Joe Nemechek - Uncut

Nemechek strolls NASCAR garages with the dual role of Cup driver andBusch Series team owner.

Joe Nemechek's penchant for qualifying at the head of the pack earnedhim the nickname "Front Row Joe." Since he's back with the NASCAR NextelCup No. 01 Army team of MB2 Motorsports for this season, an updatednickname might be "G.I. Joe." Nemechek, 41, joined the team last seasonin the absence of injured Jerry Nadeau. A Busch Series owner andcompetitor in his own right, Nemechek is also coming off one of his bestseasons in his 12-year Cup career, which has included stints with teamowners Felix Sabates, Andy Petree, and Rick Hendrick. Nemechek has fourCup wins and swept the Busch and Cup races at Kansas Speedway last year.He also won consecutive poles--at Talladega and Kansas--for the firsttime in his career. Nemechek discussed a variety of topics with StockCar Racing.

BIO
Date of birth: Sept. 26, 1963
Birthplace: Naples, Florida
Hometown: Lakeland, Florida
Residence: Mooresville, North Carolina
Family: wife, Andrea; son, John Hunter (6/11/97); daughters Blair(12/26/99), Kennedy Grace (4/5/04)
Racing Involvement: Driver for the No. 01 Nextel Cup team of MB2Motorsports; has four Cup victories and eight poles during Cup careerthat began in 1993; has 16 Busch Series victories, including at leastone for eight consecutive seasons; Busch champion in 1992 and top rookiein 1990; took All Pro rookie and series titles in 1989; earned UnitedStock Car Alliance rookie and championship honors in 1988; LakelandInterstate Speedway Rookie of the Year in 1987; began racing career onmotorcycles by competing in motocross.

SCR: Last season was probably your best yet in Nextel Cup. To what,briefly, do you, the No. 01 and the MB2 team owe that success?

Nemechek: We have a great bunch of guys at MB2; it's a greatorganization, and we have some of the best equipment out there withHendrick power. I feel like I'm at the top of my game right now, and allthose things should boil down to being successful. But you have to makeit all come together, make it all gel, as a team, in order to have thesuccess in the end. We made strides towards that in the few races we hadtogether in 2003, and that showed in the beginning of [last] year withour great run at Daytona. But then, little things started to happen likemechanical issues, or just plain bad luck. But we fought through thosetimes, and look at the run we had at the end of the season. It made usstronger and gave us the confidence that if we persevere as a team, inthe end we'll be on top. So, 2004 was a great year, but I think 2005will be even better for the U.S. Army team.

SCR: What were your feelings, with having that success but still notgaining a spot in the "Chase for the Championship?" How much of a downerwas that?

Nemechek: Everyone knew going in that only the top 10 teams were goingto make it, and it was going to be a pretty tall order to get there.Essentially, we were a first-year team, so to win a race and have twopoles was a great accomplishment for our team. We weren't that far outin the end, and had we been in the hunt...with as strong as our last 10races were, we would have been right up there battling with them atHomestead. We don't look at 2004 as a downer because we weren't in "TheChase." We look at it as a success to have won a race, because that'snot easy to do these days, and we look at it as a year we built on ourfuture as a team.

The No. 01 team went through several substitute drivers before settlingon Nemechek.

SCR: Ryan Pemberton, your crewchief, came back to MB2 in 2003 to workwith the new sponsor, the Army. It was a tumultuous year. First JerryNadeau had that serious accident in May, and then a series of substitutedrivers took the wheel--Jason Keller, Mike Wallace, Boris Said, MikeSkinner and finally, Joe Nemechek. The question here is: What do youfeel influenced the car owners and Pemberton to go with you with you astheir "regular substitute," if we may coin that phrase?

Nemechek: I don't think of myself as a "regular substitute"--otherwise Iwouldn't be in a full-time ride. I look at it as being in the rightplace at the right time. As far as the MB2 deal, I filled in for JohnnyBenson back in 2002 when he got hurt at Richmond, and that was the firsttime I worked with the MB2 guys. We had a great run and worked welltogether. Then, when Rick Hendrick was looking to make a change in the[No.] 25 car, MB2 recommended me to him. I was available and ended upgetting the ride. He, in turn, recommended me to MB2 when they decidedto move Brian Vickers up to the [No.] 25 car. I think my reputation haslanded me where I am, and I've proven myself by winning with just aboutevery car owner I've run with in Cup.

SCR: So having Ryan Pemberton's first year back since his stint with theteam in the late '90s, how did you two hit it off? You know the term.You've heard it since your Florida short-track days--what chemistry isthere between the two of you?

Nemechek: Ryan and I communicate very well, and that's the key. I mightexplain to one guy what the car is doing, and he may not get it. I tellRyan what the car is doing, and he gets it. We approach things in thesame manner, and that shows in our performance. I have every confidencein Ryan and the whole team.

A win at Kansas Speedway last season was the fourth of Nemechek's Cupcareer.

SCR: That said, what do you think were your weakest areas as a team in2004, and how do you feel these possible problems might be remedied?

Nemechek: It sounds like a cliche, but we really did have a lot of badluck this year. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time. But wealso had some mechanical failures that you just have to go back andlearn from. We continue to learn, and I think our performance toward theend of the season speaks for itself.