Fresh off an eighth-place finish at Texas Motor Speedway on Wednesday night, Matt DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are headed to Martinsville Speedway, home track of the Wood Brothers, for Sunday’s Xfinity 500.

DiBenedetto said he’s looking forward to Sunday’s 500-lapper on the tight half-mile, paper-clip-shaped track. It will be the next-to-last Cup race of the 2020 season and one DiBenedetto is anxiously anticipating.

“Martinsville is one of my favorite tracks of the entire year,” he said. “Our Motorcraft Mustangs are exceptionally strong there based on the race earlier this season.”

In that June 10 race, he collected bonus points in the first stage and finished seventh, the best Martinsville result of his Cup career and the best for the Wood Brothers there since April, 2005, with Ricky Rudd driving.

“Honestly we could have been significantly better, so I can’t wait to go back there and contend for it,” DiBenedetto said. “The tires wore out a lot, which made the racing fun, and that’s an important race being a home race for the Woods.

“So I am extra pumped for Martinsville!”

The Wood Brothers will be making their 119th start at Martinsville, dating back to 1953 when team founder Glenn Wood drove a Lincoln in the race and collected $25 for his efforts.

There will be no practice or qualifying prior to the start of Sunday’s Xfinity 500, which is set to get the green flag just after 2 p.m. with TV coverage on NBC.

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Matt DiBenedetto in the famous No. 21 racer.

Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.

NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

MARTINSVILLE, Virginia (October 30, 2020) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to media via videoconference in advance of the race at the Martinsville Speedway:

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Auto Owners Insurance Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

How much confidence do you have going into Martinsville this weekend?

“It definitely gives us confidence. Any time we are going into a track where we have had past success, it’s good. We’ve got notes to work off of from the spring race. It’s been good to us lately, but anything can happen at a short track. Just trying to be as prepared as we can, I think. The guys are ready, and we are going to do the best job we can and hopefully continue the success we have had there.”

Going into the final turn in second, what do you do?

“Hopefully, I will be leading so I don’t have to worry about it. I don’t know. I’m just going to drive and see how it all plays out. I’m not planning for anything right now, just have to see what happens.”

Did you feel less prepared with the lack of practice in the earlier race this season at Martinsville?

“Definitely less prepared this year, especially with no practice, but going back last year when we won, we had the high downforce package and this year when we won, we had low downforce. We hadn’t run that package in over a year and really that setup, we hadn’t run with the low downforce package. I definitely felt unprepared a little bit. We were obviously pleasantly surprised that what we had worked. Hopefully, we will be able to expand on that and make some improvements. I think that everybody is probably going to make some improvements from the spring just because the facts I just mentioned. We’ve got to find a way to get better and hopefully, we will be able to do that.”

Is there more of a challenge to make improvements when you won the last race at the track?

“It’s always a challenge to make improvements no matter the situation, really. When you don’t have practice, you use all the tools at your disposal and try to make the right decisions. Concrete tracks like Martinsville are really tricky. Just the outside temperature and the way that the rubber lays down there can make such a huge difference that it’s a little bit hard to get it perfect. Hopefully, we will make the right decisions. I know we’ve got some good notes to go off of, like I said, but it’s going to probably be a lot colder this time around so things will be different for sure.”

You don’t seem like a guys that gets stressed out. I’m curious, is this fun for you or is the position you are in kind of aggravating?

“Not aggravating at all. I think it’s a big opportunity to get where we want to go this weekend. Obviously, you hate that is comes down to one race after what I feel like is a pretty strong season. We’ve just been second and third so many times that we needed to win more races, obviously. I knew early on coming into the Playoffs it was going to be tough without a lot of bonus points, so that’s kind of been the toughest part of it. We’ve performed well. We’ve scored a lot of points in the Playoffs, but when the reset the rounds we are so far behind the eight-ball we haven’t been able to catch up. Obviously, the points penalty this past weekend hurt as well. We’d be in somewhat of a decent position this weekend, I guess, without that. That being said it’s a huge opportunity. It’s a good track for us. It’s a track I enjoy, so we will go there and give it our all and hope that it’s enough.”

Do you like these one-day shows?

“They are great during hunting season. Yes and no. I really enjoy it. I like having some more time at home to do fun things and hobbies and things like that. It’s been a little bit easier on the crew guys, I guess. Especially not having the backup car. Those guys have a little more time at home with their families as well, which is good. I do miss having practice. I definitely feel like – I really, really feel like we would have won a couple more races this year if we would have had practice. Everybody is in the same boat there, though. I don’t mind it. I think the one-day shows are fine. It’s nice to knock them out in a quick matter.”

Now that you have had a few days past Texas, did you find out what happened?

“No. I haven’t found out, and honestly, I haven’t even asked. It’s over and done with. Move on and deal with it.”

How do you view the feedback you see on social media?

“Yeah, it’s fine. It is what it is. No matter who it is or what you say people are going to jump on you. That’s Twitter. That’s the way it works.”

Martinsville has been the site of many Playoff moments, even though it wasn’t a cutoff race. Do you expect the same this weekend?

“I think that it’s definitely going to ramp things up a bit especially when you come down to the end. Guys in a situation like I’m in, it has the potential to get pretty crazy. It’s really hard to prepare for those things. You just have to go race and live in the moment and try to make the best decision possible and do whatever it takes to get where you want to go. I’m not going to sit here and say I’m going to do X or Y, I’m going to run over this person or that person because that’s not really the way I do things. It’s funny I think I hear more people giving me a hard time for complaining about lap cars not giving way to the leaders when they are racing for a win than I do how I race people. That’s kind of silly but I’m just going to go race, do my thing and hopefully, we will be in position to win the thing.”

