NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 11, 2026

William Byron, No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

How much have you thought about what Sunday could be if you were to win again?

“Yeah, I mean, I’ve been asked about that quite a bit today. I mean, not much, to be honest. I think some here and there.

Obviously that’s the goal. I think, yeah, I get reminders of the previous races, whether I see just the videos or whatnot. Yeah, it’s great career-defining moments that we’ve had. It’s awesome. It’s special. But I don’t really think ahead too much. I just think about kind of what it’s going to take in these next couple days leading up to it.”

Why do you feel like you’re so good at this type of racetrack?

“Yeah, I don’t know. My goal is to be good at all the styles of racing. I don’t put an emphasis more on this than others. If anything, kind of less in some ways because I feel like, you know, some of it is out of your control. But I do feel like I have a good instinct for making good decisions on the track. I have a great spotter in Branden that guides me well and a really good team with a well-prepared car that handles well and does all the things I want it to do. I think it’s just a combination of all those things and kind of just having a good overall feel for it.”

Is it more excitement? What do you feel third year in a row?

“I feel really excited. I’m ready to get racing again. I feel like I had a great off-season, but I found myself in the off-season… just feeling like I actually wanted to get back in the car. I wanted to experience those emotions again. I kind of missed that.

There’s a lot of aspects I didn’t miss, but the aspect of racing and being in the car with my guys and everything, that I really missed as the off-season went on.

Yeah, I think that’s just kind of what I’m looking forward to. I guess I’m looking forward to Thursday night; just getting in the Duel and dicing it up. I had a lot of fun at the Clash. Yeah, I’m just excited about that.”

Every race win is different. How did last year’s victory compare to the year prior?

“Well, I mean, it was very unpredictable. I didn’t really feel like I had a shot to win or even be in the mix until we took the white flag. Then off of turn two, I felt like, man, there’s a possibility that something develops where I can maybe push Cole to the win, push him out, then have a run at the line or something like that. I knew we were in the right lane down the backstretch.

When it all unfolded with the wreck, I was just hoping that I would have a lane to get past that. Just worked out that I felt like I was in the right lane coming off of two and middle of the backstretch. Then, it was just about obviously missing the big crash there and having enough momentum to make a move if I needed to.”

What’s the best part of this week for you?

“That’s a good question. The best part to me is probably the Duel tomorrow night. When you get in that race, you get the juices flowing again; you feel those feelings again. That is almost more intense than the 500 in some ways.

I feel like those first couple laps of the Duel, you’re getting your bearings and there’s a lot happening quickly.

Yeah, I look forward to that more than anything. I look forward to Saturday afternoon, kind of getting a chance to take a breath and think about Sunday. So I’d say those two moments.

But yeah, for me, the Duel is really fun, and I enjoy that.”

The final green flag stop in stage three where you know from there, it’s no more sitting back and waiting, how do you set yourself up mentally for that?

“I think the moment can’t be too big. Obviously, the most important part of the race is kind of that sequence. But you can’t feel too rushed or can’t feel too intense, personally. I think, yeah, I mean, you just hope that all your details are right there. You hope that your execution of the pit stop, execution of the fuel saving, whatever that may be, all of that is good. You hope that you’ve done enough work with your team to have that confidence and that calmness in those moments.”

Do you have a certain place you like to be in the race?

“ Yeah, I think the middle groove could be a good place to be. Just have to see how the draft kind of works this week and understand it better.

But yeah, I think being in that top-four is probably where I would like to be. I would like to be a pusher or being pushed. I think having control of the race is great, if it’s a restart. I think sometimes having control too soon can be kind of a death wish, as well, because guys are just going to have opportunities to make passes on you.

I don’t know if that answers it, but kind of in that mix, I guess.”

If you’re a pusher, you’re also controlling, aren’t you?

“Yeah, you are. I think in some ways with this package, you have more control as the guy pushing. You feel calmer so you can make a little better decision, maybe. Sometimes that move never materializes, where you have a chance to make a decision. It definitely varies.”

Does it surprise you that nobody has won three Daytona 500’s?

“It does surprise me in that I feel like there’s been some drafting packages that were honestly easier to win three in a row than this one currently. I’m a little surprised that there wasn’t a run by somebody like a Dale Jr. or something. He and his team had a pretty good hold on what it took to be competitive and he made great decisions. It just shows how hard this race is and how much pressure there is.

It’s not like going to Martinsville and just having it figured out; having a rhythm, leading a bunch of laps and winning. It’s definitely a very circumstantial… split-second race. I think that’s probably what makes it entertaining, too.”

Do you anticipate racing this week will be different, more people going with you when you go because you’re a 500 winner, or maybe the opposite happening where he’s won enough?

“I think it will be the opposite, for sure. I won’t have a lot of friends. I could see it being that way.

Yeah, I think it does depend on how you draft. If you know what you’re doing and you make good decisions, then guys typically work with you.

I do think coming down to the end, it could be tough for me to have those allies and those friends to make a move. Just got to be smart about it and probably not overthink it too much. Just react to what I feel and what I see.”

Why do you think you’ve been so good here? What makes a great racer at this racetrack?

“I mean, I don’t know. It just feels like I’ve been, at this track in particular, able to have some things go my way and also make good decisions in those moments that I had opportunities. It’s a mix of that… like being in the right place, and then having those chances to make good decisions.

I feel like for a while, it was a joke. I couldn’t finish a race here. My first six years, I couldn’t finish the race, but I was always in the mix. I don’t know. I think it’s kind of finally tipped the other way.

Yeah, I wish I could have, honestly, some of that success at Talladega. I think that’s been a place that I haven’t really had as much success. It just feels like this place, it requires a little bit different formula than it does there.”

When it comes to drafting, how does the new Chevy body factor into that?

“Yeah, selfishly, I think if I could be in the second Duel, it would be great to get a visual for what that looks like; how they’re doing it in the first Duel, then execute that or try it myself in the second.

Yeah, I think it’s an unknown, for sure. It looks a lot better on paper. It looks like it’s going to be an advantage, possibly, or something we haven’t had in the past. Hopefully that’s the case.”

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 11, 2026

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

First feel in the car, did anything stand out or was it just making sure everything is connected and ready to go?

“Yeah, I think we were a little more aggressively in qualifying trim than I was probably prepared for. But, yeah, excited to see where we stack up tonight.”

Some people had conversations last year that this race didn’t have the prestige that it once did. Curious where you stand on that. Does it still feel prestigious to you and if not, what needs to happen to get it back to how this race was once viewed?

“Yeah, I think for me the prestige is still there. It’s still the Daytona 500 and the pageantry is still there. Driving the race car part when you are rolling around all day and saving fuel, that is the bummer to me, and I wish we could fix that. I am not smart enough to fix it and I wish, and I think we all wish, the speedway racing was a little different than it is. But, you are still at the Daytona 500 and that is not going to change just because the style of racing is different. To me at least. So, yeah, doesn’t mean it any less to me for sure. I am still trying to win one and hopefully we can get it done.”

NASCAR says you are no longer allowed to put your hand outside the window net. Does that matter or do you think that it ever mattered when you did do it?

“Yeah, I mean, its kind of been different year to year. Sometimes you have a car that drives very easily, and you can do it easily and other times you have got your hands full and you can’t do it. You always have an engineer telling you that you need to do it, exactly what position to put your hand in and all that. But I am glad that I can just keep two hands on the steering wheel for this one.”

It seems like it would be more nerve-wracking doing it at Atlanta than at maybe Daytona and Talladega?

“Yeah, for sure. Atlanta typically is a little sketchier to qualify at. The difference is that Daytona 500 qualifying is like you are much more in qualifying trim than you are at Atlanta or Talladega or even the second Daytona race. For the guys going for the pole, this is sometimes the more sketchier one. Here or Atlanta.”

This year how much nicer is it going to be to have a points system that rewards consistency and your team’s consistency as opposed to the last time you were here and trying to hang onto a playoff spot?

“Yeah, I think this system suits us better than the previous system. So, I am thankful for that, but for me it’s really just trying to go out and win races. The end of last season was a bummer, so we are just trying to turn things around and get pointed in the right direction and get the season started off on a high note. But I definitely think we can excel in this system.”

