NASCAR CUP SERIES
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SOUTH POINT 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
SEPTEMBER 25, 2020

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 LLUMAR CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference to discuss his outlook going into the first race of the Round of 12 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the confidence he has in his team going into the second round of the Playoffs, and more. Transcript:

WHERE DO YOU THINK YOUR TEAM IS AT? WATCHING, YOU GUYS CERTAINLY DID ENOUGH TO GET THROUGH TO THIS ROUND, BUT IT’S NOT LIKE YOU’RE RUNNING IN THE TOP- THREE OR FOUR EVERY WEEK.
“I think we’re in a good place, for sure. Darlington went really well for us. Richmond we knew was probably our weak point of the Playoffs. Bristol was going to be a solid top-five night until we had that tire issue. The last couple of weeks, I think we’ve been really strong. Darlington, we had an issue on pit road that cost us a top-five, but I think we still finished sixth. We’re in a good spot. We’re going to some race tracks that are notoriously really good for us compared to where we’ve been over the last couple of weeks. I’m really confident. I think Greg (Ives, crew chief) and the guys are working really well together and we should be really good.”

DO YOU THINK LAS VEGAS WILL RACE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME AS IT DID IN FEBRUARY OR WITH RIGHT-SIDE TIRE CHANGE, DIFFERENT TEMPERATURES AND SO MUCH HAPPENING SINCE THEN THAT IT’LL BE MUCH DIFFERENT?
“I think the tires are probably the most crucial part of what we do, so for it to be different, it’s definitely a big unknown. It’s supposed to be a little bit more grip. So, if it’s more grip, I’d say the race will be similar to February, just in the sense that the track is going to have less, so maybe it will even out a little bit. But it’s going to be really hot and really slick, so it’ll be interesting to see how the tire fall-off is and just how it reacts.”

YOU WERE REALLY SOLID ON 1.5-MILE RACE TRACKS EARLIER. ARE YOU CONFIDENT IN THE LAST HOW MANY RACES THAT WE HAVE LEFT, THAT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS HAS PICKED UP ENOUGH SPEED WHERE THEY CAN BE COMPETITIVE WITH THE OTHER RACE TEAMS?
“I think we’re always trying to find more speed and more power. Our engine shop works really hard to constantly try to find whatever they can find. I think we definitely fell off through the summer and we looked in all areas to just try to improve every area and engines were definitely one. I hope we have enough speed. I think at Darlington and Bristol, we definitely showed we have enough speed. Going to a place like Las Vegas, you look at how we were in the spring there – if we can go and do that again and finish it off this time, that’d be great. But it’s really hard to say. Even for us, not having any practice and just going to so many different race tracks to start the Playoffs, I’m really not quite sure how our 1.5-mile program is going to stack up. But I’m really confident in it and think we’ll be really good.”

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PENALTIES THAT CAME DOWN YESTERDAY AND YOU LOOK FORWARD TO NEXT YEAR, DO YOU THINK LOSING THE AMOUNT OF TESTING NASCAR IS GOING TO TAKE AWAY WILL EFFECT YOU MORE WITH PEFORMANCE OF THE CURRENT CAR OR PERFORMANCE GOING FORWARD WITH THE NEXT GEN CAR?
“It’s kind of hard for me to answer – obviously I’m not really involved in wind tunnel testing. But I know that it was an internal error and that we self-reported it. But, other than that, I don’t know how the restrictions really work and how that’s going to impact us next year. I know we’re going to have a chunk of time less of wind tunnel testing that we can do next year, which is never a good thing. It’ll impact us somewhat, for sure. It’s never good to have less of that. But, at the same time, it is what it is and we’re just focused on what’s in front of us.”

YOUR THOUGHTS ON IF BRISTOL PUT DIRT DOWN – HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE POSSIBILTY OF SEEING THAT IF IT EVENTUALLY HAPPENS?
“I’d race lawn mowers if I had to. A Cup car on dirt – it doesn’t sound so bad to me. Bristol is a little interesting one. It’s a great race track and to see that race track kind of lose a race, in a sense, would definitely be a bummer. But I’m just interested to see, I feel like I’ll find out about it when you guys do – but, if something like that were to happen, how it would all play out. It’s really interesting to kind of read the rumors and what everybody’s saying. I think it would be a lot of fun – I’m all for running Cup cars on dirt. I never ran the Truck race at Eldora, but I did run some ARCA stuff at the Springfield Mile and that was a blast. Obviously, a very different race track, but that was a lot of fun.”

CAN YOU POINT TO ONE THING THAT YOU’VE LEARNED FROM BEING TEAMMATES WITH JIMMIE JOHNSON?
“I get that question quite a bit and I feel like the biggest thing is just how he treats people, treats everybody at the shop, and just how he is as a person. He’s so humble. He’s had more success than anybody currently racing has and he’s still the nicest guy in the garage, the easiest guy to talk to and just a really good person. Just how he carries himself – we should all definitely be a little more like Jimmie sometimes.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF HIS PROSPECTS ONCE HE GETS INTO INDYCAR, SPORTS CARS OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT HE DECIDES TO DO WITH POST-CAREER DRIVING?
“I’m jealous that he’s going to get to drive so many different types of cool race cars. It obviously sounds like he’s going to have a lot of fun. But I think he’ll do really well. He’s going to be successful in whatever he gets in. He’s so talented and I’m just pumped to get to watch it – I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

WITH THE PLAYOFF SCHEDULE BEING THROWN THROUGH A BLENDER THIS YEAR COMPARED TO LAST YEAR, DOES THAT BENEFIT YOU MORE SO THAN LAST YEAR OR DOES IT NOT MATTER?
“I think this second round – last year we said how good it was going to be for us because we had ran second at every track going into it in the spring and we didn’t make it through the Round of 12. So, it’s hard to say. I feel like there’s some really good tracks for us and every round has an opportunity for us to win, which is definitely good. But it’s tough – it’s never easy. The Playoffs are hard. You have one bad race and the whole thing is kind of blown apart if you don’t have a ton of Playoff points to lean on. I don’t think it’s any better or worse for us. I’m glad we have a shot to win in every round. If we make the Round of 8, we’re going to probably need to win to make the Round of 4. So, it’s definitely good to have those opportunities.”