How do you feel about the shortened turnaround time to Martinsville?

“I don’t think it really changes a whole lot to be honest. I think probably for the most part everybody has been working on their cars for a few weeks and have been rather prepared. I think we’ve got a little bit of taste of midweek races earlier in the year, so it’s really no different than that. It wasn’t much fun to sit around there at Texas for a couple of days in the rain not doing anything but aside from that it really doesn’t change anything.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. and North America for more than 60 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly of more than 40 million cars and trucks in North America, where we have 14 manufacturing plants, 15 including our joint venture in Alabama (10 in the U.S.), and directly employ more than 47,000 people (over 36,000 in the U.S.). Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the U.S.) sold nearly 2.8 million cars and trucks (nearly 2.4 million in the U.S.) in 2019.

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020

BRAD KESELOWSKI NASCAR ZOOM MEDIA AVAILABILITY

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Dent Wizard Ford Mustang — YOU SAID YOU COULDN’T SLEEP LAST NIGHT. HOW ARE YOU FEELING? “Really good. I feel great. These next two races really set up terrific and I’m just excited. I was really nervous about Texas. I thought Texas would be the most difficult race for us to get through in this round and it ended up going really well for us. And these next two races I’m just, I don’t want to say licking my chops, but I feel like based on our season’s performance to date, they present the best chance for us to go out and really have a chance to win and get a second championship, so I’m pretty pumped about it.”

ARE YOU RACING TO WIN AT MARTINSVILLE TO GET IN OR DO YOU SEE OTHER PATHS? “I think there are other paths, but I think we’ve got a great shot at winning. I’m looking at starting from the pole. That’s a good feeling, and then I’m thinking about obviously the speed we’ve had to date on the short tracks and all those things combined I feel pretty good.”

SOME DRIVERS SHUT DOWN SOCIAL MEDIA DURING THIS TIME, BUT YOU DON’T SEEM TO CHANGE MUCH OF WHAT YOU DO. WHY? “Yeah, I think that’s pretty accurate. I used to just do social media all by myself and I have a little bit more help now than I used to, so that’s been a big deal for me. I lean on that help and support that I get to keep it to where social media can still be fun for me, and I’ve always said that I get more out of social media than what I put in. I still feel that way. I understand why some people might not feel that way and that’s okay, but I’m just steady Eddie — stay the course.”

HOW MUCH SAY SHOULD A DRIVER HAVE WHEN A CREW CHIEF CHANGE IS BEING CONSIDERED? “I think you always want to have some input no matter what your job is on what happens around you, so certainly I always think a driver should. One of the roles of a car owner is to see what’s going on around him and with his team and make decisions that might not always be popular but are best for the team, so there’s certainly a balancing act there.”

HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT ROTATING THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IN FUTURE YEARS AND WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS PHOENIX HAS MADE? “I think it’s great to see a racetrack and a community make an investment like Phoenix Raceway has. That track went from being pretty outdated to arguably being the most modern NASCAR track we have, so it was very welcome by the industry. With that came an embrace for the championship weekend for 2020 and I think that’s really well earned whenever you’re willing to make that kind of an investment on a facility. To your other question about the championship race changing season to season, I’m supportive of that. I think variety is the spice of life and I think one of the reasons in my mind why NASCAR had such a big boom in the late nineties and early 2000s is they were going to different tracks. New tracks were being added to the schedule and some of the good tracks that we already had were kept on the schedule and I’d like to see that become the norm. I’m really excited with what I’ve seen with the changes for the 2021 schedule and I think NASCAR is maybe thinking similar.”

WHAT IS YOUR MINDSET GOING INTO THIS RACE? “I want to win. I know we’re gonna have a shot starting from the pole and having the first pit stall. That’s as good a shot as you’re gonna get at Martinsville out of the gate. Of course, you’ve got to execute and deliver during the race, but I’m certainly going there to win and not thinking of anything differently.”

IS THIS YOUR BEST CHANCE TO WIN THE TITLE SINCE YOU WON YOUR FIRST ONE? “I would say this year and probably 2015 were two really good opportunities for me to win a championship. I didn’t pull it off in 2015 and I feel like that was in retrospect my fault. I feel like I’ve had other great seasons — 2014 was a great season, but we didn’t really have the speed on the mile-and-a-halves and the championship came down to a mile-and-a-half at the end. In 2012, we had great mile-and-a-half speed and it did come down to the mile-and-a-half, so all things considered I think I have the best chance I’ve had and probably equal the chance I had in 2012 and 2015 and I’m really excited for it.”

HOW MUCH WILL YOU PAY ATTENTION TO DENNY AND RACE HIM ON POINTS BECAUSE IF SOMEONE OUTSIDE THE TOP 4 WINS, THAT LAST TRANSFER SPOT WOULD BE ELIMINATED? “I don’t want to play defense. I just want to go out there and play offense. I’m confident we’ve got the capabilities as a team to do just that, so probably will not spend that much time thinking about him — at least not intentionally.”

WITH MARTIN TRUEX HAVING WON THE LAST TWO RACES THERE AND HIM BEING BELOW THE CUTLINE. DO YOU RACE HIM ANY TOUGHER AND TRY TO MAKE IT A LONG, HARD DAY FOR HIM TO MAKE HIS LIFE MISERABLE SO HE CAN’T GET THAT WIN? “I plan on making it miserable for everyone. I’m an opportunist. I’d like to just win it and not worry about it. I think it’s very dangerous for me to focus on one car. I want to focus on my car if I’m gonna focus on any cars.”

