Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 9, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to the media on Saturday after winning the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.

Martin Truex Jr. will close out his full-time Cup Series career on the pole in Sunday’s race. This is his second consecutive pole to close the season. It his third at Phoenix (2009, 2018) and 25th of his career.

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

How meaningful is this for you?

“It’s very cool. Honestly, you always want to be known as the guy that can go fast in any track, in any situation. Pressure is always pretty high for qualifying. You have to go out there and nail that perfect lap. You only get one shot at it these days. It is fun to go out there and beat everyone in anything. It feels good. It’s very cool, but the big prize is tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get that one.”

How have you allowed yourself to have the thoughts about a storybook win to close this out?

“Would you stop? (laughter) Just stop. I’m excited for tomorrow, that’s as far as I will get. I hope we can celebrate tomorrow after the race. That would make it all really, really cool. Not emotional at all. Excited, and looking forward to tomorrow.”

How long after the race in Martinsville did it take you and Joey Logano to mend a friendship?

“That is a tough question. This sport, you have people you have run-ins with. At some point in time, you just have to move on. Life goes on – things happen. It is racing. I’ve always had a ton of respect for Joey (Logano) off of the race track. He is a great guy. Does things the right way. Treats people right. All of the things that a good human being does. It took a little while on the race track obviously to get over that and understand and wrap your head around and forgive someone for running you over, but at the end of the day you have too. Life goes on. Joey has always been a class act off the track, and we’ve always had a decent relationship as far as that goes, just have had a few run-ins on the track, and you keep those in the back of your mind for certain situations, but it doesn’t make you dislike or hate someone. It’s just part of racing.”

Looking back on your early career, could have you ever thought you would end up here running as well as you did to end your 25-year pro career?

“Honestly, when I was doing that, I didn’t know what I was going to do after that. I just knew that I was going to race Saturday night and then I was going to drive an hour to Atlantic City after I parked my trailer and get on a clam boat. I wasn’t thinking about any of this. I’ll be honest, it never crossed my mind that I could race for a living until a few years into my Busch North experience where it started to kind of feel like there might be an opportunity for me to drive for someone someday. It was long, long after racing Wall Stadium.”

With this being your last full-time race, are you going to battle hard for the win?

“I don’t know. I hope I’m in that situation so we can find out. That’s all I’ll say. I hope it comes down to that. I don’t have any plans. I don’t have this thing in mind that if x, y, z happens, I’m going to do x, y, z. I will try to do the best I can tomorrow. Hopefully, we are in a good position to have a shot at winning. That would be great. Hypotheticals – I don’t really do very well with them. We are just going to go race and see what happens tomorrow.”

If you were to win tomorrow, would you call it a career?

“No. No, I still want to race some.”

Two poles in two weeks. Is there anything different about where the speed has come from?

“Not really, no I don’t think so. Just typically good tracks for us qualifying wise, I think last year we won the pole at Martinsville as well. We’ve always qualified well here. We were I think third in the spring and maybe we were really close. (William) Byron just edged us out in round two so I think it’s just a work in progress. We’re always looking at past races and trying to tweak on them and figure out how to get a little bit better. Nothing out of the ordinary. Just preparation based off of past success and continuing to build on that.”

How would you describe your relationship with Phoenix Raceway?

“Yeah, I definitely am comfortable. This is just a really difficult track to get your car doing just exactly what you want because both ends are so different. In ’21 we had a really good season here. We won the first race and obviously we were in the final four that year and came up a little short but had a winning car no question. It’s harder than ever I think to get the car dialed in here just because the ends are different. There’s no PJ1 sprayed anymore so there’s not really a whole lot you can do as far as like moving around the race track to find something that works for your car. Basically, it’s got to work on the bottom or around the apron somehow and it’s just hard to get both ends tied together.”

Where did being a ‘gentlemen driver’ and racing others fair come from?

“I would say it’s somewhat probably my personality to not want to make people upset or angry I guess, but also growing up working on my own cars. No question that I had to fix stuff I bent up, so I was building race cars when I was 18 straight out of school. I was fixing my cars, building body parts, building you name it and when I bent them up, I had to fix them and most of the time I’d pay for it too. I think it’s a little bit different mentality when you grow up racing that way.”

