Rick Carelli is general manager at Kevin Harvick Inc., serves as spotter for
driver Ron Hornaday Jr. and won four NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races.
His most recent visit to Chicagoland Speedway came last month when Harvick
finished fifth in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Dollar General 300.
Compare Chicago to another track: "Chicago is pretty much like all of the other 1.5-mile tracks we compete at, but
you never know what you're going to find when you get there. Even though the
tire compound is the same for the trucks as it was the Nationwide cars, you
don't know how much grip you're going to have or where at on the track you can
find it. Chicago is an area that does have pretty severe weather throughout the
year and it is a track that ages. If I had to compare it to a track, I guess it
would be Homestead-Miami. Homestead is sandy and gritty; Chicago is taking on
that characteristic. We are fortunate at KHI that we do have some notes we can
ballpark our set-up from with our Nationwide car. "
How do you approach a new track from a driver's perspective? "I always tried to go into a new track with an open mind. That way you don't
have any habits, good or bad. Typically, when you go to a new track, you will
unload off the truck really good and then adjust yourself out of it. Inaugural
races are always fun because everyone goes in there on the same playing field.
There are so many variables, it should be exciting."
How will the Trucks be different from the Nationwide cars? "Well, we run a different gear and have a higher center of gravity in comparison
to the cars. I think our aero packages will come into play more so than theirs
because we ultimately punch a larger hole in the air. The trucks are going to
draft better. To be honest, the quickest learner is going to win the race.
Whichever team can maximize grip and find a line that works for their equipment,
will be hard to chase down."
