Toyota Racing – Ty Gibbs
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

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

TY GIBBS, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

What are the odds of you making the finals and what are the challenges along the way?

“I don’t know odds to be honest with you. I don’t know numbers to much, but I feel like we are very strong at the upcoming tracks besides Atlanta and Talladega, because they are really out of our control. I think Bristol, we were really solid – last year and this year, and Watkins Glen, we were great last year – finished fifth. We were really fast. I would really love to go and make it as deep as we can, maybe make the final four. I’m going to go try and win every race that I get into and do the best I can with I have.”

Do you think the first round is the toughest with the track alignment?

“I would say that I agree with that. I think it is the most track position race round in the Playoffs. Atlanta, the top four are basically the guys that win it. Watkins Glen – you have to be up front. You couldn’t pass last year. I felt like we were so much faster than the guys in front of us and we finished fifth. It takes so much to pass. Bristol, you have to be up front as well. That is another track position race. So, I would say that I agree with that.”

What were your thoughts when you made the Playoff cut?

“I appreciate it. I think it sounds good as well. Glad to make it in here, but it would be nice to be Champion one day.”

A lot of drivers have mentioned that you are someone they think will go far. How does that make you feel?

“I really appreciate that, and I would love to and hopefully we can get the best of what our deal is. I feel like we were really strong at the upcoming tracks, just have to get through Atlanta. 16th through eighth is separated by four points. It is really tight.”

What do you feel like you have learned over the last year that has prepared you the most for this Playoff run?

“I think just looking at the big picture. I’ve learned a lot of things and experience is the biggest thing, but big picture is important too. You have to finish these races.”

You have picked up incrementally everywhere you go. What is the reason for that?

“I appreciate that. I think that the experience is so big, especially for somebody like me that is so young and doesn’t have a lot of experience. It is so important and good to have. I’m sure that everyone here that is interviewing me would say the same thing with their interviewing careers, and their first years of experience in it. You just learn so much as you keep going.”

With not many Playoff points to fall back on, will the emphasis be on finishing races?

“I would say – especially at Atlanta – you have to finish. We are separated by four points from 16th to eighth. I’m the last seed, I think. We are separated by four points. You could win both stages and not finish the race, and not make as many points as a guy that does finish. You have to finish these races, especially Atlanta.”

I know you are a big sports fan, do you look at it as I’m the 16 seed, let’s go upset some folks?

“Yeah, it’s cool. I don’t really – I feel like I would look at it the same if I was in first as well. Just try to go win every race, but it is cool being an underdog for sure. It’s cool being last.”

Do you think the first win will come in the Playoffs?

“I would love for it to happen then. We are very strong at the upcoming tracks that we are going to, and we will see. We are solid, and we will try to make it happen, but I try to win every race and anything that comes.”

How much can you fall back on your Xfinity Playoff experience?

“I think it is somewhat similar from the way the point system works, but I think it is also different.”

What has been the biggest change from Xfinity to Cup?

“I think – you could say this is all the top sports and motorsports in the world – I think with football, talking to some of my friends that made the jump from college to pro – it is just a huge jump, and everyone is so much better. It is a whole different environment. It is all different. It is all part of going from semi-pro to pro – you have to make that jump and that is hard.”

Do you get motivated by watching other sports?

“I don’t really know. I feel like I try to go win everything I can try to do the best that I can, so I would say Tiger Woods had some of the same type of comments that I have. I really appreciate him and being a Monster Energy athlete, teammate – same as him. I feel like go win it all. Winning takes care of everything in life, or most things.”

Do you consider your regular season a success?

“I want to win a race, but we were really fast, and we’ve been in contention to win a good bit of times. If we were not fast enough and our cars were not handling as good, I would probably be not too happy, but we were fast. We are almost ready to win.”

What do you think about these next few races?

“I would say I would agree – especially the first couple, especially Bristol. It’s really a track position round. You have to be good. You have to qualify good and be up front the whole time, especially finishing the race – that is the most important part. I would say I agree with that.”

How do you enjoy racing on the road courses?

“I really like the road courses. They’ve always been really fun. I think this car is built for road courses. It is a lot of fun. I love going to Watkins Glen and the ROVAL. We will see what happens.”

Is there more in a drivers hand this first round?

“It is a good question. Atlanta is definitely not in our control. There is a lot with missing wrecks, and making it and finishing the race, but Watkins Glen and Bristol – I don’t know too much about the tire. Bristol was pretty treacherous. I think it is going to be an interesting round. I think it is probably the hardest round, honestly. I mean – I’m the last seed in the Playoffs – so myself to eighth place is like four points. If you win both stages, and you don’t finish the race, you are still losing at the end of the race. You have to finish the race. I might be wrong in that, but I’m pretty sure if you don’t finish the race, you are in trouble. A lot relies on being consistent and missing those wrecks.”

With where you are in points, it is easy for people to look at you as a Cinderella. Is that a role you relish?

“To be honest with you, I don’t really care too much. I try to win every race that I’m in and try to make the best of it. I enjoy what I do. I don’t really know. Cinderella story sounds cool, to go on and win a championship – I could retire after. (laughter) Just kidding. I don’t really know. I don’t really look at social media all that much, so I wouldn’t know. I feel like we are better. We outran most of the guys right in front of us.”

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.

Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

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

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

What were the round of emotions last week in Darlington?

“It was pretty wild, honestly. I wanted to leave Darlington, dig a hole and crawl into it for a few days. It was a terrible feeling. I felt like it was the biggest mistake I’ve made in my entire racing career, which was pretty bad given what the day was and what was on the line. Obviously, glad we made it. We have a lot of work to do, so ready to get after it.”

You didn’t want to go out (of the race) like that, obviously?

“Yeah, I was thinking that I just ruined our whole season and the next ten weeks would stink. Now, we have a chance for the next ten not to stink and it’s going to be fun.”

How did you overcome mistakes like that, mistakes that almost every driver has?

“For sure. Yeah, we’ve all done stupid things, certainly, and that one was at the top of my list. Yeah, the key is to learn from those things and not just lock and forget about them. Kind of a reminder of how delicate things can be and how quickly they can change and go away. With this format and the way it is, and not having any bonus points per se, it’s a reminder you have to be on it. No mistakes. One mistake and you’re probably done. Yeah, we’ll see.”

Where did you watch the end of the Darlington race?

“I did leave, I couldn’t sit there anymore. I took a shower and calmed down for about ten minutes, but I couldn’t watch, so I got out of there. As soon as I landed, I found out (that I made the Playoffs) so it was good to get out of there and think about something else. And I didn’t have to get into Tyler (Reddick)’s car either as I was gone. Sounded like it wouldn’t have been fun (laughs).”

Could you have fit in Tyler Reddick’s car?

“No, there’s no way. Would’ve taken us 15-20 minutes to get me in there, so by that time, what’s the point? Yeah, no way I was fitting in there.”

Winning the championship in 2017, how did it impact you the following season once the Playoffs came around?

“I think it makes it easier, I really do. I don’t know if the other guys who have won it before feel the same, but you just feel less pressure. It’s so hard to win in this format. You can have a perfect season but run second at the last race and don’t win it. And that’s a lot. If you’ve never won a championship and you want to, you understand just how difficult that is at this sport, at this level. Everybody knows how hard it is to do. I think you’re just looser, more confident after you’ve done it as you’re like, ‘okay, at least I have one.’ It’s a different mindset. We were there five times in the final four, and just got one of them. Three of those times, we ran second. Two of those times, we dominated the race. Dominating doesn’t mean anything. (Kyle) Larson dominated Darlington the other night and finished fourth. And that’s the reality. You can dominate nine races, and you can be beat in the 10th and not be the champion. That’s it, it’s really hard to deal with and think about. So, once you have one, it’s a lot easier.”

Ryan Blaney won the championship from the No. 12 seed last year. Does that give confidence your team can do the same from the No. 16 seed this year?

“It’s definitely possible. You win one race in the first two rounds, that’s a good chunk of points. You know, the confidence and momentum that come with it, it’s totally doable. We’re going to have to win. I don’t think we’ll be able to point our way into the final four from where we’re at. We’re going to have to win some races.”

You’ve been on both sides of being the No. 1 seed and now the No. 16 seed. What’s the difference there?

“Yeah, not optimal, but happy to be there. Certainly, better than being out so we’ll give it our best shot.”

How are you and your team approaching the first round of the Playoffs?

“Yeah, approach is the same as always, right? Prepare as best we can and go try to execute. Yeah, Atlanta’s going to be tough. Daytime race there, track’s getting older, cars won’t handle as well. It’s going to be a lot tougher than the spring. And the potential for chaos is higher. So, I don’t know, the approach is to out and do the best we can do.”