WE HAD BRAD KESELOWSKI HERE YESTERDAY AND HE SAID ABOUT LAS VEGAS, THAT IT’S THE SECOND-MOST IMPORTANT RACE OUTSIDE OF PHOENIX TO WIN THROUGHOUT THE WHOLE SEASON BASED ON THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE RACES WE HAVE COMING UP IN THE ROUND OF 12. DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?
“Yeah, I think that makes sense to me. Vegas is probably your best shot at controlling your own destiny over the next three races. Talladega, there’s nowhere to hide – anything can happen and we all know how those races can go. The Roval is obviously a wild card. We’ve run really well there in the past. The HMS road course program is really, really good. I’m not the best road course racer, but we have some good finishes there and I think that comes from some really great race cars. It’s hard to say, but I think it’s definitely a really important race for us.”

WHERE YOU SIT IN POINTS COMING INTO THE ROUND OF 12, DO YOU THINK VEGAS IS POSSIBLY A MUST-WIN SITUATION OR DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE A GOOD POSSIBLITY OF POINTING YOUR WAY IN?
“Yeah, I think we can point our way in. It sure would be nice to go win Vegas, but we’re above the cutline right now. I think we finished seventh in points the last round. We’re obviously closer than I want to be, but at the same time, I think we have every opportunity to point our way in if we just have a good, solid round and execute every week. We just can’t beat ourselves.”

NEXT WEEKEND IS THE 20th ANNIVERSARY OF THE 2000 WINSTON 500, WHICH WAS DALE EARNHARDT’S FINAL VICTORY. DID YOU EVER WATCH THAT RACE AND WHAT DO YOU THINK THE LASTING LEGACY AND IMPACT THAT RACE HAS?
“I would have been seven, so I probably watched, but don’t really remember watching it at that time. That’s the race where Kenny Wallace pushed him to the win, right? I feel like I’ve seen that highlight reel a bunch of times. That’s probably about it. Obviously, Dale (Earnhardt)’s legacy at Talladega, speedway racing in general, and every race track – he won a bunch of those things. Definitely big there, but as far as what that race has carried over, it’s kind of hard for me to speak on. But, it definitely was a good one, for sure.”
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.

Richard Childress Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway… In 70 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has 11 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes. The Welcome N.C. organization has also found success in the NASCAR Xfinity Series capturing four wins, 14 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes in 54 starts.

NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs… Austin Dillon is in the midst of his fourth NASCAR Playoffs appearance and currently ranks eighth among the 12 remaining Playoff-eligible drivers. Dillon advanced out of the Round of 16 following three strong performances in the opening round of the NASCAR Playoffs (second at Darlington Raceway, fourth at Richmond Raceway, and 12th at Bristol Motor Speedway). The Round of 12 begins this weekend with the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs… The Richard Childress Racing No. 21 Chevrolet team, led by crew chief Andy Street, qualified for the NASCAR Xfinity Series Owner’s Playoffs following an impressive regular season with four rotating drivers (Anthony Alfredo, Myatt Snider, Kaz Grala, and Earl Bamber). The Round of 12 begins this weekend with the Alsco 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Catch the Action… The NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Alsco 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live Saturday, September 26, beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Don’t forget to follow the action on social media, with live updates at twitter.com/RCRNXS and twitter.com/RCRracing.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, September 27, beginning at 7 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Don’t forget to follow the action on social media, with live updates at twitter.com/RCRCup and twitter.com/RCRracing.

This Week’s DOWFROST Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway … In 10 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Dillon has two top-five and two top-10 finishes, including a fourth-place finish in his most recent appearance at the track in February. He is a former winner at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in both the NASCAR Xfinity Series (2015) and NASCAR Truck Series (2010).

Dow brings a science and engineering crew who is driven by limitless curiosity to the RCR Team … Austin Dillon and the RCR team are again supported by Dow’s materials science expertise and technologies this season. Backed by the power of data analysis and virtual modeling, Dow develops and manufactures high-performance components and materials custom-made for the No. 3 car. Dow and RCR’s partnership has expedited innovation and shortened testing time in the automotive industry by recreating in the lab one of the most extreme environments – the racetrack. After seven years of collaboration, Dow scientists and RCR engineers are continuing to work together to make the No. 3 car faster, safer and more precise. Stay up to date with Dow’s exciting developments at www.dow.com/sports and follow us on Twitter @DowSports & @DowNewsroom.

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NASCAR Playoffs … Dillon is currently competing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Championship, where he ranks eighth. The four-round postseason consists of eliminations after the Round of 16 (Darlington, Richmond, Bristol), the Round of 12 (Las Vegas, Talladega, Charlotte Roval) and the Round of 8 (Kansas, Texas, Martinsville). The Championship 4 will compete for the title at Phoenix.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are your thoughts on Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
“I love Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Statistically, it has been one of my best tracks, and I’m excited to go there and try to maximize points and win a race to solidify our spot in the Round of 8. Our goal as a team is to be consistent and to try and score Stage points early. I think Stage points will play a big part of advancing out of each round in the NASCAR Playoffs. There’s a lot on the line.”

It seems like Las Vegas Motor Speedway is getting more and more worn as the years go by. How careful do you have to be with your tires there now compared to the past?
“You definitely have to take care of them. You have to keep track position and have a car that holds on for the long run. Las Vegas Motor Speedway is becoming much more similar to Chicagoland Speedway in terms of the amount of tire wear you see.”

Did you feel like you were overlooked coming into the playoffs a little bit?
“I get overlooked some, probably more than most, but I don’t know why. I always feel like I perform pretty well in pressure situations, and RCR as a whole can step up. I have total belief in the 3 team and probably more belief this year than I’ve ever had because we’ve brought consistent speed to the track, and we might not have gotten every finish that we should have gotten this year but we’ve gotten a lot of good finishes. It’s been one of my best years statistically. Chevy has stepped up. Everybody that puts work in at RCR does a really good job. I think the smaller group has been good for us, with less distractions at the track. As a whole, our group really works together well.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 Cat Mining Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Las Vegas Motor Speedway …
Tyler Reddick has one previous NASCAR Cup Series start at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, having had a strong run at the 1.5-mile speedway earlier this year. Reddick has four previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at Las Vegas and won last year’s fall race in dramatic fashion after the team gambled on their fuel mileage strategy. Reddick also has one win and two top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Truck Series at the 1.5-mile speedway.