Does the new system change your approach and preparation in racing here and then going to Atlanta or are you just like superspeedways are superspeedways?

“I really don’t think it changes much in these two races, but I would say it will change for the second Daytona, right? With it not being a cut-off race. That will be different, but the rest of it is just business as usual. So, just going to work and trying to score the most points possible, execute at a high level and try and win the race.”

Looking down the road at Chicago, I am pretty sure you are the only one to be able to win at both the oval and the street course. Are you excited to get back to the oval this year?

“Yeah, it’s a super-tricky racetrack and maybe wasn’t quite as tricky with the old car, but with the characteristics of the Next Gen car, its going to be a tough place to get a hold of. Looking forward to the challenge and obviously great memories of the last time we were there. It seems like it was forever ago. So, just will be special to go back there and excited for it.”

What do you visualize after that final green flag stop for fuel in stage three. I mean how do you get your mindset for what is probably the most chaotic laps of the season?

“Yeah, just really dependent on the situation. If you are in front of the group you are with, you are just trying to make the right moves and guide that group the right way and back up to speed and kind of go from there. If you are in the middle, you are just kind of following along, and if you are in the back, you are just trying to control the runs from behind the best you can. So, it’s just very situational. I feel like we have kind of been in all of those situations in the past. But yeah, track position is just so difficult to gain here at Daytona and Talladega now. It’s interesting in how the race plays out and just trying to save fuel and make that last pit stop as short as possible. You really put a lot of emphasis on your green in and out and go from there.”

How does going into a contract year weigh on a driver?

“I mean it’s the same stuff. If you look at the internet, every year has been a contract year for me. So, it doesn’t really feel any different to me. Yeah, just excited to get to work.”

You gave your teammate Chase Elliott a huge shove into the final corner at Atlanta that ended up getting him the win. Is a move like that even feasible at Daytona?

“Yeah, its pretty different. I don’t feel like we build those big runs at a track like this like we do at Atlanta. Atlanta, you have that little more slow down in the corners, so that changes it up a little bit. But I feel like Atlanta races like the speedways did with the old car. Like a little more 2019, 2020 speedway racing than what we have seen with the Next Gen. Whereas at these tracks you are just stuck in line and the runs are pretty small. So, yeah, glad that one worked out and hopefully I get it back.”

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 11, 2026

Chase Elliott, No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

The format is a little different now. It’s not win-and-in. It’s Daytona so you want to win, right?

“You weren’t win-and-in before either, but nobody listens to me on that. It got you a potential spot, but nonetheless, it doesn’t matter now. It matters but it’s different, for sure.

It’s always fun to come down here. This race, to me, has always kind of been on our schedule –with it being first, and it being such a big event, it’s always kind of felt like it’s on its own island a little bit from the rest of the season. I think that’s OK. It’s a great tradition that we’ve had for a long time to start our season this way. It’s a big way to start it, and I think just the energy level throughout the week is always so high here. I think it makes it a lot of fun. I know I say that a lot, but anytime you come to the racetrack and the fans, and the campgrounds, and friends want to come down — all that stuff is just really cool to be a part of. I think it makes it, not only from a driver’s perspective, but from our team, we feel all that energy. I would have to even imagine for you guys (media), just being a part of the Daytona 500 weekend on Sunday is pretty cool. I never take that for granted.”

Do you feel like you benefit from this format (the final ten), does it play into your hands a little bit?

“I like our chances, for sure. I think that you’re going to have to perform at a really high level for 10 weeks. There will be more room in there for you to have, I don’t want to say a bad day — you might get away with one bad day, but you’re going to have to perform at a really high level. That was the case before, but I like the fact that it gives it time for things to come out in the wash. You know, if you have one bad pit stop, it doesn’t ruin your championship at Phoenix. That was the part that always was difficult from my perspective, whether I was a part of it or if I was watching it, was kind of hard.

Motorsports is just a little different, and I think we’ve we spent an awful lot of time trying to be like everybody else. I’m really proud of leadership of saying, ‘hey look, let’s be us and let’s go do our own thing.’ The Chase format was really unlike anything else in sports, that I could remember at that time, when it came out. Very genuine, very original. I think it fits. It never felt like a playoff to me, and not because my name, but the chase does sound good. It sounds like racing. It sounds like a racing term.

I like it now and I liked it then. Watching that format was the majority of my childhood and the years of me being a fan watching at home. I remember a lot of great battles, and I think you’ll continue to have that with this.”

What does this mean as an event?

“I think the event itself, it’s an honor to be a part of… it truly is. It’s really a big deal. It’s one of the biggest sporting events in the United States, and to say you’ve been a part of it for the past 10-plus years, not a lot of people can say that and I definitely take pride in that. I understand the magnitude of that and that it’s a really special thing to be a part of, so I’ll never take that for granted.

The race itself has not been great for me. We’ve had a couple of opportunities to win I think in ‘17 or ’18, pretty early on in my Cup career, and then came really close to the year that (Michael) McDowell won. I wish I could have just held whoever’s finger was touching that caution light button .5 seconds and we wouldn’t be talking about the same thing right now, but that’s just part of the race.

All you can do in this event is just try and put yourself in a good position to be rolling there at the end and have a shot. The rest of it, you just hope it goes your way. The good news is coming down here with HMS and the men and women that work at our facility, that’s a really nice feeling to roll through those tunnels and know we have a shot to win this thing every time I’ve been here. That feeling this year is no different.”

Do you start to feel pressure, that you’ll become a statistic on TV, that you haven’t won in x number of attempts.

“No, I don’t feel that way. I haven’t won any crown jewels. At the end of the day, we’ve been close to winning more than one of them, but it hasn’t worked out like that. The story that’s being written is being written for a reason and those reasons are probably further than any of us can comprehend. So I think you have to trust in that a little bit; keep your head down, stay working, and if there’s a day and a time for us, then there is. We’ll enjoy that moment if it ever comes. Me thinking about that is not productive to my time of helping us get there, so I don’t really let my mind go there. I’m more just like, what can I do to help achieve the goal for this week, and that starts today in practice. And then, my mind goes to qualifying tonight. Then, I’ll think about the duels and then I’ll start thinking about the race.”

With the new Chevy body, how long into the season do you anticipate getting a gauge of where you are at?

“Phoenix or Vegas. Probably more Vegas, I would say, even than Phoenix, but certainly some at Phoenix. I’m really curious to get there and just see where we’re at. I went through body change, I think ‘17 to ’18, if I’m not mistaken. It wasn’t what we thought it was going to be. We had done a lot of testing throughout the offseason and kind of missed, really. I’ve been on the other end of that, too, where you we had a change and we hit it well. I guess where I’m going with that is until we get in some racing environments, we’ll see. I do think our testing and things have improved with Chevy over the years. We’ve really come together, and we work really well together, so I do have confidence that we’ve been working in the right areas and in the right direction. It’s all very small tweaks. We’re fighting in a really small box of how to improve, be better and not hurt yourself.

Long story short, until we get into some of those real racing environments, I think that the questions can be sometimes hard to answer. Maybe some at the road course, a little bit at COTA, but I’m curious to really get to Vegas and just see you know where we’re at. That’ll be fun, you know, something a little different.”

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 RACING – Tyler Reddick
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 11, 2026) – 23XI Racing driver Tyler Reddick was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

TYLER REDDICK, No. 45 Chumba Casino Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing

You and Jimmie (Johnson) were two cars that did 20 laps in practice today. Do you feel like you got maybe anything more from me now on that amount of time, and what kept you out there as long as you did?

“It’s just kind of our practice plan that we had, you know, coming into the day. Just had us on track for a little bit longer. Certainly, it is always good to get out there and feel the track out. We come here twice a year, and it’s spread out enough to where it does seem like the track has subtle changes. When you come back, more so for this race, I think part of that is just this track gets a lot of laps, a lot of usage from the Rolex, the Roar, and everything that goes into that, so it always does feel like we come back for the 500 versus the summer race, the track does seem to change just a little bit.”

