NASCAR CUP SERIES
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 22, 2024

 SHANE VAN GISBERGEN, NO. 16 WEATHERTECH CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of racing double duty in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Race at Circuit of The Americas.

Media Availability Quotes:

Shane, we’re here at COTA for the first road course race of the 2024 season. Can you walk us through how it feels to be running on a road course again, and how you’re feeling about your season, so far, now that you’ve had a few races under your belt?

“Yeah, it’s been pretty cool preparation this week.. very different again to be turning right. Yeah, it’s pretty exciting. I’m sick of the simulator and ready to drive a real car. But yeah, just excited to see what it feels like. The Xfinity car is going to be a big challenge, and then the Cup car kind of feels a bit more normal. But yeah, going to have to relearn it again.

I’m excited. The season has been going well, so far. The results are pretty above where I thought I’d be, so yeah it’s been pleasantly surprising. I’m just really enjoying myself.”

When you were here in Supercars, you didn’t run the full course, did you? Can you explain what’s different in the Xfinity and Cup car here versus a Supercar?

“Yeah, so we raced here in 2013. At the last bit of the esses, where there’s a double-right, we turned left and did like a little chicane with a jump and joined the backstraight, so I missed those corners out the back. But really, the surface is very weathered in a lot of corners. It looks a lot more slippery now than it did back then, apart from obviously the parts where they just resealed. So yeah, it’s going to be interesting to feel what it’s like, but I think these cars will drive very different to the Supercars then.”

You mentioned the simulator.. how much additional preparation have you put into this weekend, given it’s the first time that you’re pulling double duty?

“Yeah, I guess just double.. and then I did a little bit at Trackhouse on the static simulator, just going back-and-forth, mainly on the gear shifting. Just going from sequential back to the H-Pattern, just to not make mistakes. We’ve seen guys do that in the past. But I think the gears and the shift points are quite different, so should have any problem there. But yeah, it’s not going to be easy.”

In January, you told some of us that this was all new.. it was fun and great. Is it still that.. is it still fun for you?

“Yeah, I love that at the moment, it’s something different every week, and I’m just learning so much. Every stage in every race, so far, I keep getting better and get to the end of the race and go, ‘oh I wish I could start that again knowing what I do now’. The second-half of the year is going to be good, going back to the tracks I already know. But yeah, just the preparation is so intense when it’s something you don’t know. Especially this week doing both classes, having to watch two races and two sets of onboards and understanding the cars, is probably going to be the biggest thing. I had a good chat with Marcos Ambrose last night, and he said the Xfinity car will be unlike anything I’ve ever driven.. the way it brakes and the way the rearend works. He said it’s probably similar to the Cup cars he was racing, so hopefully those things help and helps me speed up the learning process.”

When you signed on for this season, were these some dates that you had circled from the get-go?

“I don’t know.. I was more excited about the ovals because it’s learning. I just know that I’ll be good here at these tracks. I’ve got great teams and two awesome WeatherTech Camaros. I’ve got great equipment and there’s no excuses to not do well at these races. I’ve still gone hard with my preparation, but really the ovals are my focus. That’s what I have to learn to make sure I’m ready when I’m in the Cup Series next year. These weekends, I just have to make sure I have fun and do well.”

How are you getting along with AJ Allmendinger, so far? You guys are probably going to be head-to-head on these road courses this year. Are you looking forward to those battles?

“Yeah, it’s been really good, so far. We haven’t had too many races on-track, but everything I’ve asked him, he’s been open. He’s obviously at the top of his game and pretty impressive in those cars, and on the road courses here, as well. I’ve learned a lot from him, watching him on the simulator. I look forward to battling him on track, too. Hopefully we push each other forward and try to beat everyone else before we beat ourselves.”

Does this track remind you of any of the tracks that you race in Australia? Also, do you guys think you’ve exceeded your expectations this season in the Xfinity Series?

“Just the track limits are crazy here. It’s so new to me to just open the wheel, mid-corner, and drive off the track. So that’s taken a lot of adjusting to get used to that mindset. I was practicing not cutting on the simulator.. they changed the rules about not being able to cut the corners, and then I saw today they’ve gone back on it. So yeah, it’s pretty interesting the rules here. We normally have big curbs, so we kind of cut the corners. I think it would be a bit difficult, especially when you’re following someone closely, to be able to judge the curbs. So that will take a bit of learning, but yeah just watching the races, it’s crazy that guys are off the track more than they’re on it. That’s the normal here, I guess. But yeah, it looks fun.”