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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 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 30 electrified options.

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

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Championship Race Qualifying | Saturday, November 9, 2024

Ford Performance Qualifying Results:

2nd – Joey Logano
9th – Harrison Burton
11th – Austin Cindric
12th – Chase Briscoe
17th – Ryan Blaney
20th – Corey LaJoie
21st – Noah Gragson
24th – Chris Buescher
27th – Brad Keselowski
31st – Kaz Grala
32nd – Todd Gilliland
33rd – Ryan Preece
35th – Michael McDowell
38th – Chad Finchum
39th – Josh Berry

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse – ARE YOU HAPPY WITH BEING ON THE OUTSIDE FRONT ROW? “I wanted to beat the other guys, so yeah. It’s all about beating the other ones and we did that, so that’s a good start. I wish we were on the pole, but we were close enough to see it, so I think we’re in good shape. I don’t know where the other ones ended up, but I know we’re in front of them.”

HARRISON BURTON, No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Mustang Dark Horse – “It was a really good day. Obviously, you get in the top 10 and 12th in practice. The last two weeks have just been really good and Vegas before that was really good for us. Homestead, we kind of missed it as a company a little bit, except for Blaney, but I just can’t express enough what it means for my race team to bring me fast race cars even when I’m on my way out and it sucks because we know we can do it. We’ve done it the last two weeks, showing that we’re fast enough. Obviously, a mechanical failure last weekend took us out, but this is a good enough team to be a winning Cup team, so it’s bittersweet and really sad to be leaving but really proud of the effort and how we keep fighting. It’s really special.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS FOR TOMORROW? “Just have a good day. I think we’re gonna have a good race car after practice. We were a little bit tight and I think that bodes well for long runs in the race. I want to run as good as I can, hopefully up front, and try to win this thing.”

Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 9, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to the media on Saturday prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.

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

Has this weekend felt any different?

“Yes and no. I guess a little bit. I don’t really know the significance of it – I guess it hasn’t really sunk in yet, but I’m excited for the weekend. I had a good practice yesterday and I think as far as preparation it’s been the same as usual, so we’ll see how it goes. I’m not sure it’s really sunk in yet and I’m not sure really the emotions. I’m not super emotional I guess, so we’ll see what happens after the race. I’m looking forward to having a fun weekend and hopefully a great day tomorrow.”

Did you have any input on this weekend’s scheme?

“It was a surprise to me. I had no idea. I’m very grateful for it though. It was one of my favorites for sure throughout my career that I’ve had. It doesn’t quite look exactly the same as vinyl, it used to be paint back in the day. When that car was painted it was metallic so a little bit different but it looks amazing. A big thanks to everyone at JGR and Bass Pro for putting it together. It’s really special.”

What do you have planned tomorrow and looking back at your career what are you most proud of?

“People that are coming are my family and I’m not sure aside from them. Just my close family. I’m not sure if there’s any surprises or anything crazy happening. I would guess not. Nice and relaxed and normal. My career, I think, I’m most proud of is not a high probability I guess of doing the things I was able to do. Being able to be around in the Cup Series and in this garage as long as I have. The way it started and the way it ended are two completely different stories I think. Just the perseverance I think. The hard work and how none of it came easy. My success in the Cup Series was certainly very, very difficult to achieve and so I’m very proud of that. But, I’m also very thankful for the opportunities and the people I’ve gotten to work with. Just feel really grateful and lucky to be able to do what I did and have the success that we did.”

Do you take pride in being such a clean driver?

“Yeah, for sure. I don’t know that it was – that I put a great effort into it. I think it just came naturally and that’s just kind of the way I did things. I’m certainly proud of that. I think times have changed a lot since I learned to race with Mark Martin, Tony Stewart and the guys when I came into the Cup Series with. They didn’t put up with things, so you had to learn quickly. That’s just kind of my style and the way I like to do it.”

How emotional do you think you will be leading into the race tomorrow?

“I don’t think I will be. I think I’m focused on what we’re doing, and I think if anything it will all come afterwards. As a driver, you’re trained to put the blinders on, right? And not worry about outside distractions and emotions and all the things that could potentially derail what you’re trying to do on the weekend or on the race day. I think if anything, it probably not really set in until after.”

