NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 12, 2025

 Daniel Suarez, driver of the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes

Q. Four of you representing four different countries. What has that been like, the diversity of teammates? What language do you speak?

DANIEL SUAREZ: So far English. So far we speak in English (laughter).

Actually I have a lot of people don’t know this, but I have a very hard time understanding Shane. His English, I don’t know. I don’t know if you guys do the same or not, but my English clearly is way more limited than most of you guys. Every time he’s talking to me, I really have to pay attention. 80% of the time I have to have him repeat something because his accent is just way different than what I’m used to, I guess.

Q. Does he understand you?

DANIEL SUAREZ: I hope. He hasn’t complained. I hope (laughter).

No, it’s been great. Obviously Trackhouse has been known for the last several years to do things like this. So I’m not surprised having a teammate from New Zealand and another one from Brazil and myself. I guess Ross is the outlier right now.

It’s been a lot of fun. Hopefully we can translate that to good results on Sunday.

Q. What has it been like having Helio around this program? What advice have you given to him?

DANIEL SUAREZ: I mean, Helio, he doesn’t have experience in NASCAR, but he has so much experience in life and in racing in general. Really I’ve been talking to him quite a bit about the car, what to expect on the car, what to do, what not to do.

When it comes to the racing stuff, it’s no different than learning anything else new. Like, he’s been in these situations in the past. He’s a world-class driver. He’s going to get it. I’m not concerned about if he’s going to get it, the question is when. Is that going to happen on Thursday or on Sunday?

He’s going to be fine. He’s going to become a fast learner when we get to the draft.

Q. Can you take me through the final laps of your win in Atlanta. Kyle and Blaney were second-guessing what they should have done. What gave you the confidence to do what you did?

DANIEL SUAREZ: Honestly, I didn’t have many options because Austin Cindric was the driver that was behind me. He was lifting a lot, just trying not to help me. Obviously his teammate was leading the race at that time. My options were very limited when it comes to the second lane, trying to create a run.

The 47 of Ricky, he was being very aggressive on the rear bumper of the 2. Even with that, I can see it, I can feel it. I was able to see it on Monday on SMT. He was doing everything possible not to help me, which is okay, right? That’s part of the game.

I knew the run was not going to come from me, it was going to come from the inside. My job at that point was to try to slow down the 8 as much as possible for the 23 to get to him – it’s a chess match a chess game – to get to him and build the run. Hopefully I was going to be right there to take advantage of that run. Luckily it work out like that. The timing of things…

Any of us could have won that race. It was a matter of inches. It was just a matter of timing. Fortunately the timing work out good for me.

Q. Is it good to sit down with those other guys and rewatch this recently? Was it fun?

DANIEL SUAREZ: It was a lot of fun. It was a lot of fun. Even more fun for me, right, because I was the one that won the race. Probably wouldn’t have been that much fun if I finished second or third.

In general it was a lot of fun because it was the first time we got to sit down and actually see it together and talk about it, talk about what was on Blaney’s mind, what was in Busch’s mind, in my mind. Obviously everyone had a different mindset of what to do, what not to do.

Blaney, he said, Man, I should have covered the middle. I covered the bottom. That create two of you instead of one of you.

A lot of the ‘I should have, I should have done that, I should have done that.’ Yeah, at the same time probably I really wanted to be on the outside. Once I got in front of the 19 and I passed the 19, I said, Man, I’m in the perfect spot here. I realized the 2 was behind me. I was like, Dammit, he’s not going to help me.

It’s kind of tricky. Is not very easy to plan everything perfectly because things change very quickly.

Q. Where do you feel the team is at right now knowing there’s a lot of eyeballs with Helio and Shane? What is going to be key this season to get to the next step?

DANIEL SUAREZ: We have to be realistic, right? Shane, he has a long way to go when it comes to ovals. We know that. He has a lot of things that he has to learn and to continue to get better at in ovals. He’s going to rely on Ross and myself a lot when it comes to that.

Helio, he’s just trying to learn as much as quickly as possible because this is his opportunity, right? This is his opportunity to have a good day, to have a strong race. I mean, if he finish somewhere close to the top 10, that would be like a win for him. That would be amazing for Project 91.

Ross and myself, we want to continue to grow from everything we built from last year. There were a lot of internal changes within Trackhouse. We are hoping that we see more consistent results throughout the year.

Q. (Question about future racing contracts.)

DANIEL SUAREZ: No, I mean, at the time when we made this deal, there were a lot of unknowns on performance mainly. There were a lot of things that I was not happy about. There were a lot of things, a lot of question marks.

I feel like right now we are a little bit in a different position. I feel like right now we have a little better direction. I feel good about it honestly. I’m not too concerned about it.

I mean, my main thing is to continue to perform. I have to continue to get better because I have said this in the past, I’m going to say it again: My goal is not to win one race a year. If this is what the goal is going to be, we’re in two different agendas.

I wanted to make sure we were all on the same page that, Okay, how can we bring Trackhouse to the next level? How can we bring Trackhouse to give a real fight to Penske, to Hendrick, to Joe Gibbs Racing, to the big teams that they are every single year up front? How can we do that?

I feel like 2022 we were right there. 2023 we did one step down. 2024, another step down. We need to change something. We went to work. Hopefully we can see something reflected in all the off-season work that we did for 2025.

Q. Trackhouse has a lot of drivers signed. Do you ever worry that your job is in jeopardy, your seat is on the line?

DANIEL SUAREZ: No, because there is a lot of things. There is a lot of things involved. It’s not just the perform thing. There’s a lot of things that we have to do to be able to perform.

It not only depends on me. Yes, I’m a very important factor of it. But we have to continue to get better as group. I think Trackhouse does an amazing job with Project 91, getting this driver young, do all these different things.

At the end of the day I’m only worried about myself. I’m worried about how can I bring myself to have the best opportunity to win multiple races a year? That’s my main goal.

Really Trackhouse has been nothing but great to me. We’ve been working together very hard to be able to bring Trackhouse to the next level. That has been my goal.

I would say a year ago right now it was a little cloudy. We didn’t really know where we were going. In the off-season we really made a lot of progress to what I think heading into the direction that we believe is the best.

We see. We see how things play out. But yeah, I hope that we are heading in the right direction.

Q. Are drivers athletes?

DANIEL SUAREZ: I don’t know. You tell me.

Q. I think you are. What is special about your training or skill or strength that separates you?

DANIEL SUAREZ: The thing is that this is the part that is very difficult. Anyone here, anyone has play soccer. Anyone has play baseball. Anyone has played basketball. Anyone can go to the park and do it. It is very easy. In any park, anyone can play all these sports.

Racing is way more complicated. Racing, it requires a track. It requires tires, an engine, a car, all these things. It’s expensive. Unfortunately not a lot of people has the opportunity to actually experience what racing is.

But if you look at the heart rate monitors, if you look at the physical activity we’re having when we are driving these cars. The temperature? Right now, the day is nice, but in June, July, it’s a completely different game.

If you’re looking to all these things is when you actually realize all the wear and tear that we have inside the car.

But the problem is that not a lot of people knows or understand that because they don’t have an experience in racing. They do have an experience in soccer, baseball, basketball, everything else.

Yeah, in my opinion we’re high-performance athletes, especially because of the heat. The heat is something personally I train on the heat a lot to be 100% in the summer races.

So yeah, but I just wish every single person out there had an opportunity to drive a car and to feel what we feel so they understand and we don’t have to explain to everyone what it is.

Q. From a marketing perspective, what could the sport or NASCAR do to make the drivers look like superheroes but also recognize the stars on the rise compared to nostalgia-centric?

DANIEL SUAREZ: That’s a great question, man. I don’t know if I have the perfect answer for that.

I think that every time that I think about a race car driver, I think about this person that works very hard and has this good leadership within his race team or her race team. This role model is this hero, right? It’s like this warrior that is ready to battle. That’s great. I enjoy that.