I’m curious, when the team brings in new sponsors, I know there’s interest proactively from them. Does the team ever ask you guys about what brands you already enjoy?

“Yeah, it is important for it to be natural. I think, you know, as far as I understood it, going back to the very beginning, it’s important for the fits to be natural, so that those, the partnership just goes along naturally, you know? For me, it’s kind of how I’ve always done it, you know, if it’s a partner coming in that I don’t necessarily align with or have interest in; I would imagine it would be hard for to work. So, for me, I’ve just always, if it’s come down to something like that, it’s always important that I’m on board with what that brand does or what they sell.”

Second place in Daytona 500 last year. What is your relationship with this race overall?

“Mostly bad. (laughter) It’s been getting better, though. In the big race, I think that was like the first time I actually saw the checkered flag, if I have that right. Something about this race, it just gets derailed at some point and, and I mean, that one did too towards the end. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time when the caution fell, so we’re kind of towards the back, and, yeah, I essentially just waited for the wrecks to happen, not knowing that they would, but just, I guess, having a hunch, and we were able to kind of catch it. That really only got me to the 16th, and then from there, just, me and Willy B (William Bryon), just shoved our way through there, and he just, he ended up winning it. I end up getting clipped by Denny (Hamlin) a little bit, or it would have been a really cool finish.”

I am curious what this offseason was like for you as well. It seemed like it came at a good time, just with everything that you guys were going through at the end of last year?

“Yes, yeah, it did. I was definitely hoping I was going to get everything that I wanted to done and get completely caught up. I’d say about four or five weeks in the offseason, I realized that wasn’t going to happen and just accepting my fate that just things are falling behind on things. So here we are, Daytona ready to go. A lot of things outside racing needs to still get sorted out, but that’s okay.”

How’s family?

“Family’s good. Yeah, that part’s great.”

Tyler, how much contact you’ve had with Michael Jordan in the off-season since the lawsuit and everything got settled and going into the new year, what’s the communication with that?

“Yeah, I’ve gotten to spend a little bit of time with them. We had our Christmas party, which was nice. He actually stayed later then I did. It was time to get home and get back to the kids. So, we were able to enjoy some moments there together. Then he’s always made an effort to be a part of the meetings and communications that the team has in preparation for the year or going into a race or just physically his presence being at a number of races. So, it’s good. He’s made it – MJ (Michael Jordan), Denny (Hamlin), Curtis (Polk) – all the ownership has made it very clear of what the expectations are for a team like this and how we expect to perform, so yeah just help guide us where we need to have our expectations are at for the year.”

You’ve got some core moments together in victory lane. What would it mean for both of you and him into Victory Lane at the biggest race in the sport?

“It’d be huge. He loves winning races, and it’s really cool to win at Talladega, and get to have him experience his first victory lane a couple years ago. He loves winning. Big races are important to him as well as an owner as well as performing consistently well and contending for championships. One way you can start it off is by having a strong SpeedWeeks. It’s cool the last 2 years, whether it was myself or Bubba (Wallace), we’ve been able to win Duels and get the weekend started off right, and hopefully, we’ve both been close, me and Bubba both, but hopefully one of us can get the job done in the 500 and give MJ (Michael Jordan) the experience he’s worked really hard to have.”

Won the regular season championship a couple of years ago. How do you guys head into this year now knowing that a similar stretch of success, at least throughout the course of the Playoffs now, can result in an actual championship and give you guys a Bill France Cup at the end of the year?

“I’ve obviously had my success in the playoff format – in Cup and in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series as well. So for me, yes, I’ve had my success with that in the past, but I feel like who I am as a Cup driver – consistency has been typically one of my strengths. So, for me, I’m excited about that. I think will be good for me. We already gear for that in what we used to call the regular season, in the season, and when we get into the Chase, that’ll be extremely important, as well.”

Tyler, you scored the most points last year of drafting tracks. How do you feel you’ve kind of evolved at that craft?

“Part of it is getting better driving through the wrecks. Part of it is knowing when they’re about to wreck and not being in it. I’d say the other two parts is race craft on the racetrack and kind of understanding when and where to kind of go and not go and chill, then the last part is a strategy piece. I feel like that’s something we’ve typically had really dialed in, like, on paper, and when the race plays out pretty normally, works out in our favor. But as we have cautions at certain times that really derail that, just understanding that that could be in the picture and trying to always have – be ready for that, to not be caught off guard by that. We’ve done pretty good at all those things, but, I think the biggest thing on that side of it is just finding ways to be there at the end, having a shot at a top-10, having a shot at the top-five, and knocking on door wins at some of these, so just staying in the mix, for us, has been big, and some of the times just staying out of trouble.”

Corey Heim is in the car for 12 races this season. What have you seen from him in the few cup starts that he has made, and what can he deliver to 23XI?

“Growing up, I always used to, I was used to being the young guy and I’m not like old, old yet, but I’ve been doing this a while and he’s a younger guy coming in. So, yeah, how he drives, what he looks for, how he handles his race car, how he manages his race car, all those things is kind of refreshing to get an extra perspective on that. There was a number of races, I think, Kansas was one that really stands out where all of us across the board were having a hard time with our cars, and he actually found a way to manage it better than any of us. So just being able to understand and get the inside perspective on that is useful. I feel like when it comes to finding speed around the top, I’m kind of like the guy that knows how to do it and figure that out. In Kansas, he kind of showed me that, when no one else can hit the bottom if any of us have a shot at hitting the bottom and making it work, he seems to really have a good knack for that. I’m going try and do everything I can to learn from that and mold into what I do.”

Does he rely on you guys for any advice?

“Yeah, oh, yeah. I think that’s one nice thing about what we do at 23XI is its extremely open book. It’s open book with our other Toyota teammates as well. He’s always willing to listen. He’s always willing to explain. That is kind of how we do things at 23CI, whether that’s in our post-race meeting space or in our pre-event meetings that we have. Everyone keeps an open book. People don’t keep things close to the chest.

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

TOYOTA RACING – Chase Briscoe
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 11, 2026) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Does the new postseason format bring back the prestige of the Daytona 500?

“Yeah, I think that in the years past, like, if you were confident that you were going to win a race, yeah, you wanted to win the Daytona 500, but if you crashed out or whatever, you just kind of go on, because you felt like you were still going to make the Playoffs. Where now that defeat is going be even greater than ever before, just knowing that, you didn’t get those points. I think it’ll change some stuff. I think this race is still just as prestigious as it was before. If anything, I think it makes it more prestigious. In the past, so-and-so won the Daytona 500, and they’re locked in the Playoffs. Now, it’s just the Daytona 500.”

What do you think the long-term effects of this format will be at other tracks this season?

I don’t know. The only time I ever see this format changing how guys race is a situation like me at the Bristol dirt race (2022) with (Tyler) Reddick where I had a win in the bank. If I run second, it literally does nothing for me. If I run 28th, it’s the same. So, you just make this super high-risk move, knowing that a win is all that’s going to change your season. Where now, under this format, I know that the risk of the move is very, very high. And the reward, odds are, I’m probably putting myself in a really bad spot. You’re just smarter about that because the difference in 2nd and 28th now is extreme. Where in the past, (if) you had a win, it really didn’t matter. You would just make the move, and if it worked out great, if not, you just go on to the next one. I think that’s the only situation where you’re going to see guys being just a little more conscious of the situation. If it’s an extremely high-risk move at the end of the race, you’re probably just going be a little bit smarter about it.”

How have you approached this season compared to last?

“Uh, I just want to keep it going and continue to build on that. Hopefully, (I) have an even better year than last year. I think that’s the exciting thing for us on the No. 19 team is, if you break the season up into thirds, the first 12 (races), middle 12, and last 12, like, we were three totally separate teams last year. And our results just continue to go up, right? And I think we tied the most ever, top-fives or whatever for a season, but we feel like we left so much on the table, especially that first half of the season. If we can just continue to do what we did last year, we should be in a really, really good spot. Just a matter of trying to back it up.”

Do you have a car capable of winning the pole again?

“I don’t know. I didn’t think I was going to be on pole like I was last year. Hopefully, I get a big tailwind down the back (straightaway) and down the front somehow, and yeah, we’ll see what we got.”

