeling good and driving well.  I think there is good potential for this.  The car looks great; it looks like a race car to me.  I can get excited about that.  I can get behind that.”

YOU HAD A REALLY CONSISTENT SEASON IN 2012 ARE THERE AFTER AFFECTS OF ALL THIS GOING INTO 2013 OR DO YOU JUST START OVER?
“Well, you would like to believe in momentum and things like that.  In this sport you can be a hero one week and a zero the next.  There is so much competition out there.  There are a lot of variables too with the new car, completely new; the sport is going to be revolutionized again with this car.  There are a lot of things that are unknowns, but I’m with a great company that sort of does really well under those kinds of circumstances.  When there are a lot of unknown variables they are really good at figuring those variables out and figuring out how to be competitive given a certain working space they can kind of figure it out faster than most people.  I’m fortunate in that regard.  I feel like I can be confident. I can go into next year confident that we are going to put good cars on the track and I’m going to like the way they drive and I’m going to enjoy the races that we have.  Again, I think the first 10 races of the season are the most important races as far as making the Chase, putting down a good foundation of points.  If you end up after those first 10 races around eighth or ninth or 10th that kind of seems to be where you end up fighting all year long.  Just try to stay in the Chase.  It’s a real tough mental battle and it wears on the team, it wears on the drivers that are in those positions.  It’s nice to get out there and get up front early and stay there.  That is our outlook and I think that we are in a good position.”

IS IT POSSIBLE WITH SO FEW CARS TO REALLY GET THE FEEL OF THE CAR AND KNOW WHAT IT WILL DO RACING AROUND OTHERS?  WILL SOME DRIVERS JUST TAKE TO THIS NEW CAR MORE THAN OTHERS?
“Yeah I mean if you get excited about it you will kind of dive into it a little more aggressively and speed up the learning curve a little bit.  If you don’t have a good attitude about something then you typically don’t have a good outcome.   I don’t know if there are enough cars here to really… I don’t think that we are all out there seeking to be in racing conditions to get out there and run around each other.  Everybody is bolting on parts, going out and running, seeing what that does, repeat, rinse and do all that good stuff.  You just keep on doing that over and over and nobody is really out there seeking each other out trying to race.  That has to be kind of manufactured by NASCAR for us to say ‘hey man six of you get out there and race each other’.  That probably won’t happen until May here in Charlotte anyways.  I like the car and I think it has good potential, but again it’s just real early I don’t want to put words out there.  I don’t know enough to really make a good enough guess on weather this thing is going to do everything everybody wants it to do.  I’m excited.  I think it has good potential.”

YOU SAID THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS DIFFICULT OUT THERE BECAUSE OF THE SPOILER IS THAT CORRECT?
“Well we have had that kind of deal before when they had the wing on the back it was just different.  You would like to look out the back of your car and not see anything, but other cars.  The first race I ran in Japan I think we had gigantic seven inch spoilers on the back of these cars.  I mean it’s nothing new.  You think though what drivers and fans and NASCAR want is for the guy that is running second, third, fourth to have good downforce to be able to drive up to the guy in the front without having an aero push.  You know big giant spoilers you would think that would negate that idea.  We have had them before, ran them before so we will just have to see.”

IT WAS OKAY THOUGH?
“Yeah, I mean it’s not dangerous or nothing.  I can see.”

IF YOU HAD TO GUESS WOULD THOSE WHATEVER DRIVERS END UP BEING THE MOST SUCCESSFUL IN 2013 BE THOSE WITH TEAMS THAT ARE MOST ABLE TO GET A GRIP ON THIS NEW CAR THIS SEASON?  ALSO, DO YOU THINK SOME TEAMS ARE AHEAD OF OTHERS IN THAT REGARD?
“Yeah, it’s too early to say whether anybody is ahead of anybody yet.  The guys that have tested the most are the guys that are going to have the most information, the most data.  The people willing to do the most work.  The teams with the most resources obviously have to feel like they have a comfortable advantage knowing their resources outnumber the next guy.  I am with the best team I think in the garage when it comes to resources and work ethic.  I feel good about that, but I know there are some other guys out there that are willing to work just as hard and aren’t short on resources either.  A situation like this where everybody is kind of scrambling to learn as much as they can there are some teams that will stand out I’m sure.”

