Category: NASCAR Cup PR

Richard Childress Racing’s NASCAR Cup Series History at Las Vegas Motor Speedway … In 68 NASCAR Cup Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing Chevrolets have earned 10 top-five and 21 top-10 finishes.

RCR in the Cup Series… In 2,996 NASCAR Cup Series starts dating back to 1969, RCR has amassed 51 pole awards,108 wins, 489 top-five finishes and 1,076 top-10 finishes, with an average starting position of 17.8 and an average finishing position of 16.3. RCR has earned 16 total championships (six NASCAR Cup Series championships with Earnhardt in 1986, ’87, ’90, ’91, ’93 and ’94, seven NASCAR Xfinity Series titles, two NASCAR Truck Series titles and one ARCA Menards Series title) and was the first organization to win titles in NASCAR’s three national series.

Interactive RCR … For up-to-date news and exclusive content, visit RCR’s corporate Twitter page – @RCRracing – along with the RCR NASCAR Cup Series team Twitter page – @RCRCup, and driver Twitter pages @austindillon3 and @TylerReddick. Information about the 16-time championship winning organization can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RichardChildressRacing and at www.RCRracing.com along with official driver pages –  http://www.facebook.com/austindillon3 and www.facebook.com/TylerReddick.

Catch the Action … The Las Vegas 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live Sunday, February 23 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

This Week’s Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road/E-Z-GO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Las Vegas Motor Speedway … In nine NASCAR Cup Series races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Dillon’s best finish is fifth in 2016. He is a former winner in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Truck Series at the track.

Tracker Off Road … Dillon’s No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE prominently features TRACKER ATVs, a game-changing new line of all-terrain vehicles and side-by-sides offering breakthrough performance, service and value in the off-road industry. TRACKER OFF ROAD was born out of a powerhouse partnership formed between Bass Pro Shops and TRACKER founder Johnny Morris and Textron Specialized Vehicles, bringing together the undisputed world leader in boating with a global leader in innovation and technology.

Bass Pro Shops … Bass Pro Shops is North America’s premier outdoor and conservation company. Founded in 1972 when avid young angler Johnny Morris began selling tackle out of his father’s liquor store in Springfield, Missouri, today the company provides customers with unmatched offerings spanning premier destination retail, outdoor equipment manufacturing, world-class resort destinations and more. In 2017 Bass Pro Shops acquired Cabela’s to create a “best-of-the-best” experience with superior products, dynamic locations and outstanding customer service. Bass Pro Shops also operates White River Marine Group, offering an unsurpassed collection of industry-leading boat brands, and Big Cedar Lodge, America’s Premier Wilderness Resort. Under the visionary conservation leadership of Johnny Morris, Bass Pro Shops is a national leader in protecting habitat and introducing families to the outdoors and has been named by Forbes as “one of America’s Best Employers.” Bass Pro Shops has a long relationship with NASCAR, dating back to 1998. For more information, visit  http://www.basspro.com/.

E-Z-GO … E-Z-GO is an iconic, world-renowned brand in golf cars and personal transportation vehicles. Products sold under the E-Z-GO brand include RXV® and TXT® fleet golf cars, Freedom® RXV and Freedom TXT personal golf cars, E-Z-GO Express™ personal utility vehicles, and the 2Five® street-legal low-speed vehicle. Known for innovation in electric-vehicle technology, E-Z-GO’s newest offerings include the ELiTE series of lithium-ion powered golf cars and PTVs, and the company’s exclusive 72-volt AC electric powertrain found in its latest Express series vehicles. Founded in 1954 in Augusta, Ga., E-Z-GO became part of Textron Inc. in 1960, and today operates as part of the company’s Textron Specialized Vehicles division.

Dillon in the Booth … Dillon is scheduled to serve as a guest analyst for FS1’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. Tune in live at 4 p.m. ET on Saturday.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:
What are you most looking forward to this season?
“I think what I’m most looking forward to this season is getting back out onto the track and competing for wins. I feel like we ended the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway with a really good run and anytime you finish the last race off with a strong finish, it makes you excited about the next season. I feel like we’ve gotten better as a group within the Chevrolet camp going into 2020 and we just want to go out there and compete strong.”

It seems like Las Vegas Motor Speedway is getting more and more worn as the years go by. How careful do you have to be with your tires there now compared to the past?
“You definitely have to take care of them. You have to keep track position and have a car that holds on for the long run. Las Vegas Motor Speedway is becoming much more similar to Chicagoland Speedway in terms of the amount of tire wear you see.”

Tyler Reddick and the No. 8 TAME the BEAST Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE at Las Vegas Motor Speedway … Tyler Reddick will be making his NASCAR Cup Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend. Reddick has four previous NASCAR Xfinity Series starts there and won last year’s fall race at the speedway in dramatic fashion after the team gambled on a fuel mileage strategy. Reddick also has one win and two top-10 finishes in the NASCAR Truck Series at the 1.5-mile speedway.

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Meet Reddick … Reddick will be participating in a Q&A session at the Trackside Live stage on Sunday, February 23, at 9 a.m. local time.

TYLER REDDICK QUOTE:
Last time you were at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, you won in the Xfinity Series. Is there anything you can take from that experience to help prepare for this weekend?
“Unfortunately, there isn’t much of a crossover between the two cars. That’s what makes the cup cars so challenging. We’ve got less horsepower and a lot more downforce, as well as a lot more competition. I do have some confidence entering the weekend though. I remember what my comfort level was when I won in the Truck Series there a few years ago, and while the cup cars aren’t quite the same as the truck, there is a little more crossover between the handling of those two. I’ll also be able to lean on the Chevrolet simulator and log some laps in a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE before we actually arrive to Las Vegas, which will help my TAME the BEAST team figure out what we’re wanting our car to be set up with. In the end, we just really won’t know what we have until we get 15 to 20 laps on our tires during the first practice session.”
Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway … In 53 Series starts at the 1.5-mile speedway, RCR has captured four victories with drivers Kevin Harvick (2004), Jeff Burton (2007), Austin Dillon (2015), and most recently Tyler Reddick (2019). The Welcome, N.C., organization has completed 9,899 laps of the 10,640 (93 percent) in which they have competed. RCR has accumulated four pole awards, 14 top-five and 29 top-10 finishes, led 620 laps and averages a starting position of 9.8 and finishing position of 12.6.

Social Media … To keep up with the latest updates from RCR’s Xfinity Series teams, follow  @RCRracing and  @RCRNXS on Twitter. Updates can also be found via RCR’s Facebook Page and Instagram (@RCRracing).

Catch the Action … Coverage of this week’s Las Vegas 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, February 22, beginning at 4 p.m. Eastern Time on FOX Sports 1. It will also be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Satellite Radio, channel 90.
Myatt Snider and the No. 21 TaxSlayer Chevrolet Camaro at Las Vegas Motor Speedway … This weekend will mark Myatt Snider’s NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Snider has three NASCAR Truck Series starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with his best finish of sixth coming in September 2018.

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MYATT SNIDER QUOTES:
What kind of momentum does earning the pole at a place like Daytona International Speedway give you and your team as you start the season?
“It’s almost the best start to the season I could’ve imagined. As a team, we performed exceptionally well. We had a great pit stop and a very fast car. Derek Kneeland spotted a great race and my crew chief, Andy Street, made good calls. So, we jived together really well as a team, especially for the first race of the season. That just makes me that much more excited for Las Vegas.”

What are your expectations coming into this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway?
“I’m keeping them open. I believe that we’ll have another fast car, and I’ve run particularly well in the Truck Series at Las Vegas. I’m hoping that the experience translates over, but the Xfinity cars are quite a bit different than the trucks. We’re all working hard to make sure we run as best we can. I’m just stoked to be going to the next race in another fast TaxSlayer Camaro.”

FORD PERFORMANCE NASCAR: LAS VEGAS ADVANCE

The 2020 NASCAR Cup Series opens its three-week west coast swing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway as all three top touring series will hit the 1.5-mile track this weekend.  Ford has half of the 24 all-time NASCAR Cup Series races held at the track and has won this event each of the last two years with drivers Kevin Harvick (2018) and Joey Logano (2019).  Here’s a look at Ford’s overall success at LVMS.

FORD IN THE NASCAR CUP SERIES AT LVMS
·         Ford leads all manufacturers with 12 series wins in 24 all-time events.
·         Roush Fenway Racing tops all organizations with 7 victories, including the first three.
·         Ford has won three of the last four at LVMS (Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano).

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES AT LVMS
·         Ford has 9 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at LVMS.
·         Jeff Burton and Mark Martin lead the way with 2 wins apiece.
·         Jack Roush leads all car owner with 6 series victories at LVMS.

FORD IN THE NASCAR GANDER RV & OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES AT LVMS
·         Ford has 5 series wins at LVMS.
·         Ford’s last win came by Grant Enfinger, who won the 2018 Playoff race
·         Joe Ruttman, Greg Biffle, Travis Kvapil and Tyler Reddick also have one Ford win each.

LOGANO GOING FOR VEGAS REPEAT

Joey Logano outlasted Team Penske teammate Brad Keselowski to win this event last year as Ford placed five drivers in the top 10.  Keselowski passed Logano for the lead on lap 240, but four laps later the situation reversed itself and Logano held off a Keselowski charge on the last lap to win for the first time in 2019.  The win was Mustang’s second in three series starts after debuting in the Daytona 500 and marked the second straight week a Team Penske driver ended up in victory lane after Keselowski won at Atlanta Motor Speedway.  Logano led 86 of the 267 laps while fellow Ford driver Kevin Harvick, who finished fourth, topped everyone with 88 laps led on the day.