Does not being able to put your hand up out the window net make a difference?

“I didn’t think it really made a difference before, but they swore up and down that it made a difference. It doesn’t hurt my feelings at all. The problem is, now we’re going to be trying to figure out if you can get the knee up there, your elbow up there, or whatever it may be. But yeah, I’m all for it. I was one of the few guys that would put both hands on the wheel in the corner because I didn’t feel confident enough to do it right with one hand. So yeah, I was glad they made the change.”

How do you feel about not having a road course race in the Chase?

“I’m not against not having a road course. I enjoyed having a road course in there, I would have loved it not to be the ROVAL. I could go either way on it. You know, the road courses are still extremely hard. With the stage breaks, because of how the race plays out, Like, you have to sacrifice your finish a lot of the time, unless you’re SVG (Shane Van Gisbergen) and you’re 47 seconds ahead. You sacrifice your finish a lot of times from the stage points. With this points format, is makes it really tricky to run road course races, truthfully, that just made it not a lot of fun. Personally, I think we need to have a road course in there, for the same reason I feel like we need to have a dirt race. It’s a discipline that we run, and we should do that in a Cup Series. And I think if we have five or six of them, then we probably do need one in the postseason. I would rather be at a Watkins Glen or something like that instead of the ROVAL.”

Is the Toyota camp doing any preparation already for the San Diego course?

“Well, I’m glad that he’s (Van Gisbergen) getting the laps in (via simulator). He needs them (laughs). Yeah, we haven’t done anything, truthfully. Maybe Toyota is behind the scenes, but I haven’t done anything myself. It’ll be interesting to go there, and everybody be on an equal playing field, right? But yeah, he’ll still be the guy for sure.”

Is James Small still keeping you on the same diet and regiment he was last year?

“He’s still on me. I probably haven’t done as good of a job, and he got into me pretty good on Monday about it. I think it’ll always be a thing. I could be 45 (years-old) and James (Small) would be my crew chief, and it’d still be a thing. Yeah, it’s not going to stop.”

How do you prepare and react to the last round of pitstops in the Daytona 500?

“The intensity that we experience all year long, I feel like there’s nothing like it after the final green flag (pit)stop. Before that, everybody’s kind of just riding around, saving as much fuel as possible, and it’s like a chess match, and who can save the most, and say we’re running 54-second lap times, and we get within like two or three laps of pitting, or that first group peels off. Now, all of a sudden, we’re running 49-second lap times. It is just that five-lap window of when guys are about to pit, or when the first one peels off. From there, to the next five laps, is the most intense thing we do all year long, because guys know that that is their only opportunity to make passes. Once we kind of get double-filed out, you’re kind of stuck there, for the most part. So, you were just making these huge blocks. Guys are having runs because they’re coming on pit road, and that’s where typically we’ve seen the chaos just happen. You go from kind of riding around, you’re just cruising around there, really slow compared to what you normally do. And all of a sudden, you’re just on the edge of destruction. That feeling, to me, is unlike anything else we do all season long. And you still have it at Talladega and stuff, but the Daytona 500 is so intense because guys are willing to do whatever to try to win the race. Somehow, we could bottle up that feeling and give it to every fan or every person who’s ever watched the sport, they would be hooked up.”

Can you see the pieces start to move in that scenario?

“A little bit. You can kind of see stuff coming, especially as guys start kind of merging back onto the racetrack. You know from a speed standpoint where you’re going to catch them, so, you can kind of start materializing some things. If you’re the 10th car back, everybody’s kind of now the same speed, and you know that you’ve missed your opportunity to probably win the race. But at the same point, like, when you’re leading the pack and you’re catching those slow guys, you’re weaving in and out of cars. Some guys are way more aggressive at throwing the block, even if they’re 25, 30 mph slower, so you kind of know that going into it. It’s just chaos.”

What’s the biggest advantage of winning the pole tonight?

“Pit stall (selection) for Sunday is big. Depending on kind of where you end up, if you’re first or second, that pit stall number one is a huge advantage for yellow flag stops, but it’s a little bit of a disadvantage for green flag stops. So that’s the biggest thing. You’re really able to focus on the rest of the week knowing that you’re going to start up front. Not that it really means a whole lot, but it just makes your Duel less stressful. You can kind of just cruise around.”

Why is the first pit stall a disadvantage on green flag stops?

“The guys that are running 60 mph are already at pit road speed, and when they hit that yellow line, they’re going faster, so it just takes you longer to get caught up. Under yellow, it’s a massive advantage because you’re coming a shorter distance at that speed. But under green, it definitely makes it where you just can’t pull out in front of guys because they’re running 60 mph and you’re coming from the stop. It’s just hard to blend in because you’re maybe only going 40 mph and they’re going 60 mph already. So, it just puts you a little bit behind when they’re green.”

What are your thoughts on Tony Stewart running the Truck Series race this weekend?

“Yeah, I’m excited. I was trying to find a shirt that I had that would fit me, but I don’t have any anymore. I’m fired up as a fan to watch him. He told me before the announcement came out that’s he’s going to come do it. Just to see how excited he really was for it. He’s hardly run any truck races as it is. He’s asking me all these questions, and I think he’s more nervous than he’s letting off. Just because he’s like, ‘man, I’m not going to get a practice in the draft. I’m doing single car runs all the time. I have to qualify in.’ It’ll be interesting to see what he thinks. And that field is like stacked. It’s probably the toughest Truck Series field we’ve had in Daytona in a long time. So, it’ll be fun to see kind of where he picks up.”

Was it strange to give him advice?

“It was a little. I gave him a little bit, but in the back of my mind, I’m thinking like, ‘why are you asking me? Like, you’re in the Hall of Fame, not me.’ But no, it was cool. I mean, everybody knows he’s my hero, right? Just the fact that, he was even asking, just questions of what the trucks drive like and things. It was neat.”

Do you think the style of racing will change for this year’s Daytona 500?

“I don’t think so. I mean, Bowman Gray (the Clash) last week didn’t really mean anything, and we were all beating and banging, and destroying each other. I don’t think it’ll change anything. It’s still the Daytona 500. You know, all of us are pretty stupid in the grand scheme of things. We can’t see (the) big picture, all we see is that carrot thing in front of us, and we just start throwing crazy blocks and making crazy moves. It’ll sting a lot more whenever you leave here, knowing that you can’t win your way in now, but I don’t think it’ll be any different.”

Chase, what’s one word you do to describe the Daytona 500?

“Chaos.”

What do you remember the most about our first Daytona 500?

“Uh, it was still coming off COVID-19, so it wasn’t sold out. But I remember just realizing how many people were watching on TV, and I was like, ‘man, I’ve never raced in front of this many people’ And it just feels like a big deal. Not that the other weeks don’t. But, as a kid, you watch the Daytona 500, you watch the Duels. Then, you’re like, ‘holy, smokes, I’m racing in the Daytona 500!’ That was my first ever Cup (Series) race, too, so that was kind of cool. I’m checking this box off, running a Cup race, but it’s at the Daytona 500, and I just remember being like, ‘what am I doing out here?’ It just didn’t feel real.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

This is your 13th Daytona 500 start this year, and I am wondering if there has come a point, or will there come a point of urgency to get this one done before you start to become the guy on the graphic with X starts and looking for his first?

“No, I don’t really care about all that. Yeah, it’s a tough race to win and a lot of circumstances go into it and honestly in the past, up until the last few years, I just didn’t think that I was good enough to win. But now I feel like I could see it happening and not be complete luck. So that gets me excited, but that doesn’t guarantee anything. So, obviously we all would love to win this race in our careers, but if it doesn’t happen it’s not going to make my career feel any less to me.”

How does the intensity pick up after that last green flag stop?

“Yeah, it always picks up after any green flag stop, in either of the stages, or in the race. But yeah, at the end of the race it probably picks up more, but it just depends. Sometimes we don’t get to a green flag stop, and we get a pit stop and then it’s a long, little run when we are all good on fuel and its crazy. So, you just have to be ready for anything, and you just hope you have positioned yourself well.”

Regarding the new format, people think you need to work more on consistency. Do you think that is a fair point or is that a bit of a misconception about you?

