TEAM CHEVY ADVANCE
Atlanta Motor Speedway

 The NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series will head back to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, with the doubleheader event featuring the opening race of the 2024 playoffs for NASCAR’s premier series with Sunday’s Quaker State 400. This weekend marks NASCAR’s second journey to Hampton, Georgia, this season, with the 1.54-mile venue hosting the second stop on the 2024 schedule – an event that saw Daniel Suarez (NCS), Austin Hill (NXS) and Kyle Busch (NCTS) deliver Chevrolet a tripleheader sweep.

FIVE CHEVROLET DRIVERS SET FOR PLAYOFF COMPETITION

With the NASCAR Cup Series’ regular season complete, five Chevrolet drivers have earned a playoff bid and the chance to compete for the coveted championship title: Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, William Byron and Alex Bowman, and Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez. The 2024 season marks the 10-year anniversary of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination-style playoff format for NASCAR’s premier series. Since 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers have been represented in postseason competition each season, with the manufacturer continuing that trend as it competes for its 34th NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championship.

The Round of 16 features a trio of tracks that sets up what is arguably one of the most challenging and unpredictable rounds of playoff competition. In addition to the superspeedway-style oval of Atlanta Motor Speedway, the series’ playoff contenders will face the 2.45-mile road course of Watkins Glen International and the half-mile short track of Bristol Motor Speedway. Despite the tracks’ unique challenges, Chevrolet’s playoff contenders have fared well at each venue of the opening round during the Next Gen era – highlighted by wins in four of the five events at Atlanta, as well as back-to-back wins at Watkins Glen.

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings

Victories: 4

Top-Fives: 10

Top-10s: 13

Laps Led: 1,088

Average Finish: 13.6

Stage Wins: 10

Of Note:

• The 2024 season marks Larson’s eighth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
• Larson has made it to the Championship 4 twice, including his championship-earning season (2021) and, most recently, in 2023.
• During the playoff era (2004-present); Larson leads the series in multiple playoff race wins in a single season with five in 2021 (Bristol, Charlotte ROVAL, Texas, Kansas, Phoenix).
• Nine of his 27 career NASCAR Cup Series victories have come in the playoffs.
• Larson has at least one victory at eight of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (three wins), Watkins Glen (two), Kansas Speedway (two), Bristol Motor Speedway (one), Charlotte ROVAL (one), Homestead-Miami Speedway (one), Martinsville Speedway (one), Phoenix Raceway (one).

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 4th in Playoff Standings

Victories: 3

Top-Fives: 8

Top-10s: 12

Laps Led: 259

Average Finish: 14.6

Stage Wins: 1

Of Note:

• The 2024 season marks Byron’s sixth consecutive appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
• Bryon’s career-best finish in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs came last season during his first career appearance in the Championship 4 – finishing the season third in the final points standings.
• Byron has scored 11 of his 13 career NASCAR Cup Series victories during the Next Gen era.
• Byron has at least one victory at six of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Atlanta Motor Speedway (two wins), Martinsville Speedway (two), Homestead-Miami Speedway (one), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (one), Phoenix Raceway (one), Watkins Glen (one).

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 7th in Playoff Standings

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 7

Top-10s: 12

Laps Led: 213

Average Finish: 11.6

Stage Wins: 1

Of Note:

• The 2024 season marks Elliott’s eighth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
• Elliott has advanced to the Championship 4 three times in his career, with his first coming in his championship-earning season (2020).
• Elliott has scored seven of his 19 career NASCAR Cup Series victories in the playoffs.
• Elliott has at least one victory at seven of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Watkins Glen (two wins), Talladega Superspeedway (two), Kansas Speedway (one), Charlotte ROVAL (one), Martinsville Speedway (one), Atlanta Motor Speedway (one), Phoenix Raceway (one).

Daniel Suarez, No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Camaro ZL1 – 11th in Playoff Standings

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 2

Top-10s: 6

Laps Led: 143

Average Finish: 18.3

Stage Wins: 1

Of Note:

• The 2024 season marks Suarez’s second career appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
• Suarez’s career best finish in the NASCAR Cup Series standings came in 2022 – earning 10th in the final points standings.
• Suarez has two career NASCAR Cup Series victories – both of which were earned in the Next Gen era.
• Suarez earned his playoff berth in the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway – the track that will open the Round of 16.

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 12th in Playoff Standings

Victories: 1

Top-Fives: 6

Top-10s: 12

Laps Led: 14

Average Finish: 15.4

Stage Wins: 0

Of Note:

• The 2024 season marks Bowman’s sixth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
• Bowman has advanced to the Round of 12 in each of his NASCAR Cup Series playoff appearances – making it to the Round of Eight in the 2020 season to score a career-best sixth in the final standings.
• Bowman has one victory at two of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (one win) and Martinsville Speedway (one).  
  Larson, Elliott Eyeing Second Title

Experience pays dividends in playoff competition, and Chevrolet’s Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson have just that. The pair of Hendrick Motorsports teammates are two of just six former NASCAR Cup Series champions that remain in title contention. Of the 36 different drivers that have won a driver championship in NASCAR’s top division, only 17 have gone on to become multi-time champions – most recently accomplished by Joey Logano (Ford) in 2022. Elliott and Larson each earned their championship titles in their first career appearance in the Championship Four, with Elliott taking the title in 2020 and Larson delivering Hendrick Motorsports back-to-back championships in 2021.

 
Opening Round Rankings

With the playoff standings reseeded, Chevrolet is the only manufacturer with all of its title contenders sitting above the cutline heading into the opening playoff round. Despite getting edged out for the regular season title by just one point, Kyle Larson has found his way back to the top position of the playoff standings heading into the Round of 16. Despite missing the Coca-Cola 600, the 2021 champion earned the top-seeded spot after collecting a strong bank of playoff points throughout the regular season – garnering a series-leading four wins and 10 stage wins thus far. Among the tracks that make up the 10-race playoff schedule, Larson has found victory lane at eight of the venues – two of which he will return as the series’ most recent winner (Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway).

CHEVROLET AT ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY:

The start of the Next Gen era in 2022 also marked the debut of the “new” Atlanta Motor Speedway. Undergoing a massive reprofiling following the series’ July 2021 date, the 1.54-mile oval saw a complete repave, increased banking and narrowing of the track width – ultimately producing superspeedway-style racing. Since competing on the revamped configuration, Chevrolet continues to be the only manufacturer to win in all three NASCAR national series at the track with wins in four of five NASCAR Cup Series races; three wins in five NASCAR Xfinity Series races; and two wins in three NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races. Most recently, the manufacturer made it to victory lane in all three series when NASCAR took on the Georgia venue for the second points-paying race of the season – courtesy of victories by Daniel Suarez (NCS), Austin Hill (NXS) and Kyle Busch (NCTS).

