TURES COULD END UP ON
THE AIR RIGHT HERE ON LOCAL 4. ALL RIGHT, MY FRIENDS, IT WON’T BE LONG BEFORE YOU HEAR THE ROAR
OF THE ENGINES IN DOWNTOWN.
DOWNTOWN DETROIT FOR THE
CHEVROLET DETROIT GRAND PRIX,
PRESENTED BY LEAR. NOW THE FINAL
WORK IS BEING DONE AROUND THE
TRACK AS TEAMS START TO ARRIVE
INTO TOWN AHEAD OF RACE DAY.
>> AND THE BIG INDY CAR RACE IS
SUNDAY. BUT BEFORE THAT, MANY
OTHER RACE CARS WILL BE HITTING
THE TRACK, INCLUDING THE NUMBER
ONE BMW M4 GT3, WHICH IS DRIVEN
BY OUR NEXT GUEST.
>> THAT’S RIGHT. HOW ARE YOU?
THANKS FOR HAVING ME. YEAH. OF
COURSE.
>> SO WITH US IN STUDIO TODAY IS
BRIAN SELLERS, ONE OF THE
PROFESSIONAL DRIVERS IN THE IMSA
WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR
CHAMPIONSHIP. GTD PRO CLASS.
THAT SOUNDS REALLY COOL.
>> IT’S A LOT OF LETTERS, BUT
THAT SOUNDS REALLY COOL. WELL,
THANKS FOR HAVING ME, I
APPRECIATE IT.
>> OF COURSE, NOW PEOPLE MAY
ONLY THINK YOU KNOW WHEN THEY
THINK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, THE GRAND
PRIX’S AND THESE KINDS OF RACES.
THEY TEND TO THINK ABOUT A
CERTAIN TYPE OF CAR. BUT THERE
ARE SEVERAL OTHERS THAT ARE HERE
. TELL US ABOUT THOSE.
>> SO IMSA IS VERY DIFFERENT
FROM INDYCAR, WHICH LIKE YOU
SAID IS KIND OF SYNONYMOUS WITH
THE GRAND PRIX NAME. BUT WHAT WE
DO IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT
THAN THEM. WE ARE A SERIES THAT
IS BASED ON A COUPLE DIFFERENT
TYPES OF CARS. WE HAVE PROTOTYPE
CARS THAT ARE SIMILAR TO THE
INDY CARS, BUT WE ALSO HAVE
SPORTS CARS LIKE I DRIVE A BMW,
M4, PORSCHES, CORVETTES AND
THOSE ARE A LOT MORE RELATABLE
TO YOUR AVERAGE PERSON. THEY
LOOK LIKE THE CARS. YOU CAN GO
DOWN TO THE DEALERSHIP AND PICK
UP, BUT JUST BASICALLY ON
STEROIDS FASTER, LIGHTER, YOU
KNOW, MORE POWER. SO PEOPLE CAN
COME TO THE TRACK AND THEY CAN
SEE US, THEY CAN LOOK AT US AND
THEY CAN FEEL LIKE, HEY, YOU
KNOW, THAT’S THAT’S NOT SO
DIFFERENT FROM WHAT I DO ON A
REGULAR BASIS.
>> SO WE SAW YOU ACTUALLY, WHEN
YOU RACED ON BELLE ISLE A COUPLE
OF YEARS AGO, AND YOU TOOK THIRD
AT THAT RACE, RIGHT? YEAH, SO
NOW THIS IS YOUR FIRST RACE
DOWNTOWN, WHAT’S THE PREPARATION
LIKE FOR THIS RACE AS OPPOSED TO
THE BELLE ISLE RACE?
>> WELL, IT’S DIFFERENT BECAUSE
OBVIOUSLY WE’VE NEVER BEEN HERE
BEFORE. SO YOU HAVE TO LEARN A
NEW TRACK AND IT’S BUILT WITHIN
MONTHS, SO YOU DON’T HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE TO
TEST, HERE TO GET FAMILIARIZE
YOURSELF UNTIL ACTUAL THE ACTUAL
EVENT ITSELF. AND SO, YOU KNOW,
THERE’S A LOT OF PRESSURE THAT
GOES ALONG INTO THIS BECAUSE
IT’S THE MOTOR CITY. ALL THE
MANUFACTURERS ARE BASED HERE.
AND YOU WANT TO WIN HERE SO BAD.