“I wouldn’t say it’s a misconception, but you can look at the number of DNFs I have had in my career. But I feel like that is something that I have tried to work on and I feel like it’s something that we got a lot better at last year. We didn’t win in the final 20-something races of the year, had the most points in the playoffs, and won the championship without winning a race. So, I think we are definitely consistent. It’s not boom or bust every week like you said, but I feel like everybody is pretty inconsistent in the Next Gen era.”

Kyle, do you have a favorite memory of Greg Biffle?

“For me it’s just that I don’t really remember getting to compete a whole lot with him, but he was always extremely nice to me outside the car and just so down to earth and just very normal. He would just stop and come and talk me, or just going to Millbridge as fans, or anywhere that I would see him out and about. On the lake, at the grocery store, or wherever. We lived near each other, so I felt like we ran into each other a lot. Our youngest went to the same pre-school together, so I would bump into him there as well. Like I said, he was always really nice and complimentary of me which was cool because I have always respected him as a competitor and obviously as a person. Sad to see his passing, and his family and wife, the pilots and everybody on board. So that was definitely a sad day and a sad day for the sport.”

Can you talk about the NASCAR promo featuring you and your wife?

“Yeah, it was just fun to get to do something with a family member of mine. And then I even got to do a Roto Rooter commercial the next week with my kids and both of those were really cool. Katelyn really surprised me because she really enjoyed it and she was really into it. She did a great job with her performance, so it was fun and cool the way it turned out. You don’t really know how it’s going to turn out when you are doing it, but they pieced it together really good and I think it was a great way to promote the sport and promote the event.”

I know this time of year everyone asks you about superspeedways and drafting, but last year you scored the second most points (at superspeedways). How rewarding is it to see that come to fruition?

“Yeah, last year was rewarding because I feel like the last four years our team is one of the best performing teams, but we just haven’t got the finishes to go along with it. I think most of the competitors would agree that we are usually up in the front eight positions. So last year was rewarding because we performed very similar to how we have, we just missed most of the wrecks. So that was good and now all the media members think I have finally figured out superspeedways. But it could quickly change and we could get wrapped up in a wreck again and its back to I suck. But as always, we are just going to try and do what we can to be up in the front and be in the safest position to go and chase the win.”

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 RACING – Jimmie Johnson
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 11, 2026) – LEGACY MOTOR CLUB driver Jimmie Johnson was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

JIMMIE JOHNSON, No. 84 Carvana Toyota Camry XSE, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB

Can you tell us about your trip to Japan?

It was my second time there. The first time was a great immersion trip for me to learn more about the company, and meet some individuals, and then that was a success, and kept joking with everyone, we need to bring a car over, and before we knew it, we took three cup cars over. 23XI brought one, we brought one, and then actually took the Garage 56 car over. To be with the chairman of Toyota, and just to see that inner child come out, and his desire to drive cars – we put a second seat in a cup car, thinking, you’d only want to ride before we knew it, he was behind the wheel driving. Then he wanted to drive the Garage 56 car. So that was just a really neat eye-opening experience around how important motorsports is for an OE.”

So, can Erik (Jones) and/or John Hunter (Nemechek) trust that if you’re behind them in the closing laps, that you’re gonna be the wingman and maybe not try and step out and your third Daytona 500?

“I have no idea what I would do in that moment. I really don’t. And I feel like it’s circumstantial, you know, if it’s the Hail Mary, there’s no need. But if I legitimately have a shot, then, you know, it’s a different, it’s a different situation. I’ve only raced one way, which is to win. So, I really find it hard to believe when the helmet doesn’t go on, that I’m not looking around, regardless of the car that’s there, and want that clean air, and want to be the first one to strike.

What are your feelings about having a race in San Diego, your home area?

“There’s so many race fans in Southern California, and to bring our sport, you know, to them, and on a military base, in San Diego proper, is just a scenario I could never dreamed of. I think it’s going to be great for a sport. And, you know, for me personally, it ticks so many boxes, including the 20th anniversary for our foundation. And also, my grandparents are – there’s a beautiful cemetery there on the hillside, and my grandparents are there. So, it will be sentimental and really special.”

What is it about this race that you say, all right, I’m going be there?

“Truthfully, it’s the fact that the draft has not changed much in the 25 years. Regardless of the aero package, the car, whatever it is, like, these big cars blasting a hole in the air, and the way the draft works and behaves, you’re not out in left field. Even if you’ve been away for a while, you can come back and work your way through the duels, get some drafting time, and find that sweet spot and be competitive. The half-mile tracks, a mile and a half, it’s really tough. If you’re not in these cars all the time, and deeply rooted in the process, to have a shot to win is unrealistic. I guess I’m finally admitting that now. I remember Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. When I ran nine races in ‘24, he’s like, ‘What the hell are you doing? I said, ‘I want to win a race’, and he’s like, ‘No, you’re not. It’s way too tough. It’s way too nuanced.’ I was like, ‘You’re crazy.’ He was right. (laughter). For big moments, without a doubt. I think plate tracks, um, if we get Dale back in one, give him a few laps, he’d be right there at the front of the field, like he always was.”

What’s the swing of emotions coming into this when locked in, and knowing you’ll be in the field?

“Yeah, it did, and coming in knowing that we’re in allows us to interact and work with our other two cars in a way that we couldn’t otherwise. We just had a 50-minute practice session, and, you know, we were able to work through some ideas and take different paths than our teammates did. I guess you’ll kind of look at the math in a way – 33 percent more information than we can gain this weekend. Certainly, by committing to the exemption, we know we have this practice to take advantage of, and we know that we’ll be able to maximize things in the race. Now, if we finish well in the race, it’s going to sting from a financial standpoint, but, you know, we’ve protected, protected the bottom side, but have limited ourselves on the upside.”

Can you put this particular 500 into some context, the unsatisfying end to last season, and then an incredible offseason for NASCAR changing the point system and everything that’s happened?

“Yeah, there’s been so much that’s gone on. Our sport has seen some headwinds in the last four to six months, and to have that all behind us now, and the biggest race of our year, and kick off our season, it’s the perfect thing. It’s the right medicine for us, and if we can just make sure that we’re going to have a sunny day, and we go off on time, you know, it’s, we’re due for a sunny race. We’ve had plenty of the other stuff.”

What is it, like, to race against a guy like Connor Zilisch, who you are old enough to be his dad?

“You say that; the first test session I had at CGR (Chip Ganassi Racing) with the team in 2021, we’d go to Barber for our first test, and Dario (Franchitti) takes myself and Alex Palou out and walk the track.We are walking around the track, just getting to know each other, chatting. I tell him my age, and he looks at me, and he goes, ‘Huh, you are older than my dad.’ I was like, he just started, like, moving away quicklym and I was like I’m going to kill you (laughter). So I still give him a hard time about that today, but thankfully, you know, that band aid’s been pulled off before, and I can’t change it, but it really does impress me when you have someone like Connor (Zilisch) at his age, and all the hype, and he’s able to perform, he has his head on his shoulders. There’s still a lot that’s going to test him, but, he is a true racer at heart and I’m certainly pulling for him.”

Jimmie, do you have a favorite memory of Greg Biffle?

“Many. I think the first thing I remember is when the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series was getting started, I was trying to work on a couple of trucks and hanging out on the West Coast, and, um, it wasn’t Bakersfield. I’m trying to remember a little track that they used to go to out in the, out in the desert. But anyway, it was plain white truck, young guy, sideways, hauling butt. I knew he was, like, a local and short track guy, but you’re out there with (Ron) Hornaday and (Mike) Skinner and (Jack) Sprague and all these guys. This young guy, just ripping him. And so, you know, became a big fan of him and got to know him more, but had a lot of incredible battles with him. Another one comes to mind is running each other out of gas at Michigan. I thought I was saving fuel, leading, doing a great job, and I ran out of gas, and Greg (Biffle) thought he did a great job, and he ran out of gas about a half a lap later, and Mark Martin was the only one saving fuel and went along and won, and we had a huge laugh about that after. Once the sting went away, after losing our brains.”

