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Zane Smith notches a thrilling, double overtime Truck victory at COTA

By
Andrew Kim
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AUSTIN, TEXAS - MARCH 26: Zane Smith, driver of the #38 Speedco Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series - XPEL 225 at Circuit of The Americas on March 26, 2022 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images).

A month after experiencing the biggest victory of his career at Daytona International Speedway, Zane Smith captured another thrilling win to his racing resume after winning the second running of the XPEL 2250 at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday, March 26.

The 22-year-old Smith from Huntington Beach, California, captured both stage victories and rallied from a first turn spin under the final 10 laps to overtake Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch and Stewart Friesen during the second of two overtime attempts in Turn 11. Following the chaos, Smith rocketed away from the field and a series of carnages ensuing behind to become the first repeat winner of the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season.

With on-track qualifying occurring on Friday, Sheldon Creed claimed the pole position with a pole-winning speed at 90.985 mph. Creed, however, dropped to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments made to his No. 20 Young’s Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST. Also dropping to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments included John Hunter Nemechek, Kris Wright, Kaz Grala, Logan Bearden, Lawless Alan, Jack Wood, Blaine Perkins, Tate Fogleman, Brad Perez, Will Rodgers, Matt Joskol, Matt DiBenedetto and Matt Crafton, who was forced to serve a pass-through penalty through pit road at the start of the event.

With Creed dropping to the rear of the field, Zane Smith, who posted a fast qualifying speed at 90.790 mph, led the field to the start of the event alongside Alex Bowman, who was piloting the No. 7 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado RST.

During the pace laps, Ty Majeski remained on pit road as his crew was working on a brake pressure issue to his No. 66 ThorSport Racing Toyota Tundra TRD Pro.

When the green flag waved and the race started, Bowman gained an early advantage through the incline and the first turn as he led early in the event over Zane Smith while Kyle Busch bolted his way into third place. With the competitors fanning out and scrambling for positions through the first two turns and a brief decline before entering a series of left and right turns (Turns 3 through 10), Bowman continued to lead. Then in Turn 11, Austin Wayne Self locked up his brakes and collided into Tayler Gray as both competitors spun. Despite the incident, the race proceeded under green.

With the first of 42 laps complete of the 3.4-mile, 20-turn circuit, Bowman was out in front by three-tenths of a second over Zane Smith followed by Kyle Busch while Stewart Friesen and Parker Kligerman were in the top five. Christian Eckes was in sixth ahead of Carson Hocevar, Ben Rhodes, Tyler Ankrum and Sheldon Creed.

During the second lap, Busch moved his No. 51 Safelite Toyota Tundra TRD Pro to the lead over Bowman’s No. 7 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Silverado RST. Meanwhile, Creed took his truck to the garage due to a mechanical issue.

Through the first five laps of the event, Kyle Busch continued to lead by nearly three seconds over Kligerman while third-place Bowman trailed by more than four seconds. Zane Smith remained in fourth ahead of Friesen while Carson Hocevar, Ben Rhodes, Rhodes Derek Kraus and Chandler Smith were in the top 10. Behind, John Hunter Nemechek was in 11th ahead of Tyler Ankrum, Grant Enfinger was in 14th, Matt DiBenedetto was in 16th ahead of Chase Purdy, Hailie Deegan and Kaz Grala. Meanwhile, Matt Crafton was mired back in 29th ahead of Brad Perez.

Not long after, Deegan was forced to serve a pass-through penalty on pit road for cutting through the esses.

Nearing the Lap 10 mark, pit stops under green occurred as Busch surrendered the lead to pit followed by Bowman, Nemechek, Chandler Smith, Hocevar, Enfinger, Grala, Chase Purdy, Colby Howard, Gray, Crafton and Deegan while Kligerman took the lead. Once Kligerman pitted on Lap 10, Zane Smith took the lead followed by Friesen.

When the first stage concluded on Lap 12, Zane Smith claimed his first stage victory of the season. Friesen settled in second followed by Rhodes, Kraus, Ankrum, DiBenedetto, Timmy Hill, Eckes, Kyle Busch and Kligerman.

Under the stage break, some led by Zane Smith pitted while the rest led by Kyle Busch remained on the track.

The second stage started on Lap 14 as Kyle Busch and Kligerman occupied the front row. At the start, Busch and Kligerman dueled for the top spot before Busch cleared Kligerman entering a series of left and right turns. Then in Turn 11, Kligerman took the lead beneath Busch, who was being pressured by Bowman. Busch, however, reassumed the top spot over Kligerman through the Turn 12 braking zone as he started to pull away.

Shortly after, the caution flew when Dean Thompson came to a stop in Turn 8 as he needed a wrecker to return to pit road. 

Three laps later on Lap 17, the race proceeded under green. At the start and with the field fanning out entering the first two turns, Busch rocketed away with the top spot ahead of Kligerman and Bowman. Then in Turn 11, Gray spun for a second time while running in the top 10 as the field scattered. Four turns later, Grala spun while running in Turn 12. Despite the incidents, the race proceeded under green as Busch continued to lead by more than a second over teammate Nemechek followed by Bowman, Kligerman and Hocevar while Chandler Smith, Matt Crafton, Friesen, Zane Smith and Chase Purdy were in the top 10.

On Lap 20, the caution flew when Purdy made contact with Crafton, which spent both competitors spinning in Turn 19 as Crafton ended up getting his No. 88 Menards Toyota Tundra TRD Pro stuck in the gravel trap. The incident was one that left Crafton bitter towards Purdy.

Under caution, a majority led by Busch pitted while the rest led by Nemechek remained on the track.

With the event surpassing its halfway mark on Lap 21, the race proceeded under green. At the start, Nemechek pulled his No. 4 ROMCO Toyota Tundra TRD Pro ahead with the top spot though the first two turns followed by Zane Smith and Kraus while Rhodes was in fourth ahead of DiBenedetto. Not long after, Nemechek and Zane Smith dueled for the lead entering Turn 12.

Then in Turn 15, Zane Smith made contact with Nemechek, which sent Nemechek around as Smith assumed the lead. Behind, Crafton expressed his displeasure towards Purdy over the previous incident by spinning him in Turn 13.