SO WE’LL DO THINGS LIKE TRACK
WALKS. LIKE LAST NIGHT WHEN I
FLEW IN, WE WENT TO DINNER,
WALKED AROUND THE TRACK ON THE
WAY BACK TO THE HOTEL JUST TO
TRY AND GET EVERY LITTLE BIT OF
KNOWLEDGE YOU CAN FIND. I’M SURE
YOU ABSORB ALL OF THAT, LIKE,
OKAY, I’LL LOOK OUT FOR THIS AND
IT KIND OF POTHOLES. MANHOLE
COVERS, YEAH, YEAH, ALL THAT
STUFF.
>> THEY FIX THE POTHOLES, RIGHT?
I KNOW WE’RE NOT GREAT FOR OUR
MICHIGAN ROADS, BUT I’M ASSUMING
THEY FIX.
>> I DIDN’T NOTICE ANY POTHOLES.
DIDN’T SEE ANY ANYWHERE.
>> THANK GOODNESS FOR THAT. YEAH
BUT SO HERE’S THE DEAL. AS A
RACE CAR DRIVER, I FEEL LIKE YOU
WOULD BE IN RACE CAR MODE ALL
THE TIME. BUT WHEN YOU AREN’T ON
THE RACETRACK, DO YOU EVER KIND
OF STILL FEEL THE URGE TO RACE
WHILE YOU’RE DRIVING DOWN THE
STREET?
>> I FEEL LIKE MY ANSWER TO THAT
SHOULD BE NO, BUT I THINK IT’S
ALSO DEPENDENT ON THE SITUATION
WHEN ROAD RAGE RUNS STRONG WITH
RACE CAR DRIVERS, I THINK.
>> SO WHAT IS YOUR DAILY DRIVER?
>> I ACTUALLY HAVE AN X7. I HAVE
A BMW, X7 IS MY DAILY DRIVER
LIKE IT’S MY CHILD MOVER, YOU
KNOW.
>> SO THERE’S PROBABLY PEOPLE
THAT ONCE IN A WHILE PULL UP TO
YOU AND YOU’RE LIKE, HEY, LET’S
GO.
>> READY? YEAH YEAH WE’RE GOING
FOR IT. YEAH, EXACTLY. TRY AND
RACE THEM OFF THE LINE.
>> THAT’S IF THEY ONLY KNEW WHO
THEY WERE LOOKING AT, THEY MIGHT
NOT CARE I DON’T KNOW, THEY
MIGHT NOT I KNOW RIGHT I KNOW
ESPECIALLY HERE IN DETROIT
THEY’LL BE LIKE, I’LL TAKE YOU,
LET’S DO THIS.
>> BUT YOU’RE ALSO A FATHER OF
TWO, RIGHT. SO WHAT IS LIFE AS A
DAD GOING FROM RACE TO RACE,
TRACK TO TRACK?
>> WELL, I MEAN, IN A LOT OF
WAYS YOU’RE SUPER FORTUNATE
BECAUSE I WORK SPECIFIED TIMES
OF THE YEAR, BUT ALSO, YOU KNOW,
JUST MOSTLY WEEKENDS. SO WHEN I
GET HOME, YOU GET THIS
OPPORTUNITY TO JUST BE DAD. YOU
KNOW, YOU DON’T HAVE A LOT OF
OTHER OBLIGATIONS OTHER THAN
FITNESS LEVELS AND THAT KIND OF
THING. SO I FEEL SUPER LUCKY
BECAUSE WHEN I’M PRESENT, I GET
TO BE THERE JUST FOR THEM ALL
THE TIME. IT DOES TAKE YOU AWAY
A LOT, BUT IT’S PRETTY GREAT
REASON TO LEAVE HOME ALSO.
>> AND WHAT A COOL JOB THAT DAD
HAS. I MEAN, GROWING UP WITH YOU
AS A DAD THAT’S GOT TO BE ONE OF
THE COOLEST JOBS THAT A PERSON
CAN HAVE.
>> I KEEP TELLING MY KIDS THAT
THEY DON’T BUY INTO IT AS MUCH
AS YOU JUST MADE IT SOUND LIKE,
BUT I SELL THAT TO THEM TOO.
>> YEAH, THAT’S A GOOD ONE.
WELCOME BACK TO DETROIT. WE’RE
REALLY HAPPY TO HAVE YOU. THANKS
FOR BEING WITH US AND ENJOY THE
WEEKEND. WE APPRECIATE YOU.