This is your 23rd Daytona 500. After all these years, is there one moment of race day that you look forward to or savor the most of any?

“Opening ceremonies; it just has such a moment. National Anthem, Thunderbirds coming by. That’s the moment for me.”

Dario Franchitti said you got him this truck ride, are you his agent now?

“Yes, in some ways, yes. (laughter) With the time we spent together in IndyCar, and then sharing a vehicle in 2024 in Goodwood, and we joked about it, and he’s like, wow, you know, I’m not sure if I can. I’m not sure if I should, and then one recently, he was like, you know that St. Pete is Truck and IndyCar, and I was like, you know I can get you a truck. He’s like, oh, I would do it. Like, if I make this happen, you’re in, right? He’s like, yeah, of course. Next morning, I call, I’m like, ‘Hey buddy, guess what? We’re going truck racing.’ He’s tested. He had to go through his medical clearance, and had his test session, and it went well. It’s fun seeing him get so excited for it, and I look forward to that in a few weeks.”

Do you have any anticipate different anticipation this year Jimmie, for what you’re doing, in the sense of you’ve got your limited schedule locked in here?

“Yeah, I think from a 30,000-foot level, our organization and what we were working on last year, our own infrastructure, our own software tool chain, a lot of these elements that, you know, are so valuable and important in today’s world. When the race car leaves the shop, you know, the cake is baked. You can’t work on them when you get here. Our inconsistencies had a lot to do with us developing our own internal software and systems. I feel like we have a really good hold of that now. In addition to now a collaboration with Gibbs, and so that’s going be quite useful for us. So, from a performance standpoint, feel really good. But what’s really a shift that you’ll see as the year goes on, our investment in experiential, our investment in hospitality, you know, that’s an element that I’m very passionate about, as our partners at Knighthead Capital, and trying to create a brand and a lifestyle brand out of motorsports, and it not being just about the X’s and O’s of a race team. That’s what we’re here for. We’re here to perform and win. But, in addition to, this year, you’ll see more moments and more storytelling. My interest in running Dario (Franchitti) is to tell his story, you know, to lean into his legacy. We’re still getting the pieces put together, and as the year goes on, there’s probably five or six different moments that will be seen and noticed as LEGACY tries to story tell more, tries to offer hospitality, experiential moments. There are these touch points that, I really want to build out, and I think are useful. Not only for our existing partners, but to bring in prospects, to also, someday, offer to fans and create these incredible opportunities to come inside the ropes and experience our sport. So, that’s all part of a bigger plan that is where I want the company to go, and we’ll lean into that more this year, while trying to go win some races.”

How much higher our expectations with how well last year went?

“I think that our expectations are still very similar. We had looks at wins last year.

We legitimately did, where we’re most focused right now is the consistency. We want to be here for the long run. The format is going benefit consistency with the format change, and for us to be racing for a win one weekend, and on a mile and a half, and go to the next mile and a half, and run 20th with both cars, like, we, we’ve got average that out, we get that part under control. As we have developed our infrastructure, there’s a lot of telling signs of why we have the inconsistencies. We still need to go live it, but it’s nice to be able to look back and rationally look at elements and say that this makes sense. This is why. I feel that we’ll have a much more competitive year.”

How did you handle it going from winning all the time then not?

“It is a tough journey, and wrong, right or indifferent, my journey to Cup, I didn’t win a lot, and I feel like that journey helped me in a lot of ways, that, when I did start having success. I think the experiences then helped me hang on to it for as long as we did. Unfortunately, at some point, it starts drying up, and it did for me, and it will for others. We have none of us know where that is for Kyle (Busch) right now, until he decides to step away, but there is a moment out there for everyone where production just goes down, and it doesn’t mean that your heart isn’t in it, and your skills aren’t there, but whatever it is, it dries up, and, uh, I hope that isn’t the case for him, He is such a talent, but it gets us all at some point.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

TOYOTA RACING – Christopher Bell
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 11, 2026) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell was made available to the media on Wednesday prior to the Daytona 500.

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

With the move to the Chase this year, how will it impact the racing at the end of the Daytona 500?

“That’s a great question. I’ve honestly thought about this a lot. The Daytona 500 in the past, with the previous format, it kind of gave it a win or bust mentality where you would lay it all on the line and go for the win and understand if you wreck out you’re going to be fine – hopefully you win a race in the next couple, right? Certainly, in the regular season. Where now, those points that you potentially lose if you do wreck out are going to matter a lot more. Yeah, the risk management of the Daytona 500 certainly becomes more of a talking point. Frankly, if you’re running second or third, you’re probably going to risk it all to win the Daytona 500 because it’s that big of an event. But I think if you’re running outside of that top 10, you’re going to be thinking about, ‘Hey, if I make a mistake here and get crashed out, I’m going to lose a lot of points.’ Every week is going to matter more now than it did in the previous format.”

Do you like the desperation factor of the Daytona 500?

“I would say in general I like it because it means so much to everybody. Looking back at the past last couple years in the sport, we’ve definitely had too much desperation at certain times that have created bad moments and bad looks for our sport, but the Daytona 500 I think is warranted. It’s a really big event, it’s a lifetime achievement and a career-making achievement if you’re able to win this race so I think it’s warranted.”

Do you have a track or circuit that you find most challenging on the NASCAR schedule?

“Well, for me, it’s been Martinsville. I don’t know why that is, but it’s certainly been a track that’s had our number as a team for the last couple years. I had a great race there in 2022 and was able to find my way to victory lane, but we just haven’t been able to repeat that recently. Martinsville for me would be the biggest trouble.”

What’s going through your mind on the final green flag stop on Sunday?

“Honestly, after the green flag stop you just hope that you find yourself in position. It’s what happens in the moments before that and what dictates who’s going to be in position to win the race. Those moments are critical in deciding who’s going to win the race and hoping that you make it through the wreck at the end. Typically, at the Daytona 500, and typically all of the superspeedway races, you find yourself saving fuel at the beginning of runs so you will rarely have yellow flags in the beginning of the runs. Once everyone starts pushing hard specifically at the end of the race, that’s when the big wrecks happen.”

What’s the difference in the intensity between the start of stage 3 and after that green flag stop?

“Oh, it’s night and day. You can see people starting to make more desperate moves and the pace picks up. Your cars start driving a little bit worse and you’ve got a lot of laps on your tires at that time. It’s night and day different.”

Are there people that are better at it than others?

“Once the field gets condensed after the green flag stop, you’re pretty landlocked and I’d say everyone is on a pretty level playing field. But it’s the moments during the green-flag cycle, getting to pit road, getting off pit road, getting in and out of your pit box, that’s where the driver really makes a different. And, then saving fuel. That’s a hot topic with the speedway racing, but it’s a super important strategy key that you have to be able to save more fuel than your competitors and shorten that pit stop up because that puts you in front of the pack.”

Is it more important that the person you’re drafting with has experience or that they’ve had a good car all day?

“It’s definitely more important that they have experience.”

Has the prestige level of this race changed over the years?

“From outside of the industry, I’d say the answer is probably no. From inside the industry, since I’ve been in the sport, I’d say no, but I think as a sport we can make changes to our product — to our rules package — to add more prestige to this event for sure.”

When you’re the car getting pushed at the front of the pack, is there anything you can do as a driver to lessen the risk of potentially getting wrecked?

“Not at that point in time. I prior to my wreck (last year) that I was likely going to end up on the hook and not see that checkered flag. I said it after that race – I don’t blame Cole Custer. He was doing what he had to do to help himself finish well, help me finish well. You have to push in that situation and unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take it, and my car was all over the place and I lost it and hit the wall.”

Is it surprising to you to know that it’s been decade that the pole sitter for the Daytona 500 has gone on to win the race?

“I think it kind of goes hand in hand with the fact that you trim out the car to qualify well, it probably won’t race as well mixed with the fact that it takes a lot of luck to win this race. You’re never out of it until you’re out of it and qualifying has very little input on the race.”

What have you learned about yourself over the last couple of years?