ROUSH RULES

There have been two Roush Fenway Racing drivers who have posted consecutive NASCAR Cup Series victories at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.  Jeff Burton won in 1999 and 2000 while Matt Kenseth did it in his championship season of 2003 and 2004.  In fact, Roush Fenway Racing has been a force in both the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series at the 1.5-mile facility.  The organization has posted seven MENCS wins and six NXS victories for a total of 13 overall, which includes back-to-back weekend sweeps in 1999 and 2000.  In addition, RFR has three NASCAR Camping World Truck Series triumphs.

TEAM PENSKE ON VEGAS ROLL

Team Penske has dominated the NXS and MENCS events at LVMS in recent years with three drivers combining for seven wins.  Sam Hornish Jr. started this streak with his win in the NASCAR XFINITY Series race in 2013 before Brad Keselowski swept the NXS/MENCS weekend in 2014.  Keselowski won Cup events in 2016 and 2018 while Joey Logano claimed an NXS victory in 2017 and Cup triumph in this event last year.

SWEEP DELIGHT FOR KESELOWSKI

Brad Keselowski completed a weekend sweep in 2014 after taking the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series events on consecutive days.  Even though Keselowski led the most laps in the MENCS race, he needed a little bit of luck and got it on the final lap when Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was in conservation mode, ran out of gas on the back straightaway.  That enabled Keselowski to win going away and post the first of his six victories that season.

MARTIN LEADS FORD CHARGE IN INAUGURAL VEGAS CUP EVENT

Ford took the checkered flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the inaugural race at the 1.5-mile facility on March 1, 1998 as Mark Martin led a manufacturer runaway that saw 13 of the top 14 finishers driving a Taurus.  The win was the first for Taurus, which became the first full-time four-door entry in NASCAR, after Ford decided to use it in the NASCAR Cup Series starting with the 1998 season.  Martin bested Roush Fenway teammate Jeff Burton by 1.605 seconds to win the Las Vegas 400 with Rusty Wallace, Johnny Benson and Jeremy Mayfield rounding out the top-five.  The only non-Ford to finish in the top-10 was the late Dale Earnhardt, who was eighth.

FORD NASCAR CUP SERIES WINNERS AT LAS VEGAS
1998 – Mark Martin
1999 – Jeff Burton
2000 – Jeff Burton
2003 – Matt Kenseth
2004 – Matt Kenseth
2008 – Carl Edwards
2011 – Carl Edwards
2014 – Brad Keselowski
2016 – Brad Keselowski
2018 – Kevin Harvick (1) and Brad Keselowski (2)
2019 – Joey Logano (1)

FORD NASCAR XFINITY SERIES WINNERS AT LAS VEGAS
1999 – Mark Martin
2000 – Jeff Burton
2002 – Jeff Burton
2005 – Mark Martin
2009 – Greg Biffle
2012 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
2013 – Sam Hornish Jr.
2014 – Brad Keselowski
2017 – Joey Logano

FORD NASCAR GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCK SERIES WINNERS AT LAS VEGAS
1997 – Joe Ruttman
1999 – Greg Biffle
2007 – Travis Kvapil
2016 – Tyler Reddick
2018 – Grant Enfinger (2)

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
FEBRUARY 17, 2020

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
7th Brendan Gaughan, No. 62 Beard Motorsports/South Point Camaro ZL1 1LE
10th Kyle Larson, No. 42 Credit One Bank Camaro ZL1 1LE
12th Austin Dillon, No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker OffRoad Camaro ZL1 1LE
13th Justin Haley, No. 16 Fraternal Order of Eagles Camaro ZL1 1LE
15th Bubba Wallace, No. 43 United States Air Force Camaro ZL1 1LE

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Denny Hamlin (Toyota)
2nd Ryan Blaney (Ford)
3rd Chris Buescher (Ford)
4th David Ragan (Ford)
5th Kevin Harvick (Ford)

The NASCAR Cup Series season continues next weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube on Sunday, February 23 at 3:30 P.M. ET. Live coverage can be found on FOX, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY POST-RACE NOTES AND QUOTES:
BRENDAN GAUGHAN, NO. 62 BEARD MOTORSPORTS/SOUTH POINT CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 7th
“My last Daytona 500, my career-best finish, what an amazing finish. The Beard Oil Team, what a great job. I’m so proud of all the guys; we don’t quit. Right now, my thoughts are with Newman.”

“23 or 24 years of this and finally a top-10 in the Daytona 500 and a chance to win. The guys didn’t quit, the pit crew didn’t quit. I love the Beard family and thank you for the opportunity. For us, this is a big deal. We’re a small team with one employee, a car chief that’s a plumber, and we come home with a top-ten in the Daytona 500. I had a shot there at the end to win. That’s Daytona, man! This stuff is wild. I do love this racing. We take this risk, love this risk and we do what we love. I still love what I do.”

“I don’t quit; I’ll never quit. I don’t care what it looks like, I’m never going to quit. The boys, they kept digging on it. We worked the five-minute clock, we got the lucky dog, we did all those things. Once you get back on the lead-lap, anything can happen. We got on the outside lane and whatever happened on the bottom, I don’t know, but I was glad I was on the top. We took off like a rocket ship and we were sitting with the top-five.”

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 10th
“I had a decent shot on some of those restarts. I couldn’t push Joey (Logano) as fast as I needed to. I felt like I was locked to him pretty well, we just weren’t making any speed. I fell way back and were able to miss some crashes there. I got shuffled out there on that last lap and just had to ride to the finish because I was so far behind the draft. A top-10 with no damage on the car is good. I just hope Newman is alright.”

YOU SEEMED TO STRUGGLE ALL WEEK TO JUST FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE. DID YOU FEEL ANY BETTER IN THE 500?
“No, I would still get loose the longer the runs went and I still just struggled for speed a lot. We have to work on that. I think my issue is more of a speed thing. I just don’t have the speed to be the first or second car in line; I feel like I just drag the lane back. So, it’s a little frustrating. I feel like I’m doing everything I can to try and help my lane out. But I can’t seem to go fast doing.”

HOW WOULD YOU SUMMARIZE YOUR DAYTONA 500?
“It’s the first Daytona 500 that I haven’t gotten any damage, so that’s a good. We still got a top-10, so it’s not a bad points weekend. We finished third in the Clash and tenth here. We’ll take it and move onto Vegas. I’m excited to get on a 1.5-mile track with the new bodies.”

ARE YOU ENCOURAGED ABOUT WHAT THE NEW CAMARO WILL BE LIKE ON INTERMEDIATE TRACKS?
“Yeah, for sure. Everything I’ve heard sounds like they’re better than what we had. So, you don’t really know until we get on the track with it. I think right now, everybody’s confidence is high with the new car. So, we just have to wait and see, and let these few days go by and get on the track for practice to see how we stack up.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 VALVOLINE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 24th
“Obviously not the night we wanted. This Valvoline team put together a great Chevy for Daytona. I hate it for the guys because they have worked so hard. We definitely didn’t give up and did everything we could to get more laps on the track. We learned a lot this week and definitely have a notebook for the next race.”

TYLER REDDICK NO. 8 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in crash on lap 200; Finished 27th
“Honestly, I really don’t know what happened. I just saw he got loose. I really thought he had it saved and I was going to roll to the outside of him. Then, it’s like when the rear tires came back underneath him, it snapped and went back the other way, and I was there to catch him. Looking back, I really wish I would have dived to the inside with as fast as we were going there. Catching those cars in front of us, I probably would have got loose and wrecked myself. It’s just tough; it’s part of this racing. I’m glad we made it a little bit further this time around; I made it to lap 199. We could have hung out in the back and probably got a little better finish. But I came here to win and that’s what this Caterpillar Chevy team is about.”

DID YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOUR RACE UP TO THEN?
“For the most part. The guys did a great job in getting our car fixed. It was almost right back where it needed to be. I think we’re still going to end up around 20th or 21st. All-in-all, not a horrible day for us points-wise. I was feeling pretty good about our car. I felt pretty good about it on Friday and we made it better. It was a little bit of a different Daytona 500 than I’ve seen in years past here, with handling being a little bit of an issue with the hot daytime stress of this race. It’s part of it, but every time we come back here, we’ll come up with something a little bit different. I made it almost all the way and the lead car was in sight; only three or four cars ahead of us. It’s all you can hope for.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Finished 20th
ON THE YELLOW LINE PENALTY.
“I was alright there; I wasn’t sure what I was supposed to do with the 12 (Ryan Blaney). I went low to not crash him and I got called for going below the yellow line. So, I don’t know. That’s the second one I’ve been called for when I felt like it was either crash the field or go below the line. I felt like I was blocked to go down there. When you’re going 200 mph, your momentum just carries you after they throw a block on you. I’m frustrated with that and coming to pit road, we got hit, which ultimately ruined our night.”

“Our Speedweeks were good. Our Kroger Camaro was really fast, we got to lead laps, we got to run up front, we got stage points in all the stages. We ran it up front like we wanted to, but we just didn’t get the result that we wanted.”

“I was going to go block the 10 and then when I looked, the 24 was going to follow me down and I didn’t think he was. So, I just got into his left rear. I hated that because I felt like the Hendrick and Chevy’s were working really well together.”

DID IT FEEL LIKE YOU WERE HUNG OUT TO DRY A LOT?
“Yeah, there for a while, I think the 11 (Denny Hamlin) hung us out once and really got me pretty far back there. Then, we were trying to work our way back up there and that’s when we got our penalty. You’ll have that. I felt like for a while, I was the only one up there. All the Chevy’s, we seemed to get broken up quite a bit. So, that was pretty difficult.”

RYAN PREECE, NO. 37 COTTONELLE CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in cash on lap 200; Finished 29th
“We were in position to win the race right there. You really got no help, which is sad, but the only one that was helping me was Chris Buescher. It’s hard to commit to so many people when you know at the end of the race the only person you can trust is Chris. It’s frustrating. Obviously, I can trust the 47 (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.) when I need his help, but as far as anyone else goes, you’re going to get left out to dry. It’s frustrating. That was the best shot to win that race. We were in a phenomenal spot.”

