Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH (February 15, 2023) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to media prior to the Daytona 500 on Wednesday:

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx 50 Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

How are you enjoying the podcast?
“It’s good. Learning as we go. It’s pretty effortless right now. You all know I like to talk.”

Any upcoming plans for it as of right now?

“Just week by week every Monday morning.”

Did you have any idea that you had this in you? The first couple of shows have been hits.

“I don’t know. When he (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) pitched me on it, a lot of it was my concerns that we were diluting the market a little bit. But to the Dale Jr. Download, they said I was the second highest rated and then on BBC, we were the first rated. So people are listening even if they may not like you. It’s good, it will be a good, honest way for me to inform people about our sport and if anything, I think it’s helps grow our sport with the content.”

How do you feel about where the car is going into this weekend?

“I felt pretty good about it. Certainly, the updates we’ve been given from NASCAR about it have been good. The thing is that what we think happened in my scenario is that there’s just not very much room in that rocker box for the muffler and when they put the muffler in there, there is just no clearance anywhere. As soon as you door bang with someone or get some damage on the sides, it just knocks it into the frame rail which then roasts the door pad. Just not enough tolerances around that area yet. But I feel okay about the car itself. Certainly, I know they’re testing bumpers, they haven’t gotten anything better yet than what we’ve got. So they’re still working on it as far as I know. It jars you pretty good for sure. The hit is super solid and especially at the rate that guys were laying into each other. It was as hard as anything we do without it crumbling for sure.”

Would you trade your Daytona 500 trophies for one Cup championship?

“No. I got asked that last year. No way. No chance.”

When did you get into pickleball?

“I’m actually looking to purchase a stake in one of the professional teams. It’s really exciting from my standpoint. It’s like tennis, only better for my shoulder. Anything that’s better on my joints is something I appreciate. All of my golfing buddies, we really can’t golf in the winter. It’s great for us to be able to do it indoors, which is a blast.”

Do you feel a relationship with Trackhouse and 23XI since you came in at the same time?

“Certainly, we’re trying to change status quo, but status quo isn’t terrible either. I mean, it’s been this way, the teams have done things for a while because they’ve found the best way to do it over time. We’re challenging different things with our designs, our employees, how diverse we are. There are a lot of things we’re doing differently within the sport, but a lot of that you don’t see by just looking at a race car. Last year we were the only team to have all black wheels. Something that just spiced it up a little bit. Something that made us look as professional as we possibly could, which is something I’m keen on my team is making sure we look as professional as we can at all times. I’m excited about where that team is going. Just some of the stuff they were working on in the off season, I’m excited.”

How do you balance your driver role versus your owner role at the track?

“Once I’m here this weekend – I’m all 11 FedEx car for Joe Gibbs Racing. That’s what I will focus on. Certainly, I will have a special interest in Travis (Pastrana) tonight. The work has already been done. There is nothing else that I can do other than have meetings with them post-practice, post-qualifying to work on race strategy, but I’m not going to wrench on the car this weekend. The work has been done and I’ve hired a lot of people that I trust to make sure that team is running well.”

You have any good offseason stories? Austin Cindric told us he sat on a jury of a murder trial.

“Listen, I never want to see murder happen, but that would be very captivating to me. I love true crime. I’m a true crime junkie. That would have been really interesting.”

How has it been adjusting not having Kyle Busch in team meetings?

“Well, we have only had one meeting this year. Really just people took over the spaces where he was at. We all kind of had – it’s very unassigned seating in our meeting rooms – it’s just new people sitting in. All of the people that have been there are sitting in their seats, and you’ve just got a new face in there. Not really – it hasn’t really changed anything for us so far.”

Is there something that he brought that can’t be replaced or will be missed?

“He certainly had some valuable information that you listen to. He’s well accomplished and can win anywhere, so I certainly listened to him whenever he’s speaking. You have to have a thick filter in figuring out what’s true and what’s not, but I think he’s an asset anywhere he goes because he is very good. It is going to be different when you have a younger guy in there, Ty (Gibbs), who is learning as he goes, so I think he will be less vocal for his first year or so.”

Why is it so hard to win this race?

“There are so many factors in it. Just because a lot of times you don’t decide your own fate. People talk about getting in a wreck here is a 50/50 chance – I think it is probably a little higher than that and most times you don’t create the wreck, you are just in the wrong place at the wrong time. It takes three facets to win at this – you’ve got that luck factor, that’s a part of it. 20 percent, whatever it might be, 30 percent. Execution, and skill set. You’ve got to have all three to win this race and it is hard to get all three of those lined up on any given day, which is why probably the best driver ever here – Dale Earnhardt – won a billion races but didn’t win this one because on that he didn’t have all of those things line up for him. On any given weekend, the fast cars make it to the front no matter what, there is less attrition, less luck when it comes to being involved in wrecks, so I just think that is part of it.”

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.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 15, 2023

CONOR DALY, NO. 50 THE MONEY TEAM RACING CAMARO ZL1, Daytona 500 Media Availability Transcript:

How about your first Daytona 500?

“I don’t know what to expect yet, but it’s just super cool to be here. I’ve done the Rolex twice, I raced go-karts here when I was 12, 13, 14, so I’ve spent a lot of time here growing up and I’m just excited for the chance; just to take in a lot of learning at a very high rate of speed. It’s going to be tough. It’s the biggest uphill battle that I’ve probably had to make a race. 2018 Indy 500 was going to be tough for me to make that race, but we made it fine so that was good. But this one is going to be a real challenge. Lot of good drivers, lot of good teams that are also trying to qualify so we’ll see what happens.”

What has been the reaction from people about you doing this?

“It’s been very cool. Honestly, I have an incredibly supportive fan base that’s been with me for a lot of my career but even a lot of folks that have been new to following me since I’ve been with 31 Media and Dale Jr.’s company and the podcast that I’ve had, so there’s been a lot of really nice people that are like ‘we didn’t really know about you but we like what you say about racing and we like what you do.’ That’s been cool to be a part of and I just love this sport. There are a lot of fan bases that are like we’re only NASCAR, we’re only INDYCAR, we’re only F1. I like them all, so I don’t know why we can’t do more of that and hopefully there is a little bit more of love spread to all of them as we try to do a little bit of both NASCAR and INDYCAR at the same time.”

Have you discussed racing at this place with Dale Jr.?

“He has been a great resource. He is on my team of supporters, which is really nice. Him and Tony Eury Jr. my crew chief has been a great resource to lean on. He’s got so much experience in this world and at this track specifically. It’s great to be where I’m at even though it is a massive challenge ahead. I still feel very lucky to be here with this group around us.”

As a kid growing up in snowy Indiana, how cool was it to turn on the TV every February and watch the Daytona 500?

“The Daytona 500 means that the race season has started. Thankfully, that means we’re going INDYCAR racing very soon after – March 5th in St. Pete – so it also means that everything is finally going again. Football is over sadly; we love football. But it’s time to go racing. I’m excited.”

What do you anticipate the nerves being tonight?

“I’ve had the qualifying described to me multiple ways. One way was it’s easier than driving down the highway, so that’s good. And the biggest learning experience with be with all the other cars me. The qualifying will be very much about feeling the platform of the car into one for the first time, into three for the first time, obviously running high to generate momentum and low obviously for the qualifying runs. So kind of feeling just how the track is and after the checkered flag continuing to drive hard all the way around to the pits so you get an extra half lap of practice. Anything will help, anything will matter. There’s a lot where these cars efficiently run in the draft, where they don’t efficiently run behind other cars, so it’s figuring that out on the fly because I can be told all of that but until I literally physically feel it in the seat you won’t really know how to best react to it.”

How much of a bummer is it not to have that practice before this year?

“It sucks, honestly. Practice sounds great but honestly all of my NASCAR stuff – actually all of it – both my truck races, the Cup race, the Xfinity race I did have practice and qualifying and that went well. But there’s been no practice for the roval for me; there’s been six laps before it broke and the truck races there’s been no practice either. I guess I’m kind of used to it in the NASCAR realm, but I will always take practice.”

There’s not much that translates from your only other Cup start on a roval to this place.

“There’s not a lot but there is when it comes to the systems of the car and like the gearbox and feeling how that works, the brakes. The brakes will be different obviously for the oval, and the pit speed. The pit speed was something I had to get used to because we have a nice, handy dandy pit speed limiter in INDYCAR. That is something that I do have experience with and that is good but it’s all at a different place now.”

Did you have to take this opportunity now because it may never come around?

“Exactly. We have a sponsor, which is the only reason this is happening. There’s a lot of business that goes into motorsport. BitNile.com has been a huge supporter of mine and they love motorsport, what racing is doing in general. I think everyone is seeing how big motorsport is right now, whether it’s NASCAR or INDYCAR or F1, everything seems to be all tides raising all ships. So we’re using it and a lot of other companies are using this sport to do great things. This was an opportunity that was presented to me and it was debatable for a little while. You never know if you get another shot at it so why not. It’s a great upside and the downside is really not big because we’re still going to have our sponsor, we’re still going to go to COTA to race there.”