RCR RALLYING WITH RECENT SUCCESS

Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch came just .361 seconds away from the win and a playoff berth at Darlington Raceway – ultimately taking the checkered flag with a runner-up result in the Cook Out Southern 500. Despite the heartbreak of narrowly missing his chance to compete for his third championship title, Busch’s second-place finish adds onto a recent resurgence for Richard Childress Racing.

Returning from the two-week Olympic break, Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Chevrolet team put their names back on the map – collecting top-10 finishes in each stage en route to the team’s return to victory lane for the first time in two years. Busch and the No. 8 Chevrolet team continued to build on the organization’s momentum with a string of three consecutive top-four finishes, including back-to-back runner-up results. The four-race stretch of success marks the first time since 2014 that Richard Childress Racing has earned top-fives in four consecutive events in NASCAR’s top division. Momentum within both teams tabs the Chevrolet organization as a top contender to be a potential playoff spoiler throughout the final 10-race stretch.

XFINITY SERIES PLAYOFF OUTLOOK WITH THREE-TO-GO

Still in the regular season grind, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is on the horizon of the final three opportunities for drivers to either win or point their way into the playoffs. Mirroring the Cup Series’ opening round; Atlanta Motor Speedway, Watkins Glen International and Bristol Motor Speedway will determine the final four drivers that will complete the series’ 12-driver playoff field. Chevrolet returns to the trio of tracks as the series’ defending winner at each venue with victories earned by its current playoff contenders, including Austin Hill’s victory at Atlanta (Feb. 2024), Sam Mayer’s victory at Watkins Glen (Aug. 2023), and Justin Allgaier’s victory at Bristol (Sept. 2023).

Among the eight drivers that have already clinched a playoff bid include five from the Chevrolet camp: JR Motorsports’ Allgaier and Mayer; Richard Childress Racing’s Hill and Jesse Love; and Kaulig Racing’s Shane van Gisbergen. Heading into the Atlanta race weekend, three of the four remaining positions above the playoff cutline are currently occupied by the Bowtie brigade, with AJ Allmendinger sitting 10th (+105 points), Parker Kligerman in 11th (+44 points) and Sammy Smith in 12th (+10).

Netting his eighth consecutive top-10 finish of the season, Allgaier left Darlington Raceway one race closer to earning his second career regular season championship title – maintaining a 28-point advantage over the series’ defending champion, Cole Custer, in second.

BOWTIE BULLETS:

· Chevrolet will pace the field for the doubleheader race weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The Camaro SS will lead the NASCAR Xfinity Series in Saturday’s Focused Health 250; and the Camaro ZL1 will lead the NASCAR Cup Series in Sunday’s Quaker State 400.

· With 67 races complete across NASCAR’s three national series this season, Chevrolet has earned a winning percentage of 47.8% with 32 victories (NASCAR Cup Series – 11 wins; NASCAR Xfinity Series – 12 wins; NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series – nine wins).

· Active Chevrolet drivers with a NASCAR Cup Series win at Atlanta Motor Speedway:

William Byron – two wins (July 2023; March 2022)

Kyle Busch – two wins (Sept. 2013, March 2008)

Daniel Suarez – one win (Feb. 2024)

Chase Elliott – one win (July 2022)

· With his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway earlier this season, Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez became the seventh different Chevrolet driver to park the Next Gen Camaro ZL1 in victory lane at a superspeedway-style track.

· The 16 superspeedway-style races for the NASCAR Cup Series in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads its manufacturer competitors with 10 victories.

· In 120 NASCAR Cup Series races held at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevrolet has recorded a series-leading 45 victories – most recently by Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez in Feb. 2024.

· Since the debut of the 16-driver playoff field and elimination rounds to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2014, at least five Chevrolet drivers have been represented in the playoffs each season.

· In 98 points-paying races in the Next Gen era, Chevrolet leads all manufacturers with 48 victories – a winning percentage of 48.98%.

· With its 42 NASCAR Cup Series Manufacturer Championships, 33 NASCAR Cup Series Driver Championships, and 862 all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins, Chevrolet continues to hold the title as the winningest brand in NASCAR Cup Series history.

 
FOR THE FANS:

· Fans can visit the Team Chevy Racing Display in the Fan Midway at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where fans can check out an assortment of Chevrolet vehicles.

Team Chevy Driver Appearances at the Display:

Saturday, September 7

· AJ Allmendinger: 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

· Chase Elliott: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

· Josh Williams: 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Sunday, September 8

· Corey LaJoie: 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.

· Carson Hocevar: 11:30 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

· Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: 11:45 p.m. – 12:00 p.m.

· Austin Dillon: 12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Chevrolet Display Hours of Operation:

· Saturday, Sept. 7: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

· Sunday, Sept. 8: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 944
Toyota: 929 (-15)
Ford: 908 (-36)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 852
Toyota: 823 (-29)
Ford: 743 (-109)

Manufacturer Points Standings

Chevrolet: 637
Toyota: 593 (-44)
Ford: 563 (-74)
 
TUNE-IN:

NASCAR Cup Series

Quaker State 400

Sunday, Sept. 8, at 3 p.m. ET

(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Focused Health 250

Saturday, Sept. 7, at 3 p.m. ET

(USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90)

 
QUOTABLE QUOTES:

ROSS CHASTAIN, NO. 1 WORLDWIDE EXPRESS CAMARO ZL1

Thoughts on Atlanta?

“Drafting has proved to be really important at Atlanta with this version of the car. I’ve run pretty well there with this configuration of the track and this car. The racing is even a little bit different from our superspeedway races even though drafting is a huge part of it. It’s kind of wild to think that’s how Atlanta is now. I’ve got a couple of second-place finishes at Atlanta and it would be awesome to drive into victory lane in the WWEX Group Chevy.”

What are your goals now that the playoffs have started?

“Obviously, we want to be in the playoffs, that’s the goal every year but we’re not laying down. We are still going out to win races. I feel like we’ve had more speed in the car here lately which is important and will certainly help us in our effort to win in the last 10 races of the season. I’ve got a great group of people at Trackhouse who are focused on getting back to victory lane and I can’t wait to get there.”

COREY LAJOIE, NO. 7 GAINBRIDGE CAMARO ZL1

You have had opportunities to win at Atlanta. Do you like your chances this weekend?

“We had a really great run last week at Darlington and we are starting to build some momentum. I’m excited to get to Atlanta with our Gainbridge Chevy to see if we can’t finish what we started with our P4 in 2023.”

KYLE BUSCH, NO. 8 GLOBAL INDUSTRIAL CAMARO ZL1

One of the best complete weekends that you’ve had this season was at the spring race in Atlanta. That must give you and the team confidence going back there this weekend.

