Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

BROOKLYN, Mich. (August 5, 2023) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to media after practice for the NASCAR Cup Series event at the Michigan International Speedway on Saturday:

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

Do you have a decision for us?

“I’m coming back.”

Why?

“Because I want to (laughter).”

Was there any difference in making this decision this year versus last year?

“Not really, no. It was the same deal. I got it out of the way. It didn’t feel right to not come back and keep doing what we are doing. Excited to get that out of the way and continue to work on this year and excited for next year as well too.”

So, it didn’t feel right to leave?

“It felt like the right thing to do was to keep going. The more I thought about it, the more I was like – ‘don’t be stupid, go race another year and see how it goes.”

So, you are just going year-by-year at this point?

“Yes.”

Are you happy that we are no longer going to ask that question each week now?

“It doesn’t matter to me. You are just trying to do what you have to do. Last year was June, this year was August, so realistic – give me October next year (laughter), and we will talk about it then.”

When you were looking at making this decision, how did you come to that decision?

“That is what takes so long to figure it out. I’ve come to terms with all of that obviously, and I’m looking forward to continuing all of that. It is part of the job. It comes with the territory. You are not going to half-ass this job. I’m ready. I’m excited. We’ve got a great thing going. My team is amazing. They are doing great things. Love working with them, and happy to keep this going.”

So, if you win the championship this year, you are not going to be able to walk off?

“Apparently not. Once you sign on the dotted line, you are committed. A lot of people are looking for big things, and hopefully I will deliver.”

When did you sign it?

“I signed it last night. It’s all done.”

It’s got to be a weight off your shoulders.

“I think it bothers them a lot more than it bothers me. Everybody is happy, so that’s good.”

Are there races for Ryan Truex as part of this?

“Yeah, we’ve got races for Ryan (Truex) again next year. Hopefully more. We are looking for sponsorship to do a full year, if possible. That is on the table. He will be running part-time, but obviously it would be great if we could get him a full-time deal, so any out there looking for a good driver? He does a good job on social media too.”

What was James Small’s reaction and the team’s reaction?

“He was happy. I don’t know if all of the guys know yet. I’ve got to go tell them. This is the first announcement. He was really excited. He was like – let’s go get them this year and next year and figure it out from there. He works really hard. He’s part of the reason I want to keep going. I feel like we can win every week, and I don’t see that going anywhere.”

When did you make the decision?

“Honestly, I’ve been leaning that way for a couple of weeks, and I was like okay. I kept thinking about it and seeing if something changed and nothing changed, so I was like here we go, let’s do it.”

Was it important to make the decision before the Playoffs?

“Honestly, I don’t think it would have mattered either way. With our team, I think with our guys – it doesn’t really matter. They would more worried about next year than anything, but I don’t think it would have affected this year. I think it’s more so for the team, Coach (Joe Gibbs) and all of our partners, so we can just put that out of the way and go back and button up next year’s plans. It’s pretty late in the season to be putting them in a spot where you keep them hanging. I think I did that as long as possible – not on purpose, but it is just how it worked out.”

Was Coach (Joe Gibbs) happy?

“He’s thrilled. He’s a great guy to work for.”

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 24 electrified options.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 5, 2023

 CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA CAMARO ZL1, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Michigan International Speedway. Press conference transcript:

YOU COME INTO SUNDAY 40 POINTS OUTSIDE THE PLAYOFFS, HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT THINGS. DO YOU TRY AND MAXIMIZE STAGE POINTS OR DO YOU HAVE TO GO ALL IN FOR THE RACE WIN?

“My stance has been the same since I got back. I think we need to win. So, and like I have said a thousand times since I have been back, I think gaining a lot of points and contending for wins is very much one in the same. It’s not coincidence that the guys that are high up in points have race wins, but they are also leading the regular season thing, or whatever it’s called, too. Those things go hand in hand. If you are gaining a lot of points, you are probably going to have a shot to win. And if you are not, then you are probably not going to have a shot to win. So, I think those are one in the same.”

