Toyota Racing – Natalie Decker
NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS)
Kansas Speedway – May 10, 2019
DGR-Crosley driver Natalie Decker was made available to the media in Kansas:
NATALIE DECKER, No. 54 N29 Technologies LLC Toyota Tundra, DGR-Crosley
How is your familiarity with this track since you have been here in ARCA although it is your first time here in the trucks?
“We’ve been here before so that definitely helps because it is not new to me and it’s not something where I have no idea what to expect. That did help a lot. The truck was super free in the beginning and we were struggling with the handling in the first practice. The second practice we got a lot better. I am excited for qualifying to see what that’s like.”
On a somber note, Officer Sheldon’s life was taken not to far from your shop. Today, you and your teammate (Tyler Ankrum) have a sticker on your trucks honoring him. Talk about what it means to show support.
“Officer Jordan (Sheldon), we have a sticker on the car, right by the post where you get in. I am very happy we get to run that because that was so sad that that happened and it was so close to our shop and it’s just so scary. So things like that happen, it’s really awesome that we get to put it on our truck and show support.”
What’s the advice from the crew chief as we head into qualifying?
“Hold it wide open!”
What is the difference between driving an ARCA car here and driving the Truck?
“It definitely feels a lot different. The body is shaped a lot different so the way the air packs is different. When you race in a pack, it’s a lot different feeling. It’s a lot freer feeling, and also when you are going down the frontstretch going down turn one it punches a way bigger hole when you are behind someone. You get a way bigger draft and a way bigger run in the Trucks than you did in ARCA. So that was definitely different and I had to get used to that. It was good; we got to run with some cars in practice and experience some of that.”
How did the truck feel this morning?
The truck felt really free this morning; it was not feeling that great. We had a lot of front tire chatter; it was doing all kinds of stuff. They worked really hard on it. The last run of the second practice went really, really well.”
Anything that your are working on for qualifying?
“Well, qualifying changed a little bit since we don’t do runs anymore. I hope that clouds come, and there is no sun, and we can just hold it wide open. We didn’t get to do a mock-run in practice, so I am not sure exactly what to expect for qualifying. But I am really excited. We qualified pretty good in Las Vegas; we qualified ninth in the first round and 12th in the second. I am just hoping for a top-15 in qualifying; I would be really happy with that.
What are your expectations for the race?
“Well, we got 13th at the last mile-and-a-half, which was Vegas, so I am hoping we can do better here.”
Have you gotten advice from David (Gilliland, team owner) that has stuck with you?
“Lots of it! Today, just lifting earlier and sooner and getting back in the gas sooner instead of driving it in too deep, and saying ‘Well, I have to lift now.’ and then getting back to the gas. He said, just lift soon, and get back to it soon. I was struggling in one and two, and that really helped.”