“Absolutely it does. We had a game plan on what we needed to be better and we came back with more speed and a lot better car for the spring Atlanta race this year. I’m hoping that that same amount of notes and success translates to the face this weekend.”

You have top five finishes in the last two Atlanta races. What does it take run well there?

“Atlanta now takes a lot of speed but also a car that handles well. You have to pick through the right line at the right time and get yourself in a spot that you can log some laps through the middle stages of the race and not get caught up in a crash when cars start to handle differently and mistakes are made.”

Earlier this year at Atlanta, you picked up a lot from the first round to second round in qualifying. How rare is that?

“I would think that qualifying and picking up speed from round to round is very rare. When you’re at speedway qualifying scenarios, it’s a little easier to pick up because all the oils and bearings get hot and everything just moves a little bit more freely, so you should go a little faster on the second round. Tire wear and fall off is not something that you’re worried about with the newer surface yet.”

Would you prefer to have the races at Daytona and Atlanta spread out further apart in the schedule?

“I don’t think that the schedule of races with Daytona and Atlanta or Talladega all being closer together make much of a difference. For me, I just plan to go wherever they tell me the next race is.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 31 CIRKUL CAMARO ZL1

“Atlanta is a track I really enjoy. We had a really fast No. 31 Chevy at the first race there earlier this season and ran up front. These superspeedway-style tracks are ones that Kaulig Racing excels at, so I think we have an opportunity to do well and improve on our last finish there.”

ZANE SMITH, NO. 71 AMBETTER HEALTH CAMARO ZL1

How do you feel about going to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time this season?

“In February, we had a great run but unfortunately our race ended early. I’ve had some success at this track in the Truck Series and I’m looking forward to going back there this weekend and seeing what we can accomplish. Excited to have Ambetter Health back on board my Chevrolet for 400 miles. The car looks awesome!”

CARSON HOCEVAR, NO. 77 DELAWARE LIFE CAMARO ZL1

You will be racing against 16 drivers battling for a championship. Do you race those competitors any differently?

“Not at all. Yes, they have a lot on the line, but I’ve never raced anyone differently because of the point in the season or who the driver is. We’re all trying to race for a win, for points, our team and sponsors. I try not to focus on it too much. My spotter isn’t up there saying to let someone pass because they’re in the playoffs, so I really don’t pay attention to it.”

DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 QUAKER STATE CAMARO ZL1

As the most recent winner at Atlanta Motor Speedway, are you excited for that to be the first race in the playoffs?

“I think that’s something that’s pretty cool. That definitely brings some extra energy and excitement into our playoff run. So yeah, that’s exciting. Hopefully we can have a good run.. hopefully a win. That would be awesome. We just need to push hard, work hard, and hopefully we can give them a run for their money.”

What do you remember about the finish of that race?

“It’s everything about working together, mainly with your manufacturer. The Fords were very strong. If you put the Fords together, they were going to be very strong. My job was to try and split them, and I did a good job with that. But with that being said, Austin Cindric was not really helping me because he knew I was going to make a run on his teammate. It was a little bit tricky. Luckily, things worked out for us. The No. 23 (Bubba Wallace) gave a good push to the No. 8 (Kyle Busch), and that put him in the position to have a run at the No. 12 (Ryan Blaney). I was able to stick with the No. 8 to get a run on him, as well.

Honestly, to me, Atlanta (Motor Speedway) is almost like a chess match. You just have to be very strategic with your moves. You have to be fast. Everything happens so quick. But yeah, it’s just very important to work with your manufacturer.”

How is Atlanta Motor Speedway different from the bigger superspeedway-style tracks, like Talladega Superspeedway and Daytona International Speedway?

“It’s similar, but it’s different. Everything happens so quick. The pushes and stuff; they do happen similarly, but everything happens so quick and you have to have a very good handling car. The corners are tighter, so you have to have a very good handling car, as well.

It’s not a superspeedway, but it’s not a mile-and-a-half anymore. It’s a hybrid and I think because of that, we all love it. It’s just a very different kind of race track. I’m biased, but personally, I enjoy it.”

 
Chevrolet NASCAR Cup Series Statistics

Manufacturers Championships:

Total (1949-2023): 42

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, 2021, 2022, 2023

Drivers Championships:

Total (1949-2021): 33

First Chevrolet champion: Buck Baker (1957)

Highest number of consecutive titles: 7 (2005-11)

Most Recent: Kyle Larson (2021)

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, 2020, 2021

Event Victories:

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

2024 STATISTICS:

Wins: 11

Poles: 7

Laps Led: 2,220

Top-five finishes: 47

Top-10 finishes: 100

Stage wins: 16

· Chase Elliott: 1

· Kyle Larson: 10

· Ross Chastain: 1

· William Byron: 1

· Shane van Gisbergen: 1

· Daniel Suarez: 1

· Kyle Busch: 1

CHEVROLET IN NASCAR CUMULATIVE STATISTICS:

Total Chevrolet race wins: 862 (1949 to date)

Poles won to date: 750

Laps led to date: 251,375

Top-five finishes to date: 4,345

Top-10 finishes to date: 8,960

Total NASCAR Cup Wins by Corporation, 1949 to Date:

       General Motors: 1,196

       Chevrolet: 862

       Pontiac: 154

       Oldsmobile: 115

       Buick: 65



       Ford: 835                                                           

       Ford: 735

       Mercury: 96

       Lincoln: 4



       Fiat Chrysler Automobiles: 467

       Dodge: 217

       Plymouth: 191

       Chrysler: 59



       Toyota: 188

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
PLAYOFF MEDIA DAY
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 7th in Playoff Standings

2020 NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 7
Top-10s: 12
Laps Led: 213
Average Finish: 11.6
Stage Wins: 1

Of Note:

• The 2024 season marks Elliott’s eighth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
• Elliott has advanced to the Championship 4 three times in his career, with his first coming in his championship-earning season (2020).
• Elliott has scored seven of his 19 career NASCAR Cup Series victories in the playoffs.
• Elliott has at least one victory at seven of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Watkins Glen (two wins), Talladega Superspeedway (two), Kansas Speedway (one), Charlotte ROVAL (one), Martinsville Speedway (one), Atlanta Motor Speedway (one), Phoenix Raceway (one).  
  CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CAMARO ZL1 – 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day Quotes:

DO YOU SEE A ROUND THAT HAS MORE HAZARDS TO YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES THAN OTHERS?

“No, I think our odds are good. I don’t really take a look at a particular round being a problem any more than any other. I think that if we can just get the things that we need to do, going right, I think we can be good all the way through it. Obviously, Darlington was bad for sure. We ran way worse than we had hoped to run there. But when I look back at Pocono, Indy, and Michigan, I was really happy where we were headed. Some of those runs and some of the pace that we had, I thought it was some of the best of the year. So, I think if we can just get back to that, I think it’s great and I think that is all we have to do. I think it’s just having that type of pace and that type of competitiveness. If we are doing that, we are going to give ourselves opportunities to win and eventually they are going to go your way. So, it’s just about being there on a weekly basis. You do that, and you will get your chances.”