IS THERE SOMETHING WE COULD ADD TO THIS CAR THAT WOULD OPEN THINGS UP TO THE RACING A BIT?

“That is a great question, and I am not familiar with the INDYCAR rules at all. I know that they were first to the spec car thing and I had heard that what we were doing was more in line with what they had going on or what they had going on. But I don’t know. I don’t know what you open up. I think this is really what NASCAR as a sanctioning body wants. That they want a lot of control over the cars. And they want to have parts suppliers and have the teams buy parts instead of building them. I think the thought was that it was going to save a lot of money, you know. And I will let other people answer whether or not that, that is true. I don’t know what you open up to make it better or worse. I am not really sure. But I do know this, the cars are very much alike. It’s so funny like every week we do our post-race debriefs and the engine shop comes up with a really nice report for us to look at while we are talking through our race and it kind of splits up like part throttle, full throttle, closed throttle, and like the four of us are like within a percent of each category. When those things are the same, it’s just going to be really hard to be different. I just don’t see it changing.”

REGARDING RACING AT BERLIN IN A SUPER LATE MODEL

“Yeah, I have run more this year than I have in the past….I don’t know how many years. So, I am looking forward to it. We have been working at it much like the Cup side, just trying to get a little better and trying to get some momentum on that side of things too. So, I am looking forward to going to Berlin, its been a little while since I have been there and I am looking forward to getting back to a really unique and weird short track I have run at a few times. But looking forward to getting up there, it’s a good show, a good mid-week show and a place that seemingly has a lot of support from the local community that I remember. Always great crowds and they put up a nice purse too, which in the asphalt world is a big deal in my opinion. So, I think its important for the racers to go and support those shows that put up a lot of money to win, when they do, because it doesn’t happen all the time. I am excited to go and support it and try to get a win.”

REGARDING HOW MUCH TO READ INTO THE RACE THIS WEEKEND AS A MEASURING STICK FOR THE PLAYOFFS

“That is a great question, and it is kind of your last sample of what would be a normal race track I guess. So, that is a very valid question, but I am just trying to think back to last year and it seems like all the Gibbs cars were really strong here last year as a whole. I think at some tracks, the characteristics here might carry forward and I am not sure that all of them necessarily are that way. I would say that its not unfair to say that this is our last normal opportunity to show what you have or don’t have, but I do think this place is very unique and it is its own animal. You kind of look at it and you think maybe its like Fontana, but its really not at all like Fontana. I never had a chance to race here at the old surface, so this is all I have really known ever since I have been running. This place has always been kind of its own world. I do think it is the last normal look, I guess, but at the same time, this place is very different. I wouldn’t read to terrible far into it.”

REGARDING WATKINS GLEN AND LOOKING AT IT FOR A WIN BASED ON PAST SUCCESS

“Yeah, I have said this, I don’t circle races. That is not how I operate. I just take it week to week and try to get better. Like I have told you guys a thousand times, and I will make it a thousand and one, I just want to be a guy that can go and contend every week and be in the running wherever we go. Whether it is a half mile, road course, two-mile speedway, I don’t want to care. I don’t want to care where we are going. That is where I want to get. I will keep working really hard until we can achieve that.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO GET A GOOD ENTRY INTO TURN ONE AT WATKINS GLEN TO SET UP THE ENTIRE LAP?

“I think it definitely matters. I think about it more in terms of a restart and track position is extremely important. You know, it’s really difficult to pass the leader there, especially now. So, the game has changed. Used to, it was all about how good of a launch you got, but now its about who is pushing you and how good of a push you are going to get. So, you are almost better off having a bad launch and the person behind you getting to you sooner than you are doing a good job of getting a good go at it. That is just the game that it’s turned into.”

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE MICHIGAN TRACK TO US?

