Category: NASCAR Cup PR

NASCAR CUP SERIES
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
POST-QUALIFYING REPORT
JUNE 22, 2024

Rain Cancels Qualifying; Elliott to Start on the Pole at
New Hampshire Motor Speedway

• When continued inclement weather, the NASCAR Cup Series’ qualifying session was canceled. The lineup of the USA Today 301 will be set per the rulebook, putting Chase Elliott and the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 team on the pole.
• The USA Network will broadcast the NASCAR Cup Series USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, June 23, at 2:30 p.m. ET. Live coverage can also be found on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL TOP-10 STARTING LINEUP:
POS. DRIVER
1st Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1
3rd William Byron, No. 24 Valvoline Camaro ZL1
5th Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1
8th Ross Chastain, No. 1 Kubota Camaro ZL1

 Chase Elliott, No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Camaro ZL1 – Pole Win Media Availability Quotes

Chase, you’re the pole winner. What does it mean to be upfront to start this race on Sunday?

“Yeah, I mean obviously we’d rather have an actual pole, for sure. But you know, circumstances being what they are, fortunately our team has been performing at a really solid level over the past couple of months. The reality of it is that it put us in a position to have a good starting spot for a rainout situation. That’s just the reality of the weekend. Certainly, we’ll take a good starting spot, and more importantly, take a really good pit pick there on pit road.”

Talk a little bit about leading the championship standings and getting back in the groove that you’ve really established over the years.

“Yeah, I mean like I said, I feel that our team has been in a good spot, really all year. To be honest, I’ve been super happy with where we’re at; really happy with everything, in general, top to bottom. I feel like we’re all in a good place. I feel like I’m in a good spot with what I’m looking for in the car. I feel like Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) is in a good place with knowing how to give me some of those things. I think that for us, we’ve just got to continue to keep working down those paths. I think that we’d like to have a couple more wins than we have right now. But at the same time, I’ve always been a believer that if you’re upfront – putting yourself in position, stringing together good finishes – you’re going to have your opportunities. I don’t feel any different about that now. I think we just have to keep doing what we’re doing.”

A lot of the time, championships are won in the little moments. The season that your team has put together to this point, how important are these little moments if you’re going to get back up to the top of the hill this year?

“Yeah, I mean I think obviously the way the playoffs are now is different than what it used to be. So you have to be really good in those last 10 races and you really have to be extraordinary in the last three or four. I think a lot of it is just having a solid enough base and a solid enough foundation to get you through those first two rounds without many problems; just have solid days. And then you want to be super good in those last three or four weeks. I think that we’re capable of doing that with where we’re at right now. We just have to keep it rolling. We’re only halfway through the year, so there’s a lot of racing left. A lot can change; a lot can happen. It can go your way or it could not, and ultimately it’s up to us to determine the direction it goes.”

I don’t imagine you look at points too closely, but did you take a second look when you saw that you were up top?

“Yeah, obviously they told me out there after the race (at Iowa Speedway). But yeah, it’s nice to be leading the points. Obviously, like I just said, there’s a lot of racing left. I think that we have room for improvement still yet, and the reality of it was that Kyle (Larson) had an unfortunate situation last weekend. We would like to get to a position where we could just be better and get more points, and so on and so forth. That’s where I’m at. I think that there’s still things we can do better; still things I can do better.. bringing more pace and just trying to be a little quicker. I think all of those things are really right there for us in the taking. Hopefully we can add that to our foundation that we have right now and I think we’ll be in a good spot.”

I know you’re not on social media much, but yesterday Christopher Bell said “when Chase comes to JGR…”, and one of your teammates joked that you were headed to JGR. I’m curious, did any of your friends or families fall for it and ask you if you were actually leaving?

“(Laughs) Yeah, I heard about that. It was funny.. the boss actually sent me a message about another – I’m not sure who sent it to him or whatever, but there were all kinds of stuff. He sent me this screenshot that I was leaving and going somewhere else and was going to own a team.. there’s been all kinds of stuff, evidently, going on that I didn’t know what I was doing this week. I guess I’m headed to go drive for JGR now, too (laughs). I don’t think so.. if I am, I didn’t know about it. But I felt bad for (Christopher) Bell.. such an honest mistake, you could tell. It was such a genuine – like he just slipped up, you know? Excited for (Chase) Briscoe, though. I think that will be a really good opportunity for him. I hate that Bell was the one to break the news. I’m sure he got into trouble for that, but it’s all good (laughs). It was going to come out eventually.”

Talk about the challenges that New Hampshire Motor Speedway presents.

“Yeah, I think the toughest thing about Loudon is just the lack of banking that it has. The straightaways are really long, so trying to have your car in a position where you’re just comfortable enough to get yourself in the corner is going to help you turn the middle and ultimately make the straightaway long on the backside. I think that why it’s tough; the corner entries are flat, the straightaways are long and you’re going pretty fast. There are bumps into (turn) three that can be a little unsettling. So just finding that right balance and the amount of comfort that you’re looking for in your car is really important. Comfort in this car, in general, is hard to find. And when you do find it, it’s worth the wait, for sure. So that’s what we’re looking for.”

I realize that it’s still only midway through the season, but it’s certainly looking like you, Kyle (Larson) and William (Bryon) are going to be three of the guys that are going to be going for the regular season championship and probably the overall season championship. What is that like, in terms of, are you guys still sharing everything? What is that dynamic like?

“Yeah, over the course of my time being there, nothing has ever changed, whether we’re racing – Kyle (Larson) and I have raced for a championship for a couple of times, I guess now, at Phoenix (Raceway). I can say with a lot of confidence that our meetings have not ever changed in how everyone talks; the things that are discussed, information that’s uploaded into our internal servers, as far as setups and things of that nature. It’s all very straightforward. It’s all an open book. What you take and do with that from there is up to you. It’s just important for us to try and lean on each other and ultimately take the information that you gather and try to do a better job with it.”

With how difficult it is to pass here, how much confidence does it give you to start on the pole?

“It’s certainly nice… nicer to have the pit pick, though, to be honest. I always feel like the pit stall is more important than the starting spot, just because you live with the pit box all day. The odds of you leading 301 laps are slim to none, but you live with that box all day long and that’s something that can help you all the way through. If you get a late caution or whatever and you’re right there in the hunt, that can be the difference of you coming off pit road first or third, and I think that’s a really important thing that we see every single weekend. Excited about that. Really, I think it’s a team effort that earned us that opportunity. It wasn’t a stellar lap on my end, it was just a solid effort from our group other the last two or three months to have us in a good position to take advantage of the circumstances today.”

William Byron, No. 24 Valvoline Camaro ZL1 – Starting 3rd

Are you prepared to race with no practice or qualifying, and how does that impact things for tomorrow’s race?

“I mean, for us, it’s probably a little nerve-racking, just because we haven’t had a ton of success here. So we just wanted to get laps and get a good balance. But we had good notes from last weekend and I feel like all four of us are probably going to be close or in the ballpark. This isn’t our best track, but if we can unload and have decent speed and a decent balance, we’ll be fine. Typically, we do hit our balance off the truck, no matter what track it is, so I’m not super worried.”

What would it mean to you to take Hendrick Motorsports back to victory lane at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

“Yeah, Kasey Kahne was the last win here, so that’s been awhile, for sure. He was really good here, so maybe we can get some of that magic back. But I don’t know, it’s just been a tough place for us the last few years. I feel like it’s only gotten tougher for us. My first start here – we weren’t good at a lot of tracks that year, but we were OK here. I think we finished like 14th. But it’s just progressively gotten worse. Hopefully this year we can turn that around. Last year, we had a decent car. We were a little bit tight and then we got some damage on the splitter on pit road; ran into Justin Haley on pit road and that really hurt our day. Hopefully this year we’ll have a smooth execution and be upfront at the end.”

Alex Bowman, No. 48 Ally Camaro ZL1 – Starting 5th

Bowman on how he feels going into tomorrow’s race with no qualifying:

“I’m not that sad that qualifying got rained out, to be honest. My average qualifying attempt here isn’t great, so I probably ended up with a better starting position without qualifying. Obviously we wanted to get laps. This is a place I’ve struggled at for a long time, so I’m running the Xfinity car, too, to try and get better. I haven’t gotten any laps yet, so we’ll see.”

How are you feeling with the weather forecast tomorrow? What are you planning for?

“I’m kind of curious to see how today plays out. Obviously, we want to get the Xfinity Series race in. I would rather not have to run both in the same day, but if we do, I’m sure it will be fine. We’ll wait and see.”

Is there anything you can learn from the Xfinity car that will help you for tomorrow in the Cup car?

“Yeah, I mean I think just fundamentally, I’ve struggled here. The way I like to approach race tracks just doesn’t really work at this place. My best day here in the Cup car, even though we blew a tire late and didn’t get the finish we deserved, was 2016 when I ran the Xfinity car on the same weekend. So hopefully we can go back to some of that; get more laps on the track, more reps and be better in the Cup car.”

Ross Chastain, No. 1 Kubota Camaro ZL1 – Starting 8th

How does no qualifying truly effort your day in the race tomorrow?

“I don’t know.. when it comes time to race, I go race. Wherever I start, we’ll make a plan to get to the front. It’s not the longest race of the year by any means.. it’s one of the shorter ones. But yeah, it’s alright – whatever it is, we’ll take it as it is.”

What’s the confidence going into this weekend knowing the success has been seen in the past at similar tracks?

“Yeah, the confidence came for me at New Hampshire (Motor Speedway) when I got my crew chief, Phil Surgen, on top of my pit box. He changed the game for me at this track.”

 

About Chevrolet

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Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
New Hampshire Media Availability | Saturday, June 22, 2024

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 Mendards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang Dark Horse, met with media members at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Saturday afternoon to discuss his win last weekend at Iowa and more.

Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang Dark Horse

HOW DOES THIS CHANGE THE SEASON NOW THAT YOU’RE IN THE PLAYOFF? DOES IT CHANGE IT AT ALL, YOUR PREP FOR THE PLAYOFF? “I feel like winning last week was just, I wouldn’t say kind of pressure off, just kind of a little bit of relief of man, you know, finally got in the victory lane. I feel like we’ve been close a couple of times and I thought we had one won at Gateway and it didn’t work out for us and it was nice to string together a few good runs in a row there with Gateway and Sonoma. I thought we were really good. And then Iowa last week. So hopefully we’re hitting our stride and learning things that I think we can apply. I just hope to keep learning and keep learning things on tracks. I think our short track stuff is pretty good right now. It’s just a matter of trying to get the mile and a half’s and bigger worked out. So hopefully we can continue this momentum in our company of running a little bit better.”