Can you finally say what you wrote in the champions journal now?

“I don’t think you’re supposed to discuss these things. It’s for insiders only. There’s some cool stuff in there. I will say that. It was one of the neatest things I’ve ever seen in my life to be able to read that and see what past champions have written to each other. I wish it went back in time further. That would’ve been really cool. There was some good stuff there and no I won’t share.”

Can you imagine what a win tomorrow would mean?

“It would be a storybook that’s for sure. It’s not going to be easy. I think we had pretty good speed yesterday but certainly not what we need to win yet so hopefully they can find some magic in the adjustments and the things we’re allowed to do to these cars these days so we’ll see.”

What has Phoenix Raceway meant to you throughout your career?

“Just I enjoy these types of tracks. It’s kind of like a little bit of Richmond and a little bit of Loudon mixed together. I think it’s been a good track for me over the years and being able to win here is definitely big. You want to be able to win at all different types of tracks and honestly you want to be able to win everywhere so it’s definitely cool to get this one checked off.”

Do you think you would do some grassroots racing and what race or track would you like to do still in the future?

“I’ve talked about it in the past few years, and I’d go back to my home track first which is Wall Stadium. They have a big Thanksgiving race every year, the Turkey Derby, and I won it when I was 19. It’s a big race up in that area so I’d like to do it again. Maybe not this year. I’ve talked about it but I’m kind of raced out for the year so I’ll take Thanksgiving with the family this year and then next year I’ll probably be bored so I might do it then.”

Any chance we will see you in Xfinity or a Truck next season?

“Yeah, for sure. I’ve got to talk to Coach (Joe Gibbs, owner and founder, Joe Gibbs Racing) about the Xfinity car (laughter). We will see what the options are there. I would like to run a few of those next year for sure. I haven’t really looked into Trucks at all – not sure about that – but I’m open to doing some things, so hopefully can have some fun next year and that will include some racing, so we will see how that all plays out.”

How is your emotion and have you felt from the reception from the fans this weekend?

“I haven’t really gotten too emotional about it yet. I was telling them earlier; I think it will be more so after the race – you know? We are all so focused on what we are doing and trying to do a good job and have a good weekend, so you really can’t let all of the outside stuff come in and the emotions of it all. I’m trying to block that out. We will see after the race, but as far as the fans and the people in the sport, a lot of people have reached out that mean a lot to me and that’s been cool. Very, very proud of that and the fans have been great – it has been fun.”

Have you talked to Barney Visser at all yet?

“I have not talked to Barney (Visser, former team owner, Furniture Row Racing) yet. I’m sure I’ll hear from him, in his kind of way (laughter).”

What memories do you have from your first Cup race?

“It didn’t go very well. I remember that. I think we blew a right front tire and hit the wall, but just the memories of how it all came. Back in those days, I was really so new to the NASCAR scene, and I couldn’t believe how quickly – I was just getting my feet kind of settled in the Busch Series and things were going well there, and I was winning some races and I was feeling like I kind of belonged in that arena and we were like hey, let’s do a Cup race. It all happened really fast, is what I remember the most, and it was a crazy year and a half in my life, just moving to North Carolina and doing the things that I was doing to being in a Cup car. It all happened really fast.”

Do you think because you know that you will still compete in races next year that has helped your level of emotion?

“Yeah, I would say that is probably something to be said for that. I’m really excited about the future and next year, and just going to have fun again, so yeah, that is part of that. I don’t know. I don’t know what tomorrow will feel like. It will be different for sure knowing that you are not full-time in the Cup Series and all that comes with that, but I’m excited about it, so maybe I’m more happy than anything.”

Has Dale Jr. poached you to try to do any CARS tour stuff yet?

“Not yet.”

Do you think it is coming?

“I’m not sure. It would be fun to race with him again, so if he can’t do any Xfinity races, I might have to jump over there and do that.”

Do you have any idea of what your consumption of racing content will be like going forward?

