In His Own Words: Ron Fellows - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

gaijin · 07-08-2005

IN HIS OWN WORDS: RON FELLOWS

Braselton, Ga. - Ron Fellows is no stranger to Infineon Raceway. He and Johnny O'Connell have won four times at the Sonoma, Calif., track for Corvette Racing in the American Le Mans Series, and they will go for a fifth GT1 title July 17 at the Infineon Technologies Grand Prix of Sonoma Presented by Ravenswood Winery. In addition, Fellows is a regular when the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series competes at Infineon, and he went from starting last to finishing eighth at the end of June.

Fellows recently spoke with members of the media about Infineon, his whirlwind month and the new Corvette C6-R. Here's a partial transcript:

Question: How busy has it been going from Mid-Ohio to Le Mans to Infineon to Lime Rock?

Answer: There is some good news. We don't need to worry about making the race at Infineon. I think we're in the field. Normally what happens is we run Sebring in March and then go to Le Mans the next month for prequalifying. This year, the ALMS and Scott Atherton convinced the ACO, the sanctioning body for Le Mans, to try to make (testing and the race) one event. For the first time, we had a prequalifying/test day May 5, two weeks before the race. It also allows the ALMS teams that are at Le Mans to make one trip. So we also had races at Road Atlanta and Mid-Ohio before Le Mans. It made it an easier schedule for us. Lynda and I and the kids made the trip to France and then out to California. It's been busy. Coming back west makes it a lot easier when you're gaining time. Going east and to France is a tough transition. It takes me a week to adjust. Coming the other way, it's about half of that. We're feeling pretty good to get back on North American soil.

Q: Will it benefit you having run at Infineon with Nextel Cup when the ALMS visits?

A: I think it will. The surface has changed the last couple of years. A lot of the NASCAR teams are feeling like they didn't get the setup for the race. It's actually great. It's a tricky surface in that it's a little on the slick side. What'll help me going back with the Corvette is that there are things I can provide Michelin that will help us in the long run. I was surprised at the certain amount of drop-off in the Goodyears of the Nextel Cup. It seemed like it took awhile for the tires to come up to pressure. That'll probably be the biggest thing I work on with Corvette and the Michelin people.

Q: Last to eighth was a pretty good result (in the NNC race). Can you talk about that?

A: It was a struggle. We struggled with the car in practice and were barely in the top 20 in terms of speed. I had a handful in qualifying and didn't do a good job and messed up in turns 1, 2 and 3. We were the last car in on speed. It was critical for PPI and the Tide team to make the race and get some points. They were 37th and needed to be in the top 35. I was really impressed with their work ethic considering the trouble they've had this year. I really wanted to get a great result for them. We were able to pass a couple of cars and stayed on the race track when some others chose a little more conservative fuel strategy. We were counting on another caution, and fortunately we got it.

Q: How does the Corvette C6-R differ from a Chevy NNC car?

A: It's quite a difference. The Cup cars are 1,000 pounds heavier but the car rolls more because the weight is higher. It doesn't stop as quick as the Corvette because it's on a 15-inch wheel. With the Corvette, it's 18 inches. Plus the Corvette uses carbon brakes and not rotors. The first place you get in trouble is stopping. The downforce on the Corvette is greater but the horsepower is 200 less, but that's because of some of the restrictions. The driving style, you can get much more aggressive because of the grip. The Cup cars slide around more and require a little more finesse. I enjoy that part a little bit more. My background is production cars in Canada, and you needed that finesse style. It's easier to go into the Corvette from the Cup car.

Q: Is your entire family traveling with you?

A: We made a pact when we got married that we would always stick together as a family. I prefer that. I don't if all the other drivers do. Lynda is a heck of a lot more organized than I am. And I think our kids benefit from the traveling experiences.

Q: Has there been a change in the design of the Corvette since Dale Jr's. incident last year at Infineon?

A: They have changed the location of the filler neck. That was a very, very unusual accident in that he hit at the perfect angle, the only area in the Esses that weren't protected by tires. It was the perfect angle that the left rear tire, with a full tank of fuel and the filler neck going up to the body panel. That has now been added to our fueling rig so rather than when the fueler connects to the body work, he has a 14-inch extension that goes through the body and into the chassis that way. The Corvette is the safest thing I have ever sat in. GM goes to great lengths to develop safe equipment that makes our car very safe between the seats. I have absolutely have no qualms driving that car, and I'm sure Junior would say the same thing. It was just a freak deal, hitting with a full tank and the right spot and the right time.

Q: What are some of the changes with the new Corvettes, and how tough a competitor is Aston Martin?

