NASCAR CUP SERIES
COKE ZERO SUGAR 400
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 28, 2020
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference to discuss his outlook going into the final race of the regular season at Daytona International Speedway, what it’s like racing with his Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, for a spot in the Playoffs, and more. Transcript:
CHAD (KNAUS) TALKED THE OTHER DAY THAT YOU TEXTED HIM MONDAY MORNING AND THAT YOU GUYS ALSO LATER TALKED ON THE PHONE THIS WEEK ABOUT RACING EACH OTHER AND THE WEIRDNESS OF IT. CAN YOU TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT YOU TALKED ABOUT AND ALSO WHY IS IT WEIRD BECAUSE YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN RACING AGAINST EACH OTHER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. IN YOUR MIND, WHY DID YOU SEND THAT TEXT ABOUT HOW WEIRD IT WAS AND THE FEELINGS IN GOING UP AGAINST CHAD FOR A PLAYOFF SPOT?
“Chad (Knaus) and I are great friends and have stayed really close through all that’s happened. Sure, it wasn’t easy and it wasn’t fun at some different points here recently, but I wish him the best. We talk often. I want the best for Chad and his family, and for Chad and his race team. To go into Dover, we could all sense and see the picture and the way it was unfolding. I knew they had a tough Saturday and the toll that it took on William and Chad both, and then they rebounded on Sunday. I’ve been there – I’ve had him coaching me along and I just know where his head is, and I know how difficult and weird it is to look at the 48 car as the guy you have to beat. And the way you go about motivating yourself to beat your competition. I’m sitting on my side going through the same thing and it’s William and Chad, and specifically Chad. Through our friendship and our relationship, I just reached out to him and we had a good laugh about it. We certainly both look at the year and know there are moments that could have kept us both from being in this position, but it is what it is and we’re going to Daytona, which makes it even more awkward. We’ll see how things play out.”
EARLIER THIS YEAR, YOU KIND OF LED THE DRIVER EFFORT IN RESPONSE TO SOCIAL JUSTICE. I’M CURIOUS IF THERE HAS BEEN ANY DISCUSSIONS THIS WEEK ABOUT ANYTHING DRIVERS WILL DO ON SATURDAY IN RESPONSE TO KENOSHA?
“Yeah, there’s been some early talks. I’m not sure where it will end up just yet, but I know the drivers have had some conversations and I know that NASCAR, as well, is in that conversation. These things seem to develop a little later, based on past experience, but I know that many, including myself, are extremely disturbed in what we saw at Kenosha. We’ll see how things develop for tomorrow’s event.”
YOUR CAREER IS OBVIOUSLY DEFINED ALREADY – SEVEN CHAMPIONSHIPS, HALL OF FAMER, ALL OF THOSE THINGS. BUT WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU TO GET THE GAME-WINNING BASE HIT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE NINTH TO GET YOURSELF INTO THE PLAYOFFS THIS TIME AROUND, CONSIDERING ALL THE ADVERSITY – THE LOSE OF POINTS AT CHARLOTTE, MISSING THE INDIANAPOLIS RACE. WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU PERSONALLY TO GET OVER THE HUMP AND GET IN? WOULD IT BE EVEN SWEETER TO GET IN WITH YOUR HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS TEAMMATE?
“Yeah, of course we want all four cars in the Playoffs and to go through the rounds in the Playoffs. So, that would be the sweet thing. For me, I feel like I’m racing more for my team. On top of that and an extension of that would be for the fans. I know where I am in my heart and I know that I’m still very, very competitive, can get the job done, win races and be a threat for the championship. There’s just more variables to the reality of that than I think even I realized. I’ve had it so good with all those variables in place and was able to win five championships in a row, win all those races and seven championships in total. But I’m a better driver today than I was then and I firmly believe that. Watching my team develop, grow and end up where we are today led by Cliff Daniels, it’s been a tough three years – there’s no way around it. But we are coming and this team is on track. I do feel like we can get that base hit and I do feel that we can go rounds. And I do feel like we can get hot and be a championship threat. Yes, that will mean a lot to me, but for my team – they’re my motivation right now. Watching these guys give everything that they have week in and week out and they really are my motivation right now to go in addition to my competitive nature and what I want to accomplish. We’ll see how it all plays out. It could be a storybook ending for us, which would be amazing and I know the fans would really appreciate that and enjoy it. But all I can do is give 100 percent – that’s something that I’ve learned over these last three years that our performance on Sunday is more than just my will, my desire and how good I want to do. It’s really more of a team sport than I’ve ever imagined.”
WITH WHAT’S ON THE LINE TOMORROW, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE THIS WEEK TO KIND OF KEEP YOUR MIND AWAY FROM RACING?