THANK YOU. REMEMBER EVERYONE
LIVE IN THE D WILL BE TRACKSIDE
THIS FRIDAY MORNING AT 11 A.M.
TO SHOW YOU WHAT’S HAPPENING AS
FESTIVITIES FOR THE GRAND PRIX
GET UNDERWAY, FRIDAY IS COMERICA
FREE PRIX DAY SO YOU CAN COME
DOWN AND ENJOY SOME OF THE
EXPERIENCES. AND BE SURE TO TUNE
IN TO LOCAL 4 PLUS ON FRIDAY
EVENING AT 6:30 P.M, BERNIE HOEY
AND JAMIE WILL BE TALKING TO THE
BIGGEST STARS IN RACING AT THE
GRAND PRIX HERE. IT’S THE
FUNDRAISER THAT KICKS OFF RACE
WEEKEND IN DETROIT, AND YOUROW W
ARE ALREADY IN TOWN PREPARING FOR THE NEXT BIG INDY CAR SERIES RACE, WHICH WILL TAKE PLACE
RIGHT HERE ON THE STREETS OF
DETROIT. THAT’S RIGHT.
>> THE TEAMS AND THEIR CARS ARE
GETTING READY ALONG JEFFERSON
AVENUE AS THE CITY GETS READY TO
WELCOME THE CHEVROLET DETROIT
GRAND PRIX PRESENTED BY LEAR,
WHICH ONCE AGAIN PUTS A BIG
NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT ON OUR CITY
OF DETROIT.
>> THAT’S RIGHT. AND JOINING US
IN STUDIO TODAY ARE TWO OF THE
RACERS WHO WILL COMPETE IN THE
NTT INDYCAR SERIES THIS WEEKEND,
STINGRAY. ROB DRIVER OF THE
NUMBER 41, AJ FOYT RACING
CHEVROLET. AND JACK HARVEY,
DRIVER OF THE NUMBER 18, DALE
COYNE RACING HONDA. GOOD MORNING
TO BOTH OF YOU. GOOD MORNING.
I’M SUPER EXCITED. I DON’T KNOW
IF YOU GUYS CAN FEEL THAT WE’RE
WORKING ON IT.
>> THIS IS THIS IS SO, SO COOL.
SO LET’S START BY TALKING ABOUT
THE RACE HERE IN DETROIT.
>> WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT THE
COURSE AND THE RACE AS AN
EXPERIENCE?
>> WELL, IT’S A UNIQUE RACE FOR
US BECAUSE WE’RE COMING OFF ONE
OF OUR BUSIEST MONTHS BEING IN
THE INDY 500. IT’S A SUPER FAST
OVAL, SUPER SMOOTH, AND WE COME
STRAIGHT TO THIS WEEKEND WHERE
IT’S NOT SO SMOOTH, SMOOTH. BUT
THAT’S THE BEAUTY OF INDYCAR
RACING. WE GET TO RACE ON THE
STREETS OF DETROIT, WHICH ANYONE
CAN DRIVE ON, AND JACK AND I
HAVE BEEN ON SEVERAL INTERVIEWS
YET TODAY, AND SO HE’S THE ONE
THAT USUALLY MENTIONS THIS. BUT
IT’S COOL FOR PEOPLE OR FANS TO
BE ABLE TO DRIVE THE SAME
CIRCUIT THAT WE’RE GOING TO BE
RACING ON THIS WEEKEND.
>> THAT’S COOL. CAN WE JUST
MENTION HOW YOU HAVE LIKE, THE
COOLEST NAME EVER IN LIFE? I HAD
TO I HAD TO MENTION THAT.
>> ALL RIGHT, I WAS GOING TO SAY
YOUR YOUR YOUR YOUR PARENTS MUST
HAVE BEEN FANS OF CORVETTES.
>> YEAH. SO I’M ORIGINALLY FROM
IDAHO, WHICH THERE’S NO OCEANS
TO BE MARINE BIOLOGISTS AT IN
IDAHO. SO THEY HAD TO GO TO THE
CORVETTE TO NAME ME STINGRAY,
BUT IT WORKED OUT WELL. I’M A
RACE CAR DRIVER NOW, SO YOU ARE
COMPETITORS AND IT GETS VERY
FIERCE OUT THERE ON THE TRACK,
AND WE’RE GOING TO BE DOING SOME
WARM UPS TOMORROW.
