IMAGINE being James Small. After a successful Supercar career, the Melbourne boy moved to the USA to chase a stock car dream. It resulted in a fairytale championship as the engineer at Furniture Row Racing with Martin Truex Jr last year.

Life was good, until his owner announced mid-season the team was folding at the end of this year. The rollercoaster nature of NASCAR in 2018…

The good news, today Small joined Truex in signing with Toyota powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing for 2019 and beyond.

So this weekend Small starts the penultimate round of the 2018 season, and the penultimate race for Furniture Row, with Truex still every chance to go back-to-back.

It’s a crazy tale for the Denver based Aussie, who gave Tim Hodges a few minutes ahead of travelling to Arizona.

RT: You’re in your dream job, you win a championship, then a year later the doors close… how hard is this to take?

JS: It’s heartbreaking to be honest. We all talk about how this must be the greatest race team in the world and there probably isn’t a team as unique as ours out there. We get to live in one of the most amazing areas of the world, work with a bunch of incredibly talented and passionate people plus we get to focus all our efforts on one car. We are all great friends, we sit in the same office, we have very little management, we have very few meetings, but every single person knows what they need to do for us to deliver at the track on a weekly basis. It really is unique and incredibly sad that it’s coming to an end.

RT: How did they tell you all?

JS: Well unless you had your head under a rock we had known for a while that there were some struggles in replacing the sponsorship we lost, and we were fast approaching some deadlines where deals had to be signed. They gathered everyone up in the shop one morning and explained the situation to everyone, but it wasn’t a real shock to be honest.

RT: How hard has it been to keep morale up for the entire team? How flat have the team been, including Martin?

JS: I don’t think it’s been too difficult at all. We are all incredibly motivated and driven people, including Martin and we go to the track every week giving nothing but our best. I think it’s shown in our results and speed that we have continued to have ever since the announcement. Even the core group of guys back at the shop have been working tirelessly to make sure the cars we bring to the track every week have continued to be at the high standard that the team is known for.

RT: Your own plans, how was the process to look for a new home mid-season?

JS: It was easy to be honest. I had a lot of people reach out from other organizations, but I pretty much knew what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be to have success in the short and long term.

RT: So 2019… Is it pleasing to keep your band together?

JS: I’m following Martin and Cole (crew chief) to JGR for 2019 to work as lead engineer on the 19 car. It was an incredibly easy decision for me to make. I love working with them and there are a handful of key people coming across from FRR that will help with the continuity of the team and to bolster the whole program at JGR.

RT: To work for an icon like Joe Gibbs who has had so much success in Nascar, and NFL, plus working alongside Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, it’s a huge opportunity?

JS: It’s incredible really. You have to pinch yourself to think you’re worthy of working in such a team. I’ll move back to Charlotte where I lived previously when I was at RCR, so I’ll be comfortable and you just know come Daytona next year we’ll be a serious contender.

RT: With so much happening off track, how hard has it been to stay focused on the 2018 title fight?

JS: Not hard at all, like I touched on earlier, our mindset and goals have never changed and no matter what we will continue to fight hard until the end.

RT: Phoenix… can you keep the championship defense alive this weekend?

JS: Let’s hope so. We will give it everything we’ve got and hopefully we can stay out of trouble and book our spot in the final round.

RT: You return later this month to see the family, how much do you miss Australia?

JS: I really miss being so close to the beach, the hustle of the city and going to the footy. I don’t miss the traffic though! I still speak with my family a lot and follow the Supercars and footy so that’s enough for me.

RT: Will you ever return to Supercars? Does it interest you at all?

JS: Never say never. It’s a great championship both from a quality of racing and engineering perspective. I’d like to return one day once I’ve achieved my goals here but then again I might just be inclined to go and relax by the beach!

RT: Seeya for a beer when you’re home!

JS: I look forward to it mate, cheers.

INTERVIEW: TIM HODGES
IMAGES: CIA STOCK PHOTO