"Turning tough times into positives is the key"

Californian AJ Allmendinger is competing in Daytona in his second NASCAR year on February 17. In an interview in lieu of the beginning of the season he talks about his fascination with Daytona, the Cars Of Tomorrow – and why, as far as he was concerned, the Super Bowl didn’t really need to take place this year.

Since your NASCAR debut, a year has passed and your car has shed its Rookie stripes. What did you learn about life and racing that you didn’t know a year ago?

The main thing I’ve learned is just how to get through tough times and still be able to fight through to get to the other side. You learn a lot about racing just from being a rookie and driving the car. So that comes naturally. But we went through a great deal last year, and are just coming out on the other side. I’m a lot stronger because of it.

You qualified for the first starting row in the Rolex 24 – a 24-hour race in Daytona – and finished the race fourteenth. A good omen for the start of the NASCAR season, which is also held in Daytona?

Yeah, we had a really good Rolex 24 car down in Daytona. I hate that we didn't end up winning, but leading laps throughout the race felt really good. Obviously in the Rolex, we race a different type of car, plus it is on a road course. But whenever you do well at something, it allows you to have more confidence in yourself. Whether you’re driving the same or different vehicle, if things are going great, you can take on anything you do with confidence.

How did the test drives you did at the beginning of January in Daytona go?

Really well, mainly because it showed that we have a chance of making it into the Daytona 500 based on our qualifying time, and not just by racing our way in during the duels. It comes down to the fact that we’ve come a long way in a year as a team. We weren’t even close the first time in Daytona last year. So you have to kind of sit back and pat yourselves on the back and tell everyone “Good job,” but then you have to stay focused and keep working harder than ever to try to become as good as you possibly can.

This is a special year for the Daytona 500: In 2008 ‘The Great American Race’ will be run for the 50th time. What is it that makes this race particularly fascinating?

The Daytona 500 is the biggest race of the year. It begins the season, and for us it’s what we’ve been waiting for during the whole off-season. It’s especially important for the Red Bull Racing Team because we know we have to make these first five races of the year. It would obviously be great to win the Daytona 500, but we first need to start making all the races – that’s the biggest key to our season right now. And once we do that, the rest will follow.

How much does it help to have been a ‘wing driver’ when adjusting to the new COT cars, which all the races will be competed in this year?

I’ve always liked the COT better than the ‘old’ car, and maybe that’s because I’m used to having a wing on my racecar. It was difficult being a new team last season and having to work with two different types of cars. For the team to just be able to focus on one car throughout the whole season, this year will be a huge deal. Everyone’s efforts will be concentrated on improving one car.

Apart from the Team Red Bull, Joe Gibbs Racing – and with that, even the former NASCAR champion Tony Stewart – will be racing with Toyota in 2008. What’s the flow of information like between the Toyota teams?

So far, Gibbs has been really good with sharing information with other Toyota teams, especially with us. They have a great line-up of drivers, which is also beneficial to Toyota as a whole. They should see results from them right away, which is great. But the main thing for our team is to focus on sharing the info and how it can help improve the numbers 83 and 84.

Scott Speed is starting the 2008 season in the ARCA for Eddie Sharp Racing. What tips can you give the former Formula 1 driver on his forays in NASCAR racing?

I’ve told Scott it’ll be a lot harder than he ever thinks it will be. Obviously ARCA isn’t as hard as the Sprint Cup Series in that sense, but the transition to stock cars will still be difficult. Scott should make sure he stays focused on the end goal, which is winning the ARCA championship, and put more effort into it than he thinks he’ll have to. If he does those things, he should be just fine.

And what expectations do you have of yourself this year?

For myself, I just want to keep improving with each race that passes. This year I’m going to be more focused and work harder than I ever have. I need to stay positive, keep a good attitude, and try not to let the stress of making races get me down. Last season was hard – really hard. Sometimes I handled it well, but sometimes I let it get to me. Turning tough times into positives and to keep improving yourself is the key. I think if we can lock ourselves into the top 35 after these first five races, we should realistically be able to finish the season as a top-20 team.

There’s only one thing you love almost as much as motor sports: football. How did you cope with the loss of the Green Bay Packers, your favorite team, so close to the Super Bowl?

I boycotted the Super Bowl this year. My Packers had lost earlier, so I didn’t care who won. I hate the Patriots, but the Giants had beaten my Packers in the NFC Conference Final. The best thing would have been if the game had ended in a tie and nobody had won.