Toyota Racing – Kyle Busch
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

MADISON, Ill. (June 3, 2022) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch was made available to media prior to the World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway race this Friday:

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Snickers Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

What can you use from your past history here?

“Your visuals and your frame of reference I feel like – the inside white line and the curbing. That doesn’t seem like it has changed much, so obviously being able to remember some of that once you get out there but besides the that, the way the cars drive, the way the cars are is irrelevant, not even close to the same as those 2005, 2006 and 2009 Xfinity cars were when I ran here – I think those are the three years I ran here – I don’t know that it is going to be similar.”

Do you remember those races well?

“I remember winning in ’09, but ’05 and ’06, I do not remember.”

What should be done with the All-Star race?

“I don’t know – an off weekend. Seriously. I’ve won this year, so I don’t know if it’s how the calendar works or leap year but having an off week would be nice. This question was asked last week, and I said – we’ve done enough with the All-Star race in years past that now every race is now an All-Star race. Stages started in the All-Star race; double-wide restarts started in the All-Star race. Other things started in the All-Star race, so we now have that in our everyday racing on every single weekend. It’s not that it’s different, it’s just that you are racing for a million dollars in that one particular race, but honestly, I think second-place takes home what a regular Xfinity Series win is throughout the Xfinity season. It is quite a financial jump, yeah, so. I think I went too far there.”

What has been the biggest surprise and biggest frustration with the Next Gen car?

“I’ll start with the biggest frustration. I think passing, traffic. This car is worse in traffic than the previous car. I feel like all of the underbody stuff is not at all what we anticipated it to be. The cars drive fun. They are good. The pleasant part of it is that they drive good when they are by themselves, and they have full air. If what we were striving to do was to better with cars in traffic, we did not do that. That’s kind what I feel like has been the biggest struggle in myself and around my team is some of that, so what do you do to fix that? I don’t know. I think there is a Martinsville test in the next week or two and I’ve been highly politicking to take all of the underbody off and let us go make a couple of runs with that and see what we can figure out with that. It would also save the team owners a heck of a lot of money if we trashed those components and went on without them from here on it. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings.”

Have you noticed that the intermediates have become more competitive with the new car?

“There’s definitely been the good guys. The guys that are good can come through traffic better than the guys that are mediocre or the guys that aren’t very good can’t come through traffic. I guess when you are frustrated that you can’t come through traffic you need to get your stuff better, but you can’t really do that throughout a race. It’s hard to change enough on those cars to make a big enough difference in the event, while in the event. I guess to me, I won’t argue that fact. Unfortunately, we could’ve should’ve won Vegas, could’ve should’ve won Kansas. A Toyota car did win Kansas. We were fast up front at Charlotte and then when we spun again the underbody – we killed the underbody. The car was terrible the whole rest of the day all because of a spin. I don’t know that spinning while battling for the lead to stay in the lead to have a potential to win a stage. People would say, well, why don’t you just concede the position? Because there are stage points in 30 laps or so. It’s just a matter of trying hard and trying to drive the thing. Sometimes they step out from underneath you and you would like to not have to pay such a huge penalty.”

Would tires make more of a difference if they had more of a fall off at these short tracks?

“Yes, I believe that tires being the name of the game. That’s the first thing that touches the pavement – it’s very important. I’ve been slated to do the Martinsville test, so I hope that I can do my due diligence and do my job to help with that product and make that what it needs to be, but I also need help around me with the decision makers in our industry to listen to input and be able to utilize that to understand what will make a good race.”

What do you think about changes to Sonoma this season?

“This car is faster on the road courses, because it has more grip. It is a more central built racecar meaning that it’s not just built to go left. I don’t think the race will be any much longer unless (Will it be more competitive?). It should be. All of the cars are the same right? So, it should be more competitive. It’s just a matter of who runs over who – if we look like the local go kart track or we look like professionals. That will determine the race length.”

Toyota struggled at Phoenix; do you worry that is going to carry over to here?

“I don’t know. You can kind of compare Phoenix, Richmond, Loudon, Gateway – those all kind of fit in the same family. Loudon and Gateway I think for sure are really close. Phoenix, really close – just places that are harder to pass. Aero means more. Being out front, clean air, being at the bottom of the racetrack, line wrapping the curbs, all of that sort of – there is curbs here, rumble strips, whatever. Phoenix is kind of more open. With the aero deficiencies we discussed earlier, with Martinsville not being great, Phoenix not being great, am I looking forward to this weekend? Probably not. That’s the short answer. I do feel like we have learned more and hopefully enough about this car that we are better this weekend.”