“I’m not sure, honestly. I’ve got a pretty bad habit of watching everything all of the time, so I don’t know if that will change much. I think I will try to keep up with what is going on, and hopefully have some kind of interaction with the guys at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) again – the guys that I’ve worked with. We will see. Again, I don’t have any solid plans, I’m just going to go with the flow, and do what feels right and do what I feel like doing, it is going to be interesting, that’s for sure.”

Do you have a goal of what a successful final full-time race would be?

“I want to win, honestly. We come here every single weekend trying to win, I know that this year has not gone the way that we thought that it would, that’s for sure, but the guys are still working really hard, trying everything they can, and I’m doing the same. This is another weekend that we are business as usual and trying to be the best that we can.”

Has the second half of the season felt any different to you?

“No, it has felt pretty normal, really. I mean, you realize the opportunities are slipping away to go back to victory lane and get that last win, so we only have one more shot – that has been the only thing that has been on mind. It has been disappointing at times – at times, we’ve probably wanted it too much and tried too hard and beat ourselves. That is something that happens in this sport, quite often, but I don’t know just been trying really hard and want it really bad, so hopefully tomorrow we can come up with some magic.”

What would be your parting words to the current and up-and-coming drivers?

“That could take hours, I don’t know (laughter). It is honestly – this sport has changed so much, everything about it. From the cars, and the way you go about racing, and try to find speed, and practicing and testing. Everything has just changed so much; cars are so different. A lot of young drivers now – it is just not the same. It is different. It is still very exciting. There is still a lot of people interested, obviously, but it is definitely a lot different. I don’t know if there is any advice other than don’t lose connection to your roots, and try to keep the racing real, and figure out a way that the best drivers and teams win races.”

Who was your favorite owner from your career, and if you answer that, I’ll kill you because I think I was going to be fifth (laughter)? (question asked by Joe Gibbs, owner and founder, Joe Gibbs Racing)

“I don’t think so.”

JOE GIBBS: “I just want to say to everybody that this guy – many times in our meetings and days after – tough things happen, and that guy’s personality and the way he handles things was the real champion. We all just really appreciate him and looking forward into whatever we can talk him into doing next year. Really a class act, and I hope everyone here – I know everyone here – has looked at him the same way, so thank you, Martin (Truex, Jr.).”

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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 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 30 electrified options.

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

Toyota Racing – Denny Hamlin
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 9, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was made available to the media on Saturday prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.

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

Christopher Bell was clear he feels cheated and that there was race manipulation going on, did you see that and think that your teammate was cheated out of a spot in the Championship 4?

“I do. I agree with him (Christopher Bell). I think that – but it’s hard to put truthfully a whole lot of fault on those that did it because they’re kind of doing what they’re told and what they’re typically even not told. They just know kind of the protocol in which it goes by so it’s really tough obviously. Certainly, the 24 (William Byron) was in a bad spot and obviously going to lose many spots until they let up. It is what is it and there were penalties. Whether that deters stuff going forward, that’s still TBD.”

Do you still believe that the 23 had a tire going down at Martinsville?

“Yeah, I feel that – we looked at the right rear tire and there was no pinholes left. There was no pinholes at all so the tire had gone completely bald. Very similar to what Carson Hocevar’s did earlier in the race. He had the same thing happen to him late in a run. But it’s water under the bridge and certainly we’re moving on.”

What is the next step for 23XI after losing the ruling yesterday?

“The first part is, we’re obviously pleased with the ruling that the judge sees merits in the case. He’s going to move forward to expedite it and expedite the discovery side of it, which is a reverse from what he had before. Obviously, judging on it without prejudice and obviously giving us an opportunity to refile once the situation changes because he knows that things will change over the next few months. Obviously, he understands the complexity of it and obviously understands that this situation is fluid, and we obviously could see some pretty bad harm coming up.”

Do you have any indication of what will happen with the charter?

“No, I don’t have any indication of it – I don’t.”

What will you be watching or saying to Tyler Reddick as a team owner as he competes for a championship tomorrow?

“Just for him, I think it’s just taking a breath, going day by day, right? Not getting too wound up over one practice session or one qualifying session. The Championship is a long way from being crowned, right? We’ve got lots of laps around this place and I certainly think that he’ll have a great shot when it’s all said and done. But, just enjoying it. Truthfully, I think that my first time having a shot in the last race I didn’t enjoy the moment quite as much as I should have because I was nervous and certainly, it’s hard not to get nervous. But I certainly think that he was probably wound a little bit tight yesterday, and I think today is a new day.”

