NASCAR CUP SERIES
2025 PLAYOFF MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
AUGUST 27, 2025

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Media Availability Quotes:

What was going through your mind the last few laps (Saturday)? Because you’re watching on TV the back-and-forth, back-and-forth, who’s in, who’s out, and you’re sitting there watching the whole thing.

“Nerve-wracking for sure, but at the same time everything that we’ve been able to do this summer and as strong as we’ve been able to run… obviously you want to be in the playoffs, but when it’s that much out of your control and there’s nothing you can do, you also can’t let it absolutely ruin your year if something outside of your control happens. So that was kind of the mindset going down and kind of the mindset that we carried through that.”

Do you feel relieved now or more stressed?

“I would say I feel the same. It’s not really a relief because you have to go get right back to work. It’s the same high-pressure situation that we were in before. We really need to go perform each and every week.

Do you think you have something to prove?

“Yes and no. Obviously it would be amazing to go win a championship. And I feel like we’ve got a race team that can definitely contend right now. We’re going to do all we can to make it happen. But I don’t drive race cars to prove anything to anybody anymore. I’m here to do my job for Hendrick Motorsports and to go perform at a high level every week.”

You said going in that you were stressed. Is that the most mentally and physically just wrapped up that you’ve ever been?

No, I mean, mentally it was a lot to sit there, right? It’s a very uncomfortable situation and your anxiety and stress is spiked through the roof at that point. But past that, it kind of was what it was. It was just so much out of your control. The last couple of laps, there was so much going on… our teammates were leading and then they got shuffled back and then the 12 was in the picture. With all that going on, it was such a range of emotions that that kind of made it probably a lot more so than just one non-winner leading the whole time. That kind of made it up and down. It was a weird thing to sit through.”

Given the uncertainty of the last few weeks, have you and the team prepared as if you were going to be in the playoffs?

“I don’t think anything changes. You’re preparing at a high level for the last eight months and continuing to prepare at a high level for this week the same as we did last week and the week before. So while it’s certainly not like a ramp up, because we’re already there, we’re just kind of going to work… business as usual.”

What about Darlington? How do you look at that race?

“Yeah, it’d be nice to win, but it hasn’t been the best place for me. We’ve been pretty hit and miss there. I think we were running eighth or ninth last spring, and I hit the fence and broke a toe link, so got to avoid that, right? That’s the biggest thing about Darlington for me is just avoiding mistakes and racing the racetrack and kind of letting the rest happen. If we can just put together solid weeks through this first round, we should be okay.”

Do you think part of it is not being overzealous? You know, that adrenaline kicks in, it’s the first race of the playoffs…

“Darlington’s an easy place to make mistakes. It’s such a long night, a lot of opportunities for mistakes, a high-risk level racetrack in general. So trying to limit those is definitely important.

What feels like your biggest strength and your biggest weakness heading into the playoffs.

“The biggest strength is the momentum that we have behind us… the year that we’ve been able to put together, the speed that we’ve had at some racetracks that I’ve been pretty bad at before. At Homestead, we’ve never been good and we almost won. Richmond, we’ve been pretty bad with the Next-Gen car and we were strong there. So I think that shows me that we can go to places that we haven’t been good at before and be really strong. The lack of playoff points is probably our biggest weakness, but the field’s pretty wide open.”

Inaudible.

“I feel like that has been our baseline throughout the year. That’s where we started the year. We were pretty good on points, then we crashed for like two months straight and then kind of got back to it. I felt like our team had a lot of growth going into the playoffs last year and got a lot better. Just knowing that we can do it. Obviously the DQ (in 2024 at Charlotte) was unfortunate, but we were able to execute at a high level the next week when we went to Vegas and contended for the win there. So it didn’t shut us down by any means and we have to continue to work hard.”

Do you feel like you guys are in a better position this year to go out and take a run around the last year?

“We have momentum going into the playoffs, which we’ve never really had before. So I do think we’re in a better position. The lack of playoff points is tough, but we’ll continue working hard at it.”

If you had to pick one element that is the most important going into this first round, what would that be.

“Consistency, just continuing to execute through these first three races, right? It’s three tough racetracks where a lot can happen. And, really, I think you can ‘consistency’ your way to the Round of Eight pretty solidly. Past that, you’ve got to win races. But, yeah, I think continuing to do what we’ve been doing.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
2025 PLAYOFF MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
AUGUST 27, 2025

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Media Availability Quotes:

What do you consider your team’s strengths going into the playoffs, and what do you see as the challenges?

“I mean, it’s hard to pinpoint one strength because I feel like we have a lot of strengths. Speed is always one, for sure.

We’ve just been through a lot throughout the summer. I think we’ve seen a lot of different things and we’re prepared for almost anything. I think we’re looking forward to the challenge of these next 10 and hopefully we can execute on a high level.”

What do you see as your challenges or weaknesses since you have so many strengths?

“Yeah, I think still the shorter, flatter tracks, so seeing Gateway and New Hampshire in the playoffs is not something that I was thrilled about. But I do think we’ve made our package better on that style of track. You know, I look at Iowa – we were fast and William (Byron) won. Chase (Elliott) was fast. Alex (Bowman) was fast. When we went to Richmond, we were all really good again. Alex finished second, and I think I was in sixth. Chase was probably one of the best cars that night. William was good, as well. I do think we’ve gotten our cars better on those places, but we still need to probably be better. We’ll see when we get to Gateway and New Hampshire.”

Kyle, as the elimination form has gone, how will soon it affect other drivers, you know, facing their experience with it?

“I don’t know… I don’t really notice anything being different. We’re just out there racing. We’re all trying to do the best job we can. And then, yeah, sometimes drivers get into must-win situations and you’ll see different pit calls and stuff. But outside of that, you don’t really see it be too different.”

Erik (Jones) said he wanted to reach out to you about Daytona… has he reached out yet?

“No, I haven’t spoken to him. No, but I’m open to it or at least to hear if he wanted to hear where I was coming from.”

Have you gone back to watch the closing lap yet, and has your opinion changed at all in any of the moves you made there?

“Yeah, I’ve seen the end of it, but it wasn’t like — I think you guys are all asking me and even I listened to his comments, they weren’t even that bad. But then I got approached like he was pissed off and it was this malicious thing, but it wasn’t.

If he wanted to have a conversation, I think he would have reached out by now. But I think him just hearing my side of my interviews and like why I was pushing as aggressively as I was or whatever, I think probably answered all of his questions.”