WHAT WILL THE BALANCE BE FOR YOU IN TERMS OF AGGRESSION AT MARTINSVILLE? “I haven’t had any of those conversations with Jeremy and I don’t anticipate we will. I think we’ll just completely focus on controlling our own destiny by winning.”

DO YOU FEEL THE DRIVER WHO WINS THE FIRST RACE IN THE ROUND OF 8 HAS AN ADVANTAGE AND WHOEVER WINS THIS WEEKEND WOULD BE DISADVANTAGED BECAUSE THEY WON’T HAVE AS MUCH TIME TO PREPARE FOR PHOENIX? “I thought previously that there was a good conversation to be had about why winning Martinsville was so important because you could spend two or three weeks in the wind tunnel with your Homestead car, and aerodynamics being so important for Homestead gave you a lot of time to tune that car up and put a lot of focus on it. Probably not so much the case for Phoenix. Not that aerodynamics aren’t important at Phoenix, but not like they are at Homestead. I would say with that in mind, along with the COVID effect, I don’t anticipate it will be as big of an advantage as it used to be.”

HOW DO YOU BALANCE WHAT CHANGES YOU MAKE FROM THE FIRST MARTINSVILLE RACE TO THIS ONE? “If you’re not getting better, you’re getting worse. I know as a team we’ve brought some new things and I anticipate we’ll be a little bit better.”

HOW HAVE YOU HAD TO ADJUST THE THINGS YOU WOULD NORMALLY DO WITH YOUR CHECKERED FLAG FOUNDATION? “It’s definitely a challenge. I don’t want anybody to feel sad for me or my foundation, but it’s definitely a challenge. We shifted to moving our events. We had two events we had to cancel, which was kind of heartbreaking — not from the fundraising side, obviously that doesn’t help any at all, but more because we couldn’t do things for the people we really cared about. For the past three years we’ve been working to raise funds to build a Fisher House in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is close to my hometown and my home state. We finally got the thing open and it was just as COVID hit and we couldn’t go to the grand opening and that really stunk. I really wanted to go to that, but that’s not life or death. There are a lot worse things going on in the world, so I try to keep that in perspective, but we have a number of initiatives that we pushed off to the winter, specifically after the season, so we can have some gatherings and so forth that don’t jeopardize my day job, so to speak. So it’s just part of everybody adjusting and acclimating to the new realities of the world we live in.”

DOES TALENT MATTER LESS THIS WEEKEND IN THE SENSE OF ME BEATING YOU ALL I HAVE TO DO IS KNOCK YOU OUT OF THE WAY? IS IT EASIER TO BE A GOON ON THE TRACK? “I’ve never heard of it put that way. That’s interesting. There’s part of me that says it’s harder and it requires more talent because the finesse that it takes to get around Martinsville is much higher than it is to get around a Texas or a Kansas or a Homestead, but then on the other side to your point, it is easier to just catch somebody, run them over and move on. So I think it’s somewhere in-between. It’s probably a little bit of both. It’s a little bit harder and a little bit easier. It’s a little bit harder just to make speed and to run away from the field and have a dominant day because it takes a lot of talent, I think, to manage the car at a track like Martinsville. On the flip side, it takes less talent, to your point, of being able to just hit somebody and pass them. So, yes to both. It’s both harder and easier.”

THERE’S SO MUCH AT STAKE IN THIS ELIMINATION RACE ARE YOU WORRIED IT’S EASIER FOR SOMEONE TO JUST ROUGH UP ANOTHER DRIVER OR DOES THE THREAT OF RETALIATION KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING? “As I’ve gotten older and dare I say a little bit wiser, I’ve learned not to worry about things I can’t control. I don’t particularly worry about what the racetrack lineup is because I can’t change it, I can’t control it, all I can do is try to be the best I can within the environment. Worrying doesn’t really help me at all, so I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about it that way, but it does require some adapting.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
XFINITY 500
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 30, 2020

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 NAPA AUTO PARTS CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference and discussed his mindset going into Martinsville on Sunday, how he feels about it being a cutoff race, his thoughts on 2021 Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Kyle Larson, and more. Full Transcript:

REGARDING THE GEORGIA TEAMS, THE ATLANTA BRAVES AND THE BULLDOGS NOT HAVING THE BEST OCTOBER, HOW MIGHT YOU CHANGE THAT TREND?
“I hope we can help with that trend, for sure. It’s been a rough go. The Braves had such a good series with the Dodgers, and then for the Dodgers to go on and win like they did, it was pretty frustrating. But yeah, hopefully we can try to help that, I guess, in a sense. We’ll find out here on Sunday.”

WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE WHEN YOU GO INTO THE LAST RACE OF THE YEAR AND YOU ARE OUT OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP RACE? DO YOU ALWAYS LEAVE THERE THINKING YOU JUST DON’T WANT TO DO THIS AGAIN THIS WAY?
“Yeah, it certainly is motivating for sure. As you go into that last weekend and you’re not a part of it you still want to try to get that race win and you’re still there battling; but at the same time, it is still disappointing; especially being just knocked out like six days ago like the way it was last year. Yeah, it’s an unfortunate way to kind of end the year but that’s the way it is. If you’re not good enough or don’t have a good stretch of races there in each round, you’re not going to make it. So that’s just part of it.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT YOUR NEW TEAMMATE, KYLE LARSON? HAVE YOU SPENT MUCH TIME TOGETHER OR WILL THIS BE LIKE THE FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL WHEN YOU FINALLY GET TOGETHER?
“I’m really excited, first off, for Kyle; and having an opportunity and getting a second chance. I think he really is a good dude and there’s really nothing that I’ve seen in my time around him that would lead me astray. Otherwise, I think everybody makes mistakes. It wasn’t good, but at the same time I think he’s taken the right path to grow a lot and I do think he’s grown a lot in more ways than just that. So, I think he’s going to be a good addition. I think he’s going to have a lot of success much like he was already having before he left. And, I haven’t spent a ton of time around Kyle over the years. We came from different worlds, but we’ve inadvertently raced against each other along the way in K&N; I don’t think we ran any Trucks but my first season in Xfinity I think he was either full time or still racing a lot before they changed the rules. I’ve raced with him a bunch, but I can’t say I have a really close friendship or anything with him off the track. So, I’m looking forward to getting to know him better and trying to improve Hendrick Motorsports as a whole.”