HOW MUCH AS JTG DAUGHERTY IMPROVED THE SUPERSPEEDWAY CARS OVER LAST YEAR?
“You guys saw that with Ricky (Stenhouse Jr.). As far as experience goes with other stuff, I’m not going to wreck everybody and put ourselves in that position early on in the race. The only time I’m going to jeopardize our race is towards the end and that’s what we did. We put ourselves into the last twenty or thirty laps into position to win this race, and then it just gets destroyed.”

KURT BUSCH, NO. 1 MONSTER ENERGY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in crash on lap 185; Finished 33rd
WHAT WAS YOUR VIEW OF WHAT YOU SAW OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD?
“There was just guys wrecking and the 21(Matt DiBenedetto) came back across, and we ended up knocking the oil cooler out of our No. 1 Monster Energy Chevy. The car was handling good; the guys put a lot of work into it. The random roulette wheel took our number today and we didn’t get to the end. Lady Luck was not on our side.”

WAS THERE A SENSE THAT YOU COULD FEEL THAT THEY HAD TO CREATE MOMENTUM AND LANES SO THAT ENERGY HAD TO BE FORCED IN A WAY?
“Yeah, there were a lot of cars on the lead-lap and there was a really big instability with side-drafting. With 15 laps to go, do you ride still or do you go for it? I went for it.”

“We were all racing hard and we ended up knocking the oil cooler out of it. My guys prepared a really good Monster Energy Camaro and the ZL1 1LE was fast. It hooked up. I was able to go wide open. On the inside lane, Lady Luck was not on our side. And there it is, boom! That’s a roulette wheel people. The roulette wheel spins and it grabs your number and it grabbed my number. Maybe Vegas will be a little better.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in multi-car crash on Lap 185; Finished 35th
HOW MUCH HAS THIS RACE MEANT TO YOU OVER THE YEARS?
“It’s been really a cool race to be a part of. You only dream of racing in races like this as a kid. That No. 22 car (Joey Logano) had been pretty aggressive all day long. I just felt like it was a matter of time before his pushes were a little much and it looks like that was the case there. But our Ally Chevy was really strong. I hate that we were tore up in it. I’m really excited about the races ahead of us. Cliff Daniels (crew chief) did a great job leading this team, full support from Hendrick Motorsports, my family, my friends, my fans; I’m just very thankful for all of that. We didn’t get to Victory Lane today but I’m ready to get to Vegas and get to work out there.”

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA ‘COLOR OF THE YEAR’ CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in crash on lap 59; Finished 40th
UNFORTUNATELY OUT OF THIS RACE EARLY. IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS CONTACT. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED THERE ON THE BACKSTRETCH?
“Just from looking at it further, I think he slid left to cross my bumper and if he would have hit me square, it would have been fine. But when he was sliding left and hitting me, it moved my car a little left too and, ultimately, it kind of caused him to turn me in the left rear. I’m not really sure how that happens, but it is what it is. I don’t really know what to do differently; just kind of go back, look at it, go onto Vegas and try to do well there.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EMOTIONS TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN THIS EARLY? YOU NEVER WANT TO HAVE IT HAPPEN, BUT TO HAVE IT HAPPEN THIS EARLY.
“Yeah, you always know it can happen at these racetracks. But we had a great race car, we prepared well and that’s really all we can do. So, just learn from what I can there and go onto Las Vegas.”

IT SEEMED LIKE THE HENDRICK CARS AND THE NEW CHEVY’S COULD PRETTY MUCH DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED BY THEMSELVES. WAS THAT THE CASE?
“Yeah, I think it was just a good organizational effort there with the other Hendrick guys to work our way through the field. Everyone was single file on the top and we decided to go to the bottom and pick that lane up. I thought everything was going well there. We were just kind of riding around and wait to try to get to the end of this race, but it didn’t happen.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
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Toyota Racing Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Daytona International Speedway
Monday, February 17

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

How do you describe this style of racing and the bravery the drivers have to show?

“I think we take for granted sometimes how safe these cars are. We’re praying for Ryan (Newman). Worked really well with Ryan through this whole race. Obviously, he got turned right there. Proud of our whole FedEx team. I don’t even know what to say, so unexpected. I knew they were going to come with a big run there. My job was to just make sure I didn’t put a block up where they would wreck me so I could make it to another corner. We got to the 12 (Ryan Blaney’s) bumper and got the push from there. I knew I was going to give him a big run. The race wasn’t over and obviously it worked out well for us there at the end. Proud of this whole FedEx team, Toyota, Coke, the Jordan brand. It’s great to have my girls here and the team celebrating back-to-back. I can’t even tell you what it means to me.”

What is it about you and this style of racing and Daytona?

“I just feel like I’m a student to the game. I never stop learning and trying to figure out where I need to put myself at the right time. It doesn’t always work. The odds – we’ve definitely defied odds the last eight years or so to win the Daytona 500. I just trust my instincts and so far they’ve been good for me. I can’t do it without the car and making it capable for me to make those winning moves.”

Take us through those final two laps.

“I knew that I got out there a little too far on the backstretch. I didn’t want to check up and it was just going to increase the run that those guys had. I knew that I wanted to give them the bottom and leave myself the top so I had some options. Great call by my spotter there, (Chris) Lambert to tuck in behind the 12 (Ryan Blaney). He told me to get behind the 12 and entering turn three I was able to link up on his bumper, similar to what I did with the 6 (Ryan Newman) and I knew I was going to give him a shot or a run was going to be massive and he was going to do something with it. I knew it wasn’t over from my perspective. When they got together, I just wanted to get as far away as I could and then once I saw the 12 coming up, I wanted to get to his right-rear like I did with the 78 a few years ago and side draft to the line. Things really worked out perfectly there for me at the end. I’m very fortunate to be in this place, but we all have to bow our heads and pray for Ryan Newman. That’s the number one thing we should all be thinking about right now.”

How concerned were you that you were the sole Toyota in the closing laps?

“We’re defying odds. We’re obviously low on numbers there. There were just so many Fords, I knew that at the end of these races, people want to win for themselves. Alliances and all sound really, really good at the beginning, but in the end, it’s the Daytona 500 and we want to do everything we can to win. Everyone was battling for it there. We just ended up on the right side of it.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Kyle, do you know what happened there to take you out of the race?

“No, right there coming out of (turn) four – when we were leading and guys were kind of switching from the bottom to the top. That’s when I got warning that it was starting to go away and then through the tri-oval it let go more and that is when (Joey) Logano was all over me. I couldn’t get out of the way fast enough. Overall, it’s just a shame. I really hate it for all my guys. I really hate it for Joe Gibbs Racing. You come off pit road after the final pit stop and you are leading the thing – it’s kind of your shot to win. All you have to do is make sure that you can keep everyone else behind you. We’ve been in that spot I don’t know how many times, and I guess we will just keep going down in history of finding new ways to lose it. I know there is another guy who has done that before and he was pretty popular. I don’t know. It sucks to be in that conversation, but we will go on another year.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series (NCS)
Monday, February 17, 2020
DAYTONA 500 POST RACE QUOTES

FORD FINISHING RESULTS
2nd – Ryan Blaney
3rd – Chris Buescher
4th – David Ragan
5th – Kevin Harvick
6th – Clint Bowyer
8th – Corey LaJoie
9th – Ryan Newman
14th – Michael McDowell
19th – Matt DiBenedetto
22nd – Aric Almirola
26th – Joey Logano
36th – Brad Keselowski
37th – Cole Custer

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards Ford Mustang – Finished 2nd
“We pushed Newman there to the lead and then we got a push from the 11. I kind of went low and he blocked that and so I was committed to pushing him to the win and have a Ford win it. I don’t know. We just got the bumpers hooked up wrong and I turned him. I hope he is alright. It looked pretty bad. I was trying to push him to the win. I don’t like saying that things just happen because I feel really bad about it. It was a close one. I just hope Ryan is alright.”

DAVID RAGAN, No. 36 Select Blinds Ford Mustang – Finished 4th
“That was the ugliest fourth place finish I have ever had. I wasn’t disciplined enough in my strategy there with about 15 to go. I felt like things were getting a little hairy and we were 16th or 18th and that is no man’s land here at Daytona. I keyed the radio up going down the back straightaway and said I was going to back off a little. That is when they wrecked. I was pretty mad at myself for not seeing that earlier and getting that damage. Our Front Row Motorsports team with Rick Ware did a good job getting it fixed up. Those last few laps were exciting.”

CLINT BOWYER, No. 14 Rush Truck Centers Ford Mustang – Finished 6th
“That was my opportunity to win, being on the outside in fourth. I don’t know. It is just disappointing. I am frustrated because I felt like I should have been on the outside and not on the inside. That was a game winning decision there, or losing decision on our behalf, and unfortunately it didn’t transpire.”

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light Ford Mustang – Finished 5th
“We did exactly what we wanted to do. We just got a little bit of bumper damage and abandoned stage points to be around at the end to have a chance. We did at the end; we just ran out of pushers. I knew we needed to be fourth on that restart. The bottom wasn’t where we needed to be. We didn’t get a good shove and then everything jumbled up and we were able to get back close to the front. It was a solid night for the Busch Light Ford.”

WERE YOU SURPRISED HAMLIN WAS ABLE TO WIN WITH ALL THE FORDS UP THERE OR WERE THEY JUST NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO GANG UP ON HIM? “We were plenty strong. It is all about timing of the pushes and things like that. In the end, it looked like the 12 wrecked the 6 and that is why the 11 won.”