For the second-consecutive year, reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski, five-time premier series winner Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. will help race fans celebrate the past, present and future of NASCAR. The return of NASCAR Acceleration Weekend – a fan-friendly, interactive experience – is scheduled for Feb. 8-10, 2013, at the Charlotte (N.C.) Convention Center and includes the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and NASCAR Preview 2013.

NASCAR Acceleration Weekend tickets are on sale now and available at www.nascaracceleration.com and the NASCAR Hall of Fame box office. Tickets for Friday night’s Induction Ceremony start at $45. In addition, a $20 ticket will gain fans all-day access into NASCAR Preview 2013 and the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Saturday, February 9.

More than 50 drivers across NASCAR’s three national series – NASCAR Sprint Cup, NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series – are scheduled to participate in the all-day NASCAR Preview 2013 event. Fans will have the opportunity to interact with drivers and secure autographs, participate in driver Q&A sessions, get a first-look at the new sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race cars and paint schemes and check out various interactive displays, among other activities.

“We are excited about bringing NASCAR Acceleration Weekend back to Charlotte this year,” said Kim Brink, NASCAR managing director of brand, consumer and series marketing. “It is one of our biggest fan events to kick off the season and provides unprecedented access to our best drivers, new cars and the NASCAR Hall of Fame.”

The weekend’s activities begin Friday, February 8, with the 2013 NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The five inductees are Buck Baker, Cotton Owens, Herb Thomas, Rusty Wallace and Leonard Wood. Legendary broadcasters Ken Squier and Barney Hall will also be honored with the inaugural Squier-Hall Award for Media Excellence for their significant contributions to the success of NASCAR during their distinguished careers as media members covering the sport.

The following day, Saturday, February 9, NASCAR Preview 2013 begins at 7 a.m. in the Charlotte Convention Center. Similar to last year’s event, the all-day fan festival will feature autograph and on-stage Q&A sessions by top drivers from all three national series, the new sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup cars and paint schemes, giveaways and activities for fans of all ages.

Among other marquee names scheduled to participate are four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, three-time series champion Tony Stewart, two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse Jr., reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series most popular driver Danica Patrick, and 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher.

Also on Saturday, February 9, the newly inducted NASCAR Hall of Fame members and/or their family representatives will be on hand for the unveiling of their Hall of Honor exhibits commemorating their NASCAR careers. On Sunday, February 10, each inductee’s granite marker will be unveiled in the Ceremonial Plaza as well as other exclusive member-only events

Here are the top 10 NASCAR stories of the year, as voted by members of the media.

Fans can also voice their opinion by voting for their favorite stories of 2012 on the NASCAR Facebook page, www.facebook.com/NASCAR.

1.-Brad Keselowski’s First Championship

Three races into the season and two finishes worse than 30th, Keselowski appeared a dark horse even to qualify for the postseason. But a second consecutive victory at Bristol Motor Speedway helped turn around the fortunes of the No. 2 Penske Racing Dodge team and by mid-September Keselowski was the No. 3 seed when the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup got underway. With two wins in the first three races, Keselowski went from underdog to favorite. He lost the points lead when five-time champion Jimmie Johnson won at Martinsville but refused to fade under pressure. A top-10 finish in the penultimate race at Phoenix coupled with Johnson’s accident and mechanical failure in the finale clinched the title for Keselowski, Penske and crew chief Paul Wolfe.

2.-Dale Earnhardt Breaks 143-Race Winless Streak

Entering the 2012 season it had been nearly four years and more than 125 races since Earnhardt had won a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. Even some among his legions of fans openly wondered if Junior would ever grab another checkered flag. But this season the Hendrick Motorsports driver brought his “A” game, posting two seconds and a pair of thirds over the schedule’s first nine races. The breakthrough victory came at Michigan International Speedway virtually to the day and at the site of Earnhardt’s last win in June 2008. The 143-race drought was cleansed June 17 in a race on a brand-new track surface over which Junior led 95 laps and beat reigning champion Tony Stewart by more than five seconds.