I’M DOING A STORY ON CHICAGO AND SHANE VAN GISBURGEN. ON A DRY TRACK, DO YOU EXPECT HIM TO KICK EVERYBODY’S TAIL LIKE HE DID A YEAR AGO IN THE COUNTER RACE? “I don’t know. It’s going to be interesting to see. Obviously he’s really talented. I’ve been enjoying watching his inaugural Xfinity season. He’s a good guy. I’ve gotten to talk to him a good bit, and he loves the sport and really enjoys it. I don’t know if he’ll have as much of an advantage this year because everyone was kind of in the same boat last year as far as first time there, but he raced on a lot of street courses, and the V8 stuff and the rain and all that craziness that went on. He probably had a little bit of a leg up on everybody and it showed, and he took advantage of it and won the race. Hopefully, we can all draw a little bit closer to him at that place to where he doesn’t embarrass us like he did last year. We’ll see though.”

YOU’RE STILL CHASING YOUR FIRST CUP WIN HERE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE. WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT THIS TRACK PRESENTS FOR YOU, ESPECIALLY THIS WEEKEND GIVEN THE WEATHER? “I don’t know what the weather is going to do. Nobody knows. I feel like we’ve always run pretty good here. I thought we had a good shot to compete for the win last year and we had a problem on pit road, last stop of the race and kind of took us out of it. I feel like this place has been fairly good to us and like I said earlier, I think our short track program is kind of getting to be fairly decent. That stuff changes week to week. You just try to stay on top of it and try to keep learning from previous years and weeks. But I’ve always wanted to hold the lobster ever since I was a kid. So hopefully we can keep adding to our entrees. We had corn last week and lobster this week and trying to add a full plate of dinner. So we’ll see what we can do. But I love it up here.”

THE THREE TIMES THAT PENSKE CARS ROLLED INTO VICTORY LANE THIS YEAR WERE WITH THE SHORT TRACK PACKAGE. WHAT HAS BEEN CLICKING REALLY FOR THE TEAM ON THESE SHORT TRACKS AND ARE THERE ANY NOTES COMING IN TO LOUDON THAT ARE BEING CARRIED OVER FROM THE OTHER TRACKS? “I definitely think we can carry over some notes. This place has some similarities to Iowa last week as far as rough entries. I think entry to turn three is super rough. You can see it on TV and it’s kind of the same, a little bit kind of different angle in the corner, but turn one entry at Iowa last week was super rough also. So, did we learn some stuff last week that helped us get in the corner at Iowa that might help us get in the corner here? There’s all these things you piece together. You can’t just bolt in what was in the car last week. I think there’s maybe some ideas of what you can change. Here you’re kind of limited and we don’t have the long practice like we did. Locked into springs and stuff like that. You hope to hit it fairly right to where you can tweak on it. I think short tracks have been a strong suit for us this year. Last year I even would say the same thing as far as the end of the year. So hopefully that stuff continues to get better and you’re always trying to stay on top of the competition. We’re good right now, but that could change in a week. You just have to continue to learn with each other and your team and your teammates. But at the same time, you have people in the background working on mile and a half stuff. How can we be better at those places? So the neatness of what we do in our schedule, all different types of racetracks, that you have to figure out how to be good on all of them, but that seems to be a strong suit for us right now.”

HOW RELIEVED WERE YOU TO GET THE MONKEY OFF YOUR BACK LAST WEEKEND? “It was nice. I feel like we had a couple chances to win already this year and just hasn’t really gone our way. It was nice that we put a really good night together. I was proud of the effort from our whole group of the changes we made from Friday to Saturday and Sunday. I didn’t really feel good Friday. I knew we had a lot of work to do and they did a great job of figuring out what we needed to do to be better. It showed in qualifying, it showed in the race and we got better through the night, especially the last two runs of the race. It is good. I don’t sit around and think about races you lose, like Gateway, but you know you get asked about it every weekend about how much does that kind of still sting and it was just nice to kind of redeem ourselves from that one. Nobody on our group hung our head and just just kept thinking about man we gave that one away. It’s just we knew that we’ve been running good and let’s just utilize this while we can and try to get them while we have a little bit of a leg up on everybody on the short tracks. It sank in right away. I think it sank in the most when a lot of my family came to victory lane. That was pretty cool. It was neat to have my parents there, my Uncle Dale, my mom’s side of the family that were there. So yeah, it sank in pretty quick. It’s cool to do it at a place like that where I’ve gotten support over the years by so many of those folks that are just from down the road. A lot of them, you know, maybe never been to victory lane. I get lucky to go to victory lane if you get a chance to win the race and to be able to bring your family into something like that, especially the younger ones, that’s a pretty cool experience for them so to see that is cool. I feel like a cool uncle whenever you can do that and just add to the cool uncle pot. It’s a big big weight off our shoulders and hopefully we can keep keep this going and continue to keep running you know pretty strong like I know we should and try to get back some of those races in the month of May that we had really bad races. Charlotte and Darlington and getting wrecked out early. Try to get back a little bit in this points battle and keep trying to climb back up the ladder.”

HOW MUCH OF A GAME CHANGER WAS WINNING POCONO, THAT FIRST WIN, AND WINNING IT WITH A TEAM AS ICONIC AS THE WOOD BROTHERS? “Pocono is one of my favorite wins. You’d never forget your first one, and especially to do that with those guys. I remember walking into their race shop in 2015 before we did the part-time deal that year. And you see everybody up on the wall. They have all the winners up on the wall. Pearson and Yarborough and all those guys. And you’re like, man, I want to be on the wall. I want to be on the wall in their shop up in Stewart. I will never forget the day they hung that picture of me up. Even though it was a small contributing factor to their 99 wins, you’re still part of it. You still have something to do there. Those guys are family. Even when I started driving for Penske, they still considered me part of their family, which is great. I love seeing Eddie and Len and Leonard at the racetrack. Leonard will sneak up on you. I never know when he’s coming, but he’ll find me off pit road and it’s always good to see him and he’s doing good so that definitely means a ton. You never forget your first one. You they work so hard to get to that point of watching people win in the Cup Series. I was able to grow up around it and watch it and you want to be there you want to be there and this is what you want to do and you work every since you are young to try to get to that point and have an opportunity and then to do it like it’s just all comes full circle. It’s something I’ll never forget and standing with Eddie and Len anind victory lane at Pocono after the race for a long time just talking about it all is it’s pretty cool.”

FORDS AND TOYOTAS HAVE COMBINED TO WIN 16 OF THE LAST 17 RACES HERE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE. DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THERE ARE TRACKS THAT FAVOR ONE MAKER OVER ANOTHER OVER THAT LONG PERIOD OF TIME OR IS THAT JUST A CRAZY STAT? “That is a crazy stat. I didn’t know that. I don’t really know if tracks necessarily form well with a manufacturer or anything like that. I think that’s just kind of a coincidental thing. I look at Gibbs, I look at Penske, we’ve both been really good here. Stewart-Haas have been good here for a number of years. You say that and there might be a Chevy in victory lane, you never know. I mean, it’s just one of those funny things that might happen. I don’t think it’s a manufacturer thing. I think it’s just kind of coincidence of what teams figure some things out here and what manufacturer they are. But that is a nice stat. Hopefully we can add to that streak.”

ARE WE AT THE POINT THIS SEASON WHERE WE SEE OR WHERE YOU CAN EXPECT GUYS TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE, I DON’T WANT TO SAY DESPERATE, BUT RACY. THOSE GUYS THAT MAYBE ARE REALLY TRYING TO GET IN THE PLAYOFFS. ARE WE AT THAT POINT WHERE YOU NOTICE THAT AS YOU’RE RACING? “Yeah, definitely. I definitely pay attention to that. I look at the points once a week, like on Sunday night when y’all put it out, and then I don’t really look at it the rest of the week. There’s nine to go till the playoff start? So yeah, it’s getting down to those final two and a half months. It’s going to get pretty dicey here with guys who are close to the cut line. Guys who need to win. You kind of start seeing that develop. I feel like, within the last two months of the regular season and then you have funky tracks coming up, Chicago, Daytona and Indy. I don’t know what anyone thinks Indy is going to be like. So there are a lot of opportunities I feel like for teams to do some things that might be bigger risks but they have to do it because they know what they need to do to get in and then you always have the little points battles of a handful of guys who are close to the line and those are always interesting to watch through the stages and end of the race and all that stuff. It’s nice to not be a part of that right now. We just kind of worry about getting wins and trying to pass a couple guys that we’re close to in points. It definitely is that time of the year. You figure out where you’re at, where you’re settled in, and you never know who can jump up and win any single week. It’s just a product of the sport and this car. It will be definitely kind of a race within the race. I feel like sometimes watching on TV, you’ll have this battle and then you’ll have these battles kind of going on for points and playoff spots and things like that. Those are always fun to see. So hopefully TV does a good job covering all that stuff because there is a lot that goes on, but it also is a good storyline. If you can kind of weed that into your race program.”

DO YOU KEEP A LITTLE BIT OF A LITTLE NOTEBOOK ON THAT? MAYBE YOU’RE RACING SOME GUY LATE IN A RACE, YOU’RE LIKE, OKAY, THIS GUY’S LIKE 90 POINTS BELOW THE CUT LINE, HE’S GOING TO BE DESPERATE TO WIN OR WHEREVER. DO YOU SORT OF KEEP SOME OF THAT IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND AS TO WHAT THESE GUYS MAY THINK THEY HAVE TO DO? “I feel like you do have a little memory bank of all that stuff, kind of where everyone’s at. I feel like sometimes I get told that in certain scenarios. I get reminded of it, like, hey, this guy’s, he might be desperate to win, he’s out, by a good bit he’s got to win the race. So that just kind of gives me a little bit of heads up of, hey, you know, might be some desperation moves that are gonna be thrown just so I can be prepared for it. So yeah, you definitely keep that in mind. You’re not gonna give up any positions for anybody. That’s just not the way it is but yeah it’s nice to know that if someone throws a haymaker, you never know but you have to understand, at least I try to understand in my shoes if that does happen, I get it. I’d do the same thing if I was in that person’s position for the win and they need to win and I get roughed up, that’s just part of it. I get it but it is nice to have that reminder every now and then just to make sure you know what might be coming.”

Toyota Racing – Martin Truex Jr.
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

LOUDON, NH (June 22, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday.

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 19 Reser’s Fine Foods Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing

Do you feel more relaxed now that you’ve made your decision?
“I feel like I’m pretty relaxed generally? (laughter) I don’t know. I guess. If it comes off that way, sure. I feel relieved after I finally made a decision after thinking about it for two years. I guess, yeah.”

Would a win this weekend mean anything more?

