NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FOOD CITY 500
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 15, 2016
AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS/RANGER BOATS CHEVROLET SS, AND HIS BROTHER, TY DILLON, NO. 14 BASS PRO SHOPS/TRACKER BOATS CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Bristol Motor Speedway to talk about their promotion with Bass Pro Shops Bro VS Bro and discuss how much the brothers have competed against each other, their workout regimens and many other topics. Partial Transcript:
HOW MUCH DO YOU GUYS COMPARE YOUR RESULTS AGAINST EACH OTHER ON A REGULAR BASIS?
TY DILLON:
“I think we both know about every week, where the other one finishes. We both want to do well and we both want to push each other to be the best. We want to compete against each other for wins because that is the ultimate goal. We are always paying attention and we are always talking to each other on the weekends to see what we can do to help each other. I have been learning a lot from Austin in these Cup races that I have been running. But again, the ultimate goal is to be racing for wins against each other and if it comes down to that we will both be happy.”
AUSTIN DILLON:
“The funniest thing that happens on the weekend is that my grandfather stands with the brother that qualifies the best. That was our deal and we always wanted him to stand with us, and whoever qualifies the furthest up gets my grandfather to stand with us. He wants both of us to have at least one family member with them before the race. We have had fun doing that and I always nudge a little bit with Ty to see who can out qualify the other. The finish is what ultimately matters and hopefully both of us will have good runs this weekend for Bass Pro Shops.”
STEPPING UP TO RUN 500 MILES, WHAT DID YOU HAVE TO DO CONDITION-WISE AND WHAT WAS THAT ADJUSTMENT LIKE FOR YOU? AND WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE BOTH PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY STRONG ENOUGH TO DO THIS?
TY DILLON:
“That is definitely part of my learning curve in how to survive both physically and mentally through these long races. Atlanta was probably my first really tough physical track because you are loose throughout the race and you are really fighting the wheel. Last week at Texas we were really fighting hard the whole time now with this package. It seems like it’s at all the races now. I will probably have about a 1000 laps around this place before the weekend is over here at Bristol.
I work out pretty hard in the offseason and do a lot of mountain biking to try and keep up my conditioning. The biggest thing coming into this weekend was to come in here properly hydrated and prepare to be in the car for almost three days, all day long. I will be able to tell you more after the Cup races are over but for now I am excited for the challenge.”
AUSTIN DILLON:
“I think the biggest thing about this place is that it will make you pretty sore too. It’s just really hard with the amount of Gs you carry through a lap. It’s just a constant pressure on your ribs and your shoulders and you are fighting down on the wheel. Especially when your car is better, you feel like you have to drive in even harder. It’s one of those things that this place presents. I remember walking out of here…..and Jimmie (Johnson) is in the best shape you can be in, and I saw him walk out of here one night after a race and he was cooked. It is definitely one of those places that will wear you down and make you work for it. Ty will get plenty of a taste of it here on Sunday. It’s kind of a mentality approach because you go into the race knowing it’s going to be a grinder and you have to stay in the race the entire time.”
WHAT WAS THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU HAD TO MAKE PHYSICALLY WHEN YOU MOVED UP TO CUP? WAS IT YOUR ARMS, CARDIO, YOUR CORE?
AUSTIN DILLON:
“I tell you what, until we changed the package this year, I thought XFINITY races were harder. You carry more speed through the corner and you were really fighting the car there in the corners. With more power, you could lift longer and you could coast a little bit more. But now that our cars have gotten better and we are starting to run up front you have to get more in shape because you are faster. Physically there are demands from each side of it but the length of the race is one thing. Mentally I had to prepare myself to be in the car that amount of time and to make the car better. But physically, if I had to say I had to do anything better it was just eating right leading up to the race and getting stronger all around. I have done cardio stuff, but I think strength is one of the biggest things. And I lift weights now quite a bit, but it’s just a combination of the two of them that allows your body to withstand a long race.”
WHICH HAS TO COME FIRST? THE MENTAL OR THE PHYSICAL?
AUSTIN DILLON:
“I think the mental part has to come when you are ready for it. But physically your body gets used to it and it comes as time comes. Mentally it’s probably tougher because it’s more of just getting used to it. It also gets mentally better when you start running better.”
I KNOW THAT SOME DRIVERS HAVE USED SPORTS PSYCHOLOGISTS TO HELP BUILD THAT MENTAL TOUGHNESS. HAVE EITHER OF YOU DONE THAT OR HAVE YOU SEEN BENEFITS TO DRIVERS WHO HAVE DONE THAT?
TY DILLON:
“I have never done it but I can see where some people might benefit from it. We grew up playing a lot of sports and being mentally tough in sports at a young age was kind of brought into our lifestyle at a young age. Our dad is a pretty mentally strong guy and always kept us positive in anything that we did. It’s hard to push me to work harder than I already push myself. I am really probably the toughest person on myself. As far as the sport psychologist, I know that some people do it and benefit from it but I don’t know if I would or not.”
AUSTIN DILLON:
“With all the ups and downs in this sport you really need to have someone you trust and can talk to. Someone that can lead you in the right direction when things are not going right. It’s important to have that right person to come and talk to and to be able to associate with that are keeping you in the right direction. The people I talk to are not really sports psychologists, but just more people you talk to that you have trust in and that want to make you better. They are on your side, but are not afraid to tell you if you are doing something wrong. You have to be able to put yourself in that situation and always be willing to open up and listen to those people too.”
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