NASCAR CUP SERIES
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 25, 2023

Kimi Räikkönen, No. 91 Onx/iLOQ Camaro ZL1, and Justin Marks, Founder and Owner of Trackhouse Racing, met with the media prior to the NASCAR Cup Series qualifying session at Circuit of The Americas. Press Conference Transcript:

WHAT DOES RACING AT COTA MEAN TO YOU IN TERMS OF YOUR EXPERIENCE IN F1 AND NOW IN NASCAR?

Kimi Räikkönen: “First of all, I’m happy to be back with the team, PROJECT91, and at the track that I know. Obviously, a lot different to how it feels. It’s the same track but it feels a lot different in an F1 car to a NASCAR car. A lot of the corners are more kind of straights in F1 because of the downforce. It gets a bit trickier in a NASCAR car. It’s nice to be back and it’s a lovely place to be here in Texas. Let’s hope we can do well. We will try to improve from yesterday and today and see what we do in the race.”

COMPARED TO F1, HOW HAS THIS EXPERIENCE BEEN LIKE FOR YOU TO WORK WITH YOUR TEAMMATES ROSS (CHASTAIN) AND DANIEL (SUAREZ) IN TERMS OF GETTING THEIR INSIGHTS?

Kimi Räikkönen: “It’s different. In F1, it’s a lot of meetings and a lot of other stuff. Here, it’s a bit more relaxed. You kind of have the meetings, but it’s a different way. I don’t have the experience with the cars and all the details, so we had a meeting yesterday as a group, as a whole team, and it’s nice to listen and assess what they thought about the car and what they should do with the car. I think it sounds like everybody has similar difficulties with the cars here. The rear seems to be the tricky part in the highest bit but it’s good to have teammates and to hear what they’re saying and get some advice from them.”

HOW MUCH MORE COMFORTABLE DO YOU FEEL NOW THAN YOU DID AT (WATKINS) GLEN?

Kimi Räikkönen: “Obviously, a little bit. It was just a different track again, and I haven’t driven any racecars since last year, so it takes a while to get used to it again even though I know the car. The car has lost some downforce, so it makes it a bit more tail-happy. At least I know that most of the things how it goes. Is it going to get any better results? We’ll find out. But I know the track so that helps, but as I said before it’s a lot different track with a NASCAR car than an F1 car. I feel more ready for sure on that side now that I know how the race goes and how everything else goes.”

CAN YOU GIVE AN UPDATE ON PROJECT91 AND WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR THIS YEAR?

Justin Marks: “I’m really happy with where PROJECT91 is right now. It’s resonating with people. We’ve got some great sponsors on the car this weekend. We’re going to definitely race this car multiple times this year. We’re not ready to make any of those announcements yet but people are taking notice. We’ve got some great sponsorships coming our way. It’ll be an exciting program we’ll be able to announce pretty soon.”

WHAT’S BEEN THE GREATER TRANSITION RACING IN NASCAR – KNOWING THE CARS OR KNOWING WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RACE?

Kimi Räikkönen: “I think it’s everything. Obviously, I have some experience on different cars and different categories. I did Rally, which is completely different to what I was used to doing in F1. NASCAR, again, it’s easy to think that they’re all kind of similar because you have a steering wheel and four tires, but it changes a lot. The racing is slightly different because in F1 with open wheels, if you touch somebody you usually lose a car or lose the wheel. You cannot really take that risk in F1 that much because you lose tiny parts of the car, and your car is suddenly a second slower than it should be. In NASCAR, you can have a bit more closer racing. Obviously, the rules are different. They’re more open here. I think it’s more of if you kind of behave, well they’ll behave a similar way against you the way I’ve understood. It makes it more exciting at the end of the races when people can be quite aggressive. Everything is different. How they run practices, how they run qualifying, it’s all kind of a learning curve. The car is obviously a lot more different to drive than any other car that I’ve driven before. I like it. It’s quite relaxed. It’s very warming kind of atmosphere. It’s good.”

“I had a good experience in the last one last year. It didn’t end up like we had wished, but when you have 40 other cars, things can go wrong.”

DO YOU HAVE ANY SPECIAL MEMORIES FROM YOUR LAST VICTORY HERE (AT CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS)?

Kimi Räikkönen: “Yeah, for sure. That was my last win and obviously, here, great memories. It was a long time coming and it was a nice race. It wasn’t an easy race, but we managed to win it. I have, for sure, good memories of that.”

COMING BACK TO AUSTIN AS A FIRST WIN AS A TEAM, HOW DOES IT FEEL COMING BACK TO YOUR FIRST CAREER WIN AS AN OWNER?

Justin Marks: “It definitely feels a little bit different than all of the race tracks we go to just because it was such a bit day for our company. You can’t help but drive in here and have a lot of memories from that great day. In that respect, Circuit of the Americas will always be something very special to our company. This weekend, it’s about trying to defend it. Everybody knows these cars a lot better now than they did this time last year, and the competition is tougher this time than it was last year. We’ve got three great drivers and great opportunities to have a good result on Sunday, so that’s what we’re focused on. But I would say Circuit of the Americas is always going to be a place that holds special meaning for our company, obviously.”