As a competitor or team owner, what would you like to see the Playoff format become if they make changes?

“Just a bigger sample size. That’s the biggest thing. However, you come about it, I think that there’s tons of discussion on ways that could improve it. I agree the Playoffs will never go away which is quite alright, but certainly the small sample size is really tough because obviously you’ve seen the data and could argue the first four out, the first four in. The sample size was so small there that it certainly jumbled up the results a little bit. Look at this weekend, right? The 7 (Justin Allgaier), an innocent bystander has got to go to a backup car which is probably not going to be as good as his primary. Racing has so many variables to it, you have to create a larger sample size to get the true answer. So, I just believe we don’t live in a one-on-one sport, we don’t get a seven-game series or anything like that – we live in a world where in our sport only when our competition makes a mistake, it can cost us. Usually, in any other sport, competition makes a mistake you capitalize, and you score, or it benefits you. Our sport is not like that so you must create a bigger sample size to get the right answer, and I just think that right now we’ve just narrowed it down to try to get these exciting moments week in and week out and I just think there’s a long-term negative effect to that.”

Have you given any more consideration to what can be done to lessen the manufacturer’s involvement on race day?

“I haven’t put any more thought into it, but we all have to realize that the manufacturers are probably these team’s biggest sponsors. And so, they’re going to do what their sponsors want them to do because we are a sponsor driven sport. So, I just don’t know how you’re going to avoid it. We can try to come up with finding ways to not say it over the radio, but there will be so many code words you’ll never understand it and it will be too hard to prove. I hate to say it – we’re never going to stop looking out for our sponsors.”

Can you speak on the driver and person Martin Truex Jr. has been to you over the years?

“I’ve got a lot of great memories with Martin (Truex Jr.), but just really overall I’d just say he’s just an awesome person and one of the best teammates that you’ll ever have. I aspire to have a career like him where in my final race I have a chance to win, and he does. He just – I like that he’s kind of going out on his way in his time under his terms. I really kind of admire his independence as a person and certainly really admire his professionalism as a teammate.”

What are the ups and downs of going through the lawsuit compared to the ups and downs as a race car driver?

“Yeah, I mean, truthfully, I hadn’t been in a courtroom since maybe I was 11. I got sued. I was riding my bike as a kid and a car hit me and they ended up suing me. I know, they lost (laughter). Her brother owned a law firm, so – but anyway. It’s been a while. My adrenaline was pumping because obviously you hear the arguments and what not and of course we feel very adamant on our side of things. Certainly, when you wake up on Friday morning and you know something is coming, you’re nervous because obviously I’ve poured a lot into this sport in multiple ways and certainly financially over the last four years. I’ve put back a lot of the money I got out of it back into it and certainly all could wiped away pretty quickly. Certainly, it’s a nervous time for me and we just hope that this thing gets resolved in a peaceful manner or in a correct manner to fix it. I’m just – it’s got its ups and downs for sure, but it’s difficult because you can’t control it right? I can’t rely on my instincts or things like that to change the outcome or the results. It’s just the facts are the facts. I’ve just never been a part of anything like this, but certainly hate that we’re in the situation that we’re in after everything that we’ve put into the support over the last four years.”

Do you remain confident that you’ll have cars at the Clash and Daytona 500?

“I think it’s all TBD. There’s certain things that we’re going to have to navigate so I hope so.”

What were you sued for when you were a kid?

“Like, mental stress or distress.”

What do you need to do between now and when we roll out at Daytona to be a contender again?

“Between now and Daytona, I’m really not sure there. Certainly, I thought that as an organization we had lost a little bit of the speed in the summer. It’s just people talk a lot about kind of peaking too early and things like that but I don’t believe that. I think that when you hit it, you hit it. It just seemed like the field got a little faster throughout the summer and we were obviously firing off really, really well. In the Round of 8, I finished third, fifth and eighth. I lowered my average finish from the regular season to the Playoffs – I lowered it by two or three spots. So, every year in the Playoffs, except for maybe very, very few, I’ve been better in the Playoffs than I do in the regular season, but we heard Christopher (Bell) say it, when you have three bottom guys win, I didn’t have enough bonus points to be part of the picture for that last points spot. I don’t know, you’ve just got to have circumstances fall in a better fashion for me. Is there anyone that thinks Justin Allgaier’s not a deserving Xfinity Champion, but it just hasn’t happened, right? For various reasons. It’s just – this sport is weird.”