Back at the front, Zane Smith was out in front ahead of Kraus while Rhodes was in third ahead of DiBenedetto and Chandler Smith. Following his spin, Nemechek pitted but was then penalized for an uncontrolled tire violation.

When the second stage concluded on Lap 26, Zane Smith collected his second stage victory of the event and of this season. Rhodes settled in second followed by Kraus, Kyle Busch, Chandler Smith, DiBenedetto, Friesen, Hocevar, Timmy Hill and Kligerman.

Under the stage break, a majority of the field pitted as Busch emerged with the lead.

With 13 laps remaining, the final stage started. At the start, teammates Busch and Chandler Smith dueled until the former managed to clear his teammate and the field through the first two turns and entering a series of left and right-hand turns (Turns 3 through 10). 

The following lap, the caution returned when Hailie Deegan stalled in Turn 8 with damage to her No. 1 Monster Energy Ford F-150 as a result of colliding into Jack Wood, who wrecked with Kris Wright earlier.

Down to the final 10 laps, the event proceeded under green. At the start, Busch mounted ahead with the top spot as Carson Hocevar made his way into second place in his bid to battle Busch for the victory.

With the battles continuing around the 20-turn circuit, DiBenedetto suddenly stalled on Turn 17 due to a broken driveline. Then shortly after, the caution flew when Zane Smith got bumped and spun by Eckes in Turn 1 along with Kris Wright, who was trying to avoid Smith.

With seven laps remaining, the race proceeded under green. At the start, Busch launched ahead with another strong start entering the first turn before Stewart Friesen tried to force Busch off the track in a bid for the lead. Busch, however, was able to maintain the lead over Friesen, who overtook Hocevar for second, and the field in Turn 3 through Turn 10. Then in Turn 12, Austin Wayne Self spun while the race proceeded under green.

When the field returned to the start/finish line, Busch continued to lead by four-tenths of a second over Friesen while Bowman, who made bold moves through the esses during the restart, was up in third place followed by Kligerman and Chandler Smith. Grala, following his early spin, was in sixth followed by Rhodes, Hocevar, Nemechek and Eckes while Crafton was in 11th ahead of Colby Howard, Zane Smith, Kraus, Timmy Hill and Tyler Ankrum.

Down to the final five laps of the event, Busch extended his advantage to more than a second over Friesen while third-place Bowman trailed by more than two seconds. During the following lap, Bowman overtook Friesen for second place as he was left to track and challenge Busch for the lead and the win.

Then with three laps remaining, Derek Kraus got bumped by Ankrum and spun in Turn 1. Not long after, Eckes spun in Turn 12 following contact with Hocevar, but the event proceeded under green. Then the caution flew when Matt Jaskol stalled his truck in Turn 2. The caution was enough to send the event into overtime. 

In the first overtime attempt, Busch maintained the lead while Bowman fended off Friesen and Kligerman to remain in second place while also challenging Busch for the lead. Behind in Turn 1, Kris Wright spun following contact. Two turns later, Purdy spun, but the race proceeded under green. Then, the caution returned when Kaz Grala and Colby Howard spun across the esses with Grala getting stuck in the Turn 4 gravel pit. 

During the second overtime attempt, Busch muscled away with the lead while Friesen challenged and overtook Bowman for second place. Behind, Zane Smith battled and overtook Kligerman for fourth place while Nemechek was in sixth ahead of Rhodes. 

Then in Turn 11, Bowman collided against Friesen and Busch while engaged in a three-wide battle for the lead. This allowed Zane Smith to bolt to the lead as Bowman retained second ahead of Friesen, who had a tire rub and was losing ground towards the front. Then in the Turn 12 braking zone, Friesen went wide and was off the course. During the following turn, Kligerman got loose, which allowed Busch to move into third place behind Bowman while Zane Smith continued to lead.

When the white flag waved and the final lap started, Zane Smith was leading by nearly two seconds over Bowman, who was soon overtaken by Nemechek while Busch was mired back in fourth place ahead of Ben Rhodes. 

With a series of carnages ensuing behind the front-runners, Zane Smith was long gone with the lead as he was able to navigate his way smoothly around the 20-turn circuit with a clear race track in front of him, return to the final frontstretch to the finish line and claim the checkered flag by more than three seconds over John Hunter Nemechek.

In addition to becoming the first repeat winner of this season, Smith notched his fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career victory, his second of the season with Front Row Motorsports and his first on a road course event. In addition, Front Row Motorsports’ No. 38 Ford F-150 team led by crew chief Chris Lawson went to Victory Lane at COTA for a second consecutive season after winning the inaugural event with Todd Gilliland in 2021.

“Truck races are crazy,” Smith said on FS1. “You’re never out of it until you’re out of it. Man, what a statement from this team. That’s so crazy to go back-to-back here at a road course like this. Huge thank you to them. It’s been a wild effort they’ve put in this year. That was a wild one, but never over til it’s over.”

Behind, Nemechek rallied from a spin early in the event involving race winner Zane Smith to settle in second place ahead of teammate/boss Kyle Busch, who led a race-high 31 of 46 laps, but was unable to grab his first road course victory in the Truck circuit. Following the event, Busch and Bowman met and exchanged words over the racing and the contact on pit road.

“The season has been frustrating for sure,” Nemechek said on MRN. “We never give up at [Kyle Busch Motorsports]. We never give up as an organization. I didn’t have the fastest truck today. We struggled most of the day. I got spun by Zane [Smith]. I’m a little ticked off there. That’s two weeks in a row that we’ve got screwed by [Smith]. On to next week. I’m going to run the Richmond Xfinity race [with Joe Gibbs Racing]…Hopefully, we can keep this ship righted the right way and take this and carry the momentum. It’s way better finishing second than 24th, 25th, 24th in the first three [races]. Still got a lot to go, a lot to learn and a lot to build on, but a long season ahead.”

We had a great race all day,” Busch said on FS1. “I really appreciate everyone at [Kyle Busch Motorsports] and their hard work and everyone there who does a good job building such fast trucks. I felt like we deserved that one, but it doesn’t matter if you deserve it or not. It’s just a matter if you get it. You have to be the first one to the checkered flag to win these things and we just weren’t.”

