Chat Transcript
CBS SportsLine.com
March 13, 2001

1991, Stricklin finished a career-high 16th in the point standings. (Allsport)

Check out what Winston Cup driver Hut Stricklin had to say during his chat about the start of the 2001 racing season.

Entering his 14th Winston Cup season, Stricklin is looking to have a breakout year. He is sponsored by Hill Bros and is part of the Junie Donlavey Racing team. Last year, his best finish was 14th at the Brickyard 400.

Stricklin had his best year in 1991, where he finished a career-high 16th in the point standings. During that year, drove for Bobby Allison and had his best finish at Michigan placing second. In 1996, he placed second to Jeff Gordon in the Southern 500 at Darlington.

To read more about Stricklin, log on to Hillsbrosracing.com.

Hut Stricklin: I would like to say hello to everyone. I appreciate you having me here tonight. It is always a pleasure doing things like this, talking to the fans and all. I look forward to your questions.

Question: barky: Do you feel that being with Donlavey Racing and Hill Bros will give you the stability you need to shake that "always a bridesmaid" feeling?

Hut Stricklin: Well I think so. We are not at all where we need to be as a team yet. We feel we are making giant strides here and we feel this thing could develop into something huge!

Question: stevo47: Which of your cars will you be driving at Darlington? Is it one of your favorites? What is it's record?

Hut Stricklin: We decided after Atlanta to take that same car to Darlington. It was brand new and had never been on a track. We learned an awful lot from that. And felt like after qualifying 25th at Atlanta, that would be a better car for Darlington.

Question: strick: How many cars do you take to a racing event and do you work on the cars yourself?

Hut Stricklin: We take two cars to each race. A primary and backup. No, I don't work on them. In fact I try to stay as far away from the tool box as I can. Last year I was crew chief and driver and called all the shots. It was impossible to do both. We have a great crew chief in Bobby King and a good support group. I said I am going to let y'all work on the car and I am strictly driving it. So that is what we are doing.

Question: rappel: You wore the HANS at Vegas and it helped you out during a wreck, what is good and what is bad about it? Would you have worn it if not for Dale's tragedy

Hut Stricklin: So far, I really haven't seen a negative side of it yet. There is a lot of concern about getting out of the car with it on. You can get out but it isn't as easy. But you CAN get out. That is what some think as a negative. The positives, especially after Las Vegas when we cut a tire in turn 3 and hit the wall hard, after such a great impact with the wall my head and neck and shoulders were no where near as sore as it usually would be after a hit like that. I was impressed. Besides that you can cinch your shoulder belts down tighter than normally too. That gives you a good feeling of security. I definitely would have worn it. I ordered it about a month before Daytona. I actually wanted to have it and it was supposed to be there before the 125s. But I guess they were so backed up with the orders they couldn't get it to the drivers in time. I got mine later and Rockingham was the first race I used it.

Question: martin_fan: Why were there so many blown engines at Atlanta? Is it true that there was a faulty lot of pistons? If so, what is being done about it?

Hut Stricklin: I haven't heard what everyone was breaking, really. I knew people were having engine problems. But normally in Atlanta there are a few things. The RPMs (9000+) and a 500 mile race. Its just incredibly long. I think that's the biggest factor of what happened this weekend. The engine guys had their work cut out for them with a 500 mile race in Atlanta.

Question: jarret_fan: Going back to the HANS device do you think it should me mandatory?

Hut Stricklin: No. I don't. I would certainly like to see every driver wear it. But it is like a certain type of seat or steering wheel. I don't really don't want to see NASCAR get to the point where they say you HAVE to wear something. But from a personal standpoint I would like to see every driver want to wear it. It makes the cars safer.

Question: 90fan: What do you think about the testing rules Nascar has? (Seems to help Mult. Car teams)

Hut Stricklin: I kind of have mixed emotions. Without a doubt the multi car teams have an advantage. But on the other hand it saves teams a lot of money by keeping the tests to a limited number like they do.

Question: jim4hut: Hut do you feel that Ford is at a disadvantage?

Hut Stricklin: Yeah, I do a bit right now. I feel that the Fords are not making the total down force that the Chevrolet are making.

Question: nascarnut: What do you especially like/dislike about Darlington? What is your favorite/least favorite track?

