Category: NASCAR Cup PR

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
GEICO 500
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING NOTES & QUOTES
APRIL 27, 2019

TOP TEAM CHEVY UNOFFICIAL QUALIFYING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Austin Dillon, No. 3 DOW Camaro ZL1
5th Daniel Hemric, No. 8 Caterpillar Camaro ZL1
9th Alex Bowman, No. 88 Nationwide Camaro ZL1
10th Kyle Larson, No. 42 Clover Camaro ZL1
11th Chase Elliott, No. 9 Mountain Dew/Little Caesar’s Camaro ZL1

TOP FIVE UNOFFICIAL QUALIFYING RESULTS:
POS. DRIVER
1st Austin Dillon (Chevrolet)
2nd Aric Almirola (Ford)
3rd Clint Bowyer (Ford
4th Brad Keselowski (Ford)
5th Daniel Hemric (Chevrolet)

FOX will telecast the 188-lap/500-mile GEICO 500 live at 2 p.m. ET Sunday, April 28. Live coverage can also be found on MRN and Sirius XM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

TEAM CHEVY NOTES AND QUOTES:

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 DOW CAMARO ZL1 – Pole Winner
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! WE NEED TO GET A CAKE OUT HERE. AUSTIN DILLON TURNING 29! THE NEWS BROKE EARLIER THAT THERE WAS A TECHNICAL (DECK LID) INFRACTION AND THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK ABOUT THAT. IT WAS HARD FOR YOUR TEAM TO TAKE. HOW SATISFYING AND SWEET IS IT TO GET THE POLE AT TALLADEGA?
“Well, it feels great. It’s RCR’s 50th Anniversary and my grandfather takes a lot of pride in these speedway races. To come here and get a pole, we felt like we had a car capable of doing that. We knew that didn’t hurt us, so we just wanted to go out there and do what we did. Get a pole. And, man, it’s all of these guys. I didn’t do nothing. Just holding the wheel straight. I did hold the wheel straight. I guess I did that. Fun times. Sunday is when it matters, though. We’d love to get a win and lock ourselves in the Playoffs because these races are ones that you can really take advantage of because there’s a lot of points to get out there. And, that’s what we’re going to do tomorrow.”

DANIEL HEMRIC, NO. 8 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1 – Qualified 5th
ALL THREE OF YOU WHO DID THE TEST ARE IN THE TOP-12:
“I think it definitely can’t hurt, have a little bit extra time working around the parts and pieces to make the package what it is. In the grand scheme of things, we also changed a lot of things different from what we tested to come here with as a sport. With that being said it definitely didn’t hurt us, but just proud of our effort. Proud we put the work in, obviously have two really fast Camaro ZL1’s out of RCR, proud of ECR (Engines) and everyone who has a handle on these race cars. It’s cool to see the No. 3 guys get the pole there”.

BIG DAY FOR RCR AS A WHOLE, YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR MOMENTUM. IS THIS HOPEFULLY THE START OF SOMETHING OR BECAUSE IT’S A SUPERSPEEDWAY IS IT HARD TO TELL?
“You like to think it is right? Obviously incredibly cool to see those Xfinity guys get a win and do it here at Talladega. I didn’t realize RCR never won an Xfinity race at Talladega, so that was pretty special for our company. Tyler Reddick did an incredible job of making the right moves there at the end, and we always want momentum and anytime you have success it definitely does nothing but help everybody’s spirits and that can lead to good things”.

HOW BIG OF AN EMPHASIS IS IT GOING TO BE FOR CHEVROLET TO WORK TOGETHER AND HAVE YOU GUYS HAD CONVERSATIONS TO TRY AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN?
“We all sit in that driver/owner lot and everybody talks to each other. We definitely want to make sure that when push comes to shove that we give the bowtie the best opportunity we can to get in victory lane. Sometimes for the betterment of the manufacturer it’s about making the necessary sacrifices, whether it’s for you or your team or your manufacturer. Hopefully when it’s all said and done, we can do whatever we need to make sure one of us in victory lane”.

IS THERE ANYTHING YOU’VE BEEN ABLE TO COMPARE WHAT YOU’VE FELT IN THIS CAR TO IN YOUR TIME DRIVING?
“Here in particular this package is kind of its own animal. I think maybe the way it buffers and moves around we’re more closely aligned like with the truck stuff. With the ducts in the front there even draggier it seems like when you pull out of line, so it’s going to be interesting to see how big the runs are tomorrow once you get a full pack. We’ve had 12, 15, 16 cars together maybe once, but never the full field yet. It’s going to be kind of a deal of its own animal once we get started tomorrow”.

DOES GOING INTO A RACE LIKE THIS THAT’S KIND OF A WILDCARD KIND OF HELP YOU GET SOME CONFIDENCE TO GO AT IT?
“Anytime you go to the racetrack to win races, I’m 100% on par knowing I haven’t done a great job putting our team in a situation this year. So, when you come to a place like this, yeah, everybody’s expectations are still the same, but on the flipside it does bring a couple of guys in the mix that they wouldn’t have had the best opportunity. We may be one of those guys at this current time of the year and hopefully we can make the most of whatever the day gives us and go from there”.