Rhodes came home in fourth place while Chandler Smith finished in the top five. Eckes, Ankrum, Hocevar, Friesen and Enfinger completed the top 10 on the track. Notably, Crafton settled in 13th ahead of Grala, Kligerman fell back to 19th place ahead of newcomer Brad Perez and Bowman slipped to 25th place with a wounded truck.

There were 10 lead changes for six different leaders. The race featured eight cautions for 12 laps.

With a fifth-place result, Chandler Smith continues to lead the regular season standings by 15 points over Ben Rhodes, 23 over Stewart Friesen and 31 over Zane Smith and Tanner Gray.

Results.

1. Zane Smith, 11 laps led, Stage 1 & 2 winner

2. John Hunter Nemechek, one lap led

3. Kyle Busch, 31 laps led

4. Ben Rhodes

5. Chandler Smith, one lap led

6. Christian Eckes

7. Tyler Ankrum

8. Carson Hocevar

9. Stewart Friesen

10. Grant Enfinger

11. Lawless Alan

12. Derek Kraus

13. Matt Crafton

14. Kaz Grala

15. Kris Wright

16. Chase Purdy

17. Tanner Gray

18. Tate Fogleman

19. Parker Kligerman, one lap led

20. Brad Perez

21. Will Rodgers

22. Timmy Hill

23. Spencer Boyd

24. Colby Howard

25. Alex Bowman, one lap led

26. Taylor Gray

27. Austin Wayne Self, one lap down

28. Logan Bearden – OUT, Fuel pump

29. Dean Thompson, six laps down

30. Ty Majeski, seven laps down

31. Matt DiBenedetto – OUT, Rear gear

32. Jack Wood – OUT, Dvp

33. Matt Jaskol – OUT, Electrical

34. Hailie Deegan – OUT, Accident

35. Blaine Perkins – OUT, Transmission

36. Sheldon Creed – OUT, Drivetrain

Next on the 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series schedule is the series’ lone event of the season at Martinsville Speedway in Ridgeway, Virginia, which will occur on April 7 at 8 p.m. ET on FS1.

Fourth to First: Zane Smith Takes Checkers in Wild, Overtime Finish at XPEL 225 Camping World Truck Series Clash at COTA

By
Official Release
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Zane Smith weaved through a late-race wreck that took out the top three contenders in double-overtime to claim the checkered flag in the XPEL 225 Camping World Truck Series race at Circuit of The Americas. Photo Credit: NASCAR at COTA/Harold Hinson Photography
  • Kyle Busch led a race-high 31 laps but got caught up in a last-lap crash with Alex Bowman and Stewart Friesen, ultimately finishing third.
  • Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix at Circuit of The Americas are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com/Tickets.

AUSTIN, Texas (Feb. 23, 2022) – Four drivers, two overtimes and one corner created a finish for the ages as Zane Smith took the checkered flag in the wild XPEL 225 Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) race at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on Saturday.

Kyle Busch led a race-high 31 laps, but Smith led the one that mattered, coming from fourth to first through the tricky turn 11 hairpin in the second and final overtime. Busch was collected in a crash that also took out contenders Alex Bowman and Stewart Friesen and opened the door for Smith to sweep both stages and take home the victory.

“Truck races are crazy,” Smith said in victory lane following the win, his second of the young season. “You’re never out of it until you’re out of it. That was a wild one.

“Any truck win you can get feels so great, especially when it happens like that in such dramatic fashion. It’s a huge statement from this team. Every single race this year, I’ve been in contention to win.”

Busch, who leads the NCWTS with 61 career wins, seemed destined to earn his first-ever truck series victory on a road course after pulling away from the field late, but the crash relegated him to a third-place finish behind Smith and John Hunter Nemechek.

“Great race all day,” Busch said, crediting his team for giving him a fast Safelite Toyota Tundra. “It doesn’t matter if you deserve it or not, you’ve got to be the first one to the checkers and we were not.”

Ben Rhodes finished fourth while Busch’s teammate, Chandler Smith, finished fifth.

Tickets:

Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com/Tickets. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website including the full race weekend schedule.

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Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

Toyota Racing – NCWTS COTA Post-Race Report – 03.26.22

By
Official Release
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NEMECHEK BATTLES THROUGH THE FIELD TO A RUNNER-UP FINISH
John Hunter Nemechek leads three Kyle Busch Motorsports Tundra TRD Pros in the top-five

AUSTIN, TEXAS (March 26, 2022) – John Hunter Nemechek (second), Kyle Busch (third), Ben Rhodes (fourth) and Chandler Smith (fifth) led Toyota with top-five finishes in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series XPEL 225 at Circuit of the Americas on Saturday afternoon.

Toyota Racing Post-Race Recap
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Circuit of the Americas
Race 4 of 23 – 42 Laps, 143.22 Miles

TOYOTA FINISHING POSITIONS
1st, Zane Smith*
2nd, JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK
3rd, KYLE BUSCH
4th, BEN RHODES
5th, CHANDLER SMITH
6th, CHRISTIAN ECKES
7th, TYLER ANKRUM
9th, STEWART FRIESEN
13th, MATT CRAFTON
16th, CHASE PURDY
18th, TATE FOGLEMAN
20th, BRAD PEREZ
21st, WILL RODGERS
22nd, TIMMY HILL
30th, TY MAJESKI
33rd, MATT JASKOL
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

JOHN HUNTER NEMECHEK, No. 4 ROMCO Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 2nd

Can you describe those closing laps and how good this run was for you?

“The season has been frustrating for sure. We never give up at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports). We never give up as an organization. I didn’t have the fastest truck today. We struggled most of the day. I got spun by Zane (Smith). I’m a little ticked off there. That’s two weeks in a row that we’ve got screwed by the 38. On to next week. I’m going to run the Richmond Xfinity race. Thanks to ROMCO Equipment, Toyota, everyone at KBM, TRD for all they do for us. Hopefully, we can keep this ship righted the right way and take this and carry the momentum. It’s way better finishing second than 24th, 25th, 24th in the first three. Still got a lot to go, a lot to learn and a lot to build on, but a long season ahead.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 51 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Kyle Busch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 3rd

What did you see at the end that happened that forced you to give up the lead at that point?

“We had a great race all day. I really appreciate everyone at KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) and their hard work and everyone there who does a good job building such fast trucks. I felt like we deserved that one, but it doesn’t matter if you deserve it or not. It’s just a matter if you get it. You have to be the first one to the checkered flag to win these things and we just weren’t.”