COREY LAJOIE, No. 32 RagingBull.com Ford Mustang – Finished 8th
WHAT DID YOU SEE THE LAST LAP? “The narrative kind of changed a little bit. I heard he (Newman) went straight to the hospital. That’s obviously scary. I got a big push there that last coming to the white. I don’t know who was pushing me and I kind of stalled out and I don’t know who hooked Newman. I was hoping he would kind of bounce off the fence to the left, but he didn’t and I hit him. I don’t know exactly where I hit him. I haven’t seen a replay. It was some scary stuff. Don’t’ get me wrong. My car was on fire. My seat belts grabbed all sorts of areas, but it was a good day for us. I hope Ryan is OK.”

COLE CUSTER, No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang – Finished 37th – “It looks like we had a problem with a gear. Those things are usually pretty bulletproof. I don’t know. It’s tough because we just rode around all day to position ourselves for the end and it just didn’t work out. We had a good car. I think we probably were gonna be in contention for a top 10 there, but it just doesn’t always work out sometimes.”

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
DAYTONA 500
TEAM CHEVY RACE CRASH QUOTE
FEBRUARY 17, 2020

WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA ‘COLOR OF THE YEAR’ CAMARO ZL1 1LE – Sidelined in crash on lap 59
UNFORTUNATELY OUT OF THIS RACE EARLY. IT LOOKED LIKE THERE WAS CONTACT. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAPPENED THERE ON THE BACKSTRETCH?
“Just from looking at it further, I think he slid left to cross my bumper and if he would have hit me square, it would have been fine. But when he was sliding left and hitting me, it moved my car a little left too and, ultimately, it kind of caused him to turn me in the left rear. I’m not really sure how that happens, but it is what it is. I don’t really know what to do differently; just kind of go back, look at it, go onto Vegas and try to do well there.”

WHAT ARE YOUR EMOTIONS TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN THIS EARLY? YOU NEVER WANT TO HAVE IT HAPPEN, BUT TO HAVE IT HAPPEN THIS EARLY.
“Yeah, you always know it can happen at these racetracks. But we had a great race car, we prepared well and that’s really all we can do. So, just learn from what I can there and go onto Las Vegas.”

INAUDIBLE
“He had given me a couple of bumps earlier before that and the car handled it fine. I think the fact that he was pushing me and sliding left across the bumper is what really got me slightly left. He moved to go out of line and misjudged that move it seemed like. Ultimately, he hit me in the left rear quarter panel and turned me straight into the inside wall. I understand making moves and stuff. I think we were all in line to that point. It wasn’t like I was trying to block him or anything; I just don’t really know where that came from.”

YOU ARE SO GOOD HERE AT DAYTONA; YOU WERE SO FAST. HOW ARE YOU FEELING?
“It’s the ups and downs of racing. It goes up and down, and luckily, we got something points-wise out of this race or less we’d have one point. I guess we have 10 or 11 points going into Las Vegas. We’re going to have to rebound and rally there. I don’t know, I’m not really sure what I could have done differently.”

IT SEEMED LIKE THE HENDRICK CARS AND THE NEW CHEVY’S COULD PRETTY MUCH DO WHATEVER THEY WANTED BY THEMSELVES. WAS THAT THE CASE?
“Yeah, I think it was just a good organizational effort there with the other Hendrick guys to work our way through the field. Everyone was single file on the top and we decided to go to the bottom and pick that lane up. I thought everything was going well there. We were just kind of riding around and wait to try to get to the end of this race, but it didn’t happen.”

SO MUCH PREPARATION AND DRAFT PRACTICE, ALL TO END LIKE THAT. WHAT HAPPENED?
“Yeah, I don’t know. Obviously, I got hit in the back bumper. I saw a brief replay of it. He (Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.) was kind of moving when he hit me first and so he pushed me left with him. And then he hit me in the center of the left rear and just turned me around. I think it was just enough. The first hit, when he was sliding left on my bumper, is what really moved my car left with him. So, I don’t know. It’s unfortunate. I feel like I don’t know. I feel like there’s really no reason to be that aggressive moving across my bumper, but it is what it is. We’ll go on to Vegas and go try to win that one.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

For Matt DiBenedetto and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, the Speedweeks preliminaries are over, a Sunday rainout is behind them, and the focus now is on a Monday afternoon conclusion of the Great American Race, the 62nd annual Daytona 500.

Sunday’s Daytona 500 was halted after 20 laps due to persistent rain with the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Mustang in 13th place.

The events leading up to Monday have been memorable for DiBenedetto and the Wood Brothers. DiBenedetto has made his first competitive laps since taking over the driving duties of the No. 21 Mustang. He qualified 16th last Sunday then ran a strong Bluegreen Vacations Duel, running second for much of that 150-mile qualifier before finishing seventh and securing the 16th starting position for Sunday’s Cup Series season opener.

He also picked up four Stage points, which he’ll carry throughout the season.

He’s had a chance to work with crew chief Greg Erwin and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team as well as shaking off the rust from a long offseason.

DiBenedetto was 18th fastest in Friday’s practice session, and the team felt good enough about their preparation to skip Saturday’s final practice.

“The car is fast,” said Eddie Wood, who is participating in the Daytona 500 for the 48th straight year. “We only got 20 laps in on Sunday, but everything looks good so far.”

Even before the green flag dropped on the 500 Sunday afternoon, Speedweeks offered an opportunity for the Wood Brothers to get to know a new driver, and to participate in some of the signature events of Speedweeks.

The Woods debuted their 1954 Ford, a tribute to the late team founder Glenn Wood. The recently completed black No. 22 made laps on some historic ground during the North Turn’s Legends Beach Parade, which covered some of the same ground Wood raced on – and won on – in the mid-1950s.

And the family members got back into the at-track routine that comes with team ownership.

Like many at Daytona this February, Eddie Wood senses a promising level of excitement about the new season, not just for the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team and for Ford Motor Company but for the sport as a whole.

“I’ve got a good feeling about where things are headed for our sport,” Wood said. “There was a good vibe all week, and the atmosphere was electric on Sunday with a sold-out crowd in the grandstands and a visit from the president.

“It was a big day for our sport.”

Wood, who was on hand to see President Reagan at the track in 1984 and President Bush in 2004, said the sight of Air Force One landing alongside Daytona International Speedway stirs one’s patriotic spirits no matter who is riding inside.

“Regardless of one’s politics, it’s a huge deal to have the President on hand and serving as Grand Marshal for a race,” he said. “It brings a huge amount of attention to our sport.”

The Daytona 500 is set to get the green flag just after 4 p.m. Monday with TV coverage on FOX.

###

About Motorcraft:

Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln Dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

About Omnicraft:

Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visitwww.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.

About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center

Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine vehicle maintenance including tire repair and replacement with a Low Tire Price Guarantee and a full menu of automotive services including oil and filter, brakes, alignments, batteries, and shocks and struts on all vehicle makes and models. Service is performed by certified technicians at more than 1,000 locations worldwide while you wait, and no appointment is necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

Wood Brothers Racing

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

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA SPEEDWEEKS
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 15, 2020

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 1LE met with media and discussed his thoughts on what he’d like to do after 2020, practice sessions and how the new race car is performing thus far at Daytona, his teammates and the Duel races, and more. FULL TRANSCRIPT:

THIS IS YOUR LAST FULL TIME SEASON, BUT MAYBE NOT NECESSARILY YOUR LAST DAYTONA 500. WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST WHEN YOU’RE NOT RACING FULL TIME ANYMORE?
“It could be my last 500. I don’t know. I am officially retiring from 38 weekends a year at the end of the season. I do know that. But the right situation, I would certainly consider it. I know that I can’t shut off my competitive nature at the end of the year and call it good. So, I would entertain NASCAR, IndyCar, Sports Car, Off-Road, Mountain Bike, Marathon; ski racing recently with my daughter. I’ve got to race. So, I’m open to things that would be fun. Things that are on my bucket list. And, of course, if there’s an opportunity here with Hendrick Motorsports and being with Rick, I’d certainly look at that, too. Are you thinking what I’ll be doing next year at this time?”

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST? WHEN WE’RE RACING AT DOVER, ARE YOU GOING TO SIT HOME AND WATCH RACES, OR ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO SPENDING TIME WITH FAMILY?
“I want to know what it’s like to be bored. What is that? What would that look and feel like? I hope to get to the point sometime next year when I’m like bored. That’s just not me. It’s not been me. I’d probably hate it and bury myself with more work in another way. But, that’s kind of the goal is to just take a deep breath and reset and of course be with my family and of course spend time with them. But, just chill.”

IT WAS A WILD TRUCK RACE LAST NIGHT. WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT UNDERDOG NEAR-WIN AND WHAT HE DID LAST NIGHT?
“He drove a great race being smart throughout the event. I really liked his move off of Turn 4; and then, I assume the contact coming to the finish line, he checked-up and the other didn’t, because he seemed to have the momentum on his side in passing by and it just kind of nipped him. But, I was really impressed with his demeanor after the race. Of course it’s a huge moment that he wished was a few feet different, but his excitement and optimism and his smile said it all. It was pretty cool.

WILL YOU BE HAPPY AS HE WAS IF YOU WIN ON SUNDAY?
“Would I be happier, yes (laughter). Well, I’m going to of course say it that way, but the race to win in your final year, I mean what athlete gets to have that moment or those moments?”

AFTER TOMORROW’S RACE, IS THERE A PARTICULAR TRACK THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER THAT YOU WOULD BE LOOKING FORWARD TO IF THIS IS YOUR LAST YEAR?
“I think right away we go back to the track closest to me home town, Fontana. I’ve had a lot of race wins there and a lot of special moments. My first win. So, early in the season, we get to one of my top three that I’m looking forward to going to the most.”