“I think winning here in general is a really big deal. Last year was just huge for me personally. My family – what this place has meant to us over the years, so to finally – it was a frustrating thing to come here year after year after year – and feel like it got away again, so many times we were in position to win, or we were right there leading laps and things. It has always been a really good track for me and just not having that win for so long was really, really frustrating, so yeah, it was a really, really big one last year and I think to be able to go back-to-back would be awesome. That is what we are looking to do, and we are excited to be here. The guys are fired up and I feel good about it. I’m looking forward to going out there in practice and seeing what we’ve got.”

What did the first win at Furniture Row at Pocono mean?

“At that point, we were still a young team and things were feeling like they were coming together. We had been in position to have a chance to win a few races that season, up to that point, so it was really good to get to get our first win together. It was a big deal for all of us. I think it just kind of got the ball rolling for us, and in 2014, everybody knows how bad we struggled. It was a huge deal for all of us, and for Barney (Visser) – being his second win. The first time that we were competitive each and every week and we were up front a lot, leading laps and doing a lot of good things, so it was cool to check that off the list and who would have thought how the next few of years would have gone. It was an incredible run and the start of a really special group.”

When you look back at Nashville last year, what do you remember?

“It was a good race. We had a really strong car at times, at times, I just remember being really free and losing the lead and getting the car better at the end and tracking down Ross (Chastain), and I just couldn’t find a way around him, so that was a little bit of a frustrating race, because I felt like we had the car to beat – we just didn’t put it all together at the right time. I’m looking forward to going back. It is a fun track. It has been really good the last few years.”

Is there any changes from last season and the win here that can give you some momentum?

“I think it is going to be different. The tires are a little different from what I hear. The short track package is different, so I think for us, we have still kind of been searching a little bit, I think, to figure out the package and to get the feel in the car that I’m looking for. Last year, at Iowa, we never quite got it where we needed it, and then, of course, I sped on pit road, but in general, for us, the short track package – we’ve been off a little, and we’ve been kind of searching for that. The 20 (Christopher Bell) has been really good on the short tracks with this package, so we’ve kind of been looking at that and kind of trying to figure out what we are not quite doing right, but the last two years coming here, we’ve been really, really strong, so I have a lot of optimism that we will be able to do that again, but it is going to be different for sure, but weather today, compared to tomorrow is different for sure. We need to have a good day today for a pit selection and a good starting position, so hopefully, it goes well.”

What is your favorite thing about the track surface here at New Hampshire and do you have any advice for any new drivers coming into this race?

“Well, this place is tough. There is no doubt about it. It has changed a lot over the years, since they redid it. I think it was 2002-ish, when they did the progressive banking, new pavement in the corners – all of that stuff. It has just changed so much since then. It has gotten really bumpy. It has lost a lot of grip. Last year, we saw lane three and lane four come in with the old pavement, way up high, which was quite the shock. It is going to be different again this year. I think that is the biggest challenge. It is really bumpy. It is very slick. It is a technical track, all of those seams between each lane is probably the biggest obstacle to deal with. It can really mess up a lap. It is a hit your marks kind of track. You have got to be spot on, so I always look forward to that challenge, but memory wise – a lot, a lot of good memories. One of my first ones was watching my dad win his first Busch North race on TV. I was at home. I was madder than hell that I wasn’t here. My dad just won a race on TV. It was the coolest thing ever – I’m just a kid. Just a lot of memories coming up here and trying to make my way into higher levels and whatnot. Just a lot of good memories. A lot of wins and a lot of fun times.”

Would you target racing here again?

“Yeah, probably. We will see. I haven’t really looked into all of that and started the scheduling process. I’m just kind of focused on what we are doing here, but eventually, we will figure it out and it is definitely a place I would like to come back to.”

Would it definitely be for 23XI Racing?

“We just kind of started talking because he threw it out there in the media center and we’ve chatted a few times this week. A few things to figure out, but it seems like we will be able to do some races if we want, which will be awesome. Excited about that. It is really cool that Denny (Hamlin) did that and reached out this week. It means a lot to me.”

How important to do you think New Hampshire Motor Speedway is for growing talent in this area?

“It is huge. I think going back to my early days and watching a guy like Steve Park get an opportunity with Dale Earnhardt, and Mike Stefanik, who was a legend up here, getting to race in the Truck Series – things like that. It is really special. This place has really put a lot of people on the map, not just drivers, crew chiefs, crew members – you name it. We used to come here four times a year, back in the early days. It was the Daytona for the Busch North and Modified guys, and everything else. It is a special place, and it has done a lot for a lot of people.”

Have you heard from anyone this week that was really special to you?

“I’ve heard from a lot of people. This week was really kind of humbling to see the comments and it means so much to me just to hear what people think. A lot of people that I really respect and look up to have sent messages or said something in interviews, just whatever. It is really special to know that you’ve represented yourself well, your family well, your teams – all of the people I’ve worked with over the years. Really, really humbling to see that. I’m sure there will be more down the line, but it means a lot. It’s really special. It reminds you of how lucky we are to be able to do this.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

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

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
NCS Qualifying | Saturday, June 22, 2024

Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang Dark Horse met with media members at New Hampshire Motor Speedway ahead of Cup Series on-track action Saturday afternoon.

Joey Logano, No. 22 Hunt Brothers Pizza Ford Mustang Dark Horse — COULD I ASK YOU TO LOOK BACK AND REFLECT ON YOUR FIRST START UP HERE AS A NEW ENGLAND GUY COMING UP TO THIS TRACK TO GET YOUR FIRST OPPORTUNITY? “Yeah, there are so many memories for me any time I pull into Loudoun here. Some of my first ones are just coming up here to watch, watching the Bush North Series and going camping out here with my parents. I think it was like 1996 when I came out here to watch my first time. I was 6 or 7 years old. It was a fun race to watch. I remember I was hooked after that. I was racing quarter midgets at the time, but the first time you see a professional sport as a kid, it’s magic. It’s the magic mile. It was a really special thing. And then starting my first Cup race here, it went really hard. But then getting my first Cup win here was great. I think it was back in 14 or 15 when we won here last. So yeah, definitely a lot of great memories here. And they all come rushing back as soon as we drive back into this place. Yesterday, we landed and driving in they all come back as you see the sign driving down the road and pulling into the infield.”

ARE YOU AWARE OF THE NEW DARKNESS POLICY WHERE THEY’RE GONNA SET A TIME, THEY’RE GONNA TELL YOU WHAT TIME THE RACE IS GONNA END RATHER THAN A LAP AND THEN ONCE THEY SET THAT TIME ONCE THAT CLOCK HITS THAT TIME, LEADER CROSSES START FINISH, THEN THE NEXT TIME THEY TAKE THE WHITE AND THE NEXT TIME THEY TAKE THE CHECKER. RATHER THAN GIVING YOU, SAYING LIKE, THE LAP IS GONNA END AT LAP 75. “I like that. At what point are they gonna tell us that?”

I THINK EARLIER THAN LATER, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW. I’M CURIOUS, AS A GUY WHO’S ON THIS BUBBLE DOES THAT MAKE THINGS ANY EASIER AS FAR AS STRATEGY POTENTIALLY? “Yeah, I mean, the last thing you want as a competitor is to be competing and the strategy of the race dictated by the unknown. That is the last thing you want, right? But if you know, hey, the race is going to end at 8.30, whatever it is. OK, we know that. And we can play the strategy off of that. Instead of it being, well, hey, we’re going to run another 50 laps. You’re like, oh, jeez, we ought to change our strategy completely if that was the case. So if that’s something that they can broadcast, even going into the weekend, if we kind of have a general idea of when the sun’s going to go down. I’m sure if the skies are overcast and all those types of things it probably changes that number some, but I think having a ballpark idea, if there’s weather in the area and it seems like we’re going to be pushed late, what that’s going to look like is, I think, a great idea. I like it.”

NOW THAT YOU HAVE A FAMILY AND THE KIDS ARE GROWING UP, HOW DOES IT FEEL TO RETURN TO NEW ENGLAND WITH THEM? AND HAVE YOU BEEN ABLE TO CREATE ANY MORE MEMORIES WITH THEM HERE AND I’M SURE THE GREATER NEW ENGLAND AREA? “Well, I’m hoping to create one this weekend. That would be great. But there’s still a lot of memories being made for sure. I’ve got Hudson up here with me this weekend and yeah we have fun anytime we go to racetrack it’s just more enjoyable when your kids are there especially when you win and those pictures and all that. I don’t know how much he’ll remember when he gets older anyway but I know he’s about the same age that I was when I came here for the first time now so definitely it’s a pretty sentimental thing. It’s kind of a special thing for sure.”

HOW DO YOU HANDLE THESE NEXT FEW RACES TRYING TO MAKE IT TO THE PLAYOFFS? “I mean, it doesn’t really change much. It just kind of puts you, honestly, in playoff mode a little bit sooner because you’re racing as if you’re in the playoffs, right? You’re not kind of clicked in to where you’re already in. You’re just racing to get playoff points anywhere you can, right? You can’t take as big of risks on certain things because you can’t afford last week to blow a tire. Can’t afford to do it. So it definitely adjusts some of your setup choices, some of the way you drive, some of the way you call the race in general. I mean it goes through your mind, it has to go through your mind. At the same time you still know what a win’s worth, so you gotta go out there and win the race. You don’t just stay on points racing and just lay up, right? You can’t do that. But you definitely got to play it smart and not be caution to the wind type of situation. Whereas if you were locked in, you maybe go for that, right? If there was an opportunity to win the race or finish 20th versus the call that may be a solid fifth-place finish, you probably can’t afford to finish 20th right now. Some of those things have got to go through your mind. And it may change just on the speed you have in your car and stuff like that. It can go back and forth. And emotions can probably get in the middle of that when you’re making decisions on the racetrack. It’s one thing to say it here. It’s another thing to say it when your helmet’s on. But that’s just our sport. That’s the position that we’re in right now. I feel good about our chances of getting in. But it’s not as comfortable as we want it to be, that’s for sure.”

WE’RE COMING UP ON THE HALFWAY POINT OF THE SEASON. HOW DO YOU GRADE YOUR TEAM’S PERFORMANCE THROUGH THE FIRST 18 RACES? AND THEN DO YOU HAVE A HIGHLIGHT JUST FOR NASCAR AS A WHOLE THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON, YOUR ASSESSMENT OF WHAT’S GOING ON AS A WHOLE? “Yeah I’d say for us obviously not where we want to be. We just talked about not being locked in the playoffs. At this point you kind of expect to be locked in the playoffs for the 22 team right? But you know to put a grade on it I don’t know it’s kind of hard to do sometimes because it depends on the weekends and honestly it depends on the type of track. You look at the short tracks here recently it’s hard to not say it, we’re pretty comfortable with it, feel good about our chances of winning on short tracks. The mile and a half’s don’t quite feel that way yet. A lot of work to do there, so probably depends on the track that we grade differently. And then, highlights in the season, boy, I mean, quite a few really close finishes, you know, if you look at the sport as a whole, I mean, that’s some really cool things that have happened there. I’d probably have to say the finishes, the way these things have gone, have been pretty exhilarating.”