WHEN THIS SEASON IS OVER, HAVE YOU THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT TO DO TO DECOMPRESS?
“Yeah, I think right now I’m on the NASCAR thing and trying to focus on the end of the season and hopefully finishing out on a really high note. So, I think that’s kind of where my head is right now is we will have a great opportunity going to Martinsville this weekend still in the hunt and hopefully give ourselves a chance the next week at Phoenix. So, all eyes are on that right now and it’s all that matters. So, I’m looking forward to that first.”

THE FOUR DRIVERS ABOVE THE CUTLINE HAVE COMBINED FOR 23 OF 34 WINS THIS YEAR. GOING INTO MARTINSVILLE, THOSE ARE THE GUYS EVERYBODY IS CHASING. IS THAT SURPRISING THAT THEY’VE BEEN THE GUYS LEADING THE WAY?
“No. Who’s in right now? You’ve got Joey (Logano), Kevin (Harvick), Denny (Hamlin) and Brad (Keselowski). Those are very familiar faces to the Final Four and that’s not by happenstance. So, they’re obviously very good and they’ve obviously asserted themselves as the top drivers and teams over the course of the last number of years; especially since this points format has been implemented. So, hopefully we can change that course this weekend.”

MARTINSVILLE, IN THE PLAYOFFS, ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAVE QUITE A FEW MOMENTS THESE PAST YEARS. IS THERE ANY REASON NOT TO EXPECT MORE OF THE SAME NOW THAT IT IS THE CUTOFF RACE WITH THE LAST CHANCE TO GET TO PHOENIX?
“Yeah, I think it’s a great place for it. Who knows how the race will shape up? A lot of circumstances kind of led to some of those big moments and the timely cautions and things of that nature, so who knows? I certainly couldn’t tell you whether it’ll be fireworks or not, but my goal is to be fast enough where you don’t allow fireworks. And that’s the best way to deal with that.”

ARE YOU STRESSED? AND IF SO, HOW ARE YOU DEALING WITH IT?
“To be really honest with you, I feel good. I feel probably better than I ever have and as relaxed as I ever have. Coming into that last opportunity, that ‘last chance Sunday’ as I’ve called it the last couple of years, I’m looking forward to it. I think the more that you can embrace that moment and embrace that situation and really enjoy that time, the better you’ll be prepared for a Final Four one day if you ever get there. So, that’s kind of the way I feel about it and am really just excited to have the opportunity and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

WHEN RICK HENDRICK WAS BEING ASKED ABOUT KYLE LARSON DOING DIRT RACING, HE MENTIONED YOU MIGHT WANT TO BE DOING SOME MORE OUTSIDE RACING, TOO. IS THAT BECAUSE YOU’RE JUST RACING ONE DAY A WEEK IN NASCAR OR IS IT JUST FOR FUN?
“Great question. For me, I’ve had a lot of interest to go and go back and run short track stuff over the past number of years I’ve said that. I’ve said that a lot. I just haven’t had the right opportunities and I haven’t been able to do the things the way I want to do them. So, it’s not necessarily the racing one day a week thing. I’ve had the interest when we were at the track more, aside from this year; but I think now I’ve been able to kind of at least get some ideas of things that I want to do. I’m not sure exactly how timely it will be, but I want to do it kind of my way and I want to do it the way that I think is right. Until I can do it that way, I won’t. That’s just kind of the way I am. So, I’m looking forward to doing some more racing and I really, really want to and I’m excited about it. I’m just not exactly sure when, but would love to.””

WHAT IS THE ART OF RACING AT MARTINSVILLE? WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE TO PASS THERE?
“Martinsville is such a tough place and it’s a place that I’ve really struggled at in the past. We’ve had some good runs there too; but it’s such a knife edge of getting your car perfect at that place. You’re asking to make such a sharp turn and you’re also asking to go from a really slow corner and accelerate at a pretty high rate back up on the straightaway, which can be hard on the rear tires as well. So, you’re just getting all those things married up and right is very tough. And then the passing side of things, I feel like has gotten really hard. I feel like it’s gotten harder over the past couple of years for whatever reason. I feel like some guys are starting to drive the track more similarly which makes it really hard to be different. And when you’re just kind of the same as the guy in front of you, although you might be able to make a little bit more time than him in certain areas if you’re driving the track with the same technique, it makes it very challenging to pass a guy. But that’s also what’s made some of these races very entertaining at the same time. So, I don’t exactly know what that is or why that is; but it certainly is a tough place.”

WHAT IS THE CHALLENGE OF PLAYOFF RACING AT MARTINSVILLE?
“I don’t necessarily know that it’s any different. I want to go win a regular season race really bad, too. So, I can’t say that I’m going to try any harder on Sunday than I would have in the spring. I feel like I’m trying really hard as is. So, I don’t really see it being really much different from the added challenge. I think that for us we’re in a position where we really need to go win and in the spring race, we needed to go win then too. We needed those five bonus points then. So, I think it will all be very similar.”