YOU RAN VERY WELL IN THE DUELS AND SEEM OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE DAYTONA 500
“Yeah, I feel really good about it. We’ve had great speed in our 500 car. The first experience I’ve had with the new body, and all the Chevys did, was in the Clash and didn’t have to comfort that I was looking for in the car there. Since then, we’ve been making some great change and I felt like in the closing laps of yesterday’s practice session, we really hit on what I was looking for; a great combination of speed and comfort. And, as the plate racing continues to develop, I’m not sure it’s quite tandem, but the bump-drafting, the slam-drafting that’s taking place, that’s been probably my weak spot as the week started down here. it’s turned into one of our strengths, and we’ve kept the speed in the car. So, I’m really excited about that and I’m looking forward to this next practice session and hope we do get the draft going out there. We’ve tried to exploit that area a bit more and it would be nice to have a bit more.”

YOU HAVE A LOT OF FANS IN THE WHOLE COUNTRY. IN CALIFORNIA, YOU HAVE A LOT OF LATINOS FOLLOWING YOU. THEY ARE SAD BECAUSE THIS IS YOUR LAST FULL-TIME YEAR. WHAT CAN YOU TELL THEM ABOUT THIS SAD DECISION FOR LATINOS?
“Well, I appreciate them being fans and following my career. When I really count up the years, this is my 30th season as a professional race car driver. I’m very fortunate to have had such a long run. I still know that I’ll race something in the future and look forward to the fans watching that and being involved in that. After 30 years, I don’t really know any other profession or sport that you can have that long of a run. So, I’m very grateful and very thankful and hopefully in 2021 we’ll be on-track somewhere, somehow, and give the fans something to look at.”

AFTER THE DUELS, WHEN ASKED ABOUT JIMMIE JOHNSON BEING BEHIND HIM AND PUSHING AND WHATNOT, WILLIAM BYRON SAID HE WAS ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED. THAT GUY IS SO GOOD. HE WAS JUST SHAKING BECAUSE HE KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO GO RIGHT THROUGH HIM TO GET TO WHERE YOU WANTED. HAVE YOU HAD A CONVERSATION WITH HIM? HIS THOUGHTS ABOUT YOU BEING BEHIND HIM WERE PRETTY COOL
“I’m done talking to him and my other teammates. They use it against me. They’re all so good! (laughter). We talked briefly in Victory Lane and he said thanks for pushing me. I said I wasn’t trying to push him, I was trying to pass your ass (laughter). So, it’s great to have the competitive spirit we do and I know that I’ve been very helpful for William and Chase (Elliott) and Alex (Bowman) and it’s something I’m proud of. Of course I wanted to win but am very happy to see the success that all three of them have had and will continue to have. But, when you speak to him outside the car, you form an opinion and then you get in the car and you realize how intense he is and how great of a job he does.”

WERE YOU COGNIZANT OF THE FACT THAT HE WAS KIND OF NERVOUS ABOUT YOU BEING BEHIND HIM BECAUSE YOU’RE SO GOOD AT WHAT YOU DO?
“I wasn’t aware of that so I’m glad you let me know. I’m trying to exploit that in future races (laughter).”

A LOT HAS BEEN MADE OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ABOUT THE 48 TEAM STRUGGLES. FROM YOUR POINT, INSIDE THE HENDRICK ORGANIZATION, SINCE THIS IS NOT THE DOMINANT TEAM IT ONCE WAS. WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU TO SEE WHAT THE ORGANIZATION HAS GONE THROUGH OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS NOT BEING IN THAT POSITION ANYMORE?
“I’ve been racing long enough to know that teams have their ups and downs and have been just so fortunate to be a company that’s has the highest of highs. I’ve also been very fortunate to have my timing and my crew chief’s timing, and my manufacturer’s timing and my team’s timing all kind of peak at the same point, and that’s how we won five in a row. It wasn’t any one of us just carrying or towing the line, it took us all hitting at that right spot. I think some elevation and some experience and some age helps me recognize that. I also wee where Hendrick is going. So yes, we have had a couple of lean years but I know Rick’s commitment, I know our team’s commitment, and I know the energy that’s going on inside the walls of Hendrick Motorsports and what’s happening and what’s going on. So, I really feel like in 2020 we can be back to the Hendrick that everybody is used to seeing.”

I THOUGHT INDYCAR WAS OFF THE TABLE FOR YOU. HAS THAT CHANGED? AND, DO YOU EXPECT THE NEW SHORT TRACK PACKAGE THIS YEAR TO HELP YOU AND TO BE MORE COMFORTABLE FOR YOU AT THE PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN DOMINATE LIKE DOVER & MARTINSVILLE?
‘As far as open wheel, the 500 is passed for me. And I’d say Texas and really, the ovals. I mean, the fast ovals for sure and the smaller ovals, maybe. I haven’t had enough conversations to figure anything out, but road course racing, for me, definitely looks like a good proposition. And, what’s opened my mind to that was driving that F-1 car a couple of years ago. I had no idea cars could do that. I’m like, I want to do more of that. That was really a lot of fun. So, we’ll see what this year brings and what opportunities might pop-up for ’21.”

ON THE SHORT TRACK PACKAGE
“I feel like the more you need to drive the car with the right, the better I am. I’m excited to see that. And, just knowing how tough it was and how aero-dependent the cars were, even on small tracks like Martinsville, was a bummer. I’m happy to see that change and get some air dropping down back behind the lead car and helping other cars handle.”

WITH ALL THESE CHAMPIONSHIPS, WHAT IS SOMETHING BEHIND THE SCENES, A SATISFYING THING, WHAT GIVES YOU THE GREATEST THRILL AND TOTAL SATISFACTION THROUGHOUT YOUR CAREER?
“I’d say the experience with my teammates and team members. The driver gets all the glory. We all know that and see that when you work in the sport. But behind the scenes, the amount of people that work on those cars and put in the effort and really help drive technology and bring that advantage to the track, it’s mind-blowing. And then when you have your core group of road crew guys and girls and those experiences and those relationships and that bond, I guess to maybe summarize, the locker room. It’s easier for others outside of our sport to see that. That locker room is really the cool thing about it all.”

THE FORD FOLKS WERE IN THE MEDIA CENTER YESTERDAY MAKING IT VERY CLEAR THAT IT’S ONE FORD. IF THEIR TEAM CAN’T WIN, A FORD HAS TO WIN. YOU WORKED A WEIRD DEAL LAST YEAR WITH TOYOTA TO HELP WITH THEIR NUMBERS. WHAT IS THEIR STATUS OR PLAN GOING INTO SUNDAY IF CHEVROLET HAS MADE ONE?
“I think all the manufacturers are kind of netting-out in the same spot. I feel we had great success early by being so unified. I think as last year went on, we were too predictable. So, being more fluid and more dynamic, whichever you want to pick, is key. And I think the Duels kind of showed that. We’re king of under the same impression that we just need a Chevy to win. Of course we want it to be ourselves, but when you have that choice to make, that option to make, I’m going to be looking for a Bowtie.”

HAS THERE BEEN ANY TIME IN THE LAST TWO AND A HALF YEARS, WHEN YOU THOUGHT MAYBE RON MALEC SHOULD COME BACK? (LAUGHTER)
“No, because he’s still at the shop doing all the things that he’s done. It’s not like there has been a complete departure. And Ron has really trained Austin, who’s on the No. 88 and then Jesse, who is on our cars ultimate replacement. He kind of grew both of those guys and brought them along. And, to us, on the inside, it just seems seamless. I don’t know. His influence is still very much a part of the culture of the No. 48 and what goes on. The at-track side. I miss him. I want to see him around. But I haven’t felt like we’ve lost something when Ron took the shop job. He did a great job of training guys that came in and were ready to go.”

HAVE YOU THOUGHT OF WORKING IN THE MEDIA AT ALL, POSSIBLY WITH JEFF GORDON OR DALE EARNHARDT JR.?
“It could be down the road. I feel like I still have things I want to do and accomplish behind the wheel. And when that fades I would say maybe there’s a chance. I haven’t pursued that or put much time or effort into it. But, I still have stuff I want to accomplish behind the wheel.”

Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

NASCAR CUP SERIES
DAYTONA SPEEDWEEKS
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
FEBRUARY 15, 2020

An interview with:

JIM CAMPBELL
RICHARD CHILDRESS
RICK HENDRICK
RICHARD PETTY
CHIP GANASSI

THE MODERATOR: We’re joined here now by Jim Campbell, U.S. vice president of performance vehicles and motorsports for Chevrolet; Richard Childress from Richard Childress Racing; Rick Hendrick, Hendrick Motorsports; Chip Ganassi from Chip Ganassi Racing; and Richard Petty, Richard Petty Motorsports.

Jim, Chevrolet is entering the 2020 season with 786 victories since 1949, more than any other manufacturer. Talk to us about your expectations for the 2020 season.

JIM CAMPBELL: It’s great to be here in Daytona. I live in Detroit. Coming to Daytona, it’s always great to be here. This is a tradition to kick off the season right here.

786 victories, the team owners that we race with, an incredible group. They represent over 47% of those victories right here. I couldn’t be prouder to be racing with each one of them.

What I’m most proud of here is the way each one of these team owners, their competition directors, crew chiefs and drivers are working together both off the track as we prepare for racing and also on the track.
It’s going to be an exciting year. We’re going to debut the 2020 ZL1 1LE, our new Camaro. This will be the debut for the first points race this weekend.

Incredible lineup of drivers and crew chiefs. Obviously just had Jimmie in here. Jimmie, anything on four wheels, he’s only raced Chevrolets. We are so proud to race with him and we are looking forward to an exciting way to celebrate his final season here in NASCAR.

Kurt Busch, our other champion, terrific to have him, both him and Jimmie, both our informal and formal leaders of our Team Chevy driver lineup. We have a very young driver lineup. So exciting. If you take those two guys out of the mix, our average age is 26.6 years of age.