“I’ve learned that I dwell on too much on the negatives for sure. I was talking about this a little bit earlier today – one of my strengths is I never get too high when I’m succeeding but one of my weaknesses is I get too down whenever I’m not running well. You’ve got to be able to ride those highs and ride those lows and stay pretty even keel through it all. That’s something that I certainly need to do a better job of.”

Does it make a difference if you put your hand by the window net for qualifying?

“It doesn’t make any difference.”

What impact did this offseason have for you and Adam Stevens and the 20 team?

“I would say it was very similar, very normal. Everybody took a lot of time off, a lot of separation. We spend a lot of time around each other throughout the season so whenever that checkered flag falls in Phoenix, you’re excited to take a break for sure. I think everyone on this 20 group is super optimistic about the format change and we think it should play well into our favor.”

How do you feel like Toyota has improved on superspeedways?

“Toyota certainly has put in a ton of effort in trying to become better at these races. I do joke around and say it’s luck, but you look around at Ford and what they’ve been able to do in these races. They’ve pretty much dominated them and with that being said, I don’t think they necessarily get the wins that they should out of it which is why it takes a lot of luck to win these races. Toyota has put in a lot of effort to try and run better, qualify better and I’d say we’re seeing that. We had multiple cars in position to win this race last year and unfortunately none of them made it to the start-finish line. We have put in a lot of effort.”

Has the change to the Playoff format changed your mindset going into races each week?

“I think it really tilts the risk management skill. If you’re in the top two or three of the Daytona 500, you’re obviously going to risk it, but if you walk out of Daytona with a DNF like I did last year, it’s going to hurt you a lot more in 2026 than it did in 2025. I love the changes they made to the format because it weights races a lot more equally. Before you had that championship race at that championship track that if you weren’t good at Homestead – I lived that through the Xfinity cars – that you were never going to be a champion and if you weren’t good at Phoenix – you were never going to be a champion. That should not crown – one race should not crown a champion. And now, all 36 races are going to be weighted way more equally which I think is super important.”

How mentally ready are you to run the Daytona 500 with it kicking off the season?

“I think I’m at 100 percent. I’m ready, man. I’m ready. We’ve been recharging all offseason. I’m ready.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

TOYOTA RACING – Bubba Wallace
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 11, 2026) – 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace was made available to the media on Wednesday during Daytona 500 media day.

BUBBA WALLACE, No. 23 Xfinity Toyota Camry XSE, 23XI Racing:

What stories can you repeat about hanging out with Marshawn Lynch?

“He was really just asking about our schedules and asking about what we do, so there were no really crazy stories. He definitely wanted to go up in a fighter jet. He just inserted himself and went where he wanted to. We were at the military base and he was like ‘can I get in that?’ and they were like ‘sure’, so it was stuff like that. It was fun and a good time, a short trip too.”

How was it flying down to Daytona with Ryan Blaney and both having your kids and family with you?

“He’s a last minute bailer. We had a last minute golf trip and he bails. I’m used to it with Becks being 16 months old. To see he and Gianna (Ryan Blaney’s wife) go through that as well is really cool.”

What was it like being a part of the Toyota Super Bowl Commercial called ‘Where Dreams Began’?

“It was cool. It was shot really fast. That one was shot at Ten Tenths (Motor Club) and was a short day. Hanging out with Ace (Mini Bubba from the commercial) was a lot of fun. Cool to see it come together. I had a lot of people texting me after that about how cool it was.”

What was it like being featured in Super Bowl commercial like that?

“It’s cool, not everyone is in a Super Bowl commercial, so I definitely don’t take it for granted. To me it’s just kind of like another day.”

How do you feel about coming back to Daytona and your chances this weekend?

“I feel really good about it. Getting a lot of signs that it’s going to be a good weekend, so don’t ask me what said signs were, but they were good ones. I feel good about our chances, we’ve obviously grown and matured as a team from last year and from the start of 23XI and the start of the 23 team we’ve grown in a lot of spots. To come into this year more confident and more focused. We’ve just got to dot our I’s and cross our t’s, I think I say that every year here at Daytona 500 media day. We just have to put it all together.”

Where do you guys think you are as opposed to last year?

“Just getting older, hair is a little longer. Just the communication, you feel more confident in each other and that continues to evolve and grow over the years. It doesn’t matter if it’s Year 1 or Year 20, you learn something new about the people you work with every day. It’s just being more comfortable and putting that all together.”

Is winning the Daytona 500 as prestigious as it once was?

“It is. I don’t know a way around the strategies we have to do now with fuel savings. I don’t think the sport was smart enough to do it earlier, we could have been doing this for seven or eight years and trying to run people out of fuel. It just evolved over the last five years, this is a new game. It’s just totally different and it’s a different way of going about it. I would say yes, it’s our biggest race of the year and the biggest purse we’ve had, which would be super nice to win.”

What do you think about Corey Heim and his growth and joining 23XI on a part time basis this year?

“Corey’s been there a lot, just understanding how to put it all together and make it work. He’s been a great asset to our team coming off the success he had last year in trucks. I’m really excited for him. He’s talked to me a little bit about contract stuff and I told him make sure you get the (Daytona) 500 in there because if you win that thing it will be a nice pay day. It’s cool to see it all come together rand have Robinhood on the car. I think he’s going to be a major asset to our team. To see him grow throughout it all and figure out where he needs to be and put himself in the right spots. I think he adapts pretty well and we will see how it goes.”

What’s the potential or the ceiling of 23XI in the future?

“We want to disrupt the big three (JGR, Hendrick, Penske). We want to put our name in that category, and they are really passionate about that. We had a great leadership meeting a couple weeks ago that emphasized on a lot of key notes and it was a big reflection of all of us in that room. So just high expectations. It starts with waking up with the right attitude and being present and being on time and giving it your all every day. How can you be better than the previous day. It’s understanding that mindset and adapting to that is going to be huge for us. Just keep pushing. This sport is really hard, the big three have been around for awhile. Key people come and go and they insert their philosophies. We are still growing but we’ve already done some pretty cool things in a short amount of time and we have to keep pushing for more.”

Having your crew chief Charles Denike with you coming into the second year, how is that going to help as you both grow together?

“Charles is super easy going, I think I am too. We have a really good relationship that started right off the bat. That helps new pairings and new relationships. He’s been very confident in the work he’s been doing. Halfway through the years he’s leading some of our meetings. You expect a guy who hasn’t been there for long to lean back, but he wanted to insert his philosophy and his mindset as quickly as he could. That says a lot about who he is and who he wants to be. He’s the type of person who takes his job very seriously. He pays attention to detail and I’m excited to have another trip around the sun with him.”

What is the most challenging track on the schedule?

“We have two tracks. We are pumped for Loudon, but our results there haven’t been too great so that’s the one that’s circled.”

Looking back on some past stats, it’s been awhile since someone from the front row has won the race. Is that something you are aware of?

“Not to be a negative Nancy, but we won’t be anywhere near the front row. We qualify about 20th to 25th. Whatever it is, we kind look at each other and wonder where we are going to qualify. Talladega last fall was a nice surprise, we made the top 10 and Riley (Herbst) was the fastest in the first group. I say that, but we could have a nice surprise and be hunting for the pole. We’ve worked hard in all areas that we could to reduce drag and gain speed. It would be nice to be on the front row, but at the same you have the Duel to improve. Last year we started third and didn’t see the checkered flag, so you know how this race goes.”

You already have a crown jewel win at Indianapolis last year. Do you think about coming here and getting another one with a Daytona 500 win?

“That would be sick. You got to do better than what I’ve been doing in the 500, I’ve gotten close. If we can put it all together then why not? I think the first Daytona 500, I didn’t know what I was doing and wound up in second. But then that one, the Penske cars were going to be tough to beat. Everything happens for a reason.”

What have you learned about yourself the last couple of years?

“That’s a good question. Being around people and realizing that having my wife and my child and being at home, there’s nothing better than that. I put racing in front for a lot of years. Realizing that family and surrounding yourself with people you want to be around is it. Life is lovely, no complaints.”

What do you think changes for you with the Chase playoff format back starting this season?

“You still have to be smart, but you still get a substantial amount of points for winning. So I don’t think it’s changes that much. Just so the record is clear, I didn’t give a damn about any format. If they changed the format tomorrow, cool. I have a job to do to be the best at that format, that’s my take on it.”