You said a couple weeks ago that it would be nice if this team could just get some momentum with how the summer has gone. I think it was back-to-back top-10s at Richmond and Daytona. Do you feel like you guys are on the right foot now going into Darlington?

“Yeah, I do. I do think we’re. I would love to have been leading a bunch of laps, but Richmond’s not really the place that we’re going to go lead laps anyways and Daytona’s just a different style race. But it still was good to get two solid finishes in a row and get through another superspeedway without a crash.

And then, it leads into Darlington, which is a great track for us. So yeah, I look forward to getting the playoffs started. I think our team has been through a lot. I think we’ve seen a bunch and we’re prepared for a lot of different things.

But we’ll see. You just have to go out there and execute like any other week.”

Does the racing in the playoffs really change that much? I mean, are people doing desperate things or do you feel like that’s overblown?

“Honestly, in my opinion, I feel like the racing has always calmed down a little bit once you get to the playoffs because everybody’s so conscious of finishing and trying to just get the best finish possible that day. Obviously, when you get to the cutoff races and stuff, maybe it might ramp up a little bit, or teams’ pit calls might get a little bit more desperate. But I feel like it kind of calms down because we’re trying to finish. Other teams that aren’t in the playoffs recognize that we’re racing for something and sometimes there’s a little bit more give and take. But it’s still ultra-aggressive. I mean, it’s Next Gen racing, but I do believe it dials back a little bit.”

How refreshing is it to see tracks that you guys have been to on the schedule already in the playoffs, especially tracks like Bristol that you guys have been great at?

“Yeah, I think there’s definitely a number of tracks in the playoffs that we know we’ll be fast at. You don’t ever know, but you assume you’re going to be fast at them. It’s good to have those tracks, especially in the first round, to get our feet under us; get running strong, hopefully lead in laps and challenging for wins. Gaining some more playoff points would be great leading into the next rounds.”

Do the playoffs seem long to you? What’s it like for you during the ten weeks of the playoffs?

“Yeah, definitely feels long. Not that it feels long, but I feel like the favorite to start the playoffs might not necessarily be the favorite seven weeks from now. It feels so long. The sport still changes a lot and momentum can change quite a bit.”

How hard is it to keep your attention and focus up that much? People watching TV probably don’t know how much it takes…

“Yeah, I mean, at least from the competitor’s standpoint, I don’t think it’s hard to keep your focus because there’s a lot on the line. It’s kind of a three-week mini-series within the 10 weeks.

Getting back on track at Mexico and what you’ve been doing, that was the difference in you getting the number one seed. Why is Cliff (Daniels) so good at that strategy part that no one else can think of?

“I don’t know. I mean, we just never give up, really. It’s not that others, I don’t think, are aware of that. You know, I think people are — if you go to the DVP and can fix your car, I feel like nine times out of ten, teams are doing that. It’s just happened to where our car is still drivable and fast enough to go for that stuff. Like Watkins Glen was a brake fitting. In Mexico, we got smashed, but thankfully our car was driving okay and we were able to go out and get the fast lap. So, yeah, it is cool that it paid off because you don’t know if those little moments are going to pay off, but it was neat that it did.”

I was listening to the radio at Daytona, and Cliff (Daniels) was very complimentary of your fuel saving ability to kind of put you in position for that final stage. How much better do you think you’ve gotten at fuel saving?

“I’m not… I’ve always been great at fuel saving on those tracks.

Is it a skill you kind of practice?

“No, I mean, I don’t know. I guess over time, you get the hang of it. A lot of people act like we’ve never saved fuel before on superspeedways, but as long as I’ve ever been in NASCAR, we’ve always been saving fuel, it’s just now we have SMT and TVs can look at it and stuff, so it’s just a topic. But yeah, we’ve all been saving fuel at those places for over 10 years now, at least in my career.”

So it’s something you just coped over time?

“Yeah, I mean, I guess. I will say, at least for the Chevys, we have the key partners’ stuff that we study. I would say Chase and myself are the most conscious about fuel savings, at least having enough fuel on board to have a short pit stop for the green flag cycle. So that’s really all it is.”

There was a point this year where it felt like it was a theme every week, not just the superspeedways, that it’s a fuel mileage race. Do you expect that will be the case in the playoffs, that it’s always going to be sort of lurking at the end?

“I think at some point in the race, I feel like fuel is always kind of on your mind because you’re setting up for the next pit stop or whatever the case may be. But yeah, I don’t know if that was a circumstance. I think it was kind of circumstantial that a lot of those races have fuel savings on the final to run to the end.

But I don’t know. If a race goes straightforward, it’s not going to be that way. But you just never know when cautions are going to fall.”

Since you’ve raced against (Christopher) Bell probably more than anybody here, what makes him such a formidable opponent? I mean, granted, he’s in Gibbs equipment and you’re in Hendrick equipment, but what distinguishes him as a guy that seems the last three years was capable of making it to the Championship Four?

“Yeah, he’s an extremely great race car driver; very smart and calculated in the NASCAR stuff and dirt stuff. I mean, he’s always been good on dirt. But NASCAR, especially in the playoffs, it seems he’s been like a closer, you know? He’s won when he’s needed to. I’m thinking of like a Homestead or something, you know, he’s quietly been mid-pack during the race, and then boom, there he is at the end winning or whatever the case may be. I think he’s done it at the Roval before and Martinsville. He’s a threat everywhere.”

It has been such a successful season for you and High Limit. What have you learned about being a series promoter?

Yeah, it’s been a great year for High Limit. It’s just cool to see the growth of our series and sprint car racing. I think we just have a long way to go still. You know, our franchise system hasn’t been fully implemented yet. It’ll start next year. I’m curious to see what teams will look at that and want to come race with us. We’re continuing to add big events and everything.

But to this point, yeah, it’s been great. I think our team has done a really good job. Brad (Sweet) has put in a ton of effort, as well as everybody at High Limit. So, yeah, it’s great, and we look forward to the future.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
2025 PLAYOFF MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
AUGUST 27, 2025

Shane van Gisbergen, driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Media Availability Quotes:

How does it feel to be in the playoffs this year?

“Yeah, it’s a privilege I guess to be here and we’ve had an amazing year and run, so hopefully keep going.”

You’re getting better on the ovals. A few weeks ago, Larson said if you ever figure out these ovals, they’re all in trouble. So what have you attributed to your growing success on the oval tracks?