How did it present itself to you?

“Helio (Castroneves) will have an opportunity to do this race pretty much any time he wants, so when he looked at it he was like ‘well, you know, that is going to be tough to make it, maybe I don’t need to do it,’ which is fair because he’s Helio. He has plenty of rings and trophies to lean back on. For me, it’s a bit of a different scenario. I’m also a bit younger than he is so I don’t know what’s going to happen but I could just take this opportunity and run. But it did happen quickly.”

Is this a one and done for you?

“I never do anything one and done. I’d love to do more as much as I can, but obviously you never know when those opportunities come about. My goal would be to learn a lot this race and learn a lot in the Dual to use in the race we get to do on Sunday top then hopefully come back next year and feel way better. Who knows? I can’t tell the future, but I’ll do anything anytime any place.”

This team did qualify for the race last year. How helpful is that?

“It’s great, for sure, and it was a crazy scenario for them last year with the pit road speeding penalty and having the help of Kurt Busch, too. I talked a lot with Kurt last week at the Clash and he’s been a helpful resource as well. I’ve tried to find some friends to hopefully help me in the Duals as well. We’ll see what happens when the qualifying decides who’s in what Dual.”

Will you be in COTA?

“As far as I know. It was announced that we’ll do COTA, too, so that will be cool.”

Do you know how many race you will do this year?

“Definitely we want to do four with the potential to maybe do seven. But I think that all depends on how the scheduling works out and how everything is going as well. We want to do the Indy road course double. The others we aren’t really set on yet.”

Does making this race play into the other races?

“Honestly, whether we make this race or not doesn’t affect the rest of our schedule, which is why we’re doing it. It’s like massive upside, low downside.”

What have you been able to do to prepare?

“Thankfully, Chevrolet has been really helpful. To be part of that team, we use that INDYCAR simulator a lot and right next door is the Chevy NASCAR simulator. I basically just went from one door to the other last week and Kyle Busch is on the simulator before me but I got in at the end of the day with Tony Jr. there, too. It’s cool to be a part of that Chevrolet Racing team. I’ve been with Chevrolet now for years. Helpful to get in, but like Kyle told me ‘you’re not going to learn much on this simulator for Daytona,’ which is understandable because again I think a lot of what makes this race so challenging and so difficult is what happens in the pack, what happens in the dirty air, in the movement of the cars that affects each side of the car and affects everything. That’s something that’s impossible to simulate.”

Learning those launch points for qualifying in the sim must have been helpful?

“That’s what we worked on most – leaving pit lane and shift points and then kind of the process of how that is going to work. Because, again, the shift points were something that I guess I didn’t know needed to be different and certain rev ranges, so there’s a whole lot that will be new to me but it was nice to get in that rhythm of how we’re going to leave pit land and here’s how it’s going to happen.”

Any tips for Kyle Larson for the Indy 500?

“I think he’s going to be really good. He’s going to be with a really good team, which is super important. I think he’s going to love it but it’s going to be hard. I don’t think he’s going to be bad at all. I think he’s going to be in a good position. I think the best part about that is that we do have a week of practice. That week every single day of Indy 500 practice is so important because it is so hard to get that car I the right window for qualifying and a completely different race car as well. I think he’s going to enjoy the process of it because who doesn’t enjoy driving race cars more? That guy does because he drives race cars every day. It’s really cool and I hope to be a part of it as well.”

Have there been individuals that have given you advice?

“AJ Allmendinger was the first guy I called. He’s been helpful and really honest with me. Corey LaJoie and Chase Briscoe, those have been guys that I’ve leaned on a lot. Denny (Hamlin) I’ve spoken to a little bit. I also don’t want to bother people. You can get advice but until you actually feel it though the seat that’s what will adjust how that advice filters through my brain.”

Has the cross pollination of drivers from one series to another helped rise the tide of motorsport?

“The funny thing about the cross pollination is I don’t think I’ve seen anyone – whether you’re Jimmie Johnson going to INDYCAR or Kyle Larson going to try the Indy 500 or even me coming to try the Daytona 500 or Fernando Alonso coming from Formula One to try the Indy 500 – I haven’t seen anyone say I actually didn’t want to see that. Of course you want to see that. Especially if you’re a passionate NASCAR fan, why would you not want one of your guys go try to fight with some of the best in the world in the Indy 500 or wherever it is? It’s got to help every sport because it’s fun to watch, it’s something different. We’re always craving something new, something different to be entertained by and that’s pretty cool to watch and I’m a race fan.”

The Daytona 500 qualifying is different from the Indy 500.

“It’s a different program in general. There’s a couple of different ways of making it whereas Indy you’re either fast enough or you’re not. It’s very challenging but there’s one process. This is going to be a new experience and hopefully you end up on the right side of it.”

 
 
 

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 15, 2023

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING CAMARO ZL1, Daytona 500 Media Availability Transcript:

What are you look to for this year?

“Offseason was pretty good. I feel physically, mentally, I’m in the best place I’ve been going and prepared for the season. I joined Josh Wise’s group with Chevrolet, so that was cool. I think that’s going to help me throughout the year. I’m already seeing some benefits with that, and thank Chevy for putting that program together too. And for having Kyle [Busch]. Obviously, the Clash went well for both of our cars at RCR and now we’re at Daytona. It’s one of my favorite places that in the past hasn’t been Kyle’s favorite, so we’re going to try and make it one of his favorite places.”

What has been building that relationship like between the two of you?

“I think, Kyle, one of the cool things when we got Kyle was he actually offered me a job to go race for him. He already had a mutual respect for me to give me an opportunity like that. When he came over here, I think that a lot of the things we do in a racecar, obviously his credentials are way higher than mine. We think about racecars the same. Our setups are very close together at the Coliseum, so I’m looking forward to seeing how that goes throughout the year. When we go to different place, I think we’ll be closer together and happy about our racecars. He’s a competitor. I love his drive, his fire. He does not like to lose. He’s all about winning. In that, he puts a lot of effort to do that and a lot of behind-the-scenes things go on to make sure we’re prepared to get to the track. I’m excited. Obviously, we had momentum last year, and it was a good year for RCR. We want to keep that going and bringing in Kyle just does that.”

What’s it like going from a competitor [with Kyle Busch] to now a teammate?

“You feel a little better about racing around him for sure. He takes every inch out on that track and it was nice to help us at the Clash. Obviously, we had a fast racecar and knew that. He was about one thing, and that was getting that win for RCR. It was good to see. I’d say in a points-paying race, it might be a little different, but I want to repay the favor as much as I can because he’s already bringing a lot to our company. People are really excited in the shop, and they want to do well for him and everybody there.”

You’re the only Chevrolet driver to win the Daytona 500 in the last eight years. Is that coincidence or…?

“I like this place. I like coming here. We obviously won the last race here at Daytona, and a lot of it is being there at the right time and right place. Putting yourself in good positions. The good Lord has blessed us with two trophies here and hope we can get some more. I’ve also been in the fence. We stay away from those, and I’ll be happy.”

When someone like Kyle [Busch] comes in, how does that change the pressure you put on yourself?

“I think it, obviously, pushes me. I love the push that he brings. I definitely want to step up our level for the No. 3 team and compete each and every week to push him. I think the cool part about Kyle, everything you can accomplish in this sport, he’s a Hall of Famer. For him, there’s only one thing he looks like, and that’s how he can win a race. He’s not worried about what I’m doing. I’ve had a lot of competition within teammates throughout the years. Now I think it’s organic that we’re both trying to do one thing and that’s make RCR the best we can and bring home trophies and championships.”

Having a teammate like Kyle, does it raise to perform yourself and that expectation?

“I think every year I’ve had to make sure I put out a good level for the No. 3 team. The number alone brings its own pressure. I feel like this year with Kyle, I feel like he’s established so much and for me, I’m establishing and creating that establishment as a pretty solid driver in the sport. More than anything, I want to improve on what we did last year. We both made the Playoffs last year. Kyle obviously, made the Playoffs, but how do we take RCR to the next level, and that’s consistently getting multiple wins, and multiple wins is what it takes to win a championship. You’ve got to win more than once, so for me, that’s the goal.”

In the offseason, you spent a lot of time reviewing tape, and working on things with RCR. How has that helped you prepare for 2023?

“I think more than anything getting ready for the season, preparation-wise, using the Wise-optimization program has been the best thing that I’ve done. Trying to get things kicked off right and be ready for the season. I do feel good.”

Do you think it’s been rejuvenating for [Kyle Busch]?

“I think it’s rejuvenated him for sure. I think he’s excited to get to the track. He knows that each and every weekend our organization is going to deliver. I know he’s pumped to be going to the track.”

It’s been five years since you’ve won here with the Daytona 500. Does it seem like it’s been that long?

“2021 was so close to winning it again, and that sticks out in my mind. 2021 was probably my best Daytona 500 truthfully. Even 2018, we won it, but 2021 I felt like we dominated the weekend. Won the Duel, ran upfront the entire race and I was so close in that one. I’d love to have another one of those but get two spots from there. It’s not like we just disappeared from the 500, and we’ve been up front for a lot of them. I want to go out there and try to do it again.”