I wish we can show racing drivers that way, show the personality, but show them as heroes, as warriors out there ready to battle.

I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like we look more funny than the cool factor and the warrior factor. I don’t know. I think a lot has changed.

I don’t really know. I don’t think I have the right answer. I just wish it was more of a cool hero factor than just the funny factor.

Q. You aren’t afraid of speed. What are you afraid of?

DANIEL SUAREZ: I don’t know, man. I don’t know. I don’t know what is the fear. I don’t know what is the fear, man. I don’t know, man. Honestly I’m trying to think. That’s a great question. Something I have fear of?

I don’t know. I don’t want to say that I’m fearless because that’s not. But I don’t know what I have fear of, honestly.

Like, I work very hard to be the best version of myself and try to bring my A game every single day on everything I do. On the racetrack, going fast is amazing, I love that.

You don’t think about wrecks. You don’t think about accidents. You don’t think about getting hurt. You don’t think about those things. Those things happen sometimes. You don’t think about it.

I can tell you something. The day that I feel like I start thinking too much about it, maybe is the day that I have to decide to do something else because maybe I’m going to start attracting those things.

But today, I don’t think about it. I just do what I love to do.

Q. When you look at superspeedways, Daytona, the numbers you’ve struggled, but Atlanta next week, really good.

DANIEL SUAREZ: I don’t know.

Q. What are the differences there?

DANIEL SUAREZ: I don’t know. Daytona is tricky, man. Man, it’s just very tricky. I have made a lot of mistakes myself here in Daytona. I’m telling you, man, 80% of the time I’ve been caught in wrecks, I’m not doing anything wrong. It just happens. Last time we were here I wrecked being maybe in the top five, so… You are just caught in those situations.

Yes, there is a few things I can do different, I can do better, but that’s not the reason why I wrecked.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 12, 2025

 Austin Dillon, driver of the No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet – DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes

How important is it to get off to a good start this year?

“I think it’s huge. For the 3 team, we have struggled the last two years getting off to a start. We had to dig ourselves out of holes and it just put us behind and we’re always playing catch-up. We were able to have some good runs, but they don’t amount to the points gain when we have them. So, for me, it’s huge to get off to a good start and that’s something we’re putting more focus on. These first two races, you can be a hole pretty quick with the way everything lines up. Just trying to get out there and run all the laps and put ourselves in good positions to hopefully win because you have to look at every race as an opportunity.”

Richard and other management on board, how has that been for you?

“The attention to detail that I see from our group as a whole is more focused that the last couple years. He’s very meticulous, the way he talks about things is going to really benefit us in the 3 team. He leaves no stone unturned, which is really good. I feel like the last couple years some stuff has been thrown on my shoulders and it’s kind of nice that I feel like I got somebody I can lean on more. We’ve made some great changes in the off-season bringing in some really good racers from other organizations and also keeping the guys that we have had and propping them up and giving them opportunities. I think that’s key for our organization going forward is giving guys opportunities. We’re all focused on this year and getting off to a fast start. When you get in the meat and potatoes of the season we’ll see where we stack up.”

Are you getting a sense of the focus of the organization and how that relates to on-track?

“I think the biggest thing I’ve noticed is the attention to detail, the aggressiveness not to turn over every stone. Sometimes you look at things and is that really worth the squeeze? I think the group that we have right now is squeezing everything they can. So, that’s a confidence-builder for me and I’m really excited about what we’ve got going on.”

How important is it when you didn’t have the season you wanted to get off to a good start?

“We’ve had two seasons that we haven’t gotten off in the direction we want. We had to battle the whole season to have some highlights, and you can never recover from a points standpoint. We’ve got to start off the season clean, get some finishes under our belt and sometimes you have to be happy with a 20th-place finish to get to the next week with a clean car because you get so far behind if you have wrecks. We want no wrecks to start the season would be nice, some clean races and go from there.”

Is it part of your DNA that when you’re in the moment you can pull the trigger?

“I want to pride myself on being clutch or having clutch moments and the times you get those opportunities being able to deliver for people because you know there’s a lot of effort and time put into it. I never want to go home saying I wish I wouldn’t have done this. I did it one time in my career, I finished second, and I was kind of gentle about it and looking back 10-15 years from now no one cares if I was gentle or not. It was more of the fact that the guy who won name is on the trophy and mine is not. Do what you can when you get those opportunities, and I think you got to be aggressive when those opportunities arise.”

What are the emotions and experiences been like coming back here since you were the Daytona 500 champion versus what they were before you won the race?

“I was close in ’21; we were third and had a dominant car that weekend. I thought for sure that was our race to win and it just ended a little before the start-finish line. I also thought that when. Kyle Busch and I were first and second and we were coming to the white that no one was going to get around the two of us and it was going to be a good shot that Kyle wins that one. And the 99 spins and everything breaks loose after that. I’ve had opportunities and would love to capitalize on those.”

Does it take the pressure off once you win this race or add pressure to win again?

“I think it takes some pressure off. You look at Kyle who has had 20 opportunities and he’s won everything he can. I know this race is what he wants more than everything. I know that having that feather in the cap definitely helped and it gives you a little confidence. And when you make a move late in the race you don’t feel as bad about it if it burns you.”

If you don’t win this race Sunday, would there be almost as much satisfaction from a team standpoint if you could push Kyle to the win?

“For sure. There’s only two people – my brother and Kyle.”

What do you think of Atlanta now?

“It’s definitely sped up. It used to be a place where you really had to control your right foot and take care of your tires. I really enjoyed that portion and this one it’s just a totally different animal. It’s a beast and you have to put yourself in some similar positions you do at speedways but is starting to lose some grip which is nice. It hasn’t been a great place for us. It has it’s spurts but never from a finish standpoint.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 12, 2025

 AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet – DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes

The Indy 500 and the Daytona 500. What is the difference between the two of them?

“Where do you start? When it comes to the Daytona 500, just that pack racing. You’re constantly side by side. The Indy 500, the year I ran it, the way the aero was you’d make big runs and stuff, but you’re not side by side constantly. So, I think that to me is the bigger difference of the way you race those races. To me, you still have to be pinpoint accurate in either car. The consequences are really high in both cars if you make a mistake. I think the stress to a certain degree of not having to be side by side at the Indy 500 constantly is a little bit easier. But you’re also running 50 mph quicker.”

Is the atmosphere similar?

“It is. To me, we all love motorsports but there are a handful of races that you can say to somebody that’s not a motorsports person they know exactly what it is. These two races you could argue the four biggest races in the world you can put up Monaco, you could put up Le Mans maybe. The energy of this race is you build up to it and as you walk out and they announce you, at least for me, is the same emotion.”

Were you Helio’s teammate?

“I was.”

How do you think he’s going to do here?

“Helio is all time, right? He’s a legend. I know it’s bene a long time ago, but it’s not like he hasn’t done this before in IROC cars. I think the biggest thing is he’ll have to get used to the draft in the sense of how these cars move around, the runs you get, just trying to get up to speed in that sense. But driving around the racetrack and all that he’s completely fine. But you’re not going to really know that until you get in the Duel and especially in the 500 when you get 40-41 cars together.”

Are you annoyed he’s shown up and you’re going head-to-head for best hair?

“I can just tell you mine is not colored, so I don’t know who has more product in it but mine’s got less coloring in it.”

What’s something that you’ve seen the team doing to try to rebound and get back to race-winning form?

“There were certain reasons last year the Cup program had to take a step back. I don’t say that in the sense that we didn’t care about it or didn’t try. Everybody was still working as hard as they could, but there weren’t as many resources being put into to. The biggest difficulty I thought was for Daniel because he didn’t have a constant teammate every weekend. We were switching guys in the car, so it really hurt Daniel and that’s what I was most disappointed in to not be in the car. I felt that every time I got in the car, he ran a lot better, and we were able to work well off each other. More resources being put into it, Mike Cook is our technical director. It’s the first time we’ve had the competition technical director not be a crew chief. Just adding resources and Ty being here, I think it’s his best opportunity. He brings a lot of experience. I think it allows us to work with RCR even closer, which as a group – not just on our end but on RCR’s end – we have to do that to go against the big teams. We’ll find out 10 races in if it helps, but it’s definitely the most effort and most prepared I’ve seen our Cup program be.”