REGARDING HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS’ SUCCESS AT WATKINS GLEN AND ANTICIPATING ANY CHANGES GIVEN THE CHANGES AT THE TRACK

“I don’t think so. I still think it’s going to be very much Watkins Glen of old. Correct me if I am wrong, but the bus stop is the biggest change of all, am I right? Yeah, so I mean that is one little section of the track and I can’t imagine that its totally going to throw off the rhythm of what Watkins Glen is. I think its going to feel very similar and you might have this one little section that might feel different, but I think overall it will be the same old Watkins Glen.”

ALEX BOWMAN SAID YOU KIND OF FOUND SOMETHING AT WATKINS GLEN AND KIND OF BUILT THAT BASIS FOR THEM. WITHOUT SPOILING IT, CAN YOU GIVE DETAILS ON WHAT YOU FOUND THERE?

“Yeah, we had a test there maybe my rookie year or maybe shortly after that. It was already a good road course package before I got there, so it wasn’t like we created something out of thin air. We had a good basis, but there was one particular test that we developed a good package for, and we built off that. I would assume that is what he is referring to, but it was more than just that one day. It was a lot of collaboration between all the teams and drivers after that test and the races that followed that test to get it to where it was and the success that we had. Now this was all with the old car and everything with the new car is totally different. So, the success that we have had as a company with the new car, is totally different.”

WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHANGE YOU HAVE SEEN WITH THE NEW CAR ON THE ROAD COURSES?

“Just the difficulty in passing. It has become, in my opinion, way harder to do and in particular to get the rear tires to live. It’s just hard. Anywhere that we go, the corner entry, the part of the corner that is narrow, is going to be an extreme challenge to pass. You look at Darlington very much the same way. Its not like you can fan out and have a bunch of different options when you first turn off the wall. Martinsville is a great example of that, the road courses are a prime example of that. Phoenix is a little bit that way in three and four. So, when you leave the wall and you can’t get outboard or inboard of someone’s wake, it’s going to be a real challenge. And with road courses, there is one spot that you want to be on corner entry. Unless you are just dive bombing a guy. And even if you are doing that, that is not the optimum way to make a lap time either.”

IS IT MORE IN A DRIVER’S HANDS OR LESS IN A DRIVER’S HANDS IN THIS ROUND?

“The Bristol thing in the spring was just such a weird deal, and it sounds like they really want to recreate that too, from everything that I have heard. And I don’t know that we knew why that happened in the spring, but if they successfully fabricate craziness, then yeah, its going to be wild. But I don’t know that you are really going to know that until you get there, and you are kind of in the moment. So, I think in the scenarios you are asking about, you just have to be there and get in there and try to figure it out. Because some of those things are going to be hard to plan for.”

“The first round definitely needs to be respected because it’s not a cakewalk by any means. That is what you get when you have these short rounds and every year, we put another speedway in there and you are going to get craziness. You keep fabricating this stuff and that is what you are going to get.”

BACK IN THE DAY TONY STEWART WON HALF THE PLAYOFF RACES, AND THEN IN 2021 KYLE LARSON WON HALF THE PLAYOFF RACES. IS THAT ERA GONE OR STILL POSSIBLE?

“It’s possible. Hard to do, but possible.”

IS IT MORE OF THE CAR THAT IS THE BIGGEST FACTOR?

“That has probably changed it the most. Just everyone is more similar on more tracks. So, yes, I would say.”

HOW DO YOU LOOK AT IT NOW GOING INTO A PLAYOFF SITUATION?

“You know, I can’t really say that in my time of doing it that I have really changed my process. But I have certainly have a lot of fun in the last 10 weeks just because there is something on the line. I do enjoy that aspect of being a competitor and showing up each week because it could be a make-or-break weekend for you. I think that is fun, you know?”

WHY?

“Well, just because you either do or you don’t. That is fun to me. You go to a race and your back is against the wall and you have to perform. You either show up and get it done or if you didn’t, you get your report card that day and you didn’t do a good enough job. And I like that. I like that aspect of that there are intense moments over the course of that stuff. Am I a fan of all the aspects of it, maybe not necessarily, but I do enjoy the fun meter of being a competitor in the last 10 weeks that it brings me.”

WHAT WAS IT LIKE LAST YEAR AND NOT BEING IN THE PLAYOFFS?

“Yeah, we were in the Owner’s (Championship), so it really was not any different to be honest with you. I wasn’t here for media day, but we were still in the owner’s deal.”

WHICH TRACK IN THE FIRST ROUND, SECOND ROUND, OR THIRD ROUND IS THE HARDEST TO QUALIFY FOR THE NEXT STAGE?

“I have not looked past the first round to be really honest with you. But when I look at the first round, I try to take it a week at a time. It’s a good thing because Atlanta is first, and that place is going to be crazy and chaotic, and you try not to crash ultimately. We will try and get some stage points and try to put ourselves in position to win would be great. But I haven’t really looked past that.”

DO YOU THINK NASCAR SHOULD INTRODUCE THE SOFT TIRES JUST BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS OR NOT CHANGE THE GAME AT THIS POINT?

“I don’t know. The North Wilkesboro experiment didn’t go great because the track was freshly paved, and I think that is why it didn’t work out like they thought it was going to work out. The Richmond thing probably went pretty good. I thought. It was an added element to the event that was more positive than negative. I don’t know that that works everywhere, so I could see both sides. Maybe at some tracks I could see it being really good and we might need it, but maybe not everywhere.”

 

About Chevrolet

Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is now one of the world’s largest car brands. Chevrolet models include electric and fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

CHARLOTTE (September 4, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Wednesday as part of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

What do you put your odds at for making it to the Championship 4 and what trouble spots do you see with the rounds this year?

“I feel like our chances are as good as anyone. Now, I would say that the 45 (Tyler Reddick), the 20 (Christopher Bell), the 5 (Kyle Larson) have a better chance because they have more Playoff points going into the Playoffs. But, ultimately, we’re one of the very few cars that can win any given week. So, no matter what points position we might find ourselves in, and we will be in a precarious points position at some point of the Playoffs. We always feel like we can go to the next track and win, so that’s on something that only a few cars can do.”

Do you think the first round could be the toughest with the races that are scheduled?

“Yeah, absolutely. Certainly, with a new road course in there in Watkins Glen in the Playoffs, with an unknown tire. Atlanta – who knows. I haven’t finished a superspeedway Next Gen race I don’t think in my entire career. It’s just who knows what can happen. We might have to go to Bristol and win but if that’s the case, we will.”