“Yeah, I can try. When I say that, I think I am more referring to….heck, I don’t know what year this thing was paved, but it had to be 2012, 11, somewhere in there. Correct me if I am wrong, but that would be around my guess. Whatever asphalt they used, I wish they used it on the roads and the highways around the United States because it just doesn’t seem to age. It doesn’t seem to give away a lot of grip. It is changing color a little bit, but it certainly doesn’t seem like it has become anymore abrasive, or the grip level has gone down any. For that reason, the middle of the track is the dominant place on the road. The bottom is too flat to run at pace for a lengthy period of time. And the middle, because of the way the track is shaped, is the fastest way through and it has enough banking to make it work. I think the hope is, and I think it will age eventually, is to keep working it up and have a wider racing groove with the right amount of banking to run. I think that is what they are trying to achieve with the grippy stuff, and trying to promote us moving up. Yeah, it’s just that the place has a lot of grip. Still very fast and hasn’t really seemed to change. We will see if its any different this weekend, but I kind of doubt it.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Michigan Media Availability | Saturday, August 5, 2023

RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher met with the media Saturday to discuss this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Raceway, the series’ playoffs and more. Buescher enters this weekend as the most recent series’ winner, earning his first victory of the season at Richmond Raceway. Both Buescher and Keselowski are above the 16-driver cut-off line in the playoff standings.

Brad Keselowski: Co-Owner of RFK Racing, Driver of the No. 6 Nexlizet Ford Mustang
Chris Buescher: Driver of the No. 17 Castrol Edge Ford Mustang

HOW SATISFYING IS IT TO COME BACK TO MICHIGAN HAVING SEEN A LOT OF PROGRESS WITH RFK RACING SINCE THIS POINT LAST SEASON?

BRAD KESELOWSKI – “A lot of progress over the last 12 months. We started making progress immediately when I came in, it is just you don’t realize it. You make a lot of investments in people and equipment and none of them are light switches. I feel like about this time last year we really started to hit and some of our investments started to mature and then there were more during the off-season. Things really started to come together. I think from this point last year to the end of the year, both cars were easily top-15 cars. This year we took another step and are 11th and 13th in points. I think we still have more steps to go. I am super proud of the progress we have made the last 12 months but we need to make another leap to be a playoff-winning kind of cars. That is the next level for us that we are committed to. I am certainly proud of the progress we have made and being able to win races and compete for a lot more top fives and top-10’s and laps led. That is good to see and we are super proud of that.”

BRAD, HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU WITH YOUR CURRENT PLAYOFF SITUATION?

KESELOWSKI – “I am way more confident in Chris’ playoff situation. His looks really good for us. We aren’t in a bad spot. We have four races left until the playoffs start and it would take three new winners for us to be knocked out. That is certainly possible but probably not likely. Ultimately we need to go out and perform and we can’t take anything for granted. I think we have something like a 150 point cushion on the cutoff line now and 100 on the next one if someone were to win. That feels pretty reasonable and I would take that over the alternative of not having a cushion or being behind, but it isn’t a guarantee. We have a good race track for us here in Michigan. This is a track I have had a number of really good runs and second place finishes and most laps led and stage points. I know all the Ford’s are loaded for bear and have worked really hard to make sure we have a strong showing here with our car prep for all of our cars. Hopefully that bodes well for Sunday. Ultimately you aren’t in until you are in and we aren’t in. I think if we were able to punch through and get both cars into the playoffs there are some really good races for us. Having won Bristol last fall with Chris, that track seems to suit our cars really well. Darlington was really good for us. Texas last year we ran really well. Homestead we had a great race. There are some tracks that really suit us well in the playoffs and I feel like if we can lock both cars in we will make some noise in the playoffs. FIrst things first though, we have to get both cars in.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR BOTH CARS TO ADVANCE INTO THE PLAYOFFS?

KESELOWSKI – “I think it is super critical but I have my own biases. I think putting both cars in and really kind of showing to ourselves and others that we are committed to having that depth across the entire company to be able to win and be a threat on any given Sunday with both cars is super critical to our long term standing in the sport.”