You walked the track with your dog and Chris Rice today. Did you learn anything today when you walked the track?

“Just how different the track was from 10 years ago. The surface looks really different, and then obviously looking at the back few corners, which I hadn’t seen before. And you just forget how much elevation this place has. Like walking up turn one, you’re puffing straight away.. like it’s really steep. Yeah, I had forgotten that. The TV never gives it justice.. even with the backstraight, how much elevation there is there. It’s a really cool track.”

Can you go into more about the racing you did here 10 years ago with the Supercars.. how that’s kind of differed and what changes there are?

“Yeah, so when we came here, we did four sprint races. I think they were 20 laps, or something like that, of the short tracks. So that’s the biggest thing.. the race length. I think Sunday’s race is probably three or three-and-a-half hours. That’s probably the toughest thing.. how long these races go for. And then the stages, understanding that.. deciding, in Xfinity especially, when to go for stage points or when to pit. That’s kind of new to me, as well. Understanding how that works. I think that kind of rules the race and where you end up placing. I have a lot to learn and understand that. But yeah, probably just driving.. try to follow someone and learn how much track you can use.”

Now that you’re running the full-time Xfinity schedule, you’ve got superspeedway, short-tracks, longer ovals, intermediate tracks, road courses. Does having every weekend be different.. does that mess with the rhythm for someone that’s just starting to do this?

“No, the variety has been good. I just wish I got more laps at Las Vegas, but I really enjoyed Phoenix. I had some great battles with people. There was one guy.. Anthony Alfredo, we had an awesome battle where we were two-wide for so many laps. It was bloody annoying because we were the same speed and I couldn’t get away from him (laughs). We were slowing each other up, but it was so much fun just racing with each other. We had an awesome race. So yeah, that kind of stuff, I’m really enjoying. Learning other guys and how they race, and mostly everybody has been pretty good.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and 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.

Toyota Racing – Ty Gibbs
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AUSTIN, Texas (March 22, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

You lead the series with four top-10s. What does that say about you?

“It’s been great. It’s just been really good. My team has been doing a really good job. We are working really well together. I’ve been having a lot of fun racing in the Cup Series. It’s really cool.”

What was the breakthrough for you with road courses?

“To be honest with you, it started on sim racing with my buddy, Austin Green. He’s actually in the Xfinity Series race this weekend for his first time. We would always do those join sessions together and practice. It could be in any different car. It could be dirt racing, asphalt racing, ovals or road courses – we were always really fast, and he was always just a little bit better than I was, so that is what helped me. Studying it and then having off-seasons to do something else, and not having to race all of the time – I think those are all things that I can say led to my success on road courses. It was the Xfinity Series, not the Cup Series yet. We are still working on that.”

Do you feel like you are closer to finding the success that you have been looking for at this level?

“Yeah, kind of. We’ve been really strong. I feel like last year, we were really good at the road courses. Indy – we were really fast, but we never got a caution again. We’ve been really good at the road courses, just have to hit it right, hit the right thing and then hopefully that will lead to more success.”

What are your thoughts on the new restart zone?

“Yeah, it should definitely help, but at the same time, we are all funneling down to one small corner in a way. It’s really wide, but we are all turning to the left and that is kind of the tighter side. It should help, but I don’t think it is going to be the saving grace – just the nature of the race.”

How was it to race in conditions like last weekend?

“It was definitely different. I don’t know if that was the fix to it all. We had tire fallout, but it was more of the tires falling apart than you’re losing time from overdriving it. You would have stickers, cords and then blown tire. It was just three stages. You would have a little falloff from the stickers, but it was just really different. It was just more saving and it reminded me of Dover in 2021, with General Tire when we had blowouts there – and I just kind of did the same thing. Just drive slow and manage.”

How does it affect your confidence?

“I don’t really feel like it affects my confidence. I just feel like I work hard every week and I love racing, and I try to go after it every weekend. If I can’t, I try to finish the best I can.”

What is your relationship like with Chris Gayle with this strong start to the season?

“It’s really great. I work really well with them. Chris Gayle – he has been my crew chief since 2021. He’s been working with me for a minute. I feel like we have a good connection, also my engineer – Kyle Abrahims – he’s also been with me and Chris Gayle since 2021. We’ve all been working really good together and we are going to keep hammering down.”