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TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
You had a solid run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway earlier this season. How are you and the team looking to improve this weekend?
“Our Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE was fast when we visited Las Vegas in the spring. We really just had to tweak the handling during the race a little bit to get it to where I needed it to be. This time around, we have a better baseline going into the weekend since we now have some notes to refer back to. One thing we’ll be looking to improve on specifically is our short-run speed and handling. We just seemed to lack a little bit taking off during the race weekend at Las Vegas earlier this year, which ended up hurting us during that final restart, but we’ve had a lot of time as a team this year to work on these cars to make them better. I expect our No. 8 Cat Mining Chevrolet to fire off really well on Sunday and am looking forward to the race. I’ve had a lot of success at Las Vegas over my career, so I’m excited to get back there this weekend.”

Anthony Alfredo and the No. 21 Sim Seats Chevrolet Camaro at Las Vegas Motor Speedway … Following a strong sixth-place finish at Bristol Motor Speedway, Anthony Alfredo is scheduled to be back behind the wheel of the No. 21 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing for this weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Alfredo has two career NASCAR Truck Series starts at Las Vegas, both coming in 2019.

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Fast Start for Fast Pasta … Running a limited schedule in the No. 21 Chevrolet Camaro for Richard Childress Racing, Alfredo has secured seven top-10 finishes. He also won an eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series Saturday Night Thunder Race at Dover International Speedway during NASCAR’s hiatus from on-track competition.

ANTHONY ALFREDO QUOTES:
You have been strong on every 1.5-mile race track you have competed on this season. What excites you the most about going to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend?
“I’m really excited to head to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend in our No. 21 Sim Seats Chevrolet Camaro. Not only have we had impressive speed at the 1.5-mile race tracks this year, but I actually ran at Las Vegas twice last year in the Truck Series. There hasn’t been many tracks this year that I’ve been to previously, so that gives me a little bit of added confidence heading into the race.

What are some key differences that separate Las Vegas Motor Speedway compared to some of the other 1.5-mile racetracks?
“Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a little different than most tracks because it doesn’t have as much tire fall-off as some of the other 1.5-mile tracks. It still is important to have a car that handles well, mainly because of the big patch of bumps heading into turn 1. It also can provide multi-groove racing which really fits my driving style. With the speed our whole Richard Childress Racing team has been bringing to the race track every weekend, I would not be surprised if we parked our No. 21 Sim Seats Chevrolet in victory lane on Saturday night.”

TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
SOUTH POINT 400
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA
SEPTEMBER 27, 2020

LAS VEGAS: RACE #30
The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) heads west to the Silver State for the second time this year for the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located about 15 miles northeast of the famed Las Vegas Strip. The popular 1200-acre complex has hosted the NCS since 1998; and most recently, since 2018, the venue has held annual NCS races in both the Spring and the Fall. Despite the pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic this year, the two Las Vegas stops have retained their originally scheduled dates.

The excitement will be high as the 400-mile, 267-lap South Point 400 at the 1.5-mile circuit opens the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which also marks the 30th of 36 races in the 2020 season.

The three-day race weekend begins on Friday, September 25th, with the NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series World of Westgate 200 at 9:00 p.m. ET, followed by the NASCAR Xfinity Series Alsco 300 on Saturday, September 26th, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The NASCAR Cup Series South Point 400 caps the weekend on Sunday evening, September 27th, at 7:00 p.m. ET.

In compliance with local and state COVID-19 restrictions, the race weekend will be held without spectators.

ROUND OF 12:
Four Chevrolet drivers are among the 12 in contention for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship through three of 10 Playoff races. Entering Race 4 of the Playoffs, the Las Vegas Round of 12 opener, here are their current Playoff standings & statistical highlights:

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Unifirst Camaro ZL1 1LE – 5th in Standings (3,021 points)
Victories: 2 (Charlotte Motor Speedway and Daytona Road Course)
Top-Fives: 11; Top-10’s: 16; Laps Led: 669
Stage Wins: 7
At Las Vegas: Top-Five’s: 2; Top-10’s: 3; Average Finish: 21.4

Alex Bowman, No. 88 Llumar Camaro ZL1 1LE – 7th in Standings (3,009 points)
Victories: 1 (Auto Club Speedway)
Top-Fives: 3; Top-10’s: 10; Laps Led: 389
Stage Wins: 4
At Las Vegas: Top-Five’s: 0; Top-10’s: 1; Average Finish: 20.7

Austin Dillon, No. 3 DOWFROST Camaro ZL1 1LE – 8th in Standings (3,005 points)
Victories: 1 (Texas Motor Speedway)
Top-Fives: 4; Top-10’s 9; Laps Led: 135
Stage Wins: 0
At Las Vegas: Top-Five’s: 2; Top-10’s: 2; Average Finish: 14.7

Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE – 12th in Standings (3,001 points)
Top-Fives: 4; Top-10’s: 15; Laps Led: 111
Stage Wins: 1
At Las Vegas: Wins: 0; Top-Five’s: 0; Top-10’s: 2; Average Finish: 22.5

BOWTIE BULLETS:
The South Point 400 marks the 26th NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway since 1998, and Chevrolet has seven wins at the 1.5-mile oval. The Bowtie Brigade recorded its first victory on March 3, 2001, when Jeff Gordon drove a Monte Carlo to Victory Lane for Hendrick Motorsports after a 24th place starting position.

· Current Chevrolet drivers that have recorded wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway include:
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE, leads the series with four wins (2005, ‘06, ‘07, & ‘10).
Matt Kenseth, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1 1LE, has three wins: (2003, ‘04, & ’13).

· Team Chevy has sat on the pole at Las Vegas Motor Speedway four times. Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE, holds the track qualifying record of 196.378 mph / 27.498 seconds set on March 4, 2016.

· In the Round of 16 of the 2020 NASCAR Playoffs, Chase Elliott, No. 9 Unifirst Camaro ZL1 1LE, led all drivers with the best average running position of 5.37.

· In all seven years of the NASCAR Playoffs, Chevrolet team Hendrick Motorsports has had at least two drivers advance to the second round.

