Are you choosing the right motor oil - Find out Get an instant oil change now - Visit VIOC.COM Learn how to keep your car looking good - Find out

Driver of the Month - July

Print this Page | Email this Page


Patrick Carpentier
» Learn how Valvoline gives race teams the competitive edge they can trust

Catching up with Patrick Carpentier

Patrick Carpentier, driver of the No. 10 Valvoline Dodge for Gillett Evernham Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, does not fit the mold of an up-and-coming stock car driver. He’s Canadian. And French Canadian at that. His background is not dirt tracks but ovals and road courses. And he comes from an open wheel racing background. That makes for culture shock for the Quebec native and a burning drive to learn stock car racing from anyone and everyone.

Valvoline.com sat down with Carpentier at the recent NASCAR Sprint Cup road race at Infineon Raceway in California to ask about how difficult this first NASCAR season has been for him — and who he’s found to help him.

Q: What has the learning curve from open wheel to stock cars been like?
PC: It has been a steep learning curve. It’s harder than anything I’ve ever done, but it’s getting better. On the ovals we’re starting to have a few good runs lately. I am pretty happy about that. I enjoy it and love driving the car. It’s a learning process that is pretty painful. I’ve seen many other drivers from open wheel go through the pain. You just need to keep on working hard and it will get better. It’s not one thing...it’s everything. You have to re-educate yourself from open wheel and lose some of those open wheel habits.

Q: Other than GEM personnel, who has been helpful to you?
PC: A lot of the guys have been helpful and I really appreciate that. Tony Stewart came to my trailer last week to help and he gave me good advice. Mark Martin has been helping me out quite a bit too. Kenny Schrader -- when I started last year -- was real helpful to me, especially in qualifying. If you work with the guys on the track they will help you. It’s been good overall.

Q: Describe your living style
PC: I like to work with my hands. I like construction and stuff like that. I am more of a blue collar guy.

Q: Who at GEM has been especially helpful to you?
PC: Ray Evernham has been very helpful and has been coaching me along the way. It’s been great working with him. Kasey (Kahne) and Elliott (Sadler) have also been working with me and they have also been great. It’s really helpful to talk to other drivers...you need that. It’s been good and hopefully it will keep on getting better.

Q: What’s it like emotionally to have to qualify for the race?
PC: You can only give it your best and hope you make it every week. The driver and car need to come alive at the same time. When we make the race it’s almost like a little victory. You go through a lot of different emotions during the week and during the weekend.

Driver of the Month»



Race Tech: Race adjustments carry Carpentier at Sonoma

Communication between Carpentier and Crew Chief Mike Shiplett at Sonoma’s road race illustrates how driver feedback impacts pit stop adjustments.

Carpentier started the race 37th and worked his way into the top-35 within 10 laps of the start. Shortly after, Carpentier explained he was lacking rear grip. The crew would need to wait until the next caution in order to make the necessary adjustments. Carpentier struggled through the next 23 laps before the caution and Crew Chief Shiplett called for four tires, fuel, air pressure, and chassis adjustments on the pit stop.

"This should give you a lot more grip," Shiplett explained over the radio.

Shiplett’s changes did the job. After taking the green flag, Carpentier methodically started picking away at the positions in front of him. By lap 58 the Valvoline Dodge showed in the 28th spot.

The changes worked for a time but they didn’t seem to last over the long run.
"It’s better than before," Carpentier said. "But it’s getting looser the longer I run."

The Valvoline Dodge continued through the last half of the race needing more rear grip.
"We weren’t able to get on the throttle too hard coming off the corners," Carpentier later said. "That’s frustrating at a road course when it’s such an important aspect of getting runs off (the corners). Once we lowered the track bar it helped it a lot, but the car continued to jump around. We had a strong Valvoline Dodge getting in the corners. We just need to work on our exit a little bit."

The turning point for the Valvoline team came after a multi-car crash that brought out the caution on lap 106. Carpentier ran in the 28th spot and needed a track bar adjustment to give the No. 10 a bit more grip.

"If we pit and the guys behind you stay out, you’re going to have to be able to get those spots back," Shiplett said over the radio.

"I need the change," Carpentier said. "If you can get me more grip, I’ll get those spots back."

So the team pitted for tires and a chassis adjustment. And their plan worked.
In the closing laps Carpentier gained seven positions to finish 23rd, his best finish of his rookie season, so far.
Privacy Policy      Contact      Print Friendly      Share this Page      Site Map     
©2001-2008 Ashland. All Rights Reserved.