What’s it like for you to be riding high with the strong start to the season?

“It’s really cool. I’ve been going to Bristol since I was a young man. I’ve been there a lot, so to be able to lead laps like I did last year in the night race is really cool. It’s a place that is really special to me. It is fun to come run laps there, but at the same time, we are working hard and having fun. We are going there to do the best we can, and if we can’t do the best we can, then we are looking to finish the best that we can.”

Did you need a pep-talk after Bristol?

“Chris (Gayle, crew chief) really cares a lot about me and about the racing and about the team. He is really supportive, and he wants to win as much as I do, every single weekend. It is one team. It is not just me that deserves to win. He does too. We are just one big team, and I definitely can use a pep talk here and there to keep me back in shape. I feel like I’m pretty solid besides that.”

How much more do you feel like you have this year when you go to your best tracks versus last year?

“I think just having more experience has really helped. Bristol – I’ve had a lot of track time with ARCA, K&N and I did some late model stuff there. It is helpful to have experience there. I feel like it would be a lot different if we had more practice like they did years ago. You just have to use the valuable sim time you can, study and go after it.”

Last few years, Joe Gibbs Racing has been very strong. How do you describe the dynamic at the team right now?

“First of all, we need to give all of the thanks to Joe Gibbs Racing aero department, alongside with Toyota. The new Toyota Camry XSE body – they’ve just done a great job with it. They’ve worked really hard on it, so it is great for all of them. Our team is great, and I have great teammates – they all have different characteristics, which is really cool, and I think that is really helpful with a team. We all come from pretty different backgrounds, so it’s a good atmosphere there and in our meetings on Monday, I can tell we all want it. All of the great feedback is just going to help us get better and better.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

Austin Dillon to Race No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet in Select NASCAR Cup Series Races in 2024, Beginning with Pocono Raceway on July 14th

WELCOME, N.C. (March 22, 2024) – Boot Barn, the largest western and work wear retailer in the nation, is partnering with legendary NASCAR team Richard Childress Racing for a dynamic partnership that includes both primary and associate sponsorship on the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet and unique content creation with driver Austin Dillon.

“Richard Childress, Austin Dillon and the entire Richard Childress Racing team embody the essence of the American cowboy and the pioneering spirit at the core of Boot Barn’s mission,” said Stephen Loscko, sr. director of marketing for Boot Barn. “Their commitment to hard work gives them an edge in their industry. We’re looking forward to working closely with the RCR team to create engaging, strategic content, as well as seeing the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet on the track.”

Dillon, a two-time NASCAR Champion and the 2018 Daytona 500 Champion, supports the Western traditions that resonates with Boot Barn’s core customer base. He is the general manager of the Carolina Cowboys, a professional bull riding team in the PBR Teams Series based in Greensboro, North Carolina, and has been a fan of the Western lifestyle since his youth.

“It’s an honor to be able to represent Boot Barn, both on the track and in my day-to-day life,” said Dillon. “Boot Barn is a staunch supporter of the western lifestyle, and I’m looking forward to expanding our relationship while creating engaging content for fans.”

RCR and Boot Barn will work together to ideate and craft unique content campaigns, including a cross-collaboration between Dillon and PRCA bareback rider and rodeo star Rocker Steiner.

“RCR and Boot Barn share an inspirational vision of supporting their local communities and those who feed America, build America and protect America,” said Torrey Galida, president of RCR. “Our teams are looking forward to working together to highlight our shared values and showcase Boot Barn’s broad selection of cowboy boots and western wear to NASCAR fans.”

Dillon will debut the No. 3 Boot Barn Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on Sunday, July 14 for the first of Boot Barn’s multi-race primaries with RCR. The race airs live on the USA Network beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET.

For more information and all that is going on at RCR, visit rcrracing.com.

About Boot Barn: What started out as one store in 1978 has since become the largest western and work wear retailer in the nation. We say that our customers feed America, build America, and protect America. With an uncompromising desire to support the local communities we serve, we proudly offer the broadest selection of cowboy boots, work boots, western wear, workwear, western-inspired fashion, and outdoor gear. It is an honor to support the varying lifestyles of the people who make our country so great.

Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) is a renowned, performance-driven racing, marketing and manufacturing organization. Incorporated in 1969, RCR has celebrated over 50 years of racing and earned more than 200 victories and 16 championships, including six in the NASCAR Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series and is a three-time winner of the Daytona 500 (1998, 2007, 2018). Its 2024 NASCAR Cup Series lineup includes two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch (No. 8 Chevrolet) and 2017 Coca-Cola 600 winner and 2018 Daytona 500 champion Austin Dillon (No. 3 Chevrolet). RCR fields a full-time NASCAR Xfinity Series program with Jesse Love (No. 2 Chevrolet) and Austin Hill (No. 21 Chevrolet).

NASCAR CUP SERIES
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 22, 2024

 KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of racing double duty in the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Race at Circuit of The Americas.

Media Availability Quotes:

How do you expect the car to react at the road courses? Tyler Reddick said you can’t bring what you brought last year and expect it to still do the same thing. Are you anticipating the car handling any differently with the package this year than it did a year ago?

“I have no idea, so yeah I don’t really know how to answer that.. other than I just assume with another year that the team has gotten smarter and better about setups, that our car is going to be driving better. Just like it did from 2022 to 2023, it drove better even though we had less downforce, I guess, last year. Now that we have more downforce, I would hope that the braking zones would be a little bit more comfortable. I remember last year being really uncomfortable in the brake zones.. a lot of us were. But then like through the corners, my car handled better. So now I’m hoping that the brake zones will be a little bit more comfortable, and then our car setup will be good through the corners and stuff, too. Wishful thinking, so we’ll see when we get out on the track tomorrow.”

You’ve got a win under your belt, so your season is obviously going pretty well. What is your forecast for some of the upcoming tracks like Richmond and things. What are focusing on as you get ready for Indy and other stuff you have going on the sidelines?

“Yeah, I don’t know. I never try to look too far out in front. Yeah, I mean I don’t even know what race is after Richmond, honestly. So yeah, I mean these two weeks, I guess, is all I’m really looking at. I’ve been looking forward to this one for a while, just because I want to get better here. And it’s the first road course of the year, so it’s different and it’s fun. Studying all week and stuff like that is enjoyable.

But then yeah, I don’t know. We’re tied for the point lead right now, so we’ve been doing something right. But yeah, we’d just like to continue the consistent runs. Continue getting good stage points at every race track, or at least having a good shot at the end of the race too. Yeah, it’s just been a goal of mine, is to try and do a better job throughout the regular season. I know we’re only five races in, but it’s been going well, so far. Just have to keep it up.”

Do you find yourself having a little bit more time to focus on the Indy 500 and things like that, or have you even thought about that yet?

“I get asked that question every week (laughs).. what should I be doing?”

(No mic.)..

“I don’t know either.

I feel like to this point, I’m as prepared as I can be. I’m just to the point now where I need to get on track. We get on track in a few weeks, and then I’ll get to be able to think more about the Indy 500. But also, I can’t take focus off of the Cup Series because it’s not like this stuff comes easy to me. It takes a lot of work, so I also have to dedicate a lot of time to this if I want to be doing my team justice on Sunday’s, as well. I race a lot of stuff and I prepare the same for all of it, so Indy is no different. Like I’m not racing a sprint car for another month, but I’m not worried about right now, either. I’m worried about right now. Maybe that will hurt me when it comes to Indy, but I don’t think it will. I’m not changing my process.”

The Drivers Council have been in effect for a few years. What are your impressions on how its evolved?

“Yeah, that’s a good question. I think it’s evolved, for sure. I think even before the Drivers Council was ever established; I was a part of stuff.. some version of a Drivers Council like probably nine or more years ago. And just to see where it’s kind of come from since then has been promising. I feel like there’s way more open communication, trust amongst everybody.. all of that. I feel like we’re moving forward together a little bit, better than we used to. I mean it’s always been good. Even from its inception, I feel like it’s been decent. But I feel like now, there’s the trust level between everybody, which makes things a little bit nicer.”

Is there one thing you’d change in how this sport operates?

“No.. I mean I’m just a driver.”

How do you expect to tackle the new restart zone here at COTA? Also, your thoughts on going back to stage cautions?