If tire wear is a factor again at Bristol, how confident are you in your tire management skills to manage that?

“Yeah, I’m certainly looking forward to it more than in past years. Bristol has been in the past, just ‘hammer it’ as hard as you can all day. Track position was huge. Tires didn’t really wear out and it was all about pit stops, restarts and track position. Now, in the spring, it was like old school racing. I enjoyed that more and had better success at it than I did in previous years at Bristol, so excited for that and I think it’s a good opportunity for us.

If tire degradation is as serious as we think for Watkins Glen, how much does that affect strategy?

“It seems that way (flipping the stage) and can be a good thing for me, personally. And it’d be a good thing for passing. Watkins Glen is so fast, and we’ve gone there the last few years with no tire fall off, so you can’t get close enough to a guy to make a pass. It’s simple as physics, right? You go up through the esses and lose five-to-six car lengths, it’s over. So, it’s going to help us be able to make passes if our car is good and that’s what we need at those kinds of places.”

What is your perspective on the overall first round of the Playoffs?

“I mean, as crazy as it can be certain places and has been in the past, whatever you do, just race one at a time. Take one at a time and hopefully, you have a good race and go home and say you made it through one and let’s focus on the next one. That’s all you can really do.”

Hendrick Motorsports has won the last five races at Watkins Glen. How do you stop them?

“We’ve been fast (there, Watkins Glen) for sure. Not as much in the Next Gen car. But it’s going to be a lot different this time around, so open minded and we’ll prepare as hard as we can and see what shakes out.”

Do you think you’re in an advantageous position coming into the Playoffs?

“I mean, I’d certainly like to be the guy on top with the most points, right? That’s the best place to be, so I don’t think we’re in a great spot, by any means. I think we have a good opportunity ahead of us, though. Great team and we’ve been really fast lately. Just need to execute, clean up a lot of mistakes, and a lot of that is on my end as well. We know what we need to do, we’ve done it before, and we’re excited to get going.”

How much do you lean on being a past champion?

“Yeah, quite a lot, I guess. It’s easier to deal with the emotions when you’ve been through it before and you’re not scared to death thinking your career is going to be over you’re not going to win a championship, as you already have. It helps keeping you calm and focused and hopefully it’ll help us.”

What lessons did you learn from last year’s Playoffs to take into this year?

“Last year, we had a great regular season and then, the Playoffs started, and it went a lot like how it’s been going here lately. I’m hoping for the opposite this season, crappy regular season and stout Playoffs. We’ll see.”

For a potential Daytona 500 run and other part-time races next year, have you picked out a number you’d like to run?

“Yeah, it’s either going to be 56 or 78. 78 being our championship number, which is a special one. And 56 was always my number, so we’ll see.”

Is there one word to sum up your career?

“Stressful? (Laughs). I don’t know, I’m not sure there’s one word. There’s so many different emotions and things I’ve been through over the years. It’s been a roller coaster, there’s no question.”

Do you view your career in two different parts?

“Yeah, I think certainly if you’re just looking at my Cup career, then yes. There was certainly a first half and a second half somewhere around the same number of years. But if you look at the rest of it, then no. If you look at my Xfinity years, growing up and running my dad’s cars and all of that, it’s all one. It’s all the same, so you have to take the good with the bad, I guess. Definitely had a lot of reality checks along the way.”

Did you ever think you’d accomplished all you have?

“I always dreamed I could. Always thought I could. But you know, in this sport and in life in general, that’s all just talk. So, it’s been fun to get it done a few times.”

What does it mean to be in the Playoffs in your final full-time year and what do you think your odds are to make the Championship 4?

“I’m happy to be here and excited about it, obviously. I think when the year started, our goal was to go be a champion. Last year, we had a great year and then the Playoffs got a little rocky for us and didn’t go as well as we hoped. We’re hoping to do better this season and was looking good during the first half of the season, and then we’ve hit a slide here recently. Just looking forward to getting back to what we know how to do, what we know we’re capable of. At the end of the day, you want to do a good job and reach your potential. We’ve certainly had a lot of potential lately and not much to show for it. So that’s been the most frustrating part, but our odds are decent, not the greatest. You know, look at history, all the guys with the points and won the most races this year, they have the lead and better odds. But you never know what’s going to happen, so have to get to work and see what we can do.”

Where do you feel most confident winning in this round?

“I feel (we can win) at any given track, on any given weekend right now. I know people probably think I’m crazy saying that because of how things have gone for us lately, but we’ve had the speed to win a lot of races this year and if we can do all the little things right, all the hard things to do right, we’ll have the speed to win.”

What do you see as the toughest round in the Playoffs?

“I mean, honestly, they’re all tough. One bad race can jeopardize anyone’s chances. That’s the scary part about this format. As bad as the first round seems, you only need to beat four guys. People lost sight of that, sometimes. They get all crazy and a ‘oh my gosh, I have to get this one spot at the end of the race,’ and then you get yourself in trouble and next thing you know, someone’s out. All you need to do is beat four guys, and there’s four guys you need to consistently beat to get to the next one.”

Do you worry about “point stealers?”

“Yeah, that’s always a concern, right? But you have to race everyone. Big picture in mind, if you can’t win, get all you can.”

Is your Daytona 500 deal done?

“I think so (laughs). I mean, we’re doing it, so I don’t know exactly the details of it, but it’s all but done.”

You said Cole Pearn will be your crew chief?

“Yeah, he said he’d do it. Should be fun.”

Would it just be a one-off or multiple?

“I don’t know. For now, just one. We’ll see how that one goes.”

Is winning the Daytona 500 bigger than winning a championship or vice versa?

“It’s definitely not bigger than a championship, no question. Depends on who you ask. You know, people in the sport, drivers especially I think unanimously will say championships are more important. People who don’t know the sport as well may think the Daytona 500 is that big. It’s huge, but it’s not a championship. A championship is what we all race for.”

Would you say winning the Southern 500 is bigger than the Daytona 500?

“Yeah, I think if you poll all the drivers, they would probably say that. But, you know, nobody else would. For me, it’s more special. I wouldn’t say bigger, but more special. You’d want to win it more as a driver. Does it (a Southern 500 win) mean more? Probably not, but it means more.”

Is it still possible to win a bunch or even half of the Playoff races in this era?

“I think it’s definitely harder to do than it was. It’s all because of the car. Definitely. You used to be able to find advantages easier with cars and builds than you can now.”

If you’d win the championship this year and the Daytona 500 in February, would that be the end of your career then?

“I’ll still race still. I don’t know when and in what, but I’ll still try to have some fun. I still love racing and driving cars, just ready to not travel 40 weekends a year. That’s the only thing, just the travel and every week, having to pick up and go again.”

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

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).  
  WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CAMARO ZL1 – 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day Quotes: You’re one of the guys the competitors are most concerned with this year. Are you optimistic?

“I just think we’ve been trying to… we’ve been waiting for this for a while. As you soon as you win early in the season, your goals shift to what can we do to get bonus points and what can we do to get ready for the fall. That’s really what has been it’s about. Now we get to put that to the test and take it one race at a time.”

How do you feel about the actual business of running for a championship? Do you feel you see it every year, the progress, and now you’re doing it?

“I love it. I think it puts value to what you do. It’s what you work for as a team. When you’re at Hendrick Motorsports, the goal setting out for the season is to try and win big races and try to win the championship. For us, this is the time of year to do that, so there’s more meaning to it. For driving like a team we are, that’s the goal.”

There are two parts to this, regular season and you’ve got that over with. Going into the Playoffs, do you have a chance to catch your breath a little bit and move into second gear and go to the Playoffs mentally?

“I feel like I’ve built a lot of stamina this year just in the different ways and trying to be ready for this time of year. So, yeah, I’m as ready to go as I’ve ever been. I don’t really need anything to motivate me for that. It’s just trying to put everything you can into the next 10 weeks because that’s what you work so hard for, especially in the off-season. You think about how you can get back to the championship race, and that starts in January and then you just work from there. For us, we had wins early in the season, we had to kind of take a breath, and now it’s how do we work to get to Phoenix.”

How do you make sure your team has stamina because the driver is pretty well taken care of, you have to have a lot of stamina. What about the team?

“I think they’re professionals. I think they’re some of the most talented people in the garage. My pit crew is amazing. My road crew does a great job building fast racecars, and my engineering team and Rudy are some of the most talented engineers in the garage. They don’t need any help getting motivated, I know that. It’s just making the right decisions and hopefully, I can help them with that, give them good feedback, and drive the car the hardest I can.”

