Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Bristol Night Race | Friday, September 16, 2022

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang, stopped by the Bristol Motor Speedway infield media center before practice and qualifying to talk about this weekend’s race and his position in the playoff standings.

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang – THIS WILL BE YOUR 500TH CUP START. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE THAT MANY AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE RACE? “Some days it feels like it’s been a long 500 starts and others it feels like it goes by really quickly and kind of think it’s like probably having kids. Sometimes the days are long, but the years are short and it’s probably similar in this sport. It goes by in a blink of an eye at times and you kind of go back and it’s easy to kind of reminisce in the past a little bit and think about your first start in Loudon or that first pole here in Bristol and those type things and fast forward 14 years or so and here I am making my 500th start. I remember watching Truex and Kenseth and those guys start their 500th start and thought, ‘Oh my God, that’s a lot of starts. I don’t know if I’ll ever get that far into it.’ Now it feels like it really didn’t take that long. It’s a great accomplishment to say that you’ve had that many starts and it’s special, but it’s still always about the wins to me. I want to win a lot, but to be able to accomplish 500 starts at 32 years old is pretty cool.”

ANY GOAL FOR STARTS, LIKE 1000? “I’m already losing my hair. I don’t know if I’ll make it. I don’t have a start goal. I’ve looked into the Iron Man award. It’s definitely possible for me if I can keep consistently making the starts that I’ve been able to do. I’m probably one of the only ones that can really achieve that, so it’s there. I don’t know how much that means to me. I know where I am for the foreseeable future right now and I’m happy where I’m at. I just re-signed with Penske and Shell and I’m obviously in a great spot there, but you fast forward a few years down the road and who knows? You can’t call life. You don’t know where you’re gonna be and how competitive you’ll be. I know one thing, if I can’t win and I feel like I am holding back a race team, I probably don’t belong there anymore. When I feel like I’m not contributing to performance in our race team, that’s gonna be my cue. But right now, obviously, I still can and I have no thoughts of retirement anytime soon, so we’ll see. As we get closer, if I’m a year away maybe I’ll do it, I don’t know. It depends on life – your family and all that too.”

WHY DO YOU THINK WE’VE SEEN A RASH OF DRIVER SIGNINGS RECENTLY? “Look at who has signed. Kyle Larson is a great race car driver. I think Rick is gonna be smart enough to try and lock him in as long as he can. If it’s something that’s working, you want to just continue to do it. I can’t speak for other race teams besides our own and that was part of my decision-making process as well and Roger’s as well. We’re in a great spot. We can win races. We can contend for championships every year. We’ve got a great partner in Shell that’s been on this race car for a long, long time and the partnership works on both sides. It’s just a perfect fit, so you don’t want to change it. I don’t want to start all over and go again. Now, if it wasn’t going great, then you’d probably start to look around or shop around, but I think when you look at the guys that are out there winning right now, it’s hard to just jump ship if everything is going well. If you’re able to compete for wins and championships, it’s really hard to just start all over. If you feel like your car is not as good as your talent, then you’re probably starting to look around because you want to win. So it probably just depends on a lot of things, but I think the ones that are re-signing right now are obvious deals that owners and drivers would want to have as a long-term contract.”

AFTER THE TRUCK RACE LAST NIGHT IS THERE ANY CONCERN OF A MARTINSVILLE REPEAT OR ARE OTHER VARIABLES AT HAND? “There are plenty of variables left in the situation right now. We’ve seen this happen before at Bristol. They put the PJ1 on the bottom. If it’s sprayed no a little too thick, it just becomes the dominant lane. If it’s cool out, it doesn’t really chunk up and take a bunch of rubber down there, which kind of takes the advantage away from the bottom, which forces you to move up and makes the top lane work and then you get a couple lanes working. So it wasn’t quite hot enough to really chunk the rubber up on the bottom. I think it’s kind of hard to say how our race is gonna be yet, especially until we get out there and get a lot of laps going. We have a wider tire than we’ve ever had here at Bristol. We run 500 laps pounding that rubber into the racetrack. I think it’s gonna chunk up eventually and you’re gonna be forced to move up the racetrack. I’m pretty certain about that at some point during the race. It might be 100 laps in. It might be 50 laps in. It might be 300 laps. I don’t know because we haven’t been here with this car yet and to know how it’s gonna be, but I think once you get an Xfinity race out there tonight, I think eventually it’s gonna move up, probably start to touch the top a little bit is my guess. That’s kind of how it’s been in the past. I’m not saying the bottom won’t be the preferred lane, but eventually that PJ1 wears off or it chunks up with rubber and it forces guys to move around. That’s probably what’s gonna happen.”

DO ALL THE QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS CAR AT THIS TRACK MAKE YOUR PREVIOUS SUCCESS HERE A MOOT POINT? “I don’t know. Bristol is Bristol. Once you have an idea of what it takes to go around this place at least you kind of know the feel and the way the race typically goes and trends that you may see throughout the race. I think a lot of those things will be similar. Now, with the Next Gen car, there are differences – maybe different lines on restarts, maybe the way your balance goes throughout a run. Those things can be different, so it is a bit of a new game. I’ve been saying it all year long. If you’re gonna be a rookie, this is the year to be a rookie because the guys with experience it’s not as big of an advantage as it has been in the past. I’d say continuing that theme will be like that, but it’s still 500 laps and experience helps you run 500 laps. You kind of know how long it can be and what you need to get out of it, but there are a lot of questions that will be answered here once practice starts as well.”

