“I feel simply the NASCAR spirit, if you’ll; driving the automobile, participating within the race, seeing my identify up on the record with all these different NASCAR legends,” Magnussen mentioned on Friday at NAS North Island. “For me, it is an ideal problem. It is an actual pleasure being thrown in on the deep finish. It could be a really large problem to only hit the bottom operating, having executed no laps in a NASCAR Cup automobile thus far.
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“It is an superior observe. I walked the observe this morning. It appears like essentially the most excessive observe that I’ve ever pushed. That might be an expertise in itself. Simply wanting ahead to it.”
That speaks volumes coming from a 10-year Components 1 veteran turned World Endurance Championship sports activities automobile contender.
Ok-Magazine’s ideas on NASCAR racing
A majority of his profession was spent with the Haas F1 crew, which meant an affiliation with the Stewart-Haas Racing Cup Sequence group. There have been quite a few press and hospitality occasions that Magnussen spent at SHR through the years so he has lengthy held a fascination with the very best type of motorsports in North America.
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“Yeah, I imply, NASCAR is without doubt one of the greatest types of motorsport, so I do not assume I ever thought it might be a risk as a result of I have been on that European Components 1 observe that may be very totally different and remoted from the NASCAR world, so it isn’t usually you get an opportunity to truly cross over,” Magnussen mentioned. “It is virtually like being a soccer participant after which participating in a discipline recreation, and I feel that is what it feels prefer to me. It is nonetheless type of comparable. It is the identical type of sport, however a really totally different sort of it. So, I feel that is very, very thrilling, and I am simply tremendous privileged to get this chance to participate within the NASCAR race. It’s going to be a reminiscence for all times.”
His father, Jan Magnussen, additionally made a Cup Sequence begin in 2010 at Sonoma for Phoenix Racing amidst his personal journeyman motorsports profession.
“I’ve all the time been fascinated, and I all the time cherished NASCAR,” Magnussen mentioned. “My dad had a little bit little bit of expertise with NASCAR, most likely 15 years in the past or so now, and did a race. He was testing for Hendrick and performing some work there. I used to be chatting with him, and he cherished it a lot and had such an ideal expertise. And only for me as a racing driver, to have the ability to participate in NASCAR and have an expertise there may be simply going to be nice. I feel, as I mentioned, it is a large privilege to have that probability. Not many European drivers get that chance, so I am very grateful and privileged to be right here.”
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The chance introduced itself when Trackhouse proprietor Justin Marks reached out and Magnussen accepted ‘with out hesitation’ and obtained the blessing from manufacturing facility supporter BMW.
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Magnussen believes his F1 profession has come to a last shut, and whereas he’s having fun with his Sports activities Automotive section, is ‘open-minded’ to no matter alternatives current themselves … like NASCAR.
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“At this level in my profession, as I mentioned, I have been on that Components 1 feeder system ever since I used to be a baby from karting,” Magnussen mentioned. “Components 1 was my essential objective and that was the place I used to be aiming, after which I spent 10 or 11 years in Components 1. Now at this level, I feel the entire world of motorsport is type of open and I am simply taking any alternative I get and making an attempt to have enjoyable with it.
“Not that Components 1 was not enjoyable, but it surely was type of like, I do have a way that I am simply type of enjoying round, having enjoyable, experiencing cool issues and that is an ideal privilege. Clearly, my time in Components 1 gave me that privilege and alternative and now I am residing that. I feel I am simply preserving an open thoughts and actually having fun with myself. After which, as I mentioned, no matter alternative I get, I will have a look at it and try to seize it.”
To wit, Magnussen needs to attempt all the pieces that’s introduced to him.
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“I could not point out a type of motorsport I would not attempt,” he mentioned. “You recognize, at this level in my profession, as I mentioned earlier, I am simply privileged to have the ability to do cool issues. I simply did the 24 Hours of Le Mans, however we did not do all the 24 Hours, sadly. I am competing in some actually, actually cool race automobiles in Europe, everywhere in the world, and now I am right here in NASCAR.
“So, I feel, yeah, to reply your query, there’s probably not any form of motorsport I wouldn’t attempt. In the event you had a Dakar crew and also you requested me if I needed to attempt it, I would say sure. I feel that is the cool factor about the place I’m in my profession in the intervening time.”
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