“Yeah, I don’t know. I think we just have to see how the truck race plays out a little bit. But I would imagine the restart zone being to the final corner.. like when the leader takes off, the cars will still be kind of stuck going around that corner. So I believe, there should be less, kind of seven-wide, into turn one.. less divebombs, crashes and just craziness. Which is good, I think, because even fans last year were like, ‘this is kind of dumb’, right? Like we look like amateurs out there. So I think it will look a little bit more professional. I think you’re still going to have divebombs, for sure, but maybe not from four rows back. And then just shoving guys through the two rows in front of you. I think it’s going to be good. I think it’s going to be a nice compliment to what the drivers wanted, plus what everybody kind of needed, as far as just not crashing people.”

You mentioned how you’re tied for the point lead. When do you really begin to start looking at the regular season standings, as the regular season winds down?

“Daytona.. I don’t know if other people are the same way, but I think if you take your eyes off of it too much, then you can get a little careless and then you get further behind. I’ve always paid attention to the points every week, and I would say most people probably do, as well. It’s always on your mind, especially when there’s playoff points being given at the end of the regular season. I think that makes you more aware of where you’re at in the standings, even with the one win that we have and knowing that we’re locked-in or whatever. It’s what, like 15-points I think, to win the regular season, and then it drops by five. I mean that’s like a full race win, so yeah it’s important to have the best regular season that you can to benefit yourself through the playoffs.

In 2022 and 2023, yes we were pretty competitive, but we stumbled a lot in the regular season and didn’t finish very high in the regular season points, and then the playoffs were difficult where we were barely kind of squeaking by through some of the rounds. Ultimately at the (Charlotte) ROVAL in 2022, I missed it by three-points, where if I could have just finished a couple of spots in the regular season points, I would have made it through and racing in the Championship Four. So yeah, points are always on my mind. Maybe not necessarily during the race, but afterwards.”

Did you have a chance to see the onboard camera from Bristol last weekend that was floating around on social media? Did it feel like a real life video game when you were doing it, and would you ever want to participate in a race like that again?

“Yeah, I watched the three-and-a-half minute clip that I saw on Twitter. Honestly, it was crazier from my seat than even like Twitter or the onboard. Like when I watched the onboard, I was like ‘man, this doesn’t look as wild as it was out of my windshield’. It just felt like when I left pit road.. which I thought I was screwed, right? Like I was one of the first people to pit and I thought for sure there would be a caution, and I was like my race is over. So I’m kind of just like, I didn’t even try hard coming to pit road.. didn’t try hard leaving. I went out there and I’m just like driving around people, and I was like ‘man, maybe we’re going to get this whole cycle through’. It was just wild. I felt like I was passing the same guy like very five laps. It was just nuts. I mean I would be like passing somebody on the bottom, and then like turn right mid-corner and drive around that guy before exit. It was just weird.. it was just like those weird dreams that you would have, like it wasn’t real life.

It was fun. And don’t get me wrong, like I think a lot of people got me wrong last weekend and I didn’t probably show how much fun I had. But I was always smiling in all my post-race media stuff.. like I had a blast. I had a great time; it was just maybe I could have taken more time in explaining my comments like ‘I hope I don’t ever had to do this again’.. it was more that like, you couldn’t really manage your stuff. Yes, you could manage it three to seven more laps better, I guess, than some people. But it was just too short.. they were too short of little stints, I guess. If it was a little less extreme, we could kind of manage that throughout a little bit longer run. I would be all for that.

And two, I would have loved for it to like laid a little bit of rubber so you could kind of move around and still push and pay for it if you needed to because how it was then, we were just so stuck to the bottom.. I hate to nitpick it, but it could have been a little bit better. But it was still fun.. I enjoyed it a lot. I’ve never been in a race like that. I’ve been in sprint car races like that, but they are like 25 or 30 lap races. That was 500 laps of like rubber down racing, where you’re just blowing through your tires without even trying. It was crazy.”

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and 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.

Toyota Racing – John Hunter Nemechek
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AUSTIN, Texas (March 22, 2024) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver John Hunter Nemechek was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas on Friday.

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 42 Romco Equipment Co. Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

What’s your outlook and your grade so far?

“I think coming into this year we knew that there was going to be some ups and downs. We felt like there was going to be times where we could shine, times where we may struggle, and things where we kind of need to get better overall as a team. We knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I’m looking forward to this year. We’ve had some decent speed so far this year. We just have to keep it up and see what we can do.”

Do you feel like this is a resurgence for you?