LOOKING AT THE NEXT TWO ROAD COURSES ON THE SERIES SCHEDULE, HOW IMPORTANT IS IT GETTING INTO TURN 1 AT THESE TRACKS?

CHRIS BUESCHER – “Road course racing has been a lot of fun and we have been very competitive at them. Fast race cars make me look too good at those kinds of places because it is not my background. We had fantastic speed at Indy last year. Both of us were very fast in that race. I think Brad had the fastest lap of the race. That is definitely one that we are looking at. Obviously lap one led to our highlight reel and being on fire and all that nonsense last year. We are definitely going to try to pay attention to that one and try to guard yourself against that. I think the cars have come a long way too and we have made some changes, the industry has, where we don’t have to worry about it in the same regard as we did at that point last year. Hopefully now we can get through it nice and clean because once you do and establish yourself in the running order it certainly cleans up a lot as we get into the race. As we look at what we did with Chicago and the restart zone, we were single-file there which I don’t think any of us minded but with the weather and everything it was kind of more out of necessity than wanting to be single-file. The restart zone helped clean up turn one which was a pretty big concern for all of us heading into the weekend and it ended up being a non-issue. I feel like some of the changes for Indy will certainly help that as well.”

“The changes, trying to move the restart zone and make it so we aren’t driving in there five-wide. I think that is the big part. You start on the front straightaway of Indy, if we would have been there at Chicago … COTA, you go into the corner five-wide and something has to give and it usually isn’t a driver, it is usually a toe link or a bumper or something because we are all a little hard headed. Anything we can do to help smooth that out will certainly be a big help.”

BRAD, WHAT HAVE YOU SEEN OUT OF CHRIS THIS SEASON?

KESELOWSKI – “In fairness to some of my predecessors I didn’t bring him on, he was here before me, but I certainly wanted him to stay. I think Chris is very talented and has a very humble approach that is great for building a team and a framework that can be successful and enduring for years to come. So the roots are all there for him to be successful. I have felt like for a while that he was held back by the equipment that wasn’t on par with his level of talent and I am fully committed to making sure we have that level of equipment in all aspects of our business. I am not sure if I fully answered your questions but I think we are lucky to have Chris and it has been good for everybody.”

NEXT WEEK WILL BE NINE YEARS SINCE YOUR WIN AT MID-OHIO IN THE XFINITY SERIES. WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR MEMORIES OF THAT?

BUESCHER – “Man, time is flying. I do get to see them and talk to them from time to time. I don’t think I have seen them since probably pre-COVID in Charlotte a handful of years ago now. Another one of those road course wins that I guess started the wave. Obviously it was a special event to have Nationwide Children’s Hospital on the car for that one and the family there with us and in victory lane for that first win. It was certainly a fun one. I am sure that if it works out we will see them at another race. Mid-Ohio is their local track and we don’t go there in the Cup Series but I would vote for that one if someone asks. I would be in for it.”

IS THERE AN AREA OF DEVELOPMENT IN THIS GENERATION OF CAR THAT CAN OFFER MORE SPEED DISPARITIES?

KESELOWSKI – “Wow, I wasn’t really prepared for this one. I should have put more thought into this one. I think there are some open criteria that we do have that IndyCar doesn’t. Some of our engine criteria is open where IndyCar is more highly regulated. So there are some areas that I think are open for development and we do have a fairly robust aero program amongst the manufacturers which is somewhat generated from the teams. I would be hesitant to say there aren’t areas for development. I think there are. But certainly less than ever before. To specifically suggest a certain area, I don’t know if I have that idea at this time. But I will put some thought into it, I will tell you that. I think we do see disparities right now. They aren’t as prominent as they were. I think right now the majority of the fight and contest seems to be on the submission and homologation of the aerodynamics of the car. We see that fairly routinely through the years and it hasn’t changed fully through the NextGen. That will continue to surface. I feel like last year the Ford’s had a pretty good car. Arguably the best car through the homologation period and then this year pretty easily the worst car. Conversely, you could probably say Toyota had the worst car last year and this year the best. That seems to show itself more than what we have available to us on the team side. Those things flip and they flop here and there. You have to take advantage when you are on top and try to mitigate when you are behind. It is hard for me to say there is one area where NASCAR should just open the rule book. These cars were meant to tighten it up and they have done a good job of that. Maybe it can be argued that it is good or bad with respect to parity and passing but for the most part I think it has served our sport well.”

