MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
BIG MACHINE VODKA 400 AT THE BRICKYARD
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
SEPTEMBER 7, 2019
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 LIBERTY UNIVERSITY CAMARO ZL1 Media Breakout Session Highlights:
HOW ELATED ARE FOR THE PLAYOFFS?
“I’m excited. I don’t really know what to do or what to expect or anything. But, obviously having been in the series last year and having seen the way that the races played out, it’s just all about getting down to business and pretty much doing the same thing that you’ve been doing to get here, and just try to eliminate mistakes, I think is the biggest thing. I’m going to try to definitely have really clean races and that starts this weekend for us and just trying to build the momentum for it and make sure we execute a good race.”
YOU HAVE MADE THE PLAYOFFS IN THE OTHER TWO SERIES UNDER THIS FORMAT. CAN YOU TAKE ANYTHING FROM THAT INTO THIS?
“I think I had good success in both. The thing that I lean on for those was I was a really high seed, I was like the number one seed in the Truck Series. In Xfinity, all those points helped. We had a bad race in the beginning of the Xfinity playoffs. But, if you put together one really good race in each round, you’re in a good position, I think; especially in the first couple of rounds. So, we’ve just got to put together one really good race or three really solid ones. There are a number of ways to do it. It just comes down to ultimately not making mistakes.”
MOST CHALLENGING UPCOMING TRACKS
“The Roval always comes to mind, especially with the new chicane. I feel like it’s going to be a different challenge than before. And then, I’d say Martinsville has been kind of a tough place. I’d say those two. The Roval and Martinsville. I haven’t seen the chicane. It looks like it’s much more of a corner than it was last year, so it looks basically like Watkins Glen’s bus stop. We’ll see how that goes. I think it’s going to be much slower. I really don’t know if it’s going to be a passing zone. But, it’s definitely going to set-up a passing into the front chicane with being able to out-brake someone.”
HOW CHALLENGING IS LAS VEGAS FOR YOU AND WILL IT BE DIFFERENT GOING BACK A SECOND TIME THIS YEAR?
“I would say the surface is probably going to be similar, if not the same, as the spring race. It doesn’t seem to age a lot out there the last couple of times we’ve been there. But, the evening start is going to make a difference. So, there’s going to be more grip, but it’s always really hot. I think the cars are going to be faster than the first time we went there with everyone making improvements. I think the track is going to be a little bit cooler. It’s probably going to be more of a tighter race around each other, for sure.”
ARE THERE TRACKS YOU LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE PLAYOFFS?
“I think anywhere we’ve been and then go a second time, like Vegas and Richmond come to mind. And that second or third round, Texas, would be a good track for us. I think Texas and Kansas would be good too because we’ve been there already this year. Anywhere that Chad (Knaus, crew chief) and I go for the second time is going to payoff.”
IN LOOKING AHEAD TO THE PLAYOFFS, WHAT DOES THIS BRICKYARD RACE MEAN?
“I think it means a lot just for the sole reason that it’s the Brickyard 400 and this place means a lot to win here. So, I think that for us, I don’t know if it would mean as much if it was just a typical race and we were already in the Playoffs, but for it being the race that it is, it would mean a lot. Plus, it would be such a big race to win right before you start the Playoffs, I think it would carry a lot of momentum into the first round.”
WHAT MAKES THIS TRACK SO UNIQUE COMPARED TO THE OTHER TRACKS FROM A PHYSICAL STANDPOINT?
“It’s really smooth. Obviously the IndyCars run here so It’s got to be smooth. I would say that it’s really fast, surprisingly. And the corners are like tunnel turns. So, it’s like the tunnel turn at Pocono. Every corner is. And it’s very narrow. I would say those things are a recipe for a tough race track.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
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