“I’ve been training pretty hard – that’s always been a great escape for me. With restrictor plate racing, there’s only so much you can do to prepare and get ready for it. The rules are locked in, we don’t have practice, we don’t have qualifying. To burn off nervous energy for me has always be training, so I’ve been on the mountain bike quite a bit this week.”
IT’S DAYTONA AND THIS COULD BE YOUR LAST RACE AT DAYTONA. WHAT’S YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT THINKING ABOUT YOUR LAST RACE AT DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY AND ON A SUPERSPEEDWAY?
“Honestly, just lay it all out on the line. We have a lot at stake and, again, it could be a great storybook ending for my last full-time race or race on an oval at Daytona. We all understand the storylines. I’m excited, I’m ready to go. I’m not one to spend too much time getting overly sentimental. I’m more excited about the opportunity to go racing and drive that 48 car. So, I’m just excited to get there and get to work.”
AFTER DOVER, YOU SORT OF MENTIONED JUST LOOKING AHEAD TO THE NEXT RACE AND NOT REALLY BEING TOO REFLECTIVE. I’M WONDERING, OVER THE COURSE OF THE WEEK, HAVE YOU TAKEN ANY MORE MOMENTS TO REFLECT OR HAVE YOU SORT OF CHANGED HOW YOU’RE THINKING GOING INTO THIS WEEKEND?
“My mindset has really just been competition focused – trying to win races, trying to gather points. That’s so stressful that I believe it’s helped me not focus too much on the sentimental stuff and the emotions that come with that. I think I’m just wired that way and I believe a lot of competitors are – that you don’t want to stop and really reflect. I know at some point that I won’t have a choice and that will be in the forefront of my mind, but the longer I can defer that, I think the more that it allows me to focus on my job and to do my job. We’ll see how things go after the Playoffs. Hopefully we make the Playoffs and I can stay focused in the right areas on competition, and require to and have to. If we don’t make the Playoffs, maybe that shifts things a little bit. But again, I want to win a race so bad that that’s way more important to me than any type of reflection. I have years to reflect back – I don’t plan on being away from our sport. I might not be there week in and week out, but this is a sport that has given me so much that I plan to be around and I feel like there will be plenty of moments in the future to reflect, and this year is much more about performance.”
YOU’RE GOING UP AGAINST A HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS TEAMMATE IN WILLIAM BYRON AND A GUY THAT’S COME UP THROUGH THE ORGANIZATION – SOMEONE WHO’S RISE YOU’VE WATCHED OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. WHAT CAN YOU SAY ABOUT A DRIVER LIKE WILLIAM BYRON AND WHERE HAS HE IMPROVED SINCE ENTERING INTO THE CUP SERIES A COUPLE YEARS BACK?
“He’s a true student of the sport and his life is dedicated to racing. With his interest in sim racing, he can literally day in and day out learn tracks, drive cars, think about racing, think about setups, interact with his team on that level. During my generation, we could go test quite a bit and we did a lot of that. But still, I think he can get more reps in today’s world than the world that I grew up in and it’s been really interesting to watch him grow in his path. I think he probably has the fastest path to a NASCAR Cup car in the history of our sport. Hats off to him – he’s doing a great job and I know he’s going to be a tough competitor at Daytona.”
I KNOW YOU SAID AT THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR THAT THIS WAS GOING TO BE YOUR FINAL SEASON, BUT I’M SURE YOU DIDN’T ANTICIPATE THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THEN CONTRACTING THE DISEASE YOURSELF, AND NOT HAVING ANY FANS IN THE STANDS, WHICH PREVENTS YOU FROM GETTING THE PROPER SENDOFF SAY THAT TONY STEWART AND JEFF GORDON GOT. AT ANYTIME DID YOU START HAVING SECOND THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS BEING YOUR FINAL FULL-TIME SEASON? AT THIS MOMENT, ARE YOU STILL CONTENT WITH YOUR DECISION?
“Yeah, I made that decision and it takes a lot to make that decision. So, for me, since I’ve made it, it’s in motion – it’s happened, it’s where my heart is. This is my final year in the car full-time in NASCAR. It doesn’t mean that I won’t come back and run some NASCAR races. I’m certainly working hard to stay racing next year. So, the fans will still have their opportunity I believe to see me in race cars at a high level and we can have some great experiences there. The farewell tour that I hoped to have, the interaction with fans and that sentimental experience – the pandemic got it. It’s an unfortunate truth, but it is what it is.”
YOU MENTIONED EARLIER THAT IT WAS AWKWARD WITH THE RACE BEING AT DAYTONA AGAINST CHAD (KNAUS). WHY AWKWARD?