BEN RHODES, No. 99 Tenda Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, ThorSport Racing

Finishing Position: 4th

How are you feeling after a top-five finish?

“I’m definitely glad it is over. I’m pretty tired, I’m not going to lie. Not as bad as I’ve been at some other places. Daytona road course really wore me out a few years ago, but overall our Tenda Toyota Tundra was pretty fast. We made some improvements from last year. I wanted one more spot. I wanted a podium in front of Kyle Busch. I was hoping some of those guys were going to run out of gas. I could feel mine start to sputter and I thought, man, there is hope, but fourth-place isn’t bad. It’s a good points day and we are going to go on to the next one and see what we can do.”

CHANDLER SMITH, No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass Toyota Tundra TRD Pro, Kyle Buch Motorsports

Finishing Position: 5th

What was the biggest challenge for you today at COTA?

“Track position and then at the very end – we probably would have ran second if everything had went good. We just had a loose wheel and had to come in and get tires, and we still ended up salvaging a top-five at the very end with the green-white-checkered. Happy with my whole Safelite, ChargeMe Toyota KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) group and on forward.”

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Ford Performance NASCAR: Ryan Blaney Puts Mustang on Pole at COTA

By
Official Release
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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix – Saturday, March 26, 2022

FORD QUALIFYING RESULTS
1st — Ryan Blaney
3rd — Cole Custer
6th — Joey Logano
10th — Austin Cindric
14th — Chase Briscoe
18th — Kevin Harvick
19th — Harrison Burton
22nd — Chris Buescher
25th — Aric Almirola
26th — Brad Keselowski
27th — Michael McDowell
29th — Todd Gilliland
35th — Cody Ware
36th — Loris Hezemans
37th — Boris Said
38th — Joey Hand
39th — Andy Lally

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang — YOU HAD A BUSY DAY, HOW PROUD ARE YOU OF THE QUALIFYING EFFORT TODAY? “Yeah, this is a nice media center. I have never been in here. Yeah, talk about an up and down day, for sure. From putting it in the barriers on my third lap of practice and not knowing if the car was killed or if we had to go to a backup or what it would take to fix it. It ripped my left side mirror off right when I hit the barriers so I couldn’t see the left side of the car when I was coming back to the pits and I didn’t know how bad the damage was. I knew my wheel was straight and I had flat spots but I got out of the car and looked at it and it scuffed it up but it was nothing too bad. They went through everything thoroughly and looked at stuff and nothing was bent. We got really lucky honestly, right there, from a mistake of mine. Really lucky I hit those plastic blocks or whatever they are. We should put those things everywhere. Then to go out and have speed to put it on the pole. I didn’t know if we were even going to be able to qualify when I wrecked and to be able to come back and have a fast enough car to make it to the second round and then get a good lap in during the final round and barely beat Daniel (Suarez) there, that was really fun. Yeah, an up and down day and it is nice to end it on a high note.”

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO RACE IN A NEW MARKET LIKE AUSTIN IN PRIME CONDITIONS LIKE TODAY AND TOMORROW? “Yeah, it was a lot of fun today, all things considered. Getting laps here, last year we didn’t really get many laps in the dry here. We qualified here and got two or three laps in the dry. This place is a lot of fun. It is a really fast road course with a lot of elevation changes and last year when we were racing in the rain you don’t notice the elevation changes or how unique the track is because you are worried about the rain and staying on the race track. It has been cool to digest everything here with it in prime conditions and getting to learn this current Gen car. We tested it at the Roval in the off-season but it was a different rules package, a higher downforce package. The Roval is kind of its own thing. I didn’t have a lot of time today to get up to speed but it was unique to feel these new cars. I feel like we can hustle them pretty good. The braking zones are big and you can abuse the curbs to an extent. It was good to get a good bit of practice today. I think these things will put on a good race tomorrow. I am looking forward to it.”

THE ACCIDENT IN PRACTICE ASIDE, HOW SURPRISED ARE YOU ABOUT GETTING A POLE ON A ROAD COURSE LIKE THIS AND HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF AS A ROAD COURSE DRIVER GIVEN YOUR ROVAL WIN IN THE PAST? “I wouldn’t really say I am a great road course racer by any means. I enjoy road courses a lot and if you take the Roval one away, which was its own deal, I have never been in great contention to win one. I have run top-10 a lot and top-5 a little bit but never the outright speed to go and lead laps and win. I would say I am an average road course racer. Honestly, what made me happy about the pole was that we were fifth in our group, barely made the round of 10, and then picked up half a second I think from my first round to the last round. I was proud that we picked up that speed but it was still a ways off from what those guys ran in their initial runs. So I didn’t know how it was going to stack up. I just enjoyed that we picked up speed and that was nice, but I didn’t think we were going to sit on the pole. I thought we lacked a little speed and I thought Daniel (Suarez) was going to get it from us. It was good to pick up speed. That is really the only thing I look at, just getting your car better every time you go out and we were able to do that. Today it was good enough for the pole. Hopefully, it hangs on for tomorrow.”

HOW DIFFERENT IS THE TRACK WITHOUT THE TURTLES AND CURBS YOU THOUGHT WOULD BE IN THE ESSES VERSUS THE WAY IT IS NOW? “It is completely different for sure. You are putting almost your whole car, as much as you are allowed, to the inside of the curbs because there is nothing there anymore. When we got told that was what it was, and when we saw the turtles weren’t there, we got clarification on the rules and how they will judge that as a judgment call, I guess. It was kind of self-policing before with that curb there. Now it is up to someone’s eyeballs if you are too far off the race track. It is way different. You can straighten the esses out a ton. It makes it easier for us, honestly, because you aren’t having to wrap around those big turtles. It is a good bit different and you are husting through there more than what you could last year even in the dry. Racing it, it is going to be tough honestly to race if you are right behind somebody because you can’t see. If you are tucked up behind someone’s bumper you can’t see very well. Hopefully, they don’t get anybody for barely going in there because they are tucked up behind a car and can’t see and then penalize you. That is just one of the things that I guess you just do your best to follow the rules like you were told and hopefully they don’t get you for something.”