IS IT ALMOST BENEFICIAL TO THE 22 TEAM TO BE GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS AND HAVING TO CLEAN EVERYTHING UP AND KIND OF FOCUS ON JUST MAKING THE PLAYOFFS? “I mean I think the team does a good job being under pressure right our team knows how to handle it because we’ve been in the playoffs so many times. We put ourselves in the Championship Four so many times that we know how to handle these situations and your backs up against the wall. It’s not ever comfortable, to your point. It’s not where you want to be. It’s not fun but it’s not out of the norm for us either to know how to handle these type of scenarios.”

DO YOU THINK THAT SHANE VAN GISBERGEN WILL HAVE AS MUCH OF AN ADVANTAGE ON YOU ALL IF IT’S DRY IN CHICAGO WHEN WE GET THERE IN TWO WEEKS? “I don’t think it will be as much of an advantage, but there’s no doubt that street courses seem to be his wheelhouse. There’s no doubt he’s good on road courses as well, like the typical road courses. He’s great at those as well, but it did seem like a street course he felt way more at home when we all felt like a fish out of water going around that racetrack. Then you added rain. It was perfect for him and he capitalized as he should. For 99% of the field that was the first time for any of us to do anything like that and we all have very limited experience of racing in the rain. We also had a lot to lose where he had nothing to lose. We’re getting another lose right like though you look at those walls. You’re like a lot of points in those walls. You look at those walls and it is like, whoa, there are a lot of points in those walls. For him, who cared? I think all those things weighed into it for sure. I think this year, now that we all have a general idea of what we’re going into, we can prepare for it. It’s hard to prepare for something when you’re blind and you don’t know what it’s going to be like. I’m sure he’s still going to have a lot more experience with this stuff than we do, but I think we’ll close the gap a lot.“

YOU MENTIONED HOW TEAM PENSKE IS AMONG THE FAVORITES ON SHORT TRACKS. WHY DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT IS AT PLACES LIKE HERE, PHOENIX, GATEWAY, LAST WEEK? “I can’t tell you why. I have some pretty solid theories on why that is, but I don’t think I need to say exactly what those are. It definitely seems like it fits our package better. Whether it’s aero, engine, or setups, you can put it all together and just have a better package on these short tracks. Also the aero package is different as well. The short track rules package is quite a bit different. Somewhere in all that, we’re putting together much better than we are on mile and a half’s.”

IN REGARDS TO THE MILE AND A HALF TRACKS THIS YEAR, WHAT CAUGHT YOU OFF GUARD ABOUT THE NEW FORD DARK HORSE MUSTANG DESIGN THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN’T ANTICIPATE IN RACING ON THOSE TRACKS? “I think anytime you have a new car there’s going to be a learning curve. It’s easy to get excited because you have this new car and oh man this is going to be great, but you also have to be a little realistic and say, boy we still have to learn what this car wants. We don’t get enough practice these days or tests to go and figure out what it wants. We’re going purely off of wind tunnel numbers on how to set this car up where it wants to be. We don’t have the opportunity to really go out and A-B things over and over again to get the perfect ride height. So, how much do you trust the aero numbers that are coming in? As much as you say the wind tunnel is the wind tunnel, but there’s a lot of different things that happen there that is different than the racetrack. It’s a perfect environment. They don’t have dirty air at the wind tunnel. You can’t get the cars as low as we do here at the racetrack. So things change from the wind tunnel to real life. I think trying to understand what those differences are and how to maximize it just takes time.”

IS IT MORE IMPORTANT SINCE YOU GUYS ARE KIND OF LEADING THE CHARGE FOR FORD TO ENSURE WHOEVER GETS IN THAT 21 CAR IS THE TYPE OF DRIVER THAT CAN GIVE YOU AS MUCH INFORMATION AS POSSIBLE JUST LIKE BLANEY AND CINDRIC SO YOU GUYS HAVE MORE INFORMATION? Absolutely. Teamwork means more now than it ever has, back to the point that we don’t get to go testing very often or practice with any substance of where we can change things. It’s more important than ever that we work together knowing that, knowing whatever everybody’s set ups are, we all set up our cars, the process at least is the same. We go to a racetrack, we have a plan, we can talk about it after our practices here and actually learn from each other. Working together means way more now than it ever did in my past in this sport because of the way the schedules are, how the weekend schedule is, and how similar the cars are, right? Before, sometimes a lot of teams built cars differently from their shop so they weren’t even the same to start as far as bodies being hung and those type of things. Now everything is pretty much the same. You have to be able to trust your teammates feedback when you’re making your adjustments or learning from the post-race week meetings that after you go through everything. It’s just the little things that matter more than ever. The field’s closer than ever and we need that. You you need to understand that if you want to win races you have to have teammates that are going to push you and you have to understand that it is much better to finish second or third to your teammate than beat him and finish 20th. It’s just the facts of where we’re at these days. If we get into one of those grudge matches, none of us will win until it falls apart. It’s different today than it’s ever been for sure, but that’s an important key role for sure.”

CAN EXPLAIN HOW IMPORTANT QUALIFYING IS TODAY WITH THIS FLAT TRACK AND THE RAIN OF COURSE? “Qualifying is important everywhere we go. We talk about how close all the cars are. If you’re only a tenth faster than the car in front of you, you’re probably not going to get around them. So if you can start up in front of those cars, it just changes your whole day. It helps your strategy, helps your pit stall selection. So many great things happen from it, and obviously being towards the front is just safer in general. So yeah, we want to qualify good.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
New Hampshire Media Availability | Friday, June 21, 2024

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Hass Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, met with media members Friday afternoon at New Hampshire Motor Speedway prior to practice and qualifying sessions for Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang Dark Horse — IT’S BEEN 10 YEARS SINCE YOUR FIRST NATIONAL SERIES WIN HERE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE. WHY DON’T YOU GET TO START US AND TELL US WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU TO BE BACK HERE TODAY? “It’s always been really special for me going to New Hampshire. You know, I won a K&N race here, and then next year won that truck race here and it’s always been a fun place to go. It means a lot to win here just because of how hard it is for the teams to get the cars right around these flat corners and for the drivers to try and manage that. It’s always a place, the fans are so awesome here, it’s awesome to come back here and I think reliving that day when I first won, you know, ten years ago now, which is hard to think, is definitely pretty cool and pretty special.”

WITH GENE’S ANNOUNCEMENT THIS WEEK, I GUESS THERE WAS ALREADY SOME PLANS WITH THE XFINITY TEAM, BUT KEEPING A CUP TEAM WAS A SURPRISE. ARE YOU HOPEFUL OR ARE YOU INVOLVED IN ANY OF THOSE DISCUSSIONS WITH THOSE PROGRAMS ABOUT YOUR FUTURE FOR NEXT YEAR? “I think for me, whenever I went back to the Xfinity Series, my goal was always to go back to Cup. So, I’ve been trying to work on what I can do to get myself better over the past year and a half. At the end of the day, you try and do as best you can and you hope it all sorts itself out. But I really don’t have much to say or anything right now that’s solidified or anything. So we’re just kind of focused on New Hampshire and trying to win here.”

I ASKED YOUR DAD IF YOU WERE A CANDIDATE FOR THAT CUP CAR AND HE TOLD ME TO ASK YOU. SO HE PUT THE ONUS ON YOU ON THIS. DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE A CANDIDATE FOR THAT CUP CAR OR SOME PEOPLE PREFER NOT TO RUN FOR FAMILY? “Yeah, I’d love to. At the end of the day, that’s what my career’s been, I guess. It’s always tied to that relationship. At the end of the day, I think what Gene Haas has done in this sport, it would be a dream come true to get to run that Cup car. I’m focused on this weekend and trying to figure out how to win here. But obviously for me, I’ve tried to go back to the Xfinity series, prove what I can do and try and make the most of it. And you just kind of try and hope it all sorts itself out from there.”

DOES IT BLOW YOUR MIND, THINKING BEING A 16 YEAR OLD WINNING A TRUCK RACE AND WHAT YOU ACCOMPLISHED AND WHAT THAT’S LIKE NOW THAT YOU HAVE 10 YEARS ON IT? “Yeah, it’s pretty crazy to think. I mean, at that time, I really didn’t know what I was doing. I was just trying to go out there and hit the gas and go fast. Hopefully you had a car underneath you that could do it. But now I think you just have so much more knowledge of what goes into it. On the bad days, you’re able to make more than most of it. So before I feel like when you’re that young it’s like if you get thrown a curveball and your truck’s not very good that weekend, you’re overall just struggling, it’s harder to know what to do to make the most of it. As a veteran you just kind of know how to grind away and make the most of a day. But that was one of those magical days where you have everything work out right, you have a great truck, and it all works out.”

I TALKED TO TY GIBBS ABOUT THIS, AND IT’S KIND OF AN INTERESTING DYNAMIC WHEN YOUR FAMILY’S INVOLVED WITH THE RACE TEAM, RIGHT? BUT HE ALSO SAID THAT IF HE’S RACING AGAINST SOMEBODY THAT HE THINKS SHOULD GET A SHOT, HE WILL SAY SOMETHING TO HIS DAD OR HIS GRANDDAD OR HIS MOM. WITH THE TWO XFINITY OPPORTUNITIES OPENING OVER THERE, DO YOU HAVE THAT SAME KIND OF INPUT BECAUSE YOU’RE THE GUY THAT’S ACTUALLY RACING AGAINST THESE GUYS IN XFINITY. “I can’t say that there’s been a huge dynamic with that, but he’ll at times ask me about some guys, you know, about who’s a good candidate for whatever it is, I guess. He’s got a lot of experience, he can handle it, you know, but I think it is a good thing where I can kind of maybe give him a little bit of feedback on things.”

AS YOU LOOK TO HOPEFULLY FILL THAT OPPORTUNITY AT THE CUP LEVEL, BACK TO BACK XFINITY CHAMPIONSHIPS WOULD BE A PRETTY BIG FEATHER IN YOUR CAP. I KNOW IT’S EARLY TO REALLY THINK TOO MUCH ABOUT THAT, BUT COULD YOU USE A TRACK LIKE THIS WHERE YOU’VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS TO KIND OF SPRINGBOARD YOURSELF TOWARD ANOTHER CHAMPIONSHIP? “For sure. I always look forward to coming to New Hampshire and this is a place that’s always special coming back to. So I always look forward to it and you just hope that you have everything underneath you to go and compete for a win. I think at the end of the day we should have a shot at this weekend. Our guys are doing a great job. We just have to break through. I feel like we’re top five or so every single weekend and it’s very strange to be leading the points but also a little bit frustrated that you haven’t won yet. I think it’s coming. We just have to keep knocking on the door.”

