發布：雪鳥 | 2011-04-03 13:44:03　

Q & A: Busch on Raikkonen deal

Kyle Busch在宣布了與Kimi簽署了一份Nascar卡車系列賽短期合同後，在馬丁斯維爾賽道接受了媒體專訪。

Q. Kyle Busch車隊和Kimi是怎麼走到一起的？　



Kyle Busch: 代理公司……就是這樣。我還沒跟Kimi本人說過話呢。顯然，他對於跑Nascar有興趣。他和許多支車隊討論過，顯然我們最終贏得了爭奪戰。

對於我們Kyle Busch車隊來說，這很激動人心，Kimi，就我所知，很想要和我和我們車隊合作，這樣才得以達成合同，嘗試著讓他在Nascar中取得成功。我們的賽車，我們今年的成績，他感到他來對了地方。

Q. 這是否會給Kyle Busch車隊帶來閃光燈？

KB: 這不是我們這樣做的原因。我們參加比賽是因為我們享受賽車——我們喜歡它，我們想要這樣做。確實這是其中一部分，是必須的，但不是我們的第一想法。我想這會讓我們有一些國際曝光率。我想一個如他那麼好，那麼有天賦的人，我能與其他能在Nascar裡也有很好的表現。也許，這會讓我們的合作關係變得更長。

Q. Kimi是否帶來了贊助？

KB: 必然的，是的。我不知道錢從哪裡來——我與Kimi簽約。然而錢——那是他負責的。我知道有3個贊助商。我想等等他們自己的新聞發布會，如果他們想宣布的話。有資金在支持他。

Q. 他計劃在Kyle Busch車隊跑幾場比賽？

KB: 我會說我們討論的是3-5場。現在確定的只是夏洛特一場——我們會看看他在夏洛特有何感覺。他表達過想跑3場，也許5場的想法。我們會看看情況。現在確定的只是1場。

Q. 為何選擇夏洛特作為他的首場比賽？

KB: 這取決於他的時間表，就像我昨天所說的。他來這裡的線路有點遠。顯然，他生活在國外(相對於米國)，他的大部分生意都在國外跑拉力賽。他們堅持要參加夏洛特的比賽。我不知道他是否感到他想要一些挑戰，但我想這對於他有好處。

Q. 你認為對於Nascar處女賽來說夏洛特是否是條艱苦的賽道？

KB: 確實——必須的。要是用Nationwide或者Cup系列賽的車去跑，確實艱苦——而用卡車來跑，你接近於全油門。整場比賽中，你將會做一些油門設置，一些線路選擇。對於他來說收集經驗就好了，我會說如果他跑入前20，前15——那就是一個成功。我們會嘗試在練習賽中幫助他，我會盡全力的。

Q. 你為他準備了一個測試計劃嗎？

KB: 並沒有太多測試，不。我們只是周一去Gresham——就是這樣。

Q. 你覺得他對於在Nascar中會遇到什麼事情有足夠的了解嗎？

KB: 我不知道：有幾次你會從車迷裡聽到他們喜歡說，“好呀，我們也能開，我們能做到的。”我對於Kimi這麼有天賦的車上有更多信心。我看過他開F1——顯然他是那裡的世界冠軍。他在拉力賽裡也能跑。我看不出為何開我們的車他不能成功。

Q. 你認為他的拉力賽經驗將會對其轉投Nascar有幫助麼？

KB: 我想，這會幫助他的，因為他過去跑的一些比賽有極高的下壓力和抓地力，然後到了某種沒有抓地力和下壓力的賽事中。有時候拉力賽是4輪離地的。我想在拉力賽和F1綜合能力而言，他是全世界最棒的。Nascar是取F1和拉力賽之長。我們有下壓力，但我們依然可以滑動過彎。你必須學會如何掌控一切。

Q. 簽署合同一共花了多長時間？

KB: 我們實際上很快就簽約了。我想想看他第一次聯繫我——可能是3月15日吧。大約15天搞定。

Q. Kimi會駕駛2號車還是你的18號車？

KB: 第一場比賽是在第二輛卡車中——我自己將在夏洛特駕駛#18號賽車。我們不知道他會參加什麼其他比賽不，所以還有機會——顯然的，咱的18號車並不是在所有比賽中的出場機會都已經賣出了，我也不會參與每一場卡車系列賽。他有機會駕駛18號車——是的。

Q. Kimi有紅牛的贊助。他參加Nascar賽與這一點有關聯嗎？

KB: 紅牛這個名字還沒有被提及過。

Q. 與Kimi簽約中有過任何問題嗎？

KB: 必然的，我們的所有合作夥伴必須簽約同意。我們去找了所有合作方——Dollar General，Felexico，Mars和NOS——我們問他們的看法，他們都對此感到高興。如果他們其中之一提出問題，那麼必然我們就沒有機會了，我們就是這樣做的。

Q. Foster Gillett 與這份合同有關聯嗎？

KB: 在我們任何的討論中，都沒有提及 Foster Gillett 。合同中也沒有出現 Foster Gillett 。我們和他沒有關係。

Q. 你為Kimi準備了第二組工作人員嗎？

KB: 必然的，現在的計劃是目前18號車的團隊將會運作Kimi的那輛卡車。而Rick Ren (車隊總經理)和我還有一些志願者將會搞定我自己的賽車。

http://news.hellof1.com/201104/64215.html

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2011 Martinsville Q&A: NASCAR - Kyle Busch On Kimi Raikkonen


KYLE BUSCH, team owner, Kyle Busch Motorsports

How did the deal with Kyle Busch Motorsports and Kimi Raikkonen come together?

