FORBES MAGAZINE THIS WEEK PROJECTED THAT TIGER WOODS WAS THE FIRST SPORTSMAN TO TOP THE BILLION DOLLAR MARK, YOU RACE FOR WINNINGS, PRIZES AND PURSES, HOW DO YOU LOOK AT THAT ACHIEVEMENT?
“It’s substantial. I think on a lot of scales there are similarities within all pro sports within reason of income but the thing that Tiger has really been able to do is sign Nike. That’s the bulk of his income. I wish we could convince Nike or one of the other major athletic products or shoe companies or whatever it would be all encompassing that we could sell shoes and all that stuff and make that kind of money. It’s staggering what he makes from that.
“When you’re looking at the player, driver to player there’s similarities but when you look at maybe a team verses a player we certainly have so much more overhead than what a golf player would.”
CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE CHALLENGE OF DRIVING IN THESE WIND CONDITIONS LIKE WE HAVE HERE TODAY?
“If you’re going down the straightaway the car produces x amount of down force so if you’re in the wind you’re gaining down force so now going in the other direction when the wind is behind you the wind is blowing with your which eliminates down force and then your speeds are up. So now you’re going faster with less down force and it really makes the upcoming turn when the wind is to your back more exciting. It’s one thing if it’s a consistent wind but if its gusting that’s when you get in trouble because from a driver’s standpoint they tell you where the wind is and you adjust but you get into a rhythm and then the time you come through that corner and if its gusts higher you are at the edge of traction already and then that’s what really gets you into trouble. Another aspect of the win that’s challenging is when you’re turning kind of through the wind, when the wind is to your back, as you’re trying to turn the car through the wind it tries to make the car tighter. The other way as you’re going into the wind and getting turned it’s much easier. The car has a ton of down force and can turn through the win and you have it to your back exiting the corner.”
THE NEW LOWE’S COMMERCIALS THAT ARE OUT WHERE YOU ARE JUST DOING EVERYTHING, HOW BOGUS IS THAT BECAUSE YOU ADMITTED YOU’RE NOT THE BIGGEST HANDYMAN IN THE WORLD, HOW MANY TAKES DID YOU HAVE TO DO?
“The takes weren’t too bad. At one point I worked on my own race cars and did a lot of stuff but anymore, I’m allowed to take stuff apart but not really put it back together. I’m not home enough to really work on much anyway. I kind of play into a little bit where it’s a joke but at one point and time I really did work on stuff a lot. It’s just tough anymore. The commercials are fun to shoot. Luckily its winter time and we were in Miami where the weather is decent. The production the stuff they have put together we moved to different locations for everyone of those shots so we did it all in two days. They really worked hard to make each shot quick and easy, get what they need and load up all the cameras, crew and people and ride in the motor homes to the next spot and shoot again and move all around town. It was pretty amazing. A lot of money and time spent to get it right.”
ARE THERE ANY MORE COMMERCIALS?
“We shot a bunch there and I know they are going to change them throughout the year. I thought there were two versions of it that would air and that’s it.”
YOU’VE BEEN IN THIS SERIES ABOUT SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS, AT WHAT POINT DO YOU START LAYING CLAIM AS THE GREATEST DRIVER EVER?
“Not my space to say that. As a competitor and as an athlete, it’s not what I say it’s not my style, it’s not what I think other athletes should say. Truthfully I have a lot of time left in this sport and hopefully we can increase my odds of being considered one of the better ones in this sport. Only time will tell. There’s a lot of great ones that were before me. It’s exciting to me to hear my name mentioned with those names and something that I really respect and appreciate. Hopefully I can keep this up and improve my position.
“I’m really shocked that it’s me living this and experiencing all of this. It’s been an amazing ride. The cool thing is I still have a lot of years left ahead of me so I think I can improve my position.”
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