Do you think there will be less desperation with no win and you are in like the past?

“It’s all going to come down for those points moments, because you are still fighting for points and points matter. But still if you need two spots and it’s 10 laps to go, you do whatever you can. It will be different, but you won’t have the end of round drama. So when the playoffs start, you really have to lock in for 10 weeks. It’s not three weeks and then reset, it’s 10 weeks.”

How many wins are reasonable in today’s NASCAR Cup Series competition?

“Three? Which I think is very doable for us. That’s a really competitive year. At the same time, you can’t win three races and wreck in the other 33 races. You got to put a good season together and make those three wins count. Just winning isn’t that good, but you got to put the whole season together too.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in the U.S. for nearly 70 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our nearly 1,500 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs nearly 48,000 people in the U.S. who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of more than 35 million cars and trucks at our 11 manufacturing plants. In 2025, Toyota’s plant in North Carolina began to assemble automotive batteries for electrified vehicles.

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500 MEDIA DAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER QUOTES
FEBRUARY 11, 2026

Connor Zilisch, driver of the No. 88 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet – 2026 DAYTONA 500 Media Day Quotes:

I know you’re a rookie, but you’re not a rookie to racing. There’s no road course in the chase now. What are your feelings on that? Were you looking forward to something like that, or are you like, eh, it is what it is?

“Yeah, I don’t really stress too much about… it is what it is. You know, the writing was on the wall that it was going to happen. It would be nice to have a road course, but I think there’s definitely better options to go to than the (Charlotte) Roval. I think there’s a lot of really great tracks in the United States and around the world that would be really cool to go to.

I think a lot of the drivers want at least one in the Chase. I think I’m not alone saying that, but I think there’s better options than the Roval, just racing-wise. It’s a decent track, but the oval is definitely a better race.”

What’s some of the best advice you’ve been given coming into the season overall?

“Yeah, I mean, run all the laps is the biggest thing. I think if you make it to the end of this one, you can have a solid day. But, you know, there’s no crazy advice I’ve been given for this race in particular. It’s certainly different now with fuel saving and just being a unique race, but I’m excited for it. I think my biggest piece of advice that people have given me is just enjoy the experience.”

No Mic…

“Yeah, I’m so excited. I think the biggest thing for me coming into this weekend is just try and make the most of the weekend, obviously, and do everything I can on the track. But more importantly, just enjoy the experience and have fun no matter what happens.

There’s a lot of things that can happen out of your control here. And I think for me, I’m just most excited to enjoy it all, whether it’s media day today. Usually I dread these things, but I came in with a positive mindset today that I’m going to have fun and I’m going to enjoy it, and I think that goes for the entire weekend.”

What about the full circle moment of getting back here four years later?

“Yeah, it’s really full circle for me. I think looking back at it, I first came to this race as a fan in 2022. I sat in the grandstands. I didn’t even know enough people to get a pit pass. I think it just shows how quickly life can change. You know, you never know what’s going to happen. It’s just crazy how things in life can happen. You just have to give it your all every day; don’t give up. I think it shows that anything’s possible.”

Do you come in here happy that people have such high expectations for you, or do you almost feel like I want to calm it down? How do you kind of approach it because you are somebody that people do have these high expectations?

“Yeah, I appreciate the excitement. You know, I think it’s really cool that there’s a lot of people excited to watch how I’m going to do this season, whether it’s fans or media. I do think it sometimes gets a little outlandish… a lot of people maybe expecting a lot of me in my first year. I don’t think people realize how big of a jump it is from Saturday to Sunday. But I try not to pay too much attention to it. I know what my personal goals are throughout the year. I know what I want to accomplish and my long-term goals. I find it cool most mostly.”

How do you explain your ability to succeed in every step, so far?

“I think it’s just adaptability. Growing up, I raced so many different kinds of cars and got to do so many different races. I just experienced a lot at a young age, and I was forced to challenge myself. I learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable, and I think that’s kind of why I never feel like I’m going into a new thing. I never get stressed. I always say, man, I’ve been in these shoes before and I’m going to go out and figure it out.”

What kind of race do you expect to see on Sunday? What are you looking forward to the most?

“I think just driver introductions and walking across the stage. And then obviously the race. I mean, the race is going to be really cool. Just the whole experience. I think there’s nothing I can really pinpoint and say, man, that’s going to be my favorite part. I think I’m just going to try and enjoy the entire day. But it’s going to be really cool to walk across the stage and hear my name introduced and get to race in the Daytona 500.”

You’ve never raced in front of that many people before, have you, though?

“I don’t think so. You know, I don’t think I’ve ever raced in a crowd this big, no.”

When you got here in 2022, did you watch the race as a fan, or were you in that driver analytical mindset?

“That was before I even had raced in oval, so that was very much so just coming as a fan and enjoying the spectacle of it. And, you know, I’d never been to the race. I was actually coaching a kid in Orlando in a go-kart and working, and his family said, hey, you want to go to the Daytona 500? And I thought, man, what a cool opportunity that would be. I traded my pay for a ticket to the race and a place to stay that night, and I got to go to the race for the first time and enjoy that experience. I definitely wasn’t in the driver mindset or I didn’t have the skill at that time to be able to critique what was going on on the track (laughs).”

After Phoenix, how long did you hang on to those thoughts of what you should have, could have, would have to win that championship?

“Yeah, I got past it pretty quick. It was probably a week or so, less than a week. I quickly realized I have a lot more to be excited about than I do to sit there and get upset about the fact that I didn’t win a championship.

So, yeah, it’s just the fact. If I didn’t have anything going for me and that was my make-or-break moment, it would have been different. But I have a lot to look forward to and a lot to work on moving forward, and that needs to be my focus.”

You have one shot this year at becoming the youngest Daytona 500 winner in history. I’m wondering, have you looked to Trevor Bayne’s win, either in studying it or even maybe talking to him to see how he executed that at such a younger age?

“I mean, I don’t think age is the thing that I would need to talk to Trevor Bayne about. I feel like it’s really cool he won at 20 years old and won it at a young age. But no, I haven’t talked to him about his experience in the Daytona 500 or watched it back recently. You know, I do most of my studying on my own and there wouldn’t be a lot to look at from the cars back then to compare to today’s cars.”

What would make you smile at the end of the race Sunday night?

“I think if I could just make it to the end — I think a top-10, I’d be happy about. You know, I’m not saying if I finished 11th, I’d be mad. But I think I have low expectations for myself. I don’t expect to go out and win my first race. It’d be really cool to do that. Obviously, we show up to the track every week with the goal to win, but I don’t expect myself to. So I think, you know, making it to the end — as long as I can say I did everything I could and I made the right moves, I think that’s what I’d be satisfied with.”

No Mic…

“Yeah, I mean, I think a lot of it just comes from respecting the guys and treating them the way you want to be treated. If they see you as a bratty kid, I think that’s when they won’t respect you and what you say. I try and treat everyone with respect, and I try not to act like a 19-year-old. I think that’s the biggest thing. I might be a young kid, but I just try to be more professional and mature, and I think that’s a lot of why people trust and believe in me and respect what I say. But, you know, I don’t think – there’s a lot of kids that, you know, have that respect. There’s a lot of people coming up through the sport that are really good and young. I think that’s just kind of the way the sport’s trending is kids are getting into cars when they’re 12 years old, and I think that’s going to become the new normal.”

When you’re getting compared to guys like Jeff Gordon, what’s your reaction to that?

“(Laughs) Yeah, it’s hard to comprehend, I would say. I think it’s – I don’t know why yet, right? I’ve run, obviously, a lot of races in the lower levels. But, you know, to be compared to Jeff Gordon, I feel like you’ve got to do something at this level and I’ve yet to do that. I haven’t had the opportunity to do that. That starts this year, and I’m hoping to make a name for myself. It’s certainly going to take time to get to the level of a guy like him.”

What constitutes a successful rookie season for you?

“I think the biggest thing for me is that if I can look back and say I got better each week and ended the year multiple steps ahead of where I start today, I think that’s what success looks like to me.”

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.