22 years old, William Byron wins the second Duel. Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson behind him. Stenhouse, Jr. getting the pole. Alex Bowman on the outside front row. We’re excited about the season ahead.

THE MODERATOR: This one is for Richard Childress. You’ve been with Chevrolet the longest, more than 50 years. You’re coming off a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship in 2019. Tell us your thoughts and expectations heading into this season.

RICHARD CHILDRESS: We feel good about it. We feel good about our driver lineup at RCR. We moved Tyler up. He earned the right to move up. Excited about having him. He and Austin are going to make good teammates, work together, so far everything I’ve seen.

The new Camaro, I mean, it’s going to be an awesome, awesome car. I think all of these guys have put so much into it. The staff at Chevy has really got behind it and put their thoughts and all the work behind it. We’re all excited about this season.

THE MODERATOR: Mr. Hendrick, you’ve had a 36‑year history with Chevrolet. Talk about that relationship and your thoughts on Alex Bowman again qualifying on the front row with a Hendrick‑powered Chevrolet.

RICK HENDRICK: First of all, with Chevrolet, I guess I owe everything to them. My first dealership, a lot of dealerships today. We work arm in arm in the accessory business. Everything I’ve done has been with Chevrolet. They’ve been awful good to me.

I’m excited about this year. Like Richard said, the new car, the new Camaro is a really good piece. I’m excited about our driver lineup just like Richard.

We always want to come down here and sit on the pole or the front row. That’s a goal. To come down and have an engine on the pole and Alex on the outside pole was great. Then William to win the 150, the second one, was good.

It’s been a good week so far. I always look forward to Daytona. It’s our Super Bowl. We got a lot of sponsors here. More energy than I’ve seen in a long, long time here. I couldn’t believe the buses when I came in the other way. Usually I come into turn four. When I came in through the tunnel, I’ve never seen so many people. That’s a really good sign for our sport. I’m just excited about this year.

THE MODERATOR: Chip, 2020 marks the 30th year of racing for Chip Ganassi Racing. Talk about your expectations going into what’s a milestone season for your organization.

CHIP GANASSI: I’m excited about being here at Daytona, obviously. It’s our 30th year. We won some races here and there. I’m hoping somebody just gets a picture of me standing up on the stage here with these three guys, and hopefully someday I’ll be able to accomplish about half of what they have.
I’m happy to be with Chevrolet. These guys have been with them 30 years, 50 years. I want to be with them for another 50 years, too.

Like Rick said, you come in through the tunnel, there’s a lot of excitement about the sport this year. There’s a lot of excitement about Daytona, a lot of excitement about Sunday.

I think the Chevrolets, the other night I was happy with our performance in the second Duel. Looking forward to a great year. I think, like Jim said, Chevrolet has a group of young guys coming along as well as a couple of wily veterans. I’m optimistic. I’m optimistic about this weekend and about the season. Never thought I’d be 30 years in this business. I’m a lucky guy.

THE MODERATOR: Mr. Petty, you have an unrivaled legacy in the sport on and off the track. Talk about your expectations heading into the 2020 season.
RICHARD PETTY: I guess that’s what keeps us all coming back. Nobody knows what’s going to happen. Decent season last year, a little bit disappointing on some of our points. Looking forward to what can be.

We’ve been coming down here since 1959 or something. Nobody really knows who’s where, what’s going on. Even after you practice, qualify, run a couple of races and stuff, it’s still not like the 500. That’s a completely different animal.

I think all of us are looking forward. Hopefully there’s a lot of spectators out there. Like these boys saying, a lot of excitement. Most people I’ve seen in the last five or six years down here. From that standpoint, I think everybody is really looking forward to next year.

I think with our new car, we’re looking forward to seeing what it will do not only at Daytona, but we got 35 other races we got to kind of worry about, too.

I feel like with the testing and stuff, all the engineering that’s went into everything, I think Chevrolet is going to be a little bit better this year than it was last year. We’re looking forward to that.

Bubba done a pretty good job the other night in the 125‑mile race. We were pretty happy with running fifth because I think he qualified 17th or something.

Anyhow, just looks like everybody’s really excited about this year, probably more so. All the car manufacturers, drivers. I think even the spectators are really looking forward to a really good year this year.
THE MODERATOR: We’ll open it up to questions.

Q. Rick, Jimmie (Johnson) was just here talking about his last full‑time season. How important is it for you to make sure he goes out with a bang?
RICK HENDRICK: He’s given so much to the sport and our organization, in particular with seven championships and all the wins. We want to give him everything we can to see him go out with the best results he can.

He’s really fired up. Jimmie is super excited. Cliff is really a super sharp guy. I think they’re going to have a really good year with the new car. I’m excited about the car.

I’ve never seen Jimmie so energized. Sometimes a guy in his last year, they’re celebrating, it’s the end. I don’t want to say they coast, but it’s not a priority to run fast and win. Jimmie is really fired up.
We’re going to give him everything we got, leave nothing on the table.

Q. Mr. Hendrick, in terms of the car dealers, the dealerships, you see these cars, you don’t have to leave your house now, you can order a car online, take the stupid machine.
RICK HENDRICK: That is stupid.

Q. How do you guys counter that at the sales level when you’re dealing with your dealerships? Is there a counter to that?

RICK HENDRICK: A lot of people will look at a car online. When it gets down to giving them your Social Security number and all of the other information, they’re a little bit more cautious. Not many people want to buy a car 60,000, 50,000 or 100,000 without seeing it.

Service is still the key. If you take good care of the customer, you have owner base, you really have a good reputation, you make sure that nobody leaves there unhappy, then you’re still going to get the bulk of the business.

It’s a very small percentage of the sales that are done completely online. All of our stores are able to take you to that point if you want to go there. Usually people, once they get a little bit of information, they want to go to the dealership and see the car.

We’re going to stay in step with them. If they want it online completely, we can do it. If we can take it to their house, whatever the other folks do we can do. None of those folks have the shop, the parts and the service. Most people want somebody to take care of it after the sale.

Q. Chip, do you have an update on the IMSA program going forward?
CHIP GANASSI: No update on IMSA. I want to be back hopefully next year.

Q. Richard, especially for your team, this is the least amount of on‑track practice I can remember in a long time. What challenges does it present having a rookie with limited track time?

RICHARD CHILDRESS: We have two races. I told them yesterday, they were out there practicing, I said we already ran 110 laps, whatever it is. We got plenty of practice out there.

Running the 150s, I think Tyler learned a whole lot. I’m excited about seeing how this season kicks off with our group.
I don’t think it really hurts that much. I don’t know what these guys think, but that’s my opinion.

Q. Richard, when you look at this, it’s obviously a big year for your program. Are you feeling the optimism that this can be more of a growth year, get you guys back to the glory days of the Petty team? You won your last two Daytona 500s under General Motors brands. What has it been like the last couple years to be back with the Chevy?

RICHARD PETTY: Long question. I didn’t hear any of it (laughter). After 71 years, around racecars, it’s hard to hear.

Q. The Camaro this year, are you feeling the same optimism that it seems like all the Chevy owners have as far as this year being a growth year for Chevy?
RICHARD PETTY: I feel like last year Chevy came, they just missed the ball. You know what I mean? They thought they had something good. Once they put it on the racetrack and got going…

This year they corrected a lot of these mistakes. We hope they corrected it enough that we’re going to be competitive everywhere we go. I think from that standpoint, Chevrolet and all the Chevrolet people are really looking forward to making up for what we did last year.

Q. The last two of your Daytona 500s came under General Motors brands. What has it been like for you the last couple years since you moved back under General Motors with the Chevy?

RICHARD PETTY: Put it this way: everything’s changed so much in the years since then. I mean, we started out way, way back. We’ve been through I think seven different manufacturers that I’ve won races with.
Right now I think Chevrolet’s probably got the best overall program, and they’re looking forward to doing better, building a new operation in I guess Concord, Charlotte, somewhere, so that all of us can work out of one particular place. Right now they’re working out of a bunch of different places. All the engineering will be done in one place. It will be close to all the racers and stuff.

I think they’re totally, totally committed to racing. We want to be right along in there with somebody that’s as dedicated to racing as we are.

Q. Jim, given how last year unfolded, do you feel compelled to tell your drivers and teams you need to work together here at Daytona or is that at this point standard operating procedure?

JIM CAMPBELL: I was reflecting back on coming to this meeting for the past four or five years. I was asked about that a lot. 2016, Toyota got organized, they won the race. The following year, Ford organized, they won about seven superspeedway races. Every time I came in here I said I want this to stay in the drivers’ hands. It’s situational at 200 plus miles an hour.

With the other two manufacturers organized that way, it can’t go any further. We got organized as a team here, all the affiliate teams, all the competition directors, all the crew chiefs, spotters, drivers, going into the Talladega in the spring. I couldn’t have been prouder. The first time we did this, they executed beautifully stage one, two and three. You can look at the results. We dominated all three of those stages. Chase won the race, six drivers in the top 10 of the finish, five teams were represented. They executed great.

When we came here in the summer to Daytona, it was overshadowed by the rain, lightning and the red flag and stoppage of the race. Behind the scenes of that, our teams were really rolling well together.

Talladega didn’t work out as well. It’s a hard thing to do. The benefit of working together is too great, the penalty the not working together is too big. If you try to do the pit stops on your own, do a whole pit cycle, you will lose a whole second to 1.4 seconds. You cannot do it on your own.

Yes, we will work together, but I want these guys to be adaptive out there. At 200 miles an hour, they have to be smart. All things being equal, I want them to help a Chevy. The results will have to speak for themselves. We have to prove it out there in Talladega. I’m proud of what they did last summer in Daytona. Daytona was five of the top 10.

Q. (No microphone.)
JIM CAMPBELL: As we prepare for Talladega, we probably did seven meetings, most of which were back in Charlotte, somewhere at the track. Everyone was bought in. At that point we hadn’t won a race that season. They rolled together. I mean, go back and look at that race, they rolled together. I really believe Daytona last summer they did a really good job.