“I definitely think so. I think coming back to the Cup Series was the goal all along so, how to do that – we are back here finally, with the goals that we set to get back in the Cup Series. I feel good about kind of the vision and where we are trying to go with LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, and the speed we’ve had at some of the race tracks this year. I feel that as we continue to go through the year, we should be way better the second half of the year, theoretically with more data and info and some different things of that sort. It is going to take time – it’s a process, but we are continuing to push hard and try to learn everything we can every single week. For myself, being in the Next Gen car for the first time – really like racing – as well, and getting Ben (Beshore, crew chief) back in the swing of things as well with the Next Gen car, and getting the two of us up to speed communication with the dialogue with the Next Gen car. It races way different than Trucks or Xfinity, so it requires a lot of adapting.”

What are your thoughts on the new Toyota body?

“The new Toyota Camry is awesome. It looks really good. It drives really good. The body definitely stands out. I like it a lot.”

What are your thoughts on more horsepower?

“I’ll play whatever hand I’m dealt. I know there has been a lot of talks about it. Who knows what is going to happen. I can’t say that I’m necessarily for more horsepower or for less horsepower or whatever it may be. I don’t know what the fix is.”

How are you feeling at this point of the year?

“I feel like we have been able to hit superspeedways, Atlanta – mile-and-a-half superspeedway package, a short track, a mile-and-a-half and now a road course. Kind of hitting everything package wise that we have for this year. We’ve found quite a few areas that we need to work on and I need to work on as a driver so far, but overall, we’ve shown decent speed some weeks, some weeks we haven’t, some weeks we’ve definitely needed to get better, but honestly, it is a progression. Being able to be consistently competitive this year is big. We know it is not going to go smooth every single week. There may be ups, there may be downs, but what do you learn from those situations and how do you make your cars drive better every single week when you come back to the race track.”

What is the biggest thing that you’ve had to learn this year?

“The car. It is way different than anything I’ve ever been in. It is still a race car, but adjustment wise, how it drives, dirty air – there is a lot of differences there. Just trying to learn every aspect I can of this car and figuring out what I need for practice and qualifying, and the race, and trying to make the best adjustments possible.”

What kind of race do you think we are going to see at Richmond after what we saw in Phoenix?

“I don’t know. At Phoenix, the fastest car won it by running the bottom of the race track. I’m not sure about Richmond. With the simple diffuser, you are able to drive it more sideways. I don’t have experience with the other diffuser on short tracks, so I can’t tell much difference, but just from what I’ve heard, you drive it more sideways, but I feel like the package, I feel like it raced somewhat better – I don’t know – the biggest experience things for me is just not knowing the past and the trends and trying to figure out this new package. With them bringing this new package in, I feel like it puts us all on a little bit of a level playing field with myself not having a bunch of laps with the other package. Hopefully, Richmond will be a really good race. If we have tire fall off like we had at Bristol, it will be really good.”

Did you feel like you could pass when you needed to in Phoenix?

“Yes and no. At times for sure. You could definitely push and try to get by a guy. We were able to run multiple lines at Phoenix – which was nice to be able to move around. I definitely feel like that was big, but I definitely feel like handling played a huge factor in that race as well. We saw a few good cars that were really good on the long run, and we saw some that were good on the short run and some that were good in the middle of a run, but it didn’t seem like it was as bad in dirty air watching previous races. I’m not sure what others think, I can’t really give you my two cents on that.”

Can you describe the challenge of turns 6 through 9?

“Well, if you mess one of them up then you mess all of them up. It is definitely a rhythm section in my opinion. (turn) Six is fun, I would say. Kind of long sweeper carousel, you can run on the paint side, you can run on the asphalt side. (turn) Seven – is definitely tight. (turn) Eight is where the guys are using the runoff for grip. You try to straight line that section, and then (turn) nine is super tight back to the left. It is definitely faster than you think it would be, but it is slower than you think it would be as well from the elevation and what not. It is a fun little section. It’s hard for sure. It’s challenging to hit your marks.”

Do you like how NASCAR’s start of the season schedule has jumped around to so many different track types?

“I like it. I think it gives us a chance if you are off your game a little bit to work on your stuff. It gives you more time between the mile-and-a-half races or the short track races. I kind of like that it is spread out. I also like for myself and having not a lot of experience in the Next Gen car being able to run all of the different packages at five different race tracks to get kind of one race under our belt so you kind of know what to expect when you go back to one of those places. I definitely like it like that. I don’t think we should run all superspeedways and then all short tracks and all road courses together. I think it should definitely be spread out.

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