INTERVIEW WITH GARY HARROCKS FOR DAILYSPORTSCAR.COM
Johnny O’Connell – Reflecting On The Past, Looking Ahead to 2002
Gary Horrocks has been probing Corvette man Johnny O’Connell, and provides this in-depth interview with the man charged with partnering Ron Fellows in 2001 and 2002.
How does the 2001 season rank up there with some of your previous seasons?
The 2001 season was certainly one that I enjoyed greatly. I had for a long time wanted to get the opportunity to work for GM, having competed against them when I drove for Nissan. So when Doug Fehan offered me a position within the Pratt & Miller team, I saw it as a great opportunity to show what I could do for them. Initially I was supposed to just do the longer races, but when Chris Kniefel left for CART, it opened up the door to do the whole season. Winning Daytona and Le Mans was very important to all of us, and the rest of the season, Petit Le Mans aside, was a great success.
Did you expect the kind of success that you and the Pratt & Miller team were able to enjoy last season?
I did expect to have great success this past season, based primarily on what I knew of Gary Pratt and the type of team he has put together. Awesome team! Also, I knew that the Katech engines would be very strong. I was fortunate to get teamed with Ron Fellows. Not only is he very fast, but as important, he is a class individual. We got along great and both approached each race with the same attitude. Perhaps my only initial worry was about our tire program, but those worries were quickly put to bed once I saw first hand how dedicated the Goodyear guys were. The improvements they made throughout the year were incredible, and they deserve a lot of credit for our success.
How do you view the Daytona overall victory in comparison to the class victory at Le Mans?
First off, both wins were very important. But as I had won in class previously at Le Mans in 1994 (GTS class w/Nissan), Daytona was personally a more important achievement. Few guys have wins at Daytona, Le Mans and Sebring...it was nice to add that to my resume. Also, getting to know and race with Dale Earnhardt at Daytona.... well you can't put into words how special that was. Several times during the race I got to draft with him on the oval portions...and that was certainly something I won't ever forget.
How difficult was it to not be able to defend your victory at The Fortieth Rolex 24 at Daytona?
I think that for all of us, drivers and crew, it was really hard. That was such a special event for us last year, and we all thought we could win it again. I was told that the Doran team, who did a great job, still did not do as many laps as the Corvette team did in 2000. We are all hoping that next year, which will be the 50th anniversary of the Corvette, will see us return. I do need to point out that Andy Pilgrim did compete with another team in a Corvette, and won his class. Andy is a great driver and it was nice to see him get a Rolex.
Personally for you, was it a disappointment to have parked the cars at Le Mans for so long last June, when you could have pushed for a top 5 or greater finish?
Honestly, it was not a disappointment for me at all to park the cars at Le Mans. You go into the race and prepare for it with only one objective...to win. At the time we parked the cars, we had quite simply worn all of our competitors down. There was no one left to challenge us. Then, when the skies opened up one more time, the risks far outweighed the benefit of staying out. Management made the right decision.... no doubt about that. I can guarantee you one thing for sure, had any other car been in a position to challenge us, we would have stayed out.
At the start of the season, it appeared that GTS was going to be a Corvette show, as the thought was that the Saleen would take a while to come together. How big of a surprise was their showing at Sebring, and what kind of reaction did the Pratt & Miller team show to it?
Well the race that the Saleen put on at Sebring was a big surprise to us for sure. From what we had heard, they had not gone past 3 hours in any test up until that point. We kept waiting for them to break as they were pushing very hard. Unfortunately for us, they kept running and we were the ones with the small problems. Still, the number 4 car kept them honest, and the guys on that car did a great job. From that point on, we knew that the Saleen was for real, and everyone at Pratt & Miller really stepped up to make sure we would be good, first at Le Mans, and then for the rest of the season.
Competition is good in racing, but how do you view the apparent change in regulations that allowed the Saleen into the GTS Class? I mean, it really appears that the ‘Vette and the Saleen are made of two totally different rulebooks. The ‘Vette appears to be more along the lines of a traditional tube-framed US racer, while the Saleen is more production based, but of a much more exotic origin.
I'm sure that for the ACO to put together rules that are equal for manufacturers is not an easy thing. When the Saleen first debuted at Laguna in 2000, I knew that a lot of guys were worried about it...especially engineers in competing cars. But rather than worry too much about any advantage that the Saleen may have, we really focused this past season on doing what we could to overcome the disadvantage we had speed wise to them. They could pretty much out qualify us at any track, with a few exceptions...and always got fastest race lap. Still, they only won at Sebring and Laguna. So although the rules do favor the Saleen, the Pratt & Miller team was able to show that you need more than just a fast car to win consistently.
