NASCAR Cup PR

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Erik Jones was made available to media at Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

WAS THERE SOMETHING OFF WITH YOUR TEAM A LITTLE THIS YEAR? “Well, we have covered this a number of times but for us we had to make our cars a little better and had to get our arms wrapped around what we needed to do from the new rules package and things. We just made our cars better and started executing throughout the summer and we were able to finally start going to victory lane and find some consistency.”

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to media at Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to media at Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

WITH ALL THE OTHER STORIES OUT THERE, DO YOU LIKE THAT YOU CAN FLY UNDER THE RADAR? “It’s a little bit of an advantage to have that lack of pressure on our team. Our goal was obviously to make the Playoffs and to accomplish that has been really good. I feel like now we can focus more on executing the first three races and try to get through that round. So yeah, I don’t think it really matters either way but it does help that we don’t really have that pressure on us.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR? “I definitely feel more confident, and that comes from the speed that we’ve shown during the year. Even lately we’ve had great speed, we just haven’t really got anything to show for it. I think we have as good of a shot as anybody going in, and win a couple of races here and make a big statement here in the playoffs.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR TEAM’S PERFORMANCE SO FAR THIS SEASON? “Obviously we would like to have a better year. You always want to do better. There are some races I wish we could have back but at the end of the day it is nice to be a part of the playoffs. I think our team is plenty capable and I think we have a shot at making a good run. We just can’t have any mistakes and things like that. We have the team to do it, it is just a matter of maximizing your full potential and seeing what happens.”

WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS TRACK THAT YOU HAVE FIGURED OUT THAT THESE OTHER GUYS HAVEN’T WITH YOUR THREE WINS HERE? “Certainly Vegas has been a good track for us. When they made the change to make Vegas the first race of the playoffs, there was not a single complaint here. We are looking forward to it. I don't know, it has a good balance of challenge to get through the bumps in 1 and 2 and then the exit of turn 4 you have to be perfect. I really like that challenge and our team sets up a car really well for that.”

REGARDING THE RACE THIS WEEKEND IN LAS VEGAS “Yeah, just to go there and have a good race and get some Stage points. We are typically good at Vegas, so I like it being the first race of the Playoffs because you will get set with the rhythm and momentum that you need to have the confidence to go on to the next two races.”

YOU SAID AFTER LAST WEEK THAT BEING IN THE POSITION WHERE YOU ARE FIGHTING TO GET IN THE PLAYOFFS ISN’T FUN RACING. WHAT CHANGES NOW THAT YOU ARE IN THE PLAYOFFS? “Fun. I have always thought that. Over my career of making these playoffs, it comes at a good time of year for me. Those summer months are long, grueling and they drag on. You needed a wake up call and shot in the arm. For me, that is the playoffs."