But what about the stamina to make it to the end of the year? How do you help your team do that?

“Well, anytime you have two weeks off in the middle of August, that’s a great time to recoup and recover. We knew what the goal was, to try and be ready for this time of year. I feel like they spent those couple of weeks making sure they’re ready.”

A couple of drivers have given the sense that the first round of the Playoffs, it’s all about being conservative and not making mistakes until you ramp up and push hard in the Round of 8. Is that the same sense you get?

“Yeah. I think it’s easy to say conservative, but at a road course, you have to be fast. You can’t just show up and try to ride around there. I think it’s important to not make mistakes, but you have to make sure you’re gathering points. At Atlanta, there’s some things out of your control there, but the thing you can do to be in control is to have some speed and be up towards the front. It takes a lot of effort there to be good and once you get passed that, trying to think about Watkins Glen.”

Is there any sense in trying to get back to Phoenix and get redemption from last year with how good you guys were?

“Yeah, we just didn’t quite have enough last year. I think we’ve pretty much tailored our season around trying to get better in some of those areas. I feel like we’re capable. The summer was very inconsistent, but when we did have speed, we were right up front. I think we just have to get back to that and I know these 10 weeks will take a totally different mindset than in the summer anyways, so it’s not really worth comparing it.”

Is it different going now into another Playoff after you’ve been to Phoenix and felt being that close to competing for a championship?

“I don’t know yet. I think it will just because you have a different lens, different perspective. I’m not really thinking about Phoenix right now. I’m just thinking about how I can get through the Round of 16, how do I get through the Round of 12, and then the Round of 8 you have to be on your game. You have to try and win one of those races, so that’s what I’m thinking about. If I get to Phoenix, I’ll think about how I can execute that weekend better than I did last year.”

What’s the advantage to having everyone at Hendrick Motorsports in the Playoffs?

“It’s just good notes. Obviously, everyone is out for themselves. It’s how the format is and the way the racing is. But you have to share notes and learn from each other to have the best possible result for all of you. I feel like we do that really well. Nothing really changes in the Playoffs, but it’s nice to have everyone pulling the rope in the same direction.”

Is it extra pressure knowing that Mrs. (Hendrick) really, really wants all of you guys to be in the final round?

“I love it. I think we all want it really bad, so I don’t think there’s any needed added motivation, but I love how passionate Mrs. Hendrick is and Mr. H as well, and I’m excited for the Playoffs.”

Does it carry some more weight with (Mrs. H) than him in some regard?

“I love them. They’re great people and I want to make them proud.”

You talked about Watkins Glen and preparing for that race. With the unknowns of tire falloff, do you get the sense that will change the strategy as far as staying out for points or pitting early to flip the stages?

“I don’t know. That’s a great question I really have no idea. I think it depends on pace in practice, how much they fall off. We’re going to have 40 minutes instead of 20, so you’re going to have more time to figure out what that pace drop off is and I think you’ll make your adjustments from there. I’m confident in my group they will go through all those notes and look at the information and make good decisions. Typically at Watkins Glen, it’s a 40 point day max, you’re usually missing out on all of the stage points to win the race. That with stages, obviously. Last year we didn’t have stages. So it’s going to change for sure how that race plays out.”

In the first round, races are at such different tracks – short tracks, mile and a half, road course – do you think that’s really going to help separate the guys that are going to go and the guys who aren’t?

“It might. I don’t know. I think at Atlanta, you could see a new winner that’s outside the top 12 and low in the points. Don’t know what to expect there, but at Watkins Glen, I think you’re going to see legit guys up there running well. It’s going to take everything there. With Bristol, I think the tire, that could be a curveball. I don’t know. I think Bristol is going to be the biggest question mark for me, is to see how that race plays out.”

With you and Rudy, now that you’re in the Playoffs, have you sat down to regroup or rethink to move forward into the Playoffs?

“I mean, we talk every day. We talk about that stuff. I feel like once we got back from the off weeks, we really had a chance to recoup and get ourselves prepared and I feel we’ve done that.”

You’re here in the Playoffs, and you’re not a stranger here. How do you make it to Phoenix and what do you put your odds at to making that final round?

“I’m not an odds person, and I don’t really speculate. I think it’s going to change over the next three months, and you’re going to have guys you didn’t expect to get there, get there in Phoenix. I’ve seen this deal play out a number of times now and I’m not the kind of person to speculate. It seems like every year there is some sort of surprise in the Playoffs and that’s what makes it entertaining, and that’s why I focus on each race.”

Because of the layout with the rounds and different tracks, maybe Round 1 is the scary round compared to where it’s been in the past and Round 2. Do you think anything like that, or have you thought about what round is the toughest to get to?

“I think the Round of 16 is tough, the Round of 12 is tough. I think the Round of 8 is kind of more legitimate tracks but it’s going to take everything. You’re going to have to try and win one of those. I think it kind of depends, but I think depending upon what tracks you’re good at, I think the Round of 16 is probably the toughest.”

Do you have more pressure this year because with Hendrick Motorsports?

“I don’t think so. Not personally. For me, our motivation is internal. I feel like, no it doesn’t feel much different.”

Talking about tires, do you think you’ll see more of the softer tire for race season?

“Definitely not for the Playoffs, because for the Playoffs you should know the rules going in. I think for future years, I think it maybe should change a little bit, but I just want to know the rules and play by them.”

What’s something that Rudy has said over and over that you’ve heard that makes an impact or roll your eyes because you’ve heard it over and over?

“He likes to make it live, so anytime the car is good, he’s afraid it’s going to fall off. So, that’s his nature and I love it.”

But what does that mean?

“He just wants to make sure the car lasts the whole run, to make sure it doesn’t fall off.”

You’ve been in where these Playoffs you were a little lower in the standings, and maybe the underdog, and now more of the favorite. Is there any type of difference going into the Playoffs how you are entering?

“I think there’s a concrete difference with the bonus points. I think when you don’t have bonus points as much as you want to say it doesn’t matter, it does because each round resets. Anytime you have a bad day when you have points on your side, you have an advantage. There is a definite advantage to having bonus points. I don’t look at it as a favorite or not, I look at where I am on the bonus structure. Last year, we were tied for the first seed and this year we’re fourth. I think we’re still in a nice spot, but it would be nice to get a few more bonus points over the next three races.”

For an athlete, there’s a process you go through week after week. With the Playoffs, is there something you look to take from doing in your life or maybe something you’re doing in your life because of the pressure and the stress of what the next 10 weeks are like?

“I just try to stay as balanced as I can. I feel like I stay really in a routine, and I feel like routine is more important in the fall than it ever is. Just making sure I’m doing the things I’ve done all year but making sure I stay balanced and try to manage all that.”

What is the “pressure relief valve” at this point in the year? What do you do that has nothing to do with racing to try to get away?

“It varies, but I think spending time with friends and for me, there are different things. Playing video games, there are lots of little things. For me, just like I said, trying to stay in a rhythm and routine and not get stressed. If there’s lots of time on the road, trying to manage that.”

How do you feel going into these Playoffs?

“I feel good. I think we have prepared a lot for the Playoffs and I feel we’re in a decent spot. I feel good.”

What has made Hendrick Motorsports so dominant at Watkins Glen?

“I don’t know. It’s just a fast place so I feel like there’s a lot of horsepower and speed and downforce, grip, a lot of those things. We typically tend to do well when the challenge is there. I don’t know why we’ve been good there. It seems like they went through a lull there and for the last few, maybe a decade has been really good at Watkins Glen.”

Your teammates had a few victories and then you were able to come up with one. Were you able to learn from them, pick their brain, to make your game a little better at Watkins Glen?

“I don’t know. Chase (Elliott) won twice, and the Kyle’s (Larson) has one there once, and then he won again in 2022. I don’t know. I think it’s just a good notebook probably from those guys.”

There were 54 lead changes in the spring at Bristol. It was nuts. No one knew what to think of that tire. Have you and Rudy got a good handle if that happens again on how do you approach that race?

“I don’t know what to expect yet. I think we have some things to dissect and learn but haven’t really thought much about it. It really depends on how the resin interacts with the track and how the tires wear, or if they rubber in the track and it’s like how it’s been in the past. I’m not sure really. We’ll see.”

(Ryan) Blaney said it would be some generic resin, some kind of compound of resin none of us have ever seen…

“I’m pretty sure it’s the same stuff they sprayed in the spring from what I was told. I think the goal is for it to be similar to the spring. Now, I don’t know if the weather or things will make it different or not. That’s the intrigue that I have.”