Of the ones that got away, is 2021 the Daytona 500 that stands out the most?

“That one just flowed so well. It just felt so good the entire weekend. Things came naturally, and I made some moves that were really good. The car was fast. Some Daytona 500s are a grind from the time you go out on the track; that one just flowed. That’s one thing why it sticks out in my mind. Probably the biggest heartbreak was the Coke 600 last year. That one hurt the most because it was just right there in my grasp. Had four tires and made a good move and then it all came crashing down in about 500 feet. That one hurts the worst, but the 500 was a good race. If you can finish third in this race, second or third, you have to be happy with the situation, I feel like. You’re putting yourself in a great position. Obviously you want to take home that trophy, but you performed well at a high level and got yourself to the end of it, especially in that type of form. It’s not like it came down to the last lap and we were there; we were there the whole weekend.”

As a Daytona 500 winner, you know this place. You know this car. What do you look at in the Duel? What does that mean for you?

“I think this year is a bit different than last year. We’re in a little bit better of a position than last year with cars. I’d like to be a little more aggressive personally, to see what we have. Use it as practice, and I’d say most guys are going to. The hype is gone as far as having the backup. Guys raced hard last year. You take a winter break, and I think the Clash is a good thing where you beat and bang on each other for a little while to kind of soften the Duel a bit, maybe. If you just came to this race and it was the first race of the year, I’d say you’re going to tear a lot of stuff up in the Duel. So it’s kind of nice to get the Clash underway. You have to use it as a testing ground. You can’t just go out there and ride around to get to the race, but I know some guys will. I’d like to know what we have so I know I can race when I have to.”

What is your mind set up when racing doesn’t go your way? When you don’t the win? How do you take it in stride?

“I do a pretty good job of it, keeping my mindset the same. Consistency overtime usually pays off. That’s a big thing with me, being consistent in how I react to things. The [Coke] 600 did hurt. I did lose some sleep over that one, but past that, it’s been pretty good. I usually don’t lose much sleep at night.”

Is that how you’ve stayed even-keeled through changes like teammates, crew chiefs, etc.?

“I think so. If you take the highs and the lows hard, it’s hard to sustain in this sport. You’ve got to be able to stay level, even on the high days. I like to have a good time when you win because you don’t know when your last one is, but you also have to get over it quick and to the next race.”

 
 

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
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 5, 2023

NOAH GRAGSON, NO. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB CAMARO ZL1, Daytona 500 Media Availability Transcript:

It looks like Jimmie Johnson is showing his influence on this entire operation. How important is that?

“He’s really hands-on and he truly believes in what they’re trying to build over there. It’s exciting to see it go from paper and ideas to being a legit brand now. It’s pretty cool.”

Have you worked with Jimmie directly? What have your interactions been like so far?

“We’ve spent quite a bit of time together, I feel like. I went down with him to the Rolex 24 down here in Daytona. I flew down with him and was just trying to be around him as much as possible and pick his brain and learn from him. He’s been a great mentor throughout my career so far. Now that we’re teammates, I can really learn from a great and successful racecar driver like Jimmie (and it) is a perfect place for where I need to be in my career.”

Can you mentor him as he goes forward this year? Erik (Jones) said he has asked everyone what these cars are like.

“What’s cool is that Jimmie is very humble and is always asking for advice and trying to learn. That’s one thing I’ve gotten from him – that you can always learn no matter what. So he’s asked both Erik and I questions, Erik and I have both asked him questions, Jimmie and I have both asked Erik questions, so it’s kind of like a knowledge triangle where we’re all trying to be better. I’m probably the weakest link in the triangle, but we’re all trying to help each other to be better.”

Who gets the first win this season?

“I don’t know. I hope any one of us. If any one of us three can win, it will be very special.”

Frankie Muniz is making his ARCA debut this weekend, and he mentioned you were one of the drivers who was helping as he transitions to stock car racing. What conversations have you had with him?

“It’s really cool for Frankie to get in. He’s raced some open-wheel stuff in his career years back and has another opportunity and shot at doing this. You can tell he’s all-in and has bought in. He wants to do this. He is getting a little later start, but he has a different perspective on things that he may have had at an earlier age and in his career the first time by. It’s a great group, and I know he’s in good hands. I know when I first came in, I had a lot of things I wanted to know but didn’t know what questions to ask. So to be there for him and not hold his hand but to talk him through everything is important to me. I wish I had someone like that, especially when I first came in. Brandon McReynolds was kind of that guy for me, but to be able to do it with Frankie and hopefully see his success will bring a lot of pride.”

You’ve gone from one NASCAR superstar in Dale Earnhardt Jr., to another in Jimmie Johnson. What are the similarities and differences that you see between them as owners?

“Obviously they’re both very successful but in different ways. They’ve been at the top level of our sport and have won races. You have to listen to both of them and take what they say. I really enjoy Jimmie. I feel like we’re very similar. Dale is a great guy – a really awesome guy. I can’t thank him enough. But we weren’t a lot alike. He was a lot quieter than I was, which was good for me because it kind of shut me up and kept me quiet. Jimmie is also quiet but we have a lot of similar interests, I feel like. So it’s really cool to now work with Jimmie. I enjoy working with both guys, but I’m really excited to work with Jimmie, too.”

As someone who has had to race their way into this race, is there any advice that you can give Jimmie or anyone else trying to make this race, especially with limited track time?

“Jimmie obviously is very experienced, but I don’t think he’s ever had to race his way in. My buddy Zane (Smith) and Riley (Herbst) have hung out a lot this week. Riley is locked in with a charter but Zane is not. So it’s one of those things that no matter what happens, you’re going to have to race hard in the Duels if you don’t make it in on time. But whatever you do, just enjoy the moment that you have on-track with these Cup guys. I remember my first Duel where I didn’t make it. We were in with a really good shot. We had to start last and didn’t get a qualifying time. We had to be the highest-finishing open car and ended up getting in a wreck there at the end. We had a really strong race. One thing I told them is to enjoy it, no matter how it goes. You’ll have plenty more opportunities, so really enjoy it.”

This is the 75th anniversary of NASCAR. What comes to mind for you and knowing you get to be part of that as a full-time rookie this year?

“It just feels like another year to me. But obviously it’s special to be 75 years. … It’s great to see the sport stay alive for 75 years and start racing at the beach here and now we’re racing at Daytona International Speedway to kick the season off. It’s really cool and obviously there is a lot of history. I had a NASCAR book that went through every single year and kind of the ups and downs of every season and the different story points. I read that in high school and kind of learned about the history of NASCAR. So it’s cool but it’s just another year, also.”

You competed against some guys like AJ (Allmendinger) really hard in Xfinity last year. Do you feel some sort of kinship with guys like that going into this race and your first full Cup season?

“I’m really excited to race with AJ. I don’t know if I can say we became good friends but I think we became really good competitors with each other week in and week out. We could share a laugh before the race but also race our tails off and race really hard. I have a lot of respect for him and I’d hope after last year that he gained some respect for me. So I’m really looking forward to making the transition after racing for the last handful of years in the Xfinity Series with AJ up to the Cup Series. I know he’s been there before, but it’ll be great to have someone I’m familiar on-track with and be able to share some common thoughts.”

Is there pressure to perform this year?

“No, I don’t think so. There probably is but I don’t put pressure on myself to perform. I just try to have as much as possible, but I try to be prepared. Being prepared is the most important part. As long as I’m prepared, there shouldn’t be a pressure to perform. You shouldn’t be nervous or anything when you’re prepared. It’s like taking a test, right? If you go into a test and you study for it, you’re not going to be nervous. But if you didn’t study, you’re probably going to be a little nervous and that’s where that pressure comes from. With Josh Wise, Luke Lambert and everyone in the Team Chevy program, we have a really good system that we use to prepare for these races. I feel more confident than ever.”

Did you set any expectations for the season?

“Finish every lap right now. I think that’s all you really can do, realistically. You obviously want to win but I don’t know how realistic that is. We want to take the first third of the year or half the year, complete all the laps and then we can re-evaluate from there.”

Do you feel like a longshot for the Daytona 500? You’ve won here, you’ve won here at Talladega and had a top-five year in August.

“I don’t know. Part of me thinks yes, but then another part of me thinks anyone can win this thing. Last year in the Beard car, we were running sixth in the Daytona 500 and got wrecked with like 10 to go. So it’s one of those things where it’s definitely doable. Anyone can win it.”

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands, available in 79 countries with more than 3.2 million cars and trucks sold in 2020. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 15, 2023

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CAMARO ZL1, Daytona 500 Media Availability Transcript:

What are your thoughts [on superspeedway racing], and when you come here, how optimistic do you always feel?