WHAT IF SOMEONE FORCES YOU? “If someone forces you hopefully they understand that. If someone turns in on you there and you are like a foot — if you go into one of the esses side-by-side and you just say F it and bail and you are five car widths below there then they are going to probably get you. If you are a foot or so and someone forces you down there, I think they understand that is just racing.”

A HUGE PENALTY THIS WEEK FOR THE ROUSH CARS, I WAS WONDERING AS A DRIVER IT CAN AFFECT YOU AND YOUR WHOLE SEASON. DOES IT MAKE YOU ASK MORE QUESTIONS OF YOUR TEAM ABOUT THE CARS OR PUT YOU ON NOTICE? “Yeah, it was a big penalty. As far as my position goes, we talk about what we think they did and what we think they were doing. Me and Jonathan talked about it and we kind of understand that the penalties are pretty severe. NASCAR made that clear to us in the off-season. These penalties, if you are caught doing a certain thing, they are going to be pretty severe. Honestly, I think that is the way they need to be. If you are doing something funky and wrong, how is anyone going to learn if you don’t put the smackdown on them? It is nothing against those guys at all. I think that is the way you should do it. As for me, it is really none of my business as far as what the team does on that side of it. They know better than me what is fair and not fair. I hate it for Brad (Keselowski) and all of them. It is a pretty severe penalty. Hopefully, we stay clear of that.”

CHEVY NCS AT COTA: Daniel Suarez Press Conference Transcript

By
Official Release
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NASCAR CUP SERIES
CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
ECHOPARK AUTOMOTIVE GRAND PRIX
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
MARCH 26, 2022

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 COMMSCOPE CAMARO ZL1, met with the media in advance of the NASCAR Cup Series practice and qualifying session at Circuit of The Americas. Press Conference Transcript:

DANIEL, TELL US WHAT YOU THINK YOUR CHANCES ARE THIS WEEKEND HERE AT COTA?
“I think our chances are pretty high. I personally love road course racing. I think everyone knows that. I think that this new car is going to level the field a lot, when it comes to road course racing as well, just like we’ve seen on the ovals. It’s going to be fun. I’m really looking forward to that.

On top of the everything, as we know, Trackhouse Racing has a lot of momentum right now on our side. So, we have to take advantage of that and have fun. I think the last time we were here, in practice and qualifying, we were pretty strong; and then we broke in the race. But I feel like we’ll have good speed, so hopefully we can show that today and tomorrow.”

THIS RACE RAN LAST YEAR IN THE RAIN AND THIS YEAR, IT’S GOING TO BE EXPECTED TO BE SUNNY. WHAT TROUBLE AREAS OF THE TRACK DO YOU EXPECT WITH THE BETTER WEATHER CONDITIONS? IS IT THE SAME WITH THE HAIRPEN ON THE BACKSTRAIGHTAWAY OR DO YOU EXPECTED SOMETHING DIFFERENT?
“I don’t think we can really compare the two because it’s completely different. In the rain, it was just too unpredictable. You don’t really know what to expect, you’re just trying to go as fast as you can and stay out of the trouble. But at one point, we had too much rain.

Tomorrow is going to be more like a regular race. I see a good race happening in the Cup Series; even better than the previous races in Cup road course races. Exactly where the action is going to be, I don’t really know. We’re going to find out in practice. But I’m pretty sure we’re going to have a great race.”

NASCAR HAS SOLD QUITE A FEW TICKETS FOR THIS WEEKEND TO FANS FROM MEXICO. HOW DO YOU SEE THIS EVENT HERE AT COTA FOR THE FUTURE OF NASCAR’S GROWTH?
“It’s amazing. This is one of the few races that my friends and family can actually come from home and drive here. So, it’s amazing to have a lot of Mexican fans in the stands and in the pits. Yesterday, we went to do an event with one of my sponsors, CommScope, to a couple of schools. I got the opportunity to spend some time with them and I was impressed with the amount of kids that were speaking to me in Spanish in the schools. That’s really amazing for me. That made me feel like home. I’m looking forward to seeing some Mexican flags in the grandstands on Sunday.”

WE’VE TALKED ABOUT YOUR ROAD COURSE RACING. BEING BROUGHT UP IN ROAD COURSE RACING IN MEXICO, WHAT IS IT ABOUT ROAD COURSES THAT MAKES YOU STRONG?
“Honestly, I just love road course racing. I find it fascinating. I find it fun. I find it different. I grew up racing go-karts. I never actually raced big cars on road course tracks. A little in NASCAR in Mexico, but not much. But I just enjoy it a lot. I feel that I’ve always been strong at it, but I’ve never been super strong. I have a lot of faith that this car is going to make that difference. I’m excited for that. I’m excited to find that out and see where we can do it.

Right now, I don’t think anyone is the favorite because everything is new. Here in a couple of hours, we’re going to find out a lot about who has the speed and who doesn’t.”

WHERE DO YOU FIND THE BETTER TACOS, CALIFORNIA OR TEXAS?
“I personally found a great place not too far from here. It’s very, very good. I was impressed. I went to this place the last time I was here racing something else and I was impressed with the tacos. Probably one of the best tacos I’ve had in the United States. I came back a couple of days ago and they didn’t disappoint. I remember talking to Julia that there was a lady making the tortillas right there. You know you’re in a good taco place when they have somebody just specifically making tortillas there. It was a good time. Maybe we can go tonight again.”

IT’S NOT IF TRACKHOUSE RACING WILL WIN A CUP RACE, BUT WHEN. WHEN THAT MOMENT FINALLY COMES, WHETHER IT’S FOR YOU OR ROSS (CHASTAIN), WHAT’S THAT MOMENT GOING TO BE LIKE FOR JUSTIN (MARKS)?
“So far, it’s been a really good start. Everybody has been working very hard at Trackhouse Racing and at Chevrolet. We have great equipment and great people. As we all know, great people is key in this sport. You have to have good people around you; not just at the racetrack, but at the shop as well building these cars. I think we have an amazing package right now. We have to keep working because we’re only a couple months into the season and everyone is working hard to either catch-up, get better or stay on top. I feel like we’ve been doing a good job, but there’s always room for improvement. I believe that we can be better than what we’ve been running. We just have to keep pushing. I think the wins are going to come. I personally feel like we have an amazing shot tomorrow, so hopefully we can have a good, clean race. No mistakes, no mechanical issues, and go out there and make a run for it.”