STARTING LINE-UP:
For the remainder of the 2020 NCS season, the starting lineups will be determined by a competition-based formula, combining the following metrics from the previous race event: 15% of a fastest lap time position, 25% of the driver’s final race finish position, 25% of the owner’s final race position and 35% of the Owner points position.

Here are Team Chevy’s top-20 starters for Saturday Bass Pro Shops Night Race:
3rd Chase Elliott, No. 9 Unifirst Camaro ZL1 1LE
7th Austin Dillon, No. 3 DOWFROST Camaro ZL1 1LE
8th Alex Bowman, No. 88 Llumar Camaro ZL1 1LE
9th Kurt Busch, No. 1 Monster Energy Camaro ZL1 1LE
14th Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Cat Mining Camaro ZL1 1LE
18th Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 1LE
20th Matt Kenseth, No. 42 McDonald’s Camaro ZL1 1LE

TUNE-IN:
NBCSN will telecast the South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, September 27th, at 7:00 p.m. ET to kick-off the Round of 12 for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Live coverage can also be found on the NBC Sports Gold app, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

QUOTABLE QUOTES:
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 LLUMAR CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 7th IN STANDINGS
“Clinching a spot in the Round of 12 last weekend in Bristol was exactly what we needed to do as a team. Although we didn’t have the greatest finish last week, it was something that was completely out of our control. We have some strong tracks in the Round of 12 that will be good for us. Our main goal this season was to make the Round of 8 and I really feel like this team is on track to do that. We have to continue putting solid races together and getting strong finishes.”

“Las Vegas is a strong track for us. We ran really well in the spring event this season, so I am ready to get back to the track this weekend. Our intermediate program at Hendrick Motorsports is really strong and we need to have a strong race this weekend. Greg (Ives) and the LLumar team have been working extremely hard on our cars and I really think it is showing.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOWFROST CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 8th IN STANDINGS
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY?
“I love Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Statistically, it’s been one of my best tracks, and I’m excited to go there and try to maximize points and win a race to solidify our spot in the Round of 8. Our goal as a team is to be consistent and to try and score Stage points early. I think Stage points will play a big part of advancing out of each round in the NASCAR Playoffs. There’s a lot on the line.”

IT SEEMS LIKE LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY IS GETTING MORE AND MORE WORN AS THE YEARS GO BY. HOW CAREFUL DO YOU HAVE TO BE WITH YOUR TIRES NOW COMPARED TO THE PAST?
“You definitely have to take care of them. You have to keep track position and have a car that holds on for the long run. Las Vegas Motor Speedway is becoming much more similar to Chicagoland Speedway in terms of the amount of tire wear you see.”

DID YOU FEEL LIKE YOU WERE OVERLOOKED COMING INTO THE PLAYOFFS A LITTLE BIT?
“I get overlooked some, probably more than most, I don’t know why. I always feel like I perform pretty well in pressure situations, and RCR as a whole can step up. I have total belief in the 3 team and probably more belief this year than I’ve ever had because we’ve brought consistent speed to the track, and we might not have gotten every finish that we should have gotten this year, but we’ve gotten a lot of good finishes. It’s been one of my best years statistically and just the ability behind the cars are better. Chevy has stepped up. Eric Warren, RCR, all of the mechanics and everybody that puts work in do a really good job. I think the smaller group has been good for us, with less distractions at the track. As a whole, our group really works together well.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 14th IN STANDINGS
BYRON ON RETURNING TO VEGAS SINCE THE PANDEMIC:
“It’s crazy to think how far things have evolved since we went to Vegas earlier this year. It was just the second race of the year and before everything changed with the pandemic. That race, we had a lot of speed even though everything was still new and fresh for the year. We had a fast car and we just have to continue that when we get Vegas this weekend.”

BYRON ON HOW THE TRACK CAN CHANGE THIS TIME OF YEAR:
“The track definitely does change, even with a slight change in temperature. We’re used to going to Vegas at the beginning of September when it’s still really hot. I think being closer to the end of September it will have started to cool off a bit. That will make it unique for us, especially with the late start time Sunday. This race is going to have some different elements that everyone will need to overcome.”

TYLER REDDICK, NO. 8 CAT MINING CAMARO ZL1 1LE – 19th IN STANDINGS
“Our Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE was fast when we visited Las Vegas in the spring. We really just had to tweak the handling during the race a little bit to get it to where I needed it to be. This time around, we have a better baseline going into the weekend since we now have some notes to refer back to. One thing we’ll be looking to improve on specifically is our short-run speed and handling. We just seemed to lack a little bit taking off during the race weekend at Las Vegas earlier this year, which ended up hurting us during that final restart, but we’ve had a lot of time as a team this year to work on these cars to make them better. I expect our No. 8 Cat Mining Chevrolet to fire off really well on Sunday and am looking forward to the race. I’ve had a lot of success at Las Vegas over my career, so I’m excited to get back there this weekend.”

Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:
Total (1949-2019): 39
First title for Chevrolet: 1958
Highest number of consecutive titles: 13 (2003-15)

Years Won: 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Drivers Championships:
Total (1949-2019): 31
First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)
Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Years Won: 1957, 1960, 1961, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016

Event Victories:
Record for total race wins in single season: 26 (2007)

2020 STATISTICS:
Wins: 5
Poles: 3
Laps Led: 1,637
Top-five finishes: 39
Top-10 finishes: 97

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:
Total Chevrolet race wins: 791 (1949 to date)
Poles won to date: 717
Laps led to date: 235,943
Top-five finishes to date: 4,052
Top-10 finishes to date: 8,379

Total NASCAR Cup wins by corporation, 1949 to date

       General Motors: 1,125
       Chevrolet: 791
       Pontiac: 154
       Oldsmobile: 115
       Buick: 65

       Ford: 803                                                         
       Ford: 703
       Mercury: 96
       Lincoln: 4

       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467
       Dodge: 217
       Plymouth: 191
       Chrysler: 59

       Toyota: 150

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
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SOUTH POINT 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference and discussed the heat and other challenges of the upcoming Las Vegas race, the pressure of the next 2 races at Talladega and the Roval, the importance of points, and more. Full Transcript:

GOODYEAR HAS CHANGED THE RIGHT-SIDE TIRE FOR LAS VEGAS FROM WHAT YOU RAN EARLIER THIS YEAR, TO HAVE MORE GRIP. HOW DO YOU THINK THAT WILL HAVE AN IMPACT?
“I feel like each race track we go to and each tire combination, and then the PJ1 spray compound, and even the application of how they spray it, changes it each and every week. And so, we’ve learned to just be on our toes. We researched through the Truck races, the Xfinity races, and it’s not a proven science on what all the combinations led to, and again, you have to adapt and roll with it. So, we’ll see how it plays out. I was hoping the Bristol tire would have a little bit more grip like they had said, but it was fairly close to where we were with the previous race. So, a lot of factors where temperature and other things all come into play.”