Does it feel like this is going to be a tough Playoffs to make it through?

“Absolutely. Because of the variables. Like, it’s one thing to not have many Playoff points but then to not have them on tracks that you know that your result is not necessarily in always your hands, it certainly makes it a precarious position but it’s what we got and I’ll do the best that I can and I know that I’m going to go to the track with the same mindset and that’s to win every week.”

Did the penalty invigorate your team and give your team motivation?

“I think it will if it has a positive outcome. I really can’t honestly say to you that it was something that we rallied around. I mean, certainly, it took away 15 points when you add it all up in the regular season as well. Fifteen points every round that we lost. That’s something that’s really going to be hard to overcome, but we can. I know that we can. So, that’s the good news. If we are able to find ourselves making it through these first two, three rounds and have a shot at it – at Phoenix I should say, then that’s going to be a very rewarding feeling. And, so, if there’s ever a year to win it, do it when there’s the most adversity on the line.”

Should the season finale rotate?

“Yeah, certainly but there’s always going to be challenges contractually. There’s a lot of red tape involved with that. City councils and money going this way and that way so it will be hard.”

Where is the charter conversation right now?

“Stagnant.”

What has to be done from either side to move it to the next level?

“One side will have to wake up and be reasonable. That’s all.”

Which side?

“Not ours.”

What made Curtis wear the sign on his shirt at Darlington?

“Frustration.”

Do you think his message was received?

“I’m not sure. You know, certainly, pretty disappointed to not see anyone from NASCAR present Tyler (Reddick) his trophy. That was a little disappointing.”

Do you think that was personal?

“I don’t know. That was the first I’ve seen.”

Do you feel like we’re getting the story that it’s getting closer?

“Of course, they want it to, but the truth is they keep going in the wrong direction.”

Are you telling the truth?

“I believe I am from our standpoint, but it depends on who you ask. But certainly, I feel like yeah, there’s probably a handful of teams that are just happy to take any deal that they can get and there’s others with some business sense that says this is unreasonable.”

Can you talk to the teams?

“Yeah, of course, but everyone’s going to do what their own – what they want to do that’s best for their team and each one of the teams will execute an agreement that they feel is fair for themselves.”

Do you have others in your ear asking you to say things on their behalf?

“I think, not directly, no, but they don’t hate it either. I don’t love being the megaphone. I wish some of these other owners who are griping to me through text and calls would just do it publicly themselves, but I think that they fear pushback.”

What’s the fear of pushback if you’re trying to improve?

“Yeah, that’s the thing. We’re all trying to improve the sport and grow the sport. We all want what’s best for the sport. If the sport does great, we will do better, so I think we all just need to figure out how to lock arms and do it together. But we don’t have any agreement in front of us that is locking of arms, it’s all one sided.”

Are the younger owners more vocal because the veteran owner’s future is more intact?

“I guess. People see me gripe, but they have to realize I made a good living in this as a NASCAR driver and I chose to invest back in the France family and NASCAR, and they are yet to show me an opportunity where I’m going to get that back.”

What do you have to do to win at Watkins Glen?

“I’m not sure. I think there’s going to be such an unknown with the tire there that I’m somewhat excited for. I think that if you think about, will I be one of the top five fastest guys? Maybe unlikely, but if you put a tire situation in there, maybe. So, certainly, that there’s an opportunity there that we could capitalize on. I think it just depends on where I net out after Atlanta. I think you’d be dumb and bull-headed to just say this is our strategy for the first round and that’s what we’re going to do. I think it has to be fluid based off of your position.”

Chase Elliott said the first round is little gimmicky, do you agree?

“He said it, I agree.”

But you won Bristol?

“But we won it in the non-gimmicky way. This race last year we won it in the Playoffs as well and it didn’t have any of those variables you talked about. So, we can win in multiple different ways and fashions. What I love about our team is everything that you just said. I feel like I’ve got one of the best crew chiefs and the best teams in the garage, and there’s only two to three of us that knows that they can win every single week that they hit the track and we’re one of them.”

Will the speculation on the tire degradation at Watkins Glen put a price on flipping the stage and restarting on older tires?

“It certainly will. I certainly think that it could definitely play a role in strategy. It’s been so straight forward in the past that you just want to get to those stage points and then you go ahead and pit. But certainly, if tires are going to matter like it seems like they might, it throws a whole new element in it and it’s not a huge gimmicky element because you have to strategize around tire wear. The driver plays a huge role in that, so certainly, hopefully I’ve got my fingers crossed that it’s a race that’s going to be unlike any road course we’ve seen.”

Do you fear a Playoff race-winner spoiler at a Watkins Glen or Atlanta?

“Well, certainly, I think with some of the cars that didn’t make the Playoffs, there’s a chance of that – the Chris Buescher’s of the world and Ross Chastain’s – they can win at races like that. Certainly, I think given our type – Atlanta this weekend, we could have someone outside the top 30 again win. It’s a realistic thing that could happen, but it’s part of the format that’s the variables that you can’t account for. It’s impossible to predict.”

Should NASCAR do any changes to their points system to avoid something like that happening?

“Yeah, I don’t know how it’s good. I think that you can have those moments without necessarily taking a car that was towards the back and they’re playing by the rules, right? I have nothing against Harrison (Burton). But then taking out someone that has scored twice as much or three times as many points as them throughout the year. I’m always going to be in favor of a bigger sample size, instead of one race and you’re in.”

Can a charter deal get done with NASCAR with 10 races to go and what happens if it’s not done by Phoenix?

“Yeah, absolutely, it could. But, again, someone will have to wake up and have a completely different mindset and I just don’t know if that is going to be possible. What happens if the season ends? Then, we retain all of our rights.”

Is it clear that you retain all of your rights?

“Yeah, if we don’t have a charter agreement, we don’t owe the series anything and they don’t owe us anything, so it goes both ways for sure.”

Can they stop you from racing without charters?

“I don’t think so. Yeah, I don’t think they can stop you from racing. I mean, Joe and Billy’s garage can put a car together and run a race the way our sport is formed right now.”

Curtis’ shirt said I don’t want my charter taken away – is that a threat?

“Yeah, it’s a threat. That’s if you speak negatively. If they don’t like what you say, yeah, they’re trying to reserve the right.”

So, do you have to be measured?

“I don’t know how you – it’s subjective. How do you even – who’s the jury, the judge and the executioner? It sounds like it’s all the same person. It’s never been the same person, but now they’re proposing that it is.”

Who would be the person?

“Them.”

Which is who?

“Whoever is in charge. I don’t know.”

Do you have many bargaining chips left as an owner?