FIVE RACES INTO THIS YEAR, YOU ALREADY HAVE TWO TOP-FIVE’S AND THREE TOP-10’S. DO YOU THINK HAVING A TEAMMATE IN A SECOND CAR AT TRACKHOUSE RACING HAS HELPED OUT YOUR PERFORMANCE THIS YEAR?
“I think it’s a combination of things. Definitely having a direct teammate helps. That’s part of the success. Having that information and sharing that information; knowing exactly what they’re going to do and what we’re going to do. But I think that probably the biggest improvement from last year was the people. Having our own people working towards the speed and having a lot of support from Chevrolet. I think that’s the combination. I feel very, very fortunate to be in this position. We have everything that is required to go out there and be successful. Now, it’s up to us to do the job.”

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.

WWE Legend The Undertaker to Drive Pace Car at Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series Race

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Official Release
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WWE Legend The Undertaker will serve as Honorary Pace Car Driver for Sunday's EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series showdown at Circuit of The Americas. Photo Credit: WWE
  • Texas-native Mark Calaway, best known as “The Undertaker,” will lead the field to green to start Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series showdown.
  • Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com/Tickets.

AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2022) – Circuit of The Americas is “resurrecting” one of WWE’s biggest names for this weekend’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix. The Undertaker will descend upon NASCAR at COTA on Sunday to lead the field to the green flag as Honorary Pace Car driver.

“I am honored to be the Honorary Pace Car driver at the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in Austin,” said Calaway. “It’s a big week for Texas with WrestleMania in Dallas on April 2 and April 3, and I am excited to kick it off at Circuit of The Americas.”

Houston, Texas-native Mark Calaway, best known as “The Undertaker,” is one of WWE’s most popular and enduring figures and a pop culture icon. He is a multi-time WWE and World Heavyweight Champion, a six-time tag-team champion and a Royal Rumble Match winner. Next week, he will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Tickets:

Tickets for Sunday’s EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series showdown are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com/Tickets. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website including the full race weekend schedule.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

Ty Gibbs Wins Pole for Saturday’s Pit Boss 250; Sheldon Creed Tops Charts in XPEL 225 Qualifying

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Official Release
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Ty Gibbs wins pole for Saturday's Pit Boss 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of The Americas. Photo Credit: Harold Hinson Photography
  • NASCAR’s youth movement was on full display during qualifying for Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series/Xfinity Series doubleheader at Circuit of The Americas as Ty Gibbs continues to hot streak in his Joe Gibbs Racing Supra and Sheldon Creed grabs the pole is his first truck series start of the 2022 season.
  • Tickets for Saturday’s doubleheader featuring the NASCAR Xfinity Series Pit Boss 250 and the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series XPEL 225 are on sale at NASCARatCOTA.com/Tickets.

AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2022) – NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) rookie Ty Gibbs is trying to be the best person he can be, and – on the track, at least – he’s been pretty close to perfect this season. The 19-year-old Charlotte, North Carolina native powered his Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to the pole during Pit Boss 250 qualifying at Circuit of The Americas (COTA) on FEVO Friday.

In five starts this season, Gibbs has already notched two wins. Friday, he added his first pole of the season with a blistering two-minute and 14.52-second lap in the same No. 54 Toyota Supra that Kyle Busch drove to victory in the inaugural Pit Boss 250 last year. Gibbs crossed the line a half-second faster than NASCAR Cup Series regular Ross Chastain, who will start on the front row in his TicketSmarter Chevrolet. A.J. Allmendinger, Josh Berry and Josh Bilicki round out the top five.

“I think we’re pretty close to what Kyle had last year,” Gibbs said after qualifying. “We just have to make some minor adjustments. The guys work so hard. I’ve got all the best guys. They work really hard, and we’ve got a good car.”

While Gibbs looks forward to challenging for his third win of the young season on Saturday, he said fans are in for a treat on and off the track at COTA.

“It’s cool to be here,” he said. “There’s roller coasters over there; People were ziplining up in turn one, which is pretty crazy too. There are just a lot of cool attractions. It’s one of those races that’s just fun. You’re not stressed out. You can take a look at the scenery and have a good time.”

CREED TAKES TOP SPOT IN XPEL 225 QUALIFYING

Despite eight Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) wins in 75 starts, Sheldon Creed, 24, has never started on the pole. That will all change on Saturday as the Alpine, Calif. native leads the field to green and around the 3.41-mile, 20-turn circuit in the XPEL 225.

“I’m really happy with how it’s driving,” Creed said of his No. 20 Wiley X Chevrolet. “We really haven’t changed a whole lot. I feel like – with the repave – there’s a lot more grip in some areas. I don’t feel like the tire fall off is as bad, at least for me. I feel like I got better after the second or third lap.”

Creed will start alongside Zane Smith on the front row when the NCWTS kicks off a Saturday doubleheader that also includes the NXS Pit Boss 250. Alex Bowman qualified third, Parker Kligerman fourth and Kyle Busch fifth.

Tickets:

Tickets for the NASCAR at COTA tripleheader weekend are on sale now at NASCARatCOTA.com/Tickets. Further details can be found on the NASCAR at COTA website including the full race weekend schedule.

Follow Us:

Keep track of all things NASCAR at COTA by following on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@NASCARatCOTA). Keep up with all the latest information on the NASCAR at COTA website and mobile app.

CHRIS MADDEN DOMINATES TO EARN $50,000 SUPER LATE MODEL WIN AT KARL KUSTOMS BRISTOL DIRT NATIONALS

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Official Release
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BRISTOL, Tenn. – Chris Madden led wire to wire to win the $50,000 XR Super Series Late Model feature Friday night at the Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Brock Grunwold (Sport Mod) and Erik Stanton (Hobby Stock) also were feature winners in their respective divisions on Friday night.

Madden, of Gray Court, South Carolina, pulled away from the pack and nearly lapped half the field as he cruised to victory in the 50-lap race that included a who’s who of Super Late Model dirt racing. Veteran racer Dale McDowell finished second, rising star Brandon Overton was third and one of last year’s feature winners, Jonathan Davenport, made a hard charge from back of the pack to finish fourth.

