Tech Q&A: Donnie Richeson

By Troy Fletcher, for Turner Sports Interactive
October 12, 2001
10:31 AM EDT (1431 GMT)

Some people take career paths with several detours, but Donnie Richeson wasn't one of them -- he has been a part of racing since he was a teen-ager.

Now, 26 years later, he is still in the sport, serving as the Busch Grand National Series crew chief for Geoffrey Bodine, who pilots the No. 66 Phillips 66/Trop Artic Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

During Richeson's time in NASCAR, he has been able to gain a strong knowledge of how to tune cars.

The Owensboro, Ky., native has worked with drivers such as David, Mark and Jeff Green, the late Alan Kulwicki, Kyle Petty, Brett Bodine, and Jeff Burton over the years.

Although the Busch Series races at so many new tracks nowadays, Richeson thinks Memphis (Tenn.) Motorsports Park still has its own personality.

It is a .75-mile facility with 11 degree banking in the corners and 4 degree banking in the straights to go along with 1,100 feet front and back stretches.

Since 1999, the Busch Series has been holding an annual event at the track. Here are Richeson's thoughts about the facility:

Q: What kind of challenges does Memphis Motors Park offer a Busch Series crew chief like yourself?

A: Memphis is similar to a lot of the short tracks we compete at, but it does have some unique characteristics. As you are going into Turn 3, it has rolling bumps which really give the car a light feel.

Then on the other end as you go into Turn 1, there is also some bumps and you have to be careful about the amount of brake you use into that corner, so the car doesn't bottom out. Once you get past those two corners, you are all right.

Q: How do you approach finding the right setup for a track like Memphis?

A: Memphis, like almost every track, is broken down into a two-race weekend. The first race is in qualifying, and, of course, you want to have a good qualifying run so that you can get good track position.

But I also know that what makes a car go fast for two laps doesn't really make it good on long runs. In terms of finding the race setup, we like to throw as much at the track as we can in the one-hour practice session and see if we can stick something.

Q: What role does the wedge play at a track like Memphis?

A: The wedge is a big deal at a track like Memphis. We are always trying to get the right setup for the rear springs and rear shocks, plus the location of where to run the truck arms is a big deal. Also, a driver's style plays a big part in getting the right setup at Memphis.

Some drivers have a real heavy right foot and some other drivers just ease into the throttle with some finesse. I personally think Memphis has become a finesse track. Before, you could just put your foot down to the pedal and go. But now you have to finesse the car out of the corners, so the car doesn't get too loose.

Q: What is your approach in terms of tire strategy for a short track like Memphis?

A: One thing about the Busch Series is that NASCAR limits the amount of tires we can use for races. So, because of that, you are basically in a poker match. You have to know "when to hold them and when to fold them."

You have to decide things like, how long are you going to stay with first set of tires?

For example, if everybody pits on Lap 40, do you want to gamble and stay out there? Then as the race gets to the end, you have to decide if it is worth coming in to get newer tires without giving up too much track position.

Q: Considering that almost all the tracks in the Busch Series are a mile or longer, does the .75-mile Memphis facility have a unique place on the circuit?

A: Yes, I think it does. I think it is a lot of fun to come to a track like Memphis because this is the type of track most drivers cut their teeth on. Plus, this is not a track where high-dollar teams will have an advantage because speed is not a real big issue here.

A track like Memphis kind of levels the playing field for everybody. To be successful here, it has a lot to do with the driver and the chassis. People have more control over what happens here, not what someone did in wind tunnel testing three months ago.

This track isn't about who has the most horsepower, but rather who uses the horsepower the best.