WE’VE KIND OF SEEN A REVIVAL OF RINGERS COMING BACK, YOU KIND OF STARTING IT WITH PROJECT91. TODAY’S FIELD IS A DIVERSE TALENT POOL. FROM AN OWNER’S STANDPOINT, DO YOU SEE A POTENTIAL OF A RINGER POSSIBLY COMPETING FOR A WIN AGAIN LIKE WE SAW IN THE 90’S, EARLY 2000’S?

Justin Marks: “Yeah, I certainly think it’s possible. I think because this type of racing is so unique, the car is so different – just the competition, the way the races are, pit road, and strategy. All that stuff is very unique that it’s probably going to be difficult for anybody to come in and do it their first try. But I think that if a program is built around a driver where they get multiple opportunities and they can learn that, like Kimi will be a lot stronger in this race than he was in Watkins Glen just because he’s done it once before and he knows what to expect and he will be better. I think if you get this talent in here and they can learn how to manage these races, and these races are really hard to win for someone who does this every single week for years, so I would say the talent is there. Once the experience matches up with it, I certainly think that’s a potential.”

YOU’VE BEEN AT THIS TRACK A NUMBER OF TIMES, WON HERE IN 2018. WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT THIS TRACK, AND WHAT’S THE BIGGEST OBSTACLE THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN’T SEE IN F1 BUT THAT YOU SEE IT IN STOCK CAR?

Kimi Räikkönen: “I think generally the track is nice because at least in F1, and I’m sure in NASCAR, it creates good racing. There are places you can overtake, and especially in F1, you don’t get a lot of circuits you can have a good race. People can actually overtake without the DRS, and it feels more like a normal older-style F1 racing. So that’s how the track layout works for F1 quite well. As I said before, in F1, it’s not flat. Some of the first parts are almost flat, (turns) 17 and 18, those are pretty easy and flat for those cars. A lot of the corners that are tricky. Probably the most tricky corners for NASCAR, they’re not really for F1 cars because of the downforce. It makes a huge difference in the track. All of the bumps the track has in F1 you get away with a lot because, again, the downforce helps and you don’t really feel it but in a NASCAR car, the effect is quite big. It makes it a much more tricky track to drive and to get the car somewhat working as you wish. It’s a completely different track in many ways. It sounds stupid because it’s the same track, but the car makes it a lot different.”

SINCE TRACKHOUSE’S INCEPTION IN 2021, IS YOUR VISION GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN, AND WHAT’S LEFT ON THE TABLE?

Justin Marks: “It’s been tremendous. It’s been incredible. I’ve said it a number of times the plan was always to work really hard and try to build an organization to compete for wins and ultimately compete for a championship. We’ve proven that’s possible for us. We had such an incredible year in 2022 that the challenge shifts a little bit to really focusing on the things we have to focus on to make sure that that’s repeatable, and that we can do that every year, and that we’re continuing to learn these cars at the rate that all these other teams are learning and adapt to any kind of changes in the sport that are coming. That’s really what we need to focus on. But there’s a lot of people over here on this side of the room that’s really had a big role in Trackhouse being a thing and being a contender on the race track. We’ve got a lot of great partners. Our support from Chevrolet has really allowed us access to tools and knowledge that we need to be successful. We’ve got racecar drivers and great pit crews and people at Trackhouse. We’re doing exactly what we thought was possible. It’s been just a lot of fun. It’s been awesome. We’re always working on fun stuff.”

DID YOU EXPECT YOU’D COME BACK TO A NASCAR RACE IN TEXAS TO RACE AGAINST JENSON BUTTON AGAIN? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW COOL IT IS, THE FIELD, THIS WEEKEND?

Kimi Räikkönen: “No, no. I didn’t. I’m not probably expected if I came back or not. It depends on so many things. I’m grateful for the team that we can have another go again, but then a lot of things. The family likes to come here, they really enjoyed last year. It’s a nice trip for all of us, but then there’s a lot of different moving parts that needs to fit – that the timing goes right, and this seems to be the right one. A lot of good drivers. The guys that do it all the time, they’re really fast not just on ovals but also on road courses, they’re good. They’re professional guys and they know how to drive these cars. It doesn’t matter if it’s a road course or an oval, they will always be fast. It’s hard to challenge them, but we will try again with our best and see what we get.”

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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 25, 2023

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 FREEWAY INSURANCE CAMARO ZL1, met with the media Saturday prior to NASCAR Cup Series qualifying at Circuit of The Americas. Press Conference Transcript:

THIS IS KIND OF A HOME RACE FOR YOU. HOW MUCH OF A HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE IS COTA FOR YOU?

“It feels like quite a bit. My mom actually arrived last night. She drove from my hometown along with a close friend of mine and my sister. So yeah, it definitely feels like home. I’m very happy to be here in Austin. COTA is an amazing racetrack. I have my family here. Today is Justin Marks’ birthday so we have a Birthday Boss this weekend. We have fast cars, too, so everything is looking great. We have a lot of reasons to be happy and grateful. We’re looking forward to get rolling here shortly for qualifying.”