THE MGM GRAND IN VEGAS HAD A PICTURE OF YOU AND YOUR BROTHER ON THEIR MARQUEE. WHEN YOU SAW THAT, WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS?
“Yeah, I thought it was fabulous. As a kid, I always had a dream or vision and a push to try to be on the marquee of any of the hotels. To have that on there and to not have fans at the race track, it’s all kind of the way that all different things are looked at right now with advertising. And so, I saw the NBC Sports logo at the bottom, the MGM Resorts chain of hotels helps with putting that up there, of course. It’s just neat to see the love for the hometown boys. And with NASCAR in town without fans at the track, we’re hoping people tune-into NBCSN. You’ve got to find different ways to advertise and to pump people up and to get the word out. And so that was great from MGM Resorts.”

KYLE BUSCH HAS POSTED VIDEO OF HIS SON BREXTON, AND YOUR DAD AND MOM, AND THE WHOLE FAMILY. DOES THAT REMIND YOU OF WHEN YOU WERE LEARNING TO RACE WITH YOUR MOM AND DAD GOING TO ALL THE TRACKS?
“Yeah, it’s great memories. Ashley and I were over at the dirt track on the first few of his outings to make sure we were there on the first trip to go watch him drive on the track and hold the pedal down and go fast. It immediately brought me back to when I saw my little brother do the same thing and head out onto the track for his first time. And I know it does that for my dad and my mom when they see a grandchild out there racing. So, it’s just neat to see the timeline. I need to find more time to separate on whether it’s the Tuesdays over at Millbridge (Speedway, in Salisbury, NC) or on Saturdays over at the other track. I just need to find my time to be a better uncle and to be more involved.”

WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO YOU TO FINALLY GET A WIN AT LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY AND TO DO IT WITHOUT FANS?
“The Vegas track has definitely been one of the tough ones for me over the years with results and finishes not where I would have expected them to be. And, the teams that I’ve race for just have never quite found that right magic set-up or combination. And then for me, It’s a track that I just have that trouble with. There are a few tracks like Indianapolis and Martinsville; those are a few places where I struggle. And so with Vegas, I always put that little extra hometown pressure on myself and I would love to win there. I would love to win through the spirit of the camera and everything on NBC Sports; and I know the fans there, local, will be watching and cheering on the Busch brothers. So, that’s where I would connect. And hopefully do it through the TV side of it. We’ll get fans back one day and we’ll come back and race.”

ON ROSS CHASTAIN JOINING CHIP GANASSI RACING IN 2021:
“I feel like Ross Chastain is a perfect addition to Chip Ganassi Racing. Ross has done an incredible job to race hard and to promote himself and to battle through this perseverance. Some of the sponsorship changes at Ganassi over the years left him somewhat out of a ride with the Xfinity side of things. The kid is one of those true family-man workers that helps with the family business and has this passion for racing, and he reminds me a lot of myself; and just has true grit and the way that he just keeps pushing and has now landed that first big time contract. So, I’m very proud of Ross and I know he’ll bring that same tenacity and drive to the organization as a teammate. And I couldn’t think of a better kid to try to help out to get him established in the Cup Series.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS COMING OUT OF THE LAS VEGAS IN GOOD SHAPE WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF TALLADEGA AND THE CHARLOTTE ROVAL?
“That’s why they’re all in this mix and that’s why they are Playoff race tracks in this round, or in any of the rounds. They are all difficult tracks. They’re all a challenge for their own reasons. And, a 1.5-mile, you could look at as being sort of a standard type of flow with pit calling and pit stop and racing. But a place like Vegas fits into a track like Texas, as well; where you can change just left-side tires like we saw Austin Dillon do to win the Texas race earlier this year. So, there are all the different strategies and different things playing out. There are two Hendrick cars now not in the Playoffs, but they’re fast. Same thing with Gibbs. You’ve got the No. 20 car, Eric Jones, not in the Playoffs but he’s fast. Those are points that those guys could take away from the contenders that are still left in the situations they’re in. So, you’ve just got to race hard and race smart. There are three ways to get points each and every weekend: Stage 1, Stage 2, and the finish of the race. And, that happens at all the race tracks.”

WHERE IS SUPERSPEEDWAY RACING RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF ALL THESE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS THAT WE’VE SEEN OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS?
“I remember winning Daytona a few years ago. I had this Adrenalin quote of something I can’t even remember I said. The more that we race on these restrictor-plate tracks, the more they become unpredictable, to be predictable and to not be predictable. I don’t even know what I said. It kind of sounded right but again, there is no constant in these superspeedway races. I was running fourth behind William Byron with 15 laps to go a few weeks ago for that Playoff cutoff race to get in. And, he peels off and pits, and I’m like, where’s he going? That’s the stupidest call I’ve ever seen. We just now bumped-up a row. After the restart, I was leading the inside lane. And then, I get wiped-out in a wreck the next lap. And there he is with fresh tires, just navigating through everybody, and comes back and wins it after he pitted from third place with 15 laps to go. And that’s what all the restrictor plate races have turned into being.”

THE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO BE HOT AT LAS VEGAS. HOW MUCH HAVE YOU BEEN HYDRATING TO PREPARE? DOES THE HEAT ALSO MEAN THE TRACK WILL BE SLICK?
“Yeah, Vegas, I’m glad it’s back a couple of weeks from where it was last year for the first time in the Playoffs. It’s going to be a 105-degree heat index. We had that earlier this year at Texas. And guys had some trouble there. Austin Dillon, the winner, and myself; we needed fluids after the race. At the Daytona road course, tons of guys had trouble in that 110-degree heat index. So, Vegas, it’s dry heat. It’s a little different. But still, it’s one of these races that you have to hydrate, you have to stretch, you have to acclimate your body to the heat going into the race. By sitting in your hot motor home or your hot rental car to try to have your body forewarned that extra heat is coming. And so, it’s a sequence. And I have a great trainer with Josh Wise at Ganassi, that helps all the drivers in the Chevrolet camp be their best when they get to the race track. And the track will be hot as well. It’ll be super-slick compared to where it races in February and March.”