3.-Matt Kenseth Wins Explosive Daytona 500

No Daytona 500 is ever quite like any other and this year’s Great American Race was no exception. Rain postponed the race for the first time in history dating to the inaugural race in 1959. And – again a first – the Daytona 500 became a Monday night affair. Matt Kenseth proved to have the winning hand as his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford led the most laps and held off Earnhardt in a green-white-checker finish to record his second Daytona 500 victory in four years. What many will most remember about 54th annual event was the Turn 3 fireball resulting from Juan Pablo Montoya’s Chevrolet, which suffered a mechanical failure, slamming into a jet dryer.

4.-Michael Waltrip Racing Makes Chase In Style

Since becoming a fulltime NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team in 2007, Michael Waltrip Racing had experienced the joys of winning but never the fruits of a post-season run. David Reutimann had come closest to qualifying for the Chase – 16th in 2009. Five seasons of frustration ended in 2012 as not one but two of MWR’s drivers – Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. – made the Chase. Bowyer, the organization’s first-year driver, made the most of his opportunity winning twice including Charlotte’s Chase race. Bowyer finished a career-high second in final standings. Truex ranked 11th.

5.-Hendrick Motorsports Records Milestone 200th Victory

Leave it to Jimmie Johnson to register Hendrick Motorsports’ milestone 200th victory. The organization’s driver with the most championships – five – ended a 16-race, two-season count-down for win No. 200 on May 12 at Darlington Raceway. Johnson had won No. 199 at Kansas Speedway in October 2011, drew blanks ever since. Reaching the milestone seemingly ignited the fuse for HMS, which won three consecutive races including Kasey Kahne’s Coca-Cola 600 victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Each of Hendrick’s drivers – Johnson, Kahne, Earnhardt and Gordon – won in 2012 as well as qualified for the Chase.

6.-Classic Rockingham Raceway Returns To NASCAR In 2012

Rockingham Raceway, in North Carolina’s sand hills, has provided many thrills during its five decades as a part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track’s run ended after the 2004 season. Rockingham, under ownership of Andy Hillenburg, roared back to life in 2012 when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debuted under sunny skies and before full grandstands on April 15. Kasey Kahne, who finished second to Matt Kenseth in the track’s final NASCAR Sprint Cup race, drove his Chevrolet Silverado to Victory Circle posting the first series victory for Turner Motorsports.

7.-Stenhouse Goes Back To Back In The NASCAR Nationwide Series

Since the NASCAR Nationwide Series was created in 1982 only five drivers had won consecutive championships. In 2012, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. became the sixth member of the series elite. Stenhouse battled Elliott Sadler – his chief rival in 2011 as well – throughout the season. The points lead changed hands five times with Stenhouse and his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford forging ahead for the final time after a fourth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway in November. Stenhouse moves to RFR’s No. 17 Ford for a NASCAR Sprint Cup rookie campaign in 2013.

8.-Patrick Makes History With Top-10 Championship Finish

Danica Patrick became a full-time NASCAR driver for the first time in 2012 and she made the most of her opportunity with JR Motorsports. Patrick, who would become the highest-finishing female driver (fourth) in a NASCAR national series a year ago, made history again. Her 10th-place NASCAR Nationwide Series championship finish set a new standard for female competitors erasing Sara Christian’s previous record of 13th in 1949 NASCAR Sprint Cup standings. Patrick finished four times in the top 10 and won the Coors Light Pole for the season opening race at Daytona. She’ll move to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series fulltime in 2013 with Stewart-Haas Racing.

9.-Ambrose Wins Second At The Glen In Wild Finish

You couldn’t have scripted a wilder finish than that of August’s Finger Lakes 366 at the Glen. Take three hungry hounds – Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and Marcos Ambrose – mix in the drama of a final lap and stir with the possibility of making or missing the Chase and you’ve got a recipe for one of the year’s wildest conclusions. The final laps saw leader Busch and Keselowski collide and Keselowski on and off the track and running side-by-side with Ambrose, who finally pulled out a half-second victory off the final turn. Busch’s loss was the difference between making the Chase as a Wild Card and being a spectator in the postseason.

10.-Jeff Gordon Claims Final Wild Card Spot At Richmond 

Nail-biting intrigue sits atop the menu whenever the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series rolls to race No. 26 – the Chase cut-off race at Richmond International Raceway. And the 2012 edition ranks among the best versions since its inception in 2004. For the first time since 2009, a driver outside the Chase bubble raced his way in after the 400-lapper. That driver – four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, who leap-frogged past Kyle Busch to earn the second Wild Card spot by three points. Gordon finished second in the race. Busch, thanks in part to a lug nut problem on pit road, finished 16th, missing the Chase for the first time since 2009.