THE PATH SEEMS TO BE LEADING YOU BACK TO THE CUP SERIES EVENTUALLY. WHAT WOULD THE APPROACH BE DIFFERENTLY NOW THAT YOU’VE HAD A COUPLE OF YEARS OF DIGEST AND LEARNED FROM WHAT YOU WENT THROUGH IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS IN XFINITY? “I think at the end of the day the biggest thing is just how you communicate with your team. I think at the Cup level, the top 30 guys, you give them something underneath them that they can go fast with, give them a good car, a fast car, they’re going to go fast. The top 30 guys all have talent. It’s just how you communicate with your team to get that consistently. How you work with your team to fix problems and really be able to hone in on getting the car exactly how you want it every single weekend and consistently. So you just have to really be able to communicate with your team to try and fix those problems and I’ve tried to do that over the last year or so and really try and gain knowledge in that area.”

ARE YOU A TOP 30 TALENT IN THE SPORT? “I hope so. Yeah, I think I can definitely do it. I think when you look at what I’ve done at the Xfinity level, I think the guys that I’ve raced against that are in the Cup level now, I think there’s no reason why you can’t.”

FOR SOME ATHLETES TO HAVE MOVED FROM CUP BACK OVER TO XFINITY, WE WOULD HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM THEM AGAIN. YOU PROSPERED. YOU WENT OVER THERE. YOU WON A TITLE. WHAT ADVICE WERE YOU GIVEN OR WHAT DID YOU SAY TO YOURSELF TO BE SO SUCCESSFUL IN THAT TRANSITION? “I think the biggest thing is you’ve got to look yourself in the mirror. You’ve got to figure out the ways that you can be better. You just can’t put it all off to the side and say that you’re good enough and that you don’t need to work on anything. You got to try and work on yourself and try and keep making gains in those areas. Cause at the end of the day, like it’s never always a perfect situation. You got to try and make the most of it and work with your team and try and fix problems. There’s very few weekends except for maybe the weekend when I showed up here 10 years ago, the truck’s just perfect. You’ve got to go out there and really work at it to make it how you want it to be. So you just got to work on those areas to keep that getting better and better.”

WHEN YOU WERE ORIGINALLY TOLD THAT YOU WEREN’T GOING TO STAY IN CUP AND GO TO XFINITY, I’M SURE MOST PEOPLE IN SUCH SITUATIONS WOULD THINK, WELL, I SHOULD STAY HERE, RIGHT? BUT ONCE YOU GOT BACK INTO XFINITY LAST YEAR, WON A CHAMPIONSHIP, WHICH TONY STEWART SAID THIS WAS THE REASON WHY WE DID THIS, DID YOU FIND ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU HAVE SHOWN SINCE YOU GOT BACK IN XFINITY THAT WILL MAYBE HELP YOU IN A RETURN TO CUP? “I think the great thing about our Xfinity season last year, and even this year a little bit, is that it’s not easy. You know, it’s not like we go out there and win every single race just because our cars are way better than everybody’s, or I’m way better than everybody, or whatever it is. It’s not easy. The Xfinity series has 15 guys out there that can go out there and win and if you’re off, you’re gonna run 15th. So, having to really work at it and try to work with your team to get the cars better and better and better throughout the year, and have it all come together in the playoffs last year I think just showed a lot of, I think just some more maturity and being able to really work through problems and make the most of things.”

WHAT IS THAT LIKE, KNOWING THAT THERE’S FOUR, FIVE, SIX, YOU SAY 15 GUYS THAT CAN WIN ANY WEEK AND HOW ARE YOU APPROACHING THAT? “I think it’s just great for the XFINITY series. There were a lot of years when Kyle Busch would win 10 races or 12 races. I think in 2019, my last year before moving to Cup, it was me, Tyler, and Christopher Bell that won a lot of races. That doesn’t really happen anymore, I feel like. You have so many guys that the package has really stayed really similar with the cars. So I think a lot of teams have honed in on how to make their cars better and it’s equalled the field out. But I think it just makes it more competitive and I think it’s good for the series.”

IS IT ENJOYABLE? “I think so. You want to be the guy who wins 10 races a year. That would be way more enjoyable. But I think it is cool to get to go and grind it out with a bunch of guys and not have it be easy. You’ve got to go out there and really work for it.”

WOULD YOU HAVE RATHER BEEN IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAD A TEAM THAT YOU COULD COMPETE IN THE TOP 15 ALL THE TIME AND KIND OF SHOW WHAT YOUR POTENTIAL WAS IN YOUR FIRST CUP STINT? IS IT A GAME CHANGER WHEN YOU’RE NOT, AND THEN YOU HAVE TO GO BACK, AND PROVE YOURSELF? AND MY FOLLOW UP TO THAT IS, IF INDEED, WHO ARE THE GUYS THAT WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT IN XFINITY RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO ONE DAY BE SUNDAY DRIVERS? “I think the hard part about Cup is it’s not like there’s just a ton of them, so you take them when you can get them. It’s not like you’re going to get one every single year, an opportunity to go Cup racing. A lot of guys, you’ve got to take that shot, no matter what the car is a lot of the time. You see a lot of guys, like, say, Truex, he didn’t get to Gibbs until later in his career. Different guys that have gone that path, but at the end of the day, if you can go Cup racing, you go Cup racing. It’s definitely, it’s the place every driver wants to be and compete against the best.”

SO WHO ARE THE DRIVERS WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT AS THE NEW DRIVERS TO BE RACING NEXT YEAR? “You know, I think Chandler Smith does a good job. I think Carson Kvapil, obviously, he was really impressive at Martinsville and Dover. I’d have to really look at the list but that definitely kind of top of my mind, I guess.”

WHEN YOU WERE SAYING YOU NEEDED TO LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR AND EVALUATE EVERYTHING, LOOKING BACK AND ANALYZING WHEN YOU WERE IN CUP, WHAT DO YOU SEE AS MISTAKES THAT YOU MADE THAT YOU WOULD GIVE ADVICE TO ANOTHER YOUNGER DRIVER COMING ALONG? “I think just knowing how you need to communicate with your people. If that isn’t right, it’s just not going to work and you just have to make sure that you can go out there and really work with your team and try and fix problems the best you can. And if you’re not able to talk with your team openly and really fix those problems that’s where it gets tough. So I think that would be the biggest thing that I’d probably learn from.”

SO HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT IS TIME TO MAKE A CHANGE?

“I guess whenever you get that feeling. That is all I can really say.”

Toyota Racing – Christopher Bell
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes

LOUDON, NH (June 21, 2024) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell was made available to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Friday.

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

What do you attribute all of the success at New Hampshire to?
“It is a very special stat, and a special opportunity I have in front of me to make it four-for-four. What I attribute it to is great cars, great teams, great pit crews, great crew chiefs. In NASCAR racing, in general, it is extremely hard because of how many people that have influence on the result. If one guy makes a mistake on your team, then you are not going to win the race and three times, it has happened where all of us pulled the rope in the same direction, and nobody made a mistake. I understand doing it for a fourth time is a tall ask, but I’m excited as a challenge.”

Would you consider this a pretty big accomplishment?

“It is awesome. I don’t think about it outside of one week a year – but it is certainly something that I’m proud of.”

Are you good to go without practice and qualifying?

“Yeah, I think I would be probably in favor of that. I know the metric has us lining up fourth, and with how the flat tracks and the short track package has been for our team, I feel like we would be really competitive right off the bat. We would have a great starting spot, more importantly, a great pit selection if it rains out, but if not, I will go out there and try to qualify for the pole. Either way, I’m completely content with.”

Are you comfortable with the new procedure if we are approaching darkness?

“I’m very, very glad that it is black and white now. There is a rule in place. It is just ironic – at Chicago and at Loudon – both times, I think those are the only two times in recent times that darkness has hindered the race, and I’ve been one of the prime culprits of it. I’m very, very happy that there is a black and white rule now, and it is nice to not have a guessing game. It is what it is.”

It’s better to race to a time versus a lap?

“I think either way is fine, as long as you know it ahead of time. Specifically, at Chicago, the race strategy was heavily dictated on the race end lap, and guys in the back half of the field just took a 100% gamble on what NASCAR was going to do, and it rewarded them because they won on the gamble, and the guys that were trying to race the race properly – to the full distance – got bit by it. Now, at least, if that situation comes up, we will all know that the race is getting white flagged at X time on the clock. I think having a black and white rule is always good.”

Does your success here make you more excited to come here?

“It definitely has me excited about the opportunity to continue my Xfinity streak and get another Cup win, but I can’t stress enough how hard it is to win any NASCAR race – with everything that goes on during the event, everyone has to do their job on the entire team, while I do have confidence that we are going to show up and we are going to have speed, and I’m going to be able to get around the race track at a good pace, that doesn’t mean success by any means. I’m confident that we are going to be in contention, and have a shot at it, but everything has to go right in order to win.”

Do you feel like you will need to take a bigger leadership role at Joe Gibbs Racing next year with Martin’s retirement from full-time competition?

“That is a good question, and honestly, I don’t really know if there is any leadership from the driver’s standpoint. Certainly, from when we get into our competition meetings, the more guys with experience will, I guess, take the role of steering the ship as far as what we need in the race cars and stuff like that. I have definitely grown in confidence telling the team what we need inside of our cars, with experience, but week-in and week-out, a different guy may lead the discussion. Every time we go into our Monday meetings, it could be whoever has a good race that week. Plenty of times it has been Ty (Gibbs), plenty of times it has been Martin (Truex) or me or Denny (Hamlin). I don’t think there really is a leadership role in that aspect, and whenever we have a new driver into the 19 car, whoever that is, their experience level will dictate how much input they will have in the team.”

Is this the time of year where you expect the racing to get more intense with people racing for the last few Playoff berths?

“This is definitely the time of year where people start thinking about the Playoff positions. If you look outside the cutline, it is very, very intense. There is a lot of talented cars and teams that are on the outside looking in, and it is going to be a battle. It is going to be a battle all of the way to the end, and the more guys that win outside the cutline, is going to make it even tighter and tighter.”

Is there any real benefit in racing on Saturday and Sunday now or are the cars too different?

“I think the advantage from Saturday to Sunday is pretty much gone. The cars are completely different, the shift patterns are completely different and the way that they react in corner – it is almost completely irrelevant from Saturday to Sunday. It is just about enjoyment and track time and it is very hard to take anything from Saturday to Sunday.”

About Toyota

Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in North America for more than 65 years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands, plus our more than 1,800 dealerships.