How big of a dynamic is it for NASCAR if 23XI wins the championship tomorrow but can’t race in 2025?

“Furniture Row did it. They ceased to exist after a championship. I think that depending who you ask, I think on one side they could care less whether you’re here or not and for us, we certainly have got a lot of people that have put their heart and souls into this team and want to see it succeed. And certainly, we’ve got an obligation to our team to try to do everything we can to have a fair system. So, we’re just one of the ones that got stuck on the front line and so it’s part of it. Trust me, there’s nothing more we want than to win this weekend. Certainly, there’s a lot of emphasis on trying to win this race and Tyler’s (Reddick) is going to give it his best go. This is a really, really new team and certainly it was an accomplishment to get to this point.”

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 nearly 64,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 47 million cars and trucks at our 14 manufacturing plants. In 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 30 electrified options.

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

Toyota Racing – Christopher Bell
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

AVONDALE, Ariz. (November 9, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell was made available to the media on Saturday prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway.

CHRISTOPHER BELL, No. 20 Interstate Batteries/DEWALT Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Do you still feel the same way about your move on the last lap?

“Yeah, I think that. I hate calling the last lap a move, because it was not a move. My intentions were never to ride the wall. I didn’t gain an advantage riding the wall, so it was not a move. I don’t believe that I broke the rule.”

How do you process the last week for yourself?

“I feel cheated. I feel cheated out of a chance to compete for a championship. It all stems from what happened earlier – 15, 20 to go, whenever the race got fixed, and manipulated by Chevrolet, that forced our hands to do what we did and ultimately, it forced me into a mistake on the last lap to get into the wall. I feel like I should have never been in that situation had the race been ran fairly, the 24 (William Bryon) would have lost enough spots to get me into the final race.”

Do you feel like you should be in the Championship 4? Do you feel like Bryon should be penalized?

“I feel like I should be in the Championship 4 – yes. So, in the race, when the manipulation happened – it was clear that I needed a position. With the 23 (Bubba Wallace) falling back, we got that position and whenever we crossed the finish line, the 20 car was in. So, with the cards that were dealt, the 20 car was in position to make the championship event, and we are not in it.”

If you win on Sunday, will it be the most conflicting win you’ve ever felt?

“Yeah, it is definitely going to be tough. No matter how it goes. You want to do well, and we are going to put our best foot forward to do well, but if we do well, and have a successful weekend, then it is going to be even more of bummer and a disappointment, so yeah, it is a very perplexing feeling going into this weekend, and one that I hope I never have again.”

What is the motivation this weekend then?

“The motivation is simple. There is still a lot on the line, there is a lot of money on the line, and we have partners that have paid to be on the 20 car for this race. The list just goes on and on, right? We have – whatever it is – 600 employees at Joe Gibbs Racing that put effort into this race car, and so, it is unfair if I, and my team, don’t put our best foot forward to try and do the best that we can. There is a lot on the line and there should be more on the line.”

At what point were you made of the points situation?

“I was not aware of the points situation until the closing laps. I was informed with probably 20-25 to go that the 24 (William Bryon) was bleeding positions and it appeared at that point that we were going to be fine and be good on points. As the run continued, I actually got visuals on the 24 car, and saw him backing the field up, and it was probably 10 to go when I realized what was going on, and that the 24 was indeed done bleeding positions, so I thought at that point that my race was over – I didn’t know that the 23 (Bubba Wallace) car was a spot for me until the last lap. I knew that I had to pass him, and I got by him into turn three and unfortunately, I slid into wall.”

Could you see the manipulation going on?

“I could very clearly see the race manipulation and the race fixing that was going on.”

With you feeling cheated, how long is this feeling going to stick with you?