Tony Eury Jr., who previously was crew chief for his cousin Dale Earnhardt Jr. and most recently was Danica Patrick's crew chief in Nationwide, has found a home after being given a pink slip by Dale Jr. earlier this year.

He will join the No. 30 Swan Racing team and David Stremme, who will be running full races as the team is no longer a start-and-park. He joins another NASCAR veteran there, competition director Steve Hmiel.

"We have a long-term vision for Swan Racing and the addition of Tony Jr. is another step in that process. Tony brings a world of experience to Swan Racing and will be part of our long-term success," said team owner Brandon Davis.

Eury Jr. was positive about his new position.
"I am really impressed with the team Swan Racing is building and I am proud to be part of it," said Eury.  "I am looking forward to working with David Stremme behind the wheel and with competition director Steve Hmiel."

Eury began his NASCAR career in 1991 when he was hired to work for Dale Earnhardt, Inc.  He has been a part of 19 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories with Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. including twice winning the Budweiser Shootout in 2003 and 2008.   In 2006, Earnhardt qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and finished 5th in points with Eury making the calls on race day.   Most recently, Eury was Danica Patrick's crew chief/co-owner JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  The team won the Coors Light Pole in Daytona for the 2012 Drive 4COPD 300.

"Tony Jr. has pretty much done it all from tire changer to crew chief.  His experience and knowledge will be pivotal to the success of Swan Racing," said competition director Steve Hmiel.

Driver of the No. 30 Toyota, David Stremme said, "The team has transformed itself virtually overnight. It's hard to believe just how different this team is in such a short period of time.  This is how you build success from the ground up; you hire quality people, put their experience to work and execute on race day.  Lets go racing."

Swan Racing is located in Mooresville, N.C., and will get its horsepower from Triad Racing Technologies..

For more information about Swan Racing go to www.SwanRacingCo.com, become a fan on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SwanRacingCompany and follow on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SwanRacingCo.

One less start-and-park in 2013?

Well, if the new owners of the 30 car are true to their word, that will be the case.

Swan Racing will take the track at Daytona International Speedway starting at Daytona in February. They take over the team featuring the No. 30 Toyota driven by David Stremme, which was a start and park car in 2012 for Inception Motorsports.

"Swan Racing is here to race competitively every week – the days of starting and parking are over. I am confident that we are putting together the personnel to one day produce a championship contender," said owner Brandon Davis.

I hope he's right, as plans like this have dissolved in the past, but it's always good news when a team really wants to compete.

Stremme is excited for 2013 to start.

"I have spent a lot of time with Brandon this year and I can tell you he is here to win," said Stremme. "I have never been so excited for a new season as I am for 2013. I'm ready to get started now."

 In a sign they really are serious, the team has hired  veteran crew chief Steve Hmiel to be Swan Racing's director of competition. 
"Steve is among the best and brightest technical experts in the NASCAR garage area. His experience and expertise will be a crucial part in Swan Racing's success," said Davis.

"This is a great opportunity to build a team from the ground up. Brandon is completely committed to winning; he has a long-term vision. I am excited to be part of it," said Hmiel.

Swan Racing is located in Mooresville, N.C., and will get its horsepower from Triad Racing Technologies, a top engine builder.

Swan Energy will be the primary sponsor on the No. 30 Toyota. Discussions with additional sponsors are underway and further sponsor announcements are expected early in 2013.

Growing up in Oklahoma, Davis, 33, worked on his father's dirt car until he was old enough to get behind the wheel and go racing: "I have been around racing all my life; it is in my blood. I've built cars, I've raced cars and now I'm looking forward to winning at the highest level.

"I am encouraged by the success of teams like Michael Waltrip Racing and Stewart–Haas Racing in recent years. It says a lot about the competitiveness of the sport and the opportunity small teams have to succeed."

For more information about Swan Racing go to www.SwanRacingco.com, become a fan at https://www.facebook.com/SwanRacingCompany and follow us at https://twitter.com/SwanRacingCo