For the first round, is there anything you haven’t said about Bristol or Watkins Glen that sticks out in your head?

“I think just try and get through Atlanta. I think once you get through Atlanta, you can kind of control your destiny from there. So, try to get through Atlanta, have a good race there and see what happens.”

You’ve said you’ve wanted to get back to the Championship 4. Did you and Rudy really dissect these next nine races to ensure that happens?

“I think we’re more week to week, but I feel like we’ve looked a little bit ahead and we know these tracks are good for us. We’ve had different conversations randomly throughout the year and try to take notes on those and go from there.”

 

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

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.  
  DANIEL SUAREZ, NO. 99 Trackhouse Racing CAMARO ZL1 – 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day Highlights: How are you preparing for the Playoffs?

“We have to take it one day at a time. It’s very important just to focus on the first round and then the second round. For right now, it’s one race at a time. That’s the main thing. All the energy is for Atlanta and then Watkins Glen and Bristol after that.”

What do you have to do along the way?

“The first two rounds are predictable. You have to execute. If you have good days, you may be good enough, but you cannot have a bad day. We’ll see how things play out.”

Atlanta Motor Speedway’s treadmill picked you this morning to be the champion. Your thoughts?

“Well, good. We’ll take it. Any prediction that is positive, we’ll take it.”

Does it make a difference that Ross (Chastain) is not in the field?

“I wish he was in it. Last year he was in it and I was not and this year it’s the other way around. It’s always better when you have more cars in it. When you only have one of the two, the other car has two goals. One is to win races and two is to help the teammate. Help within the rules as much as possible. So, the (No.) 1 right now has those two goals and that is to help us a little bit whenever he can.”

Can he try other things in practice or qualifying that maybe you can apply?

“Yeah, that’s kind of also what I mean with helping. The crew chiefs always work closely and now they’ll be working extra closely.”

Have you found some performance gains that can help you over these last 10 races?

“We found some stuff in the last couple months. We definitely got in the right direction. With that being said, we are not winning races yet. We still have work to do. Right now, we can compete consistently in the top 10. But we know that to make it to a championship that’s not going to be enough. We have to continue to push and continue to learn.”

What clicked to get you guys to where you are now?

“In the beginning of the year, my crew chief was still learning a lot of the process of things in the team. The system wasn’t made for him to get super involved within the set-up and things like that. So, there have been a lot of things that he has had to adjust to be more of his liking and that takes time. You have a system that has been working one way for years, it takes a little bit of time to readjust that, and he has had to do that for the 99.”

Going back to Atlanta, you’ll be seeing a lot of replays of the finish. What do you think of when you see that finish and what’s it going to be like going back?

“It’s special. Today we saw it in the morning, and I have seen it several times. People have been talking about it. It was a great finish and it’s something that people are going to be talking about for a very long time and it’s in the history books. I’m just happy that I’m the one who won it because if I was Blaney or Busch I would feel very bad about it.”

What kind of year would you say this has been for you. Do you feel like you’ve arrived, you are a NASCAR star?

“I feel very blessed. A lot of amazing things have happened to me this year, and everything started with winning in LA in my 90th NASCAR Mexico race. Just very blessed and fortunate with a lot of amazing things that have happened to myself this year with winning races, in my personal life and professional life. NASCAR going to Mexico City is a dream. That’s been one of my dreams since I came to America. I’m very grateful and I’m very lucky to be in this position. With that being said, on the competition side you always want more. It doesn’t matter if I have five wins or 10 wins or one win, you always want more. And we have to continue to work. The next 10 weeks are the most important weeks of the year and I’m planning on giving everything we got.”

From a big-picture standpoint, is this the best year of your life?

“Probably is one of the best years of my life and I’m not talking racing. I’m talking everything. It’s been an amazing year. (on getting married) I think I overachieved. I definitely have done better than I thought I would.”

Have do you deal with the pressure from your inaugural year in the Playoffs to this year? How have you changed?

“The pressure is the same. I feel fortunate that I have great people around me that have help me a lot, the mental aspect. I love pressure. With that being said, I feel like as a driver I’m much better than two years ago. The team is better than two years ago. We’re smarter, we’re faster. But we still have a lot of work to do. Hopefully, we can execute well and have a good first round and then a second round. One step at a time. We have to put one foot ahead of the next one. We cannot be thinking about the Watkins Glen race. We’re focusing on Atlanta right now.”

How do you even know what to expect at Atlanta?

“You never know. It’s going to be around 20 degrees warmer than last time so we’re going to heva less grip. So, if you were seeing cars moving around you will see it even more. I believe we had a great car last time there and we’re hoping we have even a better one there this time. We just have to continue to push, continue to work hard and focus on one race at a time.”

Do you feel like you know what everyone has right now?

“I think drivers we are very greedy, and I believe we’ve been given pretty much everything we got at least for the last couple months. Maybe there is a little bit more risk that we can take at times in the playoffs, but every round is going to be different, every race is going to be different, every driver is going to be in a different position so it’s pretty important to be aware of the whole situation and just do your thing.”

Do you look at your team as an underdog?

“If you compare Trackhouse this year against the Gibbs teams, the Hendrick teams and things like that, yes. 2022, Trackhouse was actually one of the best teams. This year hasn’t been the same. This year we’ve been working extremely hard, but the results have been slower than what we thought they were going to be. I wouldn’t consider myself one of the favorites for the championship right now, but is that going to change my mentality of who am I as a racecar driver and the potential of the 99 and Trackhouse in the playoffs? Of course not. I know how good we are on road courses; how good we were at Atlanta. I know how good we can be at some of these racetracks and the first two rounds are very critical. I believe if we have good execution days in the first couple of rounds we can get to the Round of 8. And once you are there you have to be perfect. Anything can happen. We’ve seen it time and time again. We just have to continue to push hard, give it everything we got for the next 10 weeks and see where we stand.”

 

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.

CLUB NOTES

The first race of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs kicks off at Atlanta Motor Speedway during the Quaker State 400 this weekend. With the top 16 playoff drivers in contention for the NASCAR Cup Series championship, the rest of the drivers are looking to play the spoiler. The racing at Atlanta is similar to a Superspeedway with tight packs of cars, and anything can happen – fast.

Atlanta 1 Recap: It was only the second race of the 2024 season when the NASCAR Cup Series visited Atlanta Motor Speedway last. On lap two of the race, the No. 42 of John Hunter Nemechek and the No. 43 of Erik Jones, along with several others, were collected in ‘The Big One’ that resulted in damage to both of the LEGACY MOTOR CLUB entries. Both drivers managed to continue after the accident but fell out of contention early. Nemechek finished in 21st and 25th for Jones.

EJ Stats: Since joining the NASCAR Cup Series full-time in 2017, Jones has managed to earn one top-5, two top-10s, and 4 top-15s at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Over half of those stats coming from the tag team of the driver and crew chief, Dave Elenz.

Elenz Stats: Crew chief veteran, Elenz, has some stats to boast about regarding finishes at the Hampton, Georgia track. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, during his full-time stint, Elenz led William Byron to a seventh-place finish, Tyler Reddick to a 19th place finish, and Noah Gragson to ninth, second, fourth, and third-place finishes. Since joining with Jones in 2022, the duo has only finished outside of the top-15 once, this past spring.

JHN Stats: Nemechek will be making his third Cup Series start at Atlanta; his second on the new configuration. In the other top series of NASCAR, Nemechek has five NASCAR Xfinity Starts were he tallied three top-10s including a fourth-place (2018) and a victory (2023). In 2016, Nemechek capitalized on a late-race restart where he led the final eight laps to secure his second-career NASCAR Truck Series victory on the old pavement. Last season, he made a thrilling pass with only three laps to go and hung on to win the fifth NASCAR Xfinity Series race of his career.

Beshore Stats: No. 42 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB crew chief, Ben Beshore also has an impressive record at Atlanta with over 66% of his finishes across the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series resulting in a top-10 finish.