WHAT DO YOU KNOW FOR SURE ABOUT BRISTOL? “I can’t tell you at all. Like I said, you know it’s gonna be a tough, grueling race. You know there’s gonna be strategy that comes into play at some point if cautions kind of stack on top of each other. You know the rubber build up is gonna be different, whether you have 75-lap green flag runs or 30-lap green flag runs and trying to adjust to that or at least knowing where the track is gonna be. I think that stuff will continue to stay the same.”

PJ1 WAS APPLIED YESTERDAY. IS THERE SMI STILL NEEDS TO DO TO EACH TRACK BECAUSE IT DOESN’T SEEM TO WORK MORE OFTEN THAN NOT? “I don’t know if I would be so quick to say it doesn’t work more often that not. I don’t believe Bristol needs it, but everyone has a different opinion of what good racing is at Bristol. I thought Bristol was great before it ground the top. I thought it was great racing and everybody thought Bristol was great before they reconfigured it years back when everybody was stuck on the bottom and rooting everyone out of the way. That’s what they did with the PJ1is try to get it to where the only way you can pass someone is rooting them out of the way. Is that good racing? I don’t know. Everyone’s got an opinion and I don’t know who is right, but I think having options to race in different lanes is a good thing, especially with this car. I think that’s a good thing and I’m not sure that the PJ on the bottom really does that and, like I said, the other piece is how wide it is. Is it four feet wide or is it six feet wide? That seems to be a pretty big difference on how dominant the bottom lane is, which is pretty wide out there. You see a whole car is in the PJ, so it’s definitely spread pretty wide right now.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK TYLER REDDICK IS GOING THROUGH AND ARE YOU AWARE OF HIS SITUATION WHEN YOU’RE ON THE TRACK AND WHO HE MIGHT WORK WITH? “I think with Tyler it’s kind of obvious as far as who he is helping or not. He pushed Austin to a win in Daytona, so he was a great teammate there. I’m also very aware of where he’s going next and he’s got more teammates than anybody out there right now, so he’s in a unique situation for sure. I don’t know. He’s got to make his own decisions out there on what to do, but I’m sure it’s a little awkward for him. Who knows, I guess it will be awkward for next year too. I don’t know how that is all supposed to work, but, like I said, I’ve got to focus on my own stuff this weekend. We’ve got to get our 22 car through, but it’s definitely some interesting silly season type stuff going on out there.”

DOES STRATEGY CHANGE FOR THE GUYS IN THE PLAYOFFS KNOWING THAT THERE MIGHT BE BETTER CHANCES FOR NON-PLAYOFF GUYS TO WIN? “It definitely is. Imagine if the playoffs started a couple weeks later. Holy cow. What a crazy year, which is what we expected. We expected this year to just be very unpredictable and no one really being able to figure this car out, and it really seems like there are still so many questions and as we come to Bristol for the first time on concrete there is a lot of questions again, so can there be another first time winner? Absolutely. There are a couple drivers that are expected to win every year that haven’t won yet, so you’ve got to think that they’re probably gonna bust off a win at some point, but you just don’t know. I don’t know if it changes the way you go through the playoffs. You’re still focused in on just maximizing the day. If that’s a win or if that’s a fifth, you just have to get the most points you can possibly get and I don’t think that changes from year to year.”

HAS THE NEW CAR MADE IT HARDER TO PEAK LIKE GUYS NORMALLY USED TO DO THE LAST 10 RACES? “There are only certain areas you can develop and it’s not really many parts on the race car, so it’s smaller and it comes down to setups. We’re all playing with the same deck of cards when we start and it’s just how you play that hand. It varies from track to track and especially coming to Bristol for the first time someone can hit it that’s not really expected to. It’s hard to have just a clear advantage going in to where you can miss your setup a little bit and still be pretty good. That’s how it’s been in the past. If someone just has better cars, more capability in their car, they can miss the setup and still run fifth to 10th. Now, if you miss your setup, you’re probably running 15th to 20th, which it’s just a lot different now and because of that you have different winners because there are more capable cars out there and no one has a clear advantage in a lot of different ways. There are some tracks that certain manufacturers may have advantages over others, but it’s not huge like it used to be. There are teams that might have a little bit of an advantage here and there because they figured something out for a little bit. It just keeps changing. Everyone is trying to figure out not only the setups, but where is the low hanging fruit on this car when you’re developing it at the wind tunnel and those type of things. What can and can’t you do. The rules change as it goes along too here, so it definitely, like I said this before, you used to have teams that were strong for three to four months at a time. Now, it’s three to four weeks at a time, so it seems like that cycle just happens a lot quicker now.”

WAS KANSAS AN EXAMPLE OF THAT FOR YOU? “I think so. Yeah. Exactly, especially there because that’s one of those racetracks where a fast car goes fast. It’s really hard to make up for not having a fast car at a track like that.”