HOW SPECIAL WOULD IT BE TO DELIVER YOUR BIRTHDAY BOSS A WIN?

“Winning is always great. We can always find reasons why winning is so amazing. This weekend obviously we have Justin’s birthday, mom is here – I haven’t seen her in several months – and my sister is here – I haven’t seen her in almost a year. So yeah, it’s a good time to be here. And it’s a good time to be fast. I’m looking forward to seeing what we can do. So far we have had a pretty acceptable weekend so far.”

HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO GAUGE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE ROAD COURSE/SHORT TRACK PACKAGE LAST YEAR AND WHAT YOU SAW YESTERDAY IN PRACTICE?

“A lot of things changed from last year to this year, and not just on the aero package. Also the racetrack is more bumpy, in my opinion. I don’t think that’s because of the downforce package. We have a different tire, and last year here at COTA was the first road course race for the Next-Gen car. We have learned so much since then. Yeah, we’re in a different spot but I don’t think that we are exactly comparing apples to apples because a lot of things have changed. All in all, it feels good. The fall-off at the end of the day, that was the main thing NASCAR was looking for, is bigger so that’s a positive. I feel like that is going to open the doors to different strategies now that we don’t have to stop for stage breaks. It should be fun. I’m really looking forward to the race.”

MORE ON DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LAST YEAR’S CAR AND THIS YEAR.

“Last year, I truly feel like I had the best car. This time around, I feel like we have a fast car. Right now, I don’t feel like we have the best car but I feel like we can have one of the best cars. And that’s all I can ask for. I don’t feel like I need to have the fastest car to be able to win the race. I feel that if I can have something similar to the fast guys then we can make it happen as a team. Above it all, I personally think that we are going to see a very fun race just because of the fall-off and the stage breaks is going to open the door for different strategies, and I’m very excited for that. We have made a couple of adjustments overnight. Hopefully those are the things I’m looking for. We’ll see what we can do today. I’m happy where we’re at.”

YOU (AND ROSS CHASTAIN) WERE BOTH VERY FAST LAST YEAR AND NOW YOU HAVE KIMI (RAIKKONEN). WHAT ADVICE HAVE YOU GIVEN HIM AND VICE VERSA?

“We’ve been talking a lot about balance, about feelings. We spent a little bit of time a couple days ago at the simulator. Kimi is very natural. He mentioned it a few minutes ago. The only thing he is lacking is time. He’s very natural. If he had a full season in NASCAR, he would be right there with us. The reason we are very fast is that we are in a rhythm. We are driving these cars every single weekend. It doesn’t matter if it’s an oval or a road course. We know the cars in and out. We know the limits, we know what’s good, what’s bad, everything. It’s not easy. You can bring the best of the best in the world. It’s not easy just to jump like that into a series this competitive and be there. It’s not easy. But I think he is going to do very well. He’s getting up to speed more and more. I think today we are going to see another step in the right direction and for sure tomorrow we are going to see another huge step in the right direction for the 91.”

HOW DO YOU MAINTAIN FOCUS AND COGNITIVE FOCUS DURING A RACE? IS THERE A PARTICULAR STRATEGY YOU USE?

“No, I wish I had some. I try to just stay calm and try to remind myself why I’m here. I’m here because I love racing. I’m here because I love to compete and I like to win. Everything else comes as a consequence. I feel grateful to be here. When you’re in a rhythm, like I was talking about not long ago, it’s easy to take it for granted what we do every single weekend. We are very lucky individuals that we get to do every single weekend what we love to do – drive racecars and compete. Every single driver here is very, very competitive. It’s something we just love. Just because of that we are very fortunate to be in this position. I try to remind myself all these things – to know that I’m in a very good position and go out there and have fun… prepare myself as good as possible mentally and physically and go out there and compete at the highest level that I could possibly do.”

HOW WILL THE WEATHER IMPACT THE RACE TOMORROW AND BEING IN AUSTIN.

“I think I have to change my weather app because I didn’t think it was going to rain (during the track walk). I think today is going to be a little less grip than yesterday just because it’s going to be hotter. I think we will continue to be fast but the fall-off is going to be bigger. Overall, it’s going to be the same for everyone so we have to adapt and try to adapt as good as possible and see how it goes. I think our car is going to do well. We are making some good adjustments, I believe, for today and I think that we’re going to be on the good side of it when it comes to the new day. We’ll see what we can do. I’m happy where we are.”

DIFFERENT STRATEGIES WITH NO STAGE BREAKS.