WE’RE FOUR WEEKS INTO SRX. HOW HAS IT BEEN SO FAR?

KESELOWSKI – “I had a great time seeing some of the local short tracks that make up our sport. That has been a blast. Seeing guys I haven’t seen in awhile. I had a chance to sit down and talk to Kasey Kahne and I haven’t seen him since he stopped running in NASCAR. I got to meet some of the IndyCar drivers that I knew but hadn’t had a chance to really talk to. Ken Schroeder and I shared some old NASCAR stories that I always had some questions about. I keep joking with people that it is like the senior tour series. I am not sure if I should be proud to be in it or not. I don’t feel that old, but they even have this latch so you can get in and out of the door easier. That hit me pretty hard. It has been fun. It is a nice little piece. Not being able to run the Xfinity Series, I miss those reps and being able to compete in those series. With the rules changes and the lack of availability for rides for the limited races you are allowed to run, it just hasn’t been an opportunity for me. This fills a nice gap for me in my life.”

HOW DOES THE NEW MEDIA RIGHTS DEAL IN THE XFINITY SERIES EFFECT A DECISION TO EXPAND THE RFK RACING OPERATION?

KESELOWSKI – “It is certainly very intriguing. I thought the announcement for the Xfinity Series was a big win for our industry to be on broadcast for all the races for that series. I think that gives us a high level of exposure for that series that hopefully transcends into whatever the media rights deal is for the Cup Series or at least compliments it in some way. I think that is an exciting moment for our sport which is probably not fully understood at this moment but if we fast forward the clock five or 10 years I think we will say that was a really nice win for the sport. It is yet to be seen what is going to happen with the Cup Series and Truck Series and I would be remiss to have an answer for you on what our level of involvement will be in the Xfinity Series but I would like to think that the series being broadcast would be able to attract the partners we would need to justify the level of investment it would take to run that series and ultimately that will be the deciding factor.”

BRAD, WITH THE SUCCESS OF THE WIN LAST WEEK FOR THE ORGANIZATION, DO YOU HAVE A THOUGHT TO EXPAND TO THREE TEAMS?

KESELOWSKI – “I think we would definitely like to do that but it is easier said than done. For the time being I think we are quite satisfied with the relationship we are building with the Rick Ware Racing cars which allows us to kind of add some depth to our roster without going out and buying another charter right now. I think it is maybe well documented and maybe not but it is almost impossible to buy a charter. Nobody is selling one. Really no matter what your offer is you can’t buy one. I think there have been some people knocking on the door with a lot of money and the answer is that your money is not good anywhere. Everyone on the team owner side wants to see where the charter goes and where the TV media rights deal goes. So there are no charters even actively for sale right now. It will be interesting to see where that plays out over the next 24 months when this thing gets announced. Ultimately we would like to get to a third car. It has to be possible and right now it is not possible.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 5, 2023

 KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 KWIK TRIP/KWIK STAR CAMARO ZL1, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Michigan International Speedway. Press conference transcript:

I HAVE TO KICK IT OFF LIGHTHEARTED AND ASK YOU ABOUT SRX AND JOEY LOGANO JUMPING ON THE RADIO DURING THE BROADCAST. WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR HEAD THE MOMENT YOU HEARD HIS VOICE?

“What the hell (laughs).. that was probably the first thing. But after that, I don’t even remember what he asked me – but we were kind of in a little cat-and-mouse game, I guess that’s what he brought up with Brad (Keselowski) and just kind of trying to figure out how hard to push and what to do at that point in the race knowing there were still a couple cautions coming. You just kind of try to take care of your stuff and pace yourself. And then that’s right when Helio was on the bout to go to the front and take the lead. He nudged me and got by me, so thankfully Joey (Logano) was on my radio, so it was his fault that I lost the spot. But we were able to make it back up later. I wish he would have come back on the radio later when I was on some of those restarts. He could have spotted for me, that would have been good.”

