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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
SPEED: Fearless? Not So Much
Last Saturday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying session for the Daytona 500 was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders...
Scott Speed  | http://www.scottspeed.com  |  Posted February 10, 2010   Daytona Beach, FL
Scott Speed is in his second full season as the driver of the No. 82 Red Bull Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. (Photo: Red Bull Racing)
We can breathe now...

Last Saturday’s qualifying session for the Daytona 500 was a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I qualified the No. 82 Red Bull Toyota Camry in the 13th position, which guarantees me a starting spot in the race Sunday no matter what happens in Thursday’s Gatorade Duel.

The Red Bull team currently is outside the top 35 in owner points and had to race or qualify our way into the 500. I could tell that my crew chief, Jimmy (Elledge), was really nervous about that because we weren’t too fast in practice Friday. But the team made solid changes to the car that paid off.

Getting in on speed and not having to race your way in is ideal because even if you’re fast, the Duel can go either way. Of course we don’t want to crash Thursday, but now we’re going to be able to push the limits a bit more and not be quite as cautious as if we hadn’t already locked in. The week will be much less stressful now.

We got in this position because we had a bit of a rough season last year. The Red Bull team was outside the top 35 for part of the year after we got off on the wrong foot when we crashed and finished 35th in the Daytona 500 and then had a mechanical problem the following week at California that gave us a DNF.

But at least I got drafting experience at Daytona and Talladega because drafting was a totally new thing for me. The way these Cup cars draft is unlike anything I’ve ever driven or experienced. The level of competition in the Cup Series is incredible and the amount of talent and concentration required at restrictor-plate races is unbelievable. It’s definitely been a learning experience. Coming out of Talladega last year with a fifth-place finish was awesome.

I’ve heard people say that drivers must be totally fearless to run a restrictor-plate race but I don’t think anyone is fearless. I’m not and I wouldn’t even consider myself a very brave person. I’m more calculated than anything else.

I’ve met a lot of extreme athletes – Travis Pastrana, Robbie Maddison - all these guys who do crazy stunts - and I don’t think they’re fearless as much as they’re just great at what they do, especially Robbie in the No Limits events on New Year’s Eve. With that big jump in Las Vegas, fear probably came into play a bit for him but he’s so prepared and talented that what may be scary for the rest of the population is just what he does.

So, for me, being in the draft at close to 200 miles-per-hour isn’t scary at all. It doesn’t even give me a big adrenaline rush because I’ve been driving fast all my life. When things are right and my fellow competitors are making smart moves, it’s really a calm and relaxed atmosphere inside the Red Bull Toyota. I think it’s the same for the other guys. Heck, I’m more nervous or uncomfortable playing a video game than being inside my race car.

That may surprise some people because I’ve heard that I strike some people as a wild child or a crazy party animal because of the way I dress. That’s not true at all. I love to have a good time but I can be the life of the party without alcohol. But like I said before, I’m a very calculated individual and think things through before I act.

So, that purple toe nail polish you’ve heard so much about? Yep, I thought that one through first...

I just take myself lightly and my dreams seriously... nothing wrong with that.

Scott Speed is in his second full season as the driver of the No. 82 Red Bull Toyota in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. True to his flamboyant personality, Speed made a splash on the NASCAR scene in 2008 when he won a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in only his sixth start. He followed that up with one pole position, four top-five and nine top-10 finishes in only 16 starts that season. Prior to his foray into NASCAR, Speed began his relationship with Red Bull in 2002 after winning the Red Bull American Driver Search and scored four victories in the 2008 ARCA Re/Max Series. Before his stock car days, the Californian competed in Formula One for two seasons and was the first American to compete in the series since Michael Andretti in 1993. For more information on Speed, please visit www.scottspeed.com or www.redbullracingusa.com. To follow him or Red Bull Racing on Twitter, please visit @scottspeed or @redbullnascar.

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Scott Speed

ScottSpeed.com

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