Hut Stricklin: I always tell people my most favorite track is the one we are going to next and since we are going to Darlington... haha! I like Darlington and Charlotte. Tracks where you have to really drive the car. Darlington is a track where you, as a driver, makes you think. It is a thinking man's track. You have to use your head more than your right foot. It is like the saying "You've got to race the race track." Well it is true. And you have to forget about the competitors out there.

Question: vahut: Are you and Bobby Allison still close?

Hut Stricklin: Yes we are. Bobby and I talk a lot still. We're still friends.

Question: rappel: Hut, it was rumored you all were switching to Yates engines, is that happening?

Hut Stricklin: Not to my knowledge. I think that was just a rumor that got started. I really don't know where it came from. Mark Smith is doing our engines now with TriStar. We're happy with him and he does a great job. Him along with all of us, we have to get a bit better to take it to the next level and in Mark we have a guy capable of doing that.

Question: adminmayor: Do you make lots of public appearances with your race car during the off season or during the early part of race weeks?

Hut Stricklin: I don't do that many. Hills Brothers Coffee, our sponsor, really hasn't had me do many appearances. As far as outside the race track. I do an appearance pretty much every Sunday in the hospitality area and everything we do is at the racetrack.

Question: nuthin_but_net: I've got to know. You are out there on the track, in the heat, for HOURS. What happens when nature calls?

Hut Stricklin: Believe it or not that is a common question. Most of the time I don't have the luxury of answering it online. It's in front of people and they see me turn red. When it calls, you try to go before a race. but when you got to go, you go. I have been fortunate and only have had to do that a few times in my career. Luckily I have a good bladder!

Question: bbdawg: How hard is it to get back in a race car after seeing accidents that claim the lives or seriously injure your fellow drivers?

Hut Stricklin: You know.. the way I approach it is to block it out of my mind. Say these things happen to other people and not me. To do my job that is how I have to approach it. I know it is a dangerous sport and you have to have respect for your equipment and know it can hurt you. But for the most part I try to block it all out and focus on my job at hand.

Question: vahut: Do you realize that you have a lot of fans,that go way back to the old Heinz 57 days?

Hut Stricklin: I tell you what.. I get surprised every day by fans. The fans I have are SO loyal and it is SO neat to go through the highs and lows and have the fans still support you is truly overwhelming. I am fortunate to have fans stick by me. When times get rough and they send cards and letters to tell you not to give up and they still believe in you.. that is what helps keep me going.

Question: rappel: Hut, Donlavey Racing has always been the sentimental favorite of a lot of fans, what is it like to drive for Junie?

Hut Stricklin: He is, by far, the easiest going owner I have ever driven for. All he asks is that you do your best each and every time you go out. If you do that, he is tickled to death. He is a neat guy to drive for and we have a lot of fun. We cut up and carry on about a lot of things and that makes it enjoyable to drive for him.

Question: 90fan: How is it looking for getting a Busch Team started in the future?

Hut Stricklin: I'm not as far down the road as I would like to be right now. I am working on it behind the scenes. I would like to be closer than I am but right now the #1 focus is to keep this Hills Bros Coffee Ford running and in all the races. And to get this team as good as it can be. My focus is on that now. I want a Busch team and even maybe my own Winston Cup team someday. But that is not my priority.

Question: vick: Hut, how are Taylor and Tabitha?

Hut Stricklin: They are good! Taylor, matter of fact we got back from a basketball game of his. The team won and he is doing well. Tabitha is going to break me with shoes. She has like 14,000 pairs of shoes. That is unbelievable for a 14-year old girl!

Question: rappel: Hut, what's it like carrying on the legacy of the Alabama Gang since you are the only full time Alabama driver in Cup today?

Hut Stricklin: It is really, to me, disappointing that it has come down to just me. Especially with all the tragedies that we've had and different things like that. I hope that someday to carry that torch and make it as bright as the Allisons and all in their time. We're doing all we can do to try to keep an Alabama driver out there and get more out there all the time.

Hut Stricklin: I want to say, once again, this has been an enjoyment tonight to talk to all you fans. Hopefully we can do it again in the near future. Keep your fingers crossed for us in Darlington. This is a track where I almost won a Winston Cup race at and maybe we can have a good and safe run there. I appreciate you writing in and I wish we had more time and could talk a little longer. Goodnight!