“Just time. I don’t know anything different. It’s taken me a long time to learn the ovals, particularly because I haven’t done them before. So finally starting to go to tracks for the second time and yeah, hopefully go better.”

Of the three coming up, is there one that you’re looking at more favorably? Do you feel more comfortable once you get back down.

“Well, just the first round is difficult. Gateway I have never been to, and Bristol was very, very difficult. So, yeah, hopefully it goes good.”

Then you have a roval coming up, but we can’t just automatically give you the trophy, even though based on what you did this year.

“Every race is tough, right? But we’ve had an amazing run on the road courses. Hopefully it continues, but it certainly won’t be easy, that’s for sure. If we get to that point, it’ll be a nice one for us.”

The information you’re sharing with the crew chief and the engineers, has that gotten better and better as time has gone on, going back to these tracks, getting more used to them?

“100 percent. And because it’s all new crew at Trackhouse and people I haven’t worked with before. It took us a little while to gel and just learn each other and get better. The gains we’ve had since the start of the year, it’s been really cool to see that progression and how much enjoyment there is in doing it.”

Was last year the first time you had run a playoff format in racing?

“Oh yeah, this is probably the only sport I know of that has it like this, yeah.”

You made the comment last year that you were just trying to figure out how it works. Do you feel like you understand it now going into this one?

“Kind of, yeah, but the better you do it, it just looks after yourself. So I try not to get caught up in how many points and stuff like that. I know that if I do my best and get good results, it’ll look after itself.”

From the experience last year, even though the series is different, the drivers are different, the competition is going to be different, were there things from the experience of the Xfinity playoff that you can apply as a driver going into this one?

“I remember last year, the way it was approached was different to the rest of the season. We got caught up in the moment a little bit too much. We did a silly strategy at the Roval. It was an unexplained mistake really. I think this year it’s been good… just trying to stay level-headed, take it week by week. We’re in an amazing spot to be here and we have no expectation to make it through the second round. No one knows what we’re going to do. If we go and perform, we can surprise some people.”

It seems like people are already writing you off ahead of the first round.

“Yeah, which is great. It doesn’t worry us. It puts no pressure on us, right? If we have a good week this week, it makes the next few harder. But if we have a tough week, it puts us in a hole and it’s going to be hard to get out of it. Hopefully it will be nice to prove people wrong, too.”

Are you the kind of guy who people, if they count you out, you’re like, yeah, we’ll just…?

“It’s always fun to have your back against the wall, right, and have to push hard. I don’t use it for motivation or anything, but it’s cool being the underdog.”

You’ve always been great on road courses, but what is it that you’ve noticed this year about the competitiveness, the intensity of the Cup Series, races in general, outside just all those road courses, just the intensity every week?

“It’s just how much it means every week, the racing, and how intense it is. It’s not surprising, but the energy level you’ve got to have every week is pretty intense, and the amount of study you have to do, it’s full on. It’s fun, though.”

What do you notice about the atmosphere, just being at the track every week, and now that you’ve seen it?

“At home, we would have 12 events, and three or four of them would be massive ones. It feels like pretty much every weekend is a big event. And especially at these tracks you only go to once, it feels huge, so yeah, pretty cool.”

So Supercars do not have any sort of a playoff? I thought like at the very end there was…

“Oh, they have it this year, but it’s even more confusing than this one. It’s new.”

Do you have to approach it differently than the regular season? I mean, is there anything you’re doing or approach mentally that you’re doing differently?

“No, I’ve tried to keep it the same, but you just know that you can’t make the mistakes because it would be hard to dig ourselves out of that. We just have to keep doing what we’ve been doing, but it’s so hard in a NASCAR race, I feel like every race you have a storyline of how the day goes. It’s never free-flowing really, so we just have to eliminate or minimize what we do wrong, and just try to get it right every week, and that comes with preparation.”

What does success over the next 10 weeks look like for you?

“Having a smile on my face at the end of it!”

And does anyone else on the road course impress you with their road course talent this season?

“Every race there has been a challenger… it’s been different guys most of the time. At every race someone shows up and has a crack. The talent level on road courses is very, very high here so we’ve had some good races.”

People think that it’s so easy for you and that it’s a piece of cake taking candy from a baby, but it’s not. Define that as you head into the playoffs.

“It’s tough. We’ve just had a really nice run and it’s been good to execute, but the days haven’t been easy. It’s ended up pretty well with a great result but there’s always been a tough part to each day. It’s been amazing. We had the ability to win all the races and to go and execute it and get almost all of them has been special, really cool.”

Is there a little bit of some things that makes you feel good? I mean the fact that you’ve won major championships before. Could you just talk about what that experience does? I know it’s not directly the same thing but in a big scheme it is.

“It still means everything. Coming in on the race on Sunday, I’ll be nervous as anything. You get all that anxiety about it and you learn. This means everything to us. We’ve worked all year for this, and that feeling you learn to channel it. It’s good to be nervous, it means you care about it. So I kind of embrace that more nowadays and you know if you don’t feel that you’re probably in the wrong sport.”

What does it mean to have some familiar people around? I can’t imagine going somewhere, halfway around the world and doing what you’re doing and being isolated.

“It’s cool. You still keep in contact with everyone relatively easy these days messaging, but it’s always awesome to have people over at your house staying for a couple of weeks. Just getting to show them how different it is here. They flew to Orlando on a Thursday and I flew Friday morning for the qualifying. They couldn’t believe I was arriving on the race day. It’s just so different, like how long the weekends are, how efficient everything is. It’s just such a different world here from what everyone’s used to.”

For this weekend in Darlington, is there a certain point total or finish that you think would be great if you reached that.

“Nah, not really. I think it’s just going to be law of averages for us, right? We’ve got to be above average and that’s the shot we’re going to have to get through. We’ve got to have three decent finishes and we’ll be able to get through the round, right? But I don’t know about the points total, how many certain points is the average to get through. But I know I need to get better to make it work.”

Besides road courses, what do you feel is your biggest strength and your biggest weakness heading into these final 10.

“Strength, I guess, is my team. I’ve got awesome people in my corner and I know they’ll do anything for us to succeed. Seeing the work and preparation in the team has been awesome. The vibe and how knuckled down everyone is… it’s really cool to be a part of that. The weakness is me. It’s my inexperience and I’ve got those people helping me to get better.”

