Official Release

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) will improve racing times with ANSYS (NASDAQ: ANSS) through a new, multi-year partnership. RCR will leverage ANSYS Pervasive Engineering SimulationTM software to more accurately predict machine performance and enhance vehicle speed on the race track by enabling a true digital twin of a race car.

After advancing to round two of qualifying, Stenhouse placed ninth overall scoring him in the fifth position in Thursday night’s Can-Am Duel 1, which will set the field for the Daytona 50

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion -- HOW EXCITED WERE YOU TO SEE LAST SEASON END AND THIS YEAR START GIVEN YOUR STRUGGLES LAST YEAR? “Very. Last year was more of a struggle than any of us expected for sure. I thought toward the end of the year that we started to make some speed back in our race car. We started to run good, had a good run at Miami and Texas and those places. That was encouraging. To get down here and have a good run in the Clash and have all three Penske cars up front was fun to see. Making sure one of us at least won it – I was hoping it was me – but to have a 1-2 finish for Team Penske was great.”

Monster Performer: Kurt Busch Eyes Daytona 500 Repeat - Kurt Busch led only the final lap in last season’s Daytona 500, putting his No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford in Victory Lane in Monster Energy’s first race as entitlement sponsor.

KEVIN HARVICK -- No. 4 Ford Fusion -- AT THIS POINT IN YOUR CAREER DOES IT FEEL LIKE CHAMPIONSHIP OR BUST?  “There are a lot of things still to accomplish.  You want to win and you want to be competitive on a week-to-week basis, so that’s the initial goal because there are so many of those goals.  But the ultimate goal is to put yourself in posiition to win a championship.  We’ve kind of been spoiled a little bit to have those opportunities year-in and year-out in the first four years at Stewart-Haas Racing.  We capitalized on one, so, yeah, that’s really the goal is to race for a championship and put yourself in position to have that opportunity.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at Daytona 500 Media Day.  Full Transcript: A lot of drivers have said you're going to be the new most popular driver.  When you hear stuff like that, how much is it a homage to your father's legacy or your on-track performance?

KYLE LARSON:  I don't know, I was just talking to Jimmie about that a little bit, and we still don't really know.  We'll see.  I think it's still so early with the bodies, but then again, the rules package, as well.  I don't know if it's just the way that his setup was or my setup was where it got him turned sideways, but I know for a fact that we're working on my setup stuff to make my car handle better, and hopefully allow me to push people a little easier, too.

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media and discussed his outlook for the 60th Daytona 500 and the season. Full transcript: YOU DO A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF IRACING. WOULD YOU RECOMMEND IT TO YOUNG DRIVERS? “I don’t know if it’s a platform to develop drivers."

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - Did you get to Volusia? "No, I actually didn't make it out there." Not even to watch? "Nope, watched it online."

RYAN BLANEY – No. 21 Ford Fusion – HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE AT TEAM PENSKE? “It really hasn’t changed a lot. It’s been pretty seamless, the transition between the Wood Brothers and the Penske group. A lot of the same people are coming over, so I’m really not meeting new personnel. You already kind of feel like a family, so that’s been really simple it’s just a matter of trying to perform.”