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By Bob Pockrass
FOX Sports activities NASCAR Author
NEW YORK — Who is Marcus Ericsson?
That is a problem numerous have asked over the previous two times, due to the fact Ericsson gained the 2022 Indianapolis 500. Avid race lovers know the 31-12 months-aged Swede from his racing exploits the past 9 years, as he drove for battling Method 1 teams for five several years ahead of coming to the United States to drive IndyCar in 2019.
He gained two races very last year at Chip Ganassi Racing but entered the Indianapolis 500 most likely rated fifth among the the Ganassi drivers most supporters would’ve picked to be ingesting the milk in victory lane, even while he was starting fifth on the grid.
That’s not a knock. Scott Dixon was on the pole, Alex Palou is the defending collection champion, and Tony Kanaan and Jimmie Johnson are admirer favorites with comprehensive racing résumés.
Ericsson, whose racing profession has been funded by Swedish businessmen at any time considering that he was profitable races as a teenager in his dwelling place, tends not to do nearly anything flashy — until you rely how he got airborne at Nashville final yr and rallied to get the race.
Ericsson sat down with FOX Sporting activities whilst in New York — his day started with an visual appeal at the Empire Condition Making and was set to conclude with a trip to Yankee Stadium — to go over his earn and reply the dilemma: Who is Marcus Ericsson?
Q: Devoid of the biographical racing info, who is Marcus Ericsson?
A: Just a regular kid from Sweden to begin with.
Q: What does “a ordinary kid from Sweden” indicate?
A: From a usual spouse and children, a normal qualifications. My dad is a residence painter. My mom is an accountant. I am quite grateful that my dad had the curiosity to support me start with go-karts. We ended up driving all around Sweden, normally loading up the go-kart in his portray van. He would take out his painting things, place in the go-kart and go racing.
I arrive from a humble track record and [am] dwelling the American desire now. Me, as a particular person, I’m a really hard worker and a thinker. I check out to think in advance and function tricky and normally believe how to grow to be much better. I do not want any one to say I did not work difficult ample. I constantly want to be the male who is effective the toughest to be the greatest I can be.
Also, I’m a group player. It was a genuine team exertion. It wasn’t that I gained the 500. We gained the 500. That’s something I place a great deal of pride in.
Q: Would you have been a painter if your racing aspiration hadn’t panned out?
A: My father tells me I’m a horrible painter. I bear in mind as a child, I went a handful of instances in the summer and labored with him, and he mentioned I wasn’t extremely very good at it. … I have two brothers, and a person of my brothers is effective with my father. Possibly I would have been just one of those. Perhaps not.
Q: Have you talked to Jimmie Johnson, who not only crashed but did so when you experienced a comfy lead, so instead of cruising to the win, after the race resumed, you had to fend off the area for the remaining two laps?
A: It was amusing. I spoke to Jimmie afterward. And he wasn’t conscious that I was about to get the race when he crashed. He received to the treatment center, [and] he saw on the time screens that I was main. And he asked someone, “So Marcus is primary the race?” And they had been like, “Yeah, he is foremost.” And he was like, “Was it limited? Was it really close?” And they’re like, “No, it was a a few-2nd hole. He was controlling it.”
And he reported when he read that, he just received a worry attack just about, and he didn’t know what to do since he was freaking out. And I explained to Jimmie, “If I failed to win that race, I would never ever communicate to you ever yet again.”
Q: That might’ve made you the only man or woman who won’t communicate to Jimmie. And he is most likely nice plenty of to recognize why you would do that.
A: Just joking. No a person crashes on purpose. Jimmie is the nicest guy at any time and an unbelievable teammate. I’m truly, definitely delighted to not only get in touch with him a teammate but also a buddy. It can happen to everyone. It was just disheartening [that] it took place at that issue.
Q: NASCAR operator Justin Marks has started off a third NASCAR Cup Collection vehicle (dubbed “Challenge 91”) for find races for a driver who can force his manufacturer internationally. Now that you have received the Indy 500, does that make you a prospect?
A: I would really like to do it. That would be wonderful to get the possibility to try that and do a race. That would be tremendous great. Ever due to the fact I arrived to The united states, I tried out to embrace The us racing. I enjoy IndyCar. NASCAR is big here. That would be super cool and unquestionably would be something I’d be intrigued in. I’d have to clear it with Chip to start with.
Q: Do you have any plans to go again to Sweden to celebrate this gain?
A: We’ve been chatting a minor little bit all-around that. We unquestionably will do some thing. I have a huge following in Sweden. … I did get a message from the King of Sweden congratulating me, and that was very great.
Bob Pockrass has spent a long time masking motorsports, which includes the past 30 Daytona 500s. He joined FOX Sporting activities in 2019 following stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Beach) Information-Journal. Adhere to him on Twitter and Instagram @bobpockrass. Searching for a lot more NASCAR information? Signal up for the FOX Sports activities NASCAR Publication with Bob Pockrass!
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