Q&A: Todd Parrott (Robert Yates Racing)

Elliott Sadler's victory at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday finally broke a nine-race Ford winning streak for Roush Racing, and handed the Robert Yates team its first success since Dale Jarrett won at the Rockingham spring meeting in 2003.

Ironically, Roush and Yates are now engine development partners, and Parrott was Jarrett's crew chief when RYR last crossed the line first.

Q:
What did you think of the race?

Todd Parrott:
I thought it was a great race [laughter]. It was very nerve-wracking to say the least. We had a great race car. We were really fast in practice yesterday when it all started. We made, I think, three adjustments from the time we started race practice yesterday to today. The only thing we touched all day today was air pressure. We had a great test down here and went home and worked on the car a little bit and I think we made it a little bit better. All the guys on the team did a great job.

I couldn't even tell [Sadler] how fast the #9 car was coming because I couldn't stand it. I didn't know how much he had left. I didn't want him to get looking in his mirror and take his eyes off of hitting his marks, so I elected not to say anything. I let Brett [Griffin] do all the talking up in the spotter's stand and let him really concentrate on getting all of his marks and trying to win this race. The boy did a good job. I'm proud of him.

Q:
Do you feel vindicated after all your work?

TP:
I think it's big. To win here at Texas is a great place. It's a place Robert Yates Racing has had a lot of success at. We won here in 2001 with DJ and, in 2002, we were leading the race and ran him out of gas. All the guys in the engine shop, they work really hard. Everybody has worked really hard for the last two years, but it's just good to see a smile on Robert's face. For us to be able to do the things that we're doing right now, to put a smile on his face and smiles on our faces - and our sponsor, their first win in 13 years, that's pretty huge for the Mars family. So to be able to come here and do this is something that's very, very satisfying.

Q:
Can you talk about your emotions today?

TP:
I knew we were gonna get there, it was just a matter of time. We got to victory lane in Daytona and won the 125 and raced against some great race teams and some great race car drivers. We've run well at several places this year and I knew it would just be a matter of time. Like Elliott said, our communication gets better each week. Last year, the last twelve races coming back from the whole summer - spending the summer with my kids and my mom and dad, it was pretty cool. The time off was well needed. It's a shame a lot more people can't do that. I'm just glad I was able to come back to Robert Yates Racing - a place that I love. It's a place I feel like is my home. To come back here and win with Elliott, our new driver, is very special and something that I'll remember for a long time.

Q:
How much of a gamble was that?

TP:
We were actually gonna pit the next time by when the caution came out, so, like I said, that was a chance that, here at Texas, I didn't really care that much to take
because we ran Dale Jarrett out of gas leading the race in 2002. So, anyhow, I kept asking the guys 'can we make it? Can we make it?' We said 'this is what we're gonna do'.

I heard Robbie [Loomis] tell Jeff [Gordon] to pit in three laps and then the caution came out. I told Elliott we were gonna do what the #24 does and, like he said, the #8 and the #2 were gonna do that same thing, so it just worked out. We took a gamble and it paid off today.

Q:
How has the engine deal between Yates and Roush worked out?

TP:
It's paid big dividends. It started at Daytona and to see Jack and Robert working hand-in-hand together on a weekend is something that's pretty special, especially knowing the battle and how much fierce competitors they were and have been through their whole racing careers. Now to see those two guys work together, smile, laugh, cut up and have a good time - even see Robert flying home on Jack's plane. It's pretty cool.

Doug Yates and all those guys back at the shop have done a fantastic job. Doug has actually quit coming to the races. He's gotten so involved with his engine, which is something he loves doing. That's what Doug Yates does and that's what he's good at. He told me I was good at crew chiefing and he had a big part in me coming back as the crew chief on the #38 car. Doug Yates is good at building engines and not general managing, so he's doing what he does best and, hopefully, we can just continue winning races.