With the Playoff point leaders being bunched together, does that make you focus more on getting those points?

“My answer to that or my mindset to that is you want to create some separation for yourself amongst the rest of your competitors. That betters you throughout the Playoffs. With everyone being so close together and keeping bunched up and with the season being as unpredictable, up and down for everybody, Playoffs could be that exact same way – where there are just way more unknowns. I think it was (Jeff) Gluck who asked a few weeks ago, who is your championship favorite right now? We are all like who knows? I feel like that you are still at that point to say the Gibbs guys have been fast at the mile-and-a-halves. I would say the TrackHouse guys have been fast about everywhere. The Phoenix style track we struggled. The Penske guys were a bit better. There was an SHR (Stewart-Haas Racing) car that won that race. Again, I don’t even know where to go, but certainly Playoff points are always on everybody’s minds. That was on my mind last week in the first stage trying to win that first stage to get that Playoff point knowing how important those are going to be when it comes time.”

Your brother, Kurt, is coming up to help with Brexton’s racing tonight. Is that helpful?

“No. (laughter). Too many cooks in the kitchen. You need one Chief and the rest Indians. Yes, I have one guy who does our program, and we race junior sprints, outlaw karts, quarter midgets, now I’m adding a micro to that. We’ve got a lot going on. I beat on Aaron a little bit just the fact that let’s get some stuff done – let’s get the cars built. They should be sitting there ready to go. He’s like ‘In what time?’ But my dad’s there. I really don’t know what my dad does (laughter). I think he creates more chaos than he helps, sometimes. He’s a little difficult as you can imagine (laughter). Do I need another guy? Yes. I need another guy, so if anyone is out there that is looking. I do need another guy. Now this job does not pay great, right? It is Brexton Busch that is paying you, so he doesn’t have a whole lot of income right now. He’s working on it, but we are working hard. Kurt (Busch) is coming which is great. A little bit of help from the uncle. He can about set air pressures, so I’ve just got to tell him what I want.”

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About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 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 43 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 the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

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.

Toyota Racing – Kurt Busch
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

MADISON, Ill. (June 3, 2022) – 23XI Racing driver Kurt Busch was made available to media prior to the World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway race this Friday:

KURT BUSCH, No. 45 Monster Energy Toyota Camry TRD, 23XI Racing

Can you talk about your preparation for this weekend?

“It’s exciting to go to a new market for our sport, for the Cup Series. Just the excitement here in the St. Louis area is very similar when we went to Road America. We had Nashville, again, it’s the newness and the fun of preparing for something different and then experiencing it. Our team at 23XI with the simulator with TRD and Toyota’s help. That’s been the best sequence and I’m happy that we have an hour of practice and a qualifying session tomorrow. We have like a normal – well the old normal – of a nice Friday, Saturday, Sunday sequence. For me, that’s the best rhythm to get into as a driver. Raced here 22 years ago in the Truck Series. It has been fun to tell that story. We were at Brexton’s (Busch, Kurt’s nephew) race last night over at the dirt track. Tons of fans coming up all excited about race weekend, so it was fun to circle around with everything. Yes, I do remember 22 years ago racing the trucks. I was leading with about 10 to go. We were trying to stretch the fuel and ran out of gas, but it is a fun racetrack to race on and I think it’s going to put on a good show on Sunday.”

What is like coming to a new market as a driver?

“I think NASCAR has done a good job. Ben Kennedy, Steve Phelps, the whole NASCAR team. We just didn’t arrive here by planning it a month ago – this has been years in the making with all of the different schedule changes and it’s exciting. With the tracks all being locked in, with the contract with the TV or whatever that was – with SMI, ISC, all of that has seemed to dissolve and we have all of these new opportunities. When it’s new, yeah, things are different but it’s fun and I like that. For me, driving rally cars, IndyCars, Pro Stock in the NHRA, I’ve always challenged myself with new things and different things, so this weekend as a veteran it’s terrible because for a certain degree it’s something new and something different.”

How important is it to have the racing governing bodies working together?

“I think all of the motorsport groups that are here have all – if this one is making a move, this one is helping. It’s now a collective effort. That’s what I feel like. It’s key. With the race fans like last night, they are there watching all of the different divisions. (Kyle) Larson is running the midgets. He’s running the late models. Brexton’s (Busch, Kurt’s nephew) running two divisions and I told my little brother (Kyle Busch) that he is understaffed so I’m going again tonight to try to help with Brexton’s cars. It’s fun. The fans love all different types of racing. A girl I met last night sitting on her golf cart said I’m not much of a dirt track person, I’m more of a drag racing person but we are going to race on Sunday too. That’s sort of the vibe, I think. Everything just feels new to this area just with Cup group showing up, but this is some of the best dirt track racing in the country. I heard the sequence is how high the corn grows, that means it is better for dirt racing. The corn grows really tall around her; that means the dirt was awesome last night, just watching it. The stickiness and how fun the dirt track was.”