YOUR NEXT WIN WILL BE NO. 30. DID YOU THINK YOU WOULD HAVE THAT MANY AT THIS POINT IN YOUR CAREER? “It depends on when you asked me that. My rookie year, I would say I’d have a lot more. By the end of my rookie year I was just hoping I’d have a job. It has changed. You asked me when I first started at Penske that we’d win a championship four or five years later, I probably didn’t see that coming at the time and now I look at it and go, ‘Man, there was a lot of missed opportunities out there.’ There have been some great wins in those 500 starts. There has been a Daytona 500. There have been championships. The Dirt Race here. There have been some cool moments that don’t count as those 29 wins – the Clash and those type of things – but when you hear it like 29 out of 500, it’s kind of like I want a lot more than that. But when you look at the all-time win list, you’re kind of in contention with a lot of others that have been great in this sport. It’s just hard to win. It’s hard to stack up five or six wins every single year. Not many have done it, so it’s just a tough sport. It’s tough to have multiple wins in a season more than two or three every year. It’s really tough to get that many. You’ve got to have a really strong team to accomplish that.”

HOW MUCH WILL THE ALL-STAR RACE AT TEXAS HELP YOU WHEN YOU GO BACK THERE NEXT WEEK? “Better than not at all, but it’s gonna be the same for everyone. Everyone had the opportunity to go to Texas. Also, things have changed since we’ve been there as the car has developed and changed all those things. It’s gonna be different than where we were last time. Weather will be different. Resin and how it’s applied – those type of things – will be different. Indy Car has raced there since we’ve been there, so there is a lot of change that can happen, but this next round is a pretty tough one. When you think of Texas being maybe the most normal race and then you have the Roval and Talladega on top of that, it’s definitely gonna be a unique round for sure as it always has been.”

DO YOU THINK WE’LL SEE A BETTER RACE AT TEXAS AS OPPOSED TO AN ALL-STAR RACE THIS TIME AROUND? “Maybe. Like I said, a lot depends on the track temperature it seems like a lot of times and what kind of fall off is in the car. Is the bottom lane worked on in one and two to where you can go down there and make passes or not? That will be one of the trickier things to kind of see when we get there. I can’t call the future on that one. I’m not sure.”

THERE IS ALWAYS SO MUCH BUILDUP FOR THIS RACE. IS THIS A DRAMA-FILLED RACE OR WILL IT BE MORE CONSERVATIVE? “What are people expecting? You look at Bristol the last few years it has been wild finishes and there is a lot on the line and there’s a lot of points and things like that where drivers have to be pretty smart, but I think maybe the expectations for Bristol is different than other racetracks. I think Bristol has the most entertaining racing of any track we go to, period. I don’t think there’s a track better than this one, but I also think everyone’s expectations are unrealistic of what things you can possibly get out of it. Whether it’s dirt or concrete, it’s been pretty intense lately and the end of the races have ended in fireworks in a lot of them. So, I don’t know what you would be expecting anything different than that. It’s been great.”

IS IT DUE TO THE BUILDUP? “Yeah, I think it might be unrealistic or people were expecting something different, but this is the best racetrack we come to.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY
BASS PRO SHOPS NIGHT RACE
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
SEPTEMBER 16, 2022

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Bristol Motor Speedway. Press Conference Transcript:

LAST WEEK WAS YOUR FIRST TOP-10 FINISH SINCE NEW HAMPSHIRE. IT SEEMED LIKE THINGS HAD – NOT TAKEN A NOSE DIVE – BUT KIND OF TAILED OFF IN AUGUST AFTER THE POCONO RACE. WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE GETTING IN THE TOP-10 TO AND HOW DO YOU FEEL THE PACE OF YOUR TEAM IS NOW COMPARED TO WHERE YOU WERE AT THE END OF THE REGULAR SEASON?

“I feel like the pace has not left us. There’s been a lot of mistakes on my part; and then just stuff that’s going to happen in racing, just all kind of piled on for two months in a row there. But the pace never left.. I never questioned that. It was just a matter of me not messing; not speeding on pit road, debris in the drive pin holes at Darlington, or just crashing. It’s just eliminating that.”

YOU CERTAINLY HAD IDEAS IN YOUR HEAD OF WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO BE IN THE PLAYOFFS BEFORE YOU GOT INTO THE PLAYOFFS. NOW, YOU’RE TWO RACES DEEP. DOES ANYTHING SURPRISE YOU ABOUT THE INTENSITY, FEELINGS OR DIFFERENT THINGS THAT YOU’VE GONE THROUGH DURING THESE FIRST TWO RACES?

“A lot of surprises.. and I won’t sit up here and tell you that it feels like the rest of the season because it doesn’t. It’s different. I know that small mistakes can lead to ending our chance to run for a championship. So these races – three at a time, three rounds each – do mean more. I’m not immune to that.