“You guys know this, in the past we were coming into a road-course race with two mentalities – either you’re going to fight for the win or you’re going to fight for points. You couldn’t do both. It was impossible to do both. I was in both situations last year. It was fun but when you were going for points, it was almost like you already knew you weren’t going to win the race or it was going to be a longshot to win the race. If you were going for the race (win) and something was happening, you gave up a lot of points. It was almost like we put ourselves in a box every time. Now I feel like it’s going to open the options a lot and the strategies and lot of things for the teams. I was talking to my team last night about all the different options – the fall-off that we have, the different strategy options and all that kind of stuff. It’s going to be dependent on a little bit of luck. When the caution depends on where you are in your pit cycle. I’m excited for that. I’m excited to bring back the smarter engineers and put them back to work!”

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
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix | Friday, March 24, 2023

Jenson Button, 2009 Formula 1 World Champion, will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend.

JENSON BUTTON, No. 15 Mobil 1 Ford Mustang – WHAT WERE YOUR FEELINGS GETTING OUT OF THE NEXT-GEN CAR, AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO? “First of all: Good afternoon. It’s lovely to be here. This is a great opportunity for me. I never thought, in my wildest dreams, I’d be racing in a Cup car. So, this is a lovely opportunity. I got to thank Mobil 1 for it. As you probably know, I’ve been doing quite a bit of driving and stock car racing at Le Mans for later this year. But we don’t really have so much competition in that, so this is exciting. I get to race against 30 other crazy guys out there. I’m really, really looking forward to the challenge – and it definitely is a big challenge. Jumping in the car for a 50-minute practice session – and that’s it – before we go qualifying and racing. It’s tough I think for anyone who is not used to big, heavy cars with low downforce. I’m enjoying the process. The team has been great, and I’m looking forward to a good, solid weekend. The car felt pretty good out there, and I think tomorrow in qualifying – when it really counts to get a lap in – there’s a bit more pressure. We’ll see how it goes. Setup wise working with my guys, improving it… yeah, we’re going in the right direction.”

WHAT WAS YOUR PREPARATION FOR LE MANS WITH GARAGE 56, AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET READY FOR THAT? “Testing – lots of testing. I’ve done six days in the car now. But, it’s very different to this. People are like, ‘ You know, this is very useful for the Garage 56 program,’ but it’s not. It’s very different – paddle shift, it’s got downforce, it’s lighter and kind of like eight seconds a lap quicker. But they both have their place. I enjoy both of them equally. It’s fun with a project you’re involved in in terms of development, but it’s also fun jumping into a stock car that’s the same pretty much as everyone else’s on the grid. I’m a racing driver, and I love racing – whatever it is. Racing at Le Mans is spectacular, and it’s such a special place. If you haven’t been, you’ll have to go. But, for me, going wheel-to-wheel here is pretty special.”

YOU DID 13 LAPS TODAY AND A FEW MORE TOMORROW. HAVE YOU EVER HAD A RACE WHERE YOU ONLY COMPLETED 15 OR SO LAPS IN THE CAR? WAS THERE ANYTHING ABOUT THE CAR YOU REALIZED IN PRACTICE THAT YOU DIDN’T EXPECT? “No, I pretty much expected everything I felt. I think it’s a lot more extreme in some ways than others that I expected. I mean, position in the car feels good. The weirdest thing for me is that there’s so much on the windscreen. So focusing out of the windscreen is very difficult. There’s all sorts of different pillars and different angles, the windscreen wiper. Getting your head around that and your eyes to focus passed that definitely takes time. I’m used to having a visor and that’s it. It’s opened me. So, that took a bit of time and it’s still not there – you know, that feeling. But, I’m confident in what the car is doing – it’s moving a lot, and riding curbs is something I’m not used to as much as most of the boys here. So, it’s new and it’s a challenge, but I followed a few guys out there, and I’m doing most things right. It’s just the fine-tuning: I’m not there with my driving yet or the car. I’ve never jumped into a car for 13 laps and gone qualifying. That’s different than what I’m used to – it takes a bit of time. I’m not a guy that jumps in a car and goes immediately quick. I need to work with it a little bit, work with the engineers and build it around me. Tomorrow will be fun. The race is Sunday. But I still think qualifying can be relatively competitive.”

CODY WARE, YOUR TEAMMATE, HAS QUITE A BIT OF CUP EXPERIENCE AND ALSO SOME OPEN-WHEEL EXPERIENCE. HOW HAVE YOU BEEN GELLING WITH HIM, AND HOW IS THIS EXPERIENCE DIFFERENT TO HAVING A TEAMMATE IN F1 DURING A RACE WEEKEND? “The first thing I noticed compared to F1 is that he’s a big dude. He is tall. So yeah, you don’t get that in F1. I’m like six-foot and the tallest driver in F1. Six-foot, four [inches] – it’s tall. Even to squeeze yourself into a stock car. So, that was the first thing. I think with his experience of racing different cars, he knows how competitive Cup car is. That’s the big thing, really. A lot of people come here and think, ‘Oh, it’s easy. I’ve raced cars my whole life around circuits. Why would it be any different in the Cup series?’ But it is. It’s heavy and lazy in some ways. It doesn’t make it less exciting, but it just makes it different. It’s tough. I don’t expect to go out there and qualify top-three tomorrow, or to finish top-three on Sunday. I expect a challenging race, but a race where I’m going to learn a lot as well. That’s why I wanted to do three races this year – one race isn’t enough. I need the experience of here at COTA, before I move to Chicago and lastly, Indianapolis. There’s no reason for me not to be competitive, but it just takes a bit of time. These guys have driven these cars for years. They know the nuances and what makes them work, which just takes a little time for me.”