INAUDIBLE
“I certainly think that the team that wins that very first race in the Round of 8 and is locked-in, you have more time to think about what car you’re going to take to the final race. You have more time to massage on it. Yeah, I definitely think that could be a slight advantage. I’ve never really thought about that. I think that’s a great point. I do think that would be a slight advantage in car selection and time to tweak on those really, really small fine-tuning items that could potentially add up to make a difference. So, I can see that being a help. I can also see momentum being big, too. If you get on a roll, I could see winning Martinsville being a big momentum-booster for that team, whoever wins on Sunday, to propel them and have a really good shot the following week too. So, I think it’s really about how you ride the wave if you are that team that can win that very last race in the Round of 8.”

IN THE PAST, YOU’VE GONE FROM PHOENIX TO HOMESTEAD. THIS YEAR IT’S TWO 750 HORSEPOWER TRACKS. DO YOU THINK THAT MIGHT CHANGE IT A LITTLE BIT, TOO, THIS WEEK SO YOU COULD TAKE A SIMILAR CAR?
“You know, I’m not sure on that. I definitely think it’s great that we’re ending the season on two 750 tracks. I’m a bigger fan of that, I think, in deciding our champion in the final two races. So, that has my vote; not that I get one, but I really like it a lot. And I’m looking forward to seeing that too. Could you potentially take your Martinsville car to Phoenix? Maybe. You might. Yeah, that might be a good thing from the car-side and performance-side as well. That would be kind of a toss-up and one of those decisions you have to make pretty fast.”

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

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
XFINITY 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
OCTOBER 30, 2020

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 PLANTERS CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference to discuss his outlook going into the Round of Eight elimination race at Martinsville Speedway, what it’s going to take to advance into the Championship Four, the biggest challenges of racing at Martinsville, and more. Transcript:

ALEX, WHAT IS THE ART OF RACING AT MARTINSVILLE AND PASSING THERE? WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE AT MARTINSVILLE?
“I think it really just comes down to a lot of patience. Martinsville is a place where it’s easy to burn your stuff up early. It’s easy to get really frustrated early, take yourself out and get a lot of damage. It’s probably the only place where if you don’t have a right-front fender on it, you’re going to go faster because you’re going to keep the tire cooler. But it’s a little hard to accomplish that without tearing anything else up. It’s really just all about patience and knowing when to go, when to save, how to race guys throughout the race. It’s such a long race – 500 laps around there is a really long day. You just have to be there at the end. But, I’m excited to go. I feel like we were really strong there earlier this year and we should be good when we get back there.”

GIVEN HOW MUCH IS ON THE LINE, HOW IS YOUR PATIENCE LEVEL? YOU’RE NOT REALLY A HOT-HEAD, RIGHT? WHAT DOES MARTINSVILLE DO TO YOU?
“Yeah, I think for us, we’re ten-tenths every weekend, so it’s not really like you can turn it up. I don’t necessarily think there’s a ‘be more aggressive and you’re magically going to transfer through the Playoffs’ scenario for us. If we’re running second on the last lap and I can get to the leader, yeah, they’re going to get moved. But, you can’t move fifteen guys to get to the leader. You have to put yourself in that situation to begin with. We’ll be aggressive when it counts and for the right reasons, but we’re not going to be overly-aggressive for no reason.”

WE HEARD MANY YEARS NOW THAT MARTINSVILLE IS CONSIDERED THAT ONE TRACK WHERE PAYBACKS ARE POSSIBLE. HOW HARD IS IT TO KEEP YOUR PATIENCE IN A RACE, KNOWING THAT THERE MIGHT BE SOMEBODY THAT MAY HAVE SOMETHING AGAINST YOU? AND DO YOU KEEP A GRUDGE FOR A LONG TIME AND LET THAT KIND OF SIMMER DOWN THE ROAD?
“I feel like all racecar drivers keep grudges for a long time. I’m really excited to watch the Truck race for that reason.”

“Yeah, I think we haven’t really had any run-ins with anybody this year, for the most part. So, that’s probably good. I don’t really know that I have anybody mad at me going into Martinsville and I don’t really know that I’m mad at anybody going into Martinsville. So, I’m just focused on doing my thing and running my own race. The guys that are frustrated with other people and do have people mad at them – Martinsville is obviously a place where it’s just easier to have it show up because you’re a little more aggravated in general, just because how hard it is to pass and how easy it is to run somebody down and then kind of just get stuck there.”

IF THERE ARE A COUPLE OF GUYS THAT HAVE HAD RECENT ISSUES AND THEY’RE RACING SIDE-BY-SIDE, DO YOU WANT TO KNOW THAT INFORMATION?
“Yeah, I feel like my spotter does a pretty good job of doing that, even when like if somebody’s had an issue earlier in the race or a couple races ago. He does a good job of just letting me know kind of what the situation is, and sometimes it dissipates and sometimes it doesn’t.”

SOMEONE COULD JUST LOOK AT YOUR SHORT HISTORY AT MARTINSVILLE AND GO ‘OH, THIS GUY’S GOING TO BE IN A TOUGH SPOT’. BUT YOU HAD A GOOD FINISH AT THE FIRST RACE THERE EARLIER THIS YEAR. EIGHT OF YOUR LAST 10-FINISHES HAVE BEEN TOP-10 OR BETTER. SO, I IMAGINE YOU’RE GOING INTO THIS RACE, EVEN THOUGH YOU’RE BELOW THE CUT-OFF LINE, STILL WITH A LOT OF CONFIDENCE. TAKE ME THROUGH YOUR MINDSET GOING INTO THIS RACE.
“Yeah, I feel like we’ve built a lot of confidence as a race team throughout the last two months or so. Whether we transfer to the Round of Four or not, I feel like we have a lot to be proud of over the last 10 races or so. We really should have all top-10’s through the Playoffs so far, just Bristol we had a tire issue and Talladega we got caught up in a crash. I think how much we’ve overcome this year as a race team and how strong we’ve been here at the end of the year, we have a lot to be proud of and we can continue to carry that momentum into next year regardless of if we make the final round or not. Obviously, we’re going to do everything we can to try to make that final round. Right now, it kind of looks like that everything we can is going to mean a win. So, hopefully we can go try and make that happen. But, regardless, we want to finish the season strong and do the best we can. I’m definitely proud of where we are as a race team right now.”