Was that part of the agreement you got to bring resources to be running full time in a Cup car?

“I’ve said it from day one, whatever Matt and Chris want me to do that’s what I’m going to do. I made it clear last year I wanted to be in the Cup car full time, but they wanted me in the Xfinity side of it. I said if we’re doing this, we’re doing this real and Matt and Chris have done a lot. The effort’s there, the resources, everything. We still have a lot of work to do. The ultimate goal is you’re going out to win every race, but I think there are certain racetracks that running inside the top 20 is a good run for us. You just have to make more good races than bad. I have to be better to keep making us better. It’s a group effort but I take pride in the sense of like Phoenix in the Xfinity race last year. I was so disappointed in myself because I didn’t know what to do to make us better, so I’m always going to put it on me.”

How important is it to get off to a good start?

“I think it’s important, but here and Atlanta are somewhat out of your control. I’m still in the racecar making the decisions of being aggressive, not be aggressive, things like that. You can get through the first races inside the top 10, top five in points, win a race. But with that said, even if you do well it doesn’t mean your season is going to be great. If it goes bad and you get caught up in wrecks, it doesn’t mean the rest of your season is going to go bad or you’re going to run bad every race. It’s the nature of the way the season starts off with two superspeedway races in a row.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Toyota GAZOO Racing – Erik Jones
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 12, 2025) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver Erik Jones was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

ERIK JONES, No. 43 AdventHealth Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

What are you most looking forward to this season?

“Well, I think just trying to get into a better place as a group, an organization. 2024 was just challenging for us in a lot of ways. Getting performance to where we expect it and where we want it to be is important in 2025 for us for a lot of reasons. Just hopefully getting to that place.”

Before getting your first win at Daytona, did you ever question your enjoyment of superspeedway races?

“Yeah, coming into the sport, I don’t know someone that necessarily enjoys it (superspeedway racing). Probably because you’re not used to running a race where things are so out of your control, and honestly, there’s no one that comes into it and is good at it off the bat. It’s something you have to learn and kind of figure out. Yeah, I don’t think I was a fan at first but finally came to the point that you can control what’s in your control and let the rest of it kind of play out. After that, I’ve just had fun with it. I don’t think it was the win (at Daytona in 2018) that changed my mind of it, but just the kind of changing my mindset helped a lot.”

What are your thoughts on the new additions to LEGACY MOTOR CLUB?

“It’s a lot of good people. I know Jacob Cantor (director of competition, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE) and have known him for a really long time. I didn’t know Brian Campe (technical director, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) much before, but he’s done a good job coming in and those have been our two bigger hires. Chad Johnston (manager, race engineering, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) coming in. I didn’t know Chad but have gotten to know him. I think there’s a lot of smart people in the room and obviously, you need that. But one thing we can’t hire or buy is time. We’re competing against time right now to build out our sim program and that side of things. Build out our aero program and car builds. That’s just a process that’s going to take time and experience. Along with that, these guys are very sharp but are in new roles. New roles that are more involved than what they’ve done in the past. Not to take anything away from them, just bigger roles so it’ll take some time as well.”

How far into the season do you feel it’ll take before you know where the team is at?

“I think you have to give it three months. Those first four races (Daytona 500, Atlanta, COTA and Phoenix) are sort of odd balls, it’s hard to judge. We need to get some normal races in, so I’d say the first three months are a good barometer.”

How has it been getting a full offseason with your crew chief?

“Yeah, it’s been good. I haven’t gone through a lot of crew chiefs in my career, so it’s always kind of a challenge and it’s never fun. I’ve worked with Dave (Elenz, former crew chief, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) for a long time and had success with him, so it’s never fun nor an easy change to make. But I’ve gotten to know Ben (Beshore, crew chief, No. 43 LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota Camry XSE) a little bit better through the offseason. Ben’s a really quiet guy, so takes a little more time, but he’s really sharp and we’ve worked alongside each other for a few years in different areas, just not with each other. I like the way he thinks about things; it just takes time at the race track to get to know each other more and more and know what we need from each other.”

What are the biggest challenges in building that communication?

“Think the biggest thing is terminology. What I want to hear from him during the race, what he wants to hear from me. And know what I’m trying to get across as my point. That’s the hardest thing, just building that communication up and what we need from each other and it’s not something you can just talk about, have to be out there and doing it.”

How does having the same teammate as last year streamline things this season for the team?

“Yeah, it’s just different (than what I’m used to). It’s changed a bunch since I joined the No. 43 team. From the first year when we were Petty GMS Racing, and known as LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, it’s just different. I’m really thankful for what Maury (Gallagher, minority owner and team ambassador, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB) and the Pettys have done for me as it’s gotten me to this point. Now, it’s Jimmie (Johnson, majority owner, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB)’s turn to take over and steer the ship where he wants it to go. Yeah, I mean it’s more streamlined in some ways and different in some ways. I feel it’s a bigger organization than what it’s been and people in different places so it’s just different is the best way to put it.”

Does the faith of the team in you give you something to lean on?

“Yeah, they’ve been great to me. I know Jimmie (Johnson) wants to run well. It’s not ever a question in my mind. And I think it’s just been a learning process for everyone involved. To get involved on the ownership side and learn more and more about how to build a stronger team. I definitely have a home where I’m at. I don’t think that’s ever been a question for me. At this point, I’m here to ride it out and see it to the end. I’m at what should be really good years in my Cup career and Jimmie knows that as well and is trying to put together a program over the next decade or so I can hopefully run well with.”

Do you feel the team is turning the corner?

“I think we are. There were times last year where we were probably working to get to the track and not necessarily bringing a fast race car to the track. This year, I think we’re in a better position to build a fast race car to bring to the track and we hope that shows up. I definitely think we’re in a better spot than we were one year ago today. Whether that pays off or not, we’ll find out, but we’re definitely doing better things right now.”

What benefits does your late model racing bring you?

“More time in the seat, that’s number one. On top of that, it’s fun that organizing a team. It’s my own guys, my own group, so it’s been fun putting that together. It’s good for me to see that side, structure of things. And number three, just being involved and working on the cars. Staying up to date on what’s going on in the racing world. Not everything is going to transfer from a late model to a Cup car, but just staying up to date and being involved on the set up and the process of it is very beneficial for me.”

How similar or different is being back with Toyota now vs when you were at Joe Gibbs Racing?

“Yeah, in some ways it is (the same) and some ways it isn’t. The first time around (with Toyota), I was certainly in a different position, certainly younger and early in my Cup career, so just in a different spot with how that goes. Also, was with JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) and that was a big machine in itself. I was kind of a bit in the sea at that point. Now, I’m in a much different spot in my career, farther down the line in years wise. The support side is different. JGR, we did a lot on our own and independently. Currently at LEGACY MOTOR CLUB, we’re working with TRD (Toyota Racing Development) to build more support and taking some time to build that out.”

Any stories of Carl Edwards?

“Yeah, one I have with Carl (Edwards) is, one time, I had to fill in for Denny (Hamlin) and Bristol (2015). I flew in and I’ve never ran a Cup car. And I remember getting out after the race, my shoulders were on fire for multiple reasons. The seat didn’t fit and the steering was a lot heavier than what I was used to. I felt bad that I thought I wasn’t in shape, but I went to their (JGR) meeting on Tuesday and Carl was in there. And Carl was in really good shape and always has been, and was talking about how tired his shoulders were. So, I was feeling better after that. I didn’t get to know him super well as he left the year before I got to Cup, but he was a great driver and did a lot of things in a short amount of time. I think that’s more impressive than anything, so, was cool to see him go into the Hall of Fame.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s 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 31 electrified options.