IT’S COOL THAT YOUR RACING WITH THE GUYS THAT YOU’RE WORKING WITH AT GARAGE 56. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT RACING WITH JORDAN [TAYLOR] AND KIMI [RAIKKONEN]? “Yeah, well Jordan has to slow down. He really went fast in practice, but no, it’s great that we all got this opportunity. Jordan, he’s a great guy and obviously extremely talented. Anything he jumps in, he is quick. And we’ve seen that with the Garage 56 car. He’s a character, a good character. Wherever he goes, he has a great fan-base because he has that personality. All sports need that and in motorsports. It’s good to see him competitive and to have this opportunity. And we talk about it all the time – texting all the time and laughing because he’s so different than what we’re used to. We got this opportunity to race in the Cup series. With Kimi, obviously he has a lot of experience racing in the Cup series and has won many championships. So, he comes at it from a different way, but road courses are still a challenge for him. It’s still something he didn’t do so much back in the day – it was more ovals than road courses. It’s all exciting, and it’s great working with these different guys that come from different backgrounds in Garage 56 – and to see them be competitive here in the Cup series.”

DO YOU THINK YOU’LL BE COMPETITIVE? “Driving a car is something I’ve done my whole life. So, I will be competitive in terms of our race speed. But as you said, it’s the other side of it where I have no experience – and that’s being six abreast going into Turn 1 and tapping here and there. As I noticed here in practice, people don’t move out of the way when they’re on a slow lap and you’re on a quick lap. There’s a lot to learn. It’s a very, very different sports than what I’m used to. I’ll go with it… roll with the punches. I look forward to the challenge.”

WITH ALL THE ANTICIPATION, WHAT WAS IT LIKE WHEN YOU GOT TO RUN THE TRACK AT SPEED FOR THE FIRST TIME? “I mean first of all: A little bit anxious but excited at the same time. I forgot how to start the car which was interesting. So they pushed the car back, and I’m like ‘It won’t start.’ There were a few other switches I had to put up. But then it was OK. I got onto the circuit and I was surprised by how little grip there was initially when I pulled away and the tires were cold. But, it comes to you over time. The gear shifting is something that… I’ve not never driven a sequential gearbox car. I’ve never pulled back going through the gears and pushed to go down. It’s something completely new to learn. I’ve driven a manual gearbox, but you always go across the box. The last time I drove a gearbox like this was like in 1999. There’s a lot that you go back into the bank of info you’ve learned over the years, and you bring it out again. It comes to you pretty quick. I really enjoyed it. It’s also interesting having spotters. I’ve never had spotters before. So, I’ve got guys in my ear the whole way around telling me there’s traffic behind, there’s traffic in front – it’s quite soothing. I kind of like it. Our spotters have very soothing voices, which I think is good and it’s especially going to be good on Sunday when it’s manic out there. That’s something else to learn – having my mirrors, so I can see around me. But they tell me all the fun information about what’s going on around me.”

WAS THE ATMOSPHERE WHAT YOU EXPECTED? “Well, this was one reason why I was interested in racing in NASCAR was because from the outside, it looks like a real family atmosphere. I’m a dad now – I have two kids. I took my son, my wife came along as well, to the Coliseum. So we had a great experience there in seeing the Cup series. And then I took my son again to Fontana to watch, saw a few of the drivers and Corey LaJoie said his son’s named Jenson. So I thought that was quite funny and said, ‘Did you know that I’m actually going to be racing you in a few weeks?’ But, it was just a really nice atmosphere. We were invited into peoples’ teams, my son was given a car – a mini Cup car by one of the teams. It was just so cool. The opportunity for your family to be around where you’re racing is something I’m not used to. Formula 1 is very different and come at it from a very different angle, that you need to be solo and focused on your driving. Where here: You still have some of the best drivers in the world, but they come at it from a different way. Family keeps them grounded, keeps them relaxed over race weekends. I really enjoy that family atmosphere, and for people who have never been to a NASCAR race, they need to because it’s that atmosphere that really makes the sport.”

