MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
COCA-COLA 600
TEAM CHEVY BREAKOUT SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
MAY 23, 2019
KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 Media Breakout Session Highlights:
YOU’VE HAD GREAT SPEED FOR MUCH OF THE SEASON, BUT NOW WITH THIS ALL-STAR WIN, DOES IT FEEL LIKE THE MONKEY IS OFF YOUR BACK TO BUILD SOME MOMENTUM?
“I hope so. I felt like we’ve had decent speed. I was surprised to get a win like that last weekend. I didn’t feel like we had the ‘winning speed’, but we were able to execute and get good restarts during the All-Star Race. If we can continue to do that and continue to improve our cars even more, then I feel like we can contend for wins. It’s still going to take a lot of hard work, but I was happy to win that last weekend. Win it for our sponsors and Chevy. Our Hendrick engines have been running really well. We just have to keep it going.”
YOU WENT A LITTLE WHILE WITHOUT HAVING A WIN. DOES A WIN IN THE ALL-STAR RACE ADD UP TO THE WINS FOR POINTS THAT YOU’VE HAD?
“A win is a win. It means just as much to me to win a non-point race as it does to win a regular race. I still had to beat the best to get it done. It would have been nice to be locked into the playoffs after it, but that’s not what that format is like. The All-Star Race is one of our top three or four races, so to win one of those feels really good.”
THE LAST DRIVER TO WIN THE ALL-STAR RACE AND THE 600 IN THE SAME YEAR WAS YOUR TEAMMATE. DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THE SAME?
“We will give it our best effort, for sure. I’m not sure, but we’ll see.”
THERE ARE DRIVERS THAT ARE MAKING THEIR FIRST 600 START THIS WEEKEND. WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO THEM TO GET READY FOR SUNDAY?
“Hydrate and don’t ask what lap you’re on.”
HOW DOES THE DYNAMIC WORK BETWEEN YOU AND KURT (BUSCH)?
“I enjoy working with Kurt (Busch). He’s obviously really smart and understands racecars a lot better than I do. To listen to him talk and break things down is really neat. It has pushed everyone at the shop and on the 42 team to be better. It’s been fun to work with him and have the competition with him. I want to beat him really bad. He’s been really fast so far this year. I definitely enjoy working with him.”
IN THE RACE LAST NIGHT, DO YOU RACE AS HARD FOR $5,000 AS YOU DO A MILLION?
“I felt like I had to race harder last night than I did last weekend. I definitely had to work harder to hold those guys off behind me last night than I felt like I did in the All-Star Race. During the All-Star Race, you have mirrors, spotters and dirty air. In outlaw carts, you don’t have mirrors, spotters or dirty air. You are really just doing what you can to guess what they are doing behind you. I felt like last night was much tougher just because I didn’t have any help. Like I said, in stock cars, you have help from your mirrors, spotters and dirty air. It was tough. I want to win; I want to beat a 12-year-old just as bad as Kevin Harvick.”
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.