But leaving Daytona and the Monday morning before Darlington, I was amazed about how normal it felt. I thought ‘well it’s going to come later in the week’.. and Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, all felt so normal. Race day morning, that was tough. I stayed down in Florence at a hotel. The drive over to the track, I just had a lot of nerves. Once I got into the rhythm of coming and doing stuff like this, meeting with sponsors, team meeting, dinner.. then it’s normal. These races are later in the day, so I’m curious to see how tomorrow feels. But the morning of Darlington, all the way until I got in the hauler and started my normal race day routine of meetings and appearances, it felt different. Looking back on it, it’s cool. But in the moment, it doesn’t feel good.”

DID YOU FEEL LIKE GOING INTO THE PLAYOFFS, YOU COULD HANDLE IT LIKE ‘HEY, IT’S JUST ANOTHER RACE’ AND YOU FOUND OUT YOU COULDN’T? DID YOU FEEL LIKE GOING INTO IT, YOU KNEW IT WAS GOING TO BE DIFFERENT?

“I feel like once we got into the rhythm of Darlington and Kansas, we handled it. We did everything that we needed to do. You can look back and see things that could be done better, but we’re all experiencing this for the first time. Myself, my crew chief Phil Surgen and my spotter Brandon McReynolds – even just us three have never been in this position in our current roles. I expected the week leading up to it, the days leading up to the race, to be harder to get through. But they were actually more normal than I anticipated and I kind of calibrated to that. And then race day was like a flood of emotions.

At the end of the day, I’m right where I’ve always wanted to be and realizing that, it’s all kind of hit me on each race day. It’s really cool and I’m trying to experience all of this as much as I can, but it’s also scary at the same time.”

WITH THIS BEING BRISTOL, A SHORT TRACK AND THE FIRST CUT-OFF RACE OF THE PLAYOFFS; I’M WONDERING IF YOU’RE GOING TO ASK YOUR TEAM TO KEEP YOU MORE AWARE OF OTHER DRIVERS AROUND YOU TOMORROW NIGHT IN CASE THERE IS ANY FALLOUT FROM INCIDENTS FROM EARLIER THIS YEAR?

“If there is any fallout, I’ll be the first to know. They aren’t going to be able to tell me before it happens.”

IF YOU HAVE SOMEBODY BEHIND YOU THOUGH, ARE YOU GOING TO WANT TO BE AWARE OF THAT?

“I’m aware of everything going on around the No. 1 car at all times.. especially with these new rearview cameras. I tell Brandon McReynolds all the time; spotter union up there better put a petition to get these things out of here because they’re nice and you can see everything.

Yeah, I’m aware. We’ve went through all of the points situations of finishing positions through each stage. So we re-evaluate through each stage, but it doesn’t even need to be said. I have a good enough working knowledge, I feel like. If a caution comes out for a stage break, we’ll see who got points and I’m going to know a ballpark of how it’s updating. I don’t need a read-out every stage.”

YOU HAVE FIVE STARTS AT BRISTOL WITH ONE TOP-15 FINISH AND AN AVERAGE FINISH OF 26. 800. HOWEVER, WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR, YOU CAN KIND OF THROW SOME OF THE STATS OUT THE WINDOW BECAUSE A LOT OF THE TEAMS DON’T KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT HERE. WE MIGHT SEE SOMEBODY WHO WE NEVER EXPECTED TO FINISH WELL, FINISH WELL. DO YOU WIPE THAT OUT OF YOUR MIND? WHAT DO YOU EXPECT OF THE CAR HERE?

“When I look back on my Cup races here.. this is a good example. With Premium Motorsports for most of those races, aside from last year with the No. 42, my goal was to finish a single digit number of laps down. So that’s nine laps down to the leader or less. That was the challenge, that was the goal; to keep it at nine or less. Don’t be double digits. The things I learned through those races are invaluable. I can never learn that in a fast car.. how to get lapped nine times, eight times, whatever. That’s hard to do. I wouldn’t trade those days, but also I’m in a totally different space now. So transitioning that has been hard.. you all have witnessed that first-hand, my transition from slow cars in the Cup Series to fast cars and you’ve seen my mistakes along the way. I take all of those past races, even though the finishes don’t show. There were times where I crashed on lap one because I was too close to the field and I piled into a wreck when someone turned off of (turn) four. And then there’s other times where I did the right thing, stayed back and I finished the race.

Finishes aside, a lot of times 29th was a win. That was our goal.. or 25th. You run 25th in the No. 15 car back then and you’ve done your job. I know a lot of people look at averages and my average now will always be skewed with those early years. Whether at the end of my career I go back to a car like that, I don’t know. But for right now, I’m going to keep upping my average to where it’s supposed to be. But it will always be skewed because of those. I wouldn’t trade that for the world.”

HOW LONG DO YOU THINK WILL IT TAKE FOR YOU TO GET THE FEEL OF THE NEXT GEN CAR ON THIS TRACK?

“I hope I can assess it faster than some people can turn off music on their phones (laughs).

Yeah, practice is going to be wild. Looking at what the wheel force cars did; all three manufacturers spun out and all three blew tires separate of each other. Separate of the tire blow outs to the spins, from what I was told.

I’m not going to be upset if we’re not the fastest because we’re probably not on the ragged edge of air pressure and tires blowing. We need solid runs.