"Agents -- that's how it came about. I have yet to speak to Kimi (Raikkonen) myself. Apparently there's an interest in him that he wants to run in NASCAR. He's shopped it around to quite a few teams and apparently we won the war. It's exciting for us at Kyle Busch Motorsports. Kimi, from what I understand, was real adamant about trying to work with me and our teams and being able to put a deal together to go out there and try to get him success in NASCAR. With our trucks, the way we've been running this year, he felt like that was a good place for him to come."







Will this shine a spotlight on Kyle Busch Motorsports?

"That's not a reason that we do this stuff. We do this stuff because we enjoy racing -- we love it and we want to do it. Certainly that is part of it and that would essentially happen, but that's not one of our first thoughts that we looked at. I think it does lend some worldwide exposure. I think with a guy being as talented and as good as he's been in the realms of motorsports that he's competed in -- certainly I would like to expect that he runs well here in NASCAR as well. Maybe this could lend to a longer relationship than just a few races."

Is Kimi Raikkonen bringing sponsorship for the races?

"Essentially, yes. I don't know where the money is coming from -- my contract is with Kimi (Raikkonen) himself. However the funds -- he's responsible. I do know that there's three sponsors involved. I'll wait for their press releases to see if they announce who they are. There is money backing him."

How many races does he plan to run with Kyle Busch Motorsports?

"I would say we're talking three to five. Right now it's only Charlotte -- we'll see how he feels about Charlotte. He did express interest in running up to three or maybe up to five. We'll just see how it plays out. Right now it's only one."

Why was Charlotte chosen for his first race?

"It comes down to his schedule. It's just a matter of logistics for him to come over here. Obviously, he lives overseas and does most of his business overseas with the Rally stuff. It's a big deal for him to be able to fit it in when he can. Charlotte - - they picked Charlotte for whatever reason. They were adamant about Charlotte and running that race. I don't know if he feels that he wants a challenge right off the bat, but I think it will be good for him."

Do you consider Charlotte a tough track to start in NASCAR?

"Certainly -- definitely. With a Nationwide car or with a Cup car, yes -- with a Truck, you're close to wide open around there. Throughout the run you're going to have to work on some throttle modulation and some lines -- bottom, top and stuff like that. It will be good for him to get his feet wet and I would say if he can run top-20, top-15 in his first Truck race -- that will be a success. We'll try to help him through practice and everything as much as I can anyways."

Will you have a testing plan setup for him?

"Not much testing, no. We're just going to Gresham (Speedway) -- that's it right now."

Do you feel that he has any idea what he is in store for in NASCAR?

"I don't know. You hear from race fans sometimes that they're like, ‘Oh yeah, we can get out there and we can do it.' I have a little bit more belief in Kimi Raikkonen that he's got the talent to do it. I've seen him race Formula 1 -- he's obviously a world champion over there. He's done real well in the Rally stuff. I can't see why he wouldn't be successful in our equipment."

Do you think his experience in Formula 1 and Rally cars will make his transition easier?

"I think it will help him because he's (Kimi Raikkonen) gone from something that's been the ultimate amount of down force and grip to something that is essentially no down force and no grip. You're in the air sometimes. I think that will be something that he's had the best of both worlds. NASCAR is the best of both worlds. We do have a lot of down force, but yet we are still slipping and sliding all over the place. You've got to figure out how to handle all of that."

How long did it take to get the deal put together?

"It came together relatively quick actually. Trying to think of when he first contacted me -- probably March 15 or something like that. About 15 days."

Will Kimi Raikkonen drive a second truck or the No. 18 truck?

"The first race will be a second truck -- I'll be in the 18 NOS Energy Drink truck at Charlotte. Then he'll (Kimi Raikkonen) drive our second entry. We don't know what other places he's looking at yet so there could be an opportunity -- obviously, not all races are sold with the 18 and I'm not driving every one of them. There is an opportunity that he could be in the 18 -- yes."

Would there have been any reason not to do the deal with Kimi Raikkonen?

"Essentially, all our partners had to sign off on it. We've gone to all our people -- Dollar General, Flexico, Mars, NOS -- we've asked them all to give us their input and what they thought about it. They're all fine with it. If any one of them had issues then we'd certainly look at not taking the opportunity and we would work through those."

Is Foster Gillett is involved in this deal?

"There has not been one Foster Gillett mention in any of our talks. There is not one Foster Gillett mention in the contracts or nothing. We have no dealings with him."

Do you have a second team put together for Kimi Raikkonen?

"Essentially the plan for right now is that the 18 team will run Kimi (Raikkonen) in the second truck. Then Rick Ren (general manager, Kyle Busch Motorsports) and I and some volunteer guys will handle my truck."

http://paddocktalk.com/news/html/story-157187.html