DO YOU SORT OF FEEL LIKE YOU’RE PLAYING WITH HOUSE MONEY, TO CERTAIN DEGREE?
“Yeah, I think so. I think our goal was to make the Round of Eight and we made the Round of Eight. Through the first two races, we had the best average finish of all the Playoff guys through this round. I think we’re probably over-performing from what a lot of people thought we were going to do, but I think we have a lot more left in us and I definitely feel like we’re playing with house money.”

YOU’RE PROBABLY A LITTLE BIASED IN ANSWERING THIS, BUT LOOKING AHEAD TO PHOENIX, YOUR THOUGHTS ON IT HOSTING THE CHAMPIONSHIP FINALE AND THE IMPROVEMENTS THAT IT HAS DONE, IN TERMS OF THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND EVERYTHING?
“Yeah, I think it’s really cool that Phoenix is hosting that race. For me, I’ve been a fan there quite a bit, so I kind of feel like I know how that place is now and how it was before. I think the improvements are really great. Moving the grandstands was a great decision because I got absolutely roasted in the grandstands where they were before and obviously getting some more shade is great for all the race fans. It created a lot of excitement with the restart zone.”

“But I think you look at racetracks, like Talladega – it gets this amazing reputation because of Talladega Boulevard, how the camping is so wild, and the fans. Phoenix is really underrated when it comes to that. The campgrounds at Phoenix are absolutely wild. They’re huge – they go as far as you can see. And the fans there are incredible. So, I think it’s a really deserving track of that final race. It puts on a great show. The racetrack itself is great. The fans are great. I think it has a lot of good aspects. And I feel like they about sell-out that event all the time. Obviously, we have a really strong fan engagement there and it makes a great fit for us.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT HAVING KYLE LARSON AS YOUR NEW TEAMMATE AND HIM BEING THE OLDEST GUY ON THE TEAM? HE SAID YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN TALKING A LITTLE DIRT RACING RECENTLY.
“Yeah, I’m happy that there’s somebody older than me still – I don’t have to be the old guy on campus. Yeah, we’ve talked a lot, really just a lot about dirt racing lately – that’s kind of all we’ve been talking about. I’ve been leaning on him quite a bit, just with the winged sprint car that we just built and just trying to kind of understand more about wing racing, and flow questions through him to his crew chief, Paul Silva. That’s been a big help for me. So, I’m looking forward to it. Obviously, one of the most talented drivers of our generation. Looking forward to seeing what he can bring to the table.”

DID YOU EVER GET YOUR SIMULATOR TIME FOR MARTINSVILLE?
“I did – I ended up in there yesterday. I just got a quick hour in there, but it was definitely helpful and glad we got it worked out.”

DO YOU LIKE THIS QUICK TURNAROUND FOR MARTINSVILLE OR WOULD YOU RATHER BE ABLE TO SIT AROUND, THINK ABOUT IT SOME MORE, PLAN SOME MORE? OR IS IT BETTER TO JUST GET THERE AND NOT THINK ABOUT IT TOO MUCH?
“Yeah, for me, there’s not really a lot of sitting around and thinking about it. My weeks are pretty busy. I’ve definitely had a lot of things to try and fit into yesterday and today. So, a lot of running around, errands to run and stuff like that. Obviously, in a perfect world, you’d have a little more time to spread that stuff out. But I’m excited to kind of keep the momentum that we have and carry that over to Martinsville. If the short turnaround time helps that, then that’s good.”

I KNOW YOU PROBABLY HAVEN’T HAD A LOT OF TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOUR FOCUS IS FINISHING OUT THE SEASON, BUT NEXT YEAR, GOING INTO THAT NO. 48, HOW MUCH MOTIVATION IS IT FOR YOU TO TRY AND GET OUT FROM UNDERNEATH THAT SHADOW, SO TO SPEAK? JIMMIE JOHNSON RAN IT FOR SO LONG AND NOW YOU’RE GOING TO BE IN IT AND YOU WANT TO MAKE IT YOUR OWN. HOW IS THAT A MOTIVATING FACTOR?
“Yeah, for sure. I think it’s very similar to driving the No. 88 car, just taking over for Dale Jr. Obviously, different circumstances – Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) was probably the most popular of all-time. And then you have Jimmie (Johnson), who is probably the greatest of all-time. To go from one to the other, I definitely want to make the No. 48 car my own. I’m excited to get to work with Ally. They’ve been really cool and really open to kind of leaning on me to do whatever I want – kind of steer it my direction, which is really neat. I’m excited to be able to be myself. The biggest thing for me is, I’m not Jimmie Johnson. I wish I was Jimmie Johnson, but I’m not. I wish I was like 50 percent of Jimmie Johnson, but I’m not. So, just trying to be myself and go out and perform. I just want to perform and win races. When it comes down to it, that’s the top of the list for me – winning races and trying to add to the legacy of that car. It will forever have been made famous by Jimmie, but hopefully we can add to it a little bit.”

