Ford Performance NSCS Notes & Quotes:
Kobalt 400 NSCS
Friday, March 6, 2015
Brett Moffitt makes his debut in the No. 34 Shawn’s Southern Belle Seafood Ford Fusion for Front Row Motorsports this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Moffitt, who posted a career best finish last weekend in Atlanta subbing for Brian Vickers, spoke to media Friday to discuss the upcoming weekend and how he came to be the fill in driver for the 34.
BRETT MOFFITT, No. 34 Southern Belle Seafood Ford Fusion – “It was a great opportunity last week that Michael Waltrip Racing gave me. To go out there on a one-off deal and make the most of it meant the world to me. It was a high pressure situation and it opened up this door with Front Row Motorsports over the next three races. Hopefully we can continue this string of success here.”
IT IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GO OUT THERE WITH FRONT ROW AND FORD IN THE 34 CAR. TALK ABOUT THIS OPPORTUNITY AND HOW YOU APPROACH THIS RACE WEEKEND. “Our biggest goal with this is to get more seat time in racing conditions. Last year I ran seven races with Jay Robinson Racing and that was a good experience as far as track time goes but it really wasn’t the competitive level I need to be at. This opportunity at Front Row Motorsports will be a car we can go compete with other cars and race inside the top-25 and get to racing door to door with the 43 other cars out there. That is what I need to learn and it will be nice to be in the car multiple weeks in a row. That is new for me. Last year was race to race and we would pick and choose. To be in four consistent weeks here will be huge for my career and learning.”
YOU ARE ALSO A NASCAR NEXT ALUM. DESCRIBE YOUR PROGRESSION THROUGH THE NASCAR RANKS. “Growing up in Iowa I raced go karts for three years and then dirt modifieds for a year. I started racing asphalt late models around the Midwest and in 2009 I started in the K&N Pro East Series. That was a big payoff last week. The big thing there is tire management and being there at the end of the race. The races are shorter but you only get one or maybe two sets of tires. We were on old, worn out surfaces too and a lot of that related to Atlanta. I think that was a key to success there. Being in the NASCAR NEXT program really helped spotlight my talent and open up some doors. Also, like I said, the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series is such a good developmental series. Really I have gone straight from that to the Cup Series I would say. I have two Truck starts and one Nationwide start, which isn’t the traditional way to do it but they do groom the drivers to be prepared for anything in that series.”
DID ATLANTA PROVE TO YOU THAT YOU KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS? “Yeah, definitely. Ty Norris and everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing have been hugely supportive in my career. Since 2011 they have given me a place to call home and every race, no matter where we are at, if I am in their car or Jay’s car, Ty Norris always come up to me and reminds me that I belong out here and this is my opportunity. He tells me to race like I belong, give them respect but don’t let them take advantage of me. That is what I really tried to do in Atlanta knowing I was in a really well funded and good equipment. Last week did help prove that I belong out there.”
HOW DO YOU FIND WHERE THE BALANCE IS BETWEEN PUSHING TO SHOW YOU BELONG AND NOT PUSHING IT SO FAR THAT YOU WRECK THE CAR? “I think you just need to respect the expectations. It is obviously a different team with different goals in mind and off the top of my head, my goal is to go out there and just run smart races and finish all the races. Complete the 400 miles this week and come home with a clean car, a smart race, and have something that people will respect me for.”
YOU AREN’T GUARANTEED A SPOT IN THE RACE. DOES IT MAKE THE FIRST PRACTICE MORE ABOUT MOCK QUALIFYING RUNS TO ENSURE YOU CAN QUALIFY INTO THE RACE? “I think a combination of that and also that this view right here is the first time I have ever seen the racing surface at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Not having any experience here we will try to take advantage of this practice and get as many runs as possible. Luckily the tires don’t fall off here like Atlanta and we will get a few runs on each set. I don’t think it will be a problem qualifying on speed. These guys have worked really hard and we are pulling out all the stops here. Hopefully it will be a really good day.”