Toyota directly employs more than 63,000 people in North America who have contributed to the design, engineering, and assembly of nearly 45 million cars and trucks at our 13 manufacturing plants. By 2025, Toyota’s 14th plant in North Carolina will begin to manufacture automotive batteries for electrified vehicles. With more electrified vehicles on the road than any other automaker, Toyota currently offers 26 electrified options.

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

5 KYLE LARSON

Age: 31 (July 31, 1992)

Hometown: Elk Grove, California

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Cliff Daniels

Standings: 2nd

No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

SETTING THE STAGE: On Sunday at Iowa Speedway, Kyle Larson won stage two to extend his series-leading stage victories in 2024 to eight. The Elk Grove, California, native has accrued 23 NASCAR Cup playoff points – five more than his nearest competitor – and sits second in the regular season standings, eight markers behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Chase Elliott.

OUT FRONT: With nine races to go in the regular season, Larson has led 755 laps, which is 148 more than anyone else. The 2021 Cup champion and driver of the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 also leads the series in pole positions (four) while being tied for most wins (three) and top-five finishes (seven).

SO CLOSE TO MAGIC: This weekend the Cup Series will visit New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where Larson has collected five top-five finishes and seven top-10s in 13 starts. His three runner-up results at “The Magic Mile” are the most by a driver without a win at the New England venue.

IN GOOD COMPANY: In just his fourth year driving for Hendrick Motorsports, Larson has already accumulated 20 points-paying wins, which rank him third in team history. He trails only NASCAR Hall of Famers Jeff Gordon (93) and Jimmie Johnson (83) in victories for the organization, which has won Cup races with a record 20 different drivers. Larson has won 16% of his Hendrick Motorsports starts.

THIS DECADE: Larson’s 20 point-paying wins since 2021 are also the most of any driver at NASCAR’s top level. During his 2021 championship season, he visited victory lane 10 times, then collected three victories in 2022, four in 2023 and three so far this season.

FOUR TIRES FAST: The No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM pit crew holds the seventh-fastest average four-tire pit stop time in 2024 at 10.962 seconds. Larson’s crew consists of Blaine Anderson (front-tire changer), R.J. Barnette (tire carrier), Brandon Harder (fueler), Brandon Johnson (jackman) and Calvin Teague (rear-tire changer).

AWAY BUT ALWAYS AVAILABLE: In 2024, the No. 5 HENDRICKCARS.COM team recognizes “home” events by wearing white firesuits and “away” with blue. Its home races come at tracks with nearby Hendrick Automotive Group car dealerships. This weekend, the team races away in Loudon, New Hampshire. However, it’s easy to pick up a new set of keys from any one of Hendrick Automotive Group’s 93 dealerships nationwide. Customers can shop from the convenience of their home selecting the category, make, model and vehicle packages that are important to them from the nearly 30,000 new, high-quality pre-owned and certified cars, trucks and SUVs available at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP IS HIRING: Join 10,000+ others nationwide in working at Hendrick Automotive Group. The company is hiring technicians and other positions at its dealerships throughout the country. Positions are open for all skill levels and offer tuition and training reimbursement. Individuals who are interested can apply at HENDRICKCARS.COM.

9 CHASE ELLIOTT

Age: 28 (Nov. 28, 1995)

Hometown: Dawsonville, Georgia

Resides: Dawsonville, Georgia

Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson

Standings: 1st

No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

TO THE POINT: With his third-place finish at Iowa Speedway on Sunday, Chase Elliott took over the NASCAR Cup Series regular season points lead for the first time in 2024. The last time he led the pre-playoffs standings was in 2022 when he went on to capture the regular season championship. Elliott is the third Hendrick Motorsports driver to sit atop the Cup Series this year, joining teammates Kyle Larson and William Byron. Currently, he is ahead of second-place Larson by eight points.

STELLAR SEASON: Elliott, the six-time National Motorsports Press Association Most Popular Driver, leads all drivers with a 9.12 average finish through 17 races, the best of his Cup career. He has also finished inside the top 20 in all 17 events, the first driver to do so since Jeff Burton in 2008. In 2024, the driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 has completed all but one lap of competition, the best mark since 2016 when Kurt Busch finished every lap of the first 17 races. Elliott’s only blemish came in March at Bristol Motor Speedway, where just five cars finished on the lead lap. He still finished eighth.

MILESTONE MET: At Iowa, Elliott became the fifth-youngest Cup Series driver to reach 100 top-five finishes at 28 years, 6 months and 19 days. The Dawsonville, Georgia, native follows NASCAR Hall of Famers Richard Petty and Jeff Gordon as well as active drivers Kyle Busch and Joey Logano. Elliott is in a four-way tie for the most top-five finishes this season (seven).

READY FOR SOME MAGIC: This weekend, the Cup Series heads to the 1.058-mile oval of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In 10 starts at the track in NASCAR’s premier series, Elliott has two top-five finishes and three top-10s, all occurring in his last six starts. His best finish of second came in 2022. The 2020 Cup champion has led 99 laps at New Hampshire and has started inside the top 10 all but four times.

SIMILAR TRACK PERFORMANCE: In his 60 Cup starts on tracks measuring 1 to 1.37 miles in length, Elliott has earned four wins. His first came at Dover Motor Speedway in 2018 and was followed by his championship-clinching performance at Phoenix Raceway in 2020. His two most recent victories came in 2022 at Dover and Nashville Superspeedway. Accompanying the quartet of triumphs are 23 top-five finishes, 30 top-10s and 1,246 laps led. In four 2024 races on this variation of track, Elliott’s best finish is fifth (at Dover).

GREAT GUSTAFSON: Veteran crew chief Alan Gustafson has called 31 Cup Series races atop the pit box at New Hampshire. The Ormond Beach, Florida, native has two wins with two different drivers in his career on the 1.058-mile track, the first with Kyle Busch in 2006 and the second with Mark Martin in 2009. Along with Gustafson’s two wins, he has eight top-five finishes, 14 top-10s and 563 laps led.

FAST FIVE: Through 17 Cup Series races in 2024, the No. 9 pit crew ranks first in average four-tire pit stop time (10.575 seconds). In April at Texas, the five-person team knocked out the fastest four-tire stop of the season with a time of 9.076 seconds. The 2021 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew award-winning group is comprised of Chad Avrit (rear-tire changer), Jared Erspamer (tire carrier), John Gianninoto (fueler), Nick O’Dell (front-tire changer) and T.J. Semke (jackman).

BACK IN BLUE: NAPA Auto Parts’ blue-based livery is on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for the second weekend in a row. The Atlanta-based company has been the primary partner for Elliott in eight of his 10 Cup Series starts at the Loudon, New Hampshire, facility, including his best finish of second there in 2022. Get a look at all the angles of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet here.

24 WILLIAM BYRON

Age: 26 (Nov. 29, 1997)

Hometown: Charlotte, North Carolina

Resides: Charlotte, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Rudy Fugle

Standings: 4th

No. 24 Valvoline Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

IOWA INSIGHT: Heading to Iowa Speedway for the first time with the NASCAR Cup Series, William Byron led Hendrick Motorsports with a strong second-place finish. After starting fourth, he initially lost a few spots but rallied to complete stage one in fourth. He remained in the top-five running order during stage two, but on a late restart he made contact with a competitor and finished the stage in 11th. Despite the stage two result, Byron and the No. 24 team went to work making up lost track position. He moved himself into the second position with under 100 laps to go and did his best to reel in the leader before ultimately crossing the finish line in the runner-up position.

SIMILAR IN SIZE: Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will mark Byron’s 48th start on a track 1 to 1.37 miles in length. In his previous 47 appearances, the 26-year-old driver has collected two pole awards, two wins, 10 top-five finishes, 20 top-10s and led 537 laps.

LOVIN’ LOUDON: Since 2018, Byron has six Cup Series starts at NHMS, all resulting in top-15 finishes with a best of 11th (2020 and 2022). He’s been a threat at “The Magic Mile” from day one, making his track debut in the ARCA Series East in 2015 when he qualified on the pole and led 68 of 70 laps before taking home the checkered flag. He followed it up in dominant fashion by starting from the pole and leading 161 of 175 laps en route to his sixth of seven NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series victories in 2016. Moving up to the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2017, Byron earned a top-five finish after starting seventh and finishing third.

NEW HAMPSHIRE WIZARD: Byron isn’t the only one who enjoys racing at New Hampshire. Crew chief Rudy Fugle has three Cup Series starts under his belt with a best showing of 11th coming in the 2022 race with the No. 24 team. The Livonia, New York, native also has three Truck Series starts at the 1.058-mile oval with one pole award and two victories, including Byron’s 2016 win. In fact, Fugle’s Truck Series drivers average a starting position of 2.3 and finishing position of 3.0 at NHMS.

HEADING HOME: Traveling to New England for Sunday’s race, two crew members of the No. 24 team call New Hampshire Motor Speedway their home track. Part of the team since 2019, car chief Tyler Jones hails from South Royalton, Vermont, less than 100 miles northwest of “The Magic Mile.” Front-tire changer Jeff Cordero grew up in Salem, Connecticut, which is less than 200 miles south of NHMS.

PIT ROAD PROWESS: After 17 races in 2024, the No. 24 pit crew ranks second in the Cup Series for the fastest average four-tire pit stop (10.751 seconds). The No. 24 pit crew consists of Spencer Bishop (jackman), Cordero (front-tire changer), Orane Ossowski (rear-tire changer), Ryan Patton (tire carrier) and Landon Walker (fueler).

24 IN ‘24: Byron’s 2024 Cup Series campaign started off hot with three wins (currently tied for the most), including the season-opening DAYTONA 500. The Charlotte, North Carolina, native has six top-five finishes (tied for fifth in the series) and 10 top-10s (tied for the most). He has the best average starting position (9.65) and is tied for the second-best average finish (12.47). After 17 races, he is up to fourth in the 2024 standings and holds 16 playoff points.

VALVOLINE RETURNS: Valvoline will make its second appearance of 2024 as the primary sponsor of Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Sunday’s race at New Hampshire. Valvoline Inc. (NYSE: VVV) is a leading worldwide marketer and supplier of premium branded lubricants and automotive services, with sales in more than 140 countries. Established in 1866, the company’s heritage spans more than 150 years, during which time it has developed powerful brand recognition across multiple product and service channels. Valvoline ranks as the No. 3 passenger car motor oil brand in the DIY market by volume.

48 ALEX BOWMAN

Age: 31 (April 25, 1993)

Hometown: Tucson, Arizona

Resides: Concord, North Carolina

Crew Chief: Blake Harris

Standings: 12th

No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1

TOP-10 LEADER: On Sunday at Iowa Speedway, Alex Bowman finished eighth to notch his 10th top-10 finish of 2024, putting him in a four-way tie for most in the NASCAR Cup Series. His 10 top-10 results and four top-fives both represent personal bests for the driver through 17 races in any Cup season.