“Everybody’s got a shot to win that you, that, that brings along some optimism But I’ve also crashed a lot. I’m pretty optimistic that I’ll crash at some point. It’s definitely a unique style of racing and one that I haven’t quite figured out yet. I’ve had good races where I’m like, ‘Okay, I’ve got a handle on this,” and then come back the next time you crash on like lap 20, and you’re like, ‘Okay, no I don’t.’ It’s unique. It’s hard to study for because it changes. Almost every time you go, you go back to a place where setups evolve, cars evolve, so it’s hard. There’s a handful of guys that seem to always be up front no matter what generation car it is or what rules package it may be. They just have a good understanding of it.”

“I think the best thing to do is just piggyback off of those guys and just stay glued to their rear bumper and go wherever they do. I don’t really know like how to answer these questions because I haven’t quite figured it out.”

Do you want to check that box for superspeedway racing since you’ve won pretty much every track there is?

“Yeah, definitely. I would love to, and I’m sure at some point in my career the stars will align and, and I will. I also I need to do a better job of putting myself in the right spot. I used to always say, ‘oh, I’ve got bad luck at these places,’ and stuff. I don’t think those guys that are always in contingent have better luck than me. I think they’re putting themselves in a better position to avoid crashes. I seem to always find my way to around 10th, and that’s kind of where you get swarmed up in a crash. Just got to continue to try and evolve and figure it out quickly to be up upfront.”

Did the offseason kind of give you a different perspective on things, or how you assessed how 2022 went?

“I understand like there was a lot of mistakes that I made behind the wheel and, and some that we as a team made that cost us some either good finishes or opportunities to get a race win. Races are extremely tough to win in this sport. I think just try to try to focus more on taking what you can get. I think a lot of times I was trying to get more than maybe what our car was capable of or try to too quickly make up for a mistake that maybe was on pit road or whatever it may be. Then those mistakes just compounding it bigger, and then you end up either crashed or making another small error that you give up positions. Just try to clean up on those areas and at least keep us in contention more often each week.”

With being the defending pole winner from 2022, and with Toyota seeming to step up their game in superspeedway qualifying, what do you expect heading into this year’s race?

“I have no idea what to expect. I don’t think anybody honestly does, especially with no practice. I mean, how are you supposed to know where you’re going to stack up? So we’ll see. I think what gives me confidence is that Hendrick Motorsports has always been in contention for the pole. It was a definitely a cool experience last year getting to lead the field to the green, and would love to experience that again today, to get the pole tonight. I’m just going to try and do my part and not miss any shifts, hold a steady wheel, and hopefully that’s enough to get us a pole.”

With Auto Club being a short track after this next race, what are your thoughts about conversion, or are you one of those guys lobbying to keep it where it’s at?

“I love that racetrack as is. I feel like it produces amazing racing, but at the same time I think we need more short tracks. I feel like sitting in the stands, it’s hard to view a two-mile track or even mile-and-a-half [tracks]. They’re so big. I think short tracks produce exciting racing, exciting finishes, tempers, stuff like that. I’m a proponent of making it a short track and I think we need more of them.”

You and Cliff (Daniels) seemed to hit towards the last part of the season. Does that help you get momentum early out of the gate?

“I felt like we were pretty fast the last 10 races, I think we were one of the best teams in the Playoffs consistently. I think we were kind of that way the whole year. We just didn’t execute to our potential, where I think we executed to our potential more often in the Playoffs. Maybe not every race, but I feel like we did a decent job. We ended the year pretty strong and I don’t think any rules have really changed over the course of the off season. I think whoever was fast towards the end of the year are probably going to be pretty good to start the year. We’ll see. I’m ready to just hit the track and kind of see where we stack up.”

What, what does it feel like to be in a pack and you kind of get a sense that something may be about to happen?

“A lot of the times when these crashes happen, you don’t really expect it in the middle of the races. I think at the end, like the closer it gets the end, the more you expect the wreck. So that’s when it gets like nerve wracking. But, like I said, either at the end of the stages or the end of the race, that’s when you expect it. I think a lot of the times when the crashes happen not at the ends of the stages of races, you’re not expecting it, so it kind of just happens and you’re trying to avoid it. In a way too, you’re always kind of expecting it, but at the ends you’re always more aware of it.”

What has working with [Alex Bowman] been like these last couple and how does it help you guys having him?

“I think just honestly having all four of us solid at Hendrick Motorsport Motorsports over the next however many years is a good thing. I’m happy to have Alex with the team for at least three years. I really enjoy Alex. I feel like we’re great friends. We have a lot in common with the dirt racing stuff. He’s who I’m probably closes with because of that connection through dirt racing. So, I’m glad to have him back. We work out together in the mornings when I’m in town. He’s who I spend the most time with out of the rest of my teammates, so yea, happy that we’re both at Hendrick Motorsports for the next however many years.”

Have you talked to AJ Allmendinger or Conor Daly about any Indy 500 tips?

“I haven’t talked to anybody really yet about [Indy] 500 tips. My mind’s kind of been on the NASCAR stuff still at this point. I think as the IndyCar season gets going and hopefully we’ll get to go to some practice days for the 500 I think that’s when I’ll start my initial studying. I did get to meet Felix Rosenqvist. He was at the simulator a few weeks ago. We chatted about it and it was good to hear because he’ll be one of my teammates. I think once I get to [Indianapolis Motor] Speedway and especially too when I get closer to getting in the car, I’ll be asking whoever’s got any advice.”

With 2021 being such a phenomenal year, and 2022 still a multi-winning season, what’s going to constitute a successful season for you and the No. 5 team this year?

“Obviously I know that winning 10 races is very, very hard. I don’t like to set my goals that high, but I think honestly if you can win multiple Cup races each year and be in contention in other races as well, I think that’s a solid season. We didn’t win as much as we wanted to last year, but three wins is still a lot more than others had, so I don’t view it as a totally down year. We know that we can go out there, we’ve done it before, and win 20 races and also race in a championship. We know that we’re capable of that. It’s nice to have that out in the distance that you can do it, but it’s difficult. I just want to be in contention making less mistakes this year and just getting ourselves more opportunity to win.”

How do you look at the Duels on Thursday night, and what you’re hoping to get out of it?

“From what I remember of the Duels last year, with the half the size of the field, it’s like it wasn’t enough cars for everybody to stay together. It kind of got strung out after green flag stops. I imagined it’ll be like that again. You don’t learn anything from racing that way to at least to prepare you for the [Daytona] 500.”

With pit cycling either under green or yellow flag conditions, what is it like on pit road?

“It’s just hectic, right? You’re trying to maximize the time to the yellow line, but you’re also trying not to lock your brakes up, trying not to run in the guy behind you, or in front of you, trying not to get ran over from the guy behind you. You can’t really see when the commitment line is coming up, so you are kind of judging off the guys in front of you and all that. It’s hard. We all have experience doing it, even for a guy like Jimmie Johnson who does have a ton of experience, not in this car. With this car compared to the old one, you can brake a lot later. I’m curious how it’s all going to work, but I’m glad that I’m locked in so I don’t have to worry about that.”

What will the choose have, or what impact will it have?

“I would assume it will. I think you’re going to have more teammates working together as far as lane selection and stuff goes. I think you have it on the front row, but now you’re going to have it back three or four rows. I’m interested to see how it all plays out. I don’t think it’s going to be a big deal once we get out there. I think we all overthink it and then once you get out there.”

How special is it to go to Indy with Rick Hendrick as part of the [Indy 500] deal?

“I am very thankful that he is a very big part of it. That’s special, and for both of us. He probably never thought he’d be involved with the Indy 500. I guess I thought maybe someday I would, but I didn’t think that I’d be a part of the Indy 500 with Rick Hendrick. I thought with my time at Ganassi, I would’ve been with either Chip [Ganassi] or somebody like that. It’s pretty unique, and I know he’s excited about it.”

What does 75 years in NASCAR mean to you?

“I think it’s an amazing milestone year. I think it means more to me because I am one of those champions throughout the 75 years of its existence. It’s pretty special. I don’t know where I rank within those 75 years, but I feel like we had a pretty solid year in my championship season. It’s just cool to be a part of the history of the sport, and know that I’ll be always a part of the history of the sport. I look forward to the next however many years to the next milestone.”

 
 
 

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
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 15, 2023

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 TRACKHOUSE RACING CAMARO ZL1, Daytona 500 Media Availability Transcript:

Q. How was it like driving into here to start the new year?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: It’s good. Obviously very excited to start this new season with Trackhouse, with Travis Mack, my crew chief. I feel like honestly I have a great group of people in Trackhouse.

We only made a few adjustment, few improvements people-wise. 80% of my team is the same as last year. Very happy with that. I think that the few areas that we saw that we could have improve from last year to this year, we did. Now it’s time to see exactly what we got on track.

Q. Going back to summer, you have six months, but does it sink in you’re coming into this year as a Cup Series winner?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Like you say, it’s been a long time. It’s time to do that again.

I think that it feels good. For me the best part is to be able to get that out of my back. It was on my back already for a few years.

It’s not easy. It’s not easy to win in the Cup Series just because the competition is tough. You are fighting with the best drivers, the best teams, the best pit crews. It’s not easy.