HOW DO YOU LIKE THESE ONE-DAY SHOWS?
“I love it. It’s the best thing we’ve ever done. Obviously, a terrible set of circumstances and we hate that there are less fans around and hate everything that’s caused it. But I’m a big fan of the one-day shows. The little bit of extra time at home is definitely nice. But being able to race as much as we did as quickly as we did with the one-day shows, as well, was really cool. It kind of brought me back to growing up racing. It was one-day shows everywhere. You’d hot lap, heat race and then the feature race. The lack of practice and the one-day shows, I’m all for it.”

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

About Chevrolet
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MOORESVILLE, N.C. (October 30, 2020) – Spire Motorsports will feature DECK Leadership aboard the No. 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for the final two NASCAR Cup Series races of the season, beginning with Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

Garrett Smithley will pilot the No. 77 entry at Martinsville while a driver for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway will be announced at a later date.

DECK Leadership was co-founded by longtime NASCAR pit crew members pit crew coaches Mike Metcalf and Shaun Peet with a focus on corporate leadership, diversity and efficiency training.

The potent pit-road duo apply the hard-won principles learned over a decade of building and coaching NASCAR pit crews to motivate teams and organizations alike, by discovering authentic opportunities for diversity, efficiency, culture, and kindness.

Metcalf is a Charlotte native and former football student-athlete who graduated with honors from Appalachian State University. He first entered the world of professional motorsports in 2006 and quickly climbed the ranks. Outside of motorsports, Metcalf serves on the board of RunningWorks and the Daddy Saturday Foundation, while also serving as a brand ambassador for lululemon and Clean Juice.

Peet was born and raised on Vancouver Island, Canada. He came to the United States on a hockey scholarship where he played four years in the Ivy League at Dartmouth College and graduated with high honors and a double major in Psychology and Sociology. As a former professional hockey player, Peet made the jump to motorsports after a chance meeting with a fan afforded him the opportunity to join Bill Davis Racing. Two years later he was the jackman for Red Bull Racing’s NASCAR Cup Series team that won the 2008 World Pit Crew Championship. In 2013, he was recruited by Chip Ganassi Racing where he was part of the first pit crew to be bestowed with the Comcast Community Champions Award for their dedication to help those in need.

“This is a huge opportunity for DECK Leadership to partner with Spire Motorsports,” explained Metcalf. “Our brand is in its infancy, so this could prove to be a big momentum swing for us. Honestly, I’m probably going to tear up when the 77 makes its first lap. Our goal is to see people elevated over process. We know this is a small step in inspiring others to do the same. This shows that dreams still come true and kindness wins.”

Metcalf and Peet are also co-authors of their first book “12 Second Culture,” a manuscript that outlines the timeless truths that translate into every work environment. Whether someone works in a corporate culture, owns a small business, coaches a team or manages people, diversity, efficiency, culture, and kindness have all proven to be guideposts to a competitive advantage.

Those same attributes are positioned to foster cooperative relationships on pit road and in the workplace. Meanwhile, DECK Leadership partners with businesses, groups and thought leaders to provide impactful cultural and diversity workshops around the country.

DECK Leadership has provided team-building workshops to a host of prominent organizations including Merck, Michelin Tire, the Dallas Cowboys, AmerisourceBergen, Colonial Life, Elavon and Novant Health.

“I’ve known both Mike Metcalf and Shaun Peet for a long time and we’ve raced together for well over a decade,” said Spire Motorsports co-owner T.J. Puchyr. “Their collective commitment to leadership, efficiency and organizational improvement can’t be overstated. If you’ve ever met either of them, you’ll never forget the experience. Mike and Shaun’s attitudes are contagious. Meeting those guys is an experience like no other. They exude positivity and an energy that lifts everyone around them. As NASCAR continues to introduce diversity initiatives across the sport, Spire Motorsports is honored to partner with DECK Leadership for the final two races of the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.”

The Xfinity 500 from Martinsville Speedway will be televised live on NBC Sunday, November 1 beginning at 1:30 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. The 35th of 36 points-paying races on the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series schedule will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Richard Childress Racing at Martinsville Speedway… In 175 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned four pole awards and posted seven victories with drivers Dale Earnhardt (five times), Ricky Rudd (1983) and Kevin Harvick (2011). RCR Chevrolet teams have earned 30 top-five and 63 top-10 finishes at Martinsville dating back to the team’s first start there on April 10, 1972. Richard Childress, a former driver in NASCAR’s top division, contributed four of those top-10 finishes from 1976-1978. The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to Martinsville Speedway this weekend after a 14-year hiatus from the Virginia short track. The Welcome N.C. organization’s only two NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the half-mile paperclip came in 2006. Kevin Harvick scored the victory, followed by a runner-up finish from Clint Bowyer. Collectively, Harvick and Bowyer combined to lead 207 out of the 250 laps en route to a 1-2 finish for RCR.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series Draft Top 250 at Martinsville Speedway will be televised live Saturday, October 31, beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

The NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway will be televised live Sunday, November 1, beginning at 2 p.m. ET on NBC and will be broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road/E-Z-GO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Martinsville Speedway… In 13 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Dillon earned his best finish of fourth in April 2016 at the half-mile short track after starting deep in the field from the 29th spot. He also has a fifth-place finish at the track (April 2017). He has made four appearances at the track in the NASCAR Truck Series, earning his best finish of third in October 2011.