HE ACTUALLY SAID ON THE BROADCAST WITH TWO-TO-GO – HE THOUGHT ABOUT JUMPING BACK ON YOUR RADIO, BUT FIGURED THAT WAS A BAD TIME TO DO IT. ARE YOU GOING TO INVITE HIM BACK TO BE A SPOTTER ANYTIME SOON?

“Yeah, it was fine – I mean it doesn’t matter if it’s him, or Kevin or Connor, whoever else they have up in the booth there with SRX. It’s always just kind of lighthearted, so it’s fun. It’s kind of neat that they do that. There’s no money on the line, there’s no points on the line.. none of that stuff, so obviously it’s not quite as serious as our Sunday job.”

HEADING DOWN THE LAST TWO RACES AND SURVEYING THE LANDSCAPE, WHAT DO YOU THINK THE FUTURE OF WHAT SRX IS DOING WILL LOOK LIKE? WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE, WHAT DO YOU REALLY LIKE, STUFF LIKE THAT?

“Honestly, I feel like they’ve got a pretty good program on what they’re doing. I know it’s really tough on the guys and the girls who work behind the scenes and do all the stuff with preparing the cars, working on the cars. Fortunately Berlin was a decent race – about the only work they really have to do is clean out the burnout rubber from my car this week. There’s 12 cars, you could probably do 16, at least. It would be cool to see more cars. It think that it’s OK when you have some calamity and some crashes and stuff like that, as long as everybody is keeping safe. (David) Stremme had a throttle stick in one of the test cars the other day and he wailed the wall and he was okay. (Tony) Kanan destroyed the fence too at Stafford. So, the cars do have some good safety aspects to them, which is nice. We are at short tracks, so its not going 180 miles an hour, you know? We are going 100 to 120 maybe. Its just cool that they have all the short tracks that they go to and there are a lot of great short tracks across the country that would be really fun to watch those cars go around at. You know, Richmond might actually be too big of a racetrack to go to for those cars. You could put on a race there but I believe it would be too big of a speedway. The short track, half mile and under are a really good place for them.”

REGARDING WHAT TO DO TO THE NEXT GEN CAR TO OPEN IT UP AND CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF A SPEED DESPARITY

“I don’t know. The biggest thing for me that I feel like is a hindrance to the car in traffic and all that kind of stuff is the under body. They wanted a flat sheet across the bottom so it’s the same for everybody that they don’t have to police, but honestly, I think that is our biggest detriment with this car. We all talk about over body, under body, aero and this and that for years. Tens of years. And we all thought the under body aero was the way to go, but honestly, we have gone backwards. It’s worse in traffic. So, I feel like that stems from that and to get rid of that and just have over body and what all we do there. The cars are all the same and you buy them from the same supplier and everything else, so they are homologated basically. They have a scanning device that scans the floors, so why don’t we just scan the bottom of the cars without a pan. And all the rough surfaces and everything else under the bottom of the car. But that is kind of my thing, and I don’t know if that makes any more discrepancy between the field on speed. I think that is just a traffic thing in my opinion.”

YOU GUYS MOVED BREXTON UP A DIVISON. WAS IT TIME TO CHALLENGE HIM?

“So, the Midwest Swing, that is what we call it, and that is what we are on. When we go to some of these places, as competitive as Millbridge is….Millbridge is cadet class is basically their beginner box class, anywhere else. So, last year we ran the beginner box class and we won at Wisconsin, and we should have won at Iowa, but we go put on burn with two to go. So, I figured this year, you know, if he wants to kind of step up and move up to the older kids’ class and run with the older kids. Because that is more so his grouping of talent with the other kids in the Midwest. I don’t know if they just don’t race as much or what, but the competition at Millbridge is the highest anywhere. If you can win at Millbridge, you can win anywhere. I have had multiple dads tell me that and it’s true. So, I feel like the best kids in the country are there, so when we go out of town, we will bump up a class.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO GET THROUGH TURNS ONE AT INDY AND TURN ONE AT WATKINS GLEN SO YOU DON’T SCREW UP YOUR WHOLE LAP?