The trust level amongst our Chevy drivers is a level I’m really, really pleased with. The crew chiefs are working together. The competition directors are working together. That really blends over for the preparation for the 2020 Camaro and also the next gen.

The superspeedways, if you want to do it on your own, it’s a big roll of the dice. You want to work together, we can benefit together.

Q. Chip, you got Kurt resigned last year to a deal. Now it’s Kyle’s turn. You don’t talk about contracts. Do you have any idea of when you’ll really have to sit down and get things buttoned up with him?
CHIP GANASSI: No.

Q. It was worth a shot (laughter). And for Jim, you mentioned the new Camaro. Is there also an engine component coming this year?

JIM CAMPBELL: Mark Kent is our director of motorsports competition for General Motors and Chevrolet, Cadillac. He supports our efforts in other race programs around the world.

We have a new (indiscernible) that was approved a year ago so the teams can integrate those in when they’re ready. It’s a combination. Typically on the engine side, we do that when the pool of current engines is at the point where you can rotate them out.

Listen, I think the teams have worked really well together both on the engine development we submitted to NASCAR as well as the submission on the Camaro. We’re doing the same thing on the next gen.

Q. Jim and Richard, you talked about on the track, how you’re working together. Behind the scenes, you talked about that. How about the marketing, sharing of possibilities for B to B business for the Chevrolets?
JIM CAMPBELL: One of the things that our team does is we handle both the competition side of our motorsports efforts amongst all the divisions in which we race, all the series in which we race. The other side that reports to our group is marketing and marketing activation. The two together allows us to integrate at a high level.

Motorsport is an amazing place if you love marketing. Co‑branding, co‑marketing opportunities are there for the taking. You have to work it. We work it hard, B to B and B to C, business to business and business to customer. It happens up and down the lane here.

Part of my weekend and my team on the marketing side, they’re doing meetings with sponsors that sponsor these cars and Chevrolet to see where we have common ground. When these promotions come together, they’re amazing. You spend a fraction of the money and get the benefit like you did it all. If it works well, your partners do the same thing. We’re all in.

RICHARD CHILDRESS: We’re the same way. We work close with Chevy. What they do, if they have sponsors, they’ll talk and deal with our sponsors. Our group of PR ladies and gentlemen, they work close with Chevy as well as they work close with us.

Q. Jim, who is developing the Chevy engine? Will it be a project that’s done in both RCR’s engine shop and Hendrick’s engine shop?

JIM CAMPBELL: Mark Kent’s group handles our competition, all the preparation on the engine side. We work very closely with both Richard’s team and Rick’s team, with consultation of our other teams.

What do they need? When we make an adjustment on the engine, submit it to NASCAR, what are the enhancements we need to provide power and efficiency? It’s done. It’s rotated when it’s ready. When the pool is ready to take the new block, it’s already been done.

Q. How hard is it to introduce a new Camaro, engine, Gen 7 car within a 24‑month period?

JIM CAMPBELL: In the auto business, that’s what we do. Chevy has 18 vehicles that we sell in our showroom, and we’re constantly doing more than one thing at a time. The team has done a really good job for preparing for both the new 2020 entry, working on the next gen. The engine work was already done. Right now we’re in implementation phase. That piece is already done.

Q. Chip, how important is it for you to want to keep Kyle Larson in Ganassi Racing?

CHIP GANASSI: I think it’s always important to keep good people around, whether it’s a driver, crew chief, engineer, whatever.

Q. Jim, Chevy has two engine builders, Toyota and Ford have one primary engine builder. How does this work for you compared to what they’re doing? Is this something maybe you have evaluated and going forward is it something you need to continue?

JIM CAMPBELL: Well, we’ve been doing it with these two guys for 50 years and 35 years. It’s working great. I don’t see a change. These guys are amazing. NASCAR periodically will do dyno‑tests where they’ll pull four random, one from every manufacturer. When they do that in the case of Chevy, they typically pull two, one from each of the engine builders.

When we get the results, I know what our results are, I can’t tell which is Ford and which is Toyota. These guys on horsepower, torque, the torque curves are right there. They will go right up against the other manufacturers. I love what we’re doing.

One thing I wanted to add here. Chevy’s involved in about five different series. NASCAR is an amazing platform for its scale and reach. Both competitively we can race in three different series, and then in terms of this idea of lifting our brand and selling cars and trucks, parts and accessories. We love the scale and reach of NASCAR.

RICK HENDRICK: Richard’s group and our group work together. We work together to develop a part with GM. We’re not up in Charlotte doing one and he’s doing something else. Our teams work together to come up with a product. We might assemble it in different areas, but we work together with GM to come up with components.

RICHARD CHILDRESS: If we do have an issue, we share it together and we work together to fix it right away. That’s one of the key things that we have going for us.

THE MODERATOR: Gentlemen, thank you for spending some time with us today. Good luck this weekend at the Daytona 500.

FastScripts by ASAP Sports
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

About Chevrolet
Founded in 1911 in Detroit, Chevrolet is one of the world’s largest car brands, doing business in more than 100 countries and selling more than 4.0 million cars and trucks a year. Chevrolet provides customers with fuel-efficient vehicles that feature engaging performance, design that makes the heart beat, passive and active safety features and easy-to-use technology, all at a value. More information on Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com.

To preview the Daytona 500 and the 2020 season, we’re joined here on the stage by Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports; Tony Stewart from Stewart‑Haas Racing; Eddie Wood from Wood Brothers Racing; Walt Czarnecki, senior vice president of Penske Corporation; and Jack Roush from Roush‑Fenway Racing.

Mark, Ford had notable success in 2019 across all three national NASCAR series. Looking at 2020, strong driver lineup, couple Rookie of the Year candidates, what are your expectations for this season?

MARK RUSHBROOK, GLOBAL DIRECTOR, FORD PERFORMANCE: “We’re really excited to be back here and racing again. As you said, the success in 2019 with the wins that we had, with the first year that we had with the new Mustang, to now be back second year with that Mustang, the teams have all been working really hard through the off‑season, taking advantage of the tools and advancing the aerodynamics of that Mustang, the chassis setup using the simulator. I think we’ve had more time in the simulator in this off‑season than we have ever had before. From what we’ve seen so far at Daytona, it’s early, saw a lot of speed in the cars, teams working across the Ford drivers, communication across the teams. We’re excited about that. Some changes in the teams with the driver lineup and the crew chiefs. I think it’s been a win‑win from everything that we’ve seen lining up the right people, the right crew chiefs with the right drivers, seeing that pay off this season. Certainly with the success that we had with Cole Custer and Stewart‑Haas stepping up from Xfinity to Cup this year, excited about that. Even the Xfinity Series, to have Austin Cindric back and Chase Briscoe back running in that series, a lot of excitement there. Looking for some success out of those guys.”

For each of the owners, I’ll ask you each to respond to this. You all four have great legacies in the sport. You know how important it is to have a great partnership. Talk a little bit about how you’ve worked with Ford to build successful programs, what your expectations are for the 2020 season.

JACK ROUSH, ROUSH FENWAY RACING: “We’re anxious to take advantage of the many tools in Ford’s great toolbox. This is my 33rd year of coming to Daytona for the 500. We look forward to bringing Chris Buescher and Ryan Newman to have some success.Jimmy Fennig has done a great job with the cars, Doug Yates has done a great job with the engines. A matter of teamwork, everybody be willing to pull together, accept the reality if they can’t win on a given day, they can help another Ford driver win.”

TONY STEWART, STEWART-HAAS RACING: “That’s the cool thing of what we do with Ford, like Jack mentioned. The thing that all of our drivers think about each weekend, if it’s not our day, we can’t win, how do we help another one of these Ford teams win the race each weekend. That’s how dedicated and passionate we are to put that blue oval in Victory Lane every week. That’s something that’s a major priority to all of our drivers and organizations, is making sure we all work together. We’re at a track here this weekend that’s a very, very huge priority for all of our Ford teams to work together. Even on the races outside of the restrictor plate races, we think that way as well. It’s exactly like Jack mentioned and the rest of these guys are going to say, too, we have a lot of great resources with Ford that they give to us. They are very hands on of wanting to know what they can do to help you, help all of our teams, all of our organizations be better. It’s great to have a partner like that, that is that engaged. It’s not just, Here is a check, here are some tools, go have fun, win us some races. These guys are very active and proactive about helping us all be better and more successful than we were the year before and helping push us to make our programs better. It’s exciting for us. It’s great to have a partner like this that we feel is really a part of our family and how much they welcomed us into their family. We’re looking forward to it.”

WALT CZARNECKI, TEAM PENSKE: “I can echo Tony and Jack. This is our eighth year with Ford. I can honestly say the relationship that Mark and his team have developed with not only us but across the spectrum of what we do from a technical, marketing standpoint, overall support standpoint has never been better from Team Penske’s perspective. Tony made a comment, it struck me over the last couple of years the way the Ford teams have worked together. Early on when I think we did an alliance with you, Jack, on some wind tunnel things early on, when we came onboard with Roush, that was the very beginning of it. Now we seem to be working with all the other teams in a variety of enterprises. That’s due to the fact that Ford has made it very clear this is one Ford, that it’s one team, and as Tony just said, watching the race last night, I think Joey said he wouldn’t have won that race without the help provided to him. I don’t know if it will be the same on Sunday, and it shouldn’t be. By the same token, I think that was indicative and illustrative of what we’re talking about here. There’s been a real I’ll use the term ‘camaraderie’ that’s been built and a business relationship that’s been productive to everybody.”