Madden finished with about a two-second lead over McDowell, but his No. 44 machine found the correct setup and was in a groove for the entire race.

“That thing was awesome, we could run top, bottom or the middle, it didn’t matter,” Madden said. “My race car was really balanced tonight. My adrenaline has been going harder today than normal. It was a good feeling all day to have. I just want to thank all my guys who work hard and just everyone who is a part of it at the shop. Most of all thank God, my family and this team that we have.”

In the final 10 laps McDowell moved from seven seconds behind to just inside of two when the checkered flag dropped but like the rest of the field he knew Madden had the car to beat.

“It was definitely a long run there, we were just hoping to get him back in sight,” McDowell said. “But Chris was good in qualifying and the heat race, so we knew he was going to be tough. He had a great car tonight.”

Third-place finisher Overton, who started 12th, was grinning during his media center session after the race.

“I’m thrilled with a third-place finish cause on these high-banked big tracks for some reason I just suck,” Overton said with a laugh. “It’s a tricky place; I just gotta put tonight in the memory banks and try to do better tomorrow night.”

Madden said the key to his victory was settling into the correct rhythm and being able to get around all of the lapped traffic unscathed.

“There’s a line where you can only run so conservative,” Madden said. “I found that spot where I could run and set my pace and not kill my race car and manage my tires. On a big track like this with this kind of speed you have to make sure to clear all the lapped cars.”

Other notable finishers included Jimmy Owens of Newport in seventh, Devin Moran 11th, Scott Bloomquist in 12th and Kyle Strickler 13th. Chris Ferguson, who won the Friday feature at the Dirt Nationals last year, finished 19th.

Local favorite Jensen Ford of Johnson City finished 23rd after getting collected in a multi-car crash at the end of the opening lap.

In addition to the big payday, Madden also received a signature BMS Gladiator Sword for the victory along with a Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals trophy.

“I’ve had big wins but I have to put this one at the top of the list because it’s Bristol,” Madden said. “My car was about perfect tonight. Really, really pleased with it.”
Now he will focus on trying to position himself for the $100,000 bonus for earning the most points over the next three feature races.

“We have a great race car now and the plan is to just keep plugging away and do what we know to do best,” Madden said. “The main thing is to stay steady and keep this thing up front.”

Minnesota native Grunwold powered his No. 2 machine to the Sport Mod feature victory, claiming the $5,000 winner’s share. Grunwold held off last year’s Sport Mod winner Maguire Dejong and Cody Lee for the win in the 30-lap feature race.

“It’s been a fun week, not what I expected, but we will take it,” Grunwold said. “All I had to do was keep my momentum up and it worked out OK. It’s fun (racing at Bristol), the lapped traffic was better to me than it was some of the other nights.”

Stanton, from Carlisle, Iowa, claimed the Hobby Stock victory after Mason Rogers, who passed Stanton with five to go, was collected in a freak accident as he took the lead when a lapped car spun in front of him with two laps to go.

“The lapped cars, I don’t know what happened there, that was a bad deal for Rogers, I feel bad for him cause that was a brand new car,” said Stanton, who won three feature races this week and collected $5,000 for tonight’s victory. “It was a pretty good week for us. It’s a good haul down here.”

Andy Boeckman finished second and was followed by Carter Koop, who edged into third as the checkered flag was waving.

The Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals continues Saturday night with racing action in Stock Car, 602 Late Model and Modified in addition to another $50,000-to-win race for the XR Super Series Late Models.

XR Super Series Late Models, 50-lap feature results

  1. Chris Madden
  2. Dale McDowell
  3. Brandon Overton
  4. Jonathan Davenport
  5. Mike Marlar
  6. Ricky Weiss
  7. Jimmy Owens
  8. Darrell Lanigan
  9. Earl Pearson Jr.
  10. Joseph Joiner
  11. Devin Moran
  12. Scott Bloomquist
  13. Kyle Strickler
  14. Ashton Winger
  15. Garrett Smith
  16. Kyle Bronson
  17. Christian Hanger
  18. Dakotah Knuckles
  19. Chris Ferguson
  20. Tim McCreadie
  21. Ricky Thornton Jr.
  22. Shane Clanton
  23. Jensen Ford
  24. Michael Chilton

Hobby Stocks, 30-lap feature results

  1. Eric Stanton
  2. Andy Boeckman
  3. Carter Koop
  4. Solomon Bennett
  5. Luke Ramsey
  6. Bradly Graham
  7. Jake Nelson
  8. Clint Nelson
  9. Nick Brady
  10. Rusty Bates
  11. Brent Ricker
  12. Aaron Martin
  13. Kyle Parizek
  14. Blake Stevens
  15. Craig Walker
  16. Jason Sherman
  17. Bingston Rogers
  18. Wayne Haidsiak
  19. Cleetus McFarland
  20. Jacob Floyd
  21. Curt Reed
  22. Andy Wieczorek
  23. Casen Keller
  24. Tyson Overton
  25. Jason Tetzlaff
  26. Austin Barnes

Sport Mod, 30-lap feature results

  1. Brock Grunwold
  2. Maguire Dejong
  3. Cody Lee
  4. Austin Holcombe
  5. Matthew Looft
  6. Shaun Slaughter
  7. Alec Fett
  8. Jaylen Wettengel
  9. Travis Schmidt
  10. Josh Smith
  11. Doug McCollough
  12. Nick Dieter
  13. Justin Ray
  14. J.R. Davis
  15. James Riddle
  16. Morgan Widener
  17. Ben Reierson
  18. Andy Welter
  19. Tommy Hadden
  20. Bill Prietzel
  21. Heath Martin
  22. Jason Powers
  23. Connor Davison
  24. Bill Elder
  25. Ryan Mech
  26. Cecil Hayes
  27. Dylan Beasley

Chris Madden, from Gray Court, S.C., won the $50,000 XR Super Series Late Model feature Friday night in the Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Minnesota’s Brock Grunwold won the Sport Mod feature Friday night in the Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Eric Stanton of Carlisle, Iowa claimed the Hobby Stock feature victory Friday night in the Karl Kustoms Bristol Dirt Nationals at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Toyota Racing – NXS COTA Quotes – Ty Gibbs – 03.25.22

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Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Ty Gibbs
NASCAR Xfinity Series Quotes

AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2022) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs was made available to media prior to the Circuit of the Americas race this Friday:

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra, Joe Gibbs Racing

Can you talk about the qualifying lap?