“Yeah, I mean, I’m not really sure where leverage lies. I would argue both sides feel like they have some, but I think it’s more just a frustration of a lack of acknowledgement that the teams have built this sport. (Rick) Hendrick and (Joe) Gibbs putting superstars on the race track – that is what has built the sport. Fans do not come to see cars going around in circles. If they would, then we would sell out ARCA races, but they don’t. They come to sell out on Sunday to watch Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch. So, who provides them the cars? And that’s the teams. Who spends the money? That’s the teams. Whose sponsors go buy a suite? That’s the teams. Whose sponsors activate in their midways? That’s the teams. That’s the tough part that, they just don’t value us.”

Did you think this negotiation would go into the Playoffs?

“Oh, yeah, I had a feeling this was going to go all the way to the 11th hour for sure. And there’s just been a lot of stall tactics that have been in play and here we are.”

Is this a distraction?

“Certainly, I’m going to thrive in chaos. That’s my MO. But, generally speaking, I always prepare as much as I can as a driver, do my job as an owner, do my job as a podcaster and certainly, are my days filled now with disgruntled people calling me saying we’ve got to do this or we’ve got to do that, yeah, absolutely. But it doesn’t change when I put my helmet on. I’m always going to be locked in.”

Do you feel like being an owner is a big important part of your legacy?

“I’m just trying to make it better than what it was and still try to grow it and it’s unfortunate. I wish I had a bigger role in it. Certainly, there’s been some changes that have happened around some conversations that you have, and I think NASCAR for a while has been very receptive to listening to advice and some things. But certainly, when it comes to dollars and cents, that’s where we’re in two different ballparks. As a driver, I’ve put in 20 years doing this and I feel like I’ve tried to do my best to grow social following, giving more content. Things like that. Trying to update the times, right? I tried to start a race team to build my legacy well beyond being a race car driver itself. Being part of the sport, investing in Jim France, investing in NASCAR. You know, I’m doing my part, but certainly I think probably from their standpoint they just see me as a thorn in their side and more than likely would be better off without me.”

Have they ever warned you?

“Of course. Yeah, of course.”

If you buy a charter, own it, abide by all the rules and finish where you’re supposed to finish, how can they take a charter from you?

“I don’t know. It doesn’t make sense.”

How can they threaten that?

“I’m not sure. It would have to be explored for sure.”

In what ways do you think Ty Gibbs has grown as a driver?

“I would say generally speaking, I think he’s (Ty Gibbs) has matured some. I see it on the race track. Certainly, he’s more aware of situations. I mean, experience in this series does mean a lot and I think that he knows he’s with a really great team and he’s doing a better job, in my opinion, the last half of the regular season of executing decent days when he has a decent car. That comes from managing risks and I think he’s understanding how to do that.”

Are you still looking at having Martin Truex Jr. run the Daytona 500 next February?

“Yeah, 23XI and JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) are kind of looking at the options and trying to figure out what’s the best avenue for it but certainly having Martin (Truex Jr.) in the 500 is going to be exciting.”

Is there more in the driver’s hands or less this first round?

“There’s less. Simply because I feel as though having this extra superspeedway in there in Atlanta, it just might put you in a hole that you cannot overcome. Because this is a race that you could easily go finish 32nd or 33rd and have one point and you find yourselves 20-some behind and even being solid at Watkins Glen or good at Bristol, it might not be enough. So, I think that anytime again we shrink the sample size down to three races, and one of those three is one that most drivers would say I don’t have a role in where I finish. I try to do the best I can to avoid the wreck and that’s it. And, now it’s down to a two-race season and that’s hard for us to overcome if we don’t get through the first one.”

Is making it to the Championship 4 still a meaningful stat to you?

“Absolutely. 100 percent. If I can make it to the Championship 4 this year with all the variables that got thrown our way, it would be one of the more rewarding accomplishments I feel like in my career.”

How challenging has this year been for you?

“Yeah, it’s been challenging for sure whether it be the charter stuff or team stuff or driver stuff or penalty stuff. It’s certainly a lot but I feel as energized as I ever have. I don’t know how or why but I still have the stamina to do it and still have the drive to want to do it. It’s been trying, no doubt about it. Trust me, when I walk in that room and they said basically three of your race wins won’t count towards the Playoffs, it was like holy crap. That’s a big, big deal. And it’s certainly something that’s totally out of my control. I wish I could control it, but I can’t. But it’s just part of this sport and I just have to come to grips with, I’m not going to be able to control my outcome. Sometimes it’s going to roll black 10 times in a row and never hit red.”

As you begin the Playoff quest, this is the march for that ring that your fiancé joked you were still looking for?

“That was my comment. I like to troll myself (laughter). I certainly believe that a championship this year would be more rewarding than any of the other years just simply because of all of the variables that we just talked about. So, trust me, I’m going to give it my 100 percent effort to make sure I find myself in a position to win.”

How aware were you of how Tyler Reddick was feeling on Sunday?

“I didn’t know anything until I was in the car, and they told me over the radio, he’s (Tyler Reddick) battling. I was not made aware – 23XI – Dave Rogers tries to shield race day 23XI drama away from me because he’s like, you do enough during the week. I don’t need to bother you with all of this stuff. We have protocols in place with backup drivers and whatnot. They shielded me from that, so I didn’t know until the race.”

Would you have been surprised if Tyler Reddick got out of the car during the race?

“I would’ve been surprised if he did, yes. It’s just, drivers themselves, they just never ever want to get out of their car and see someone else run. And, certainly with what was at stake for him, he would rather lose it on his terms.”

What do you think Martin Truex Jr.’s legacy is going to be?

“This sport can forget about you really quick. I just hope we don’t forget about Martin (Truex Jr.) because I think his career accomplishments are so highly regarded from my standpoint, right? While he might not have as many wins as I have, he hasn’t been with championship caliber teams all of his career like I have. So, I think that he’s just a grossly underrated driver. We had a survey earlier I had to fill out (at media day) who’s the most underrated driver? Martin Truex Jr. is the most underrated. He makes himself underrated because he doesn’t want to talk about himself. He doesn’t want to talk about his accomplishments because he’s a very modest human and he doesn’t want the fanfare. I’ll sing his praises for him that he’s just been the best.”

How do you right the results for the 11 team now that you are in the Playoffs?
“We’ve had speed, but my average finish is atrocious. We will dive into it when the season is over on how much atrociousness did, I cause, versus – there is a column called racing shit happens and that is the things that neither myself or the team causes to have a bad day. It is someone crashed right in front of us at whatever track it might be or blown engine in Sonoma and finishing dead last. There is a column, and I like to keep track of – what did I control, how good did I did do it, and what I need to improve on. It’s really hard to judge our season, because we are fast. One of the two or three best cars every single week. Yet our average finish and points position would tell you otherwise, so there is clearly a disconnect there that we have to hem up.”

Do you think you can during this Playoff run?