And then driving with these shocks and the way they bottom out; you’re just spinning out kind of every practice. I could see that happening here. It’s going to be an experience. We haven’t run here on the concrete configuration in a year, so it really feels like to me – the unknowns of it – feel like the races early in the year when we went to each track for the first time. This is the first time with the new car coming to Bristol. You can’t count the dirt experience; it’s just going to drive so different.”

AT 26-POINTS ABOVE THE CUTLINE, DO YOU PLAY THIS A LITTLE BIT CONSERVATIVE BECAUSE OF THE UNKNOWNS?

“Yeah, I think of course. You never want to crash in practice, especially this year with this car. You don’t want to crash. I think that the simple answer is yes.. but I still want to go fast. I know I say I don’t want to be the fastest in practice, but I do. I want to be the fastest. I want to qualify on the pole and I want to lead 500 laps.

There are going to be certain situations where it’s going to be in my best interest to not insert myself.”

WE OFTEN HEAR THAT THIS IS THE TIME OF THE YEAR WHERE TEAMS STEP IT UP. BUT WHEN A NON-PLAYOFF DRIVER WON AT DARLINGTON, IT DOESN’T SEEM LIKE WE’VE SEEN AS MUCH DOMINANCE FROM THE PLAYOFF TEAMS THAT WE HAVE IN PAST YEARS. WHAT’S YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THAT?

“It’s different. This car has reset that whole thing. Like you can’t bring different headers here. You can’t bring a new aero-package. You’re trying to maximize everything, but we all have the same parts. You can’t build a new right-front spindle and save it for the playoffs. You can’t bring different brake pads that they’ve found in testing to be better and bring them now. There’s nothing else to bring. We all order the same stuff.

This has been the greatest reset that this sport has ever seen.. ever. From the very first race, you could build a better car. Now, you can only assemble a better car. We all build off the same control arms, chassis, body panels. We all scan them in our hawkeyes. We bring them here and try not to let the sun hit them. We get them through tech and then we race them. They are so equal and it’s been the greatest reset.

Really, there’s geometry and setups. But you’re just moving stuff around on the car, you can’t bring different materials because we all buy the same stuff.”

A LOT OF PEOPLE POINT TO BRISTOL OR MARTINSVILLE WHERE YOU MIGHT SEE PAYBACKS. ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CURRENT POINTS SITUATION AND ONLY (CHRISTOPHER) BELL HAVING LOCKED INTO THE NEXT ROUND; WILL GUYS BE ON SO MANY DIFFERENT AGENDAS TOMORROW NIGHT THAT IT SORT OF LESSENS THE POTENTIAL FOR GUYS WORRYING ABOUT PAYBACK?

“I can’t speak for what other people are thinking. I just know that I hit the wall nice and hard at Pocono, so I don’t think track or speed matters.”

WHAT WAS YOUR PERSPECTIVE OF THE THING THAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK WITH BUBBA (WALLACE) AND (KEVIN) HARVICK, WHEN HARVICK ENDED UP HITTING THE WALL?

“Yeah, I got tight under Bubba (Wallace). We were super close to each other; didn’t lift in time, didn’t leave him enough room, forced him into the wall. We got off of each other right before he hit the wall, but it was still my fault.

I think on that part, Harvick, no.. I think that’s the air of these cars. I felt bad and I apologized on the radio. But when I watched it, I can’t control the cars behind us. But I feel terrible that happened. He’s one of my heroes.. I don’t want an action in the middle of (turns) three and four to cause a wreck on the exit. I could have given him more room, especially looking back at lap 30-something, for sure.”

WHEN SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPENS.. YOU DIDIN’T HAVE ANY CONTACT WITH HARVICK, BUT OF COURSE EVERYBODY DOESN’T GIVE YOU THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT AT THIS POINT, SO YOU GET BLAMED FOR IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA. DO YOU PAY ATTENTION TO THAT?

“I do know. I do hear it and I do get it sent to me. But it does not bother me that a tweet will go out from somebody and it names Harvick and me and leaves Bubba out. It’s like, why.. why does it have to be skewed that way. But it doesn’t bother me. I just see it and I understand how that person views it. And that’s what’s so great about social media.. it’s that everybody’s opinions are instantly out there. Whether somebody has zero followers or 300,000 followers, it does not matter. Their tweet is going to go out and people can take it for how it is. All it takes is a free download of an app and it’s out there.

It doesn’t bother me, it’s just good to know. It’s good to have your head to the ground. As we all co-exist through this sport, it’s good to know where people stand and how they view things. A lot of times social media can tell you a lot about a person. I know a lot of people call it a highlight real. You can tell a lot about somebody with how they talk and the characters they use on there.”

EXPLAIN WHAT FACTORS GO INTO WHETHER YOU SHIFT AT A PLACE LIKE BRISTOL OR NOT; AND IF SO, IS THAT DIFFICULT?

“Super difficult. I tried it this week in the simulator. It’s possible, I think. I don’t think it’s going to be necessary, but I also didn’t think it would be necessary at Martinsville and it was every lap. I didn’t think it would be like it was at the Clash and it was. I don’t know that we slow down quite enough, but we’re not expecting a ton of tire falloff. But if it does slow down enough, I could see late in a run if we still have good forward drive, start trying it. Guys were doing it at Kansas that were really tight. It’s wild.. I never even thought about it at Kansas, but some guys are a little more openminded to that than me. I’m usually a little late to the game. They have to tell me they’re doing it and then I have to work up my confidence.”