“Yeah, it is tough. This has been one of the hardest things that I have had to go through as a race car driver. I believe cheated is the right word. We go through sessions at the beginning of the year to make sure that we don’t do this, and that unfortunately, is what happened, and I was on the losing side of it.”

Is it fair to say that you have a chip on your shoulder and how long is it going to last?

“I mean, yeah, I’m bummed and disappointed, so yeah, I guess, I have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder. It is just for this weekend. That is one thing that I’m grateful of – it’s not the Round of 8. It’s not the Round of 12, so I don’t have to go weeks after this. As soon as Sunday is over, I can close the book, and we can focus on 2025 and trying to be in a better position going into that championship race or the cutoff race at Martinsville. I’m incredibly bummed that it came down to that.”

Is there anything that you can say to NASCAR or anything you want to hear?

“It’s definitely – I don’t know how to answer that question. We all know how and if we are putting 100 percent effort into a race, and I don’t know what the answer is, but something has to change to get us out of this box that we are in of manufacturer help and manipulating races to help guys get certain positions. It is not right racing, and it is not fair.”

Will what happened affect how you race in Daytona and Talladega?

“I don’t envy the situation that we are in because talking about team racing, that has been a staple of speedway racing for a long time, and I don’t know what the answer is, especially when it comes to the superspeedway races, but I don’t know have the answer to that, but it definitely happens a lot in those races as well. We saw the same thing at Talladega as well with the 5 (Kyle Larson) lifting coming into the tri-oval, so there is a lot of it that goes behind the scenes.”

Do you think the drivers should have been suspended?

“I don’t think it is my place to speak on what should or shouldn’t happen with the penalties, but the penalties didn’t make right by me, who lost out on the actions that happened on the track.”

Do you think there should have been an opportunity for you to appeal the ruling?

“I think that the rule language needs to be a little bit more clearly defined, and less gray area. I think it needs to be more clearly defined and less gray area.”

What do those sessions include?

“It is just about keeping the sport’s integrity intact, and not manipulating races to change the outcome of the race.”

Is that a NASCAR thing or a Toyota thing?

“No, that is a NASCAR thing. It is not an OEM thing. It is a NASCAR thing.”

Format wise, do you think there is anything that could be done there to help the situation that happened last weekend?

“I think there are a lot of changes that can happen format wise to help the way the races play out. I think all of them need to be looked at and changes need to be made.”

Any specific solutions do you want to offer?

“I think there needs to be a lot of thought into what happens, but certainly, I feel like the wins are – I don’t know – the fact that we had three bottom tier winners in the round of 8 that led to the Championship 4 that we have today. I don’t know what the answer is, but I think a lot of thought needs to be put into it, but I do feel like changes need to be made.”

How will you reflect on the 2024 season?

“Finally, a positive question (laughter). This 2024 season has been the best in my career across all forms of the statistics – more top-10’s, more top-fives, more laps led. That is something that we tried to put emphasis on going into 2024, coming off our 2022, 2023, being in the championship race, but feeling like we didn’t perform at our highest. Even leaving 2024, I feel like it is more the same, that I feel like we left a lot on the table. I’m happy and pleased that I’ve set career highs for myself, and I’m hopeful and optimistic that I can keep breaking those barriers – winning more races, leading more laps, winning more stages, more top-10s, more top-fives.”

How do you handle this weekend?

“At least from standpoint – I’m not going to speak on the team – but for me, it is really easy. It doesn’t matter what my mental state, whenever I put the helmet on and get in the car, I have been able to turn off everything that is going on around me, and focus on the task at hand, and frankly, I look forward to that. Practice was fun. Practice was fun. I got to get into my zone and drive a race car. Qualifying will be fun, and then the race will be fun. It is all of the stuff outside of the car where you are not in race car driver mode that is not fun, and heartbreaking and disappointment. I look forward to putting my helmet on and getting out of the world and getting in my race car.”

If there was extended penalties that could have come as part of race manipulation, would they not have also extend to you and your team?

“Yeah, absolutely, but we shouldn’t have ever been in that spot in the first place, and that is what I go back to. If the race had been run fairly, there would not have been any manipulation on either side. Our hands were forced by hands of our other competitors, and yeah.”

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