Originally, the Corvette team was not going to run the full ALMS season, but it appears that the Saleen challenge and the chase for points made GM change their mind. How did the change come about?
Bottom line on that is Doug Fehan. Without doubt he’s one of the best and smartest guys I've met in motorsport. He totally put his tail on the line sending the team to Portland...as like you said; we weren't scheduled or financed to do that race. But he did so knowing that championships were on the line. Like at Le Mans, he made the right call as Ron and I were able to win that race, and keep our championship hopes alive.
How much development of the car took place in the off-season, between 2000 and 2001?
Because of how tough the competition is...lots of development with the car is always going on. Not just the chassis, but the engine, brakes, tires and gearbox...the whole nine yards. I would expect that 2002 will again see the Corvette winning lots of races.
I know that Goodyear developed a new tire for you that debuted at Sears Point. How much difference did that make to the car?
Goodyear actually came up with lots of new tires for us during the year. The development from them never stops. We did find something that worked well for us at Sears, but that tire was actually the result of some things tried at Daytona. Tires are always improving, and the Goodyear guys take the information from each event and then work on improving them. Tires are one of the easiest ways to find lots of time, and I'm confident that Goodyear will keep us in front.
How much do you believe the Saleen will improve having Pirelli tires developed for their car, much like Goodyear does for you?
It is really hard to say what the Saleen will do on Pirelli tires. They do have some experience in the ALMS...I know that Wayne Taylor did a lot of work with them in prototypes.... but I don't believe they ever were able to come up with a tire that consistently worked well at different tracks. Some places they would be strong, and others they would struggle. They did seem to have a good combination with the Dunlop tires, and it will be interesting to see how they work on the Pirellis.
It seemed the season took a down turn at Laguna for Ron and yourself. What happened?
Honestly, Laguna was a strong race for us. I particularly liked the car, and only got beat for fastest race lap by a few hundredths. As it turned out, the pace car came out at the wrong time for us and we lost a ton of track position to the Saleen. Had it worked out differently with the pace car, I believe we could have challenged for the win. But then they had bad luck at Mosport with a pace car. I guess it all evens out.
Did you ever expect that Ron would not be able to win the drivers title? I know it is easy to say in hindsight, but was there ever any discussion about separating you and Ron so that if one car failed early, like it did, the other would still have a chance of running and beating out Terry Borcheller for the GTS Drivers title?
No! I honestly thought Ron would get it, but I was working very hard at getting the point for fastest lap to tie him!!! I thought I had it at Laguna.... but with Road Atlanta being in my back yard, I thought I might have a chance to get the point there. Needless to say it wasn't to be. But in looking at it, it would have been, shall I say, appropriate for him to get it, as he has been such an important part of the Corvette program from the beginning. Anyway...we were both very disappointed as we had pretty much dominated the class all year. As far as splitting us up goes, to be honest the thought never crossed my mind, and would have been something management forced us to do. In my mind, that driver’s championship is earned by two guys...team-mates...and you should win it together. Let’s hope they change the points system for next year, as I know virtually all of the drivers don't like it.
What goes through your head when things go wrong, as they did at the Petit? How do you cope with such instant disappointment, what do you do immediately afterwards, what goes through your head? Do you stay on and support the other car, or leave the track, or go and hide? Tell us what it's really like please.
The Pratt-Miller team is awesome. When things go wrong, like they did at Petit… well you hang out and cheer for the #4 car. The guys on our car were really down, so I just kept telling them what an awesome job that they had done all season. As far as the #4 car is concerned, they did an excellent job, and the fact that they won when we weren't there says a lot about the depth of the team. Of course Ron and I were very disappointed. But I've been doing this so long, you learn to cope with the highs and lows. When looking at the season...heck we won 5 of the 8 ALMS races, and had a second and a third. Then on top of that we also won Daytona and Le Mans. So rather than be bummed out about what could have been, I try to focus on what we did achieve. It was certainly a great year for us.
Would it be fair to say that through 2001, yourself and Ron had a driver advantage over whoever was in the Saleen, the Corvette had a reliability 'advantage', you also had a team advantage but the Saleen had a slight speed advantage? Are you the strongest pair in GTS?