DOES SHIFTING HELP WITH SPEED OR HANDLING?

“Yes… (laughs). It’s going to help the handling, which is going to help the speed. I don’t know how exactly, but it does. I don’t understand these transaxles yet enough to know.”

GOING BACK TO BEING CONSERVATIVE; THAT GIVES ME THE SENSE THAT EVEN AT 26-POINTS ABOVE THE CUTLINE, THERE’S NO FEEL OF BEING SAFE OR COMFORTABLE WITH THAT ADVANTAGE.

“No, it’s the Cup Series. These are the best driver and teams in the world. We all know the math and we know the points that need to be acquired. We just have to go race. I can’t ride around; I just have to go race. You can gain and lose points quick, for sure. Stuff happens so fast here that it can change in lap of the 500.”

DARLINGTON AND KANSAS – MULTIPLE PLAYOFF DRIVERS HAD PROBLEMS. IS THERE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE THAT BRISTOL COULD NOT BE JUST AS WILD TOMORROW NIGHT?

“No, there’s no reason to think it wouldn’t be. It’s on this spot on the schedule for a reason.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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NASCAR CHAMPION KYLE LARSON AND HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS INK NEW CONTRACT THROUGH 2026
HENDRICKCARS.COM EXTENDS 35-RACE MAJORITY SPONSORSHIP WITH MATCHING TERM

CONCORD, N.C. (Sept. 16, 2022) – Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson and sponsor HendrickCars.com have extended their relationships with Hendrick Motorsports after agreeing to concurrent contracts that run through the 2026 racing season.

The matching pacts represent three-year extensions for both the driver and sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, building on agreements that were announced in July 2021. HendrickCars.com will remain the team’s 35-race majority partner and continue its support of Larson in all non-NASCAR events in which he competes.

HendrickCars.com is the online home for everything Hendrick Automotive Group. Visitors can shop thousands of new or pre-owned vehicles, locate centers for service and collision repair, receive a value to sell or trade their car, chat online with customer service, discover career opportunities, learn more about vehicle protection programs, and explore how the company gives back to the community.

“When Kyle joined our team, the expectations were sky high from both inside and outside the organization. To say he’s exceeded them would be an understatement,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman and CEO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “Not only has Kyle proven himself as a champion driver, he’s performed at a championship level outside of the race car. We’re proud to continue our relationship and to see him represent our team and our brands in such positive ways. The years to come are very bright.”

In his first year with Hendrick Motorsports in 2021, Larson delivered one of the most memorable performances in NASCAR history, winning 10 points-paying races that included a walk-off victory in the season finale to clinch his first Cup Series championship. The 30-year-old native of Elk Grove, California, has turned in another stellar effort thus far in 2022 with two victories and his second consecutive playoff appearance with crew chief Cliff Daniels. Larson is also a prolific dirt racer who competes in a range of cars and series outside of NASCAR.

Off the track, Larson is engaged in a variety of community initiatives and launched the non-profit Kyle Larson Foundation in March 2021. He has raised thousands of dollars to provide support to hands-on charitable organizations that benefit today’s youth, families and communities in need.

“I can’t explain how much this opportunity means,” Larson said. “The chance to compete for the top team and best sponsors in racing is something every driver dreams about. I’m humbled to have incredible people in my corner and amazing support from so many fans. Thanks to everyone at Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group for believing in me, Cliff and our team. Even though we’ve done some great things so far, I truly believe our best is ahead of us.”

Highlighted by a year-over-year increase in organic traffic for HendrickCars.com and double-digit increases in conversions, vehicle leads, online customer interactions, trade evaluations, and employment applications, Hendrick Automotive Group has measured a three-to-one return on its marketing investment in NASCAR. Each of the website’s highest-traffic days of 2022 have been associated with NASCAR-related initiatives. The company has also utilized Larson as a spokesperson for its corporate social responsibility programs, including $100,000 in contributions to high-school STEM programs in Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina this year.

“Our partnership with Hendrick Motorsports continues to deliver impactful results for our company,” said Gary Davis, executive vice president and COO of Hendrick Automotive Group. “It’s a key part of our efforts to establish HendrickCars.com as a national brand while delivering business opportunities for our dealership locations throughout the country. We’ve been able to recruit talented people to the organization, support our teammates with unique incentive and engagement programs, amplify our community support programs and expose the NASCAR fan to our dealership locations nationwide. We followed the data, and the decision to extend our relationship with Hendrick Motorsports was easy to make.”

Hendrick Automotive Group has committed to numerous successful marketing efforts in auto racing. In addition to Larson, HendrickCars.com is the primary sponsor of five-time NHRA champion Greg Anderson and has supported motor sports at the grassroots level.

ABOUT HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP:
Representing 131 franchises and 25 manufacturer nameplates from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company employs more than 10,000 people in its 94 dealership locations, 21 collision centers, and four accessories distributor installers in 13 states. For more information, please visit HendrickCars.com.