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

It’s time to fire up the engines and kick off another exciting season of racing! The 2025 NASCAR season is here, and all eyes are on Daytona International Speedway for the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 16th. Cited as one of Nielsen’s top-10 “can’t miss” American sporting events along with the Super Bowl, World Series, NBA Finals and the Olympics, the Daytona 500 is an iconic and distinctly different race that brings together millions of fans from all over the globe.

The 2025 NASCAR schedule is set to explore both new and familiar territories, highlighted by the Cup Series’ return to Mexico City at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez on June 15th, marking the first international points race since 1958. For the first time in over a decade, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is making its highly anticipated return to Rockingham Speedway, bringing back the thrill of high-speed competition to one of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks. Known for its rich history and unique one-mile oval racing surface, “The Rock” has long been a favorite among drivers and fans alike.

Among the exciting changes this year, the schedule introduces a five-race streaming-only package on Prime Video, while TNT Sports makes its return to NASCAR coverage. FOX Sports and NBC Sports will continue to carry the majority of NASCAR Cup Series races with 14 events each. The FOX Sports portion of the Cup Series schedule kicks off the season while the NBC Sports’ coverage of the Cup Series will encompass the final 14 events of the season, including the Playoffs and Championship race. Both networks will feature a mix of broadcast and cable events, with five Cup events airing on FOX and four on NBC annually. The remaining events will air on FS1 and USA Network, respectively. In addition, the CW will provide network coverage for the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

This season, the Cup Series will see its inaugural in-season tournament — a new five-race, 32-driver contest with $1 million up for grabs. The tournament begins on June 28th at Atlanta Motor Speedway and concludes on July 27th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s Brickyard 400, with stops at the Chicago Street Course, Sonoma Raceway and Dover Motor Speedway. Drivers will compete head-to-head throughout the tournament, with the field narrowing from 32 to 16, then eight, four, and finally two drivers battling for the grand prize.
Below are the NASCAR Cup Series teams that Roush Yates Engines is powering this season:

• RFK Racing
• Team Penske
• Wood Brothers
• Haas Factory Team
• Front Row Motorsports
• Rick Ware Racing

Below are the NASCAR Xfinity Series teams that Roush Yates Engines is powering this season:

• Haas Factory Team
• RSS Racing
• AM Racing

Below is the full-time driver lineup for this season:

At Roush Yates Engines, we’ve spent the off-season maximizing power, performance, and reliability. The competition will be fierce, but we’re ready to take on the challenge and chase another Championship!

The green flag is about to drop, and we want YOU to be part of the excitement. We invite you to tune in as the green flag drops at Daytona on Saturday, February 15th for the Xfinity Series’ United Rentals 300 and on Sunday, February 16th for the Cup Series’ Daytona 500. Let’s make this season one to remember!

About Roush Yates Engines
Roush Yates Engines is a leading-edge engine development company based in Mooresville, NC consisting of two state-of-the-art facilities – Roush Yates Engines and Roush Yates Manufacturing Solutions. The company’s core business includes designing, building and testing purpose-built race engines for Ford Performance.

Ford Performance in partnership with Roush Yates Engines is the exclusive engine builder of the NASCAR FR9 Ford V8 engine in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series. Since 2024, Roush Yates Engines and Ford Performance have won over 475 races in the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Truck as well as IMSA, and WEC racing series.

Toyota GAZOO Racing – Riley Herbst
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 12, 2025) – 23XI Racing driver Riley Herbst was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

RILEY HERBST, No. 35 Monster Energy Zero Sugar Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

Do you have expectations going into 2025?

“Yeah, I have expectations. We have worked really hard on them with the leadership team at Airspeed and the competition side as well. A lot of it is going to stay in house to be honest with you, but just from a macro level, it is about improving each week, understanding my team and my race car each week and when Phoenix and the checkered flag flies, just be a way better race car driver than I am right now. Just try to take the same steps, hopefully a little quicker, that I did in the Xfinity car.”

How important was it to bring Davin with you?

“It was important, but I guess I haven’t portrayed it correctly. It wasn’t like – I’m coming and Davin (Restivo, crew chief) is coming too. Davin was on Dave Rogers’ (senior director, competition, 23XI) radar just like Charles Denike, so we were having individual interviews at the same time. We both knew that we were talking to the team, but it was cool that they thought the same thing that I thought about Davin – that he is a race winner. He is extremely intelligent, and he is really good with race cars, and I think he brings a lot to Airspeed, 23XI and myself.”

Does 23XI’s upward momentum give you some confidence?

“I probably have more confidence than I’m supposed to have at this point. I’m literally on the best race team in the garage. I have the two best owners, who are so involved. Just sitting on the couch last year, I never thought about how involved Denny (Hamlin) and Michael (Jordan) can be – but walking to Airspeed – and everyone says that to me. They are like 23XI has overachieved. If you walk into Airspeed, they work so hard at their craft and what they do – them going to the final four last year is nothing short of hard work and really good race car drivers, really good engineers, really good crew chiefs, really good everything in that building. It has been phenomenal to join this team and I’m very excited for the future.”

Does that add pressure?

“I’m feeling gratitude. I’m so grateful to be in this opportunity. I get to drive a race car for 23XI Racing at the highest level. I used to dream about being in the Cup Series – the opportunity I have is immense, right in front of me and gratitude doesn’t even describe what I’m feeling. I’m going to take it, I’m going to have fun. I’m going to work as hard as I possibly can, and we are going to go, and we are going to achieve at a high level and hopefully we can do it soon.”

Would you say that this is the best opportunity that you’ve had in your career?

“Well this is the only opportunity I’ve had full time in the Cup Series, but to your point, this organization with this manufacturer, they just work hand-in-hand very cohesively, they truly just want the best for all of their drivers. Like I said, I’m very grateful to be in this opportunity, with this team and manufacturer and to have the ability to go to the race track and know that you have a fast race car underneath you are a really good feeling.”

What is it like to come back to Toyota?

“It is like I went off to college and I’m back home. It is cool. Everyone over there is amazing. I had a really good time at Stewart-Haas Racing. I went off to learn about myself and be able to become a better race car driver, and I’m grateful that I did. I’m grateful for everything over the last four years, but I’m glad to be back with Toyota and 23XI.”

What was the biggest thing you learned?

“The biggest thing I learned was how to run these NASCAR races properly. I know that is kind of a wordy answer, but it is just about taking a step back. There has been immense people that have helped me. One is them is Kevin Harvick. He really set me down helped me understand the process of running a race, from the green flag to the checkered flag and I feel like that is the biggest thing over four years is just the ability to run the whole race and race flow.”

This was always the dream for you. Has the reality exceeded what you thought it would?

“Yeah, it absolutely has succeeded. Every single time I walk into Airspeed, I kind of have to take a step back and just realize where I am – the top level of motorsport in America, with what I think is the best team in NASCAR. Grateful doesn’t even to explain how I’m feeling, and I’m just looking forward to it.”

How does having previous success on superspeedways in your limited Cup starts help you going into Sunday?

“It is a different team, different manufacturer, but I’m confident. I know that I can do this. I believe in my talents. I believe in my capabilities, and now I’m at a team that believes in my capabilities as well, and we are looking forward to good things this year, and we know there will be a learning curve, but it is going to be fun. This weekend is going to be fun. This is my first year, rookie year Daytona 500, so this is good stuff.”

Has there been anything since joining 23XI that has surprised you?

“The only thing that has surprised me, I would say, is just the information. How many tools are at Airspeed’s fingertips for us drivers and crew chiefs and everything for us to use at our disposal. The manufacturer side with Toyota – their sim opportunities and what they do for us drivers as well to prepare for us is awesome.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s 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 31 electrified options.