DURING THE RACE LAST WEEKEND, WHAT WAS THE MOMENT THAT HIT YOU THAT SAID YOU WERE RIGHT WHERE YOU BELONG? “It was a really long race. 500 miles for me is not something I am used to. Mentally staying there and physically staying there was one accomplishment. Toward the end of the race when we started running up front with the top-10 cars and being with the guys that are the best in the business. The last restart where I was able to get the 19 and 31 on the high side was really cool. Having Keselowski run me down for the next 10-15 laps there at the end of the race was a huge accomplishment to stay in front of him. That was one of those ‘I belong’ moments. I was putting a lot of pressure on myself to stay in front of the 2 car and try to hold him off and I did. I was just telling myself not to mess up. It worked out and was a really good day.”
WERE THERE ANY OTHER TEAMS THAT CAME WITH AN OFFER AFTER ATLANTA AND HAVE THERE BEEN ANY OFFERS FOR AFTER THIS THREE RACE SWING? “Yeah, there were a few offers on the table but Front Row Motorsports was definitely the strongest team that came to us where we feel like not only me personally but Michael Waltrip Racing that I could get the best experience moving forward. It is a stable team and they have been showing a lot of success and positivity lately from the second half of the season last year on. When that one came about I was really excited to work with them and I think it is going to be a very positive experience for both parties involved. As far as moving forward, we don’t know what the future holds past these next three but hopefully these three go well and it can continue to open up doors.”
WHAT WAS THE FIRST CONVERSATION WITH BRIAN VICKERS LIKE AFTER THE RACE LAST WEEKEND? “He was just really proud of me. We have worked well together and over the past year and a half he taught me a lot. He was there all weekend to support me which was huge for my confidence and knowing that he was willing to do anything he could to help not only me succeed but the whole team. Being back in the 55 this week for him, he wanted to see us get off to a good start and I think that the Toyota Camry’s and Michael Waltrip Racing will be really good all season.”
WHAT HAS SEEING WHAT BRIAN VICKERS HAS HAD TO GO THROUGH TO GET BACK AND NOT GIVING UP PARALLEL YOUR COURSE AS A YOUNG DRIVER? “I think we all have different stories of how we got here and how we stay here. Seeing him go through all of this for multiple times and still having the will power to come back and tell himself he won’t be defeated is huge. His energy and attitude are better than ever right now. I really think he will come back on top of his game here which he has proved in the past he can do. Michael Waltrip Racing as a group showed a lot of positivity last week compared to last year. I think they are going to have a strong season and comparing that to my situation is obviously different but I have gone through struggles of not knowing if I would have a job in the sports or not year to year. That is where Michael Waltrip Racing has really given me comfort of being under a multi-year contract to know I have a place to call home. In years past I didn’t. That is a big relief as a driver and hopefully we can continue the success.”
YOU ARE UNDER CONTRACT WITH MICHAEL WALTRIP RACING BUT ARE THEY GIVING YOU THE FREEDOM TO EXPLORE OTHER OPPORTUNITIES IF THEY ARE AVAILABLE? “Yeah. I think Rob Kauffman said it best in the press release that he sent out Monday or Tuesday this week to where I am under a multi-year contract with Michael Waltrip Racing but they are willing to kind of loan me out in a sense like this weekend to get more seat time and experience I need as a driver. He also mentioned they are trying to get back to a third car which hopefully things are running smoothly on that and in the meantime I will try to get the experience so that if the opportunity presents itself I will be ready.”
IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS IN THE NEXT THREE RACES BASICALLY GOING TO BE PATIENCE AND DEALING WITH WHAT THE CAR HAS TO GIVE YOU? “Yeah and I think I learned a lot of that in Atlanta even in a well-funded car and a factory team. You have to be there at the end of the race and the car has to be in one piece. A couple of timely cautions really saved us last week and I feel like that can happen again this week and over the next three weeks. It is all about patience in these races. They are very long races. We started out not needing where we needed to be as far as the car last week and ended up really well. It is about mentally not defeating yourself and being there in the end.”
WHEN DID FRONT ROW CONTACT YOU AND DID YOU DISCUSS ANYTHING WITH DAVID RAGAN BEFORE YOU MADE YOUR DECISION? “I did not talk to David Ragan. Front Row contacted me on Monday about it and everything came tougher really quick. I did talk to David Gilliland and Cole Whitt and I am looking forward to working with them as teammates and getting some different insight in my ear. I have great teammates at Michael Waltrip Racing but it is always good to hear other opinions. It will be fun working with them over the next three weeks and we will see what happens.”
