FedEx dropped off brown paper package containing a CD and this transcript.
Rick Hendrick: Tony, I'm delighted that you were able to come and visit the shop. I was a bit surprised you still wanted to come since you won today in the Nationwide Series.
Tony Stewart: Thanks, Rick. I appreciate you meeting late at night with me so we can avoid the silly season gossip.
Hendrick: Naturally, I had hoped that once you heard I dumped Mears, you'd call me.
Stewart: I was really surprised when you did that.
Hendrick: I need results, Tony.
Stewart: I want results too.
[Cellphone beeping]
Hendrick: Don't these guys ever sleep? I just got text messages from Newman, McMurray and Truex. I swear I get at least 10 a piece from them every day. Let me go get the keys for the engine shop from my office. Just take a look around.
Stewart: It's just so weird that no one else is here...
[Sound of footsteps walking away.]
Muffled Voice: Psst.... Rick!
Hendrick: What the!
Jeff Gordon: Will he sign?
Hendrick: What are you doing here?
Gordon: Stewart - will he sign? And how much will it cost us? We need to do it, Rick.
Hendrick: We haven't gotten that far. You shouldn't have come, Jeff. I told him that no one else would know we were talking tonight. I didn't expect you to leave Ingrid & Ella Sophia to come hide out in the shop eavesdropping!
Gordon: Stewart will be fine. If he finds me. We've got to get him to sign. We'd have three former Champions.
Hendrick: We've talked about this, Jeff. I like Tony, but we both know he's a handful.
Gordon: But he's mellowing in his old age. We need to get him married off, then he'll be too busy with the wife and kids to have time to be a grump. I'll get some names from Ingrid & Chandi
Hendrick: We'll see. First I have to convince him to sign with us, and not just as engine provider for Haas.
Gordon: Point out our wins last season and Championships for last 2 years. And we'd bring Zipadelli over.
Hendrick: I know what the deal should be, Jeff. Why don't you go back to the track and sleep?
Gordon: No. If you need me, I'll be hiding over here by the office.
[Footsteps]
Hendrick: Got the keys. Tony, remember that if you decide to buy Haas, we would be glad to supply engines. We supply to several teams, and you get the same stuff we use here.
Stewart: But I don't get all the chasiss info.
Hendrick: Exactly. Do you want to start over with a new crew chief? Or would you prefer to stay with Zippy?
Stewart: What do you mean?
Hendrick: Well, if you leave Gibbs, then I assume Greg stays there. So you'd have to get a new crew chief. Unless you took him to Haas or came here.
Stewart: You'd bring Zippy over?
Hendrick: If you want. And the other guys on the team.
Stewart: Wow. That would be great.
Hendrick: Oops. I don't have the key for the dyno room. I'll be right back.
[Footsteps. Followed by a loud crash]
Voice: Damn!
Stewart: Who is there?
Chad Knaus: It's me.
Jimmie Johnson: And Me.
Stewart: Knaus? Johnson? What are you doing here?
Knaus: We wanted to talk to you about taking this deal.
Johnson: You really need to think this through Smoke.
Knaus: It's perfect for you.
Johnson: And I think we'd work well together
Knaus: Convince Zippy to come with you. He and I would be a formidable team. The rulebook would need to be rewritten. Plus, he has a few passes left - I've got a few ideas, but someone else should really try them out first..
Stewart: Huh, sure. I'm sure Zippy would be excited to spend a few weeks of the season at home with Nan and the kids if there's a problem with your "ideas." Why are you here Johnson, shouldn't you be upset your buddy Mears is out?
Johnson: Casey and I will still be friends. He's no help on the car stuff. You would be.
Knaus: I get chills when I think about the four of you drafting at Daytona.
Stewart: Yeah, but at some point it's everyman for himself.
Johnson: Of course. And you'll need to work on those media relationships.
Stewart: That may be a deal breaker. How did you find out about this anyway?
Johnson: Here comes Rick. Hide!
[Door closing sound]
Hendrick: I got it.
Stewart: If I came to Hendrick, who would I share a shop with?
Hendrick: Junior.
Stewart: Fantastic! That would work. We get along well.
Hendrick: Tony, I'd suggest that you take over the 5 car, and buy Haas with Junior.
Stewart: Sponsorship? Wow, this dyno is impressive.
Hendrick: Only the best here Tony. Chevy funds us well. And we win to keep their name out there. We have several potential sponsors. Do you have any ideas?
Stewart: Bass Pro Shop is ready to bolt DEI.
Hendrick: Junior told me Truex is worried about it. I'm gonna take these keys back to the office.