YOU HAVE TAKEN ON A LEADERSHIP ROLE AT CHIP GANASSI RACING. HOW MUCH DO YOU EMBRACE THAT ROLE AND DOES IT HELP YOU INSIDE YOUR CAR TO BE THAT ‘VETERAN QUARTERBACK’ FOR LACK OF A BETTER TERM?
“I figured it was time for some change and to adapt to my age and utilize my experience the best way possible. And that’s to create that level headedness, to create the leadership/mentor role; I feel like it’s this time in my life it’s great to give back to young engineers and young crew members to help them come up through the ranks quicker and better and stronger. And so, it’s just a nice fit as well, with Chip Ganassi. Racing for a legend like him who has that tenacity and who has that fire and desire to win every single week. There’s only so much room for those big egos and he helps me moderate mine. And that’s part of the combination of why it works so well and being able to deliver good results over there.”

WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOUR TEAM SITS RIGHT NOW IN THE ROUND OF 12?
“What I like is we have had better lap times at all three races so far compared to maybe the five or six races leading into the Playoffs. So, I look at Darlington as a pretty solid result. We had one really good pit stop and one bad one mixed together and that’s where we fell back to eighth place. I feel like our lap times at Richmond were solid; but we were on a pit strategy from our engineering crew. And from our data that said we should go this route, and it took us from running sixth, we led some laps, but it took us all the way back to 13th. So, that was a big mistake on losing points. And then at Bristol, we were running pretty strong. I felt like we were a Top 5 car and then ended up with a loose wheel. And so, we had to battle back. But a lot of other guys had trouble as well at Bristol. So, we’re on to the next round. We know that our cushion is gone. We ended Bristol with 33-points to the good. And now we start Vegas minus four. So that’s just part of the system and now we have to be perfect. We have to get every point possible that we’re able to get on our own at Vegas, Talladega, and the Roval. And, that should help us advance.”

YOU ARE A TECHNICALLY MINDED DRIVER. IN YOUR POST-DRIVING CAREER HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF PUTTING ON THE CREW CHIEF HAT?
“That is probably the toughest position in NASCAR. I think it’s the most under-rated position. And, for me to be a crew chief, I tried it one time for my little brother when he was in an ARCA car at Charlotte. And I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off. I had no idea what was going on, all the expectations, all the responsibility. I don’t see myself being a crew chief. I even struggle to this day with pit strategy calls from the race car. And so, I think more of a mentor or a driver coach would be down the right avenue; not a crew chief.”
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.

Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

LAS VEGAS (September 24, 2020) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to media via videoconference in advance of the race at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway:

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

You have a really cool program with your foundation this weekend at Las Vegas. Can you explain what is going on?

“Thanks, really obviously a big weekend for our foundation. This year was tough in many ways. From a fundraising standpoint, we ran into road blocks with everything that we historically have tried to do. Typically for this month, we would be having our steering wheel campaign, which we have had for the past few seasons and this year, we ran into trouble trying to get steering wheels. Just really a great job by everybody at the foundation trying to come up with a new idea and thanks to the NASCAR Foundation for working with us to make it happen, and obviously, all the teams and drivers that have participated. I’m really excited about the names on the cars. I think there are so many cancer heroes out there that are just really excited about this program so far and getting to see the names on the cars going around. It’s been a big deal with fundraising for our foundation so far. Really just hats off to everyone involved. I’m really fired up to see this go down at Las Vegas this weekend.”

Where do you see the state of superspeedway racing right now?

“I think the one thing that always has been a part of it is the unknowns and the opportunities for things to happen that you don’t necessarily want to be a part of. That’s just kind of the nature of the beast. I think the strategy has changed with the manufacturers all working together and pitting together and trying to come up with the best strategy to run their race to try to not only give their selves the best chance to win but also stay out of trouble. It seems like when you have those packs of manufacturers working together, there is less chance for the big crashes to happen. Ultimately, it always comes down to a caution and restart. The field bunched up. Whether it’s the middle of the race going for a stage win or stage points or at the end going for a win, it always seems like that is when the chaos happens. You are never really too far out of the dangerous waters at superspeedways, but in general, I feel like guys have more strategy involved than they used to – where it used to be just go out and race and try to keep yourself in the front. Now there is a lot more to it, but in the end, it’s all the same. Hopefully for us we will go have a good race there.”

This is the sixth time you have made the Round of 12. How is your mindset different this year than previous years?

“I would say a little bit different than past years, especially the past few where we have had lots of bonus points and we really came into, especially this round in really good shape, and now I think we are only plus 11. That changes things, I guess, a little bit, but at the same time, we know what we need to do. I feel like Vegas is a good place for us to go and have a good race and hopefully, potentially go to victory lane. Things have been going really well for us lately, minus Bristol. The team has done a really good job, and we have been leading laps and doing the things that we need to do. If we can just turn that into a win once in the next two rounds. That’s all that we need to do. Win once in the round of 12, once in the round of 8 and we will be where we want to be. I’m excited about the opportunity and feel like it will be a good track for us.”

Can you talk about your personality behind the wheel? Does give and take still exist?

“Yeah, I think there is. It’s something that I’ve always tried to do. At the end of the day, you have to get the best finish that you can get. If that’s racing clean and giving guys a little bit of room and cutting some guys some breaks here and there, that’s worth doing in my opinion.”

Is it important to win Las Vegas to make the Round of 8 or just because this round includes Talladega and the ROVAL?

“I think both. I think all of that stuff comes into your mind when you look at the next three races and at the same time, I feel like we have a good opportunity at all three to do well. Especially, the ROVAL and Vegas, but Talladega is definitely the wild card and you don’t necessarily want to have to worry about getting a good finish there or a finish at all. I think it would make things a lot easier, a lot less stressful if we could go win at Las Vegas. That’s our plan. I’m sure everybody, all the guys left, are in the same boat. We want to win this race, so we don’t have to worry. I think that goes pretty much for all the rounds, no matter where you are going.”