A: The new C6-R has been a real positive for us. The body has provided us with improved aerodynamics, the new motor has given us more power. Certainly we're pretty pleased with where the C6 is right now. The C5 took a couple of years to get decent speed out of it. The C6 is already faster than the C5, and it's only going to get better. It's also our coolest Corvette in terms of temperature. At Le Mans, it was extremely hot, and we didn't suffer too much as drivers. We benefited from our reliability and great pit stops.

The Astons were tough. But again we feel like the C6 is going to get better. We need to keep working with Michelin to get faster. I think there is more we can get out of the car from Michelin that will allow us to get more aggressive and go faster through the corners. I don't expect the Astons to slow down. They were competitive at Sebring, but not nearly as fast beyond us as they were at Le Mans. We've got to keep working hard at it.

Q: What is the state of sports car racing in the US? Is it catching on here as years pass?

A: We have, and I don't know the numbers, been really impressed with the numbers we've gotten at our races. I was curious as to why, because to be perfectly honest I had never been a fan of multi-car races. When I was doing Trans-Am, the short races were much more appealing. But once you get into the team stuff, the team aspect is so much more important. There are so many more key ingredients. There are so many things that come together to make a win. Quite often with the multi-class racing, traffic can play a role in the result. That's what makes it fun playing the high-speed chess game. A couple of years of ago, I started asking people at our autograph sessions what they thought out this, and they said they liked the action. If GT cars are getting passed by prototypes, they have to be careful when they let the faster cars go. Never mind that the cars are incredibly cool to look at and the fans can get up close to them, closer than any other series.

Q: With four straight wins at Infineon, does the track set up well for you and Johnny's driving style?

A: I think a lot of it has been luck. Sometimes we've been running second to our fellow teammates or another GT1 car and our guys made a great call in the pits, or there was an issue in traffic. I certainly enjoy Infineon, and I know Johnny does too. I spent a lot of time there in Trans-Am. It's a positive environment even before you get to the race track. Sonoma is a beautiful area. That makes your outlook a lot more positive. And it's an unusual layout. There are a lot of sharp elevation changes and sharp turns. It also takes a lot out of you.

The next race for the American Le Mans Series is the Infineon Technologies Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Ravenswood Winery, set for 11 a.m. PDT on July 17 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. CBS Sports will have television coverage from 3 to 5 p.m. EDT. American Le Mans Radio and Live Timing and Scoring can be found at www.americanlemans.com.