“Yeah, talking about cars being close and similar and hard to pass and all that…..that’s your time to make up time on the restarts. Right then and there. Once you get through the first three or four corners, its over. So, that is why you see so many aggressive moves, dive bombs, and all that stuff on restarts, is to make up. If you can get two spots right now, then that is two spots that you are better than you were. So, for Indy, I bet I missed it in the drivers meeting here at 10 O’clock this morning, I was still sleeping, so trying to catch up from a long week, but where the restart zone is and stuff like that to try to get us a little bit singled out. I felt like the restarts at Chicago were perfect. I thought that was a really good idea. We had an acceleration zone right before a corner and then we were single file so it all kind of kept us a little bit away from each other and it was good, clean racing. Once you could make up time on a guy and out brake a guy, you did that. It wasn’t just four wide down a straightaway funneling into a one lane corner.”

REGARDING THE TRUCK SERIES AND THE NEW TV PACKAGE HELPING THE SERIES

“No, I voiced my opinion on what I feel. But I don’t foresee it changing, so we will just see what happens down the road and what new TV deal there is and what that means. But I honestly don’t think it’s going to be a significant enough change to make a difference and we will see what we can do with our team going forward. We have my part time races, my five races next year and we have the rest of the truck still open for next year and figure out what we are going to do from that respect. But Purdy will be back, and Sanchez will be back, so we are pretty good with where we are at.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. 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

BROOKLYN, Mich. (August 5, 2023) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs was made available to media prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series event at the Michigan International Speedway on Saturday:

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

How does knowing you got a top-10 here last year help your confidence?

“We had a really good car last year. We really did a good job. I thought we finished better. I got caught speeding on that last restart when Denny (Hamlin) had a penalty and had to come from the back. I feel like we were really fast last year, and I really like this track. It’s really fun. You are just hammering down the whole time – really fast. It’s a really cool place. It’s fun to race here.”

How confident are you that you can make the Playoffs?

“I think for me and team, we just have to execute every week. We didn’t really good last week, or I didn’t really do good last week, and we gained a bunch of points still. I’ve just got to do better than that, and I think we will have a better shot. I’ve got all the confidence in my team. I know they are bringing great race cars to the track, and we will see what we can do.”

Can you talk about the pressure that you have with Toyota with the current winning streak Ford has here?

“I think Toyota is always really confident. They bring the best they can every single weekend, and we appreciate Toyota so much for everything they give us to prepare us for the races during the weekend. They do so much for us. I thank them a lot, and I think we will have really good cars here. I think we were really strong last year. Denny (Hamlin) got caught in the end on a penalty from something, and Bubba (Wallace) was up front last year too. I think we were all up front honestly. I’m really confident in my team this year, and I think 23XI will have a great run and I hope we have a great run. Toyota will bring strong cars, and hopefully the Toyota that goes to victory lane will be me (laughter), and then the rest of them can get one whenever they want, but just let me get one.”

How do you go into these race weekends with the pressure of the Playoffs?

“First of all, it’s a rookie season. That’s what everybody has been telling me. It’s alright – just do the best you can. For me, I feel like I go into each race the same – just try to complete the mission and do the best I can and do the best I can with my car. Sometimes I don’t do as good with what my car is capable of so I need to go back and learn, but sometimes I can’t make my car go any faster because something is wrong with it – I just need to suck it up and deal with it, basically, and do the best I can with it. It’s a mental game. Racing is really, really hard. Cup is really, really hard, and I think the Xfinity to Cup jump is three times as hard as it has ever been. You have a whole different car and track position means more than anything, but I really enjoy it and my team does a great job and works really hard. We have a great pit crew, and we will keep working hard.”

