The Frontstretch: Scott Speed Diary - Dodging the Rain and Returning to the Scene of a Big Win by Scott Speed -- Friday May 29, 2009

Go to site navigation Go to article

It definitely was an odd trip to Charlotte last weekend with all of the rain. The delays really don’t bother me as a driver, I just kind of roll with it. You can’t let things outside of your control get to you when you are in this business. The true challenge was dealing with the track conditions. Each time we would lay some rubber down on the surface, it would rain and wash it all away. You wouldn’t believe how much of a difference that can make.

Still, with all the craziness going on around us, my Red Bull guys adapted well and gave me a great piece of equipment to drive. We’ve really come a long way with our intermediate program since missing the show at Texas last month, and I think it’s a testament to how hard everyone has been working. Back then, our car was not very good right off the truck and it’s hard to fix something that’s so far off at the track. This time around, we were able to use our experience in the All-Star preliminary event to learn some things and it really paid off.

All the rain gave me a chance to catch up on the other big race of the day, which of course, is the Indy 500. I really don’t pay much attention to Formula One any longer. If my former teammate Tonio Liuzzi was to go back to F1, I would definitely follow hard core. In fact, I still know some of the guys at Team Red Bull over there. Overall, I really don’t get to watch much racing on T.V., I do enough of it myself and there’s really no time to keep up with any other series.

Scott Speed is ready to return to Dover, the site of his first Truck Series win.

We did not have such a great time at Darlington earlier this month. I was very grateful to Red Bull for being cool with me driving Joe Nemechek’s No. 87 Camry. The Lady in Black is difficult place to get around and the only way to figure it out is to log in some laps and that’s what we were able to do. You don’t know how good it makes me feel to know that Jay Frye and the rest of the guys at Team Red Bull have my back. I know I can drive these cars and it’s just a matter of time before we get our entire package working together the way we want it to work. It’s a good atmosphere with this team right now and I’m excited to be a part of it.

Speaking of excitement, I’m looking forward to going to Dover this weekend. I got my first Camping World Truck Series victory there a year ago, so it will always be a special place for me. However, what really has me pumped is that Dover is similar to Charlotte in many ways and we are coming off a great run there last week. A run like we had on Monday in a CoT car actually gives me more confidence than just knowing that I won here in a truck last year. This is a momentum sport and we definitely have it right now.

The next few weeks should be good ones for us and this No. 82 team keeps getting better. Thanks again for all of your support!

DON’T LET THE FINAL WEEKEND OF SILLY SEASON PASS YOU BY!

The Frontstretch Newsletter’s got you covered all weekend long as Managing Editor Tom Bowles gives you all the latest news from Homestead. And if you don’t get the Newsletter… now’s your chance to sign up. It’s action-packed with the latest in breaking news, commentary, and driver features from your favorite writers … and it gets sent FREE right into your email inbox! Click here to jump on board with content you won’t see anywhere else on the site.

 

©2000 - 2008 Scott Speed and Frontstetch.com. Thanks for visiting the Frontstretch!