I would tend to think that the pairing of Ron and myself is pretty strong. We both push very hard...all the time. When you combine that with the reliability of the Corvette, well for sure we earned a lot of our wins. I do think that the speed of the Saleen is something to worry about, especially if a team comes along with a strong driver pairing. If that were to happen Ron and I would really have to put our heads down to battle. Currently I do think that we are the strongest pairing...it is a shame that Dodge pulled out, as us battling Beretta and Wendlinger would have been a great show for the fans.
How is it having Ollie (new recruit Oliver Gavin) on the team? Has he given much feedback on the Saleen and its strengths and weaknesses?
I think that Oliver is going to work out great. He's a very nice guy, and talented. As far as the Saleen is concerned, he has basically confirmed everything that we already knew.
Were there any team orders during the season concerning the races or the Championship in your team?
No, there were never any team orders, other than don't take each other out. This was really a nice thing. When I drove for Nissan, I was at the receiving end of team orders on several occasions...and hated it. It is nice when management lets the drivers fight it out, rather than orchestrate finishes.
At least one thing went well for you at your home track. While you were not able to even get in the car during the race at Petit, you were able to stage an auction to benefit the Firefighters and Police in New York. How much money were you able to raise, and when did you come up with the idea?
The auction idea was something I had wanted to do for awhile, and began work on it at Laguna. Initially the proceeds were going to go to the Alzheimers association, to help find a cure. My father had Alzheimers, and I very much look forward to the day when a cure is found. Awful disease. Anyway, with what happened on September 11th, everything changed and I could not help but think of all of the families, and particularly young kids, who were going to be facing some tough times. So the auction got bigger, and all of the teams and drivers were very generous. Everyone wanted to help...which to me as an American was really cool in that I had drivers from France, Germany, Italy...all over Europe.... helping. It made me realize how tight our racing fraternity is, and what good friends I had. Anyway, through the auction we raised just over $25,000 and then with another program I did with Road Atlanta, made another $8,500 for a local charity that helps out senior citizens with Alzheimers. So that part of the Petit weekend went quite well.... and the fans loved the chance to get some stuff that they would have otherwise not been able to get. We'll do it again next year for sure.
Some people may view moving from the prototype class with Panoz to the GTS Class in the ‘Vettes as a step down. What made you view this as a good career move?
Moving from the prototypes to the GTS car with Corvette was an easy move to make. Quite simply, the Panoz team was not allowing me a situation in which I could win races, and I would rather be in a situation where I had the tools to compete. I have no doubts about my being fast enough in a prototype, and I'm certain if you ask the everyday guys at Panoz...they would agree with me. Doug Fehan and GM gave me an opportunity to again show I can win races...I was glad to jump at it.
What went wrong at Panoz for you?
Hmmm. Well things started out very good. Tony Dowe was running the place, and both cars and teams were very equal. Tony was great to work for and really laid the foundation upon which a lot of that team still remains. Anyway, it was soon after Jan and I signed that Tony was let go. Both cars still had a strong season, Jan and I won...David and Eric won.... no complaints. Probably the biggest difference...and it was significant...was engineering. The best person to chat about that would be Jan. Anyway, we all looked forward to the 2000 season. Then in December 1999, David Price got hired and things for me went really bad. Contract wise, both Jan and I got jerked around, Jan got moved to David’s car, and they brought in Hiroki for me. Then to top it all off, Hiroki and I weren't given an engineer, but rather a data guy to help us out. Initially we were helped with set-up by Chris Gorne...who is certainly one of the best engineers around...anywhere...and at Sebring and Silverstone I felt we had a stronger car than David and Jan. But after that race, well I think the information stopped flowing to our car and we suffered. Needless to say the rest of the season was a huge disappointment. As a driver, you need to believe you are getting an equal chance of winning, and in 2000 I was not even close to getting that.
You obviously have some insight into what happened at Panoz last season. How were they able to turn it around so quickly?
They were able to turn it around by going back to the old car, and getting rid of some personnel that perhaps led Don down the wrong path. The main core of people there...the mechanics, fabricators, Andy Waldrep, Chris Gorne...the drivers...were all very good. To improve on what they have now, well there is still work that I'm sure will get done...and in my mind...if they still had Robert Yates doing the engines...they would be beating Audi on a more regular basis.
