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INDYCAR MEDIA CONFERENCEApril 18, 2015Townsend BellMichael BuckleyGeorge Del CantoDennis ReinboldTHE MODERATOR: Needless to say, we're excited to be here at Long Beach. But what we're talking about is the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500. I want to introduce our esteemed guests here who are going to be a big part of the 99th running. First I want to introduce Dennis Reinbold, president of Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Then Townsend Bell, driver of the 24 machine for the Indy 500 this year. Then Michael Buckley, CEO of Robert Graham Company. Finally George del Canto, president of Kingdom Racing. Needless to say, if you study the Indy 500 at all, you know that the Dreyer & Reinbold family probably has the longest tenure at the speedway than anybody that's still involved in the sport, going back to 1927 when Dennis' grandfather, Pop Dreyer, who was a legendary motorcycle racer back in the day, was a crew chief and builder on the No. 27 that ran the race. Then Pop also built many of the cars that ran in the '30s.  Was a winning sprint car and midget builder. So it goes way back almost 88 years now with the Dreyer & Reinbold family at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Needless to say, this legacy is continuing. Dennis, today you want to announce the running of the No. 24. Go right ahead and explain how that program is going to run this year. DENNIS REINBOLD: Thank you. We're really excited. We get to have Townsend back with us at Dreyer & Reinbold Kingdom Racing once again. We've done a number of races together and always really enjoy working with him. We're very much like-minded. So the fact that we're going to hit the ground running at Indy this coming May, I'm fired up and excited. THE MODERATOR: Obviously you've been entered at the 500 many times as a car owner. You've had Townsend previously. Having Robert Graham in as a high-level sponsor has to be exciting, as well. DENNIS REINBOLD: Absolutely. We welcome Michael to our team, look forward to working with him all month long. Look for some great results. THE MODERATOR: Let's move on to Townsend. You've been busy already this year driving in sports cars. Townsend will be the only driver that will compete in the two biggest races in the world. He'll compete at the Indy 500 in May and then the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June. Townsend, this is pretty exciting for you to come back again. You were right in the hunt for the win last year. The No. 24 has a meaning this year as well. TOWNSEND BELL: Thank you. It's going to be an incredibly busy year between television, racing sports cars, the TUDOR Championship, the Indy 500 and Le Mans, my first 24 Hours of Le Mans. It feels like coming home to Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. We've had a nice head start thanks to the entire team, Brett the team manager, Chase. Just feel like we're on top of it. All the details are being addressed. We're turning over every single leaf thinking about how are we going to go out and win this race. We had a great run going last year. Got all the way up to second from 25th. One thing I was looking for this year is how can I put myself in a stronger position to obviously win the race. I want to qualify better. I need to make sure that I've got a gun in the gunfight if I do get to the top five again. That's why I'm here. They've been so strong at Indianapolis the last couple years, finishing fourth I think in 2013, ninth last year in the race. We just feel like putting our capabilities together, hopefully it's that magic combination. What I love about Dennis' team is the fire within to compete. Their ability the last few years in the pit stop competition has been remarkable. I think a lot of people forget they made it to the finals there. They're always in that game. It's something I never even competed in as a one-off Indy 500 competitor. I want to go to Indianapolis with a game face attitude, having a great team. Last year we debuted the Robert Graham paint scheme. I loved it. The fans loved it. We're going to surprise you guys again with something pretty special. Thanks to Michael and Robert Graham for coming back with me. It's all about going bold with Robert Graham. We'll certainly do that again this year. The car number, No. 24, we're going to celebrate Jeff Gordon's last year in NASCAR this year. The team ran through a number of options for me to pick. When I heard the 24, the light bulb went off. This is an Indiana guy that made his name in Indiana originally. He's had such a phenomenal career, tremendous role model for a guy like me in terms of how to do it on all facets of the game. So we're going to run the 24, celebrate Jeff's final season. Hopefully that's the magic combination. I also want to thank George for the Kingdom Racing program that's also onboard with us. I feel like we got a lot of elements all pulling in the same direction. I just can't wait for May. THE MODERATOR: I think all of us can't wait. We're ready to go. You've been in the booth. You haven't been on track with the new package yet. We'll be running a Chevrolet. I don't think we've mentioned that yet. That's pretty exciting as well. TOWNSEND BELL: I've had a chance to race with Chevrolet the last two Indy 500s. Certainly so far this season it looks like the Chevy camp has done another great job. I've had I think a peek at the body kit. As I understand, nobody's actually run the full body kit on the track just yet. I know we're all anxious to see what the final form looks like, and certainly how fast that Chevy can go. But when you think about Chevrolet, Dreyer & Reinbold Kingdom Racing, it's a nice package to have going into the month. Again, I'm just thrilled across the board all the details seem to be lined up for us to be successful. THE MODERATOR: Michael, your first involvement with the 500 was last year. You were talking about some of those experiences already. Talk about the excitement of coming back to Indy with the Dreyer & Reinbold team, Kingdom team, with Townsend as a driver again. MICHAEL BUCKLEY: This is the fourth year working with Townsend. Last year we were the primary sponsor. We're really excited to sponsor Townsend again this year with Dreyer & Reinbold. Just an amazing time last year. You'll see the best-dressed paddock at Indy with Robert Graham sponsoring it. Townsend wore his Robert Graham gear head to toe. It's an exciting event for us to sponsor every year with Townsend. As a luxury apparel and accessories brand, I got to say Townsend really is a tremendous ambassador for our brand. Last year was in second place with 10 laps to go. We firmly believe he can win. We're really excited to sponsor Townsend again. THE MODERATOR: Robert Graham is a New