Tech Q&A: Michael McSwain

With six career wins, Bobby Labonte is the undisputed master of Atlanta Motor Speedway, site of this week's Golden Corral 500. So who better to discuss Atlanta setup requirements with then his crew chief, Fatback McSwain?

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What's the most important aspect of the setup at Atlanta? Is it handling, horsepower, downforce?

McSwain: It's the driver.

The driver?

McSwain: I mean, it's one of those tracks where you have to have a good motor and a good body and, of course, you've got to handle pretty good. But to me, Atlanta's a real "driver" racetrack.

If you're not comfortable enough to run at those speeds, you'll struggle at places like that. It's a different animal. A lot of people are okay with it, but a lot of people aren't.

How much will the new tire change strategy from recent years?

McSwain: You're not going to see a lot of two-tire stuff. If we pit, you're going to get four tires and it's going to be important to take care of your tires.

It'll be big to do that, where in years past the tires were pretty tough, could take a lot of abuse. It's going to change the way we look at the race, a lot.

VIDEO CLIPS 03|08|03: Labonte continues his dominance at AMS Play video 03|08|03: Labonte passes Gordon for the win at Atlanta Play video 02|02|03: Labonte feels comfortable with Fatback Play video

Some people might assume that the setup at Las Vegas and the one this week at Atlanta are the same, since both tracks are 1.5-milers. Is that the case?

McSwain: No, not at all. They're different animals. Vegas is a pure aerodynamic/downforce track, and Atlanta still has some handling characteristics. Atlanta has more of a loading-type bank, whereas Vegas has more of a sliding-type bank. It's a totally different deal.

You guys won the spring Atlanta race last year. How useable are those notes right now?

McSwain: I think everything's always a little bit useable. We've got new circumstances this year. I think all the things you learn from the new circumstances, take your old notes and mix them together and come up with a package for the next race.

Describe for me a perfect car at Atlanta.

McSwain: Car's got to be comfortable enough for the driver to drive it in the corners really, really hard, really aggressive. And he's got to be comfortable enough to turn the steering wheel at any time and not feel like the car's too loose and going to spin out.

That's kind of what you're fighting. You've got to be loose enough to turn through there fast, but it's got to be tight enough to where the driver can turn the steering wheel.