You spoke about the improvement you’re trying to have on ovals. You’ve shown some improvement at some of the places here recently. What are some of the ones that are coming up in the playoffs that you maybe have circled that you might perform better than what people are expecting you to do.

“Probably Darlington. That’s something I’m getting a bit. It’s one of my favorite tracks and I’m enjoying it. Gateway and Bristol are going to be tough. I haven’t been to Gateway and Bristol I struggled a bit at.”

What is it about Darlington? What is it about Darlington that suits your driving style?

“I think you have to be very precise. You’ve got to be millimetre perfect every lap, comfortable to run against the wall and the proximity to the wall, and then the repetition and consistency. I think that seems to suit me, and the way the cars slide around, I really enjoy that place.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Toyota GAZOO Racing – Chase Briscoe
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

CHARLOTTE (August 27, 2025) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe was made available to the media on Wednesday as part of NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Do you feel a little bit like Cinderella in these Playoffs where you have everything you possibly need to shine?

“To a certain extent. Definitely feels different than the prior Playoff runs, because of the situation, right? Like you were saying, I kind of have everything I need now where before, you’re just kind of excited to be there and you’re hoping that works out, but you know it’s going be an up-hill. Where now, I feel like if we can just execute, we have a really good chance to potentially win the championship. So yeah, it definitely feels different this time around and yeah, hopefully we can you know put it all together.”

What do you need to capitalize on the good track position you seem to have to get that next win?

“Yeah, it’s tough. Like you said, we’ve finished second a lot, but the one was to SVG (Shane Van Gisbergen) and that one, I don’t think I could have won unless something crazy happened to him. The Dover race, I definitely think I could have potentially won, but it was very high risk of wrecking myself and I don’t remember where the other one was where we finished second (Iowa), but I’m sure there is a chance to win that one potentially too. Yeah, don’t know. If you keep putting yourself in those positions, you’re going to win more races. And the good thing is, we’re in position. It’s just a matter of putting it all together there at the end. I feel good about it. Hopefully we can continue to put ourselves in those positions and they’ll eventually go our way.”

Did you ever envision you’d be teammates with Christopher Bell at this level?

“No, not really. We kind of had one of those moments when we were flying to Mexico this year on Coach (Joe Gibbs, team owner)’s plane and we’re like, ‘man if you had told us 10 years ago when we were hanging out and playing video games that we’d be flying on Coach Gibbs playing together to Mexico to race the cup race,’ like we would both thought you were crazy. Yeah, it’s pretty wild. Facebook has those memories and stuff and mine popped up there, just this week, I was doing PR for (Chrsitopher) Bell like 10 years ago and now I’m his teammate and fighting for the championship with him, so it’s pretty wild.”

Would it be hard to fight with him for the championship should you both make the final round together?

“(It’d be) another race. I mean honestly, just the culture at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), you’re kind of racing your teammates to win every single week. I mean the championship, there’s a lot more on the line, but you still have a lot of experience of racing those guys for the win and battling up front with them. I don’t think it really changes anything.”

Do you feel more optimistic this year compared to previous Playoff appearances?

“For sure. I was telling my wife that couple weeks ago, ‘this is really the first time I’ve ever legitimately thought I could win a Cup championship.’ In the past, you make the Playoffs and it’s exciting, but down deep you kind of know that the odds of you winning are pretty slim, right? Whereas now, not to say that I’m the favorite by any means, but I feel like I have a legitimate chance to go do it, where at SHR (Stewart-Haas Racing), you never really felt like you had a legitimate shot to do it. Definitely feels different this time around knowing that you have a shot and I would say this Playoffs feels different because of that.”

What role does your crew chief James Small have in that confidence?

“Yeah, a huge part. As a driver, you’re only as good as the team and the car that you’re in, right? James (Small, crew chief) and the entire engineering group and JGR at whole, they give you really good race cars week in and week out, and that’s been something that’s been an adjustment for me this year. Understanding that and knowing the risk vs reward, knowing that even on a bad day, we should still run right around the 10th and that’s an adjustment for me to kind of be able to realize that in the moment and comprehend what’s going on because in the past, 10th was still a pretty good day. Especially during these Playoffs, that’s going to be something to realize is, ‘hey, don’t panic. If you just do your job, you’re probably going to run top 10-ish, for sure top 15-ish even on a bad day.’ That’s been something for me I’ve had to really adjust my mind too is I don’t have to try as hard. It sounds weird, but I don’t have to take these huge risks, I don’t have to do all these things because the car’s capability is going to help me a lot of the time compared to what I’m racing against, so that’s definitely been something for me that’s been a mentality shift.”

What do you see as the challenge for you and your team in these Playoffs?

“I think for us is just executing. I would love to have more Playoff points. I’m confident that we can get to that Round of 8, but once you get to the Round of 8, at our points deficit, there’s a chance you’re going to almost have to win the race. Somebody’s going to be able to point their way into the final four, but realistically for us, it’s probably not going to be an option. We’re already starting 20, 30 points behind, so that’s the big thing I think for us is we have to be able to execute in these first two rounds and hopefully win a race or two. If we can do that and shorten that gap Playoff point-wise, I think it puts us in a better spot. For me, just from an execution standpoint, that’s the biggest thing and just trying to win a race these first two rounds, just trying to get more Playoff points to set us up for easier way to that final four.”

Your teammate Denny Hamlin often talks about breaking down races mentally. When you’re running in the top-10, does it make it easier to break down the race?

“Yeah, for sure. Denny (Hamlin) does a really good job of just mentally understanding the race and he’s been doing it for 19, 20 years, right? So, he understands that big picture and plus, he’s been doing it that whole time and Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Where for me, it’s been a little bit harder because for four or five years, all I’ve known is one style of Cup racing where it’s kind of tooth and nail and it still is tooth and nail, but your car is going to carry you more than what I’ve had in the past and that’s been something for me I feel like I’ve not done a great job of in the first 10-15, even the first 26 races this season is understanding that risk vs reward on restarts and such. I’ve always had to take these huge risky moves and make these really aggressive decisions, but there’s always a big risk of them not working out and losing positions or wrecking. Where now, I don’t necessarily have to take those big of risks as your car is going to normally get you back up there. That’s just been a big thing for me to learn over the course of this year.”

Now that you’re in the Playoffs, what comes next?