Partner Spotlight: OLIPOP, the healthy prebiotic soda makes its debut as the primary sponsor in the NASCAR Cup Series this weekend, as it will dawn the No. 42 OLIPOP Ridge Rush Toyota Camry XSE. The scheme will feature the white and green colors of OLIPOP’s new flavor, Ridge Rush. OLIPOP is renowned for its innovative approach to soda, offers a diverse range of flavors, from nostalgic Vintage Cola and Classic Root Beer to unique Strawberry Vanilla, Watermelon Lime, and more. OLIPOP sales have surpassed major soda brands, illustrating not only the shift in consumers’ evolving preferences towards health-conscious choices, but also the way OLIPOP is changing the traditional soda category on a larger scale. To read more about OLIPOP visit their website: OLIPOP | Healthy Prebiotic Soda (drinkolipop.com)

Going for G.O.L.D.: Partners Dollar Tree and Family Dollar will honor store #5987 this weekend as a part of the company’s “Go for G.O.L.D.” (Grand Opening Look Daily) program. The Dollar Tree and Family Dollar primaries will highlight these stores on the deck lid of all three LEGACY M.C. entries throughout the race season. Store # 5987 is conveniently located in Hampton, Ga., just over mile from the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

PETTY 75TH ANNIVERSARY

ABOUT PETTY 75th: The 2024 season marks a significant milestone in the history of the Petty family as they have helped define stock car racing for 75 years. Their commitment to the sport and the people who make it possible – behind the wheel, under the hood, in the back office, and beyond – has shaped the growth and success of NASCAR. Their LEGACY lives on with the countless fans, drivers, technicians, and team members they touched. Throughout 2024, LEGACY M.C. will celebrate the Petty family and share countless memories with friends and fans at racetracks across the country.

Petty at Atlanta: Atlanta Motor Speedway is the site the of The King’s last NASCAR Cup Series race in 1992.

The King’s Hat: The King’s Hat that was unveiled back in February and is on display in the Fan Zone. Be sure to check out Atlanta Motor Speedway’s social media for exact location and activities planned for race weekend.

CLUB QUOTES

John Hunter Nemechek, Driver of the No. 42 OLIPOP Ridge Rush Toyota Camry XSE:

“This weekend will definitely be different than the race earlier in the year. There are a lot variables with the heat, you probably going to see cars slip and sliding around and we likely won’t be finishing under the lights like in the spring. Hopefully we can avoid ‘The Big One’ and it’s not on Lap 1 or 2 and we can just manage our day. It’s another restrictor plate track where you got to have track position at the end, but you also have to survive to get to the end. It’s harder to run side-by-side or three wide than it is at a place like Daytona or Talladega. I think it’s going to be intense first race of the playoffs and everyone going for broke – it’s going to be intense.

I want to go be a spoiler – you know who is racing for a championship but you’re still racing against them every week to try and go win the race. You probably go and race those [playoff drivers] with a little different mindset, not really much of one. You just don’t want to be the reason they miss the next round cause that could come back to bite you – if we were in their position, we would want that same respect.”

Ben Beshore, Crew chief of the No. 42 OLIPOP Ridge Rush Toyota Camry XSE:

“Atlanta’s new pavement lets the tires last a long time. There are normally a lot of cautions so there are opportunities to try different strategies. If you try to stay out to get track position, you pay the price on the next pit stop since you have to put more fuel in the car, so we’ll be evaluating that throughout the race to try to keep as much track position as possible but not put ourselves in a spot where we risk having to do a green flag pit stop. This is the type of race with a lot of cautions normally, so we’ll be trying to survive to the end to put ourselves in a position for a good finish.”

Erik Jones, Driver of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:

“Atlanta is pretty different than Daytona and Talladega, it’s a mile and a half, it’s been kind of converted to a superspeedway with the banking and the rules package. It makes for handling being way more important than what it is at a place like Daytona or Talladega – it makes for kind of a challenge in balance of how fast you want to make your car and how well you want to drive, kind of a tough balance, it makes it a unique race and a fun race.

Racing in the fall, I think we assume the temperate is going to be a lot cooler, we will see how we get there how the weekend plays out, but that cool temperature definitely adds up to some handling performance. It’s definitely going to drive better than the heat of the spring, so that will be unique in trying to build more speed into the car.

Racing in the playoffs is a bit different when you’re not in it. Early on here, I think you’re still pretty aggressive with these guys. We want to go out and run well. Atlanta is a great chance for us to run well and not only run well but contend for a win. We’re not going to give up on that. Later, as we get into playoffs, there’s a certain level of respect that you have to give to the guys, but early on here I think we still have to go for it.”

Dave Elenz, Crew chief of the No. 43 Family Dollar Toyota Camry XSE:

“Atlanta is a definitely little different than Daytona and Talladega. Wide open throttle is harder to achieve there. We can do it in qualifying, but as soon as you get in the pack, you have to start lifting to make the corners. That presents a challenge – it’s not as easy as it is as Daytona just trimming it out, and Talladega the same way. We must work on handling it while keeping the speed in it.

From race one to race two, it gets harder obviously and the temps make it even more difficult to stay wide open, so we have to put more handling in the car and more downforce in the car which comes at the expense of speed, but we’re just trying to keep on throttle time as much as we can. So, they’re quite a different race from the spring to the fall and it’s quite different than what the other two plate races are even though they are the same rules package for speedways.

As far as racing others in the playoffs, at the start of the playoffs, there are so many people in the playoffs, it’s hard to race people differently – it’s half the field. You’re mindful of what they have going on and when you’re picking pits, you’re respectful of what they have going on, but you still race your race to the best you can. Even when you get into Phoenix, the Champion didn’t win the race last year, there are still people trying to win the race and that’s what we’ll be doing. Obviously, you don’t want to be the one to take a playoff guy out, so we’ll be respectful of it, but we’re still going to run our race, best we can.”

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth, both former Southern 500 winners chat following the practice session at Darlington Raceway last weekend. (Photo by: NKP for LEGACY MOTOR CLUB.)

BROADCAST INFO

ATLANTA MOTOR SPEEDWAY

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 8TH @ 3:00 PM ET

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS

ABOUT LEGACY MOTOR CLUB: LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ is a professional auto racing club owned by businessman and entrepreneur Maurice “Maury” J. Gallagher and seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. The CLUB competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series fielding the No. 42 Toyota Camry XSE of John Hunter Nemechek, the No. 43 Toyota Camry XSE of Erik Jones, and the No. 84 limited schedule entry for Johnson. LEGACY M.C. also competes in the Extreme E Series. Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty “The King” serves as CLUB Ambassador. With a unique title signifying a nod to car clubs of past eras, LEGACY M.C. is an inclusive club for all motorsport enthusiasts to celebrate the past and future legacies of its members, while competing for wins and championships at NASCAR’s elite level. To keep up-to-date with the latest news, information and exclusive content, follow LEGACY MOTOR CLUB™ on Facebook, X, Instagram and at www.LEGACYMOTORCLUB.com.

ABOUT DOLLAR TREE, INC.: Dollar Tree, a Fortune 200 Company, operated 16,622 stores across 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of October 28, 2023. Stores operate under the brands of Dollar Tree, Family Dollar, and Dollar Tree Canada. To learn more about the Company, visit www.DollarTree.com.

ABOUT OLIPOP: Launched in 2018, OLIPOP created the first healthy alternative to soda with only 2-5 grams of sugar and 9 grams of fiber. OLIPOP, now the fastest growing functional beverage, was formulated by CEO, Ben Goodwin, and a team of leading scientists to capture the nostalgic soda flavors you want, but with the benefits of plant-based fiber, prebiotics, and other botanical ingredients to support digestive health. OLIPOP is available in a variety of flavors including classic options like Vintage Cola, Classic Root Beer and Lemon Lime and innovative flavors like Strawberry Vanilla, Banana Cream, and Tropical Punch. OLIPOP is non-GMO, paleo, vegan, and gluten-free and is available online at www.drinkolipop.com as well as almost 30,000 grocers nationwide, including Target, Walmart, Whole Foods, Kroger and more.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
PLAYOFF MEDIA DAY
SEPTEMBER 4, 2024

Kyle Larson, No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Camaro ZL1 – 1st in Playoff Standings
2021 NASCAR Cup Series Champion
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).  
  KYLE LARSON, NO. 5 HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS CAMARO ZL1 – 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day Highlights: What is more important – a Daytona 500 or a NASCAR championship?

“I don’t know.. that’s tough to say, right? I would like both.. I would like a Daytona 500 win and another championship. So I don’t really know how to answer that. I think for me, the next opportunity I have to add one of those to my resume would be a championship. So right now, I would say a championship. But I for sure want a Daytona 500. I think that’s the last crown jewel that’s left for me to win for my resume in NASCAR, so I would love to get that.”

Let’s say you make the Championship 4.. who are the three drivers you absolutely want to have with you in Phoenix?

“Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and William Byron.”

Do you feel like NASCAR needs to change anything with the playoff points system as it is right now for future years?