You are, in my eyes, one of the best-kept secrets in sportscar racing currently. You are known, but not as well known as you could or should be. You have won in Formula Russell, Formula Atlantic, and Indy Lights and tested quite well for Paul Stewart Racing for F-3, yet apart from some occasional IRL races, you have been in sportscars exclusively since 1991. What caused the change when you had F-1 aspirations?
That was simply a financial move. I very much...more than anything...wanted to compete in Europe and get to F-1. After my test with PSR, both Jackie and Bobby Rahal were making calls for me to do F-3. I wanted that so bad. Anyway, even with their help, we could not get even close to getting the money we needed. No one in the States was willing to help. So I took a look at Tommy Kendall, someone I raced with in my younger days, saw that he was having a good result in sportscars...and getting paid, and realized that getting paid to race sportscars was better than not driving open wheel cars.
According to what I read, at the F-3 tryouts, you tested quickest, faster than David Coulthard, Gil de Ferran and Mika Salo. What happened? Is it a matter of the US drivers not being supported well enough to be able to make the next step overseas, and when you look at where their careers are now, are you disappointed at where you are now?
There was certainly a time when I was angry at not getting a chance to show what I could do...especially when I looked at what David and Gil were doing. But I got over that and just figured God had a plan... and for me it wasn't going to be in F-1. Rather than worry about it, I decided to just make sure I did the best job I could do in sportscars. I feel so lucky to be doing what I do, as I've known a lot of very talented guys who never got a chance. I think I've shown I'm one of the strongest American sportscar drivers if not world wide, and with luck should be for another ten years or so.
How did you hook up with Nissan, in which you had quite a long string of success?
Those were great days at Nissan. I got in by making phone calls every couple of weeks...and just bugging them to put me in the car! When they finally did, I went quick, and it was just a matter of time before I got a full time ride with them. It's unfortunate that I came along at the end of NPTI as I knew I would have had great opportunities with them. Still, working in the GTS program with Clayton Cunningham and Frank Honsowetz was an awesome experience. I never did get along well with Steve Millen, but he was a very strong driver from whom I learned a lot. He made me understand that there was a lot more to the game than just being quick. We did get some pretty big wins together.
You're kind of modest about your success with Nissan. Tell about some of your success and experiences with Nissan in what some consider the "dark ages" of sportscar racing.
Well they really were some great days at Nissan. Perhaps my biggest break in racing came from them. I was doing the occasional race for the GTS team in the 300ZX, but really wanted a go at the P-cars. Kas Kasner had told some folks that he wanted to give me a go, but it never seemed to happen. Anyway, my wife and I had moved to Phoenix, so that I could work at Bondurants and make a little extra dough. We had been there about 2 weeks when NPTI showed up at Firebird to do some testing. I stopped by to say hello and get a leg in the door so to speak, when one of the guys told me that Geoff Brabham had to leave early tomorrow, and would I like to finish his work!!! That was the first time I ever got in the car, and luckily I got pretty close to his times. I knew that it was an important time and made the most of it. From that point on I did a lot of testing for NPTI and was looking forward to more things with them when NPTI folded. Luckily I got moved to the GTS program full time. There were a lot of politics there initially, which I hated, but after Millen got hurt at Watkins Glen, I was able to pick up the torch so to speak. I finished second to Tommy Kendall by one or two points for the championship, which I probably would have won had it not been for the Watkins Glen accident and some team orders. Still, I was voted IMSA driver of the year, which was nice.
The next season was a good one, but again team orders determined that I would be the number two. Once more, I finished second in the championship, again by like a point; team orders played a role in that. Still, we won some big races...got to race and get a win at Le Mans first time.... so although I didn't get what I thought should have been my championship, I was pleased at the work I had done. 1995 was a tough year for us in that we had a new engine from Infiniti that really wasn't quite as stout as the engine in the Olds Aurora. I did win a race or two, but suffered through several engine failures. It was a shame that Nissan pulled out of racing after that as they had built up quite a strong reputation in sports cars.
I saw somewhere that you were involved in the BRM Prototype in 1997, but your injuries from an IRL race prevented you from racing it. How did this come about, and did the car show any promise?
The BRM thing came about because Pacific Racing, which was running the car, were using the same engine from the Nissan 300ZX. I did manage to qualify the car for Le Mans...in the last minute or so of pre-qualifying...but it really was not a very good car aerodynamically. Also, there were big problems there with the engine. It was quite funny in that you would go down Mulsanne, shift into 5th, and then have to go back into 4th, as the engine did not have the power to pull fifth through the air. Then back to 5th...and so on. I do feel all of the Pacific guys were great, but the budget to develop the car wasn't there, and Keith Wiggins and Ian Dawson had all they could do to get the car to the track.