EARLIER IN THE YEAR, YOU WERE KARTING. HOW WAS THAT, AND DO YOU PLAN ON GETTING INTO ANYTHING ELSE IN THE NEXT YEAR OR TWO? “Yeah, I used to kart from 1988 to 1997 – I was a kart driver, and I raced all around the world. Raced in Charlotte, Japan and all these wonderful places as a teenager. And then I moved into car racing with F1 for 17 years. So last year, I thought I’d give it a go. As a 42-year-old, I figured I’d go karting again – 25 years after I retired. And I loved it. Finished fourth, and then raced again in January and got on the podium. It’s the purest form of racing… it’s not quite as extreme as what I’m about to experience on Sunday, but you always have people around you, nudging you… there’s someone to your inside, someone to your outside. They don’t give you an inch. I felt that it was useful for me looking ahead to this season and racing in the Cup series. It was a lot of fun. Other plans this year? Nothing set in stone yet. I have a few ideas for 2024, but nothing this year.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 24, 2023

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 84 CLUB WYNDHAM CAMARO ZL1, met with the media Friday following NASCAR Cup Series practice at Circuit of The Americas. Press Conference Transcript:

FIRST TIME WE’VE SEEN YOU SINCE DAYTONA. HOW EXCITED ARE YOU FOR THIS WEEKEND AND HOW ARE THINGS GOING THIS YEAR AS A TEAM OWNER?

“I’m really excited for this weekend. I’ve personally always wanted to race at this track. To have an opportunity to come back and compete on this track, it’s so technical and really a lot of fun to drive around here. Thankful we ended up with a few more laps of practice this weekend with rule changes to the car that led to a practice session today that we’re taking advantage of. I had a great time out there. I’m trying to figure the car out. It has a lot less grip than I remember a Cup car having and certainly a lot less grip than what I’ve been driving over the last two years. Trying to dial that all in and also understanding what this car might respond to from an adjustment standpoint. So there’s still a ton of learning going on but a great experience today and excited about this weekend.”

ARE YOU GETTING MORE INTO THE COMPETITION SIDE OF THINGS NOW OR ARE YOU STILL DOING MORE OF THE BUSINESS MARKETING?

“My focus point still really has been on the business marketing aspect of the team. I sit in on plenty of meetings and debriefs and have a pulse of what is going on in our competition department. If you would have asked me four or five months ago where I’d probably spend most of my time I’d think naturally on the competition side, but there’s really been more on the business side.”

CAN YOU EVALUATE WHERE THE COMPANY IS SO FAR THIS EARLY IN THE SEASON WHERE THE GROUP IS RIGHT NOW?

“So much changes from year to year. We’re trying not to overreact to the first couple of races and performances. You go to Daytona and we all feel like we all had good cars and were competitive. California is after that. We had some weird stuff go on with the splitter and all that dirt and rock and all the debris that was at the track that the splitters delaminated on our cars. It’s really easy to look at that and say that’s the reason why our performance wasn’t where it needed to be. Vegas, Atlanta, Phoenix… we’re at a point now where we have enough styles of tracks that we can better evaluate where we’re to start the year. We’re not where we want to be, but there’s endless work going in the shop. I’m very thankful for the crew chiefs, for Joey Cohen (VP, Racing Operations) and his hard work and focus that’s gone into it and all the engineering that’s behind it. We’re digging along. We haven’t hit our peak for the season yet and I think we now have an idea of where our short-track cars are, what we need to work on – mile-and-half stuff and certainly the restrictor-plate tracks.”

INAUDIBLE

“Much less, without a doubt. I think there’s almost 400 pounds of weight out of the Garage 56 car and around double the downforce. Much bigger tires. Carbon brakes. The Garage 56 car has a lot more grip than a Cup car does around here, to say the least. Just looking in the rearview mirror and seeing how big the spoiler here is this weekend compared to the Garage 56 car, it’s got to be a foot difference in just rear downforce alone. It’s just a much different experience.”

OTHER TRACKS YOU’D BE INTERESTED IN GOING TO THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE SCHEDULE.

“I will go to the Chicago race. I want to be a part of that. In the last two seasons racing in IndyCar and racing on so many street circuits… I grew up around a street race in Long Beach as a kid and just loved that energy and environment and what street racing’s all about. I want to be a part of that this year. Honestly looking at the Chicago race… Nashville, you’re talking about the oval, right, because they aren’t doing downtown. I raced there a long time ago in a Busch car and I really enjoyed the track and had a lot of testing laps there back when we were allowed to test. I’d love to go to Nashville. It’s not on my radar as of now, but fun cities, fun places and great energy… that’s where I can really help our race team is to help our team shine in those bigger markets to bring in more eyeballs, more corporate dollars, more partnerships. I think that’s somewhere I can really help.”

HOW FUN IS IT THAT YOU GET TO RACE WITH JORDAN (TAYLOR) AND JENSON (BUTTON) THIS WEEKEND AFTER WORKING ALONGSIDE WITH THEM ON GARAGE 56?

“I’m excited for it. It’s going to be fun. We’ve been talking trash like crazy on text so it’s been a lot of fun already. If we could just have Rocky (Mike Rockenfeller) out there somewhere, it would be nice having all four of us bouncing around.”

INAUDIBLE.

“I think international attention for any form of motorsport is super-helpful. I think the regulars in NASCAR knew that they needed to lock it down from a driver standpoint and car standpoint to get their cars right. There’s still points on the board. Stage racing and championships and how they’re determined now are more important than ever. Ringers could come in and take the money pretty easily in the past or at least take the podium spots away. The regulars are just buttoned up now. It doesn’t matter if it’s the team, the car or the driver. That doesn’t mean having ringers come in or very well-accomplished road-course racers and drivers from different disciplines don’t bring a ton of importance and star power to it. To have the names we do in the field and in the starting lineup is super-impressive and I think it’s going to bring more eyeballs to the sport. It’s harder now to be a ringer and show up and expect to be on the podium, but they’re in the field and their fanbases will be watching.”