But I have a great team behind me now, and I’m very, very happy to continue to do that and challenge for more wins this 2023 season.

Q. ‘Off your back’, does that mean this year is a bit more comfortable for you?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: I don’t want to call it comfortable because ‘comfortable’ can be understand as maybe not pushing hard enough. It just out of my back. I can tell you that.

I think that this year it’s not really different than after winning, but you just feel for sure that we belong here. We have a great team.

Like I said, last year I felt like we did a good job with our team, we had some good races, we had an opportunity to win a few races at least throughout the year. We had some issues here and there.

We worked hard in the off-season to look through all my year and say, Okay, this is what we did right, this is what we did wrong, this is the mistakes that we did, and these are the issues we have with the car. How can we make all these things better?

Based on those things we made a few adjustments and we believe we are a better team for the 2023 season.

Q. Would you say the race you will probably be most proud of is the one where the power steering went out and…

DANIEL SUÁREZ: I would agree with that. I think that that was probably, in my opinion, one of my highlights of the year, along obviously with the win.

But that race was tough, especially because as a team we did everything, actually… I don’t think there is one person out there in this industry that will say that we didn’t deserve to transfer to the next round just because we were actually sitting in the perfect position to do.

When that happen, everything went backwards. I mean, I started stage three in the Roval with my team telling me, Man, you just have to finish within the top 25.

On a road course, that’s a piece of cake for us. After that 15 minutes, I was just fighting for my life. So it was tough.

But at the end of the day I left the track knowing 100% that I gave everything I got. Like, I didn’t have energy left at the end of the race. That was most important for me. The result wasn’t the result that we wanted, but I’m sure that the effort and everything that we put into that race was correct.

Q. Did that make up for the crushing disappointment, knowing you should have been in the Round of 8?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: It’s not easy because there is so many people that work very, very hard to go to the Playoffs and advance to other rounds and have a shot to a championship. But it is what it is. We have to learn from those lessons and continue to get better.

There’s no excuses. We could have done better. We could have done maybe something different at the shop to figure out those things. It wasn’t the first time that happened to us. In COTA, same thing. We were leading the race, had an issue with the steering. We have to be better. That’s the final thought.

I don’t want to think, Oh, man, we had mechanical issues. No, we just have to do a better job, build a better luck for ourselves.

Q. Circumstances like that, does that show something to yourself as much as it does the effort to your team?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: It definitely does. That race, in my opinion, show my entire team that we are there to fight. Regardless of how difficult the road may be, we have to continue to fight and to give everything that we have.

But that’s part of racing. That’s why we love this sport so much, because it’s not easy. It’s not easy when you have the best car, and it’s not easy when you have a car with issues. That’s the difference between the good drivers and the great drivers, in my opinion, and great teams, as well.

We have to continue to do that. I’m sure this year you guys are going to see a better 99 team than you saw last year.

Q. How does the contract extension play into that on your side?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: That’s a good question.

I don’t know. We never talk about that specific race. But I’m sure it doesn’t hurt. The team knows. Regardless of the result of one race or a couple races, the team knows how I work. I feel like I’m a very disciplined person in and out of the track. I’m always working to evolve. I’m always working to trying to get better. The team knows that.

I think we definitely have room for improvement from last year. I hope that we can show that on track, that we are a more complete team than last year.

Q. Do you have anything planned special for winning the Daytona 500? A taco piñata?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: It’s going to be another taco piñata. We have a few already at the hauler. I think that has become now my signature. We’re going to have… Piñatas are something that are very Hispanic, obviously tacos, as well (laughter). It’s good.

I enjoy that. My fans love it. I feel like it’s a great way to connect with my community. Yeah, we have a few tacos piñatas at the hauler.

Q. How do you feel the response has been to you as far as attracting your fellow Hispanics into the sport? Do you feel them rallying around you? For a long time it’s more of an open-wheel kind of deal for them. Always a car culture. But how much do you think you have helped being at the Cup level?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: You know, it helps a lot. I’ve been doing this already for several years. I have noticed that every year, with a lot of work from myself, NASCAR, my sponsors, the racetracks, the Daniel’s Amigos, every year we get better, every year we have a bigger community on the track.

But something I learned is that consistent work is paying off, is getting better. But success on track just bring it to a whole different level. At the end of the day you are going to be way more attached to something if you know that your guy and your person that is just like you – in my case obviously Hispanic – is being successful. In my opinion, winning races, being in the Playoffs, be contending almost every weekend, that played a huge role.

And in my opinion, 2022 has been the biggest step I have seen in my racing career in Cup when it comes to the Hispanic community. So it’s amazing. I feel like we are in a huge momentum right now. Obviously 2023 we’re expecting to be an even more successful season.

I think myself, NASCAR, Coca-Cola, all the people that helped me put these things together, we are definitely moving the needle.

Q. Both of the most successful drivers in the United States are from Monterrey: yourself and Pato O’Ward. What does that say about Monterrey?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Yeah, I mean, it’s very special. I think Mexico right now is living a very, very special moment. Never in the history of motorsports in Mexico we have had drivers being successful in the most important series in the world: Formula 1, INDYCAR, NASCAR. Having Mexican drivers in all these series and winning races in all three of these areas is quite special.

Mexico right now is in a very, very good place when it comes to the drivers we have around the world. I feel very, very proud to be a small part of it, along Pato and Checo. Both of them are very, very good friends of mine. I feel like we’re enjoying this journey and we are putting our country in the loop when it comes to more and more fans to get attracted to more sports.

Q. Was it important for you to get the contract done before the season started to have that out of the way and have your future settled?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Yeah, it was. That was actually a topic of conversation that I had with the team. I’m the kind of person that once I start racing, I like to focus on that.

Last year when we announced this 2023 extension that we did, we did it right before the Playoffs. I didn’t even want to talk about it. I was just focusing my thing. I was just so focused my thing.

I feel like at times it can be a distraction. This time, when we started having all these conversations, I said Hey, let’s get it out of the way before the Daytona 500.

It’s a good day because we are announcing this and I am answering these questions, but I don’t want to have to think about it during the weekend, not really heading into next week.

Q. Was it a really easy decision process?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Yes, it is for me. I’m very, very happy where I am. Trackhouse, the future of Trackhouse, is very bright. I feel like I’m experienced enough now to understand those things and to understand how important people is.

Everybody at Trackhouse believe in me. I believe in Trackhouse since day one. We’re building something great here. I think we have something special going on. It would be silly not to see that and to take advantage of that, to take it to the next level.

Q. What has been the biggest part of that evolution over the two years? Where have you noticed the biggest strides?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Every year has been a process. I mean, we still babies, man. This is going to be our third year only as Trackhouse.

So the first year obviously Richard Childress Racing played a huge role. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here. Huge thanks to Richard and to everyone at RCR, Chevrolet.

Then the second year obviously getting the whole team of Ganassi, that was a huge thing, Chevrolet jumping onboard with us.

Right now it’s actually the first time that things are fairly calm. We were able to rebuild with less going on. So I feel very, very good about it. I feel we’ve been able to work and getting better instead of restructure the whole thing.

I feel like every year has been something new. This year I feel like is going to be a great opportunity for us to go out there and compete in the highest level.

Q. What is it like to have that continuity? There were many years where you didn’t have a future late in the season, contract in limbo. What is it like to have that security now?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: That’s a good question.

Last week when I signed the contract, I was with Justin. Justin say, Hey, Daniel, do you realize the second that you hit the track in L.A., you were officially the longest you ever been with a racing with Trackhouse?

I never even thought about that, talking about Cup. I never even thought about that.

He said, Hey, you were never with a team longer than the two-year mark.

In L.A. I pass that two-year mark, and Trackhouse has been my longest Cup team. If you look at it, that tell you how important it is, the consistency, to working with the people, to continue to build in the people.

I feel so fortunate that Trackhouse has given me that opportunity to be able to build a team around me and a team to continue to get better.

Q. Justin has such a positive energy around him, such vision. How big of a part does that play in you just wanting to perform for them? He’s a pretty amazing dude.

DANIEL SUÁREZ: He is. I don’t want to talk bad about anyone, but what I have experienced with Trackhouse and with Justin and with Ty Norris is way different, way different than everything I have experienced in the past. Culture-wise, people-wise, how they care about it, it’s quite special.

I have never been part of something like this, not even close.

So I’m just very, very fortunate of where I am right now. I feel like we have amazing people, amazing partners, people that believe in us.

We’re having fun. At the end of the day that’s the most important thing, right? Enjoy this journey, have fun, go out there and compete and do what we love the most, which is compete and race for wins.

Q. The season before you went over to Trackhouse was a tough season. Do you race with a lower team or do you go to another series or sit out? How was the decision made to go do this as opposed to Xfinity, sit out, wait a while?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: That’s a very, very good question.

Honestly, even right now today, 2023, three years later, I don’t even know if I made the right decision. All I can tell you is that I have a lot of good friends at Toyota that at the time, they really believe in me and they wanted to put this project together with me for the future because at the time they only had one team. They wanted to have more than only one team.