“100 percent. I think we went on a pretty good long streak in the spring, early summer and then we went on this really bad run of finishes and now, surely this thing comes back around where the racing gods are a little nicer.”

How do you manage 23XI’s success on race day, especially in later rounds in the Playoffs?

“Yeah, I’m rooting for them. I’m rooting for them to make the final four and lose to me by finishing second. That’s what I really want. I can tell you with honesty and look in your eye, I would be just as happy with an owner’s championship this year as I would with a drivers, because I know how much it took and how much it takes to win a championship in NASCAR, clearly, I know – I’ve been in the sport long enough. I know that I had my hands in every part of that race car – it would be hugely gratifying for myself. If anything, I feel like my chances are doubled this year. While the 45 (Tyler Reddick) made it last year, but they had too many chinks in the armor, speed wise – at some tracks, to really truly contend. I knew the short tracks they were going to have issues, but I feel like they have gotten better on all of those, so they are going to be a viable contender.”

With how the Toyota’s ran in Phoenix earlier this year, does it feel like it is a make-or-break season?

“It could be. Next year might be another good opportunity. I don’t know, but certainly, I’ve gone to Phoenix, and I will never forget when Coy (Gibbs) told my mom flying to Phoenix that we have no chance, so don’t get your hopes up (laughter). We were in the final four, but our short track stuff was just not good and it suited Hendrick guys that year, and we just didn’t have the speed to contend, but this year there is certainly no excuses. C. Bell (Christopher Bell) was definitely the fastest car in the Spring there. We qualified on the pole and contended. I just hope to have the opportunity and see where I stack up.”

Are you interested in trying to get Pato O’Ward in for Mexico?

“Yeah, I saw his interest in that. A talent like him (Pato O’Ward) would be fantastic and with him raising his hand and wanting to participate, logistically you hope it could be possible.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 12 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 13th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 29 electrified options.

For more information about Toyota, visit www.ToyotaNewsroom.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
PLAYOFF MEDIA DAY
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 12th in Playoff Standings

Victories: 1
Top-Fives: 6
Top-10s: 12
Laps Led: 14
Average Finish: 15.4
Stage Wins: 0

Of Note:

• The 2024 season marks Bowman’s sixth appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
• Bowman has advanced to the Round of 12 in each of his NASCAR Cup Series playoff appearances – making it to the Round of Eight in the 2020 season to score a career-best sixth in the final standings.
• Bowman has one victory at two of the 10 tracks on the playoff schedule: Las Vegas Motor Speedway (one win) and Martinsville Speedway (one).
• Bowman’s eight career NASCAR Cup Series victories have come on every track configuration in which the series competes on: short track (Richmond Raceway, Martinsville Speedway), intermediate oval (Chicagoland Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, Dover Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway) and road course/street course (Chicago Street Race).  
  ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 48 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CAMARO ZL1 – 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day Highlights:

Your name is out there about what’s happening next year.. do you know your plans for 2025?

“Yeah, that rumor has certainly been annoying. Obviously my contract is through the end of 2026. All I can tell you is like what my bosses have told me, and that is that there are no plans to change anything. Yeah, rumors are just rumors. Hopefully they’ll get their announcements done so my rumors stop, obviously. Yeah, as far as I know, I’m driving the No. 48 next year.”

Is there any reason that you should doubt that? How do you feel?

“Yeah, I don’t think so. I trust my bosses and that’s what they’ve told me. So yeah, other than that, just focused on trying to be strong the next 10 weeks.”

You’ve had to deal with a lot this year, even in the past. Fair or not fair, how do you deal with that?

“Yeah, I mean for me – like that’s a rumor that I’ve heard for a month. It got to the point where I picked up the phone and called everybody, and everybody said, ‘absolutely not’. So, that’s really all I have to go on and I don’t have a reason to believe anything other than that. There’s no – oh, you need to do this to keep your job. Like it’s absolutely not.. everything’s fine.

Beyond that, we need to go run better. It’s been a miserable month. We haven’t executed on a high level at all, so we need to go run better the next 10 weeks. But we need to do that for us and our playoff run; for Ally and the No. 48 team. There’s no like – you need to do this to keep your job. As far as I know, I’m not worried about that at all.”

How does one turn things around? At the start of the playoffs, everyone says – hey, it’s a new season. Just because it’s a new season doesn’t mean the same things aren’t following you. How do you break that chain?

“I feel like we’ve been able to do that in the past, and honestly, a month ago everything was going pretty well. We had the crash at Indy. We crashed at Daytona. Obviously we had some issues last weekend (at Darlington). It’s been frustrating, but we’ve had some fast racecars sprinkled in there. Obviously we crashed at Michigan with another fast racecar. We just need to execute at a high level the next 10 weeks. We just need to buy in; have the whole team locked in and execute well.”

With the playoffs, obviously there’s a process you go through throughout each week of the season, in living your life and doing things. When you get into the playoffs, is there something that you cut out, or is there something you make sure you keep because of the potential stress and everything for 10 long weeks?

“Yeah, I don’t think you can change much. I think you kind of have to – the way our sport works, you kind of have to live the whole year that way. Certainly working super hard and kind of trying to do everything that I possibly can. But I feel like sometimes you do that and almost get worse. Just have to go do my thing and go from there.”

What’s a saying you hear from Blake (Harris, crew chief) that you hear often?

“I don’t really have a saying like that from him. But for me, things were tough at the start of the year. Talking to him, he’s like – you and I are the only two that can fix it. He said that, and then he brought it up again this week. So, I think just him and I are responsible for how the team is going to execute for the next 10 weeks. We need those guys to lock in and be all in for the next 10 weeks, for sure.”

Some might view you guys as an underdog or a potential Cinderella. Is that a way that you look at it, or is that the wrong way to look at it from your vantage point?

“Yeah, I mean I think that we need to improve where we’re at, for sure. We haven’t been where we need to be for the last little bit. Our season has kind of been broken up into streaks of really good runs, and then streaks of really bad runs. So, I think if we can get the streak of really good runs to fall well for the next 10 weeks, I think we can be in a really good spot. Yeah, I mean I think there’s no reason why we’re not capable of doing that. We just need things to go our way and we need to put our best foot forward.”

Are there any races you’re worried about in the playoffs?

“I think the superspeedway races, obviously, can be a big wild card. Watkins Glen has been pretty hard on us over the years, so we’re super focused on being better there. But beyond that, if we get rolling in the right direction, we can be good anywhere.”

What are the odds of you getting to Phoenix and compete for the championship?

“Yeah, I mean we need to improve what we’ve been doing and how we’ve been executing to make that happen. I think we’re capable and have the resources that we need to do that, it’s just a matter of going and doing it. Mr. H gives us the tools we need, so we have to go make it happen.”

