Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
ELKHART LAKE, Wis. (July 3, 2021) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to media after practice at Road America today:
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
How did you feel out there on that lap?
“It was good. The track is really fun. It’s different for sure, but fun. It’s really exciting. It’s like Watkins Glen in that sense, but overall, I like the racetrack.”
What is your reaction to the Trackhouse announcement?
“I thought it was a great move by Justin (Marks) and the Trackhouse guys. Did anyone really think that Ganassi (Chip Ganassi Racing) was for sale? I don’t think so, but I think they’ve got those relationships and he’s driven with them before, so I’m sure he’s had dialogue with them, but it was good. I think it’s good for our sport. I’m a little sad to see Chip (Ganassi) go. I really love Chip and what he’s about. We gain and we lose in that deal.”
Well, you’ve had some fun with Chip Ganassi over the years.
“Chip is just a great guy, a fun guy. He loves racing. Obviously, he’s still going to be racing in some capacity, but we are going to miss him in the NASCAR world.”
Does that become another avenue for you?
“I think every team owner has to weigh what their risk was, weigh what the outlook like. Like I said last week, you still have to have big money if you want to compete. Every team owner, whether it be in the front of the pack, middle of the pack or the back thinks about whether or not this business model is really going to work for them. There’s all kinds of avenues you can take to get charters, but ultimately writing the check is the easiest, but there are several different options.”
Is the track what you expected it to be?
“It’s just got so much flow to it. It’s got some fast speed stuff, heavy braking, tight corners, lefts and rights. It does have everything you would hope for in a track.”
Did you have any issues with any of the runoffs?
“Not really. Not that I could tell. I haven’t analyzed all of those major runoffs. What CotA is really great about is if you run long on a long straightaway, you’ve got room there for error and go about your business. Here I haven’t really analyzed where you are going to runoff. (Speaking about the kink) Yeah, that is a high-speed corner. You are trying to get all the speed out of it you can, and you know the exit is really important there.”
How much is the points battle a concern to you?
“I look at it – and if you look at the first 10 races, we were doing what he is doing – short of winning. The page flipped. We’ve pitted on the last lap the last three weeks, really not optimizing our day over the last few weeks and on top of that. Hendrick (Motorsports) and the Chevys in general have taken a big leap on the competition side. Frankly, the way I feel like the last two months have been, the fact that we still have something close to the lead is amazing.”
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands plus our 1,800 dealerships.
Toyota has created a tremendous value chain and directly employs more than 47,000 in North America. The company has contributed world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama that begins production in 2021.
Through its Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