Do you feel like you’ve had to temper your aggression in the Cup Series?

“The Cup Series is I feel like is so much different the Xfinity. I feel like you can see it week in and week out. They put on a great show, but the race in Xfinity – everybody is trying to get to Cup, so there is a lot to proof. I think there is already a lot of aggression in that, and of course, everyone wants to get into Cup. The Cup Series is so much different, and why it’s so much different for me is I’ve known Kevin Harvick since I was probably five, and I’ve known so much of these guys since I was super, super young. The respect is already there from me to them. There are times that we do have to be really aggressive. Of course, I’m a rookie so I have to hold my ground a little more than I have, but I think all of the talk about respect in Cup – it’s more of the media talking about it than it’s actually going on. I guess it’s something for you guys to talk about, honestly. I’m not trying to be mean or anything, but I feel like there is so much talk about it, but we have a lot of respect for each other, and I’ve got great respect for my teammates and all of the drivers. I’ve known Kyle Larson since I’ve raced dirt karts, and he came to our motocross shop. I’ve known those guys for so long. It’s so different.”

Have you had to learn when the limit is on pushing the Cup car?

“I’m always going to push it and get the most that I can. There are times that you can push it over the limit, over slip the tire and it’s going to hurt you. That stuff happens, but I feel like for me, I’m going to work the best I can every week. Work hard in the simulator and get my setups really close for the race weekend. Then next year, I’m going to come back, and I’ve been to these tracks before with my team that I’m racing with right now. We are going to be better and keep getting better and better and better. It just doesn’t end.”

Can you talk about what you’ve had to learn with pit stops?

“I think the hard part from going from Xfinity to Cup is the pit stops – it’s a whole different technique for getting in the box. We have the h-pattern, and I can go from second gear and go into neutral, and the Xfinity car, I have to downshift once and then I have to do the rest of my procedure. Sometimes it’s a little challenging going back and forth last year. This year, I’ve had a lot of time to work on it. I think the biggest thing is we have a really great, realistic pit stop car now in the back of our shop and spending more time in that and getting more time practicing and hitting my marks every time is really important, and getting in the race scenarios is important, the most important. It’s just time and getting used to it. I enjoy spending time with those guys as well.”

Can you reflect your memories of Kevin Harvick?
“Growing up as a kid, I’ve known him my whole life. I think as a kid, I’ve had some run-ins with our team and him, a little bit of times. He raced my dad (Coy Gibbs). I grew up around him, and I actually live within two miles of him now. We are pretty close. I’ve just known him for a while, and he’s been really great. I appreciate what he has done for the sport, and I hope he’s has a great rest of his journey. I like watching his kid race too – it’s cool.”

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 24 electrified options.

We have made the decision to suspend Noah Gragson effective immediately regarding his actions that do not represent the values of our team. Josh Berry will drive the No. 42 entry for this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan.

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB:

LEGACY MOTOR CLUB is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (NCS) Jimmie Johnson. The club competes full-time in the NCS fielding the Nos. 42 and 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for drivers Noah Gragson and Erik Jones, respectively, along with the No. 84 part-time entry for Johnson in 2023. Richard Petty “The King” serves as team ambassador.

In 2021, Gallagher acquired Richard Petty Motorsports and renamed the team to Petty GMS. With the addition of Johnson to the ownership structure in 2023, the organization rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB (LEGACY M.C.). With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level.

Based in Statesville, N.C., LEGACY M.C. operates alongside GMS Racing (GMS), which currently fields three full-time entries in the NASCAR Truck Series. Since the formation of GMS in 2012, Gallagher and Mike Beam, team president, have shared incredible success. GMS Racing captured the 2015 ARCA Racing Series championship, the 2016 and 2020 NASCAR Truck Series championships and the 2019 and 2020 ARCA East championships, accumulating over 65 wins across six national racing circuits.

To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.