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 12, 2025

 Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes

QUALIFYING ALL THE WAY THROUGH RACE DAY, IS THERE EXTRA PRESSURE GOING INTO THIS WEEKEND COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE SEASON KNOWING THE PAST SUCCESS THAT RICK HENDRICK AND HIS CARS HAVE HAD HERE?

“I feel like there is extra pressure for the 500 because it’s the Daytona 500. It’s not an internal thing, it’s not from Mr. H or Jeff Gordon or anybody. Obviously, they want to win the race as well, but it’s just the Daytona 500. The magnitude of this race creates pressure more than anything.”

“Its just a huge event and everybody knows what the Daytona 500 is and the amount of people here is insane. Gosh, I can remember there have been Sunday mornings here when we turn into zoo animals and kind of get carted around to our appearances and there have been so many people that we have been late to all our appearances because we can’t physically get to and from places quickly enough just from the amount of people. So, its just a crazy event and its our Super Bowl. We have been close, and maybe we can make it happen this year.”

WHAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN WINNING AND BEING OH SO CLOSE?

“A button push. I mean for me honestly it doesn’t change much, but I have continued to improve my racing stuff on the superspeedways. I feel like we have done a better job lately, our race cars have gotten better, so looking forward to another 500.”

HOW MUCH SLEEP DID YOU LOSE OVER A BUTTON PUSH?

“Not a lot. It’s kind one of those things where you can’t do anything about it situations and yeah, it was what it was. Like unfortunately we didn’t win, but at least a teammate won. 1-2 in the 500 is really cool for Hendrick Motorsports and hopefully this year we can be on the other side of it.”

DOES IT KEEP YOUR CONFIDENCE UP THAT EVERY YEAR YOU HAVE BEEN THERE AND YOUR CAR HAS HAD THE SPEED IN IT?

“Yeah, for sure. I don’t know what we do or don’t have for qualifying tonight, but we have definitely had a lot of good race cars for sure. So just trying to capitalize on that.”

GOING INTO THIS ONE, WHAT IS YOUR GOAL AS FAR AS IF WE CAN ACCOMPLISH THIS, WE CAN AVOID THE WRECKS AND BE IN POSITION?

“Capitalizing on the things you can control and maintaining track position has certainly changed with the fuel saving stuff. With the Next Gen car, you can’t really go from the back to the front like you used to be able to. Lot of things have changed in how the race plays out, but yeah, we will just have to wait and see how the race flows. I think it is important to get stage points obviously, because it’s highly likely you are going to crash in the final stage. So, if you have zero stage points and you crash, it’s pretty sad. So hopefully we can avoid that.”

DO YOU THINK IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO QUALIFY NEAR THE FRONT GIVEN YOU SAID ITS HARDER TO GO FROM THE BACK TO THE FRONT?

“I do. For whatever reason, like when the pace gets wicked up, the third lane dies and its too far around for the Cup cars now. So, for the bottom two lanes, they move around a little bit, but you don’t have that when it gets fast the three wide stuff. So that kind of eliminates opportunity for the most part. There is a lot of opportunity at other times like when you are out there saving fuel and stuff like that. Its just different than it used to be and having track position is certainly key.”

REGARDING GREG IVES WORKING WITH JUNIOR MOTORSPORTS AND SEEING THAT CAR COMPETE

“Yeah, its super cool. Obviously with Greg, he was a big part of my career and so was Dale (Earnhardt Jr.). Excited for Justin (Allgaier), and I know it’s not his first 500, but seeing him back in a Cup car at the Daytona 500 and Dale and Kelly having a Cup car, its pretty cool. Greg is going to bring a lot to that program, a lot of knowledge, experience and a lot of front rows at the Daytona 500. So, we know that thing will go fast.”

LOOKING BACK AT LAST YEAR WITH TRIPS TO VICTORY LANE AND THE UPSWING, HOW DO YOU LOOK AHEAD TO THIS YEAR?

“Yeah, we just need to keep that going. I feel like we are in a good spot, and I have a good group around me. Looking forward to the challenge this year and seeing where we stack up really. It’s how you get going and its really hard to say because this sport ebbs and flows so much. You never know who is going to have what when a season starts, but I am looking forward to seeing where we are at and going from there.”

HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO GET OFF TO A GOOD START IN THE FIRST THREE, FOUR, FIVE RACES?

“It’s definitely important. You know last year we were obviously good in the 500 and then we went to Atlanta, and I don’t think we made a whole lap and crashed on lap one. We will just have to wait and see how things go and obviously focus on the things we can control and kind of go from there.”

A COUPLE OF DRIVERS SAID YOU WERE ONE OF THE MOST UNDERRATED DRIVERS. HOW DO YOU REACT TO THAT?

“I certainly appreciate people saying that and I think for me, I have had a lot of success, but I have also had down years where things haven’t gone how I want them to, and the team wants them to. So, I think I have been on both sides of it for sure and we ended it at a good point last year obviously through a lot of B.S. Hopefully we are on the good side of that. I don’t want to call myself underrated, I just want to go out and win races and I would rather prove it than say it. But, yeah, just got to go do that.”

WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DO YOU THINK THE 48 TEAM MADE IN THE OFFSEASON TO MAKE A DEEPER RUN IN THE PLAYOFFS THIS YEAR?

“You know, honestly, I think we were streaky. To start the year we had streaks of really good runs and then we fell off early summer and then we won. But when the Playoffs hit, we were able to step up and find another level and execute at another level for the rest of the year. The last couple probably don’t look like it because we had a couple of issues. We were really as good as anybody in the Playoffs. We were in contention to win right after that penalty which would have put us into the final round if we would have made that happen. We are capable of running at that level and I think we showed that. We need to continue to step up and we need to continue to evolve. We need to continue to run like that all year instead of the last ten. I thought we were definitely in a good place.”

HOW LONG TILL YOU THINK TILL PEOPLE ASK ABOUT YOUR FUTURE?

“It has started two months ago. It never ended. When is it going to end? That is never going to end and that has been my entire career. Yeah, just got to go win some races.”

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.

Toyota GAZOO Racing – Bubba Wallace
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 12, 2025) – 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

BUBBA WALLACE, No. 23 McDonald’s Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

What’s the conversations been like with the team to continue improving like you have over the last few years?

“I’m looking forward to this year. Unloading with speed, it’s hard to gauge the speed you have in practice like today when it’s single car stuff. For us, with Charles (Denike, crew chief) coming on board calling the shots for us is a different change of pace, a change of attitude, a change of twang in his voice from Bootie (Barker, former crew chief) (laughter). So, it’s all seemed to work out well. The Clash went really well. We’re excited about that and still building off that. A lot of things that are still left to be unfolded for Charles and just to figure out his place in this series and where we’re at right now. There’s a lot of moving parts, but everything seems to be flowing well right now.”

What has your experience been like so far with your new crew chief, Charles Denike?

“He’s (Charles Denike) very direct and he’s structed with a military background. I was kind of informed on that. We had a briefing meeting for Daytona and our strategy stuff Monday and 10 minutes before (he called), ‘Hey man, just making sure you have the call in information and the links and all that setup and you’re ready to go.’ And, I’m like, ‘I’m ready. I’m good.’ So, it’s nice to have somebody to keep you in check. Keep you on your toes. I think just from that standpoint, I’m sure that trickles through even at the shop. I don’t see all the behind-the-scenes stuff there but just for how we interact there’s not any games being played and we’re straight to the point.”

How difficult is it to make a crew chief change?

“It’s definitely tough with it being such a big change. I was on the fence with making a change because I was so comfortable with Bootie. It’s hard to step away from something that you’re comfortable with and something that seems to be working fairly well. But I kind of just took a step back and put all the trust and faith in the team to make the necessary calls and the right call. So far so good. The season started today, and so there’s a lot left to unwind and get to work on, but I think Charles fits right in with the brand that we’ve created at 23XI — everybody at AirSpeed – and just the culture and environment that we have there. It’s a so far so good change, but we’ll just have to see. I love Bootie (Barker, former crew chief) to death. I text him I think Sunday going up to the track at Bowman Gray and I said ‘Hey man, I know it’s a change of pace, but I wouldn’t be where I’m at without all the help and all the guidance that you gave and I appreciate you.’ So, it’s cool.”

