Toyota Racing – Kyle Busch
NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes
NASHVILLE (June 18, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch was made available to media after running the fastest lap in Xfinity Series practice at Nashville Superspeedway:
KYLE BUSCH, No. 54 M&M’s Toyota Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing
Why do you think the speed are so much slower from the previous track record?
“It’s been a long time since we’ve been here, and I’d bet you the tires are a bit harder than when we were here years ago. I know the sidewalls are harder, different constructions, all of that different stuff. The trends that have gone along the years will definitely lay in effect and also temperature. I don’t know when the track record was set, but I’m going to (guess) it was March or April, so definitely cooler temperatures would do some of that as well too. The fall off today just builds, heat and maybe the resin, has something to do with it too.”
Did the track drive the same as it did 11-12 years ago?
“It was really similar as much as I can remember anyways. It drove a lot more similar than I expected it to be. I thought it was going to be way rougher. Tracks age. They go through seasons, and they get bumpier. They get rougher, but I don’t think this place has change one concrete joint since we’ve been here. It’s pretty cool. It looks good. They’ve done a lot of work here, so looking forward to having a good weekend.”
Can you take what you learned to the Cup Series?
“Yeah, there are definitely some things that are going to be similar. Tires are the same, so knowing what our car on the short run firing off and then what it did in the long run, the build that it had, they change that happened throughout the duration of that run is the other side. All of those things you try to work on and continue to improve and make better. The setups of the cars are completely different. The packages of the cars are completely different, but 3400-pound racecars are still going to trend the same way.”
Has the new car and the influx of new ownership in the Cup Series changed your opinion on that?
“I don’t know. I think it’s going to be a bit expensive the first couple of years for sure, but it might then start to equal out and be okay in the long run. I guess if this was back in 2012, 2013 and when I had the Monster opportunity, then I would say, hell yeah. It makes sense to do it because you’ve got the upfront money. The only way to do it right is to get a charter, get some of that guaranteed income and stuff like that. I’ve not even looked into it, so I don’t know if there is any kind of charter stuff available or what not, but where we are at and what we are doing now – we’re in a good spot with the truck stuff. We are leaders of the TRD driver development program and the beginning of that. I say the beginning – we are the beginning of Truck on up. It’s probably just not going to happen.”
Is it don’t bite off more than you can chew type moment?
“We could do it. I feel like we could do it. There’re some good people at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports and it would be okay to do it. Just the financial piece of it isn’t there. I don’t’ see Toyota coming to us and giving us more or any more than what they are giving Denny (Hamlin) and his team. I know they are already maxed out on budget stuff with what they are giving us for our truck deal, and we would need more for the Cup deal. Eric Phillips is obviously a great leader that could probably run that deal. I bet you that John Hunter (Nemechek) is a good enough driver that could run the car, so there are definitely some pieces there that could make the puzzle work, but again no serious efforts have been looked into.”
How has the success of John Hunter Nemechek and Eric Phillips matched up with your expectations of them coming into the season?
“It’s matched up really well. Did I expect them to do what they’ve been doing? Absolutely. This was kind of the idea and the reason why we did what we did. Did I think they would have this many Playoff points by this point? Probably not that, but did I think that they would have three wins? Certainly. Did I think they would beat me twice? No. So we’ve got one more, I told them don’t screw it up. I got to win Pocono and then he can have the rest of the year. It’s all his.”
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