07-08-2005	#1
gaijin Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Road Atlanta Posts: 371	In His Own Words: Ron Fellows IN HIS OWN WORDS: RON FELLOWS Braselton, Ga. - Ron Fellows is no stranger to Infineon Raceway. He and Johnny O'Connell have won four times at the Sonoma, Calif., track for Corvette Racing in the American Le Mans Series, and they will go for a fifth GT1 title July 17 at the Infineon Technologies Grand Prix of Sonoma Presented by Ravenswood Winery. In addition, Fellows is a regular when the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series competes at Infineon, and he went from starting last to finishing eighth at the end of June. Fellows recently spoke with members of the media about Infineon, his whirlwind month and the new Corvette C6-R. Here's a partial transcript: Question: How busy has it been going from Mid-Ohio to Le Mans to Infineon to Lime Rock? Answer: There is some good news. We don't need to worry about making the race at Infineon. I think we're in the field. Normally what happens is we run Sebring in March and then go to Le Mans the next month for prequalifying. This year, the ALMS and Scott Atherton convinced the ACO, the sanctioning body for Le Mans, to try to make (testing and the race) one event. For the first time, we had a prequalifying/test day May 5, two weeks before the race. It also allows the ALMS teams that are at Le Mans to make one trip. So we also had races at Road Atlanta and Mid-Ohio before Le Mans. It made it an easier schedule for us. Lynda and I and the kids made the trip to France and then out to California. It's been busy. Coming back west makes it a lot easier when you're gaining time. Going east and to France is a tough transition. It takes me a week to adjust. Coming the other way, it's about half of that. We're feeling pretty good to get back on North American soil. Q: Will it benefit you having run at Infineon with Nextel Cup when the ALMS visits? A: I think it will. The surface has changed the last couple of years. A lot of the NASCAR teams are feeling like they didn't get the setup for the race. It's actually great. It's a tricky surface in that it's a little on the slick side. What'll help me going back with the Corvette is that there are things I can provide Michelin that will help us in the long run. I was surprised at the certain amount of drop-off in the Goodyears of the Nextel Cup. It seemed like it took awhile for the tires to come up to pressure. That'll probably be the biggest thing I work on with Corvette and the Michelin people. Q: Last to eighth was a pretty good result (in the NNC race). Can you talk about that? A: It was a struggle. We struggled with the car in practice and were barely in the top 20 in terms of speed. I had a handful in qualifying and didn't do a good job and messed up in turns 1, 2 and 3. We were the last car in on speed. It was critical for PPI and the Tide team to make the race and get some points. They were 37th and needed to be in the top 35. I was really impressed with their work ethic considering the trouble they've had this year. I really wanted to get a great result for them. We were able to pass a couple of cars and stayed on the race track when some others chose a little more conservative fuel strategy. We were counting on another caution, and fortunately we got it. Q: How does the Corvette C6-R differ from a Chevy NNC car? A: It's quite a difference. The Cup cars are 1,000 pounds heavier but the car rolls more because the weight is higher. It doesn't stop as quick as the Corvette because it's on a 15-inch wheel. With the Corvette, it's 18 inches. Plus the Corvette uses carbon brakes and not rotors. The first place you get in trouble is stopping. The downforce on the Corvette is greater but the horsepower is 200 less, but that's because of some of the restrictions. The driving style, you can get much more aggressive because of the grip. The Cup cars slide around more and require a little more finesse. I enjoy that part a little bit more. My background is production cars in Canada, and you needed that finesse style. It's easier to go into the Corvette from the Cup car. Q: Is your entire family traveling with you? A: We made a pact when we got married that we would always stick together as a family. I prefer that. I don't if all the other drivers do. Lynda is a heck of a lot more organized than I am. And I think our kids benefit from the traveling experiences. Q: Has there been a change in the design of the Corvette since Dale Jr's. incident last year at Infineon? A: They have changed the location of the filler neck. That was a very, very unusual accident in that he hit at the perfect angle, the only area in the Esses that weren't protected by tires. It was the perfect angle that the left rear tire, with a full tank of fuel and the filler neck going up to the body panel. That has now been added to our fueling rig so rather than when the fueler connects to the body work, he has a 14-inch extension that goes through the body and into the chassis that way. The Corvette is the safest thing I have ever sat in. GM goes to great lengths to develop safe equipment that makes our car very safe between the seats. I have absolutely have no qualms driving that car, and I'm sure Junior would say the same thing. It was just a freak deal, hitting with a full tank and the right spot and the right time. Q: What are some of the changes with the new Corvettes, and how tough a competitor is Aston Martin? A: The new C6-R has been a real positive for us. The body has provided us with improved aerodynamics, the new motor has given us more power. Certainly we're pretty pleased with where the C6 is right now. The C5 took a couple of years to get decent speed out of it. The C6 is already faster than the C5, and it's only going to get better. It's also our coolest Corvette in terms of temperature. At Le Mans, it was extremely hot, and we didn't suffer too much as drivers. We benefited from our reliability and great pit stops. The Astons were tough. But again we feel like the C6 is going to get better. We need to keep working with Michelin to get faster. I think there is more we can get out of the car from Michelin that will allow us to get more aggressive and go faster through the corners. I don't expect the Astons to slow down. They were competitive at Sebring, but not nearly as fast beyond us as they were at Le Mans. We've got to keep working hard at it. Q: What is the state of sports car racing in the US? Is it catching on here as years pass? A: We have, and I don't know the numbers, been really impressed with the numbers we've gotten at our races. I was curious as to why, because to be perfectly honest I had never been a fan of multi-car races. When I was doing Trans-Am, the short races were much more appealing. But once you get into the team stuff, the team aspect is so much more important. There are so many more key ingredients. There are so many things that come together to make a win. Quite often with the multi-class racing, traffic can play a role in the result. That's what makes it fun playing the high-speed chess game. A couple of years of ago, I started asking people at our autograph sessions what they thought out this, and they said they liked the action. If GT cars are getting passed by prototypes, they have to be careful when they let the faster cars go. Never mind that the cars are incredibly cool to look at and the fans can get up close to them, closer than any other series. Q: With four straight wins at Infineon, does the track set up well for you and Johnny's driving style? A: I think a lot of it has been luck. Sometimes we've been running second to our fellow teammates or another GT1 car and our guys made a great call in the pits, or there was an issue in traffic. I certainly enjoy Infineon, and I know Johnny does too. I spent a lot of time there in Trans-Am. It's a positive environment even before you get to the race track. Sonoma is a beautiful area. That makes your outlook a lot more positive. And it's an unusual layout. There are a lot of sharp elevation changes and sharp turns. It also takes a lot out of you. The next race for the American Le Mans Series is the Infineon Technologies Grand Prix of Sonoma presented by Ravenswood Winery, set for 11 a.m. PDT on July 17 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. CBS Sports will have television coverage from 3 to 5 p.m. EDT. American Le Mans Radio and Live Timing and Scoring can be found at www.americanlemans.com.