Toyota Daytona 500 Driver Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Daytona Media Day – February 22, 2017
Toyota driver Erik Jones and Daniel Suárez were made available to the media at NASCAR Daytona Media Day:
Daniel Suárez, No. 19 ARRIS Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What did you learn from running in the Clash the other day?
“Well, it definitely was something very, very helpful for me. Pretty much my first race ever in a Cup car, and I felt like it was very good to have less cars and a lot of experienced drivers to learn from them and to ‑‑ just to know a little bit about what they do, what kind of moves they make, and all that kind of stuff. It was something very, very helpful to get these 75 laps before the Duels tomorrow night. You know, just lucky to be able to get that opportunity, and really some good extra laps that for some reason now in practice is difficult to get that because of the pack. I feel like it really was something good for me. You guys made your name in the XFINITY Series last year. I want to know who you guys think will win it all this year.
Who would you pick to win the XFINITY championship this year?
“For myself, I’ve been trying to support a lot with my team with Joe Gibbs Racing equipment. I believe that he’s with the best equipment out there, and he is going to be able to be strong and hopefully to race in the front, to win races, and to be able to have a shot for the championship. But the experienced drivers, you know that they are going to be there, the Elliott Sadlers, Justin Allgaier, all those guys that were contending for the championship last year. Those guys are going to be there again. I think those guys are going to have a shot, and hopefully the rookie drivers like Erik mentioned, Matt Tifft, they can learn quick and get to that point, as well, at the end of the year.
How much has the Drive 4 Diversity program done for you and about the new crew that they have coming up?
“ Yeah, for me it’s been a lot of help. In 2012 when I was racing by myself, I had a lot of issues. I actually had really ‑‑ I didn’t really want to race here anymore. I wanted to go back to México to race over there and have some fun there, and then I had my opportunity through the Drive 4 Diversity program in 2013, and things just start changing right away. Well, not right away, but by the second half of the year, we started winning races, which we finished third in points, and we did pretty well. On the second year with them, in 2014, we won a few races, and it was very well, and thanks to that, I got my opportunity with Joe Gibbs Racing. I think it’s a great program. I really hope that they continue to support the young talents from all over the world, from Latin America like me, and to bring new names into the sport.
Is Carl Edwards still somewhat involved and giving you advice and helping you out, or is he a phone call away?
“Well, first of all, you know, all of you guys know Carl Edwards, and he’s an amazing driver, but he’s even more amazing person. He’s been super helpful to me. Actually he flew to Phoenix my first time ever in a Cup car just to help me out the first day of two days, and I feel like it was a huge help for myself and for the team, as well, to try to supplement that chemistry and that communication really to a team, with a team that he knows very, very well, and yeah, he retired to have more time for himself, and he won’t be able to travel every weekend with us, but he’s going to be here some weekends, hopefully as many as he can to help the program out.”
How much learning is there for you and Erik Jones in being able to do that through the week and on Sunday?
“Yeah, I think I’m the same way. I’m just very happy to be part of Toyota racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, and happy to have Joe Gibbs Racing and Furniture Row. I feel like we are a team that we are already committed one to the other, and we know that we can trust to each other in the racetrack very well. They showed that last year, and as well in the Clash race. I think nothing will change for the Duels and for the 500. We are going to try to work together and hopefully put ourselves in a good position.”
Do you feel you are the future of NASCAR?
“For me, pretty much the same. The new generation, it’s very cool to give those kids, those new talents a hand and try to help them out, because like Erik just mentioned, 10 seconds or a little chat with these kids, it means the world for them. It’s something really good. I really wasn’t expecting to be in this position right now five years ago. I wish I was, but I wasn’t expecting to be here, and now to be here it something really cool, to be living there and now to be able to try to help a little bit the new generations that are coming here to the United States from México or to all over the world. It’s always something really good to see these guys and really to try to give them a little bit of advice that really they can ‑‑ it can help them for the future.”
Is Parque Fundidora in Monterrey, México, where you are from?
“Yeah, I’m glad you mentioned that because for me that’s one of the best racetracks in México, and actually it’s 10 minutes away from my home, from my mom’s home, and it’s an amazing racetrack. For some reason, the government over there, they haven’t used that racetrack in several years. The racetrack is still there. They have a lot of hotels and a lot of stuff going on inside the park, and now they use the racetrack to do ‑‑ to ride bikes and to run, to do exercise, so definitely for me it’s a little bit of a waste, but hopefully one day we can come back. The racetrack is still there, and I know it’s a huge investment that the government made at one point, and hopefully we can recover sooner or later.”
What was the best thing about winning the championship last season, and who did you call as soon as you found out you’d be moving up to the Cup car?
“Well, the best part about last year was ‑‑ well, just the development that we had going on from the first half of the year to the second half with my team. Scott Graves and the guys did an amazing job of working very, very hard and put the pressure on the side, what they needed to do ‑‑ when they needed to do it in the Chase time. I’m very proud of those guys, the way that they work and they do things in the last few races. And about the Cup stuff, I wasn’t able to call anyone because Coach told me that I can’t even tell my parents, so for a few hours I didn’t say anything, and then finally I had to call my dad just to tell him. But for a few hours I didn’t say anything.”
Erik Jones, No. 77 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Furniture Row Racing
Who would you pick to win the XFINITY championship this year?
“Yeah, for me, Matt Tifft obviously in Joe Gibbs equipment again, I know how strong that is driving it all last year. But beyond that, I guess an outside pick, it’s hard to ‑‑ a guy like William Byron, watching him for the last year or so in trucks, he was so strong, I don’t see that changing at all. There’s a really good class. That whole group of drivers is really strong. It’s one of the stronger fields in the last few years, so it’s pretty neat to see. But I think those two guys will probably be up front battling it out. I’m sure Justin will be up there again battling as well as Elliott. Should be fun to watch.”
How much learning is there for you and Daniel Suárez in being able to do that through the week and on Sunday?
“Well, there’s a lot. I haven’t still been in a pack in the Cup cars on a superspeedway, so hopefully I can learn a lot tomorrow in the Duels and figure out more about how these cars draft and how to make moves and how to work together. We’ll see as that goes. Yeah, I mean, sure, the plan is we want to work together. Obviously it gives us the best shot to win. As long as we can get linked up, I’ll learn as much as I can tomorrow to hopefully provide and help and do as much as I can. But it should be interesting to see. I’m glad to be with a group that works together so well, and last year, you know, it showed that as long as we’re all working together, we’re usually going to be up there with a shot to win.”
Do you feel you are the future of NASCAR?
“Yeah, for me I’m happy to be a part of it, obviously. I remember 10 years ago I was racing quarter midgets back home in Michigan, and all of us wanted to be Cup drivers someday. We all had dreams of racing in NASCAR and racing at the top level. You know, any time I see a young driver, I try to go out of my way to give him a little bit of extra time and give him that extra moment. You know, I remember meeting drivers when I was younger, and all I wanted to do was be their buddy for 10 seconds, if that’s all it was. I try to remember that always, and it’s pretty cool for me to go back. I’ve been out to the quarter midget track I started racing on and went back there and helped out and supported them, so it’s neat to go back there and see the kids and see those drivers and now myself to be a part of the movement here in NASCAR, the young guys coming up.”
