WILD RESTARTS AND FOUR-WIDE RACING IN CALIFORNIA
Three Toyota Drivers Earn Top-10 Finishes
FONTANA, Calif. (March 1, 2020) – Kyle Busch finished second in Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Southern California’s Auto Club Speedway and was followed to the checkered flag by two other Joe Gibbs Racing Camrys in the top-10.
Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Auto Club Speedway
Race 3 of 36 – 400 miles, 200 laps
TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Alex Bowman*
2nd, KYLE BUSCH
3rd, Kurt Busch*
4th, Chase Elliott*
5th, Brad Keselowski*
6th, DENNY HAMLIN
10th, ERIK JONES
14th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
28th, DANIEL SUÁREZ
37th, TIMMY HILL
38th, CHRISTOPHER BELL
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 2nd
After the weekend you had, how do you feel about second place in the race?
“We have a lot of work to do. Guys did a great job here though just trying to work on it and trying to make everything we could out of it all day long, all weekend long. Interstate Batteries Camry wasn’t a second place car, but thankfully we got a good finish out of here and try to get some points. Guys are doing all they can, I know along with everybody at TRD (Toyota Racing Development). I appreciate all the hard work, we just have to get a little bit better. We finished the end of last year so strong, I don’t know what we’re missing here. Obviously, it’s a little bit of something here and maybe a little bit of something in a few different areas, but overall good car today. Thank M&M’s, Snickers, Skittles, Rowdy Energy and go on to next week.”
How would you sum up your day?
“Slow, we were slow. Just didn’t have the speed overall today for some reason. Then, there at the end felt like the tires were worn out at the last bit of the race. Just frustrating day for us with our Interstate Batteries Camry. Give it up to my guys and everybody at the shop, they’re certainly working hard. I just feel like we’re kind of missing it a little bit – here, here, here and here and those things kind of add up and drag you down a little bit. Overall, great day I guess coming home with second and getting good points out of here. Thanks to Toyota, M&M’s, Interstate Batteries and Rowdy Energy – let’s go next week.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 6th
Did today finish better than you initially anticipated?
“We’re still slow. Our cars handled okay. If we don’t have a draft, we’re just run over. It’s tough because I feel like we’re getting beat on throttle time, but we’re also just getting murdered down the straightaways. Just need more horsepower, more downforce and less drag. If we can have all those, we’ll be better.”
What happened between yourself and Martin Truex Jr. during the race and is it difficult to have to race your teammates hard?
“We’re just fighting like cats and dogs. I think I was on the bottom there on the right rear and it just dumps air so much on my right rear spoiler that caused me to plow tight and kind of shove up into him. It’s just a bad combination.”
ERIK JONES, No. 20 Reser’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 10th
“It was a step in the right direction. I don’t think any of us really had race-winning speed. I think Kyle (Busch) got some good track position on that restart and was able to maintain. We got shuffled back and kind of had to come back from 15th. I don’t know, I think we’re off. We didn’t have anything for the 88 (Alex Bowman) or anything like that. We have to get faster, but I think we learned a lot. Just have more to get. Don’t know how to get there, but we have more to get.”
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