Scott Wimmer Interview: What You Didn't Read in the Magazine!

Scott Wimmer's roots run deep in racing. He hails from the short track hotbed of Wisconsin, and his family has long been involved in oval track racing. As a Nextel Cup rookie for Bill Davis Racing, Wimmer has had his share of ups and downs this year--including an off-track incident that left him doubting his future in the sport. Wimmer recently sat down with Stock Car Racing to discuss all that's happened in his brief Cup career.

SCR: For starters, what do you think about your first full season on the Nextel Cup Series tour and how well you've done so far?

WIMMER: I was really excited about the first few races of the season because we were so competitive. We got off to a good start at Daytona and backed that up at Rockingham with another good run. Then we had a motor fail on us at Las Vegas and just didn't run good at all at Atlanta. Overall, the first few races were pretty good even though I would like to have had a couple of those races back. Then again it's a long season and we can rebound from that.

SCR: If you had to give yourself a grade so far, what would that grade be and why?

WIMMER: I feel like I've been about average - maybe a B or a B- driver. At times I've been able to give the guys real good information and they've been able to put some pretty good stuff underneath me. At other times I haven't communicated as well as I could have. It's just a matter of me being new and not having a lot of experience with these cars that have caused me to be a little bit hesitant, but I think it's something I'm going to get over pretty quickly.

SCR: You spent three full seasons in the Busch Series and had a lot of success. How much has that Busch Series experience helped you out in Nextel Cup racing?

WIMMER: Quite a bit. I never had the fortune to run the same car manufacturer in Busch as I've run in Cup. That right there has hurt me a little bit. Another thing has been getting somewhat familiar with all the tracks the Nextel Cup Series races at and all the different characteristics of how these cars work. I've really been working hard with all the guys on my team and that's helped because these are really a bunch of good guys. It's been a big transition because I first got started working with my dad and now I'm working with a huge NASCAR team.

SCR: What has been the hardest part of making the transition from the Busch Series into Nextel Cup competition? Has it been harder or easier than what you thought it would be?

WIMMER: It's really been a lot of pressure. Like I was saying earlier, when you're driving for your father there isn't a great deal of pressure to do as well as you can every week. At this level you have to perform and do well every week. So the pressure that has come along with moving up to Nextel Cup has been the toughest thing for me to deal with. Plus we've had to spend a lot of time trying to get the results we're looking for.

SCR: You got your start in the Busch Series for Bill Davis Racing where you remain to this day. A couple of years ago many thought you were ready to make the move up to the Nextel Cup Series, but yet Bill Davis kept you in the Busch Series. What are your thoughts on that?

WIMMER: I was kind of disappointed that I didn't get the chance to move up earlier. I really thought last year would have been a real good time for me to move up, but things just didn't work that way. Bill Davis had two solid Cup teams and sponsors lined up for last year and there just wasn't anywhere for me to go. This year I was fortunate enough that there was a place for me to go. Even though I had to stay back in the Busch Series for a little longer than I would have liked, I think it has helped me become a better driver and learn more about what I needed to do to make it.