They had all this project. It looked very, very good to me. At the end of 2019, it looked extremely good to me. Unfortunately everything started late, so we knew it was going to start not great, but we thought that this is going to head in the right direction. Then COVID hit. Everything changed with that. Everything changed. All the plans, all the things we had going on, pretty much they got on hold.

It was the right decision? I don’t know. Probably not. It was the plan that they sold me. It was definitely not. I don’t know.

But at the end of the day that year, 2020, is been the year that I have learned and grow the most myself. I didn’t learn anything that year racing-wise. I didn’t learn one thing on the racing track. Mentally of my person, that is the year I learned the most. I feel definitely I hit bottom definitely. I hit bottom.

I thought to myself, If this is the way things are going to go, I’m going to stop right now. This is not what I’m going to do.

But I hit bottom, and I was able to find Trackhouse later that year, and they believe in me, I believe in them, and we went for this journey. Here we are.

Everything happens for a reason. But I can tell you that I don’t know if that was the right decision or not. But definitely that led me into where I am right now.

Q. What does 75 years of NASCAR mean to you, just having a place in that history now?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Every year is special because every year you have new goals, new opportunities, new challenges. But the fact that I am racing NASCAR in the 75 anniversary of the sport is quite special.

This year I’m sure we are going to have some special trophies, special championships. This year’s going to be different, and we know that.

I was talking to Jeff Gordon about this actually. He won the championship in year number 50 of the sport. He told me that it was extra special than any other year.

I’m going to fight with everything I got to have a shot to win this championship.

Q. Your role in that? You have a little slice in that history now because of what you’ve accomplished.

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Yeah. I feel very, very humble and obviously very proud to have a small piece in that history. I think honestly I feel like I’m just getting started. But I feel very, very humble and very proud to say I have contribute a little bit into this amazing sport.

Q. What does signing the extension mean to you? We all knew you were going to be there probably, but now that it’s signed, what did that mean to you?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: It means a lot. It means a lot to be able to get it out and move on and focusing in racing, and also really to continue to build with Trackhouse because they have been my house already for the longest I ever been in Cup with someone.

To continue to build with them, to continue to get better, I feel like the future is very bright and I can’t wait to see what we can do this year.

Q. Being it is the 75th anniversary, is it more motivation for you from a competitive standpoint to win on Sunday?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: There is always very high level of motivation. I won’t tell you that it’s higher motivation, but I will tell you it’s extra special just because it is the 75 birthday of the sport.

I think that NASCAR’s going to have some surprises throughout the year with different trophy designs and stuff like that. And I would love to get some of them.

Q. Next weekend is supposed to be the final race on the two-mile oval at Auto Club. Do you like that racetrack? Will you go there next week and care one way or another what’s going to happen to it?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Yeah, I love that racetrack. I love that racetrack. I love that place. The community there always makes me feel like home.

With that being said, I hope everything is to make things better, make the sport better. Another hope is that we come back soon because that’s amazing place for me. Personally those fans, that community makes me feel like home. The Hispanic community there is huge.

Even though that I wish that the racetrack stay the same, I know that that won’t happen. I’m going to enjoy it one more time and hopefully – hopefully – we come back very soon.

Q. No matter what happens to the racetrack, it’s important to you that NASCAR stays in that market?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Definitely, definitely. For me it’s very important because the community there is unbelievable. There’s so many great fans. I have enjoyed racing there a lot.

I think it will be very sad if we wouldn’t come back. I don’t think that’s going to happen, though. But I think definitely there is going to be a main change. I just hope that transition happens quick and we can come back and don’t miss anything else.

Q. How inspirational is Justin? Whenever I talk to him, I want to sign up with him. What is it about him that he has that inspirational magic?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: It’s energy. Everyone here is built with energy. Justin has a very good energy. On top of that, he has great ideas and he thinks outside the box. He’s always innovating.

He has a very, very good combo, a very good combination of things on his way to make companies and to make racing and to make things successful. I’m very, very proud to call him first of all a friend and second a guy that you can go with and ask for advice and continue to build.

But, yeah, he’s that kind of guy that when you hang out with somebody that has such a good energy, you start learning so much, right? He is that kind of person. He’s quite special.

Q. He’s a big thinker. He thinks real big ideas.

DANIEL SUÁREZ: He does.

Q. How important is that for the sport as it moves forward?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: He does. And I think he has shown to the world that he’s here to make the sport better. He is actually, in my opinion, changing the way that we have seen race teams in a while. And he’s just getting started really.

The culture of the team is different. The image of the team is different. The branding of the team is different. So I just think that I’m a small part of something very, very amazing with Trackhouse.

Q. Speaking of that culture situation at Trackhouse, it seems like for the last 20 years, I keep hearing from teams it’s not fun anymore. Justin seems like he’s put the fun back into the sport. Is that accurate or…

DANIEL SUÁREZ: I mean, I can’t really talk about other teams, but in Trackhouse is a lot of fun (laughter). I can tell you that we have a great time.

If there is teams out there that are not having a great time and they’re not having fun, I advise them to go hang out with Justin because he has some great ideas and he’s doing great things.

I don’t think that we should be doing this every single week and not having fun. We’re in a very, very privileged position to be doing what we love and to be racing and to be having a great time every single weekend.

I think that this sport’s amazing. We just have to see it evolve. This sport is not the same than 10 years ago. I’m sure it’s not even close to the same than 20 years ago. We just have to continue to evolve and continue to change and continue to move the needle in the sport.

I feel like Trackhouse, 23XI, all these teams are bringing new blood and new ideas to the team and it’s helping.

Q. Did I see on Twitter there was a paint ball competition?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Yeah, that was a good time. I got shot a lot (laughter). Yeah, I got shot a lot. I was quite aggressive with my strategy. I don’t know if that work out. I shoot a lot of people, but I got shot a lot, too (laughter).

I don’t want to say that I won, but I was aggressive. When everyone was hanging, I was, Let’s go, shooting people left and right. It was a great time.

Q. What is your favorite Daytona 500 memory?

DANIEL SUÁREZ: Probably when Trevor Bayne won the race. When Trevor Bayne won the race, I actually just moved to Buffalo, New York, 2011. I don’t know what the hell I was doing there. I was living there for a couple of months. After that I move to North Carolina.

I think that was my favorite moment just because I thought, you know what, I can do this, too. It was special for me.

 
 
 

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
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 15, 2023

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 SPIRE MOTORSPORTS CAMARO ZL1, Daytona 500 Media Availability Transcript:

HOW EXCITED ARE YOU FOR THIS SEASON?

“If the word today is excited, I’m trying not to use excited because everyone is excited when you get to Daytona, and everybody thinks they’re going to win all 36 races. But last week was a pretty good reminder of where we stack up as a race team. I think we didn’t get beat by anybody that we weren’t supposed to get beat by out in LA, but granted we didn’t beat anybody that we shouldn’t have, so left there frustrated. Not as bitter of a pill to swallow this year than last because I think I had unrealistic expectations last year and after you go through the year and see what your strengths are and your weaknesses as a team, you kind of understand the limitations. It sucked to go out there and miss the show and I think the struggle areas will be similar struggle areas this year – short track stuff. I think we’re going to get a little more help on some intermediate body scans, stuff from GM that has been helping with simulator times, so I think you’re going to see us be in play at the speedways and run well. I want to be a team that doesn’t have any DNFs and to be just a solid team. We had nine DNFs last year – nine mechanical DNFs and then three driver DNFs – so if we can clean those up I think we should be substantially better.”

HOW ARE YOU LOOKING AT FONTANA, WHICH THE PLAN IS FOR A HALF-MILE OVAL NEXT YEAR?

“I think that what the drivers like a lot of times isn’t what the fans show up in droves to see. Fontana is a really fun racetrack. It has a lot of character with the ability to run five lanes, the ability to run on the fence, to use some tire conservation. But, then again, it also plays into a stretched-out race with not a ton of passes, not a lot of cars close together which for the viewers on TV they don’t necessarily love that. I can take it or leave it one way or the other. If they have a plan that makes sense, that’s what they’re going to do. If it’s a half mile, I hope that they take some considerations from the drivers about what the configuration should look like. Hopefully, they can lean into the drivers advisory council a little bit and get our input on what a track layout would look like and be the best racing. A lot of challenges but I think they’re going to figure it out, whether it’s a 2-mile oval or a reconfigured short track.”

WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE YOUR SUCCESS TO AT SUPERSPEEDWAY RACING? IS IT RACE STRATEGY, THE DRAFT?

“That’s the equalizer a bit. You can use some common sense and some brains to find yourself there at the end and it’s like chess with 3,600-pound chunks of metal. You don’t have to have the fastest car. I don’t think I’ve qualified better than 33rd here at the 500 ever in my seven years here. So we’re looking to do better than that. It doesn’t make you feel good when you roll out here and you floor it for a minute and realize that’s where you stack up. I do like speedways because it doesn’t matter how slow your car is. You can find the right ways and position yourself.”