When you’re breaking down the playoff rounds, the Round of 16 has a lot of drivers concerned. It seems to be one of the toughest rounds. Is that what you think or is there another round that you’re worried about?

“Honestly, I’m so week-to-week that I don’t even know what the next tracks are after the first round. Super focused on the Round of 16. And obviously, yeah – I think Atlanta, Watkins Glen and Bristol; there’s so many things that could happen. It’s pretty easy to have someone else ruin your day at two of those three. Yeah, just need to go execute at a high level, and go week-to-week from there.”

Mrs. H said she wanted all four cars in the Championship Four..

“Yeah, she wants that every year, but she made it very clear that we better make it happen. I think she said she ‘really, really, really, really, wants that’. Yeah, when she speaks, we listen, for sure.”

How would you characterize your regular season?

“Yeah, it’s been up-and-down. We’ve had streaks of really good runs. The last month, we’ve kind of been repeatedly kicked in the teeth. Excited to get the playoffs started. We’re a plenty capable race team, we just need to go out and do it.”

Do you look at it as a blank slate?

“A little bit. It would have been nice to carry some positive momentum into the playoffs. I feel like the first half of the summer, we had a better summer than normal. And then the second half of the summer, the wheels fell off. Definitely a little bit of a blank slate, but we’ll see what happens.”

Have you seen progression ramped up?

“Yeah, I mean it’s gotten crazy over the last couple of years, for sure. I think if we raced 10 years ago how we do now, we’d get out of the car and get our butts kicked. It’s changed a lot, right? There’s been change for everybody. I feel like I’m not the overly-aggressive, dirty racecar driver. The races have played out to really benefit the overly-aggressive, dirty racecar drivers. I’m trying to get myself there, for sure. Yeah, it’s definitely changed.”

Is that because of the current car?

“Yeah, I think passing has just become so ridiculously difficult that you have to get what you can; ruining someone else’s day to do it or whatever you need to do has just become part of it. Yeah, it’s just changed.”

You and Blake (Harris, crew chief) have had stretches of really, really good races. Are you feeling confident that you guys are going to hit that when you get to the playoffs?

“We better, right? The last month has been frustrating. We’re a plenty capable race team, so we need to go run well for the next 10 weeks. I feel like we’re plenty capable of doing that.”

Is there anything in particular that you’ve done behind the wheel the last month that has led to it, or do you think it’s just a rough stretch?

“Yeah, I mean really – I sped on pit road at Richmond and that hurt us a little bit, but we weren’t any good before that. Got loose and smoked the fence on that restart at Michigan, which cost us a top-eight finish. But other than that, we just haven’t been very good, honestly. Super frustrating to not be better than we’ve been, but we’ll keep digging at it.”

You said after Darlington that you guys just need to run better in the playoffs. How can you guys do that? Is it just getting the finishes, or is there some execution in there, as well, about bringing better cars?

“Both, for sure. We haven’t been very good lately. We need to qualify better. We need to execute better. I need to do everything on my end better. We need to be better on pit road. Like across the board, we need to be better. Yeah, I’ve made a couple mistakes over the last couple of weeks; sped on pit road at Richmond, crashed at Michigan. And then we’ve had some cars that we’ve struggled with and some things on pit road happened. Across the board, we need to be better. We’ve got 10 weeks to go and prove we can be better.”

The first round, everyone says it’s going to be wild. Is that a realistic expectation? You have Atlanta, which can go any which way. And then it seems like tires might be the story at Watkins Glen and Bristol.

“Yeah, the Watkins Glen thing is interesting because they said it was six seconds, and then they tested again last week and I heard two seconds. Yeah, I heard much less than we thought, but it’ll be interesting to see what actually happens. I feel like we always kind of never know. And then at Bristol, is the same thing going to happen or is it not going to happen? Yeah, it’s going to be interesting. Atlanta, it’s its own thing, so we’ll what happens.”

How have you and your crew chief discussed getting through the first round?

“Go execute at a high level every week. That’s really all we can do. Obviously at Atlanta, there’s a lot of things outside of our control that can happen. But we need to do our job at a high level; bring fast racecars, run up front, score stage points and make the right decisions on the race track.”

Do you expect 54 lead changes again at Bristol? It was the unknown there that was absolutely crazy and it wasn’t what anyone was expecting. Crew chiefs and engineers, they look at numbers and when it baffles their minds, everything is up in the air..

“Yeah, it’ll be interesting to see if the tire wear is like that again, right? It’s going to be a lot hotter. The race track will probably rubber up a lot more. We don’t really know until we go do it, especially with a concrete race track. It can change. The weather can change. It can go one way or another; not having the sun on it because it’s going to be a night race. It could be warm, but no sun. So yeah, it’s hard to say what it’s going to do. It has the potential to be absolutely as wild as it was the first time. And it also has the potential to be a completely normal Bristol race. I’m sure we’ll find out within the first 100 laps of the race, but until then, I don’t think we’re going to know.”

What makes Hendrick Motorsports so good at Watkins Glen?

“Yeah, I feel like I’ve been terrible there, so it’s hard to say. I feel like that’s one road course that I still have to kind of get ahold of a little bit. I think it started with – obviously Hendrick Motorsports on road courses has been really good for a long time. But Chase (Elliott) really got ahold of Watkins Glen and kind of developed all of our stuff to be really good there, kind of right off the bat. Yeah, trying to play catchup a little bit, but I’m excited to get back.”

Did the confidence you got from winning the street course at Chicago give you confidence in those styles of tracks where you do turn left and right?

“Yeah, I mean we’ve been really good on road courses the last couple of years. Obviously COTA and the ROVAL have probably been the two best. Sonoma, we’ve had good runs. We’ve never had a good finish. We’ve had a lot of stuff happen to us there. Watkins Glen has always been the one that I’ve just struggled to make pure pace at. Trying to really focus on getting better there. I wasn’t good at COTA the first year, and I wasn’t great at Chicago the first year. I focused on them and got better. So, there’s no reason we can’t do that at Watkins Glen, too.”

How did being the wheelforce guy for awhile help you become a better driver?

“I would be a better racecar driver right now if I raced full-time for those two years than if I didn’t, for sure. I think two years basically sitting on the couch is not beneficial for anybody, but staying in the car in 2017 a little bit and doing all those tests was better than sitting on the couch. Racing would have been better, but we didn’t race, so that was the next best thing.”

But did you learn something from working with the engineers and seeing it from that side of the sport that could help you down the road?

“A little bit.. like I spent a lot of time in the simulator and developed a lot of good relationships with those guys. But the wheelforce stuff is really more about just driving the car in a really consistent way to give those guys the best data that you can. Way different than just going out and running ten-tenths and trying to make the best pace you can. But at the same time, I’m sure there were a couple of things that I learned.”

 

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