The Kimi Nascar Monster Cool Lounge

[iceman1]

Raikkonen’s NASCAR switch surprises F1 drivers

http://www.f1zone.net/site/raikkonens-n ... vers/6244/

[sammyosammy]

Last night I was prepared to watch some great golf played at Augusta. Remember seeing the start but thanks to the hockey tournament we played yesterday was too tired. Woke up 4:00am by the TV and there was Carolina playing themselves out of play offs. After the game watched some Nascar from Texas (didn`t know they are showing it live here in Finland).

Made me slightly sad - the Nascar isn`t my kind of thing. No matter who`s driving there. But hey - six minutes to go for green lights in Maleysia

[Vida]

Raikkonen’s NASCAR switch surprises F1 drivers

http://www.f1zone.net/site/raikkonens-n ... vers/6244/

me too

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

Courtesy of Wolfie

Räikkönen's Nascar-switch surprised his F1-buddies

Turun Sanomat 10.4 2011 02:07:00

Kimi Räikkönen's surprising switch to USA's Nascar-challenges has awakend both astonishment and respect in his old racing buddies on the formula paddock.

TS asked the F1-drivers who were preparing for Malaysia GP, how they reacted to the news of Räikkönen's adventure in USA and how they thought Kimi would make it there.

Felipe Massa, who drove with Räikkönen in Ferrari for three years knows as a Brasilian the Nascar-circles.

– Hopefully Kimi gets to really enjoy himself. I am sure that once he has the needed experience, then he will be competitive there too. Kimi has progressed in rally all the time and he is already looking for a new challenge.

– We all know how talented Kimi is as a driver. He is fast on nearly any vehicle. Juan Pablo Montoya did however prove that the start on Nascar-tracks is always difficult. Montoya has been there for 4-5 years now and is finally in the top 10 driving for victory.

– That's why I guess that it will take a couple of years from Kimi before he starts to really succeed. He starts in a lower class so the results might look good in the beginning but when he goes to the higher classes his life will become more difficult - just like it did for Montoya too.

– Kimi is however so talented that he can achieve his goal no matter where he drives, Massa thinks.

Heikki Kovalainen believes that Räikkönen will do well in the States too.

– I have been in Homestead once to watch one NASCAR-race. It was a really popular sport and there was a great atmosphere. I know that it is a completely different world than F1 or WRC.

.– Kimi is a F1-champion and he has also progressed in his rally career. If he gets a chance like that, team and car, then why not go and try out NASCAR also.

– Kimi loves challenges and has tried out many things. He is fast whether he drives a snow mobile, motocross bike or anything else. If you give Kimi a tractor then he will be fast with that too. I'm sure he will do okay as long as he gets a decent car.

– Kimi's strenght is that he adopts to everything so quickly. Even though the setups in his F1-car weren't always in place, he still took out everything out of the car, Kovalainen thinks.

Pedro de la Rosa who worked with Räikkönen for a long time at McLaren, admits that he was quite astonished when he heard the news.

– I have never talked with Kimi about NASCAR so it is a quite surprising move from him. I thought Kimi had committed fully to rally. On the other hands it's sad that he doesn't drive the full WRC-season because it looks like he becomes more and more competitive all the time.

– However Kimi is one of the greatest natural talents that I have ever met. He will learn any car he wants as long as he gets a bit experience under his belt. I'm sure Kimi enjoys the atmosphere there and he fits nicely in the picture. I wouldn't be surprised if he would become competitive there quite quickly, de la Rosa thinks.

Michael Schumacher shrugs his shoulders when asked the question.

– I'm not a fan of those cars so his NASCAR-trial doesn't interest me at all, Schumi said.

Nico Rosberg assures that he is happy for Räikkönen.

– If Kimi is happy driving NASCAR, then I'm also happy and wish him luck in that world. I wouldn't try it myself for 100% because I know I wouldn't enjoy it at all, Rosberg said.

Vitantio Liuzzi confesses that he has always admired Räikkönen's courage.

– Kimi has always been some kind of a mythic figure for me. I envy really much his courage to go and make a decision like that and go racing there. I believe strongly that Kimi will make it there also because his driving style suits those cars. Nascar is a splendid thing, the atmoshpere is brilliant and it would be totally awesome to drive those cars in Miami.

– Hopefully Kimi does well and awakens interest for them to hire more F1-drivers, Liuzzi sighs.

Sebastien Buemi is puzzled.

– I don't understand since I heard Kimi would focus on rally and then he goes and changes into a completely different thing. Has Kimi changed his mind? The most important thing is that Kimi enjoys whatever he is doing. I'm sure he will learn driving Nascar faster than he learned driving rally, Buemi thinks.

Turun Sanomat

HEIKKI KULTA

[xnwy342]

http://www.ts.fi/moottoriurheilu/f1/212095.html

and can someone help translate this...?

[Claudie_Schnaudie]

Hope that Wolfie will translate it later


Courtesy of flyer

Kyle on SpeedTV live right now talking about Kimi among other things

talking about NASCAR needs a "bad guy", well Kimi should be welcome to party over here...

Kyle said he got in the truck with hot tires right after Kimi and did the same time, couldn't go any faster.

Also said he couldn't get a straight answer from Kimi about why he wanted to do this, Kimi "beat around the bush".

[iceman1]

Kyle Busch interview - Kimi Raikkonen to NASCAR



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZzyJTyZdg

[Kriss]

thanks Iceman

[Ice-Ludy]

thanks Iceman

+1

[momo]

Kyle Busch interview - Kimi Raikkonen to NASCAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZzyJTyZdg

Thank you, iceman1

[Arli Racegirl]

Kyle Busch interview - Kimi Raikkonen to NASCAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZzyJTyZdg

Thank you, iceman1

+1

[sleenster]

Kyle Busch interview - Kimi Raikkonen to NASCAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_ZzyJTyZdg

Thanks iceman1!