How grateful are you going to be to get an off weekend here shortly?

“The off weekend after Sonoma is going to be very welcomed. Our team knows we have worked as hard as we have, but it is nice to have a reset to get ready for the second half of the year. The summer months leading into the Playoffs have those different style tracks within them. Those are things that will help us grow as a team. Also, as we get closer to the Playoffs, we need to prep for those tracks – just taking it in chunks. But yes, an off weekend will be nice just to get away and have everybody have their time with their family.”

Are you working closely with your teammates or the other Toyotas in the Cup Series?

“I think the easiest way to explain it is with the six cars there is two agendas, and you have three drivers doing it this way and three this way to help confirm and cover as much ground and then everybody can circle back around because it is not an impound. We can still change things after practice tonight. That’s my normal feel. I can change right front camber. I can change a right rear spring, whereas most of the races this year is impound. Whatever you show up with is what you have basically. It’s nice to get into extra detail today and for me it’s just getting out there and getting acquainted with the track and verifying shift points and seeing what the simulator has for comparability to real life.”

What should be done with the All-Star race?

“I raced in the All-Star race. I didn’t think it was not good. I did my best to try to win it and put on a good show. I don’t have a solution to your question right off the bat. There is different tracks and different atmospheres that you can throw at the All-Star race, whether it’s a short track, or a mile-and-a-half like we’ve been on. Daytona, restrictor plate style. There’re so many options, and maybe that is something we can look at. I don’t have an exact answer, but again, I think Bubba (Wallace) said it a week or so ago after the All-Star race, and that’s where the tracks and cities bid on it to build up the hype and make it a big event before you even show up.”

What are your feelings on Phoenix getting the championship race for another season?

“I think Phoenix is a great track. It’s a great market. NASCAR owns the track, and they own Homestead, where we were at for 20+ years. I think it is almost a bridge of the last question. The All-Star race is an important staple in the sport, just as the championship race is the most important and we can move it around and shake it up and take it to different places and have the cities bid on it and want to host it. Again, some of the northern tracks may be blocked out just due to weather. Who knows what TV is going to bring us on the next contract, where their markets will be important. There are a lot of factors involved. Just keeping it real and keeping it fun.”

Looking forward to Indianapolis, could these cars run better on the oval versus continuing on the road course?

“It’s tough to answer. I think the racing has shown really well in certain tracks, certain situations, whether it’s the short run or the long run speed that we still need to have more stability in because left rear tires are wearing out more aggressively than we thought. To me the quickest answer is watching the Indy 500 and racing in it a few years back, there is options for downforce that teams have in other forms of motorsport. In NASCAR, we’re basically boxed into this very small box of adjustments. Let the teams have more downforce that they can take out of the front or put in the front, in the rear or out of the rear. That would create a window for guys have this package and guys having that package at the same style track. That might open things up to who has short run speed versus long run speed in a different way or a different opportunity.”

Do you think taking off the diffuser can help with short track races?

“That bridges right off that last question. As aero and diffusers and front splitter and how the airflow works and how it looks in the wind tunnel with one car doesn’t necessarily act the same as two cars out on the track in real life conditions. Again, it’s a balance and learning and applying it the right way. I think this summer test session at Martinsville is where they are going to take the diffuser off to help see what it does for short track balance and then you have to execute a long run while you are doing that and it is tough to do when you only have the 10 cars or so that are there versus the 40 that start the race. You just have to keep piling up information – not necessarily looking or collecting data – let’s apply it and let’s go for it.”

Do you think this track is similar to Phoenix?

“This is as close as you will get to a Phoenix sequence in track style, so that is how we have prepped to show up here. This is an important race because of the Phoenix championship race on what data we can gather here. Weather is perfect. It’s like 85 this weekend and that’s probably what we will see in Phoenix for the finale. This is an important weekend for a championship style effort in November.”

Can you compare the different celebration styles for the different owners you have competed with?