We’ve heard that NASCAR could be headed to the Circuit of the Americas next season. What are your thoughts on that?

“Yeah, I think it’s exciting. Anytime we are talking about going someplace new it’s a great thing. Everybody looks forward to that. I don’t know much about the track. I’ve only seen bits and pieces of races there, but I think it would be great. I love road courses, and that certainly looks like a really nice one. It would be fun to try it. We will see if we get to do it.”

What are your thoughts on your teammate, Denny Hamlin, starting a team with Michael Jordan next year?

“I think it’s interesting. Anytime you have new owners, and especially at that caliber, come into our sport, it brings more excitement and more eyeballs and gets more people interested. I think for all involved it’s a good thing and looking forward to see how they do.”

What is the lasting impact of the 2000 Talladega race, which was Dale Earnhardt’s last win?

“I think the legacy of that race was just from how far back Dale came from in the last two laps to win. Obviously, superspeedway racing has really evolved a lot in those 20 years, but that was just a reminder of what Dale could do on a superspeedway and how guys kind of feared him on those tracks as far as, if he had a run, they weren’t trying to block, they weren’t trying to make any crazy moves. Whoever was behind him wasn’t going to do anything but push him to the front, which was Kenny Wallace. Pretty neat to think back to that, and I think I was watching it live.”

Have you noticed any changes in the mile-and-a-half races and why is there so much parity right now?

“I think it’s mostly the cars and the situation where it seems like we always have a late restart. You look at the way these cars drive and on restarts, you just don’t have a lot of horsepower, so you can’t get away from each other. You are kind of at the mercy of the drag and the horsepower and we all end up in a big wad for two to three laps. That’s where I think we’ve seen the different winners come from and it seems pretty consistent that we have this many cautions.’

How much change have you noticed in your crew chief James Small throughout the season?

“I think just more confidence as we’ve gone through things and tried things that didn’t work and just circled back to what we were used to doing. Definitely confidence is up, not only from the stand point of me having confidence in what he’s bringing to the race track, but I think him and his decisions. When he’s on the box – split-second decisions – I think he’s obviously gotten more comfortable, and that is something that you can only get with time. I feel like things have been going really well for us, aside from Bristol, and obviously looking forward to hopefully having a good showing at Vegas.”

Do you think this new team has a chance to success as a single-car team and do you ever plan on being a team owner?

“I think it will be interesting. I think there’s obviously a lot that goes on behind the scenes as far as owning a team and all that it takes. Obviously, we had a lot of success at Furniture Row as a single-car team, but you look at how long they had been around, how long it took for them to get there and it was a process. Obviously, having the financial backing, having the sponsorship, having the resources to draw from, whether that’s the manufacturer or an alliance team, whatever it is. You still have a lot of parts and pieces, a lot of moving things, a lot of people. At the end of the day, I think it’s really all about those people, what can they do, how can they take these resources and these opportunities and make the best of them, because no matter what they are still up against four-car teams and big organizations and all of those things. It’s a heck of a challenge. I’m sure Barney Visser could probably explain it a little bit better than I can, because he kind of went through a lot there. I think they are in a great position to be able to make this happen and be successful. It’s going to be interesting to see how it all plays out. At the end of the day, I think it’s a great thing for the sport to have another team come in and one of that caliber with Michael Jordan being an owner. I think it’s huge, and it’s exciting. I haven’t really thought much about ownership and I don’t know if that’s a road that I would go down, but you never know what the future holds.”

# # #

About Toyota

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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
LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
SOUTH POINT 400
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 UNIFIRST CAMARO ZL1 1LE, met with media via teleconference to discuss his outlook going into the first race of the Round of 12 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, how the temperature change can have an effect on the track, the importance of capitalizing on stage points, and more. Transcript:

WE’VE HAD THE SITUATION WHERE TALLADEGA IS THE CUTOFF RACE AND NOW IT’S GOING TO BE THE MIDDLE RACE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT – NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN POSITION, THERE’S TIME TO RECOVER A LITTLE BIT IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG OR BASK IN THE GLORY IF SOMETHING GOES RIGHT AT A PLACE LIKE TALLADEGA?
“Yeah, certainly how it plays out is a little different I guess than what we’ve seen last year and in years past. But I look at – you have Vegas and that to me, I feel like, is the first opportunity and you really need to kind of take it a week at a time because I think we would be messing up to already be looking ahead to Talladega. We have an opportunity this weekend to try to perform and try to get a win. And if we can do that, then the rest of (this round) doesn’t matter near as much, as far as pointing your way through. So, that’s the goal right now and we’ll take it as they come.”

ON THIS WEEKEND, IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY HOTTER THAN WHEN YOU VISITED EARLIER IN THE YEAR. HOW SENSITIVE IS THIS TRACK TO TEMPERATURE CHANGE?
“Yeah, it definitely seems like it’s been some time since we’ve been Vegas. It’s going to be a good bit hotter. I feel like all these tracks can be temperature sensitive, for sure. I think this race, as early as it gets dark out, it will probably end at night like it did last year. So, that’ll be interesting and I’m sure it will have a pretty big swing from the beginning of the race to the end. Hopefully we’re on top of that and try to have things rolling.”