“I mean, I don’t know. We could easily answer that question, but I just don’t know that they would ever change it like to what we would feel would be more fair, as far as what decides the champion. Like I don’t think that any of us think that you should just go to one track and decide the champion. I think it should be spread across probably three different styles and disciplines of race tracks. But in November, or late October, that’s tough to do. So it would drastically have to change the schedule, I think, to guarantee that we aren’t going to run into any weather or that sort of stuff.”

NASCAR has done that though.. they’ve made strides over the last 10 years..

“Oh for sure, I mean the schedule is a lot nicer and way more compelling. And the format, too, is really compelling, as well. It’s just probably not the fairest, you know when it comes down to the final race.”

How do you feel about this first round?

“Yeah, I don’t love seeing Atlanta (Motor Speedway) in the playoffs at all. And even Watkins Glen (International) for that matter, just because – yes, I like those tracks, but they’re just sketchy places. But if they’re going to be in the playoffs, I would rather them be in the first round than the second or third round. So yeah, I mean I think having the bonus points and playoff points that we’ve earned throughout the regular season is nice. But it still doesn’t guarantee anything. You still have to not run into any trouble, especially in back-to-back weeks, and hopefully you can just make it through.”

Winning a championship in this format, how did that in any way impact how you entered the next time you were in the playoffs in 2022? How does going through that and coming out on top impact your view on the next time you have that opportunity?

“I don’t really remember. I don’t really think it impacted my thought process on the playoffs much at all. I think I’ve always had a good approach to the playoffs; just taking it week-by-week and trying not to put yourself in too big of a hole. But in 2022, I crashed at the ROVAL towards the tail end of the race and missed out in advancing to the next round in the driver’s points. But we made it in the owner’s points, and then went on to the Championship Four that year with the owners. So yeah, I don’t really think it’s changed much, even after winning the championship.”

Do you go into this thinking that it’s going to be a certain couple of guys that you’re going to have to beat, or do you really kind of just focus on yourself?

“Yeah, I mean you definitely have your favorites and guys that are really fast every week. But it’s NASCAR and Next Gen racing, so it’s always crazy. There’s always a couple of heavy guys that get knocked out somewhat early that could very well be deserving champions. So yeah, it’s hard to predict who’s going to be in the Championship Four. But yeah, there’s definitely some good teams that have the best shot currently. But like I said, a lot of stuff can happen. There’s always usually a team or two that turns things up a lot in the playoffs; executes really well and makes it pretty far. Maybe not to the Championship Four every year, but can make it really far.”

You mentioned Watkins Glen could be sketchy, but Hendrick Motorsports has dominated there. Why do you not have more confidence going in there, as good as you run?

“Because it’s a road course.. (laughs). You could totally blow a corner and fall back into the 20’s or worse and never recover from it. But yeah, we have been good there. From what I’ve heard, going back, I think our tires are going to be way softer, so the falloff is supposed to be a lot more. So I don’t think you can totally rely on results from the past either. So I don’t know.. we might not be as dominate as we’ve been there either. Yeah, it’s just a little bit of unknowns going into Watkins Glen.”

I think the No. 1 seed has gone on to win the championship four times. But if you’re saying you keep an open mind in what can happen over these 10 weeks, you don’t care about odds then?

“No.. (laughs). No, I don’t care about odds, really. Yeah, I don’t. I think, like I said – NASCAR, especially in the Next Gen era, is just crazy. There’s so much inconsistency these days that you can easily find yourself in trouble. It doesn’t matter if you have a 35 or 40 point buffer to the cutline currently.”

Back at Pocono, you said that Tyler (Reddick) is a guy that, when you look at the points, you said he was the one that surprised you and said he could be the one that could steal this thing. And then there he was, one point over you on Sunday. It has to kind of make you chuckle a little bit..

“Yeah, I mean it doesn’t make me chuckle at all (laughs). But yeah, no – they were like quietly really good. And then once he strung together like three or whatever seconds, it seemed like, in a row, you’re like – OK, it’s not that quiet anymore.

And then yeah, he’s just done a really good job, as well as that team. It’s been amazing to see a team that fresh and new be at the top of the sport. They’ve done a great job.

So yeah, I wasn’t surprised, by any means. Like I said, he was just quietly doing really good there for a minute. And then yeah, I was like – oh wow, he’s right there. And then we all still continued to be inconsistent after that; Denny (Hamlin), myself and even Chase (Elliott) had a couple rough races.”

Looking back at 2021, when you won half of the playoff races, is that still possible with this car in the current state of tracks?

“I hadn’t really thought about that, but yeah, it’s been done before twice. So yeah, it could totally be done again. But yeah, it’s really tough. You’ve seen guys win back-to-back races; three out of five or something like that. So yeah, it could for sure be done, it’s just tougher it seems like these days.”

Is there a particular strength for this team in the playoffs or are you confident that you guys can be good and get the job done anywhere you need to go over the next 10 weeks?

“Yeah, I think our strengths are our speed. We’re really fast, I feel like, at every race track; road courses, superspeedways, all that. Our execution is – I know it might not seem like it at times, but I think our execution is great. And I think we’ve also overcome a lot of adversity at times, so I think we’re well-rounded as a team. We’ve gone to the final four the last three years, so I think that gives us a lot of confidence, as well.”

Daytona seems like it was one of your best superspeedway races in a long time. Having that speed and execution, does that give you any more confidence heading into Atlanta and Talladega?

“Honestly, I feel like I do have a lot of confidence every time I go to a superspeedway these days because, although it might be easy to forget and Daytona is the most recent race, it’s easy to remember how strong we were. We were that strong at every superspeedway race. We are up front at the ends of the races almost every time and just get caught up in something. Yeah, it has to work out eventually.

I think Denny (Hamlin) said on his podcast or something this week; the law of averages have to change eventually. So that’s kind of how I feel. I feel like we do an amazing job of executing a great superspeedway race, from start to finish.

And yeah, I would agree that Daytona was probably our best one, to date. But like I said, we’ve been up front at almost all of the superspeedway races since I’ve been at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Now that you’re here in the playoffs, where do you put your odds at making the Championship Four? What are the trouble spots along the way to get to that goal?

“I don’t know what our odds would be, but I feel strongly that we can have a great playoffs. I would hope that we’d make the Championship Four. It just gets tougher and tougher each round. But there’s good tracks for us in the first round, too. There’s obviously tracks in each round that are a little bit more worrisome than others, but I think we’re strong at every track. As long as we can execute at a high level, I think we’ll be OK.”

Have you made a decision on Indy yet?

“Have I made a decision?”

Or is it Rick’s (Hendrick) decision?

“I would love to. We’re still working on it.. it’s progressing. So I like that, but obviously things can always change. But yeah, I would love to because I didn’t get to do ‘the double’ this year. So that’s really why I wanted to do it. I obviously wanted to compete in the Indianapolis 500, but more than anything, I wanted to do ‘the double’ and have a chance at winning one of the two, or both, and I felt like I just didn’t get that opportunity.”

Is there more pressure to win the championship with it being Hendrick Motorsports’ 40th anniversary?

“I don’t view it as pressure. I just view it as opportunity. Right now, we have 10 more opportunities to win a race, and then also a championship, which would be great in Rick’s (Hendrick) 40th season. Yeah, just have to try and execute, and hopefully we’ll give ourselves an opportunity to do that.”

With the way your regular season as gone, if you don’t make the Championship Four, do you view your season as a bad season for you?

“I don’t know.. I try not to think about missing the Championship Four. Right now, our plan is to do a good job, and then give ourselves an opportunity at Phoenix. If we happen to miss the Championship Four, then I can try and judge if it’s a bad season or not. But we’ve already got four wins at this point, so I wouldn’t call that a bad season.”

 

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.

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team kick off their 2024 Playoff run this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Sunday’s Quaker State 400 is the opening race of the Round of 16, and Burton, who will be making his 100th career Cup start, enters the event 14th in points thanks to his win in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

The three races in the opening Playoff round are at AMS, followed by Watkins Glen and Bristol Motor Speedway after which the bottom four drivers in the standings will be eliminated from championship contention.

Jeremy Bullins, crew chief of the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang Dark Horse, said he’s optimistic about his team’s chances heading into the opening round of the 10-race, season-ending, championship-deciding Playoffs.

“Making the Playoffs is always a team’s goal every season, and fortunately for us our win at Daytona has given us that opportunity,” Bullins said. “Now that the points reset, we feel like we are right back in the mix and have a chance to redeem ourselves from the regular season.

“This first round of tracks should be good for us as we had speed at both Atlanta and Bristol, and Watkins Glen will be a new challenge for everyone with the planned tire change.