“There’s the different rival points on how you get to those wins whether it’s building a team up like this year or Jack Roush and Roger Penske and their legendary heritage in motorsports and how they have had the Cup team there already and asked me to come in and just perform for wins. Where Toyota and Monster and this whole project with 23XI asked me to come in as a veteran and build the team up. I have strong emotions, I guess, of how each win happened or unfolded, but again there’s the respect. There’s the understand that this is their team and it’s not me. Each one has their own unique way of doing things. I remember celebrating with Jack Roush in Detroit at the company’s headquarters. I remember going to Nantucket with Roger Penske to his vacation house to have Michael Jordan send me back his rookie card that I had as an ongoing structure as how we were going to build the team. Those are all moments that I will remember forever and I’m very grateful for each of the teams that I have raced for to have opportunities to win. Just like with Barney Visser. We never won together, but there was always that family atmosphere and then with Stewart-Haas, with Gene (Haas) and Tony Stewart, there was different was that we put parties together and functions afterwards.”

Have you figured out what you are going to do with the Michael Jordan card?

“It’s in the safe, but I think with the Daytona 500 entry blank, the card and then something to symbolize the Kansas Speedway win in the Jordan Brand car, that will be how I think I will put the display together. I’ve got to get in my art frame mode and put it together.”

Would tires make more of a difference if they had more of a fall off at these short tracks?

“As far as the tire and short tracks, there is always that balance that drivers want as far as a tire that if you push it to hard you end up wearing it out and slipping sideways and struggling towards the end of the run. There’s a durability question and then there is the flat out – you want a tire that is able to grab each of the track’s asphalt the right way. Tire codes that might work at Phoenix might not be the best application for a Loudon or the best application for Richmond. I think Goodyear, NASCAR and the teams just have to continue to work together in a frame of mind to put on the best show possible, to have durability and to give the car the grip it needs, but also if you step over that line, the driver then has to pay the penalty.”

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About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 60 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 43 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 the more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, more than a quarter of the company’s 2021 North American sales were electrified.

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.

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Enjoy Illinois 300 | Friday, June 3, 2022

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing, met with media members prior to the first practice session at World Wide Technology Raceway Friday afternoon.

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Ford Mustang — WITH A NEW TRACK LIKE THIS, HOW MUCH DO YOU USE THE FORD SIMULATOR TO PREPARE? “Yeah, we use it ever week just to try to familiarize ourselves and help the guys with their sim stuff and try to develop and advance the simulator. So, yes, the answer to that is yes.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT ON A WEEK LIKE THIS COMING TO A NEW TRACK? “Well, it does really depend on the week. It is important from a development side more than I would tell you it is important from my side but without the driver feedback, it is hard to develop it correctly and properly with the pre and post and all the things you need to do. As you go forward it just becomes more important every year in my opinion as you get less track time. The more relevant it is, the better off you are going to be.”

THEY ARE SAYING THIS TRACK IS PHOENIX-ISH AND NEW HAMPSHIRE-ISH. ARE THERE THINGS THIS TRACK DOES THAT FITS YOUR STYLE? ARE YOU OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THIS TRACK BECAUSE OF THOSE THINGS? “It is obviously a flat race track and I think as you look at this particular car it is kind of a crap shoot every week until you have some notes and know what you fight and where you are good or bad. We were all good at Phoenix, so hopefully some of that carries over. I would consider this a much different race track than Phoenix, just because of turns 1 and 2 and how unique it is with possibly downshifting twice and all the things that could happen. So, the expectations and the things that happen and don’t happen, I would have told you that last week was going to be just a horrendous race after Texas. It wound up being pretty exciting. It is really hard to tell what is going to happen until you actually just get out there and go.”

WOULD YOU PREFER THAT YOU GUYS DIDN’T HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHIFT HERE? “No, I think it would be way worse if you didn’t shift. I think I ran my first race here in probably 1998 in the Truck Series. I remember shifting in the Busch Series car. That corner is so tight down there that you have to be able to have something to get it out because otherwise everyone just stomps the throttle and it doesn’t go anywhere because it isn’t turning any RPMs. I like less rules. The less rules the better. It is easier to interpret.”

WHAT SHOULD BE DONE WITH THE ALL-STAR RACE? “That is out of my pay grade. I can tell you we had a fantastic race last week. I think as you look at that, and you look at the Clash, you have some pretty good options. One is a quarter-mile in a football stadium and one is a mile-and-a-half long. We have had some great races as we have gone through the season and going to different venues and having different things happen. If it was mine, I would do things probably in a different way, but it is not mine, I just drive. It is like I tell my son, make a couple billion dollars and then you can buy it and decide what the schedule looks like. I think you have to respect that part of it. Other people’s decisions that are running businesses to what they think is appropriate. We have had a lot of good races this year, so you have options. You will know where it all stands when you get done with Phoenix and you have run at all the tracks.”