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO GET READY FOR LE MANS AND WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS?

“Thankfully we’ve had a lot of simulator time and a lot of testing time. We’ve been able to work through our driver changes, which are pretty unique in a stock car vehicle versus sports cars; having a door is a big difference than climbing in and out of a window and a window net and all that goes to it. Hendrick has done an amazing job. So has GM to give us all the simulator time that we need. We still have another test session or so out there for us and some more sim time. I’m spending time in my home sim. All the racing I’ve done in sports cars, I’ve always been in the fastest category and didn’t have to worry about many cars approaching from behind. It’s going to be a much different experience, especially with headlights. So in my home sim, I’ve been loading up as many prototypes as I can in the session and just have them in my mirror all the time and trying to get used to where to look, why I should look in certain areas and where I should expect those cars. That would be the only twist to it – spending a lot more time on iRacing and also on rFactor 2 getting used to traffic.”

WITH THE VARIATIONS OF RACECARS THAT YOU’VE DRIVEN, DO YOU THINK ONCE YOU’RE BETTER ACCLIMATED TO THIS CAR THAT IT WILL BE ONE THAT YOU REALLY LIKE TO DRIVE?

“I love a car that turns. I love a loose racecar, and I had a lot of that today. I was surprised that the lateral rear grip of the car was as low as it was, and that could certainly be on us and what we’re trying to do with the racecar. I was sideways more than I was ever straight today.”

ARE YOU CONSIDERING GOING TO NORTH WILKESBORO FOR THE ALL-STAR RACE?

“I’ve thought about it, but it’s too close and we’re not prepared for it. Maybe next year.”

INAUDIBLE.

“It depends on the crash. That one, there thankfully wasn’t much to it. I got home and back to the swing of things. Physically, the act of recovery is something I’ve believed in. Cold plunges help quite a bit and just trying to work out areas that are sore and just getting the blood circulating and pumping through there. Certainly more severe injuries require proper physical therapy and other aspects of that. Thankfully today, most impacts you just have a sore spot or something that you need to work out. It’s not too bad.”

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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX
TEAM CHEVY POST-PRACTICE REPORT
MARCH 24, 2023

LARSON LEADS CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUP SERIES PRACTICE AT COTA
Chevrolet drivers take four of the top-five in practice

AUSTIN, TX (March 24, 2023) – With the 2023 season in full-swing, the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) has already taken on a variety of race track configurations – ranging from the season-opening high-banked superspeedway of Daytona International Speedway to the short track that crowns the series’ champion of Phoenix Raceway. Drivers and teams of NASCAR’s premier series will make both left- and right-hand turns at the renowned 3.41-mile, 20-turn Circuit of The Americas (COTA) this season; the first road course event of the year.

Just a few weeks prior, the series debuted a new aerodynamic package that will run on the series’ short ovals and road courses this season. Set to tackle a road course circuit for the first time with the new package, the series was given an extended practice session Friday afternoon, giving teams the opportunity to make adjustments before returning to the track for tomorrow’s qualifying session.

Kyle Larson clocked in a best-lap of 132.544 seconds to put the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Camaro ZL1 team second overall on the final speed chart. Chevrolet drivers took four of the top-five positions at the conclusion of final practice with Larson leading Ross Chastain (No. 1 Worldwide Express Camaro ZL1) in second, Kyle Busch (No. 8 Netspend Camaro ZL1) in fourth, and Daniel Suarez (No. 99 Freeway Insurance Camaro ZL1) rounding out the top five.

On the horizon of his first career start in NASCAR’s premier series, Jordan Taylor made his first laps behind the wheel of the No. 9 UniFirst Camaro ZL1 in this afternoon’s practice session. The 31-year-old Corvette Racing driver ran in the top-10 for much of the practice session, ultimately ended up 10th fastest overall.

Next on tap for NASCAR’s premier series will be a two-round, multi-vehicle qualifying session to set the starting lineup for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. The field will be split into two groups, each partaking in a timed session. The top five fastest drivers in each group will transfer to the final round for a shot at the pole position. The Bowtie brand took the pole in the series’ first appearance in 2021 at the Austin, Texas, circuit with Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Camaro ZL1. A pole win is one step closer for Chevrolet’s drivers and teams to keep the manufacturer’s win streak alive at the circuit as the Bowtie brand seeks its third consecutive trip to victory lane COTA.

Chevrolet’s drivers and teams will aim for the manufacturer’s third consecutive NCS COTA triumph in Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

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 – Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AUSTIN (March 24, 2023) – Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. were made available to media after practice at Circuit of the Americas on Friday:

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

How did the package handle for you out there?