Tracker Off Road… Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

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

E-Z-GO… E-Z-GO is an iconic, world-renowned brand in golf cars and personal transportation vehicles. Products sold under the E-Z-GO brand include RXV® and TXT® fleet golf cars, Freedom® RXV and Freedom TXT personal golf cars, E-Z-GO Express™ personal utility vehicles, and the 2Five® street-legal low-speed vehicle. Known for innovation in electric-vehicle technology, E-Z-GO’s newest offerings include the ELiTE series of lithium-ion powered golf cars and PTVs, and the company’s exclusive 72-volt AC electric powertrain found in its latest Express series vehicles. Founded in 1954 in Augusta, Ga., E-Z-GO became part of Textron Inc. in 1960, and today operates as part of the company’s Textron Specialized Vehicles division.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTE:
How do you feel about short tracks like Martinsville Speedway?
“I love going to Martinsville Speedway. Martinsville is one of those places where you go through so many emotions during the course of the race. Someone might bump you and that give-and-take can get frustrating. It’s a short little paper clip, with hard-braking corners. Earlier this year I got cooked at Martinsville Speedway because we had a tire go down before the race even started. I love that it’s one of the NASCAR Playoff cut off races this year. That will make it a blast for fans to watch.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 MotorTrend Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Martinsville Speedway… Tyler Reddick has one NASCAR Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway, finishing 16th at the short track earlier this year. Reddick also has six NASCAR Truck Series starts at the track, during which he had two top-five and three top-10 finishes.

About MotorTrend’s NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure… From learning how to communicate with their teams remotely due to Covid-19, to the cultural themes of social change and standing united, watch as NASCAR navigated one of its most tumultuous seasons in history in the all-new docuseries “NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure”, premiering Saturday, October 31, on the MotorTrend App, the only subscription streaming service dedicated entirely to the motoring world.

As the first major sport in the U.S. to re-open, “NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure” provides an all-access inside look at all of the major themes of the 2020 season with a sharp focus on who will qualify for the 16 playoff spots, and how they were each eliminated on the road to crowning the 2020 NASCAR Cup Champion. The all-new 7-part docuseries streams on the MotorTrend App beginning Saturday, Oct. 31.

About MotorTrend Group… MotorTrend Group is the largest automotive media company in the world, bringing together Discovery’s fast-growing MotorTrend TV, formerly Velocity, and a vast automotive digital, direct-to-consumer, social, and live event portfolio, including MOTORTREND, HOT ROD, ROADKILL, AUTOMOBILE, and more than 20 other industry-leading brands. With a monthly audience of 26 million across web, TV, and print, and 110 million social followers, culminating in 2 billion monthly content views across all platforms, the company encompasses television’s #1 network for automotive superfans, a leading automotive YouTube Channel, and the MotorTrend App, the only auto-dedicated subscription video-on-demand service. MotorTrend serves to embrace, entertain, and empower the motoring world.

Subscribe to the MotorTrend App and start your free trial now! Stream more than 3,600+ hours of the best in automotive entertainment and access the entire MotorTrend library from original series, hit shows from MotorTrend, live events, motorsports and more. Watch the best series, classic races, exciting documentaries and more with the NASCAR Collection from “NASCAR 2020: Under Pressure”, The MotorTrend 500: NASCAR Heads West, The Wood Brothers and more, all ad-free across your favorite devices anytime, anywhere.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
What are some lessons from the race we had at Martinsville Speedway earlier this year that you can apply to this weekend?
“We had a really good Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE the last time we went to Martinsville Speedway and learned a lot about the track that I think will help us this time around. The race we had back in June was my first time back at Martinsville since 2016, so I had to adapt quickly to figure out how to get around there in a Cup car since we went into that race without any practice. The track changed a lot over the course of that race, a lot more than we were expecting, so we’ll take that into account when setting up our strategy for it this time around. This is one of my crew chief’s favorite tracks, so we’re all looking forward to getting back there in our No. 8 MotorTrend Chevrolet to see what we can do.”

This Week’s No. 21 Taxslayer Chevrolet Camaro at Martinsville Speedway… Myatt Snider will return behind the wheel of the No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Saturday will mark Snider’s first Xfinity Series start at the Virginia short track. Snider has three career Truck Series starts at the half-mile speedway. He finished in the top-10 in all three of his previous starts, including a third-place finish in 2018.

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MYATT SNIDER QUOTES:
You are back with RCR to run the final two races of the season. What kind of excitement level do you have entering Martinsville Speedway this weekend?
“Absolutely, I am very blessed to have this opportunity to finish off the season with Richard Childress Racing. It has been a really interesting year for me personally, with a lot of new experiences, going to new tracks and bouncing back and forth between teams throughout the season. I am just very thankful to be back in the No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet this weekend to compete at one of my favorite tracks, Martinsville Speedway. We have a really cool Halloween scheme with TaxSlayer on board this weekend, so hopefully we can park it beside a clock at the end of the day Saturday.”

You have some strong stats at Martinsville Speedway from your NASCAR Truck Series starts. What is it specifically about Martinsville that seems to fit your driving style so well?
“Martinsville Speedway is one of the best short tracks on the schedule. I’ve had the opportunity to run races at Martinsville in late models and trucks for several years now, so even though this is my first start in an Xfinity Series car there, I still have a lot of laps and experience under my belt. It’s just a lot of fun. It has got a nice combination of hard-braking zones and getting back hard on the gas. It also requires a lot of patience out of the driver, so I think the one who can be the most patient and most intelligent with taking care of the car will find themselves in a really good position to win this race. Hopefully, that will be us.”

What are your expectations coming into this weekend at Martinsville Speedway? What will you consider a good day?
“Honestly, I think with how both myself and the entire No. 21 team have advanced this year our expectation is to go out and contend for the win this weekend. My crew chief, Andy Street, and our entire RCR team have been bringing extremely fast race cars to the track every week, and I don’t expect that to change at all. We’re all going to give it 100 percent this weekend, and hopefully, we’ll be right there contending for the win at the end of the day with our TaxSlayer Chevrolet.”