BASED ON WHAT YOU HAVE SEEN AT THE 1.5 MILE TRACKS THIS SEASON WITH THIS CAR, DO YOU THINK THAT IS ENOUGH TO CONSIDER GOING BACK TO THE OVAL AT INDIANAPOLIS? “It could be the greatest race on earth. What is the real ingredient that made Charlotte so much better than Texas? I don’t know. I don’t think anybody knows. You just have to do it. I think that would be the only way you would find out. It is kind of a stumper to try to figure out exactly what the ingredients are that make a good race or a bad race and what tracks are good and what tracks are bad. I wish somebody could tell me because I would have bet a million dollars last week that Charlotte was going to be horrendous. Then all of a sudden we are running up on a part of the race track that we haven’t run in five or six years. I have quit trying to guess what my car is going to drive like, what race is going to be good, what race is going to be bad, because there is no rhyme or reason to it. I think that is just because there are so many new variables that we all just don’t completely understand and it is kind of trial and error. I don’t know. I hate driving into the Brickyard and driving backward down the straightaway and driving the road course. I think it is terrible for our sport and almost degrading to a certain degree that you take the best racing series in the country and take it to what most would consider one of the greatest race tracks in the world but race on the road course.”

IT WAS ANNOUNCED THIS WEEK THAT PHOENIX WILL HOST THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE AGAIN IN 2023. YOU HAVE TALKED IN THE PAST ABOUT A WANT TO MOVE THAT RACE AROUND. DO YOU ACCEPT IT AT THIS POINT? “It is kind of like the All-Star race. There are so many variables and factors that go into it from a business standpoint and from a city standpoint. The crowds have shown up and wrapped their arms around it and they are good at hosting those types of events. There is way more that goes into it than just my opinion on what I would do if I was spitballing things to try to create something that was exciting. It is a much deeper mix of things that have to be decided from a business standpoint and there is a lot more that goes into it than what I would do just because it sounds fun. It is way more in-depth than that. I think the races have been good and the city hosting it has been great and the fans have shown up and that is what we want, we want people to show up and watch us race and that is the most important thing.”

YOU ARE 31 POINTS ABOVE THE PLAYOFF CUT-OFF RIGHT NOW. DO YOU LOOK AT STUFF LIKE THAT RIGHT NOW? DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO WIN? HAVE YOU STARTED TALKING ABOUT RACE STRATEGY IN TERMS OF POINTS? “Just tell me where I am at the end of 26. If we are in, we are in. If we are out, we are out. We are either good enough or not good enough. I have so much other stuff to think about to try helping with the cars and going to different places every week that you can’t really count points.”

DO YOU THINK THERE WILL BE ANY PLAYOFF SPOTS ON POINTS? “I don’t know. I will tell you in 11 weeks or 12 weeks, whatever it is.”

AFTER RUNNING THE CAROUSEL THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AT SONOMA THEY ARE GOING BACK TO THE SCHUTE THIS YEAR. WHICH DO YOU PREFER? “Yeah, the carousel just didn’t work very good for where our cars were in time. I ran the carousel back in 1995 in the southwest tour car and I don’t remember it being like it was the last couple years where the cars didn’t really go through well and it kind of took that Turn 4 to Turn 7 passing opportunities away and just kind of slowed the speed down. I don’t know. It just didn’t feel great with our car so I think it is a good move to go back where we were. I think that fits these cars better.”

ANY BIG PLANS FOR THE OFF-WEEKEND? HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR YOUR GUYS TO HAVE THAT TIME TO KIND OF REJUVENATE AFTER THE YEAR THEY HAVE HAD TRYING TO PUT THIS CAR TOGETHER? “Yeah, I think it is important. I think for us, having that early season off-week has really been missed this year because you didn’t have time to kind of get your thoughts together. I thought it would be great to have no off weekends but I would retract that statement quickly after not having that early-season off-weekend. I wish they would just shut the shops. I wish it would be mandatory doors locked all week, like F1 to make sure those guys don’t get overworked. I know a lot of them will take some time and hopefully take a week and kind of get rejuvenated and go from there.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY
ENJOY ILLINOIS 300
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
JUNE 3, 2022

KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice session at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway. Press Conference Transcript:

KYLE, YOU HAVEN’T RACED HERE HAVE YOU? YOU’VE RACED CLOSE BY, BUT NOT AT WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY RACEWAY. CAN YOU TELL US HOW YOU’VE PREPARED FOR THIS? ARE YOU EXCITED AND WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO?