“I thought it was good. I’m just trying to get better, being honest with you. I’m trying to gauge myself off of (Tyler) Reddick and things he does so differently. It’s kind of a style change that I’m trying to convert myself to do 18 years later.”

Is that something that you an idea about when he joined Toyota?

“He has a different approach for sure. At his sim this week, I kind of just set in on his session and watched him and tried to emulate it. I did – I was just a few seconds off.”

Is there a preferred lane on the choose?

“I’m not really sure to be honest with you. It’s interesting. I know there was a couple of people on social media that wanted the choose, but I don’t know why we have it here. It doesn’t make much sense, and I think we just kind of got pressured into it.”

Does consistent rules across all races help?

“Every track is different, right? But the difference is the main spotters can’t see it, and it is hard to see on the race track. We will adapt. We will be fine.”

How do you expect the no stops at stage breaks to affect the race?

“Again, I think we got pressured into this one. I think this one has the potential to get really strung out – a lot. If we do, I don’t want to hear any complaining on things being strung out, because that is the potential. We had stages, certainly on road courses, this will make for more strategy, but if you are 10 seconds behind the car in front of you, strategy isn’t going to matter a ton.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are your thoughts with this new tire and aero package?

“It’s hard to compare to last year. We’ve done so many things car wise and everything. It feels slicker, less grip, sliding around more. It was fun. We need to work on our car to be better, but overall, I thought it was okay.”

If you are slipping and sliding, that should give opportunities for passing, right?

“Yeah, for sure. But I’m worried that I’m sliding more than the guys that I’m trying to race with, and hopefully beat on Sunday. We will get to work and hopefully get it it better for tomorrow and Sunday.”

How are the Toyotas compared to last year?

“I’m not sure. At certain spots, I feel better than last year. In certain things, I feel similar. I’m not real sure. Obviously, (Tyler) Reddick was real fast, so he has something figured out. We will have to take a look at that and hopefully get some of that info. I wasn’t super happy about our speed, but I thought we were closer at the end of practice than we were at the beginning.”

Is there a preference on the choose here?

“I think if you are at the front, you want to be the inside, just to defend better, but it is going to be four-to-five wide. I think the leader has the advantage at the jump and trying to beat them into one. Everyone else it is a free-for-all.”

What will be it like with no stage breaks?

“It will be like we used to do at road courses. You will have to have a car that takes off okay, and runs well on the long run depending on how many cautions we have. Fuel mileage could come into play – I haven’t really talked to James (Small, crew chief) about how that plays out or looks. I think everyone is going to be close, but I’m sure guys will be taking chances. It will be something we haven’t done in a long time, and something we’ve never done here.”

Will knowing you aren’t going to have those stage cautions affect how you as a driver approach pushing the car?

“I don’t think so. You are still going to run as hard as you can. You don’t want to throw caution to the wind and smoke the tires off of it, because you are going to pay the price. No matter what – that would happen. I think just knowing that it could come down to long runs and strategy, and things like that. You have to be smart and hit your marks and be smooth in how you do things and maybe put yourself in position to take advantage of guys on older tires.”

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

How was practice?

“With (Tyler) Reddick doing well, Bubba (Wallace) was up there – I don’t know. I wasn’t where I wanted to be for sure, but hopefully we can learn something from our team cars and improve for tomorrow.”

What is the tire fall off like?

“I don’t know. We really haven’t run long enough to know. It was 50-minute practice session. I think the longest run I saw out of anyone was maybe five to seven laps. I haven’t dug into it too much, but I know the longest I ran was around five. I know I’m going to have to go 20 to 25 on Sunday. It is very slick that’s for sure. Slick on stickers, slick on old tires. I think the low downforce should at least make the cars hard to drive.”

Through the esses part of the track, what is the technique through there?

“It’s difficult. One thing that the esses provides is lap time opportunity if you cut the race track. I know that I got in trouble for cutting the race track, and I’m sure many others did too. You want to straighten it out as much as you can, but there is a fine line in breaking track limits and not breaking track limits. It’s a very important part of the race track and wide-open? I would say we are nowhere near on throttle, let alone wide-open throttle. It’s very hairy part of the race track.”

Is there a preferred lane for the choose?

“I don’t think so. At some road courses, I think there will be a preferred lane, but here, the way turn one is such a big breaking zone and it widens out so much, I think either lane can do good.”

What do you think about the lack of stage breaks?

“It’s going to be a tough race on Sunday. That is for sure. I know I’ve never ran a road course race without breaks and it has been a long time since the veterans have too. I think that it is going to be a very good race as far as rewarding those cars that run well. At road courses in the past, it really was two different races between collecting stage points and racing for the race win. Now I think we will see the same guys be able to run for the race win and collect the stage points, so you are going to have be good on Sunday to get points for sure.”

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 48,000 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 20 electrified options, with more in showrooms later this year.

Through the Start Your Impossible campaign, Toyota highlights the way it partners with community, civic, academic and governmental organizations to address our society’s most pressing mobility challenges. We believe that when people are free to move, anything is possible. For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.