MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
POCONO RACEWAY
GANDER RV 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JULY 27, 2019
KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 Media Breakout Session Highlights:
HAVE YOU EVER HAD A SEASON LIKE THIS WHERE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’VE JUST BEEN MAKING SO MANY MISTAKES?
“No, I mean 2015 I don’t really remember that year, I don’t really want to remember that year. But I just remember it being bad. I don’t know if we crashed a lot then or what. Lately, it’s just been a lot of mistakes on my part. Earlier in the year, it was just bad luck or whatever you want to call it. But lately, it’s just been my fault.”
WHAT CAN YOU PIN THAT TO?
“It’s probably just too aggressive at the wrong times. I just have to work on that and not make mistakes. I just hate it for everyone that I’m affecting from it; my guys on the 42 and even the guys on the 1 that are helping out. They shouldn’t have to do that, so I just have to stop.”
POCONO HAS BEEN A PRETTY DECENT TRACK FOR YOU. DOES THAT HELP YOU REFOCUS FOR THE REST OF THE WEEKEND?
“Yeah, I’m fine and I think our team is fine too. We are still confident that we are going to be good. Before I wrecked, I was really happy with my car. I feel like we were going to keep getting better, so at least I know we have a good setup. Obviously, the backup car usually isn’t as good as the primary, so that stinks. But we will hopefully be fine and like you said, it’s been a good track for us.”
YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO SORT OF LET THINGS GO. HAS THIS EVER HAPPENED IN YOUR CAREER BEFORE?
“Yeah, I feel like I’ve always done a good job of just moving on and trying to forget. I learn from what I did, but move on, forget about it and do better next time. Obviously, you have to be a little cautious now that you don’t have a backup car. But we’ll be fine.”
DOES THAT PUT YOU AT A DISADVANTAGE NOW THAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAUTIOUS?
“For the rest of today, maybe. But, once we get in the race tomorrow, everything is normal.”
DO YOU THINK THE TRACTION COMPOUND HAD ANY AFFECT TO IT?
“No, I don’t think so. I got loose lower out of it and just over-corrected it. I hit the wall and then hit the inside wall. So, nothing that the traction compound did to me. I don’t know if it had an affect on Chase (Elliott), but at least for me it didn’t.”
ANY REGRETS LAST WEEK ON THE CRASH WITH ALEX BOWMAN?
“Yeah, I had a really good car. I just wish I would have been more patient. Obviously, he threw the block on me, but that’s part of restarts there. I was just trying to stay to his inside so that he couldn’t get to the very bottom, but my angle was bad, I ran into the corner a little too far and hit the brakes harder. I just landed on the splitter, got tight and ran into him. Yeah, I mean I was just mad at myself after that because I gave up a lot of points.”
HOW HAS THE TEAM REACTION BEEN?
“I think we are all behind each other. Surprisingly, their attitudes seem fine towards me (laughs). I would be mad, but they seem OK.”
WHAT HAS BEEN THE RELATIONSHIP WITH KURT BUSCH THIS SEASON?
“It’s been good. He’s not as crazy as I thought he might be (laughs). He’s just a really good guy, I mean a lot more normal than I initially thought of him because I didn’t really know him that well. We’ve all heard the stories. He’s really smart and I can learn a lot off of him just listening to how he communicates with his team, how he treats people. I’ve liked working with him.”
IS THERE BEEN ANY SPECIFIC THINGS YOU CAN POINT TO THIS YEAR THAT KURT (BUSCH) HAS HELPED WITH FOR YOU AND THE ORGANIZATION TO GET BETTER?
“I just think everything he has helped with has. I think he has so much experience that he’s been able to bring to the team, knowing what areas to work on, and communicating with Matt McCall on things to make their car better. We can learn off of that as well. There isn’t just one thing, I think he’s helped a lot of areas.”
YOU’VE HAD SOME GOOD FINISHES AT WATKINS GLEN. ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT?
“Yeah, I like road course racing. I always qualify good at every road course we go to. I’ve gotten better at the racing side of things. We usually end up racing and finishing good at Watkins Glen, if we don’t run out of fuel or something like that. I enjoy it. I’m excited to get back there.”
BEFORE YOU CRASHED, DID YOU TEST THE PJ-1 COMPOUND AT ALL? HOW WILL IT AFFECT THE RACE?
“I have no idea, I only made 2 ½ laps.”
YOU ARE REALLY GOOD FRIENDS WITH A LOT OF GUYS YOU RACE WITH. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT LINE BETWEEN FRIENDS AND BEING COMPETITORS ON THE TRACK?
“Yeah, I mean I don’t know. I think it’s easier because there’s more give and take when you are around a close friend. Especially when you are having to borrow someone’s jet to get home with. You have to watch what you do then. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Denny Hamlin and I hang out a lot together, so I feel like we race each other the right way to avoid any issues, I guess. I think it’s easier to race your friends than it is to race someone you don’t really know.”
DOES IT GO THROUGH YOUR MIND IF YOU’RE RACING ONE OF THESE GUYS FOR A WIN OR A SPOT AT THE END OF THE RACE?
“No, I think that goes out the window. Stenhouse and I last year I think at Bristol, we were beating and banging with each other there at the end of the race battling for the win. I don’t think I’ve ever had to race Hamlin for a win or anything like that. We have job and we are out there to finish the best for our teams.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.
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