“Yeah, I haven’t raced here. I’ve raced at Tri-City (Speedway), which is 15 minutes from here. Pevely (Federated Auto Parts Raceway at I-55), which is probably 35 minutes; and then at the Dome. So, I’ve raced all around it, but never here.

I’m excited. I haven’t had too much time at all to prepare. I hadn’t gotten to run any laps here to test or nothing on a simulator. So, we’ll get the hang of it hopefully quickly here later on today. I’m excited about the opportunity. I’ve always wanted to race here, so it’s nice that we have Cup weekend here now.”

DID YOU WANT TO DO THE SIM AND JUST COULDN’T GET IN; OR DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE JUST SO USED TO COMING TO TRACKS AND LEARNING THEM THAT YOU DIDN’T NEED TO?

“No – my schedule is just pretty busy and by the time I realized it was Gateway week, I realized I was racing every day this week. So, just didn’t have time. I wasn’t at home at all. But I think it will be fine. I go to more new race tracks than anybody does on our circuit, so I feel like I adapt pretty quickly. Usually we have a really good track record at tracks we go to the first time and hopefully this weekend is no different.”

WHAT IS THE KEY TO GETTING UP TO SPEED AT A NEW TRACK? CAN YOU GO ALL-OUT THE FIRST COUPLE OF LAPS? DO YOU HAVE TO WORK UP TO IT?

“Usually I think you work up to it just a little bit. All of us have a lot of experience in racing stock cars and going to new tracks that I feel like you’re kind of close to those limits even right off the bat and then you can find them pretty quickly. I don’t think you’re going to see anybody struggling or anybody way better than the next person. I think we’re all really good drivers and we will all figure it out quickly. I’ll definitely probably try and brake sooner than what I think is the potential and then kind of creep up to it.”

SHIFTING ON OVALS HAS OBVIOUSLY HAPPENED MORE THIS YEAR THAN EVER BEFORE. DRIVERS HAVE SAID IT MAKES IT HARDER TO PASS AND IT DOESN’T MAKE THE RACING GOOD ON OVALS. WHERE DO YOU STAND ON THAT? DOES IT MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT?

“Yes – I think it makes it tougher to pass because it keeps your pace up it seems. If the lap times start to slow down, you start downshifting to go faster. I think we’ve all learned that you need pace falloff to pass. Now with shifting, the pace doesn’t fall off quite as much, so it makes things a little tougher. These cars and the aerodynamics makes things a little tougher, as well.

We’ll see. I don’t know how this place will be this weekend. I definitely think it will be hard to pass, whether we would be shifting or not. I think it’s just a pretty flat, looks like high grip, style race track. Those are typically hard to pass on, so with shifting, who knows. Regardless, I think it will be difficult to pass anyways.”

TWO WEEKS AGO, WE RAN THE ALL-STAR RACE AT TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY AFTER SO MANY YEARS OF RUNNING IT AT CHARLOTTE; AND THEN AT BRISTOL AND TEXAS AGAIN. AFTER THE SUCCESS OF THE BUSCH CLASH, WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE ALL-STAR RACE NOW?

“I don’t know – It’s kind of, I feel like, in Marcus Smith’s hands. Whatever they want to do, I think we’re all OK with. Maybe not OK with, but we’re going to be there.

I’m not really sure. I don’t think Texas (Motor Speedway) – I hate to be another one of the guys to bash it – but it’s not a good track at all. It just doesn’t produce good racing and it’s tough to have an exhibition-style race there when the track isn’t very racy at all.

I think we’d all like to see it move around probably. You look at other sports, all-star games and stuff – they move from city to city each year. I think maybe the cities and the arenas are taking bids on it, I’m not sure. But I think that would be a fun thing to do; move the All-Star Race around. I think it would add some excitement to the event.”

I’M CURIOUS ABOUT ADDING THE CHUTE AT SONOMA (RACEWAY). SINCE YOU WON THERE LAST YEAR, HOW DO YOU THINK IT WILL CHANGE THE DYNAMIC?

“I don’t know. They raced there forever with I think the layout they were going to now. I’m sure it will be a lot like those races, I would guess.”

DO YOU THINK HAVING THE DIRT TRACK GOING FULL BLOWN RIGHT NOW DURING GATEWAY WEEK THAT IT IS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BRING PEOPLE BACK AND FORTH FROM ONE TRACK TO THE OTHER AND BUILD THE FAN BASE BETWEEN THE TWO SERIES?

