Q: Do they help you with a checklist to get things done in time for next year?
TS: I’m not sure that we’ve sought that type of agenda yet from those guys, but obviously you know and I know from owning my teams is that you have to get those key people hired. That’s the first step is getting your key people hired right away and letting those people hire what they think are the key people for the rest of the organization. It’s going back to what Joe Gibbs always said. You hire the right people to do the right job. You hire that team manager and that floor manager and those people that know who the right people are to get for the race team and hopefully our name attached to it and us driving the cars next year, that’s hopefully my side of it and I can help attract some of these people to want to come over and work with us.
Q: How many sleepless nights or good night’s sleep are you looking for?
TS: A lot of good night’s sleeps for sure. But if I wasn’t stressed out or I wasn’t worried about it, it obviously wouldn’t mean anything. So this ought to show everybody how dedicated I am to what we’re doing.
Q: Do you think you’ll have A.J. in the pits with you for the Daytona 500?
TS: It would be cool if we could get him there. So if there is a laptop that has to be thrown I’ll let him do it. Knowing that I’m paying for it, it’s a little harder to pick it up and throw it. Plus, I won’t be in there to do it anyway, so somebody is going to have to fill my spot [laughter].
Q: Was going to NASCAR for your car numbers a difficult process?
TS: Eddie Jarvis is the one who went through that process. We looked at what car numbers were available and once we decided internally what numbers we wanted to look at, Eddie went to NASCAR and worked through that process with them. But we got our first choice in the No. 4 and the No. 14. So it wasn’t a situation where we didn’t get the numbers we wanted. It was more making sure that we understood and knew 100 percent that Morgan-McClure’s intentions were going to be and what they had planned. We didn’t want to take their number away from them if they had intentions of coming back. That was something that was a priority for us.
Q: What’s your short list for drivers of the second car?
TS: It’s about three guys right now. You look out there, and there are not a lot of guys available to begin with that we 
think would fit the program. It’s down to three at the most and realistically two.
Q: Have you asked Ryan Newman how he feels about the number 4?
TS: I haven’t asked Ryan or the other two how they feel about any car numbers right now. It’s more about trying to figure out if they are going to be the right person for the organization and which one of them is really interested in us.
Q: Are all your potential choices driving in Cup right now?
TS: Yes. Childress is trying to start another team and Gibbs is trying to start a fourth team now, so we’re kind of in the same boat as any car owners trying to get a new driver and going through that process. That’s part of the sleepless nights thing. You’re trying to figure out what can you do to attract the guys that you want and you get down to the two or three guys, it’s what you can do to get the one that you really want. If you can’t get that guy, you get the guy behind him on the list of the guys behind that guy.
Q: NASCAR’S newest testing policy looks like 24 dates per organization. Do you plan to have a test driver and team?
TS: I think a lot of the teams are going to have test drivers that will also be a part of their programs and I think that’s what you have to do. That many days on top of the amount of days we’re already at the race track is almost unfeasible.
If you can get a driver in your organization that maybe runs a Nationwide car or truck or that’s been in a Cup car in the past that wants to come and do some testing that you feel would have similar feedback that you have, that would be a huge asset to the organization.
Q: Richard Petty reminded people to connect with the fans. Do you think that was needed?
TS: Any time Richard Petty has anything to say, it’s important. He’s been here for 50 years and he’s been through some huge changes in the sport and he’s able to put it all in perspective in a way that a lot of us haven’t seen and can’t put into perspective. I think anytime Richard has anytime of advice or input on what’s going on, it’s very valuable.
MaxChevy will keep you posted on who will drive and sponsor the other SHR #4 car.