Transcript of the interview:
http://nascar.speedtv.com/article/speed ... onen-//P2/

Kimi Raikkonen is coming over to Kyle Busch Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. You guys tested him last week at Gresham Motorsports Park. Why do you think he’s doing this? What’s the appeal for him in coming to NASCAR?

Busch: “I never really got that straight answer from him. He kind of beat around on it. He just wanted to give it a shot and see what it’s like. He’s unfamiliar with the United States and the United States racing and with NASCAR in general, but it’s another vehicle to him. He came in with no expectations. He knew that it was a vehicle with four rubber tires and you sit left of the driveshaft – that’s about it. He did a great job – he jumped right in the truck and was up to pretty good speed right out of the gate and by the time I got there in the afternoon – I had a team meeting – priority is first at Joe Gibbs Racing. So once I got there, he had just finished three runs of 25 laps each and I got in the truck right after him on the hot tires and went out there and ran the same lap times as he did. I couldn’t go any faster. I think he knows how to drive a race car. We’ve seen him do it in Formula One. I’m not quite sure of his success in the rally car stuff. Coming over here and doing the NASCAR thing, just getting his feet wet, getting a taste of it, seeing what he wants to do, seeing if he can have a future here and whether he likes, and hopefully, if he does, he makes a home at Kyle Busch Motorsports.”

How does this change the Kyle Busch Motorsports plan for the future now that you’ve got this big name coming on board?

Busch: “Well, our plan stays the same. It doesn’t change much. We really wanted to go two fulltime Truck teams this year and then try to venture into a Nationwide deal next year. I’d really love to have a Nationwide deal next year – we’re just trying to find the right opportunity, the right driver, the right sponsor to team up for it. I don’t want to drive for it. I’d rather keep driving at Joe Gibbs Racing with Z-line Designs – I have a great relationship with those people but I might run five races kind of like Dale Jr. does – he runs about five races in his stuff just to help sell that sponsorship a little better. So, I’d like to do that at Kyle Busch Motorsports but have someone race for the driver’s and owner’s championship and try to win us an owner’s championship and a driver’s championship in the Nationwide Series next year.”

[miezicat]

I translated another article with F1 drivers talking about Kimi in Nascar
http://www.motorsport-total.com/usracin ... 41102.html

Räikkönen and NASCAR: What Formula 1 is saying

While Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants Michael Schumacher in NASCAR, he himself dismisses this - Jenson Button believes in Kimi Räikkönen

(Motorsport-Total.com) - The NASCAR switch from Kimi Räikkönen, was the major theme of recent days in the United States. The Sprint Cup aces, especially the new leader Kyle Busch, took the imminent arrival of former Formula 1 World Champion very positive. The 31-year-old Finn, who has three test days behind him will give his debut in the NASCAR Truck Series on 20 May in Charlotte.

NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. is looking forward to Räikkönen - and has another proposal: "It would be nice if Michael Schumacher would come here and get involved in a trial," Earnhardt suggested on the edge of the NASCAR weekend in Texas. "All of us would really like to see that. Since it would not matter if you think something is right or wrong. All would look at it." But this idea will remain a dream: "I'm not a fan of cars with roof," Schumacher said tersely in Malaysia.

But there are also NASCAR insiders in the current Formula 1 paddock. One who knows exactly what Räikkönen is getting into is Narain Karthikeyan. The Indian driving for HRT Racing did nine truck races last year. He never got into top 10 and was voted at the end of the year – thanks to an international online voting - the most popular truck driver 2010 as a complete surprise.

"It will not be easy for him," warned Karthikeyan. "It is very difficult there. He's clearly a talented driver and he is doing it right. He has looked for a good team and is testing a lot. He has now tested on the Rockingham Speedway, but Charlotte will then open his eyes. It's scary when you chase at full speed through the corners. If you drive all the time over 300 km/h, it is really hard work. But he will be quick there."

Jenson Button showed much understanding: "Kimi seemed to be happy to leave Formula 1. Maybe he wanted to have it more relaxed. He will find that in the states for sure. For drivers who are accustomed to slicks and wings, it is always difficult to drive all of a sudden in the NASCAR oval." Button also doesn’t show any prejudice, "These guys do that all their lives and they are no nose pickers. [= losers, not sure if you say that in English? ] The change was difficult for many. Juan Pablo has taken a little while, but now he is competitive. I'm sure with Kimi it will be the same. He will prove his talent."

Felipe Massa agrees with Button largely. "I expect that he will not have it easy," said Massa. "It is something completely different and he has to start from scratch. The situation is quite different and a NASCAR is driven differently." Also the Brazilian compares the new situation with Montoya.

"Montoya had a few years his hands full, only now he can fight for the top 10. It is a completely different world. Kimi has certainly a great talent, but there he first has to learn. If he manages to do that, he may succeed in this series. First of all, he will start in a lower class if I have been informed correctly. We'll see. Apart from that of course I wish him all the best."

Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg hasn’t thought about NASCAR. "It does not come to question for me. I don’t think I would enjoy. But if Kimi enjoys it and the races are exciting, it is certainly a great story. So why not?" The 20th May will provide more information when Räikkönen has done his first race on the fast 1.5 miles oval in Charlotte.

[Anelise]

Thanks Verena!

[zoefrances]

thank you for the great article miezicat.
I think jenson, filepe and nico are right, kimi will be more relaxed there and has the talent to be fast.