“Yeah, I mean we need to go and perform in the Playoffs, right? That’s the difference now is that (at) SHR, did you want to get knocked out of the Round of 16? No, but if you did like there was nobody like, ‘man, that was a disappointing season.’ They were still excited they made the Playoffs. Where here (Joe Gibbs Racing), it’s almost like if you don’t make the Round of 8, that’s kind of a failure on the year and really the final four even, right? It’s just a different mentality. For me, think we’re fully capable of making it to the final four. From a speed standpoint, I would say arguably we are one of the better cars kind of week in and week out, it’s just a matter of putting the whole race together. That’s where you see that The William Byrons and the Denny (Hamlin)’s of the world, they’re doing a better job right now putting the whole race together than what we do, and a lot of that falls on myself going back to what I was just saying with the risk versus reward. I think as I get better in understanding and getting more experience, that’ll be better for me. But yeah, I’m glad we were able to win a race and make the Playoffs, but now that we’re here, we need to do something about it.”

You had some tough luck in your first two Playoffs. What was that like and how do you bounce back from a tough start?

“I don’t know. I guess I haven’t really thought about that, but I think both times I’ve been in the Playoffs, I’ve been last in the points after the first race and I’ve still been able to make it on to the rounds after that. For me, it’s never over until it’s over, and obviously, you don’t want to have a bad race, but I mean it can happen to anybody, right, and you just have to go and put your best effort forward. Just because you have a points deficit, doesn’t mean you’re out of it, necessarily. We’ve seen that time and time again, so hopefully, we’re not in that position come after Sunday night but if we are, it’s definitely a position I feel comfortable in, as crazy as that sounds. I’ve been under the cutline a lot my entire career in the Cup Series and I feel like I almost perform better when I’m in that position. I’m not worried if adversity does happen. Hopefully it doesn’t, but if it does, it’s certainly somewhere I feel comfortable.”

Who was the Cup Series driver you were most excited to race against when you first started in the series?

“Oh man, that’s a tough question. I don’t even know. I mean even to this day too, I think it’s cool when I’m racing around Kyle Busch or Denny Hamlin. Those were kind of the guys that are still around from when I was growing up racing. I’d say Kyle Busch was the first moment where I had, that it was in the Truck Series at the time and he came and ran Atlanta. It was like my second ever NASCAR race and I remember, I think I qualified right behind him and ran behind him for a lot of the first stage and it was just like. ‘Holy smokes, I’m on the race track with Kyle Busch.’ I would say he was probably the first one.”

Does it come to mind there’s a young racer out there now who feels the same way about racing you?

“It’s still weird to me that I’m even considered to be like one of those people, truthfully. Feel like I’m norma Chase and I still shouldn’t really be here, truthfully. I don’t know it’s weird that, there is probably some kid out there racing where potentially, I’m their favorite driver and it’s odd. I don’t feel like I’m one of those guys. When I go run the Chili Bowl, like I’m sure there’s somebody in my heart race saying, ‘oh man, there’s a Cup guy in here,’ and I don’t feel that way at all. That’s weird to think about. I never thought of it.”

How you think your generation of driver is making an impact on the sport?

“Yeah, we are kind of that next (pause), for the next 15 years, we’re going to be kind of the core group of guys, right? You’re going to have some people come in along the way, but for the most part, that is the group I’m going to race against my entire career. Hopefully, I can be one of those like marquee guys, I guess. For me, it’s always important to be one of those people that fans can look up to or fellow race car drivers or young kids. I try to always make sure that I know that just because I don’t think the camera’s on me, I need to be acting like there is one. Doing things respectfully and race on the race track respectfully, but off the race track, be a gracious competitor and hopefully I can be that for a lot of people. It is crazy to think that I’m going to be potentially one of those guys that was like that core Cup guy I grew up watching.”

How were you able to save fuel and win that race in Pocono?

“Yeah, it’s odd. My dad’s always told me, ‘if you just slow down a little bit, you probably go faster,’ and it was it was the truth. Pocono, I think I definitely could have went faster if I needed to. It wasn’t like I was running really crazy fast because I remember (Tyler) Reddick pulled out in front of me a lap down and drove away from us. But, where my car was better compared to Denny (Hamlin), I could maximize the straight away so long he would never get back to me on corner entry to be able to do something with how early I was lifting. We even talked about it our debrief, I think it was (Ryan) Blaney was running third, if Blaney would have been behind me, I think I would have got passed because his car was so strong down the straightaways. The Toyotas were not very fast down the straightaway, so it allowed me to get a big enough gap that I could lift early and save fuel where if a Ford was behind me, I don’t think I could have done that. Between that and then just under caution, I didn’t realize but James (Small) told me I’m like unbelievable saving fuel under caution compared to everybody else that he’s seen. I don’t know (why), I guess I’m really good at shutting the thing off and rolling for a long time, I don’t know. I always thought I wasn’t very good at it, but according to their numbers, I’m really good compared to most guys. I guess between that and the on-track stuff, I was able to save enough.”

How important is that to be good at in this era?

“Yeah, I think it’s definitely important. It’s definitely something that adds up. You don’t realize how much goes into the fuel savings side. That’s something for me, I mean really every week, I’m kind of just saving fuel all the time under caution like it’s become a habit. Even weeks where we don’t need to be saving fuel, I’m just saving fuel just at the sake of it because you know, pit stop, you never know what can happen and I think it eventually adds up. That’s just been something I’ve really kind of burned into my mind over the course of the last couple of years in in Cup racing and it’s obviously worked out for us.”

Is in the race the only time you can really practice fuel saving?

“Yeah, and honestly, it kind of started with Noah (Gragson) at SHR, he had always a running bet if we could have the most shut off time. We would always just compete against each other and it’s made it where it’s almost like a habit now of just I just always I’m shutting the car off and saving fuel. Something that started off as a game has turned into a habit for me and something that has helped.”

How different is the team entering this Darlington race compared to in the spring?

“Yeah, it’s way different. I don’t even think you can look at the first, really all the way up to the Coke 600. It’s a totally different race team (then) than what it is now. I think at the Coke 600, I think we had a total of 17 stage points scored, and now, probably over 100, I would say. It’s definitely a different race team, totally different feel to it, confidence, everything. Darlington (in the spring), I would say was probably our worst race this season, but I feel like we’re just a totally different race team.”

What would you say are your biggest strengths and weaknesses entering these final 10 races?