How important is consistency for you?

“Consistency is key. We seem to start out the year really hot in the Daytona 500. In Atlanta, we run okay and then we kind of decline in the summer stretch – we’re top 5, top 10, top 10. We need to keep the flame lit the entire season. It’s super hard to do. You’re going to have a high flame, you’re going to have a low flame but as long as it’s lit, you’ve got a chance. We’ve got to do a really good job of doing that. This sport is so hard. Being at the Cup level the wins don’t come often, and you have to be ready to pounce when they do. That’s what we’re looking forward to. Not going to leave the reservation on anything that we don’t have to, but just put a little more into it.”

What has Michael Jordan meant to you?

“He’s (Michael Jordan) very much invested into the sport and what we have going on at 23XI and he reassures that through all the people that work on our race cars each and every day. That we’re showing up competing for wins and competing for a championship and we’re just moving forward with that. MJ is competitive, he wants to win, and he knows what it takes to win and it’s all up to us.”

What have you noticed from Riley Herbst that gives you an idea of what he’s like to work with?

“His (Riley Herbst) year last year really kind of opened up a lot of our eyes and it was really cool to see him win in Vegas the way he did, and Indy was really cool and Phoenix. That was big. I think, man, confidence. Confidence is so hard to come by when you’re down in the trenches and I’m not sure if he’s ever down in the trenches because the couple weeks that I’ve been around him now, he’s a very upbeat and positive kid and it’s nice to have that. So, seeing where he’s at. Like, the Clash weekend didn’t go as planned for him, but I talked to him and he’s like, ‘Yeah, you know, it’s okay. I could’ve done this that and this better and things could’ve gone better, but we’ll be fine.” It’s a good mentality to have, but I think last year doing what he’s done brought him a lot of confidence but you have to learn how to manage that in the Cup Series because it’s not like you’re just walking into – you’re walking into a new avenue but it’s such a big step getting here. So, I don’t want him to get discouraged if things don’t go his way. It’s so hard, man. I remember making my first Cup start at Pocono and I thought I was the best at restarts and I got my ass kicked six ways to Sunday and I was like, ‘Okay, I need to go to work.’ And, here we are. It takes a lot of work to be competitive. I think he has that passion and that drive to do it. It’s just putting everything together and making it work.”

What do you feel like you still need to unlock as a driver to elevate your performance?

“It’s just winning and being more competitive. Being a name that is being talked about for the performance and the success. I feel like I have the mentality to do it, and I feel like I have the performance to do it. We just have to put those two things together and make it coincide and exist together and you never know where the results can take you. We’ve just been barely hanging on to the last Playoff spot or missing it by one or two spots and that’s not acceptable. That’s not acceptable for me and that’s the most important person that I’ve got to please is myself and now my kid. But, good this is he doesn’t really know what’s going on right now. But, yeah, just having fun with it. This is my eighth year in Cup and I feel like I belong here and done a lot. I just need to do a lot more.”

What does the Daytona 500 mean to you?

“After coming home second a couple times, seeing the stats for how we perform here at Daytona, it’s an incredible race. Something really cool to be a part of. When Baxter came over and crew chief ’ed for me in 2020, I said, ‘Hey man, take 15 minutes to yourself to be a fan of the spectacle that you’re a part of for the 500. And, I told Charles (Denike, crew chief), I said, ‘Take 10 to 15 minutes when you get a break in your schedule to just walk around and see how many people are here and just the environment that you’re in.’ It’s totally different than a Truck race. And, being here in Daytona, it’s a massive facility and they always do a great job putting on a great show here for the fans. It’s cool. We’ve come close too many times but I’ll take second. That pays better than some other spots.”

What would a win here mean to you?

“Winning early would be awesome. Just getting yourself locked in, you could have a massive weight lifted off your shoulders. Doing it here on the big stage at the 500, there’s no better day for it.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s 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 31 electrified options.

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

Toyota GAZOO Racing – Ty Gibbs
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 12, 2025) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Ty Gibbs was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

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

Does having more Toyota teammates in the field this year change your approach in the race?

“Yeah, I think so for the speedways for sure. I don’t think it changes a whole lot on the big tracks but it’s definitely nice to see more Toyota numbers at the race track. Excited to see what we can do this weekend with the whole group.”

What things are in your control during a race like this?

“I think there’s different things that are in my control, especially when it comes to pit road and everything there, executing on that point and same with my group. And then, making the right moves on the track. There’s probably more things controllable things than I’ve seemed to have said in the past.”

Have you had conversations with NASCAR about that incident?

“Yeah, that’s happened, and I respect Brad (Moran, managing director, NASCAR Cup Series) and all of those guys. Our conversations will stay private, but I’ve talked to him.”

Do you like the style of racing on the superspeedways?

“Yeah, it’s fun. It has its ups and downs. I think the biggest thing for me is, I’m not in control of everything while racing in the pack. It’s just the racing we have to do, and I try to maximize my day.”

What are your earliest memories of the Daytona 500?

“Yeah, this was their (Joe Gibbs Racing)’s first Cup win in 1993. So, it’s cool to see that and I’d love to win this race. I’ve been here for two Daytona 500 wins, so I’d love to add to that.”

What are your thoughts for Carl Edwards being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame?

“Yeah, I have a ton of respect for Carl (Edwards). I think we can all agree, everyone in the garage can agree, that Carl is a great guy. He’s been very cool and a big help to my family’s team. He’s just been really great to us. I respect Carl and Coach (Joe Gibbs, owner and founder, Joe Gibbs Racing) talks with me about people to look up to, the number one person is Carl. It’s always Carl. I made sure to let him know that and how much I appreciated of what he had to say, and I think he’s a great guy. Glad to have been around him and look up to someone like him.”

How do you manage pressure with carrying your family’s last name?

“Yeah, it’s definitely hard. I’ve been very blessed, God’s blessed me with this position I’m in. I love racing, enjoy it so much. I wouldn’t say I don’t acknowledge the pressure, I think it’s there. But for me, I enjoy racing so much I just want to be the best I can at what I do. Also, I put more pressure on myself compared to the other pressure and I’m very appreciative to do what I do, I love the country I live in and try to make the best of it all. Might make mistakes along the way, but feel I’ve had a good run at it so far.”

How does it feel to be back in a race car around Daytona?

“Yeah, it’s nice for sure. It’s fun to be back in a Cup car and get ready for this race.”

What was your offseason like? Did you do much racing?

“Yeah, I did two races. Hung out, did some traveling and hung out with my family. It was a fun offseason but definitely ready to get back going.”

How’s it been being back in the shop and prepping for the new season?

“Yeah, it’s been good. I’ve been working with my new crew chief, Tyler Allen and my new engineer. I’m very excited to get going and hopefully will have a great year.”

What’s your comfort level with Tyler Allen so far and what are the expectations for this season?

“He’s (Tyler Allen, crew chief, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE) been really good, and I like his personality a lot. It’s been fun working with him. Excited to get this year going and see what we can do. I think we’re just getting into it, but I’ve enjoyed working with him so far and I think he’s very hard worker. Grew up under Adam Stevens (crew chief, No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE), and so, I’m really excited about it.”

What do you think about Chris Gayle now working with Denny Hamlin?

“Yeah, I’ve always loved working with Chris Gayle (crew chief, No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE) and appreciated him so much. He’s been a tremendous success to my career along the way and I don’t think I’d be where I’m at right now without him. Especially in my Xfinity Series days. I wish him the best with Denny (Hamlin). Of course, Denny is very wise and has a lot of experience, so I think they’ll work well together.”

How much input do you have with the No. 54 Xfinity Series team?

