Conversation: Jason Leffler

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Jason Leffler is a unique treasure in the upper echelon of motorsports.

Most racers invest huge portions of their careers attempting to reach the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. But for the 2002 season Leffler, 26, a native of Long Beach, Calif., was happy to get out of Winston Cup so he could race more than just the 22 races he's signed up for with Ultra Motorsports in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Leffler, who was a multiple champion in the United States Auto Club before he began racing in the NASCAR Busch Series in the late 1990s, has taken the Truck Series by storm while also racing open wheel cars whenever he can. In nine races -- while still searching for his first win -- he has four Bud Poles and has not started out of the top-five.

Before he traveled to Milwaukee to compete at The Milwaukee Mile -- a track with great historical significance to the open wheel veteran -- Leffler took an extended pit stop with NASCAR.com's Dave Rodman to discuss going fast, skateboards and yellow Labradors.

I know what your hobbies are -- so would you rather race than eat?

Leffler: (laughing) Yeah. I mean -- I race so I can eat. I like racing, obviously -- that's what my whole life revolves around. I'll race anything and I just really enjoy it.

Growing up in Southern California, did you ever consider being a surfer...or a rock musician?

Leffler: No, but I used to skateboard a lot. My brother, Chris Lee, was a good skateboarder and he was sponsored and all that. I used to do a lot of BMX, but nothing major, just around the house -- around the neighborhood. Chris is still in the skateboard business.

Around where you grew up, what was the public opinion of racers, and how did it go over with your friends at school?

Leffler: No one there knew anything about racing, other than the Long Beach Grand Prix, and that was more of just a happening than anything. In high school and even before that I was the only kid that was really into racing -- that would wear racing shirts to school. People would ask questions, but really no one knew anything about it.

We had a local dirt track at that time, Ascot Speedway in Gardena. Some people from school went to that every now and then. That was what really got me hooked on racing -- going to that track.

Your dad, Charlie, was really big into racing. Was he a major influence on you?

Leffler: Yeah, he was just a race fan. He got me started and just loved all types of racing. He was definitely a huge influence on me. My dad passed away last year, but he was involved in my career right up until he did. He owned all my race cars up until 1997, when I moved back to Indianapolis and started racing for other people, but he was always heavily involved in it and very supportive. Him and my mom were -- my whole family is, really -- so it was a great atmosphere for me.

Back home, you grew up around Parnelli Jones and his sons, P.J. and Page. To hang out at his shop is kinda like going to spring training and hanging out in the clubhouse with Babe Ruth or Willy Mays -- what was that experience like?

Leffler: It was great, being with his whole family. Parnelli instilled an energy in you, or a sense that you can't be intimidated by anything or anybody. He's tough. Even today, I don't know, he's like 65 and he could probably throw down with anybody.

You meet a lot of people in racing that say, 'If I could have done this, I might have won that race, or this or that. . .' Well, he's won about everything he's ever driven. He won the Indianapolis 500; he's won Winston Cup races. . . It's pretty amazing to be around someone like that.

You had a successful open wheel career going -- right up to making some Indy car starts -- but then you switched to NASCAR. How much did you sweat making that change?

Leffler: I didn't really sweat it too bad. I had an opportunity to test for Roger Penske in the CART (Fed-Ex Championship) Series and I was doing a lot of IRL testing at the time for Treadway Racing.

But Tony Stewart got me a test with Joe Gibbs in the Busch Series. I wasn't really sweating it too bad -- I knew it was tough, but I knew that coming down here and going with a team like Gibbs' was going to be great.

Obviously I've got a huge learning curve and I still do, but going with a team like Joe Gibbs' and the way his attitude is towards racing and towards people, it wasn't a bad transition at all.

You've been able to maintain that contact with your open wheel racing background. Does that make it easier?

Leffler: Yeah. I enjoy it. Last year I couldn't do any of it, when I was in the Winston Cup, the way my contract (with Chip Ganassi Racing) was written. I really missed it a lot.

I think it's great. It keeps me sharp. Instead of going out on the lake on the weekend, you're going out racing. It obviously keeps your reflexes going and it keeps your mind in race mode, so to speak. I think it helps.

Your first eight races into the Craftsman Truck Series have been pretty phenomenal -- with the exception of winning a race. What do you ascribe that start to? Did your Winston Cup experience get you used to a heavy vehicle with high horsepower?

Leffler: We feel like winning a race is only a matter of time.

The Winston Cup experience certainly helped. When you're racing against guys like Mark Martin and people of that caliber that they have in Winston Cup, it speeds up your learning curve pretty quick.

But driving this truck, with (crew chief) Timmy Kohuth, it's always been fast. They have always had success with Scott Riggs winning five races last year I knew the truck was fast. It is always set up well right off the trailer, and that gives me a lot of confidence, right there, knowing that, too.

Racing everything from Silver Crown cars to Midgets to stock cars, does that make you have to adapt to new facilities and new cars pretty quickly?

Leffler: Yeah, I think so. I think it helps running all kinds of different cars. I think you just have to remind yourself of what type of car you're in that day.

This is my third year in stock car racing so I'm starting to learn the trucks, or stock cars, a little easier. I'm learning the chassis changes and what changes I like and things like that.

You've been fast out of the box in stock cars, winning poles in all three divisions and leading the Truck Series in Bud Poles. But in terms of career accomplishments -- looking around I see you winning the Hoosier 100 at the mile dirt Indiana State Fairgrounds in a Silver Crown car and the Night Before The 500 Midget race on asphalt on consecutive nights. Plus you made an Indy 500 start. What do you consider your best career achievement?

Leffler: I don't know -- that's hard to put my finger on.

The Hoosier 100 is really one of my biggest wins, but from a personal standpoint I think it would be something like the Hut 100 or the Belleville Nationals.

All I ever wanted to be was a Midget champion -- some kind of USAC champion. Now, I have run in the Daytona 500 and the Indy 500 -- some really big races that I never thought I would get a chance to compete in.

But to this point, it's definitely those dirt races. It will be nice to win a Busch or a truck race -- something in NASCAR. I definitely think we'll win some truck races here and before too long.

I want to get another shot at Winston Cup, with a good team that can win races (but) whatever I race I want to be successful at it.

What kind of street driver are you?

Leffler: (laughing) I hope, a very good one. I don't get too many tickets. I did get pinched once for being pretty fast -- where was it? I guess it was in Georgia after leaving Talladega. I was running up around 100 mph. I was used to running 180 so I was just running down the highway.

How did you meet your wife, Alison?

Leffler: It was through racing. We met through mutual friends and I had known her for quite a few years. Her family is into racing (and) we kinda were enemies at first 'cause I was driving for the competition. I was driving for Pete Willoughby and he had a Stealth chassis and her family, her dad is Bob East, builds the Beast chassis.

What's your thought on kids and are you and Alison looking at having a child any time soon?

Leffler: Not for a while, we don't think. We have two full size yellow Labradors and they are enough trouble. As much as we travel, with our schedules and being on the toad so much it would be tough right now.

In terms of your career path, how do you see that at this stage? Is the Indy 500 still one of your goals?

Leffler: Ultimately I would like to have a shot at winning the Indy 500 again. I want to win some Winston Cup races and to have an opportunity with an established team or a team capable of getting to Victory Lane.

Having done it (racing one season in Winston Cup) without a whole lot of success I want to go back and redeem myself.