An Interview With Scott Wimmer

SCR: How did you first get started in racing and at what age?

Wimmer: I really got started when I was 15 years old running the Street Stocks around Wisconsin, and I did that for three years. From there I worked my way up into Late Models and had a lot of success. Then I moved my way up into the Hooters ProCup and a lot of other Late Model touring divisions. Ultimately I ended up in ASA and really thought I'd be racing in that series for a long time, but then I got the chance to move up to the Busch Series.

SCR: When you were young, your uncle Larry Detjens was killed in a racing accident. What happened and did that take away some of your desire to make a career of racing?

Wimmer: My uncle was one of the all-time great Wisconsin drivers who raced against guys like Dick Trickle, Rusty Wallace, and Mark Martin. He won a lot of ASA races at short tracks. He was on the verge of making his Busch Series debut. He was killed a couple weeks before that was going to happen. My whole family has always been a racing family. When my uncle passed away, my parents had to step away from the sport for quite a while until I started racing. It was really hard on them, and they were out of the sport for 10 or 11 years. I'm just glad they are very supportive of me after all we've been through. I've loved racing since I was probably 5 years old, when I lost my uncle. I don't remember a whole lot about him since I was so young, but what I do remember and hear from other people lets me know he was a great person as well as a great driver. At first it was a little scary for me-I think it was more a scare for my parents-but once I figured out what I wanted to do, it wasn't a tough decision.

SCR: What would you consider a successful '04 season? Have you and the team set goals for wins, poles, and the final point position at the end of the year?

Wimmer: I think we all have our own goals. We've sat down and kind of talked about what we'd like to accomplish. Obviously our goals changed after the Daytona 500 when we left there sitting Third in the point standings and we thought we'd be in a position to finish in the Top 10 at the end of the year. I don't think that goal has changed even though we've dropped off a little bit. I still think we can finish in the Top 10 and have a shot at the championship at the end of the year. To do that, we've got to win races and run up front on a consistent basis. I know we can win one race, but I think we can win a lot more. We started off with a lot of goals, but it seems like those goals change on a weekly basis.

SCR: You are one of a great crop of rookies who came into Nextel Cup racing this season, along with Kasey Kahne, Brendan Gaughan, Johnny Sauter, Brian Vickers, and Scott Riggs. How hard do you think it's going to be to claim this year's Rookie of the Year title against such a talented group of young drivers?

Wimmer: It's going to be extremely hard. This is probably the best rookie crop that has ever come into the Nextel Cup Series. Kasey Kahne has been very impressive, but there is still a lot of racing left to go. I think you're going to see a lot from this team. Scott Riggs, Brendan Gaughan, and Brian Vickers are all great drivers, and I think you're going to see a lot out of the rookies this season. The guy who wins this year's rookie battle is really going to be deserving of it.