“I haven’t done a ton yet, but I’m close with Taylor (Gray) and he can learn off me and what I’ve done. I’ve had enough experience to help him along the way, as well as the other young drivers. I’m excited for that team and hope they do well, as well as the No. 18, 19 and 20 teams.”

Where did you and Taylor start your friendship?

“Well, I grew up racing go karts at Millbridge Speedway with Taylor (Gray), and I think I met him when I was nine or 10 years old, so I’ve known the Gray family for many years. They’ve been like a second family to me. I’ve been close with all of the brothers, especially Taylor and Tanner. I always appreciate being around them and appreciate them watching over me as well. They’re great family friends and will always be close with them.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for nearly 70 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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 49 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In spring 2025, Toyota’s 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 31 electrified options.

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 12, 2025

 Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes

Q. Can you tell me the difference between you, A.J. and Jimmie Johnson, the three guys in this race that have raced both the Indy 500 and the Daytona 500? What are the differences between the two?

KYLE LARSON: The car. Yeah, I think the car. I don’t know. Both atmospheres are really good, for sure. I don’t know. They’re still, like, very different.

I don’t know. I don’t really know. Like, it’s hard to answer that because they’re both the peak of the sport. They just have their differences.

The infield at Indy has the snake pit, but the infield here has all the campers, and that’s really cool. Driver intros sort of similar. The crowd feels closer to you at Indy, at least the grandstand crowd.

The frontstretch at Indy is swarmed with people. But pit road is also similar to that here. But it’s more race fans.

I don’t know. I feel like maybe Indy just has like a little bit more of the kind of history feel to it than the 500, Daytona 500. Other than that, I mean, they’re both great. The atmospheres at both of them were great.

Q. You were the rookie at Indy last year. Helio is the rookie at the Daytona 500 this year. Doesn’t have a week of practice like you did. What are going to be the biggest challenges for him?

KYLE LARSON: I really don’t think he’s going to find it that challenging just because Daytona is Daytona. It’s not hard to make a lap at Daytona. When you’re in the draft, you’re kind of just stuck in the draft. You’re not making moves, getting your way to the front.

It turns into a lot of strategy, which I think he’s very used to in INDYCAR stuff, saving fuel, trying to manage that side of your race.

I think the challenging part potentially is just probably the weaker brakes. You don’t slow down as good as you would in INDYCAR for like a green-flag pit cycle. Maximizing time for the green-flag ins-and-outs, that’s where it’s going to be probably a challenge.

Too, at Indy, it’s so narrow, y’all just follow each other. Here it’s like you’re trying to pass people, braking and stuff. That’s probably where he’ll get a little bit maybe overwhelmed at times. But he’ll get the hang of it. It’s not a big deal. He’ll be fine.

Q. What does the Daytona 500 mean to you?

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, it’s cool. It’s a big, big race. Everybody in here wants to win the big one.

I think this is like the last of the big ones that I have left. I think that adds a little bit more to it. Yeah, I’m not sure. Just get your season started, too, so it’s a lot of fun.

Q. You’ve had one of the most successful winters that you’ve ever had. You’ve been one to race as much as you can. Do you feel it’s an advantage that helps you stay sharp coming into the start of the NASCAR season?

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, I’ve done it both ways. Last couple years I haven’t done much dirt racing in the off-season. Well, yeah, a couple years ago I didn’t do any really besides Turkey Night I think. Then I’ve had years where I raced a lot, even more than I ran this time.

I don’t know. I think it keeps me sharp, for sure. It’s not a big deal no matter one way or the other. I just like to race. I kind of like to stay in the rhythm of racing.

Obviously I wish the off-season was still longer so I could squeeze in some other racing, but also more time not at the racetrack.

Yeah, it’s fun. I feel like I’m just trying to continue to better my abilities.

Q. With Volusia, is there a fun factor for you here, too?

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I’ve never gone to Volusia and qualified well. We’ve qualified decent, but you can’t win from the seventh or eighth row. It was more fun to qualify good, giving ourselves an opportunity to win.

It was a fun week there, the best we’ve ever had at Volusia. Hopefully it can carry over to this week.

Q. Does not having won at Daytona mean the same thing to you it does for other drivers?

KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. I’m not really sure. I don’t know how it feels to them. I would imagine Tony Stewart or Kyle Busch is still racing, but I imagine Tony Stewart who doesn’t have it doesn’t loose sleep.

I think when you look at the style of racing, especially nowadays, how it’s difficult to win because you do have a lot of good fortune where there’s a lot out of your control. I think that helps you sleep at night if you don’t win.

So I don’t think it does anything to Tony’s legacy whether he’s won the Daytona 500 or not. He’s in every Hall of Fame that he’s deserving of being in. I don’t think it does anything to his career.

Obviously he would love to have it. That’s probably the same as me. Like, I’m not going to lose sleep if I don’t ever win this race, but I still want to win the race and have that ring and that trophy and be a part of the names that have won it.

But again, I think there’s a lot else, a lot more that goes into winning and a lot of luck. It’s not a big deal.

Q. Is it frustrating as a driver that there is so much that is out of your control?

KYLE LARSON: No, I mean, because it just kind of is what it is. It’s going to be on the schedule every year. We all show up with the same opportunity to win, so…

No, I mean, it’s not frustrating. I think obviously all of us drivers would want to be able to make our own moves, get to the front, there not be a wreck with 25 cars in it.

But it’s just also the style of racing. Like I said, it kind of is what it is. We all understand that when we come to places like Daytona or Talladega.

Q. (No microphone.)

KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. I mean, I think it’s easy to agree with that because I haven’t won. But then I think if you go talk to the guys who consistently run up front at these, they would probably have a different opinion.

I don’t know. I think there’s a lot of strategy that goes into these races now in the Next Gen era that I do enjoy, fuel savings, the green-flag pit stops, working together with your teammates and others, I enjoy that.

I do think, like I said, there’s a group of drivers that are always up front at the ends of these races, so… There is skill, for sure. Whether that’s the driver or it’s just the team or manufacturer as a whole, yeah, I don’t know.

Q. (No microphone.)

KYLE LARSON: I mean, I think it’s definitely a response to that, for sure, to protect them. But I don’t really think you’re ever going to see it come into play in that same exact scenario.

I think it’s definitely going to come into play more when drivers get suspended for making a mistake – not a mistake, but intentionally wrecking somebody or something like that. That’s where you’re going to see the rule come into place.

I’m sure they thought about that, as well. Maybe that’s what they wanted to have, to keep drivers from doing, like right hooking somebody.

But yeah, I don’t think you’re going to see that scenario kind of come into play as what happened last year.

Q. (No microphone.)

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I guess. I don’t know. It’s whatever. Try not to run into any of those issues.

Q. (Question about qualifying importance.)

KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. I mean, I don’t necessarily think that it’s that important. It’s always important to qualify good. I’m not saying it’s not important. I think it’s way more important at a short track to qualify good or an intermediate to qualify good.

When you come here, sure, you qualify bad, you sacrifice some stage one points, but you save enough fuel, then you cycle your way to the front to start the next stage or whenever the case may be. You just kind of chip your way at it. You can get big chunks if you’re saving fuel and executing your green-flag stops. Yeah, you’re probably in position. I’ve seen the Toyota guys do it. They never qualify good. They’re always in contention in the second stage.

Yeah, I don’t think it’s that important.

Q. Is it good to get back into the seat of a Cup car?

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, it is. It’s just good to be back into, like, the normal routine or what I feel like is the normal routine of the racing season, getting to your scheduled Monday meetings, Thursday meetings, I know I’m flying out on this day, stuff like that. Being around my teammates, that’s all the stuff that you miss in the off-season. Even though I’m racing, I still just miss the routine of all that.

Yeah, glad to be back going again with all that. Yeah, just look forward to hopefully another successful season.

Q. (Question about Atlanta.)

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, it’s definitely its own unique style. Different even than Daytona or Talladega. It’s just really, like, high intensity. It’s like a hybrid in a way of Daytona and Talladega, as well as maybe an intermediate style track.

