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NTT INDYCAR SERIES: 103RD RUNNING OF THE INDIANAPOLIS 500May 26, 2019John MenardIndianapolis, Indiana THE MODERATOR: For those of us that have followed the Indianapolis 500 for several decades, it is a welcome sight to welcome John Menard to Victory Lane at Indianapolis for the 500. Welcome, John. JOHN MENARD: Thank you very much. It was 40 years ago when I first came down here in 1979, and I didn't get all the way in, and I had a big sign that we used to put up over the garages. So I'm dragging the sign on Georgetown road, and I'm walking -- I didn't know where the entrance was. I didn't know enough to go there on 16th and drive under. So this guy at the gate in a yellow shirt was standing there, and he goes, where are you going with that sign and I said I want to get in the garage area. So he said, "I'll open the gate for you." So he unlocked the gate and let me in. I didn't have a credential. I didn't know where I was going. I said which was is the garage area? I think he thought I was crazy, but we had a good time. But that was the first time I was here, 40 years ago. Been trying ever since. I see some stubborn, stupid guy. Here you go. Great fun. THE MODERATOR: You won here in a NASCAR race with your son, and that's family -- JOHN MENARD: That's family. THE MODERATOR: But this is a different race. JOHN MENARD: Yeah, that was a NASCAR race, which is pretty distinct from this race. That was probably the highlight of my personal racing career just because it was my son that won. But this ranks right in there. I'll tell you what, this is a good deal, and I can't thank Team Penske, I can't thank the Indianapolis Motor Speedway enough for all the great memories and times and over the years that we've had here. It's amazing. THE MODERATOR: Does Simon know he now has to make an appearance at every Menard's store across the country? JOHN MENARD: I think he already has. Most of them anyway. Roger is going to cut the ribbon, though, on our new store in Michigan, right near his office. He goes, I will cut the ribbon for the opening. I thought, great. I don't know how much he's going to charge me, but we're going to have to talk about that. Q. (No microphone.). JOHN MENARD: Yeah, we've got to get him started small, though. One store, and then we'll ask him about the second one. Q. John, you opened by talking about your history here and your love of this place, so how do you feel now to see Menard's in Victory Lane? It's the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. JOHN MENARD: You ever watch that movie called "The Candidate" when that guy works and works and works and finally gets elected, after the election, he won, and he gazed into the mirror and says, what the hell do I do now? That's the way I feel. We'll go try to win another one. Q. Are you going to go to Charlotte now? JOHN MENARD: Yeah, I'll go if I can. We'll see how all this plays out. Q. What's your take on Simon Pagenaud? What makes him special from your vantage point? JOHN MENARD: Wow, well, first, Simon is just one wonderful human being. If you get to know him, you'll love him. Second of all, if you watched the last few laps of this race, as a race car driver, Simon is really, really good. I mean, he was -- Rossi is really, really good, and that could have ended kind of badly in Turn 1 or 2 or 3 or 4, a lot of other places, and yeah, that was just plain good racing. Two really talented guys, and they were just going after each other, back and forth, back and forth, but Simon doesn't give up. He's the real deal. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports   |
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