“We believe we can go to Atlanta with our DEX Mustang and contend for Stage points and hopefully put ourselves in position for a win at the end.”

Sunday’s race will be Burton’s sixth at AMS in a Cup car, and he has two finishes of 11th or better there.

There will be no practice prior to Sunday’s race, per NASCAR rules for races at drafting tracks, and qualifying is set for Saturday at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Sunday’s 260-lap, 400-mile race is scheduled to start just after 3 p.m., with Stage breaks at Laps 60 and 160.

USA Network will carry the TV coverage this weekend.

About DEX Imaging
DEX Imaging is the digital document imaging division of Staples, the world’s largest business solutions provider. DEX sells and services the broadest selection of copiers, printers and data management solutions, such as HP, Konica Minolta, Canon, Kyocera and numerous others.

COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES:
Reducing Operating Costs
Reducing Paper Consumption
Increasing Productivity

DEX Imaging has been the recipient of virtually every industry award since the company’s inception, including the JD Power & Associates Award for Best Customer Experience, the prestigious ProTech Service award by Konica Minolta, the Diamond Premier Dealer Award by Kyocera, and the Elite DEALER Award by ‘ENX’ magazine. Other accolades include being named ‘Best Place to Work’ by numerous business journals in the markets DEX serves.

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

Toyota Racing – Christopher Bell
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

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

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 DeWalt Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

How have you been able to be successful at Watkins Glen?

“That’s a great question. I wouldn’t have pegged Watkins Glen as a track I notoriously do well at, but road course racing, I think I feel confident with that. Watkins Glen is a fast track. I really enjoy the fast road courses. Yeah, I don’t know why it’s been that way, but yeah, I like it.”

When did things start to click for you on road courses?

“I think it was just about learning the road course stuff and whenever I got into the sport it took me a period of time to learn it. Through the Truck Series, I struggled and whenever I got into the Xfinity cars the Toyota group put in a lot of effort to making me, and all of the Toyota drivers, better at road course racing. We spent a lot of time at the Trans Am Series, a lot of time with road course coaches. I spent time with Chris Cook out in Phoenix and Michael Self through the Trans Am stuff, and both of those guys helped me tremendously. Then, my road racing craft was able to grow and then I won my first one at Road America, I think it was in 2019. Just improved and yeah, I’ve grown to really like it.”

How do you stop Hendrick Motorsports, who has won the last five races at the Glen?

“Well, I think it’s doable for sure. I remember, I think it was 2021, where I was in position to win. Me and (Kyle) Larson got together and I didn’t win, but I felt really good there. Even last year, I think I ran third and it was really tough to pass last year, but I think if I was in position I could’ve won the race. It’s going to come down to a very important Saturday and then the tires. The tires are going to be different this year, so nobody knows what to expect.”

What is your outlook for the first round of the Playoffs?

“I’ll be honest, the first round is the scariest it’s been in a long time with Atlanta, a superspeedway starting us off. We all know how that can go. And then we go to Watkins Glen, which should be a normal race track, but with the expected tire degradation with the tire change that we’ve had, it could be a Bristol style race where people are wearing tires out really early and struggling to make laps and having to pit all of the time. So, that could be another wild card race. And, then Bristol, I think everybody is expecting it to be more of the same as what we had in the spring. So, the first round could be very different than what we’ve seen in the past.”

With the stages at Watkins Glen, do you think there will be more penalty to flipping the stage this time around due to the tire degradation?

“If there is tire deg., which we’re expecting there to be, then yes, there will be a huge incentive to not jump the stage to have fresh tires at the start of the next stage. On the same breath, the road courses and having that yellow flag – the stage breaks – it really entices a lot of different strategy calls. I’m sure that might hurt the ability to flip the stages if we have high tire deg., but there are going to be some people that try it if you’re mired at the back.”

How do you feel your odds are of getting to the Championship 4?

“Well, I will tell you that I’ve done it the past two years and I’m in a much better position now than I have been in the last two years. The plan is clear, and the path is right in front of us. We just have to execute, and we’ve got a little bit more wiggle room than we had the last couple of years.”

Is the first round going to be some of the toughest tracks to get through?

“The first one is going to be very – it’s very nerving for sure, and then the second round too, that has been the scary round with Talladega mixed in there. But I think the Round of 16 and the Round of 12 are going to be the ones that you feel a little bit handcuffed at. Then, if you’re fortunate to make it to the Round of 8, then it’s off of performance and you can just go out there and lay it on the table.”

Will you take the same approach this year to the Playoffs compared to year’s past?

“Our path is definitely a lot different this year than what we’ve had the last couple years because of our seeding position, our Playoff points that we have. So, hopefully our path is much different. In ’22 I had to win, in ’23 I basically had to win and now we’re in a position where we might not have to win. Yeah, we need to win, so the path is definitely different than the past couple of years.”

Have you thought about the DNF’s this year and how much further ahead you could be?

“Obviously, I’m bummed that we let so many wins slip away, but at the same breath, we’re in the best spot we’ve ever been in. It leaves me feeling optimistic because I know the best is still ahead of me, hopefully. Next year, whenever I’m in this spot, hopefully I’ll have twice as many Playoff points. But, yeah, we’ve got a great opportunity ahead of us to win many races and race for a championship.”

What is it like being an athlete having to rise to the occasion during these Playoffs?

“I just really, really enjoy these moments and being a part of something that is as pressure packed as the NASCAR playoffs. These 10 weeks are very, very stressful and once the 10 weeks are over, it is something that is very relieving that you’re in offseason, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. The way I look at it is, there are 20 other drivers that would love to be in this spot right now so it’s a privilege. It’s a privilege to be here and I don’t take that for granted.”

Is there something that you try to cut out or add during this 10-week period to stay focused?

“I would say, I take away as many distractions as I can. Through the regular season, it’s very long and you need that break to get away and to – whether it’s during the week, taking a mini vacation or hobbies and stuff like that. This is go time. All of my focus, my energy is going to be on the following week. You’ve got 10 weeks to be at your best and perform at your best and you don’t have time for distractions like you do in the regular season.”

What is a relief valve for you?

“Success. Success is a relief valve. As you keep going, you get more and more motivated to make it better and better. Yeah, it kind of feeds on itself. I would say, it’s all about success.”

Is there anything that Adam Stevens says to you over and over that sticks in your mind?

“Probably, the biggest thing is, it’s just three races and you have a different agenda based on where you’re at in points for those three races. So, right now, we’re seeded at the top, and we’re at the Round of 12 and he likes to use the term base hit. That’s all we need. We just need three base hits. And, then the last couple years, we get into the Round of 8 and it’s like okay, we’ve got three changes to get a homerun here. So, knowing when you need a base hit and knowing whenever you need a homerun. That’s Adam’s (Stevens, crew chief) terminology.”

What will be different having Adam Stevens back starting in Atlanta?

“Honestly, not much will be different. I think the whole team has rose to the occasion of not having Adam (Stevens, crew chief) around. For myself as a driver, I haven’t really noticed anything changing.”

How have you changed and how has your approach changed since the first Playoffs you were in?

“I think just being more prepared and knowing what goes with it. I still remember saying in 2022, whenever I made my first Championship 4 that I felt prepared. Which, even looking back at it, I do think that I could’ve won that race and won the championship. Each time that you go there whether you win or lose, you are more prepared for the next time. Yeah, just getting more comfortable in this position and knowing what it takes and how it evolves week to week, round by round is just more experience and knowledge.”

Even though Chili Bowl is a much shorter time, can you relate the stress and the success that you feel during that week in any way to the Playoffs?

“Yeah, it’s just over a longer duration. The Chili Bowl growing up, that was the most pressure for a couple minutes in that heat race, right? The heat race might be the Round of 16 or the Round of 12 and then the feature is the championship race. Just the duration of nerves and intensity is a little bit longer with this, but I feed off of it and I love it.”

Do you accept the wild card factor of the first round of the Playoffs and are you still in control as a driver?

“Not as much. And that’s definitely alarming. Atlanta is – we all know how it’s going to go. There’s going to be some lucky ones and some unlucky ones. And, then we get to Watkins Glen – we have no idea how that’s going to be. Bristol, we have no idea how that’s going to be. So, you would think Watkins Glen and Bristol would be two normal races, but they’re going to be far from that.”

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.

Toyota Racing – Tyler Reddick
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

CHARLOTTE (September 4, 2024) – 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick was made available to the media on Wednesday as part of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day.

TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 The Beast Unleashed Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Is there more pressure now to cap off this season after you earned the regular season title?