Yeah, it’s intense, for sure. It’s unique. Your heart rate gets up.

Q. What makes it intense?

KYLE LARSON: I mean, you’re drafting, you’re on top of each other. You feel like you’re on edge. The lap happens really quick. There’s some bumps. It’s really edgy.

Yeah, I think that’s what makes it feel intense.

Q. This is the first time since ’96 there hasn’t been a major NASCAR event in southern California. How important is it to be in California? How do you get back?

KYLE LARSON: Yes, I do think it’s very important that we get out to that region. I think there’s some of the best race fans, very passionate race fans, in southern California and on the west coast in general.

As far as how you get back? I don’t know. Irwindale just shut down. We don’t go to the Coliseum anymore. They say Fontana is still going to convert. I don’t believe that. I don’t know.

I would love it. I don’t even know what tracks are out there. I would love for us to get back out to southern California.

Q. (No microphone.)

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I mean, I wish we could race in every state, but we can’t, so…

Yeah, I mean, times change. I don’t know. I don’t run the schedule. I don’t run the sport, so… It’s not like NASCAR has forgotten about southern California. I’m sure they’re trying to figure out ways to get back there.

Yeah, I think hopefully in the future we can get back to southern California.

Q. (Question about the Clash.)

KYLE LARSON: Where I set on that? Well, I love that it has moved around. I love that we’re not here racing the Clash. I love that we’ve built a track at the Coliseum. That was awesome, in a market that didn’t know what NASCAR might have been. I also loved going to Bowman Gray and getting back to the roots of our sport.

Yeah, I mean, I think you could say the L.A. sort of idea and move around to different markets and stuff, or I feel like it would be cool if you can revive some other grassroots style tracks that are close to the roots of NASCAR.

I think they’ve done a really great job with the Clash over the last four years or so.

Q. Denny Hamlin was talking about irrational confidence. I talked to him about Chris Gabehart not being his crew chief anymore. He said all drivers have irrational confidence, thinking that you can move and making it, if you didn’t have that, you wouldn’t be able to do that. Do you understand what he’s saying? We think of you guys as having a ton of confidence all the time.

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I don’t know.

Q. Have you always been the kind that little things like a change in a crew chief, losing something on track, does it not affect your confidence? I mean, you’re Kyle Larson.

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, your confidence is always affected whether good results, bad results, changes in teams or personnel. Just uncertainty on that kind of thing.

Chris Gabehart is a phenomenal leader. When you lose a guy like that… I view it as like if Cliff was tomorrow to leave his role, for sure I would be devastated and very worried about my future. But you kind of have to get back after it and also use it as motivation probably.

I think, yeah, Denny is going to have a great year still. JGR has awesome stuff. Yeah, maybe Gabehart in his new role will be able to touch on the team organization as a group and make it overall better than it already was.

Yeah, change is change. There’s always uncertainty until you get racing.

Q. Is it more than the decisions on the track with a talented crew chief? You learn to lean on him, you’re so used to him, it makes you confident because you don’t have to try to figure out things, and that’s the hard part?

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t know what Denny thinks. Like I said, I can only try to put myself in his shoes.

I feel like Gabehart and Cliff are very similar people, very similar leaders, very similar crew chiefs, especially like how Gabehart leads Denny or led Denny and how Cliff leads me.

Yeah, if I was to lose that, it would be super awkward at first. I’m sure it was just out of nowhere probably to him, as well.

Yeah, but he’s still got a great team. He was super fast at the Clash. He’s going to be just fine.

Q. What about your confidence on superspeedways? Seems like you’re in the mix more frequently.

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, no, I do feel pretty confident when we come to these races. I feel like we have a great feel for the race and kind of how it works out, the strategy. I do feel like we’re up front quite often at the end of them.

We’ve not made it through some of the wrecks or I’ve made a bad move and got shuffled back real late, stuff like that. Talladega we missed a wreck finally, finished third or fourth.

I feel like we have a good understanding of these races. Just got to keep doing what we’ve been doing and hopefully things will work out.

Q. What do you think makes Denny so great here?

KYLE LARSON: He’s just a very calculated racer. I feel like it takes less of that now with the style of racing. I think his ability doesn’t shine maybe quite as much as it used to.

Yeah, he’s just a super smart racer. He stays calm. I feel like it’s not hard for him to stay focused.

Q. Was Jeff Gordon kind of a pioneer, his dirt track background? Are you aware?

KYLE LARSON: Oh, yeah.

Q. What has been his impact?

KYLE LARSON: Well, as far as like yeah, he’s being a pioneer. He was the first real dirt racer I feel like, young too, to make it to NASCAR. Yeah, he definitely paved the way for guys like myself. Especially coming from northern California, my career path really modeled his. Moving from northern California to Indiana, doing USAC stuff, coming to Charlotte. He kind of showed you the way to do it. A lot of people still try to do it that way.

Yeah, very thankful for that even from a long time ago. Now that he’s my boss, it’s really cool.

Q. What kind of respect do you have for Helio Castroneves?

KYLE LARSON: Tons of respect for Helio. He’s won the Indy 500 four times. That’s pretty amazing to put yourself in contention to win four. He’s probably been close to winning a lot of others.

Yeah, he’s just a huge personality. He’s a really big name. So to have him here racing the Daytona 500 in a totally different car and series, it’s pretty awesome.

I hope he does well. I know he will do well. I don’t think it’s going to be too challenging for him. It’s not a big deal racing around here. The strategy is very similar to Indy 500. He’ll be just fine.

Q. Running so much in marquee dirt races as you do, what is the approach like for the Daytona 500 compared to these other races that you’ve won?

KYLE LARSON: I don’t know. I mean, those are all shorter races, so… That’s a lot different.

I don’t know. Your mindset is similar probably in all of them. I feel like as I’ve gained more experience in racing in a lot of races, winning other big races. Your nerves aren’t they very high anymore. You’re pretty focused throughout the whole time.

Yeah, I think age and experience helps more than anything.

Q. (Question about bonus points.)

KYLE LARSON: I don’t even know what you’re talking about.

Q. (No microphone.)

KYLE LARSON: I have no clue. We get extra points now for fastest lap?

Q. Yes.

KYLE LARSON: Sorry, I had no idea. I literally had no idea. I don’t care. Whatever.

Q. (No microphone.)

KYLE LARSON: How it’s going to affect it? I don’t know. I think it’s going to be — I’m not really sure. I’m not like a road racer, so I don’t know how it’s going to affect it.

I think you definitely lose one passing zone. I’m not sure if you gain any with this new section. I haven’t seen it, at least at ground level I haven’t seen it. Then you’re probably losing a heavy braking zone into whatever that is, 12.

But you get to go through turn one more often, stuff like that. So I think you do gain some. But I don’t know. I think it’s better for the crowd. They get to see us more. That’s important.

Q. Season opener at Las Vegas, are you looking forward to increasing the level of Cup drivers that might be interested in joining you?

KYLE LARSON: I haven’t heard of any Cup guys running. Regardless, I think ticket sales sound like they’re really good. I think there’s going to be a big field of cars, too, which I’m pumped about because I wasn’t sure how that would be. I think a lot of California teams, west coast teams are coming, even teams from the Midwest.

Should be really good. Hopefully the track prep is right and we can put on some good racing for dirt fans and hopefully some NASCAR fans coming over, as well.

Q. Christopher Bell…

KYLE LARSON: Yeah, he’ll be fast. If he is in the 69K, he will be really fast. He should win a lot of races in that thing. That car is really fast.

About General Motors

General Motors (NYSE:GM) is driving the future of transportation, leveraging advanced technology to build safer, smarter, and lower emission cars, trucks, and SUVs. GM’s Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brands offer a broad portfolio of innovative gasoline-powered vehicles and the industry’s widest range of EVs, as we move to an all-electric future. Learn more at GM.com.