YOUR FATHER WON HERE IN AN EXFINITY SERIES RACE. DO YOU REMEMEBR ANYTHING ABOUT THAT RACE?

“I do. I was thinking about that this morning. I remember watching from the grandstands with my aunts and uncles and cousins, and I remember being by the frontstretch-like fence waiting for them to open the gates so we could run to Victory Lane. I remember getting carried across the grass by mu aunt. And what’s really cool is ever since my dad starting racing down here we always get a beach house and we’d have 12, 15 people at a beach house like a family reunion every year. And we’ve continued that tradition. We’ve got a house that we’ll pack all the kiddos in and have a good time. So we kind of make it a LaJoie family reunion every February.”

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU TO GET A WIN IN THE TRUCK RACE FRIDAY NIGHT?

“This is the first time realistically in my national series career that I’ve showed up with a truck or car that’s capable of having race-winning speed. And now I have a ton of experience, I’m super confident on the speedways to do the right moves and there’s no other outcome for me to consider a good day than to hold the trophy.”

ARE YOU CONSIDERING ANY OTHER TRUCK RACES?

“I’ll give you some breaking news. I think we’re doing Darlington as well. I’d love to do more. Friday first as the appetizer and Sunday afternoon for the 500.”

YOU’VE SAID YOU’D LIKE TO SEE MORE SHORT TRACKS. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE OUT OF THE FONTANA CONVERSION?

“It’s fun as a driver and it’s a challenge, probably one of the more challenging places we go to. But then if you watch from the 20th row of the grandstands, you see a football field between the top 30 cars. I don’t think that it’s super exciting to watch necessarily, but we went there last year and it was a pretty good show. But NASCAR has to adapt and change with the changing landscape of just the economy; that land up there is super valuable so they can pay for a reconfiguration and make money on the back end of it in addition to that, then that’s what they’re going to do.”

HAVING MORE SHORT TRACKS ON THE SCHEDULE IS GOOD FAIR TO SAY?

“That’s what all this is built on. You have the two-and-a-half-mile track in the sand down here, but beyond that the Wilkesboros and the Martinsvilles, the Bristols – those are the ones that people are packing out. Those are the ones people are showing up at. For another cookie cutter mile and a half, granted we put on some great shows because this Next Gen car was tailored to that style of racetrack. I think there is some work to do. You’ll see some low downforce packages, some less strakes on the underbodies to take some downforce away, which seems like the drivers like. And I think also NASCAR is onboard with idea of potentially giving up some more horsepower, so the door isn’t locked there. Obviously, it’s a lot of hoops for the engine manufacturers to increase power by 100. The tire patch I think is what I think takes away what feels like horsepower.”

YOUR NAME WAS TOP OF THE LIST OF DRIVERS TO WIN THE DAYTONA 500 THAT’S NOT AN OBVIOUS FAVORITE. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE THAT TO?

“It makes me feel good. We have been solid at the speedways. The reins aren’t fully pulled off of me when it comes to the 500 specifically because being a smaller team we have to come out here with a good financial date, so the intention of coming here with a win is different from the intention of running eighth and collecting a paycheck. We’ll see how the race ebbs and flows. It’s a priority for our team to have a good points day and a good financial day, which doesn’t coincide with winning the race necessarily.”

WITH THE NEXT GEN AND YOU’RE COMPETING FOR THE WIN LIKE YOU WERE AT ATLANTA, HOW MUCH DOES THE DRIVER MAKE ON SUPERSPEEDWAYS?

“A lot of it is fortune and a lot is position, but even so there’s not coincidence you see the same guys up front. We’ve kind of adjusted our strategy to waiting and waiting for a wreck because you just know it’s not a matter of when. I think the drivers are getting better, the guys are getting smarter, the spotters on the roof are getting smarter on what lanes to covet and where the energy is coming from. This package might not be the best for three-wide racing, and it might be too draggy to get a third lane going, so I think as you see guys study it more it’s not coincidence and just luck of somebody who finds their way to the front. I do feel like I can feel the energy of the runs and feel like I can make the right decisions. Also, with years of riding in the back and waiting for crashes – vulture racing is what I call it – if 25 cars wreck you take ninth. I would be watching guys because you can see who’s going where. I’ve been studying this thing in the seat for six years now. And that’s also why when the reins are pulled off I was up toward the front because I’ve been watching what the good guys have been doing and I started trying a little bit of it myself. Once the reins are pulled off completely, I’m excited to see what happen.”

WHAT POINT IN THE SEASON WILL YOU NARROW WHO HAS WHAT – WHO HAS WORK TO DO, WHO’S GOOD?

“Can you? I think any given guy that drives for a top 22, 24 team can find themselves with track position and go out toward the end and find a way to win the race. I don’t think you’ll see a nine- or 10-win season unless somebody hits on something because I think driver strengths are starting to show up more than the car dominance. You see guys who are strong at mile and a halfs, you see guys who are strong at short tracks be at the front more, guys who are good at dirt tracks. I don’t think that you can just point to one guy and say he’s going to be the strongest for 36 weeks. There’s going to be guys who kind of ebb and flow and guys who find their way to the front at the places – road course races or whatever it is – that their strengths are at and their weaknesses are going to be exposed more just because the gains right now are so incremental.”

 
 
 

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
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 5, 2023

ERIK JONES, NO. 43 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB CAMARO ZL1, Daytona 500 Media Availability Transcript Highlights:

The first thing I’ll ask you.. were you a big Guns N’ Roses fan?

“Yeah, I was always a fan. I went to a show of theirs, I don’t know, I guess three years ago in Charlotte. I was a fan as a kid growing up, too. I listened to their stuff.

It was cool. A couple of weeks ago, Jimmie (Johnson) showed me the paint scheme and was talking about it coming together. It was neat to get it all done and get it announced last night. But yeah, I’ve always been a fan.”

I feel like you went under the radar at Daytona (International Speedway) and Talladega (Superspeedway) last year. You had some really strong runs at all four of the superspeedway races. Can you talk about what LEGACY MOTOR CLUB has built with their speedway program and how confident are you in the strides you made in the off-season?

“Yeah, we had speed at all of those races. I would say especially at Talladega (Superspeedway); we were good at both of those. Dave Elenz (crew chief) has always been good at the superspeedway stuff with not only the car side, but with the calling the race side and the strategy side of things.

I’ve come to enjoy it. It’s funny – when I first came and did it in Trucks, I was not a fan. I’ve really come to like it and have fun with it as the years have gone by.

I’m excited. Hopefully, for me at least, I think all of those close calls we had last year with being so close to winning a couple of them – I told them after, I said I would trade those any day if we can have a shot to win the (Daytona) 500. So hopefully we’re up front at the end of this one Sunday.”

What are the drivers meetings like right now, with having Jimmie Johnson and a new teammate? What is that dynamic.. is it what you expected it to be?

“Yeah, I mean it’s changing, right. It’s kind of interesting because Jimmie (Johnson) has never driven the Next Gen car. He doesn’t have a ton to add right now and he’s just kind of learning; figuring the cars out and what we need to do. I’m sure as he gets a little bit more experienced here, especially after Sunday and then going forward through the rest of the year with some of the other races he does, he’ll have a lot more to add in. He’s asked me probably more questions, so far, which has been a little weird. But it’s been cool to have him. I’ve known Jimmie for a lot of years and never really had the chance to really work with him like this on anything, so it’s been fun to see how his mind works on some of this stuff.”

Is it kind of surreal for you to be his mentor for at least a little while?

“(laughs) Yeah, for at least a minute. It is odd. We were at the Phoenix (Raceway) test and he was asking me some questions out there. And then he was asking me some questions the other day about coming here. It’s weird.. I didn’t think Jimmie (Johnson) would ever be asking me anything along the way in my career. It’s cool, though. It’s something that – hey, I’ll take it while I can get it.”

You had some great runs at Talladega (Superspeedway) last year. You were in position to win both of those races. Where does that put your confidence? And also, does that make you a better source of knowledge to be able to help a guy like Jimmie (Johnson) and Noah (Gragson), who are limited in their Next Gen experience?

“Yeah, I feel like our superspeedway stuff was good. I feel like I’m a good speedway racer. Man, I feel like we should have more wins than what we have on speedways. But I don’t know, I think I can help those guys a little bit. I think our speed has been good. I hope it’s as good here this weekend as it was last year. It’s a matter of finishing them out. We led a lot of laps last year between Daytona (Superspeedway) and Talladega (Superspeedway), and never capitalized on one of them to get that win. We were within a couple feet in a few of them to get the win. If I could trade those for the (Daytona) 500, I would be fine with that.

Hopefully I can help Noah (Gragson) and Jimmie (Johnson) a bit this week. Noah has done some speedway racing with this car, but obviously he’s in a better car I think than what he had, so he’ll have some more speed to go and work with. They’ll learn a lot in the Duels and hopefully we can get Jimmie in and do some racing on Sunday.”

Are there any internal bets for who gets the first win this season?