The general public views you and your fellow drivers as having a very glamorous life. Give us a dose of reality and explain what your schedule is really like.
For the longest time my brother thought I had the greatest life. Then after I had an oil line break on me at Indy in '97, and wound up destroying my feet, his tone changed. All of a sudden it wasn't that great a job...and we certainly did not get paid enough!! When things are going well however.... I would agree that it is a pretty great life to be able to lead. There is a lot of hard work, but personally I tend to like it. I love testing whether it is for sprint races or 24-hour tests. You get a great feeling of satisfaction improving the car, working with chassis and tire engineers. I also enjoy just being with the guys on the team. The schedule to be honest is not so tough. I remember my father, who for 25 years took a train into New York everyday, and then took it home again at night. That guy worked hard. I think that unless you are a NASCAR driver or big F-1 star...relative to everyone else you've got it pretty easy.
Do you have any intention of going back to the IRL, or are you firmly entrenched in sportscars for now?
That’s a good question, and one I get asked often. I really don't see myself going back to the IRL...even for Indy. I have a lot of respect for the guys that do compete there, some of them are extremely good at that style of racing. But honestly, strictly oval racing does not interest me. I very much enjoy the athleticism required in road racing, and the fact that even if the car isn't right, a good driver can make a difference. On ovals, if the car isn't right, you can just about forget trying to win, it becomes more of a survival thing.
How do you manage to keep a family together with this kind of schedule, and how difficult is it having young children with your career choice?
It's a funny thing, but kids and a wife certainly put things into perspective. It is never easy going on the road for races and tests...leaving them alone. I don't think it is that hard on them, in that that is all they have ever known, but still it’s hard. The plus side to what we do is that when you are home, you really do get to spend a lot of time with them. Anyone that has ever met Robin my wife knows that she is just the greatest lady in the world. I could not have chosen better and she really does an excellent job at everything she does.
Would you want your children to follow in your steps?
My initial reaction to that is no. Certainly not as a driver. It's just too difficult to rise through the sport. But that's thinking like a driver. As a father, you really want to support them and their choices. So if one of them should choose to give it a shot, I would do what I could to help. Not financially though, as my parents never helped me that way. If they wanted to do it, they would have to do it like I did, and earn the money themselves. I sure hope they choose something else though.
What do you do in your spare time to relax?
To relax I really enjoy spending time with my family. We all do karate together, and compete in tournaments. My wife and son are very very good...and it is so cool to see them compete. I enjoy it myself, and love the challenges of it. I went hunting for the first time this past year, and although never a gun advocate or fan of hunting, I found to my surprise that I really enjoyed it. Mostly though to relax, I either spend time in our boat, or doing home repair. Robin thinks my hobby is collecting power-tools....and I'd have a hard time arguing with her on that.
What are your personal goals for the future? You still have a long career ahead of you, but how long do you see yourself racing, and what happens when you decide to hang it up?
My long-term goals in racing are to compete as a driver with GM for hopefully the rest of my career. They really are great to work with. I would like to get a win at Petit Le Mans.... that’s pretty important. Also, I will have to, at some point, get back into a prototype at Le Mans, as I would like an overall win there. I think that as long as I can stay fit...I'll be racing. Guys like Bob Wollek and Hans Stuck show that you can be competitive against younger guys if you stay hungry. When I finally do decide to hang it up, I'm certain that I will stay associated with the sport.
How did the November testing of the Corvette go at Sebring? What kind of improvements and developments can we expect to see over the next season?
That testing went very well, and I know that with what we learned, the Corvette will be very strong next season. Development never stops in a race team, and I'm certain that the car we finish next season with will be an improved version of the car we start with. There are not many areas in which to make a big gain, but lots of areas to make small gains. I do see us again being the team to beat. Should a strong team get one of the Saleens, it will of course be a much bigger challenge. But then really that is what you want. I would be great to see more manufacturers get involved, and hopefully the series keeps growing and that will happen.
How does it feel to be back in the saddle again, testing after such a long break, and how did this last testing session go?
It was great to be working again, moving forward with a lot of the stuff we learned at our Sebring test in November. The guys at Goodyear have come up with some really good tires, so we should be good there, and the Katech guys have found us even more power. I think it is going to be a great season, and that we should do well.
Gary Horrocks
http://www.dailysportscar.com
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