>> RIGHT? IS IT OKAY THAT YOU’RE
SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER RIGHT
NOW, OR DO YOU FEEL THAT THERE’S
WE HAVE A SAFE DISTANCE MOMENTS?
>> I THINK THERE’S LIKE THIS
UNWRITTEN AND UNSPOKEN RULE IN
RACING THAT WHEN THE HELMET GOES
ON, YOU’RE JUST TRYING TO DO THE
BEST THAT YOU CAN, YOU KNOW, FOR
YOURSELF, FOR YOUR FAMILY, FOR
YOUR TEAM, FOR YOUR SPONSORS.
LIKE, WE HAVE RESPONSIBILITY IS
TO GO OUT THERE AND TRY AND GIVE
IT 110. AND IN THAT MOMENT, I
THINK THE GENERAL RULE IS HELMET
GOES ON. IT’S TIME TO GO TO
WORK. IF IT’S EGREGIOUS, THEN
OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE DRIVING
STEWARDS AND THINGS LIKE THAT
THAT TRY AND CONTROL THE SERIES
AND MAKE SURE THAT THE DRIVING
STANDARDS STAY WITHIN A
ACCEPTABLE WINDOW, IF YOU WANT
TO CALL IT THAT. BUT I THINK A
LOT OF US ARE UNDERSTANDING AND
WE KNOW WE’VE DONE THIS FOR OUR
WHOLE LIVES. LIKE I STARTED
RACING WHEN I WAS NINE, I’M SURE
YOU WERE A SIMILAR AGE. YEAH, I
WAS FIVE WHEN I STARTED FIVE,
YOU KNOW, SO YOU GROW UP IN THIS
ENVIRONMENT AND IT’S AGAIN,
THERE’S A LOT OF RESPECT FROM
DRIVER TO DRIVER BECAUSE IT’S A
SMALL CIRCLE THAT WE RUN IN.
>> SO TRY NOT TO BURN BRIDGES.
AND JACK’S ONE OF THE NICEST
GUYS IN THE SERIES. SO HE’S A
GOOD GUY TO ASK ABOUT THAT.
>> THAT’S A REALLY COOL.
>> THAT’S REALLY I’M GETTING MY
BROWNIE POINTS NOW. YEAH
>> SO STINGRAY, LET ME ASK YOU
THIS. A.J. FOYT IS A LEGEND IN
THE INDY CAR RACING. WHAT DOES
THAT MEAN TO YOU TO BE ON THAT
INDY CAR TEAM WITH HIS NAME?
>> WELL, I’M NOT GOING TO SAY
THERE’S NO PRESSURE BECAUSE
THAT’S NOT THE CASE BY ANY
MEANS. BUT THOSE ARE BIG SHOES
TO FILL. AND A.J. IS THE
CHARACTER, RIGHT? LIKE HE’S THE
GUY THAT IS SYNONYMOUS WITH
WINNING AND THE WINNINGEST
DRIVER IN INDYCAR HISTORY. AND
SO FOR ME, IT’S AN HONOR TO BE A
PART OF THE TEAM. AND THIS LAST
WEEK, I GOT TO REALLY KIND OF
EXPERIENCE THE A.J. AS A AS A
FOAL, BECAUSE 8500 WAS HIS RACE.
AND SO WHEN THE FANS SHOW UP,
THEY’RE THERE, A.J. FANS, THEY
GREW UP WATCHING HIM. THERE WAS
PEOPLE THAT WERE COMING TO THE
RACE THAT SAID, I’VE BEEN COMING
FOR 60 YEARS, 9500. I’VE BEEN
CHEERING A.J. ON EVER SINCE.
LOVE WHAT YOU’RE DOING. KEEP IT
GOING. SO I FEEL LIKE I’VE
GAINED FANS JUST BECAUSE OF A.J.
BEING WHO HE IS. BUT IT’S A
COOL, COOL NAME TO HAVE ON MY
CHEST, REALLY.
>> AND ALSO, YOU’RE, LIKE,
CARRYING ON THE LEGACY. LIKE, IF
YOU WEREN’T DOING WELL, YOU KNOW
WHAT I MEAN? THEY’D LET YOU KNOW
THAT TOO, WHICH IS. WHICH IS
REALLY COOL.
>> YEAH. AND JACK, WHAT’S ONE OF
THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTIONS THAT
PEOPLE MAY HAVE ABOUT THESE CARS
THAT YOU’RE DRIVING AND WHAT IT
ACTUALLY TAKES TO RACE IT AROUND
THESE TRACKS?