“For us, our strength is our speed. There’s really not a single style of race track where we haven’t been one of the faster cars in general. I think for us, you know our pit crew has been really good, we just we have a couple of blow up pit stops and just mistakes. Think it all just gets bundled into execution, whether it’s pit crew or myself on the race track. Just executing races from lap one to the final lap. That’s really what I feel like separates teams in the Playoffs is just making sure you execute and don’t make these mistakes that take you out of the day and if we can do that for 10 weeks, from a speed standpoint. we should have plenty of speed you know run up front and get points. It’s going to be a matter of not shooting ourselves in the foot and if we can do that, I feel like we have a really good shot.”

How is your mindset for this Southern 500 different than last year’s which you won?

“I feel like we need to go win it just to lock into the next round. It’s different your back’s up against the wall when it’s the last race of the regular season (in 2024) and you’re not going to race for a championship if you don’t win. But I feel like being in the Playoffs (this year), it’s the same feeling, like you have to go perform. You can’t go there and have a bad day, and especially in the Playoffs, it’s really three three-week seasons and that’s how you have to look at it. You have to run well three weeks in a row, three times and if you can do that, then you have a good shot at it. Yeah I still feel like, (pause), it’s not a must win, right? If I’m running sixth, I don’t need to be doing everything I got to try to win the race and potentially wreck. I need to just maximize that day, but certainly, I mean if you can win the race, you need to do it. Just the Playoff points that come along with that in the next couple rounds are big. So hopefully, we can go there and back up what we were able to do last year but it’s going to be different. Everything changes throughout the year. Setups are different, tires are different, track will age, and it’ll be a challenge for sure.”

When did Denny Hamlin become such a fishing fanatic?

“I don’t know, but he’s all about it. He’s been fishing all the time. He has a boat, a tracker app now. I fish at almost every single race track in general and he’s always out there too. I don’t know when he became such a fishing addict. We were actually talking about it at JGR the other day and they said he went on a trip with his dad about a year ago and they went bass fishing, and they just loved it and fell in love with it again. Yeah, he’s all about it now and lives on the lake too, so he can fish off the dock as well.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

Toyota GAZOO Racing – Bubba Wallace
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

CHARLOTTE (August 27, 2025) – 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace was made available to the media on Wednesday as part of NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

BUBBA WALLACE, No. 23 McDonald’s Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Was there a particular driver you looked forward to racing against when you first came into the Cup Series?

“Yeah, I remember filling in and running the Daytona July race and it was cool racing Jimmie (Johnson). I remember it was like Jimmie (Johnson), (Ryan) Blaney, me and (Corey) LaJoie kind of all right there together at one point and I was like, ‘Damn, that’s pretty cool racing against seven-time.’ I think I even said that over the radio. And so, to be able to race against him a handful of years was cool. He’s been a great mentor and a friend for me. Just a guy to just have a natural conversation with. He’s a lot of fun to be around. He’s an all-around good dude. I think we all know that in this room. Yeah, I’d say that would be the one.”

There’s probably a kid right now coming through the ranks who thinks the same way about you. How does that make you feel?

“Makes me feel old (laughter). I hope to have that experience. I hope to continue to race for a long time and get to experience that. I think it would be pretty cool.”

What kind of impact do you feel like the group of drivers who came in around the same time as you have made on the sport?

“I imagine it could be the same as the previous generation, but I often sit there, whether it’s in the driver’s meeting or walking around to the pre-race grid or standing on the stage – what it was like 15 years ago. Because you look and it’s just Kyle (Busch) and Denny (Hamlin) from really that era. You can throw Brad (Keselowski) in I guess too – and (Joey) Logano was a little bit later. But, yeah, I think it’s kind of bizarre that it’s a bunch of young kids and now it’s like, it’s our time. So, it’s kind of cool that it’s just kind of gone through that transition, but I often think about what it was like 15 or 20 years ago.”

What does success look like for the 23 team over the next 10 races?

“We’re not settled on the Indy win. It was a great opportunity that we capitalized on to set ourselves up for the ultimate goal, which is what we had in store at the beginning of the year which was to be a champion. And so immediately after Indy, I skipped the next four or five – whatever it was – and looked at the Playoffs. Honestly, got really excited about each and every race that’s coming up. I don’t look at any round as, ‘Oh man, this might be a struggle for us.’ Then, I also look at the Playoff field the last couple weeks and man, no one is really running away from it if I want to echo Denny (Hamlin). Yeah, you can’t run away from it if you reset the points every time. But, man, no one’s had like a breakout. You have a guy who can get on a hot streak for a couple races and then it’s somebody else. I think we’re all in for a treat – drivers and spectators – for just how this Playoffs is going to go. I don’t feel like 2023 Playoff Bubba. Where like, ‘Oh man, it’s cool to be talking to you guys for Playoff media day.’ I feel like I belong here and want to continue this trend and have the upmost confidence in our team and our ability and potential to carry this into making a deep run into the Playoffs. It all started back in February, but everything just ramps up another notch for the next 10 weeks.”

What do you have to do to differentiate yourself from other drivers to break out of that pack?

“Beat them. Be the top guy. I think if you can manage your race and solely focus on what you have going on for a weekend. Not get lost when the 12 car is blistering fast on the long run pace. We already know that. We’ve been working hard to minimize that gap. Focus on your race. Focus on getting the upmost speed out of your car, pushing the potential each and every lap. The more you focus on yourself, I think the better your chances are. You get to manage your expectations, you get to manage your emotions and just enjoy the moment.”

Can your team win in the Playoffs?

“Absolutely. Hell, I’m good at winning in the Playoffs when I’m not in the Playoffs. Like I said, I look at the schedule and there’s a lot of good tracks for us coming up. We’ve had speed at almost every track on the circuit for the next 10 weeks, so it just takes that little bit more. It takes beating out the 5 (Kyle Larson), the 24 (William Byron), the 11 (Denny Hamlin). It takes beating the other 15 guys you’re racing against to do that. And, yes, we’ve had the speed to do that. We’ve got to clean up the execution standpoint and go capitalize on that.”

How much better prepared do you feel going into the Playoffs this year compared to 2023?