WHAT’S YOUR THOUGHT ABOUT LAP TRAFFIC, FRIENDS ON THE TRACK, AND LETTING PEOPLE GO IF THEY ARE FASTER THAN YOU?
“I honestly feel like there are times where if it’s not your day, it’s not your day and that’s kind of the way I see it. If I’m getting lapped, it’s not my day and I get that, I feel like. I know for dang sure that if I’m getting lapped by the leaders and the race is coming to a close, I feel like I have strived to make sure I am out of the way for the simple fact that I would want that returned to me if I was ever in the other position racing for a win and trying to get through lap traffic. I feel like you want all the help you can get. So, I just do it as I would want it done to me on the other end and kind of deal with it that way. It’s really up to the individual. I’m not sure that there’s a written rule or an unwritten rule that says what’s right or what’s wrong. But I think as a racer, you know when it’s your day and you know when you’re struggling, have damage or whatever it may be. So, I think you have to take it case by case, but it’s certainly up to the individual. That’s really all it comes down to – is the person and who they’re dealing with.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ABOUT FRIENDS WHO ARE DRIVERS COMPETING WITH YOU ON THE RACE TRACK? YOU’RE A GOOD ONE TO ASK – YOU AND (RYAN) BLANEY ARE FRIENDS. SOME DRIVERS SAY YOU BRING YOUR OWN FRIENDS TO THE RACE TRACK.
“I don’t necessarily go to the track to make friends. Ryan (Blaney) and I were friends long before we started racing in NASCAR. So, I think that one’s a little unique. I feel like my friendships that I have around the track were made when I was a kid and it just so happens to be that way because I grew up around the race track. I can’t say I’ve really made any friends since I’ve been racing with the rest of them and I really don’t have a relationship with very many of the guys on the circuit. I definitely can understand the side of no, we’re not there to make friends. And that’s not how we should race each other. I feel like Ryan and I race each other hard regardless. But I try to race him with respect as I feel like he’s raced me with respect over the years. So, it’s really just more of a respect thing, I think, than it is a friendship or not a friendship situation with guys on track. If you respect somebody, I feel like the right thing is to show them that, especially if it’s mutual. And if it’s not, that’s typically where problems come in and there certainly are different views of things and guys have different ways of approaching and solving problems. A lot of times, you can butt heads and whatnot, which is fine – that’s entertainment too. So, I think it’s really not as much of a friendship situation as it is ‘hey, do I really respect this guy or not and how does he race me’ and how am I going to in-turn race him. I think that’s really what it comes down to more so than it is being friends or not.”

YOU TALK ABOUT FOCUSING ON VEGAS. IS THE FOCUS ON VEGAS, AS FAR AS STAGE POINTS, MORE URGENT BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF TALLADEGA AND THE ROVAL?
“Stage points are huge and everybody knows that now. Ten or twenty points in a stage – that’s a ton. So, I think everybody knows how important stages are and what they can mean, especially stage wins. Getting that extra bonus point is a huge thing, too. I think everybody knows that and that’s certainly a game that’s been played. I don’t know that it was as much played that very first year that we had this, but really ever since that first year, I think it has been known and everybody really gets that. And it’s just gotten more and more aggressive, I feel like, as time has gone on to perform well in stages. So, I think it makes it important to run good throughout the entire race. I thought that our stage results at Richmond and Bristol were good and that’s really what allowed us to get through. I haven’t moved to the mindset of Talladega next week. The way I kind of look at it is I’m probably going to crash – I think that’s just the odds probably point that direction. I hope not, but I’d say anything more than crashing would just be icing on top is how I’m going to look at it. I’m going to go into this weekend and really focus on Vegas. I’m not going to dwell on next week yet. We have a whole race here at Vegas this weekend to try to perform, get a win and move on the right way.”

LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR AT THE ROVAL – CAN YOU WALK US THROUGH WHERE YOU WERE AS A TEAM PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, PRIOR TO THAT RESTART, AND HOW THINGS WERE GOING FOR YOU PRIOR TO THAT MOMENT?
“Everything was really going really well, I thought to that point. We had a fast car, had got up to the lead, was making laps, and trying to get a little better and push certain areas to try and improve. I felt like the margin to the competitors was certainly going to close up as the race went on. So, both myself and our team, we were just kind of pushing in all the little small areas that we thought we could to get better. That was where my mistake ended up coming. I was trying to find an extra little bit for a late-race restart if we were in that position or whatever it may be. Leading up to all that, things were going good and we were just fine-tuning, which was really nice.”

AT WHAT POINT DID YOU REALIZE THAT EVERYTHING WAS GOING TO BE OK ONCE YOU BACKED OUT OF THE TIRE BARRIERS?
“I didn’t, really. I pretty well thought it was destroyed, so I didn’t think there was any chance. I thought it was over, initially. And then once we kind of got back going, the thing was still driving pretty good. It still had some damage and it didn’t drive as good as it did, but it was still pretty solid. We started marching our way up through there. There was still a fair amount of time left in the race. Not enough time to mess around by any means, but there was a fair amount of time to march our way back forward. We were slowly clicking laps off and were able to make some passes. At that point, once we got back into the top-five there with the last couple later race restarts, if I recall correctly, I’m like ‘hey, we have another shot at it’. Tried to just mentally reset as much as I could and, luckily, things went our way. I had a couple good restarts, cars stayed together and we got really fortunate to have all those things go our way. To hit the tires as hard as we did and it not tear it up bad enough to keep going was probably a miracle. I don’t take that one for granted. That was definitely a piece of fortune in our direction, for sure.”

NEXT WEEKEND IS GOING TO BE 20th ANNIVERARY OF THE 2000 WINSTON 500, WHICH WAS EARNHARDT’S FINAL VICTORY. I KNOW YOUR DAD WAS IN THAT RACE. DO YOU EVER GO BACK TO WATCH THAT RACE? WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN THE LASTING IMPACT AND LEGACY OF THAT RACE?
“I’ll be honest, I’ve never gone back and watched it. I was very, very young – I don’t remember the race. I haven’t gone back to really see or watch what happened or how it unfolded. I’ve seen a photo of Kenny Wallace there running second to Dale (Earnhardt) as the race was winding down. That’s really about all my memory serves of that event. Like I said, I was so little, I don’t really remember it at all.”

VEGAS HAS BEEN ONE OF THOSE TRACKS THAT HAS BEEN UP AND DOWN FOR YOU. JUST LOOKING AT YOUR PAST RACES AT VEGAS, WHAT DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO BE THE DIFFERENCE IN YOU GETTING A TOP-10 RESULT/WIN OR YOU POSSIBLY FINISHING NEAR THE BOTTOM?
“That’s a great point because I feel like Vegas has been super hit or miss for us. We’ve crashed a bunch out there, I feel like, and had some really bad finishes. I thought we had our best run going here in the spring race this year. I forget – we had a flat tire or something there in the middle of that last stage or towards the end of the race. I think the key would be to run like we were in the spring and not have a flat tire. That would be a fantastic opportunity, I think, to have a solid day.”

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