“Yeah, I hope so. The crowd was really big last night. I wish it would have been a day later and I wish we could have raced there tomorrow night at Tri-City (Speedway) because I think Saturday night would be extremely big. But I think tonight with the World of Outlaws Late Models and sprint cars with myself running a late model; I think (Alex) Bowman and (Chase) Briscoe are running sprint cars. I’m not sure if (Christopher) Bell is running or not. But yeah, it should be an even bigger crowd I would imagine.

It’s exciting. The crossover is always good.”

IT WAS ANNOUCED THIS WEEK THAT PHOENIX (RACEWAY) WILL HOST THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE AGAIN NEXT SEASON. WHAT ARE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT A FOURTH YEAR OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE BEING HELD AT PHOENIX?

“I think Phoenix is a great area to host the championship weekend. It’s got a great amount of grandstands that always seem to sell out, which is good. It adds to the atmosphere. And two, again like going to the All-Star Race, I would say ‘oh it should move from city to city’. But November in some states is difficult to put a race on, so you have to think about that. There are only a handful of tracks that could really host the championship weekend and not be concerned with the weather forecast. I think that’s why it was in Florida for a long time and then they moved it to Arizona. Phoenix (Raceway) is a difficult track to pass on, but I feel like there are moments where it can be more exciting than an intermediate-style track if you get a late race caution and things like that.

I’m not sure if that answers your question, but I think it’s OK. In the future, yeah I would like to see it move around, as well. But I think there is just a small group of tracks that it could really move to.”

THERE HAS BEEN SOME BETTER RACING AT INTERMEDIATE TRACKS. THIS CAR SEEMS TO WORK AT BIGGER TRACKS. INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS A BEAST IN ITSELF, BUT WITH SOME OF THE SUCCESS ON INTERMEDIATE TRACKS, DOES THAT GIVE YOU ANY HOPE THAT THESE CARS COULD RUN BETTER ON THE OVAL THAN WHAT THEY HAVE?

“Well, I think Indy (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) is just a difficult track. You can look at even the IndyCar race this year – it wasn’t that exciting and those cars build really big runs. So, I still think it would be not very good racing for us. And it seems like with these cars and the way the air runs off the back, I think it could have the potential of being even worse than normal, just because it’s a flat track.

As a driver, I would love to win on the oval there. But the road course is, to me, more exciting racing. I’m not sure if more people tune into the race because it’s on the road course or more people show up because it’s on the road course. But I know, excitement-wise, it’s probably a little bit better on the road course. Prestige-wise, I think we would all love it on the oval.”

ARE YOU PLANNING TO RUN THE KNOXVILLE TRUCK RACE?

“No – Never running a dirt truck race again (laughs).”

WHAT ARE YOU DOING ON THE OFF WEEK?

“Nothing – just taking it off.”

I KNOW YOU HAVEN’T BEEN HERE, BUT ARE YOU ANTICIPATING IT TO BE SORT OF LIKE NEW HAMPSHIRE OR PHOENIX? HOW WILL THIS TRACK RACE COMPARED TO OTHERS?

“I watched a little bit of onboard from somebody who was here testing in the Chevy – I think it was (Justin) Allgaier). It kind of reminded me of a blend of New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) and Phoenix (Raceway). I don’t know until I get out there, but that’s kind of where my brain is at right now. I don’t think there’s another race track that we run that you could compare it to. I think those two are good comparisons. I feel like the pavement grip level would probably be similar to Phoenix. I think that end kind of looks more like (turns) one and two of Phoenix; and then I think this end is probably a tighter New Hampshire maybe.”

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

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.

Ty Dillon, No. 42 Chevrolet Military Appreciation Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Dillon at World Wide Technology Raceway: As the NASCAR Cup Series embarks on their inaugural race at World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR), Ty Dillon will make his debut at the Illinois track. Despite having over 10 years of NASCAR experience, Dillon has never been to or competed at WWTR. The 30-year-old has spent eight to 10 hours on the simulator in preparation for the event.
• Saluting Those Who Serve: Chevrolet Miltiary Appreciation will serve as primary partner on Dillon’s Chevrolet Camaro for Sunday’s 300-mile race. A unique blue, white, and gold design features stars on the front nose and stripes along the sides. The scheme brings awareness to the GM Military Appreciation program that gives service members a special offer on a new Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, or Cadillac. - About GM Military Appreciation Program: Recognizing your commitment with one of our own. The men and women of the U.S. Military are devoted to giving their all in the line of duty. In recognition of this bravery, the GM Military Appreciation offer is our promise to give service members the special offer they deserve. The special offer on eligible, new vehicles is available to the following: Active Duty members, Reservists, National Guard members, all Veterans and Retirees of the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard and their sponsored spouse. To learn more about the program, visit www.GMMilitaryDiscount.com.
• From the Drivers Seat: You have never been to or raced at World Wide Technology Raceway?