“Hell, I came off a 26-week stretch of stress and we made it in. We were the last car in, right. You get Sunday to enjoy it, but then you’re back into, ‘Alright, here’s the Playoffs.’ Now, I just came off a month-long stress-free stretch. So, I think getting to experience that was really, really nice. I said for a month, I didn’t care. I didn’t care if we won, if we wrecked, whatever. But I didn’t care in a good way. I care so much about racing that I can often get lost on where you’re at and that causes problems. It causes frustration, it causes speed loss, it causes everything. And I think showing up – Richmond is a good example. We show up for practice, and we were awful. And I was like, ‘Well, Saturday’s going to be a long day.’ Okay, then we’re leading. Okay, you know. I didn’t write off Richmond, but I kind of just changed the approach like, ‘Be ready to work hard here for 10th place.’ And you just kind of take a step back and you can analyze things better, you slow things down, the processes of everything and next thing you know you’re up there leading and have a dominant car. So, I really look at Richmond as a big, big highlight for me and the mentality side of it. Yeah, we have to have just 10 weeks of that – with all four tires.”

How do you minimize mistakes during the first round of the Playoffs?

“I mean, if you can just do what you’ve been doing. We’ve talked about our pit crew. They’ve been second best, if not the best on pit road all year long and so it’s not like we need them to find this extra thing for the next 10 weeks. No, just go back to what you were doing. Do what you were doing. So, I’m excited to see everybody just execute to the level that they’re supposed to. And it’s individually. It takes a whole team to get to where we’re at. And to see everybody wake up on Sunday mornings, look themselves in the mirror and say, ‘I’ve gotta do my job and rise to the occasion. Not leave any stones unturned.’ I’m excited for that and I have the upmost faith and confidence in every person on the 23 car that they will do that. And if things don’t go the way they’re supposed to then it’s okay. Things are going to happen the way they’re supposed to. That’s what I’m saying.”

How big a part of the skillset is fuel saving for you and other drivers in the series?

“Yeah, everybody can save fuel but there’s drivers who can save fuel better than the others. I think we’re one of the top at saving fuel, but there hasn’t been much study into that. It’s just looking at our camp and what we’re able to do. You have to have the right people behind the scenes giving you the right information to help you do that and so I think we have a good engineering background of analyzing all of the data and what we need to do to capitalize on fuel saving efforts when those chances come about.”

Why are you good at fuel saving? Are there tricks that you’ve learned?

“No, there’s nothing to it. They just tell me to list and I lift, and they tell me to go and I go. I‘m just following what they’re doing, and I think it’s more so them understanding the data and trusting in it. And then saying, ‘Hey, go prove that the data is right.’ And it is. So, it’s more a of a testament to my engineers.”

Do you practice fuel saving?

“Where? (laughter) I’ve got a hybrid Toyota Tundra that shuts off at the stop lights so that practices it for me. But, no, no practicing. It’s just a lot of studying and a lot of data.”

What do you think are your biggest strengths and weaknesses?

“Biggest strength – I think mentality is my biggest strength. You guys probably wouldn’t give me that trait a couple of years ago. I feel good where I’m at. I feel confident where I’m at. My weakness – I think is the heat of the moment scenarios. I guess it goes with mentality too – how do you react to that. We will go with that.”

How have you noticed everything grow at 23XI?

“Yeah, it has been a lot of moving parts and a lot of stress for a lot of people I’m sure, but everyone really seems to be rolling their sleeves up and appreciating the work that is in front of them and capitalizing on it. We’ve gotten better and better, I feel like, each and every weekend. Sometimes you get a little lost and bounce back, but the bounce backs, the perseverance that we have has been really, really strong. So from top down, we’ve executed from a lot of different levels, so I appreciate everyone at 23XI, Airspeed – their work continues each and every day, even in the offseason – continuing to work to find speed and to find that advantage that we are looking for, and I think we have a lot of key people in a lot of key spots – that speaks volumes to the hiring process and what it takes to get those people. It is an ever-evolving assembly line, that continues to get bigger and grow.”

Does your mentality change go to the crew chief change this year?

“Yeah, I’ll give Charles (Denike, crew chief) a lot of credit. He has really been a lot of fun to work with, and I feel like we vibed and meshed really quick. He has my back on a lot of scenarios, and I appreciate that. Bootie (Barker, former crew chief) did as well, so none of that is going against Bootie. We’ve continued to have fun at the race track. That is the main thing I told him when we had our meeting in the offseason. I only have one goal in mind – is to have fun. Let everything else sit in its own place. I think he has adapted to that. From Truck to Cup is an incredible step, but I try not to put too much on his plate. If the time needs it, then sure I will, but he has just adapted really well, and I think that has helped me drive smarter and have better races and ultimately get back to victory lane. He is incredible at what he does. There is still a lot of room for us to grow, but I’m excited for the future.”

Did he have any team building activities when he started?

“No. We didn’t. We need to do more of that, but he is a big team player regardless. I think you have people that put the team before themselves, and can kind of get people to rally behind you. Bootie (Barker, former crew chief) was great at that, and I think Charles (Denike, crew chief) is another rendition of that, and it is awesome to see. He can get you ready for battle.”

How is this version of Bubba Wallace different than the last Bubba Wallace that made the Playoffs?

“I had just gotten through 26 weeks of stress, made the Playoffs and one day to enjoy making the Playoffs and it was here talking to you guys about what is the pressure like, what is the stress like (laughter) – well, I’ve been living it, so it hasn’t really died down. It has kind of ramped back up for me, now, that the Playoffs have started, but I think just enjoying it. I was literally showing up here feeling like the new kid that changed schools and made new friends, and kind of lost being at Playoff media day. I missed you guys.”

Do you feel like 23XI is treated fairly with the legal issues?

“No issues. I have not had anything.”

Do you have any concern that NASCAR would not want to see a 23XI car win the championship?
“No. I don’t see that at all. It would be really selfish if that was the case, but no. I feel like when we show up to the track, we have equal opportunities and equal chances, just like the other 38, 40 guys that are out there. All good.”

How does the addition of Gateway and New Hampshire change those earlier rounds?
“We knew the schedule at the beginning of the year, so I think it would be different and more of a story if you didn’t know where we were going for the Playoffs before they started, and then it would be like boom, here we go. But we knew the schedule ahead of time, and after Indy, you look at the schedule and you circle the ones where you might have a little bit more of a challenge. Gateway is one of those because we don’t have numbers there. Loudon, back and forth on that place, but it is another race.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES
2025 PLAYOFF MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
AUGUST 27, 2025

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, met with the media in advance of the start of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

Media Availability Quotes:

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT HOW THE PLAYOFFS AFFECTS THOSE YOUNGER DRIVERS THAT DON’T QUITE HAVE THAT EXPERIENCE LIKE YOU DO?