“The awkward piece of racing my teammate and then to be at a track where there’s so many variables and so many ways to lose points. It’s just an awkward weekend. Normally, my history of racing, especially trying to make the playoffs, you’re used to a certain series of races that lead up to it, and then a cutoff race and what happens there. This is just all new and it’s different. I think from a fan’s perspective, it’s going to be very entertaining and the fans are going to tune in. For us guys in the pressure cooker, it’s more intense than any situation that I’ve been in the past.”
HAVE YOU BEEN INVOLVED IN ANY DISCUSSIONS AT ALL OF WHO MIGHT REPLACE YOU NEXT YEAR AS THE DRIVER OF THE 48 CAR? HAVE THEY BOUNCED DIFFERENT DRIVERS OFF OF YOU?
“Yeah, I’ve been involved a little bit. It’s a big decision for the company and for our sponsor Ally. So, the weight really lies in their hands and the direction they want to take. (inaudible). I believe in Hendrick Motorsports – the decision they make and who they decide to put in the car. And, of course, Ally goes along with that as well.”
MATT DIBENEDETTO TALKED ABOUT HIS WIFE PRETTY MUCH CRYING AMID ALL THE PRESSURE AND I SEE WILLIAM BYRON WITH SCENTED CANDLES ON HIS INSTAGRAM. I’M CURIOUS, WHAT’S LIFE LIKE FOR JIMMIE JOHNSON THIS WEEK?
“Life is kind of interesting for me and certainly different than those two. We have chosen to do homeschooling for our kids until the season is over. Obviously, with the pandemic, missing a race already and for our children’s safety, we’ve decided to do distance learning. I was up at 5:45 this morning so my daughter, Lydia, could do a Zoom conference with one of her teachers at 6:30 MT because we’re in Colorado. It would be great if we were still in Charlotte right now on the east coast – the time would be much better (laughs). But our focus is on our homeschooling and all week long connecting our kids to their classes have meant very early mornings. Very different lifestyles for all three of us. And just where we are in age and what we have going on. The stress of the job – I’ve been through this in some many different ways. I feel like it’s one of the advantages experience brings. I’m sure I’ll feel it, but I think it will really just show up on race day in the car in the moment and the days leading into it are a little more relaxed for me.”
CERTAINLY, THIS YEAR WE’VE SEEN THE ROLE OF ATHLETES SPEAKING AGAINST SOCIAL INJUSTICES IN WAYS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN SEEN BEFORE AND CERTAINLY SEEN IN THIS SPORT. I’M CURIOUS YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT AND HOW IT’S CHANGED EVEN FROM AN ATHLETES POINT-OF-VIEW WITH THE PLATFORM YOU’VE HAD ALL THESE YEARS. WHETHER IT’S THE COMFORT FACTOR OR BEING ABLE TO SPEAK UP AT THIS POINT AS OPPOSED TO YEARS PAST AND CERTAINLY SEE IT MORE IN OTHER SPORTS AND ATHLETES AS WELL IN THE CHANGING TIMES. AND WHAT THIS NEXT GENERATION OF ATHLETES AND DRIVERS IN THE SPORT – HOW THIS MIGHT CHANGE HOW THEY LOOK AT THINGS MOVING FORWARD.
“Yeah, these are changing times and I know many don’t want to see the opinions of the athletes, and they want the sport to be the sport and the athletes just to be quiet. But I think there’s been so much going on over a long, long period of time and various topics, as well, that we have an opinion – athletes have an opinion and we have a right to share our opinion. I think with age, I’ve become more comfortable to share my opinion. And then as I learn more about various issues, my own emotions come into play and I’m led to having different conversations or use my platforms in a different way – to focus our foundation and some of the work it does in a different direction. We all have our own journey with it all and I think we all definitely have that right and should not be judged to have that right. It’s just changing times – a big election year, a lot of different opinions, and in my opinion, a country more divided than I’ve ever seen or experienced in my lifetime. So, it’s an important time in everyone’s life right now and I feel like the younger generation is watching and learning. And I’m very encouraged by watching my kids and the way our school is teaching them to learn, to have an opinion, to really educate themselves on various topics. At times, I’m discouraged by where we sit as a nation, as a world and just how divided we all are. But then when I see my kids, their questions and their genuine concern about the future of our country, of our environment, of racial inequality issues, gender-related issues – I do become encouraged. To hear a 10-year old and a 6-year old weigh in on some conversations really has blown my mind. So, I do have some optimism for the future. Clearly, it’s a critical point in time right now for us all. It’s a big topic and a journey that’s not going to resolve anytime soon for generations to come.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.