York-based company. But Townsend is an L.A. guy. There's some L.A. media here. There's some excitement in this town, too, coming back as well. TOWNSEND BELL: If I'm not mistaken, the store in Venice is the original. So the brand really sewed its roots here in Southern California. Fun stuff. Great-looking clothes, fun to wear. Most importantly we plan to be fast on the racetrack. You look good, you generally go good, right? MICHAEL BUCKLEY: Exactly. THE MODERATOR: Also we want to go to our president of Kingdom Racing, George del Canto. George, this will be the eighth season that Kingdom Racing has been involved in the Indy 500. Davey Hamilton is the managing director. Explain a little bit coming back. You've been with Dennis a while. Talk about your excitement for the race. GEORGE del CANTO: It's a tremendous honor to be associated with Dennis Reinbold and participate in the Indianapolis 500. That's a dream that all of us have aspired to since we were little kids. This year with Dennis, it will be the fourth year that we're actually associated with Dennis Reinbold in some capacity, the second year that we're full partners with him. When Dennis first told me about Townsend and the Robert Graham brand coming together, I immediately answered and said, Dennis, this is the way to compete. We're not just running to be in this race, we're running to win it. With Townsend, Robert Graham. I remember last year on the grid looking at the Robert Graham special. I looked inside the cockpit. Wow, inside the cockpit there were all these designs and everything. I'd never seen anything like it. Lo and behold, we're back here. We're here for a purpose at the 500, but we're there to win that race as competitors. With Townsend, Robert Graham and Dennis Reinbold, I think we have the package to do it. THE MODERATOR: I have to ask, last year you had a very unique paint scheme. Obviously you have a new one coming up this year. Can you give any hints of what might be involved? TOWNSEND BELL: We've had 10 months to think about it. I don't know. I think everybody just enjoys seeing what rolls out there on opening day. We're going to have some fun. When you peek inside the cockpit this year, we'll definitely build on that theme. THE MODERATOR: I believe during the Grand Prix weekend, we'll unveil the car at the Speedway, as well, so people can see how cool the Robert Graham special is. At this point we'll open it up for questions. Q. Dennis, you're super into this sport. You've been on the fringes but come back for the 500. What keeps you coming back after it every year? Difficult way to spend your time. DENNIS REINBOLD: I grew up about a mile-and-a-half straight west of there on West Washington Street. When I was a little kid, I could hear the cars in the background. My buddies and I would jump on or Schwinns and race around the church parking lot. I was always Lloyd, because my uncle worked on Lloyd's pit crew. I was the underdog. I got to sit in that car. It was a huge thrill. I grew up around it. It gets in your blood. I've had several uncles that have been part of it. I still get chills when we drive through the tunnel and go in every day. It's such a cool place. It's such a super event that I respect everything about the Motor Speedway and really want to be a part of everything about it. It's a lot of fun. I still thoroughly enjoy going out there. But it's huge competition, and we push harder and harder. It's a learning curve, too. Ever since 1999, I've been learning something new each and every year. You take that away, you try to apply it the next year. Townsend mentioned he's waited 10 months. So have I. So have our crew guys. We're pretty hungry. I have no idea if I answered your original question. Anyway, it's about passion. That's it. That's the answer (laughter). Q. Do you remember your first time you went to the Speedway? DENNIS REINBOLD: Yeah. I was a kid. Bobby Unser won in 1968. So it was 1969 because he rolled out in a yellow and black checkered car that was gorgeous. I have a picture of that car that some of my guys at the dealership gave me. I have that on my wall. I thought that was the coolest thing. So 1969. I was eight years old. Q. Townsend, you've been doing stuff on NBC Sports in the broadcast booth. Do you think that improves your understanding of racing, even though you've been racing your whole life? Do you think it's bettered your understanding and strategy? TOWNSEND BELL: I think it's a great question because when I was just a racing driver, I didn't really pay much attention to the other guys from the standpoint of how they go through a race weekend. I was paying attention to what was their lap time, how fast were they through segment three, what gear were they in in turn nine. By doing television, you really start to analyze kind of the whole picture, especially the guys that win. Paying attention to what the entire weekend looks like, what their dynamic is like with their teams. I study that a lot more than I used to. I think one of the reasons that I wanted to run the No. 24 is that I think Jeff Gordon epitomizes how to do everything well. He has for his whole career. When I was a rookie in this sport, coming up through the ranks, I idolized guys like Robby Gordon and Paul Tracy because they were just bad asses, and I loved that. But as I've been in the business of racing and competing, haven't achieved all the success that I want to, and certainly the Indy 500 is the whole reason I'm in this sport, I look at a guy like Jeff Gordon, and he really became the role model. He became the guy, How do I emulate what somebody like Jeff's done? I think his success in NASCAR really transcends NASCAR. It's the model for how to do it in sports in general year in and year out. So I'm hoping to take inspiration from not only what I've seen and studied as a TV analyst the last few years, but also carrying that No. 24. It's not just a sticker, there's a whole lot of meaning behind that for me personally when I'm driving. Q. My wife bought me two Robert Graham shirts after the Indy 500 last year. I have three of your shirts now. How did the participation into IndyCar translate amongst the people buying your shirts? MICHAEL BUCKLEY: I mean, the brand, we're 90% men's apparel. I think we absolutely have a huge car fan and Indy 500 fan that's a Robert Graham customer. I think it makes a lot of sense for the two of us to get together. TOWNSEND BELL: Make sure she saves up for the new limited Robert Graham shirt. THE MODERATOR: We didn't even mention there's some apparel coming specifically for the 500. TOWNSEND BELL: We have 10 months. I've been with Brett and the marketing team. We've been dreaming for 10 months. THE MODERATOR: Thank you, everyone. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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