Voice: Sorry about that. Didn't mean to scare you.
Stewart: Junior! You promised you wouldn't come! I only told you about this meeting to get some advice on negotiating with Rick.
Dale Earnhardt Jr: Yeah, but I wanted to know how it was going. And I thought I could help you out as it went down.
Stewart: But I told Rick no one knew about this meeting!
Junior: Don't worry, he won't catch me. And even if he did, it's my shop too.
Stewart: Did you tell... Nevermind. Did you think of anything else to tell me?
Junior: The winnings' split is typical, Rick actually does a little better than DEI did - both with the driver and the team. It's 46-14-40.
Stewart: What about merchandise?
Junior: Better than standard. And you get say over the design - did you see the new bikinis I have with my number on 'em?
Stewart: Bikinis? I don't know how to design bikinis! Oh well. How will Gordon take it if I move over here?
Junior: I think he'll be fine. It's all money in his pocket too. Whoops!
[Scuffling sounds]
Hendrick: Tony, I think we can work something out that will benefit us both.
Stewart: What about the media?
Hendrick: You're gonna have to talk to them. I expect you to attend all the media sessions you are required to, which I don't think you're doing right now. But that doesn't mean you have to answer all those stupid questions. But we'll need to work something out. The PR guys can work with you to formulate something.
Stewart: Well, I have a few things to think about.
[Door closing and being locked. Sounds of crickets chirping]
Stewart: Isn't that Jeff's SUV?
Hendrick: Yes, but aren't those Knaus's Truck and Junior's Vette? What are they doing here?
Man where can I get my hands on these recordings? lol, there were parts that actually had me laughing. Thing is Tony probably is going to end up there. Keep these coming!
Here's one for ya... Junior and Tony buy out DEI and make a formidable team. Junior get his 8 back and the Home Depot 20 follows Tony. Stranger things have happened.
Jon - I think they'll either be excited or scared. It means more big dogs in the house, but I think they are adjusting to Dale Jr fine. We'll see who pops into that open seat.
Tyler - They just appear. I don't know why or how. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Tony could end up there. We'll see if the Haas thing is a done deal or not.
Photo - It could be the truth. Remember how Kyle's seat went from secure to open in a matter of days despite the denials of Busch and Hendrick. This is playing out like that all over again. Only Tony isn't being as coy as Dale Jr. over the seat.
Noah - I think Smoke & Jr would do OK as co-owners of a team. But then again, both could want to be in charge, and that could cause problems. It may work if Neither drove for the team. If one does, he should have controlling interest or it may not work.
Dwindy - Mears was likely in New Hampshire sobbing!
The DEI buyout could happen sooner than anyone expected. Gibbs would have to release the #20 for the number to transfer. But, like you said, stranger things have happened.
You always get the best scoops Iowa! I need your connections...LOL. I thought the best line of the Louden broadcast was when Kyle Petty said he had already called Rick...too funny.
I bet Tony ends up at HMS and he and Jr buy Haas...it could happen!!
Heeheehee... Old Rick just can't get a moment of peace, can he? Hilarious, but methinks Stewart's big ego would never fit in over there. Sometimes, he doesn't seem to play well with others.
Iowa - I enjoyed reading about the "secret" meeting with Tony and HMS mootosports. Yah never know...something like this could actually happen. Although such a scenario could really be foreboding for alot of the other teams.
Iowa Girl: I was cruising the internet for any comments Hendrick may have made this weekend on the number 5 and I ran across your Fox blog. LMAO! Great piece! Maybe you should start writing screen plays in Hollywood. Good stuff! ROTFLMAO!
KLV - You have some good connections too! Kyle and Wally's comments were funny. Tony could go to HMS. Depends on what he sees as the pros & cons on the Haas deal.
SI - True. But he gets along with Junior (or so they say) and he and Gordon have mutual respect. I think he gets along with Jimmie too. I think the ace in the hole would be whether Zippy could come over with him. And how much they pay - could he still buy Haas?
Gerrel - I'd bet they at least talk. At a minimum, he should talk to Rick as Hendrick provides engines to Haas. I just think it is interesting the news broke about Mears at this time. We'll see if it means anything.
Funny. It looks like Mark Martin has taken the seat of the 5 for next season. Not sure if it is just a one year deal or not. Did not hear all of the announcement.
But it does sound like Stewart will be making a big announcement come the week they are in Indy.
Sounds like he is going to buy into Haas CNC and Office Depot and Old ####e will be sponsoring one of the cars. There is even a rumor that Burger King will be sponsoring the other car.
And it looks like Ryan Newman will be the other driver.
Going to be funny to see if any of these rumors come true.