“Haven’t talked about it, yet. I hope it’s me, so I can at least have some bragging rights for a minute on something. But no, haven’t went over it yet. I think we all feel good about getting a win, definitely between Noah (Gragson) and I. Hope to get Jimmie (Johnson) to victory lane.. that would be pretty cool. I think winning in a Next Gen car is a pretty big goal for him; coming back and doing it. I think we can. It’s a matter of getting everything right.

But no, nothing.. no kind of hazing or anything like that, yet.”

Would you push him here?

“To the win? Well, if it could get me up there with a shot, I would do it. I don’t think I could bring myself to just push him to the win. If the situation came about where I had to push him, obviously I’m going to do it, but I’m still going to try and beat him if it came down to it.”

Looking ahead into the season – Fontana, last race on the 2-mile configuration there. Your thoughts?

“Yeah, I don’t know, I’m kind of sad about it in a way. I’ve had a lot of fun racing there. Just been fast there, too, which probably makes it harder, right? But I think it’s a really good track. It’s been a really racy intermediate (track) for us.. it’s more of a speedway almost. But it’s been a really racy track for a lot of years, so I’m sad to see it go, but obviously we will be coming back there on a short track. Hopefully we can get the short track program a little better with the Next Gen car and put on a good show there, too.”

What do you think about it being a short track? Do you think that is what it needs?

“Yeah, I don’t know. I thought the last couple of years, we’ve had a good turnout at that race and I thought the racing was phenomenal last year. We had a really good show there, so I think there will be a good crowd out there this year. But I’m sure the short track people are still going to show up, especially at first. If the racing is good, they’re going to come back again. I don’t have anything against it, necessarily. I’m just going to miss what we have there now.”

How was New York City when the announcement was made for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB?

“It was good. Going up there with Jimmie (Johnson), he obviously has a lot of connections around a lot of places, so that was cool going up there with him. And spending some time together – him, Noah (Gragson) and I – and get to know each other a little better through the couple of days that we were there. The announcement was really cool. Jimmie got to go on the Today Show.

It was cool.. the whole thing was neat. Getting to announce it and getting us all there, I thought it was a fun experience.”

How did you get the Guns N’ Roses deal? What song are you going to use for your walkout song?

“Yeah, I don’t know… I’ve always been a Paradise City fan. It is cool. I found out a couple of weeks ago – maybe more than a couple of weeks ago – that we were in talks with them to get them on the race car and do something with them. That was a Jimmie (Johnson) deal, for sure. But he showed me the paint scheme and I was like ‘yeah man, that’s cool. I’m a fan and I’ve been to their show before’. I was excited to get it done; announce it last night and get them on the car. Obviously the car is pretty cool looking, too. It will be fun. That would be a fun one to have a picture with in victory lane, so I would love to do that.”

If you and Jimmie (Johnson) are in the same Duel, what does that plan look like? Do you purposely work together to get that No. 84 car in?

“I don’t know if we intentionally try to get together, but obviously I’m going to help him as much as I can. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t. So I’m going to help and push him as much as I can; get him up to the front and get him in position. Obviously you have to be aware of who the other guys are and where they’re at, but definitely going to help him as much as I can. That’s a big goal for us – today and tomorrow – to get that car locked into the (Daytona) 500. I don’t even want to think about him having to go home. That would not be good for us, so we’ll get him locked-in.”

How has your interactions been with your new teammate, Noah Gragson?

“It’s been good. We spent a lot of time together on a lot of different stuff. We’ve gotten to know each other pretty well over the last month and a half. I didn’t know Noah (Gragson) that well before he came over and joined us at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, so it’s been good to just get to know him a little bit better and get a better outlook on what he’s thinking for this season; how he approaches things and how he kind of does things.

It’s been good. I’m excited for him. It’s fun when you get to go and do your rookie season in NASCAR. He’s getting to experience everything that comes with it right now. I think he’s going to help our program, truly elevate us some more and bring in some good stuff.”

How do you think he’s going to fair for his rookie season?

“There will be ups and downs like anybody’s. I look back at mine.. I had some real bright spots, some real dark spots. I think it’s the same for everyone along the way. I’d love to see him be able to get a win. If you can win in your rookie year, that’s a huge moment. Not many guys have been able to do that over the last few years, so would love to get him to victory lane.

I think he’s going to do well. He has the speed and the talent. I think even with the Next Gen car being a learning experience for him, he’s got less of a disadvantage than what he would have had with the old car.”

If you had to pitch the Daytona 500 racing experience to someone who’s never watched a NASCAR race, what would you tell them?

“I mean it’s a spectacle. I tell friends of mine all the time that have never been, that if they want to go, it’s unmatched. Getting the energy you have on pit road here come Sunday with the crowd and the people, it’s crazy. Trying to move around and get to your car is a workout as a driver with all the people. But yeah, there’s no feeling like it. There’s only maybe one other race that I’ve ever done in my life that I’ve had similar feelings as to what I do on Sunday morning. It’s a pretty cool day.”

Inaudible.

“Snowball Derby, for me. Super late models is what I did growing up, so I always get the same kind of feelings going down there and racing as I do on Sunday.”

What was your relationship when you first got out here with him (Jimmie Johnson)? He seems to be a mentor to guys and very friendly to everyone.

“Yeah, I mean I’ve known Jimmie (Johnson) probably 10 year.. over 10 years. Before I even got to NASCAR, we worked with the same management group, so I met him early on in my racing career. And then obviously racing him a couple of years at the Cup level.

He did help me out. He was always the guy willing to talk or answer any questions, and I think he was like that for anybody. But he was always super friendly to me. Always an open notebook if I needed it and I’m excited to have that in our group now on our side.”

What was your first reaction when you heard the name LEGACY MOTOR CLUB?

“I didn’t have a lot to do with it obviously. I was kind of there when it happened, but I was a little surprised. It was different than what I thought. I knew we would change the name, but I didn’t think we were going to go on kind of a new path.

Yeah, it was different, but it’s growing on me a lot. And especially when we came out with the scheme and the colors and stuff, it really started to grow on me. It’s definitely a lot different. I had a lot of questions from a lot of friends, asking if that was our name, and I was like ‘yeah, that what we’re going with’.”

75 years of NASCAR.. what does that mean to you? You’re driving the No. 43. I didn’t realize this, but Richard Petty was at the very first NASCAR race, watching his dad.

“Yeah, it’s cool to see it come full circle. I’ve been fortunate to get to know Richard (Petty) pretty well the last few years driving for him. It would be a nice story to get the No. 43 in victory lane Sunday, too. I’m good with that if we can make that work out.

But yeah, it’s awesome. Being a part of this sport has been a privilege for me over the last few years.. 10 years in the sport now since Trucks. We’re having a lot of fun. It was my dream to come and race here and do this, so just fortunate to here and be around. 75 years is a big accomplishment.”

With Jimmie Johnson, you’re like a history magnet over there.

“Yeah, we’ve got a lot of the history of the sport covered, that’s for sure. It’s been pretty cool. I’m a history fan, in general, so it’s cool to have those guys around.”

Did you have to redo your contract when the team rebranded to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB?

“No. There were some wording in there that I guess kind of carries along what you have going on. I’d be lying if I said I knew what that was, but yeah it just kind of carries over.”

What do you think about this season? I don’t think it’s fair to call you underrated, but certainly being at RPM and kind of the struggles they had.. we all saw your progression and there was a reason you were one of the Toyota development drivers. Is this your time now?

“Well, it’s been a weird journey over the last three or four years. But yeah, I think it’s going in the right direction, for sure. I think for us to go out and say we’re going to be some dominant team this year is ambitious. But to say we can go out and win a race at least, if not a couple, and make the playoffs, I don’t see that as overly ambitious. I think we can go out and definitely win a couple of races through the season. Get in the playoffs and how far we go in that, who knows, but we’re going in the right direction. There are still things we need to get better and improve on, but the way we’ve trended the last two years has been way more I think than what I probably expected when I came over.”

How do you see your relationship with Noah (Gragson) developing?

“We’ve actually spent quite a bit of time together over the last couple of months and just getting to know each other more. I didn’t know Noah well before he came over here, so it’s been fun to get to know him. Obviously we’re pretty different, which kind of makes it easier for us to get along I think in a lot ways because I can just kind of laugh at a lot of the stuff he says.

Like a goofy younger brother?

“Yeah, he’s pretty much along those lines (laughs). He’s good entertainment, but he’s talented. At the end of the day, I think some people get really caught up in the personality and the goofiness that he puts on and overlooks what he does in a race car. He won what eight races last year – nine or whatever it was – in Xfinity, so the guy is talented. He can go out and do it, and I think he’ll surprise a lot of people this year in a Cup car.”

Best memory of the Daytona 500?

“I would say 2006.. I came here for my first-ever NASCAR race as a fan. Camped out with my family and watched. It was a great race. Mark Martin, Kevin Harvick, coming down side-by-side for the win. So that’s number one for me. That’s the one I always remember and think of when I think of the Daytona 500.”

 
 
 

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.