“First off, we have a very favorite Interstate Batteries Toyota GR Supra. I’m excited about that. Chris (Gayle), my crew chief and Kyle Abrahims, my engineer, have worked very hard this year to prepare for this race. Last year, they had a good run, so it’s cool to be here and come and race at COTA. It’s one of the nicest facilities. I wish all of our racetracks were like this. It’s so awesome. The experience is so cool. Being here is awesome and a pleasure.”

What do you like most about COTA?

“The media center is so much nicer and it’s super cool. It’s one of the newer track, so you know with all of the newer tracks are going to have the updated facilities. It’s just a cool experience. There are roller coasters over there. I’m scared of heights, so I’m not doing that. There are people zip lining into turn one which is pretty crazy too. There is just a lot of cool attraction here. It’s really cool to be able to race here and to come here – it’s one of those races that are just fun and you are not stressed out. You are focused on your car. You can kind of look at the scenery and have a good time. It’s just fun to be here.”

How are you so good at this track in your first time out here?

“First of all, I want to give all glory to God and second of all, I’ve got Toyota. They provide our simulators. I’ve got go-karts. I was at the go-kart track yesterday and I made 94 laps at Go Pro. I just enjoy racing and the road course stuff is nice I think because it’s easier to watch film on it because you can kind of compare and translate film to braking markers. It’s a little easier. Ovals are so much, I think, of a finesse. You don’t have as much braking markers there. You’re not as focused on that. Road courses are fun. They come in and do something different and focus on just turning right and left and I have a good time, a good flow with it. It’s just been patient and having the right arc going into the corner.”

Is ‘Let’s Go’ your official catch phrase?

“I don’t know. So, here’s the thing – it was the let’s freaking go. I’m going to get in trouble, and I don’t want to cuss, so I just did let’s go – LG and now I comment under people’s posts LG, but people are LFG, and I don’t want to do that. That was a funny question.”

So, it’s the clean version of that phrase?

“Yeah. My grandma is watching me, and she will get after me, so I don’t want to do anything wrong. I’m already on thin ice.”

Why are you on thin ice?

“I need to fix my act up a little bit I think and more personally. I’m on thin ice with myself because I get very frustrated sometimes – we all do – but there are sometimes where I just need to fix myself and check. Think before I talk, stuff like that. Little stuff I’m learning as a human as I get older with being frustrated.”

What is your biggest weakness?

“I think there is multiple weaknesses. Trying to perfect everything is always going to lead to weaknesses. Fixing my performance off track is going to be the biggest thing compared to on-track – just little things and who I’m being around and stuff like that. Just normal thing and trying to be the best person I can be is the biggest weaknesses right now. I’m just learning. On track, being patient as we saw. Patience is what I think is my biggest weakness, but I think it’s not a weakness because I’ve been patient. Just where I’m lacking is in that moment to be patient and not freak out for no reason.”

Did you take some notes on what Kyle Busch did from last year?

“For sure. I think we are pretty close to what Kyle (Busch) had. We just had to make some minor adjustments, just I think from my feel in the sim and stuff like that. The guys worked hard. The guys work so hard and me giving them credit and saying thank you is not enough. Thank you to them. There is no comparison there. Those guys worked their butts off. Chris (Gayle, crew chief) and Kyle (Abrahims, engineer) are the best guys and I’m super close to them. They work really hard, and we have a good car.”

#

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 – NCS COTA Quotes – Kyle Busch – 03.25.22

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Official Release
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Toyota Racing – Kyle Busch
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AUSTIN, Texas (March 25, 2022) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kurt Busch was made available to media prior to the Circuit of the Americas race this Friday:

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Skittles Lime is Back Toyota Camry TRD, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are your expectations for this week?

“Just learning about the track and seeing about where all of the changes are. Looking at it and taking it all in. It’s a pretty good reminder of what it was last year – it’s very similar – with some added grip through the esses. It’s much faster through there – that’s about it really. I didn’t run a truck here last year, so trying to figure out that and how different that is compared to what I remember from the Xfinity and Cup car from last year and get ready for some extra track time.”

What is your mindset in the Cup Series?

“I think the car is fine. We are all trying to figure it out and learn what it potentially is and what it is that makes it go fast, what the knobs are that you need to turn at particular places. I feel like we’ve had decent speed everywhere we’ve been except Phoenix. Phoenix was really bad. Vegas we were fast – coulda, shoulda, woulda. California, we were okay, worked on it and came back from five laps down. Picked up 10 spots in five laps. Last week was fast. Probably one of the fastest cars in the field and just got caught up in a wreck. We don’t really have anything to show of this year, which is disappointing. No stage points. That’s about it.”

How does the track being dry this season affect braking zones?

“You are ever learning and ever changing each lap. Fresh tires, you can barrel it off in there as far as you can carry it. As tires burn off and you wear them, you have to back off your corners because you will lock it up or wheel hop. So, you are always changing, trying to figure out where that’s at. As the track picks up more rubber this weekend as it’s getting hotter throughout the days, it’s also going to slow down and get slicker so it’s just always about trying to find that grip, where it’s at and how hard you can push.”

Will we see some improvements with the Toyotas this week?

“That’s a relative term – what improvements you can exactly make. As you know, these parts are all bought from the same supplier, so it’s just about trying to figure out how to assemble them a little bit differently. Get your sim a little bit differently and try to find tune some of the setup tweaks that you can make on these cars to better your cars for the racetracks you are coming up to.”

Is there anything you have seen with these younger drivers with their success?

“No, they are doing a good job. They are getting the job done when it matters most – and that’s the last lap, taking home the checkered flag.”

Has your position road course racing changed?

“I’ve always enjoyed the road racing. Back years ago, when we had two on the schedule – Sonoma and Watkins Glen – it was kind of fun because it was like an off-week. You would go and enjoy the experience and try to learn and get better at it each time that you would do it, but now that there is six of them on the schedule it’s definitely more loaded towards needing to be good at it. Not wanting but needing with the amount of road course races we have. I feel like I’m a decent road racer and would love to have a chance to showcase that here on Sunday.”

#

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.

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