ABOUT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS:
Founded by Rick Hendrick in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports is the winningest team in NASCAR Cup Series history. At the sport’s premier level, the organization holds the all-time records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), points-paying race victories (289) and laps led (more than 76,000). It has earned at least one race win in a record 38 different seasons, including an active streak of 37 in a row (1986-2022). The team fields four full-time Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 entries in the NASCAR Cup Series with drivers Alex Bowman, William Byron, Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson. Headquartered on more than 100 acres in Concord, North Carolina, Hendrick Motorsports employs approximately 600 people. For more information, please visit HendrickMotorsports.com or interact on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Richard Childress Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 181 NASCAR Cup Series starts on the pavement at Bristol Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has scored nine wins, seven by Dale Earnhardt (both races in 1985 and 1987, plus victories in 1988, 1994 and 1999) plus Kevin Harvick (2005) and Jeff Burton (2008). The organization has also racked up 35 top-five and 71 top-10 finishes.

Back in the Playoffs … Richard Childress Racing enters Bristol Motor Speedway with three victories in NASCAR’s elite NASCAR Cup Series during the 2022 season. The Welcome, N.C., based company has two entries in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs for the first time since 2017 (Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman).

NASCAR Xfinity Series Stats at Bristol Motor Speedway … RCR has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series victories at Bristol led by four wins by Kevin Harvick (2000, 2001, 2003 and 2005). Other drivers who have posted Bristol wins for the Welcome, N.C., based organization include Jeff Green (2002), Clint Bowyer (2008), Elliott Sadler (2012), Austin Dillon (2016) and Tyler Reddick (2019). The team has racked up 37 top-five and 62 top-10 finishes at the Tennessee short track.

Introducing the Carolina Cowboys … Driven by the same passion for performance that guides his race team, Richard Childress’ latest endeavor brings Professional Bull Riding to the Carolinas. The Carolina Cowboys represent Winston-Salem, North Carolina, in the PBR Team Series, an elite new league featuring the world’s top bull riders in games that began in July 2022. The team is operated by Richard Childress Racing with 2018 Daytona 500 Champion Austin Dillon serving as General Manager.

Catch the Action … The NASCAR Xfinity Series Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live Friday, September 16, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Follow Sunday’s Action at Bristol … The NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, September 17 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops / TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway … In 17 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Dillon has one top-five and three top-10 finishes, including a career-best fourth-place finish in August 2016. The 2013 NASCAR Xfinity Series Champion has nine NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the half-mile track with a win in 2016. He has also made three NASCAR Truck Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway. This weekend’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race is the cutoff race for the Round of 16 in the NASCAR Playoffs, and Dillon enters the race below the cutoff line in 14th, just two points shy of advancing to the Round of 12.

Winner, Winner … Dillon has won at Bristol Motor Speedway on both the paved and dirt configurations. In addition to winning a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the Tennessee track in August 2016 (paved), Dillon was among the first drivers to compete on the track’s dirt surface in 2021. He won two features and a heat race in dominating fashion in a 604 Crate Late Model for Corey Hedgecock Racing.

TRACKER Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit http://www.basspro.com/.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on Bristol Motor Speedway?

“Anything can happen at Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s a short track and you can get caught up in things fast. Our goal as a team is to be consistent and to try and win and advance into the next round of the NASCAR Playoffs.”

You’re below the cutline, but within striking distance. Do you feel like you can battle your way into the next round?

“Yeah, for sure. Bristol is going to be wild and anything can happen. We’ve given ourselves a good shot. Nobody knows what to expect when we get there, but it’s a long race. If you’re there at the end of the day, you’ve got a good shot to make it.”

This Week’s Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Bristol Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his fourth NASCAR Cup Series start on pavement at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday evening. His best finish at the .533-mile speedway is fourth-place in 2020. Reddick had five NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and Bristol, grabbing a win in 2019 and racking up four top-10 finishes. He claimed one top-10 finish and won one pole position in two Truck Series starts at Bristol. The driver of the Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen Chevrolet scored a second-place finish earlier this season on dirt at Bristol, one of nine top-fives he has racked up during the 2022 season.

NASCAR Playoff Outlook … Last weekend at Kansas Speedway, Reddick won his second pole position this season, third of his Cup Series career and first on an oval. He enters the Round 1 cutoff race at Bristol 11th in the Playoff standings, two points above the cutline.

The Flying Croissants Are Back! … Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the primary for Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Chevrolet this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway.

About Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen … Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen is the homestyle casual dining restaurant where guests always Get a lot. For not a lot™. The restaurant offers a variety of scratch-made meals and generous portions served up in a warm, welcoming atmosphere – all at an unbelievable price. After being welcomed with a signature Honey Butter Croissant on the house, guests can enjoy signature entrées like hand-breaded Chicken Tenders, Homemade Chicken Pot Pie and Fall-off-the-Plate Baby Back Ribs. Cheddar’s operates more than 170 restaurants in 28 states and employs more than 15,000 friendly and passionate team members. For more information or to locate the nearest restaurant, visit Cheddars.com. Fans can like or follow Cheddar’s on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

When Tyler Wins, You Win Tenders! … When Reddick crosses the finish line first in the Cup Series and grabs the checkered flag, all NASCAR fans will win a FREE No. 8 Special Chicken Tender Platter at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen the Monday following the race with the purchase of an adult entree. Offer is valid for dine-in only. See cheddars.com/offer/race-day for full details.