“I really like the fact that we get 50 minutes of practice this week. I think that definitely helps me. The last time we did that was at Bristol and we had a really good showing. We have a really young team on the No. 42 and a bunch of new guys in new situations, so all the chances that we can get to communicate and work together a little bit longer is good for us. By the time we get to the track, I will have eight to 10 hours of simulator time between my iRacing rig, RCR has a rig that we are allowed to use, and so does Chevrolet. I eat that time up and it helps me a lot, so I can be confident and stress free when I get to the track.”

Erik Jones, No. 43 Bommarito Automotive Group Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

• Jones at World Wide Technology Raceway: As the NASCAR Cup Series makes its first start at the 1.25-mile track, Erik Jones is no stranger to the Illinois track. Jones has recorded three starts at World Wide Technology Raceway in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series with his best finish of fifth coming in his most recent start in 2016. In 2015, Jones started the race from the pole and led more than half of the 160-lap race before a mechanical issue derailed the teams dominating run.
• Richard Petty Day: To kickstart this weekend’s activities at World Wide Technology Raceway, Richard Petty Day presented by the Bommarito Automotive Group will be held on Friday, June 3. As previously announced by World Wide Technology Raceway, the Governor of Illinois will proclaim June 3 as Richard Petty Day. The proclamation will be followed by ‘The King’ making ceremonial first laps on the track in a replica of his 1981 Daytona 500 winning car prior to Cup Series practice.
• New to Town: This weekend when the Cup Series makes their debut at World Wide Technology Raceway, Bommarito Automotive Group will make their first appearance on the No. 43 Chevy.
• About Bommarito Automotive Group: What Frank Bommarito started almost 50 years ago, as a single point Oldsmobile dealer, has now successfully grown into a privately-held Missouri’s No. 1 automotive group and ranked top 50 in the nation. With over 1,000 employees, 20 locations and offering 20 brands, Bommarito Automotive Group continues to grow its brand while also growing its involvement in motorsports.

Bommarito began its motorsports involvement in 2015 with Jordan Anderson Racing and since has evolved into Jordan Anderson Racing with Bommarito Autosport and are owners of the No. 31 NASCAR Xfinity team with driver Myatt Snyder and the No. 3 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series entry. Bommarito also holds the title sponsorship for the Bommarito 500 NTT INDYCAR SERIES race at WWTR since 2017. In addition, Bommarito now is involved with the sponsorship of the Vasser Sullivan IMSA team which recently Has earned podium finishes in consecutive races. Our vision was to have a vehicle in our portfolio for every type of buyer. We now can drive home our mission: One Bommarito vehicle in every driveway. Once a vision, today a reality.

• From the Driver’s Seat: You’ve been to World Wide Technology Raceway before, but this will be the first time the Cup Series has raced at the track. Talk about the track and what you expect this weekend.

“I’m looking forward to getting there. World Wide Technology Raceway is a fun track. I’ve been there a few times in Trucks. It’s always a great crowd, so that’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s kind of a, I always think of it as a big Martinsville, but it does race a little different from that. Turns one and two are pretty tight and turns three and four are pretty big sweeping corners. I know they’ve paved it since the last time I was there, so that will be quite a bit different. It will be fun to get there with the new car, new venue. I always enjoy switching it up in the Cup Series and going to new tracks with these cars. Obviously, I think World Wide Technology Raceway is going to be a good one for us. It’s going to be hot. It’s going to be a tough weekend. I know it’ll be warm there. I’m excited to get there and see what these cars do there.”

ABOUT PETTY GMS:

Petty GMS competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, operating the No. 42 Chevrolet for Ty Dillon and the No. 43 Chevrolet for Erik Jones. The newly formed team brought together two storied organizations in December 2021. Over the last decade, owner Maury Gallagher built a victorious team, capturing two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championships, one ARCA Menards Series title, and two ARCA Menards Series East championships, as well as 65 wins and 235 top-five finishes across six series. Richard Petty, a member of the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2010, serves as Chairman of Petty GMS. Petty, known as “The King,” accumulated 200 wins and was the first of three drivers to win seven championships in the Cup Series. For more information, visit www.pettygms.com.

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