“I’ve never really thought about it like that. I don’t really. I don’t really know. I’ve never thought about it in that regard. I mean, I feel like everyone, you know, when they come in…..I’m just trying to think about my first year, kind of my approach. I mean, from my perspective, it was pretty new, like the whole format. I think it started in, what, like 2014? So then, yeah, my first year was 2016, so it hadn’t been around a real long time, and I just remember those first couple years. I don’t think people realized how valuable the stage points were in my first couple of seasons, and there were like lots of stage points up for grabs, and no one really kind of knew, you know, how to balance that. But now I think it’s been around long enough at this juncture that everyone kind of understands how it works and it’s kind of normalized itself in my opinion. Because, when you watch these races, even just as a fan, I think you’re learning things. You don’t realize you’re learning them, but you are learning by watching.”

GOING OFF WITH THAT, YOU’RE ONE FOUR DEPENDING CHAMPIONS GOING FOR A REPEAT. HOW VALUABLE DO YOU THINK PAST EXPERIENCE, UNDER THIS FORMAT, OF THIS COMING ONSLAUGHT IS?

“Just having the experience in general, regardless of what the result was in the year before, I think the experience both good and bad can be helpful. So that is a great thing for our team. We have a lot of that. And we’ve all been around long enough to kind of see, you, some different things here and there, and I hope I hope it helps.”

CHASE, WHAT DO YOU SEE IS YOUR TEAM’S STRENGTHS GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS AND THE CHALLENGES THAT IT FACES?

“I think the experience that, you know, I alluded to a second ago is a major strength, as you just get faced with different situations throughout the final ten. You know, the challenges for us have been mainly on Saturdays, more than they’ve been on Sundays. I’ve been pretty open about that, but yeah, we’ve got to have better Saturdays to set ourselves up better for success.”

LOOKING AT HOW TRACKS LINE UP IN THE PLAYOFFS, OBVIOUSLY DARLINGTON THIS WEEK TO KICK IT OFF, HOW DO THE TRACKS LINE UP FOR YOU AS YOU LOOK AHEAD?

“Yeah, I’m definitely we get a time kind of person and especially a round at a time kind of person. I think you have to respect each round. This is going to be a tough round. You know, Darlington’s been a tough track for me. We’ve had some good runs here and there, but certainly not very consistent. And you look at Gateway, I think, as a company, we’ve been kind of off there. Bristol’s been a good track for us, but, you know, that’s only a third of it, right? So, we’ve got to make sure we give this round the respect it deserves and, you know, show up ready to go this weekend.”

NOW THAT YOU ARE IN IT, HOW MUCH DOES EVERY SINGLE WEEK COUNT AS A DRIVER?

“Yeah, it definitely, there’s a level of intensity to the final 10 that I think make it a lot of fun, that is just, yeah, it’s a little different vibe, but I enjoy it. I think all the competitors do. Our season’s pretty long, so kind of getting down to business and knowing that there’s something on the line every week, is a fun thing to be a part of. And it’s always felt that way. You know, just naturally as the years have gone by.”

DO YOU FEEL STRESSED FOR THE PLAYOFFS? IT’S HARD TO IMAGINE YOU HAVING ANY STRESS BECAUSE YOU CARRY IT SO WELL, BUT YOU’VE DONE A NUMBER OF PLAYOFFS AND I WONDER IF IT FEELS STRESSFUL?

“I mean, I think everybody gets stressed for one reason or another, you know. But I’m not stressed over the playoffs you know, I just want to do better, I want to run better, I want to be in better positions on a weekly basis. All those things motivate me to keep showing up, but the playoffs don’t…….I’m not anxious about it. I’m not, you know, nervous about it, I just want to go and make sure we’re doing everything we can do and just try to try to piece together some good weeks and that starts this weekend. So, it’s really that simple.”

WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART? NOT A PARTICULAR TRACK, BUT TO MAINTAIN WHATEVER YOU NEED TO MAINTAIN IF YOU’RE GOING TO SAIL THROUGH TO THE FINAL FOUR?

“Well, I think understanding that, you know, 10 weeks is a long time. Like, that’s a lot of racing, and it’s almost enough time for someone to have a good few weeks, go through a stretch of not so good weeks and then get good again. It’s a lot of racing, you know, over two months. So, I think sometimes you kind of get these questions about the playoffs, and it’s like, oh, there’s just the playoffs, you know, like, it’s just one thing, right? And it’s not. It’s a long period of time. And, you know, a lot of long hours working, you know in the shop, and travel. It’s just there’s 10 races and a lot can happen in 10 weeks.”

I THINK THAT’S GOOD YOU SAID THAT, BECAUSE NOT EVERYONE REALIZES THAT, RIGHT?

“Like I said, it seems like it kind of gets all combined into one thing and it’s so much more than that. So, it’s a long 10 weeks, but a fun 10 weeks, and they go by quick.”

DOES IT FEEL LIKE THIS SEASON, MAYBE MORE SO THAN OTHERS, AND MAYBE NOT, THAT THERE’S THE GUY THAT YOU’VE GOT TO BEAT. THAT THERE’S ONE PERSON OR ONE TEAM. DOES IT FEEL A LITTLE BIT MORE OPEN LIKE THERE’S MORE DRIVERS THAT WOULDN’T SURPRISE YOU TO GET TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP FOUR?

“No, I think it’s the same crowd. Personally, I think it’s… yeah, there’s been a lot of different winners, but I think you’ve got to go through the same crowd.”

AND COUNTING YOURSELF AMONG THAT, OBVIOUSLY?

“Of course, yeah.”

IS THERE ANY PLACE IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU FEEL LIKE THIS IS WHERE I’M GOING TO GO TO GET THE WIN VERSUS JUST SCORING THE POINTS?

“No, I don’t. I don’t look at it like that. It’s you know, I just want to be a team that we can go and feel that way every week. So, if you’re not doing that, then we’re not doing our jobs to the best of our abilities is how I look at it.”

YOU GUYS HAVE HAD A LOT OF CONSISTENCY THIS YEAR. DOES THAT GIVE YOU CONFIDENCE GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS THIS TIME?

“Yeah, I mean, consistency’s great, but it’s not the end goal by any stretch. Pace can save a lot of things, and we need to have some more pace. So hopefully we can gather some in, and put together some extra pace with the consistency, but it’s going to take both.”

About General Motors

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