“I don’t know if there is more pressure. Just as you get closer and closer to Phoenix, I think it just builds naturally – the longer you are in it, the better shot you have, so you kind of have to understand the moment and you have to set-up and perform and execute each weekend. This first round presents its challenges, but there are 16 of us – all in this together – if one of us has a bad day, there will probably be three or four of us that will too. Hopefully, we can weather the bad days and just not have them – that’s has been our strong suit – when things happen around us and we miss it. We will just see how it goes.”

Do you have a sense of being a favorite?

“Maybe the numbers show that, but I don’t think we are carrying ourselves around like we are the baddest group around. I think we just do a good job of each individual on the team doing their part throughout the week – we just show up to the race track and we have a good amount of focus and we do a really good job of getting the results that we need, even on the days that we have issue – that has been a nice thing about this year, a number of times, countless times it feels like, we have things not go our way and we have been able to fight through it and still get the results.”

Were you ever going to get out of the car in Darlington?
“Um, someone was going to probably going to have to pull me out of the car. (laughter) Hopefully, it didn’t come to that. I don’t know. We had thought about it. Having Corey (Heim) on standby, and 10:30 in the morning came around, and the worst of it was behind me, so I really thought I was going to be okay. Leading up to the race, getting in the car was the best that I had felt in days, and just once we got going with that extended period of time with the heat and the bumps off of (turn) two – I think that was a lot of it. It started going a really bad direction during the race.”

Were you sick all week?

“I started feeling bad on Friday, and Sunday morning I was feeling pretty solid about it – thought I was going to be fine, and yeah, it was not done yet.”

Was it all false alarm?

“I honestly didn’t go back and watch the broadcast. I can hardly remember sections of the race, I was so out of it at times, but as I remember it, I thought Billy (Scott, crew chief) was asking me – if I was more worried about puking or the other – whatever you want to call it. I think he was asking me what I was more worried about, but truly I thought at any moment I was going to have both. I genuinely tried to go – I tried to let it out, but I took too much IMODIUM earlier in the day to keep it at bay, and that was probably what made it so awful – stuff was trying to get out of my body one way or another, and it couldn’t go out that way.”

Is it safe for you to be in the car feeling that poorly?

“I wasn’t 100 percent, but I didn’t lose consciousness. I didn’t take someone out during caution or make some crazy moves on the race track to take anyone else out, so I think I was in a good enough frame of mine to be okay, but I feel like Darlington is one of my best tracks. I feel like if it is places like Chicago or some of these other tracks that we go to in the future that we may not know as well, that is different. I don’t think – I wasn’t 100 percent – but you can still be somewhat there and do your job.”

Were you 100 percent celebrating your championship trophy?

“It took all day Monday and some of yesterday to start feeling better.”

Was Beau sick?

“Yeah, he was sick last week. I think that is where it came from.”

Have you looked at the reseeded points and just the value of those 15 bonus points?

“I guess, I didn’t really think about where I would have been if I had run second or third on the regular season, but it is good to see where we are at. I know we gave away at least 12 Playoff points at some point during the year, but I think everybody else that is a part of that conversation with me, Christopher (Bell) and Kyle (Larson) could all say the same. I think we are in a good spot. I learned pretty quickly a month or so ago, when we were trying to close in on the 9 (Chase Elliott), the 5 (Larson) and the 11 (Denny Hamlin) – that when you all are running around the same spot, it is hard to gain four, five, six points on a weekend. It is good to have these extra Playoff points.”

How much do you want to win a Cup Championship?
“It is the whole reason I’m doing this, so pretty bad.”

Do you think it is within your reach?

“I think with the way this format is, even last year, it was within our reach. We had two great opportunities at mile-and-a-halves to lock ourselves in and avoid having to race in in Martinsville, just the way this format is, you could be having an off year or just an okay year, and still have a really good shot at it.”

What do you have to do to make it to Phoenix?

“As good as any. There are a few points differences between a few of us, but we all have the opportunity to go out and win races and lock ourselves into the next round until the Championship 4. They are good odds for sure.”

What are your thoughts on the first round of the Playoffs?

“It is probably the most chaotic – that first round. I would almost argue that Talladega, the ROVAL – that second round could be too. Each of those rounds pose their dangers. The nice thing is there are 16 of us in this first round, so even if you have a bad day, you have a good buffer and there are a lot of cars that could have average days. I think the mindset that we’ve had all year is going to be a good one for these Playoffs.”

What was winning the Regular Season Championship like back at Airspeed this week?

“It was nice to be able to celebrate it, but we understand what we have ahead of us. Really cool moment with how young 23XI is, and it just great to be a part of it.”

How different will Bristol be?

“It seems like it will be that way again. That is what it seems like.”

How do you drive Bristol now?

“Honestly, we got in that wreck on lap 40 when we stayed out – we got a bunch of damage. I was kind of stuck behind cars running a pace, multiple laps down at the tail of the field, and I was able to drive my way up to 15th– I was kind of doing it every stage with a destroyed race car, and at the very end, I got kind of hung up behind cars with completely corded tires and next thing I knew Martin (Truex) and Denny (Hamlin) were right there with me and even with a wrecked race car, I felt like we were pretty good. We weren’t racing for much of anything that Bristol race, but I was really pleased with how fast our car was with how much damage we had. I think Bristol could be a really good race for us.”

What is going to make Watkins Glen so different with the tire?

“I don’t think you will be running to the end of your fuel window. We will probably be putting on tires more, so it is going to play out more like Darlington – I guess that is the hope, I guess – that people will try to short pit and jump people. You will see people go to optimum or go long if they have good long run speed to be able to pass cars on the back side of a run. I don’t know truly how it will play out, but I feel like it will certainly change up how you strategize things. Two laps are two laps, but I do think people will probably at some point forgoes stage points, but you will certainly have to fight really hard to keep them behind you.”

Is Beau old enough to understand what is going on right now?

“I think he knows what is going on, for sure. He’s only four. He hasn’t been around for the whole process of getting to this point. I would say from the time he was born, I was only racing in Cup, so that is all he has seen me to do. I think he understands it. I think as he gets older, he will understand better, how hard it is to get to this spot. He sees what I do and he loves it and he wants to do it really bad. He definitely sees the fun and enjoyment that you can get out of it. It is really cool, and it’s a fun opportunity to watch my kid grow up and learn more and more about it and know the racing better and watch him learn and pick up on things that we are doing on Sundays.”

Is there a bet for this Playoffs?

“No kid in the works that I know of (laughter). I don’t know. I try dangle prizes out in front of my self, if you will – if I win this or I win that, I will get this car, or this watch or I will buy property or something like that. It’s always fun to give yourself mini goals. It is important to have it. There are a lot of reasons to be motivated to win a championship, but it probably just depends on where you are at in life. Years ago, when I was at JR Motorsports, I almost needed to get away from things to recenter my focus. That second year, when I was going for it with RCR (Richard Childress Racing), it was a little different, just like things are now. I think things change as you get older, and things in life change around you.”

Have you and your team gone through what could happen with the tires at Bristol?

“I think it is something that we’ve been talking about. I’m sure the whole garage is – team wise. We are just thinking about how we showed up, how our fellow Toyota drivers showed up and coming up with our game plan on where we think we need to have our car setup for, what kind of balance that we think will be important, what kind of pace is going to be – just kind of trying to nail those things down, so we can give ourselves the best shot. I feel like we went in on the weekend really, really aggressive because typically there, you don’t wear tires out that quick. I thought our car – even with all of the damage – held on better than those around me with no damage. Those things give me a lot of confidence going into that week – that if we keep our car clean, I think we will be in the mix.”

How do you beat Hendrick at Watkins Glen?

“It will be different this time. In the past, it’s just been about qualifying and having a car runs a really fast pace for the entire fuel run – there is not a lot of tire fall off – you get out in clean air, and you run the same lap over and over and over. It will be different this time, so hopefully, some of the knowledge that we’ve gathered from the tire test that we’ve had, the wheelforce test – it does seem like we are in a pretty good spot with all of that.”

If you get to Phoenix, will you have some form of satisfaction?

“Winning the championship is the goal, but if you can just keep getting yourself to Phoenix and into that Championship 4, you are going to continue to put yourself in position for it to work out. Christopher (Bell) surprised a lot of us at Phoenix in the beginning of the year. We started that race off, and I felt like we were the best car, and he just figured it out and came to life in the second half of the race and ran away with it. I feel like we are close, and we can learn from what they did, and certainly, a few days removed from that race at the beginning of the year, I had a good mindset of where we need to be going back.”

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.