FAST 48: Bowman and the No. 48 Ally Racing team rank 12th in the Cup standings, 117 points behind the leader. This season, they have an average finish of 13.24 (tied for sixth) and have finished in the top 10 in nine of the last 13 events. With nine races to go in the regular season, Bowman ranks 14th in the playoff standings, 66 points above the cut line.

DOUBLE MAGIC: NASCAR takes on New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday when Bowman will make his 13th career Cup Series start at the 1.058-mile oval. It will be his fourth race at “The Magic Mile” with primary sponsor Ally and his second with crew chief Blake Harris. In addition, the 31-year-old driver will pilot the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro in Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series event at the track. Bowman will be reunited with Greg Ives, his former Cup Series crew chief, for the Hendrick Motorsports effort.

50 WITH BLAKE: Sunday will mark Harris’ 50th start as crew chief for the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet team. In his second year as a Hendrick Motorsports crew chief and third overall in the Cup Series, the Maypearl, Texas, native has 31 top-10 finishes and 10 top-fives in 82 career starts. At just 18 years old, Harris joined Evernham Motorsports (later Richard Petty Motorsports) in 2006 and has worked in racing ever since. Now 37, he enjoys spending time with his family, going to his mountain cabin, hiking and working on his shock company.

AUTOGRAPHS WITH ALEX: Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, will be active in the fan zone at New Hampshire. On Sunday, he can be found at the Hendrick Motorsports merchandise hauler at 11:30 a.m. local time signing autographs for 100 fans with an exclusive wristband. Fans who purchase a 1:24 scale diecast on site Friday, Saturday or Sunday (until 100 have sold) will receive a wristband for Sunday’s autograph session. Please visit the merchandise hauler at New Hampshire Motor Speedway for more information.

LIVE FROM THE DRIVER’S SEAT: Join Bowman for views from the driver’s seat of his No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 this weekend. Fans can ride along for Sunday’s 318.46-mile race by tuning into NASCAR’s in-car camera. Visit nascar.com/drive to experience the behind-the-scenes perspective firsthand.

HEARTS AND TAILS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE: For four years, Bowman and Ally have teamed up to support Best Friends Animal Society and its vast network of partners. Last week, the organization launched its new “Bring Love Home” campaign with a website and compelling video. Every race weekend, the pair donates a total of $4,800 to help homeless pets. This weekend, the charitable donation will go to Hearts and Tails Animal Alliance. If you’re in town for the race, check out the animals available for adoption at the shelter located 34 miles southwest of the track. Not ready to adopt? Check out the website for details on how to help save a life by donating, volunteering or fostering.

FUELING THE PIT CREW: The Ally Racing pit crew ranks 10th on pit road for the best average four-tire stop (11.004). The five-man No. 48 crew is composed of jackman Allen Holman, tire carrier Brandon Grier, front-tire changer Donnie Tasser, rear-tire changer Andrew Bridgeforth and gasman Jacob Conley.

HENDRICK
MOTORSPORTS /

2024	All-Time	Loudon
Races	17	1,362	52
Wins	7*	308*	9
Poles	5*	251*	7
Top 5	24*	1,256*	45
Top 10	37*	2,149*	82*
Laps Led	1,134	80,891*	2,651
Stage Wins	10	108	1

*Most **Most (tie)

THREE LEADERS: Following his third-place finish Sunday at Iowa Speedway, Chase Elliott became the third Hendrick Motorsports driver to lead the 2024 NASCAR Cup regular season standings. Teammates William Byron (one week) and Kyle Larson (nine weeks) previously sat atop the series, which has completed 17 of 36 points-paying events.

THIRD TIME: 2024 is the third time Hendrick Motorsports has placed three different drivers atop the standings in a single season. The team first accomplished it in 2009 with the Hall of Fame trio of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin. The second came last year with Alex Bowman, Byron and Larson.

POINT MADE: Going into the 18th points-paying race of 2024 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are within the top 12 in the Cup standings. Elliott (first), Larson (second) and Byron (fourth) occupy three of the top-four spots, while Bowman, who is tied for the most top-10 finishes in the series, is 12th overall.

DROUGHT BUSTER: Although Hendrick Motorsports has won nine Cup Series races at New Hampshire, its most recent victory at “The Magic Mile” dates to July 2012. Following that performance by driver Kasey Kahne, the team has earned four Cup championships and 104 points-paying victories on 26 other racetracks. Since then, Hendrick Motorsports has finished in every position inside the top 12 at New Hampshire – except first place.

CELEBRATING 40: In 2024, Hendrick Motorsports is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The team holds the all-time NASCAR Cup Series records in every major statistical category, including championships (14), wins (308), pole positions (251) and laps led (80,891). This season, it leads all Cup organizations with seven points-paying victories through 17 races.

QUOTABLE /

Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on challenges at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “New Hampshire is really challenging, especially with the bumps getting into turn three. Whether it’s being loose into the corners or whether your car is ‘bouncing’ into three, you have to be patient with your car. We’ve had some good runs there, and I like the track and the challenge it provides.”

Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the challenges of New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “We’re looking forward to going to New Hampshire even though it has been a little bit of a difficult track for us. Typically, we are able to run in the top 10, but we never have the outright speed that we always look for. It’s just a tough place with flat corners. It’s got some bumps into (turn) three. So the track has good character, which we like because of the challenge of getting the car set up right and getting the balance right. Hopefully this trip we can get all that a bit closer than last year. We had an OK run there and are building on some of those notes to go and hopefully have a good weekend.”

Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what has led to this season’s success and looking ahead to the playoffs: “I just think we have a really solid group, top to bottom. Everyone has been super committed to finding that 1% each week, and whatever that is, it is. I just think collectively we’ve been solid. I feel that we haven’t reached our full potential yet, and I think that’s exciting. I think that’s okay, too, because it is only halfway through the year. As we all know, the way this playoff situation is now, you want to be good those last 10 (races), and really good in the last five. The trick is being good enough to get to the Round of 8 and really try to be spectacular those last three or four weeks. So it’s really just about having a solid enough base to get you through there and really trying to hit home runs in those last few races.”

Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on the team’s potential and focus as we get closer to the playoffs: “I agree with him (Chase Elliott). I don’t think we’ve reached our full potential, and I don’t know that anybody ever does. You can always get better. But relative to our competitors, yeah, I think we have opportunity to improve a lot, but so do they. So you can’t just assume that they’re not going to get better, too. This time of year is always an arms race, so to speak. It’s always going to be about who can stockpile the most information and the most playoff points and put themselves in the best position to really go and execute well in the playoffs. I think we’re in a decent spot there and certainly have some good opportunities in the next few weeks to try to get good finishes. We have an opportunity for the playoff points based off regular season points finish and we certainly want to add more in stages and wins.”

William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his thoughts about New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “I don’t really know why we haven’t gotten the finishes we want at New Hampshire. I had a lot of success there leading up to the Cup Series. And then even my first two years in Cup, relative to where I was running at other tracks, I thought I ran pretty well there. It just seems like with our current team, we just haven’t really been very good there. We just have to figure out what that is. We’ll go through a lot of notes this week and kind of have something comparable to go run there. Last year, we had some damage on the car. I believe the right-front splitter was caved in based on a pit road issue. Up until then, we had led some laps. And then we had an issue in practice – the steering rack was locked up. Just not a clean weekend last year, so I think that’s a track that, last year, we probably could have run top seven at. But this year going back, obviously it’s a big focus to try and get better. Based on how Phoenix (Raceway) and Gateway (WWT Raceway) were to start this year, there’s definitely some work to do.”

Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on what he expects at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “I love going to New Hampshire. It’s a great racing culture up there, but it’s also always been one of the toughest tracks on the circuit in my opinion. Especially with this car and the bumps on the track, I think this is one of the most difficult places, period, to get the handling right. You have to run into the corner with a lot of speed, go over those bumps and then put a little bit of wheel to finish the corner, but the bumps shift the car the other way. It’s just a really hard track for the teams and the drivers. That usually makes a good show. When the difficulty is high for us it usually creates disparity, especially from short run to long run. It puts on a good show. I’m looking forward to that challenge and to see if we can repeat some of what we found last weekend at Iowa (Speedway) and make it a little better.”
​

Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on his goals for the weekend and running double duty at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “New Hampshire has proved to be a decently challenging track for me. I was able to get a top 10 there back in 2021, but it’s certainly a place I’d like to improve. I’m excited about the opportunity to run in the No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevy during this weekend’s Xfinity Series race. Hopefully those extra laps on Friday and Saturday will help me gain some additional insight on the track before Sunday’s Cup race. Our Ally Racing team is still working diligently to try and put the No. 48 back in victory lane.”

Blake Harris, crew chief of the No. 48 Ally Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, on Alex Bowman racing in the Xfinity Series and Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend: “Anytime we (Hendrick Motorsports) run that Xfinity car, I think we have the opportunity to put that thing (No. 17 HENDRICKCARS.COM Chevrolet Camaro) in victory lane. The team has already been able to do that a couple times this year. The interesting choice of that place for Alex is that New Hampshire is not one of his best tracks. He’s had a couple decent runs there, but overall it’s not statistically his best. But he chose it because he wants to get better there. I think it will be good for him to get some laps in the Xfinity car. Especially with the short practices, any lap time you get around that place is great. He’ll be able to see the evolution of the track on Saturday in the Xfinity car so when we go rolling into Sunday I think he’ll have a pretty good idea of how we need to approach it.”

Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… In 136 NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has recorded four wins. Clint Bowyer leads the organization with two victories (2007 and 2010) while Robby Gordon (2001) and Kevin Harvick (2006) also won with RCR at the Magic Mile. The Welcome, N.C., based team has 16 top-five and 43 top-10 finishes. In 2023, Austin Dillon led RCR in the Cup race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, claiming a ninth-place after leading 12 laps.

Richard Childress Racing In the NASCAR Xfinity Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… RCR has one win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in NASCAR Xfinity Series competition (Kevin Harvick in 2007) and has racked up 17 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes. Austin Hill led the way for RCR at New Hampshire in 2023 with a third-place finish at the 1.058-mile speedway.

Catch the Action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… The SciAps 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be televised live on Saturday, June 22 beginning at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Tune-In on Sunday… The USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will be televised live on Sunday, June 23 beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. The race will be broadcast live on the Performance Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

Austin Dillon and the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Off Road Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… Austin Dillon has made 14 NASCAR Cup Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, earning his best finish of eighth in July 2015. Last year, he finished ninth after leading 12 laps of the Cup Series race after a rain delay pushed the race to Monday afternoon. Dillon has earned four top-five, and five top-10 finishes in six NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at the track. He is a former New Hampshire Motor Speedway winner in the NASCAR Truck Series, winning the race from the pole position in 2015.