>> WELL, ACTUALLY, I THINK
THAT’S A REALLY GOOD POINT,
BECAUSE TO ME, DRIVERS DON’T GET
THE ATHLETIC RESPECT THAT I
THINK WE DESERVE. THESE CARS
DON’T HAVE POWER STEERING. YOU
KNOW, IF YOU GET IN YOUR CAR,
DRIVE A HONDA PILOT, IT’S EASY
TO DRIVE, RIGHT? LIKE YOU JUST,
YOU KNOW, YOU CAN ALMOST JUST
ONE HAND THAT ALL THE TIME.
THESE CARS, YOU DON’T HAVE THAT.
SO EVERY TIME YOU GO OVER A
BUMP, YOU TRY AND TURN IN. YOU
KNOW THAT LOADING ON THE BODY IS
JUST VERY INTENSE. AND THAT’S
WITHOUT FACTORING IN ANY
G-FORCES ON THROTTLE APPLICATION
OR BRAKE APPLICATION. SO YOU
JUST FEEL LIKE DRIVERS DON’T.
WE’RE A LITTLE BIASED AND I
THINK WE’RE ALL A LITTLE BIT
SALTY ABOUT THAT, BUT I THINK
THAT’S PROBABLY THE BIGGEST
MISCONCEPTION IS HOW FIT. AND
YOU KNOW, IN SHAPE YOU HAVE TO
BE TO TRY AND DRIVE THESE CARS
OR AT LEAST FIT FOR PURPOSE
ANYWAY.
>> SO I WILL SAY THAT OUR NECKS
ARE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIT BIGGER
THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON. I LIKE
TO CALL THEM NECK EXERCISES THAT
WE HAVE TO DO. SO HOLD OUR HEAD
UP IN THE CAR.
>> WELL, IF ANYONE WANTS TO GET
A LITTLE TASTE, I FEEL LIKE YOU
COULD GO TO SOME OF THESE NEWER
GO KART TRACKS AND EVEN THAT I’M
NOT COMPARING THEM AT ALL. BUT
I’M SAYING EVEN THAT I RACED IN
ONE RECENTLY. IT’S THE FIST AND
I DID ONE RACE AND AT THE END I
WAS LIKE, I’M SO. I WAS SO STIFF
AND YOU DON’T REALIZE HOW MUCH
IT’S A FULL BODY WORKOUT.
>> WELL, I THINK ONE OF THE
TECHNIQUES I TRY AND USE WHEN
I’M DRIVING IS LIKE, I KIND OF
LET GO OF THE WHEEL GENTLY,
BECAUSE IF YOU CAN RELAX YOUR
HANDS AND IT SEEMS TO FLOW
THROUGH YOUR BODY. BUT WHEN YOU
WERE GO KART AND I’M SURE YOU
WERE FEELING IT IN YOUR HANDS,
YOUR FOREARMS, YOU KNOW, LIKE IN
THE NECK AND IN THE SHOULDERS.
SO ESPECIALLY WHEN IT’S HOT,
IT’S BUMPY. I MEAN, THERE’S A
LOT THERE’S A LOT GOING ON. I
MEAN, IT’S SUCH A GREAT LIFE TO
BREATHE EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE.
>> RIGHT?
>> RIGHT.
>> IT IS THESE ARE ATHLETES. IT
REQUIRES ATHLETICISM. YEAH. WE
APPRECIATE YOU GUYS FOR SHARING
THAT WITH US THIS MORNING. THANK
YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. AND
GOOD LUCK. THIS WEEKEND. THANK
YOU. YES. REMEMBER LIVE IN THE D
WILL BE TRACKSIDE TOMORROW AT 11
A.M. TO SHOW YOU WHAT’S
HAPPENING AS FESTIVITIES FOR THE
GRAND PRIX GET UNDERWAY FRIDAY
IS COMERICA FREE PRE SO YOU CAN
COME DOWN, ENJOY SOME OF THE
EXPERIENCES AND OF COURSE, BE
SURE TO TUNE IN TO LOCAL 4 PLUS
ON FRIDAY EVENING AT 630. BERNIE
HOBIE AND JAMIE WILL BE TALKING
TO THE BIGGEST STARS IN RACING
AT THE GRAND PREMIERE. IT IS THE
FUNDRAISER THAT KICKS OFF THE