Infield Takeover with Tyler at Bristol! … Tyler Reddick will be participating in an infield takeover on Friday afternoon, September 16, at Bristol Motor Speedway from 2-3 p.m. ET, so don’t be surprised if Reddick visits your campsite.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:

This will be the first time the Next Gen car will be on the concrete surface at Bristol. What are your thoughts entering this weekend?

“Every race in this round is very important for us. We have some really good tracks in this playoff run. Bristol has always been a good track but it is a bit of an unknown with this car. When I look at the trend of this car at the smaller tracks, you know, Bristol has always been an exciting place but I am certainly concerned with what the racing will look like. It may not be as crazy as some expect. There’s a lot of grip, we don’t have to peddle the car at all. We were actually working on Bristol a little bit on Saturday at Kansas. At first I was surprised, like wow, this is a lot of grip. It feels like you’re off the gas pedal as much as you would be on a mile-and-a-half. I think the speeds are going to be high enough there that I just don’t think someone is going to be able to move someone out of the way there. You’re pretty much going to have to go in there and hope you hit the guy because if you don’t, you’re going to go flying up into the wall and crash. It could be chaotic and if things stack up you could have some action but I don’t think it’s going to be the type of race where people are moving each other out the way because I don’t think you’re going to be able to get there.”

This Week’s Whelen Engineering Chevrolet Camaro SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Sheldon Creed will head to Bristol Motor Speedway for the first time in his NASCAR Xfinity Series career. Creed has made three starts at the track during his time in the NASCAR Truck Series. In those three starts, he tallied a best finish of sixth in 2019 and in 2021, he started from the pole. He led 189 laps in 2021, too.

Playoff Goals … This weekend marks the last race before the start of the Playoffs, which means this is Creed’s last chance to make it into the 12-driver post-season field. He is in a close battle with Landon Cassill and Ryan Sieg. Creed is currently 32 points below the cutline, in 13th. His only way to make the Playoff field is with a win.

Whelen Celebrates 70 Years … From a small garage workshop in Connecticut in 1952 to a worldwide leader in emergency warning equipment today, Whelen Engineering continues to push the boundaries of innovation. As we mark our 70th anniversary, we’re proud to continue our founder’s mission of making it safer for those who serve and protect. Whelen has been manufacturing in America for 70 years—we never left, and we’re here to stay.

About Whelen … Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

SHELDON CREED QUOTE:

You are in a close battle for the final Playoff position. Does that change your approach to the race?

“I mean, points racing is never fun. We’re just going to go out there and do our best, like this team always does. We’re going to show up with the best Whelen Chevrolet we can and treat it like we’re going to the Championship 4. We just need be on our A game and stay focused on the ultimate goal at Bristol, winning. We need to go out and practice well and qualify in a good spot to get max stage points and give ourselves a shot to win at the end. I’ve been doing a lot of research with my team, working hard on strategy and preparation for the race. We were looking at where Myatt Snider ran last year at Bristol and previous years with RCR because they’ve been pretty decent there. I’ve been doing my homework with Josh Wise this week, working in the simulator and I’m going to give it everything I’ve got this weekend.”

This Week’s Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at Bristol Motor Speedway … Austin Hill will make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night in the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet. Hill has made six starts at the Tennessee track during his time in the NASCAR Truck Series. In those six starts, he has a best finish of 10th from 2019. Hill is currently locked into the Playoffs, which start next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway for the Xfinity Series. With his two wins, nine top fives and 15 top-10 finishes, Hill is currently sixth in the Playoff standings.

About Bennett Family of Companies … McDonough, Ga.-based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 12 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. The company will use race experiences to recruit and retain hundreds of truck drivers for their organization in 2022. For more information, visit www.Drive4Bennett.com.

National Truck Driver Appreciation Week … This week is an important time to pay respect and thank all the professional truck drivers for their hard work and commitment in undertaking one of our economy’s most demanding jobs. They ensure that things are delivered securely, safely and on time. Bennett and RCR thank all truck drivers and honor them this week. Check out the No. 21 Bennett Transportation & Logistics Chevrolet this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway with a special message to truck drivers.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

You’re making your debut at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend in the Xfinity Series. Are you looking forward to the race and will you race differently knowing there are guys battling for the final Playoff spot?

“Well, I wouldn’t say that I’d race any different. We’re still out there competing for points and wins, just like everyone else, but I’m not going to wreck anyone or try to get myself in a position around those guys battling for that spot. I want to be there to help my teammate, Sheldon Creed, because he’s one of those guys. Obviously, we want him in the Playoffs, competing with us so if I can help him out, I will. Other than that, I’m focused on practicing well and getting a good starting position. Since I’ve never been to Bristol in an Xfinity car and the track is so unique. It’s definitely going to be a wild race and our team is ready. We’ve been studying and working hard in the simulator so I’m looking forward to it.”