About 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 united with 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/.

AUSTIN DILLON QUOTES:

What are your thoughts on New Hampshire Motor Speedway?

“I’ve always enjoyed New Hampshire Motor Speedway. This place reminds me of a giant paperclip. Despite being flat, it’s rough. Corner entry is fun there. It’s different. It’s a different type of feel than what we have anywhere else. It is important to have a car that allows you to get into the corner deep if you want to be fast at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The corner is flat, and there is not much banking to hold you. If your car is stable on entry, it helps the rest of the corner so you can be aggressive and make passes. Entry speed is also an important factor. I feel like the car will have to get into the corner and rotate in the center and drive off. At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, everything that matters at short tracks matters there.”

Kyle Busch and the No. 8 FICO Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… Kyle Busch will make his 33rd NASCAR Cup Series start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. Busch has three wins at the 1.058-mile New England speedway, scoring victories in 2006, 2015, and 2017, which is tied for most victories among active drivers. His most dominant win came in 2017 when he won the pole, led the most laps, and had an average running position of 1.43. The driver of the FICO Chevrolet has 11 top-five (tied for the most among active drivers) and 16 top-10 finishes in 32 previous Cup races at New Hampshire. He has led 1,134 laps in Cup Series competition at New Hampshire, second-best among active drivers. Busch has six wins in 12 NASCAR Xfinity Series races and owns three victories in NASCAR Truck Series competition at New Hampshire.

Did You Know? Kyle Busch is the most recent Cup Series driver to win from the pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2017).

Points Update… Busch enters this weekend 16th in the Cup Series driver championship point standings, 31 points below the Playoff cutline.

Welcome FICO… FICO, Richard Childress Racing and Busch are teaming up to raise awareness about the need for financial education. For the millions of NASCAR fans across the country, knowledge about money, financial planning, how credit works and the importance of building good financial habit are critical life skills. FICO, RCR and Busch want to share information and resources so that everyone in the NASCAR community can achieve their financial goals, such as paying for education, buying a home, or running a business.

FICO is a leading analytics software firm best known for its gold standard FICO® Score. Learn more about the FICO, RCR and Busch partnership, here: https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/fico-and-richard-childress-racing-kick-financial-and-credit-education-partnership-nascar.

KYLE BUSCH QUOTES:

What makes New Hampshire Motor Speedway so challenging?

“New Hampshire is a really tricky racetrack. It’s super flat and has bumpy characteristics to it as well. The asphalt has really gotten old over the years. It feels like racing over highway cracks, but those are all characteristics of a good racetrack. It’s just really challenging and very tough to pass. Everybody says it’s multi-groove. You could run three different grooves there, but there’s really only one that’s fast and that’s the middle one. It makes for a challenging Sunday.”

Why has New Hampshire Motor Speedway been so tough for you in the last few years?

“Unfortunately, for me, the last couple of years at New Hampshire have been a huge struggle. This new Next Gen car and I have just not gone well together at New Hampshire. It’s been easy for me to get in trouble because of the nature of the car, the way it rides, the bumps, and the different topography of the track at each end to make grip. It’s definitely a challenge of moving your line around in the corners to improve the balance of the car because this new car doesn’t like different angles and transitions very well.”

You’ve won four poles at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Why do you qualify so well there?

“I feel like qualifying at New Hampshire is important just because of track position. It’s so hard to pass, so making sure you’re in good position at the start of the race is important to keep your day simple. I’ve always put an emphasis on qualifying to make sure we do well.”

Jesse Love and the No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet Camaro SS at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… Jesse Love will make his inaugural start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend during the NASCAR Xfinity Series race. The Menlo Park, California native’s first-ever laps at ”The Magic Mile” will take place during NASCAR Xfinity Series practice on Friday afternoon.

Whelen Home Race… Located 70 miles from New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Whelen Engineering has one of their two facilities based in Charlestown, New Hampshire. Every Whelen product is proudly designed, sourced, and manufactured from start to finish at their two facilities in Chester, Connecticut, and New Hampshire.

Pit Stop in Charlestown, NH… On Thursday, June 20, Love and Crew Chief Danny Stockman visited the Whelen Engineering facility in Charlestown, New Hampshire to get a behind-the-scenes look at its production and operations. During the facility tour, Whelen employees had the opportunity to meet Love and Stockman, as well as see the No. 2 Whelen Camaro and the Talladega Superspeedway trophy, as well as tour the team hauler. Love distributed signed hero cards and took photos with employees throughout the day.

About Whelen Engineering… Whelen Engineering is a family-owned company with a pioneering spirit and a passion to protect the lives of those who protect and serve others. The company mission is to provide industry-defining safety solutions around the world, while creating a community of problem-solvers who are inspired to push boundaries and continue our legacy of delivering ground-breaking innovation. As a global leader in the emergency warning industry, Whelen has been trusted to perform since 1952, when George Whelen III invented the first rotating aviation beacon. Whelen now encompasses two state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Connecticut and New Hampshire with over 750,000 square feet of engineering and manufacturing space and the largest design staff in the industry. Every part of every Whelen product is proudly designed and manufactured in America. We embrace quality as our foundation, we celebrate innovative engineering in every product we produce.

Meet Love… On Friday, June 21 from 2:15 p.m. ET, Love is scheduled to sign autographs at the New England Racing Museum, located on property of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. On Saturday, June 22 at 11:30 a.m. ET, Love and his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Austin Hill, will join fellow Xfinity Series drivers for a series autograph session in the Fan Zone at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet the Sunoco Rookie of the Year points leader.

JESSE LOVE QUOTE:

Describe your thoughts heading to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the first time.

“We didn’t have the result that we wanted last week, but our Whelen team is looking to rebound strong. I’ve never raced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway before, but I feel confident that Danny Stockman and my guys on the No. 2 team are going to bring another fast Chevrolet. We are unloading really fast cars at the track each and every week, but we need to start putting together the finishes. Sometimes that is out of our control and sometimes that is in our control. When it’s in our control, that’s when we need to capitalize. To have a strong run this weekend would mean a lot to our team and everyone at Whelen. It was awesome to see their facility in Charlestown and get a firsthand look at all the processes and tools they have in place to create products that help protect first responders.”

Austin Hill and the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro SS at New Hampshire Motor Speedway… Austin Hill has two career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, piloting the No. 21 Bennett Transportation and Logistics Chevrolet Camaro to a top-10 finish in each event. Last season after starting from the eighth position, the Winston, Georgia native drove a consistent race to take the checkered flag in third place. Hill has also competed in two ARCA Racing Series East events at the 1.058-mile oval, capturing two top-10 finishes (seventh in 2014 and fifth in 2015).

About Bennett Family of Companies… McDonough-Ga. based Bennett Family of Companies is a woman-owned, Women’s Enterprise Business Council (WBENC) certified, diversified transportation and logistics company. Through its 14 affiliated operating companies, the Bennett Family of Companies delivers integrated transportation and supply chain management solutions worldwide. Bennett has 4,625 drivers/owner-operators, over 1,000 employees and 600 agents located across the United States. For more information, visit www.bennettig.com.

Meet Hill… On Saturday, June 22 at 11:00 a.m. ET, Hill is scheduled to stop by “The Morning Show” for a question-and-answer session in the Fan Zone at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Immediately following at 11:30 a.m. ET, Hill will join his Richard Childress Racing teammate, Jesse Love, and fellow competitors for a series autograph session in the Fan Zone at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Stop by to meet the eight-time Xfinity Series race winner before the green flag waves.

AUSTIN HILL QUOTE:

Two top-10 finishes in your two Xfinity Series starts at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. What is the outlook heading into Saturday’s race?

“New Hampshire Motor Speedway has been an interesting track for our No. 21 team the last couple of years. My rookie season, our car was solid. It had good drive, especially during the first run, but then it needed to be a little freer the longer we ran. Last year, our car wasn’t the greatest but between missing the melee and battling hard, we were able to finish third. It was free on entry and tight across the middle. When I put the throttle down, it would lose rear lateral and sheer the back of the car. With all that being said though, our team is bringing fast Chevrolets to the track each week. Hopefully during our practice session on Friday afternoon, we can fine tune the handling and post a good qualifying effort to put ourselves in a position during the race.”

After showing some promising speed this past weekend on the 7/8-mile Iowa Speedway, Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team are hoping for a repeat performance this weekend in the USA Today 301 at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Crew chief Jeremy Bullins pointed out that the No. 21 Mustang Dark Horse was seventh fastest in practice at Iowa and had some strong runs during Sunday’s race. And, he said, that bodes well for this weekend’s race on the Magic Mile at Loudon, N.H.

“I’m excited to head to Loudon this weekend for a couple of reasons,” Bullins said. “I felt like we had a great start to the race at Iowa, moving forward and gaining a lot of spots until the Stage Two restart didn’t go our way.

“Even after that, the car was close on speed, and Harrison was able to save some fuel and get us to the end.” He added: “Our setup won’t be terribly different for New Hampshire, and Harrison ran pretty good there last year.

“It should be a good weekend for our Motorcraft Mustang.”

Practice for the USA Today 301 is set for Saturday at 12:35 p.m. Eastern Time to be followed by qualifying at 1:20.

Sunday’s 301-lap, 318.46-mile race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 2:30 p.m., with Stage breaks at Laps 70 and 185.

USA Network will carry the TV coverage all weekend.

About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, 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.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.

About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.”

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for customers and deepen their loyalty. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, along with connected services. The company does that through three customer-centered business segments: Ford Blue, engineering iconic gas-powered and hybrid vehicles; Ford Model e, inventing breakthrough EVs along with embedded software that defines exceptional digital experiences for all customers; and Ford Pro, helping commercial customers transform and expand their businesses with vehicles and services tailored to their needs. Additionally, Ford is pursuing mobility solutions through Ford Next, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 177,000 people worldwide. More information about the company and its products and services is available at corporate.ford.com.

About Ford Performance
Ford Performance is based in Dearborn, Mich. It is responsible for Ford’s performance vehicle development and major racing operations globally, including NASCAR, IMSA, SRO British GT, FIA World Rally Championship, Supercars Championship, World of Outlaws, Ultra4, SCORE-International, FIA Rally-Raid, Formula Drift, NHRA, Rebelle Rally, Thailand Super Series and our latest commitment in Formula 1 with RedBull Ford Powertrains. Ford Performance also maintains a constantly evolving fleet of electric performance demonstrators to showcase the limits of electrification technology. In addition, the organization also oversees the development of Ford’s racing engines, as well as the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts. For more information regarding Ford racing’s activities, please visit Performance.Ford.com or follow @FordPerformance on Facebook, Instagram, X, Threads, TikTok and YouTube.

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