EDDIE WOOD, WOOD BROTHERS RACING: “Yeah, I agree with what Walt and Tony just mentioned, the togetherness, the camaraderie, one Ford is really probably the easiest way to say it. I was sitting here counting up on my fingers. I think this is my 48th Daytona 500 in a row. I’ve been coming here a long time. We’ve always raced Fords. The last few years the way that Ford has brought everyone together, like they already said, you feel like everybody is your teammate. That’s a really good feeling. Just like last night, we drafted a lot with Harvick and Cole. The other Fords were in the first race. That was really the three we had, but they did a really good job with only three cars. You have that feeling every week, if you can’t win, as long as one of those guys win, it’s okay. I think that’s a testament to Mark and all the leadership at Ford Motor Company in bringing everyone together. Getting a bunch of racers together, making them really do it… It’s easy to get everybody in a room and say, You’re going to do this, we’re all going to do this, everybody agrees to it. When the flag drops, some of that used to go away, but it doesn’t now. I think everybody respects their teammates, whether it’s in your organization or not, everybody has a respect for each other. It all starts with Ford Motor Company.”

JACK ROUSH: “Far be it for me to correct Walt Czarnecki, but Walt Czarnecki has some history, and Penske has some history with Ford that is sometimes forgotten. Back in the ’70s, I had Bobby Allison and Roger Penske come to my shop in Michigan and want to talk about cylinder heads for their Ford entry that was being housed in Redding, Pennsylvania. You should count those years, as well. Those were two, three meaningful years.”

WALT CZARNECKI: “Of course, that time and our first iteration with Ford in the ’80s, which was a wonderful experience for us. But one point I wanted to make, too, that in our relationship, maybe we feel it because we’re domiciled in Detroit, in the Detroit area, but the level of support from the very highest tiers of Ford Motor Company has been unwavering for motorsports both in this time and the time we were with Ford before. Everybody you talk to is very supportive, whether it’s NASCAR or the other programs that Mark is doing, at the very highest levels of the company. You don’t necessarily see that at other places.”

EDDIE WOOD: I think that’s really true. The amount of executives that come to our races is significant, I think. They’re interested. They know what’s going on. They’re a part of it. There’s no secrets about doing this and doing that. Everybody works together. You just don’t see that. In my career, I’ve not seen that till the last few years. I think it’s a great thing.”

JACK ROUSH: “That almost ties it with Walt, he has missed one other thing.”

WALT CZARNECKI: “Sorry, Jack (laughter).”

JACK ROUSH: “When they backed away in the ’70s you gave Bill Elliott all your parts. Got him launched.”

WALT CZARNECKI: We did. That’s a little‑known story, but thanks for reminding us. That’s how the Elliott family got started, we sold them all of our stuff. Absolutely true.”

TONY STEWART: “What else do you remember? Get it all out (laughter).”

EDDIE WOOD: “I can speak to that. I remember when Bill ran his first race, it was Bill and Ernie. They ran really well, a couple of guys, really young then out of Georgia. They bought a car from Roger Penske. They were running along, they were getting competitive. When they bought Roger’s car, they went from there to there. That legacy was started. That’s where it started with those Mercury’s.”

JACK ROUSH: “My point is we should be proud of our Ford history, and we have a lot of it that flows through.”

With the schedule changes that are anticipated and the next gen car, what are the significant challenges that teams face in the next five years?

WALT CZARNECKI: “I think, first of all, we’re excited about the new generation of cars. When it was first presented to us here sometime ago, I think everybody was pretty open‑minded about it. I really believe that. One of the things I liked about the development, what’s taken place so far, is how NASCAR got the teams engaged and involved, and the OEMs from the very beginning. It was not an afterthought. I think it remains to be seen. Obviously, we haven’t competed with the car yet. We’ve only run it one time. Joey has given us some positive feedback about it. But we’re excited about the prospects of what the car will bring both from a technical standpoint and from a marketing standpoint, as well. In terms of some of the other challenges the sport faces, I don’t think those are going to be any different here in the next 12 to 24 months. We’ve been looking at our demographics, marketing, schedule, TV, all those things. I don’t think those are going to change in the next 12 to 24 months. Having said that, I think we’ve reached a point where we are on an upward trajectory as a sport. I think we’ve seen the nadir of the sport here in the last couple of years. The new gen car is going to be the vehicle that keeps us going in that direction, I’m convinced of it.”

TONY STEWART: “It’s done for the right reasons. It’s trying to help the sustainability of the teams to be able to compete in the sport. It’s time to bring this car to a more current type of vehicle that’s more relevant to what you’re seeing on the streets. It’s a huge project obviously not only for Ford and all the Ford teams but for everybody in the sport. This is a very major undertaking to try to go through the development of this car in a very short amount of time. A lot has to happen during this calendar year, but I think at the end of the day it is done with the right intention and the right reasons I think for the sustainability of the sport. It’s the right direction. I feel like it’s a good thing.”

JACK ROUSH: “One of the things I see that it’s done is it’s created a scenario with the promise or prospect of making these teams economically viable. The problem we’ve had in the last at least decade or two decades, you couldn’t figure out how to take somebody that had not been involved with the sport that didn’t already have some equity in it, how to make them a team owner. The income and the expenditures were upside down. With the changes they made, with eliminating some of the needless development that’s going on components that don’t add to the quality of the race, we’ve got the prospect of putting the thing back on track.”

WALT CZARNECKI: “Just to underscore what Jack said, I had a conversation with someone earlier today about it. It wouldn’t surprise me in the least to see new teams get into the Cup Series as a result of this with the next gen car. The economics are going to become more workable, we believe.”

The notion of a profitable racecar sounds whacky to anyone that has been in racing at any level. How does NASCAR create a racecar that is economically viable at the highest level of a sport? I remember with the Car of Tomorrow, the idea was we were going to have a car that you can take from a superspeedway, a road course and a short track. That isn’t what ended up happening. How do you and NASCAR work together to create a car that is economically viable and profitable?

JACK ROUSH: “Let me make the example of the roof flaps. We had the problem with the cars rolling over before the turn of the century here. They came out with the necessity to design some roof flaps. We did roof flaps that lasted for 10 years. There was no development for 10 years until we made the change for the Car of Tomorrow. The same design level, the same level of quality, it didn’t add to the cost, teams didn’t have to pay to be competitive in developing roof flaps. We need to look at the whole car like that, the aero, the kinematics, the safety, keep safety at a high note, just stop all this needless development of things that don’t add to the quality of the show, then we have the prospect of things falling in line from a cost point of view.”

Tony, you are relatively new to Ford Racing. Tell me your best recollection of Edsel Ford and what he’s done for your team, how you and Edsel react or interact.

TONY STEWART: “He’s kind of like a father figure when he shows up at the racetrack. That’s what I like about him. He doesn’t just show up and walk around and shake people’s hands. He knows exactly what’s going on. If he doesn’t know, he’s asking a lot of great questions about where you’re at that weekend. But he’s very engaged in what we’re all doing. That’s the one thing that I think from my perspective keeps me excited about the Ford program, is that like Walt said, from the top on down, everyone is engaged, everyone is participating, everyone is a part of what’s going on with what we do at this level. When Edsel shows up, it’s like God shows up at the racetrack. He knows everything that’s going on when he gets there. I’m sure he’s got a lot of other responsibilities other than this race program to worry about, but he is extremely engaged with what we do here, and he’s very passionate about motorsports. It shows when he gets here. Everybody in the program is excited to see him when he shows up, whether it’s at the race shop or at the racetrack. When Edsel shows up, he’s got everybody’s undivided attention and everybody is excited to see him.”

Mark, we’ve had this discussion about cooperation. Teams need to win, especially under the points system where a win moves you up. At what point, if any, are you less reluctant rather than happy to see two Ford teams going for the win fender‑to‑fender, banging wheels?

MARK RUSHBROOK: “I’m certain that it’s better to see two Ford teams banging fenders for the win than two Toyota teams or two Chevy teams. I’m certain of that. I mean, we tell our drivers, we tell our teams, we want them to win. They need to be out there racing for themselves absolutely. That’s why they are in racing as teams and as drivers. But there also has to be a consideration for not just driving for themselves, for the teams that they drive for, but also the manufacturer that they drive for. That’s the opportunity we can provide with our One Ford Family approach to this. Especially a race like the Daytona 500, you got to get to the end. If you can help each other get to the end, then race each other for the win on that last lap, last two laps, last half a lap, that’s what really matters. It’s taking care of each other, getting through the race, then go get the win.”

Mark, given what happened yesterday in the Duels, can you provide any sort of background on the communication errors that generated the one crash? Do you feel confident you can nix that before the 500 on Sunday?

MARK RUSHBROOK: “I mean, that’s a thing. As much as we talk and plan outside of the track, off the track, there’s only so much you can do to prepare for what’s going to happen on the track. It’s all happening so fast. The drivers have to make split‑second decisions, the spotters, crew chiefs, even. We know execution is rarely going to be perfect, never going to be perfect. Some drivers are going to come off the track angry, some of going to come off very happy. We learn every single time we go out on the track. We seem to find new things, have a lot of discussions after that, try to avoid that. I think we’ve got a good plan for the rest of the weekend, looking to see how it rolls out.”

Roush‑Yates engines, Jack. Talking about the 550 tapered spacer engine, they call it 550. Are you actually getting a little more horsepower than that? Can you talk horsepower numbers a little? What can we say is a good number at Daytona and Talladega?

JACK ROUSH: “I’m not on the receiving list of that data. I can’t really help you with that. Where I get involved, where Jack gets involved with Doug, is when something goes wrong (smiling). We have discussion about things. History has a way of repeating itself. We just need not to be repeating some of the things that haven’t worked for us in the past. He’s looking over his back and I’m looking over his shoulder to make sure we keep it right. As far as the power numbers are concerned, our Ford engines have historically done very well in the comparisons, dyno comparisons. I would put my money on them going forward. I have, in fact.”