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CAMARO ZL1 – Qualified 9th
WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS LEARNED AND WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE FOR THE RACE TOMORROW IN TERMS OF CLOSING RATE, RUNS AND HOW RACY IS IT GOING TO BE?
“I think you’re not going to see somebody control the race the way they have in the past. The runs are too big to really block the lead the whole time, so I think you’re going to see more lead changes, probably more passing. Everybody is saying their cars aren’t driving so well, my car is driving pretty good so far, I’m really excited. I hope we have a good piece, not really surprised how fast we are. We saw that in the test, and they seem to be ok with it; I don’t know we’ll see where it goes from there”.

WITH THE WAY THE RUNS ARE, AND THE DRAFT HAS BEEN WITH THIS PACKAGE. AS THE LEADER ARE YOU BASICALLY A SITTING DUCK? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN DO TO PLAY DEFENSE LIKE WE SAW IN THE XFINITY RACE?
“I mean there’s some things you can do to keep guys from getting those big runs and managing your gap. I think that’s going to be more crucial than it’s ever been. The big side-to-side blocks like we saw pulled in the Xfinity race today aren’t going to work. You’re going to need to manage that gap more so than you ever had to before”.

SO, ARE YOU TO BE GIVEN CREDIT OR TO BLAME SINCE YOU TOOK PART IN THE TEST?
“We told them they were going to be faster when we got here. Their computer told them that they weren’t going to be, but I mean we told them they were going to be. There’s no such thing as too fast to me, so I’m good with it. Obviously, they didn’t make a change after final practice, I think we’re all good with it”.

HOW HAVE THINGS CHANGED ON THE CHEVROLET SIDE SINCE DAYTONA? NOW THERE SEEMS TO BE A MORE CONCERTED EFFORT TO STAY WITHIN THE GROUP.
A: I think we’re going to do our best to work with the Chevys and get a Chevrolet to victory lane. That’s really important this week and we going to try our best to make it happen”.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE HUGE ORDERS? THERE’S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SUGGESTION AND AN ORDER.
“I think it’s really important that we all work together the best we can and that we’re all in on all of the Chevrolets getting a Chevy to victory lane. And knowing that’s what we’re all here to do”.

KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CLOVER CAMARO ZL1 – Qualified 10th
ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH THE CLOSING SPEEDS HERE THIS WEEKEND?
“I’m not scared. It all feels fast when you’re out there. When you’re in an Xfinity car going 190 versus a Cup car that’s 200-plus. It’s still superspeedway racing and I think the bigger runs we’ve gotten at least in the little bit of drafting we did yesterday was fun and different. The cars were a little bit more stable so you could be more aggressive too. I think the race will be really exciting and crazy.”

WHAT’S CHANGED TO MAKE THE CHEVROLET TEAMS WORK TOGETHER MORE THIS WEEKEND?
“I think you can look at the other manufacturers and how well they’ve worked together and it’s proven to help get them race wins. It’s nice that so far all the Chevys are working together and we’ve been pretty disciplined about it. We’ll see how it goes in the race tomorrow and hopefully we can do what those other teams have done, but even better. I’m excited to work together and hopefully we’ll learn throughout it and tweak on it in the future and get even better.”

WAS IT BOTHERSOME THAT ANOTHER CHEVROLET TEAM WORKED WITH A COMPETING MANUFACTURER IN DAYTONA?
“Honestly, it didn’t matter to me. I’m just out there racing and I feel like in the past we’ve all just done our own thing. Trying to get with whatever group benefits you the most. We have a lot of Chevys out there so there’s no reason why we shouldn’t team up and have a big number of cars out there in a line together.”

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 9 MOUNTAIN DEW/LITTLE CAESAR’S CAMARO ZL1 – Qualified 11th
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM TOMORROW’S RACE?
“I really don’t know. It seems like yesterday, I’m sure as everyone else has commented on, there’s a lot of big runs and obviously the faster the runs are, the harder they are to block and anticipate. What I noticed yesterday, that was probably the biggest thing was just how it was a little easier to get a big run on a guy and it just seemed like whenever somebody behind you wanted to be done with you, they could just be done with you. It felt like you had less control being out front.”

DID YOU HAVE TROUBLE SEEING WITH THE ADDITION OF THE WICKER TO THE SPOILER?
“It’s definitely there, but I didn’t think it was terrible although we haven’t really been in a big pack and stuff yet. It wasn’t real bad.”

WHAT CHANGED WITH ALL THE CHEVROLETS WORKING TOGETHER IN A PACK THIS TIME AROUND?
“Just trying to do better as a group and obviously that’s what you’re competing against so we’re going to give it our best effort and see how it goes.”

HOW MUCH DO YOU EXPECT IT TO HELP WORKING TOGETHER WITH THE OTHER CHEVROLET TEAMS?
“I think numbers are important, but I don’t know how much it will help or not. The numbers are good, anytime you can add cars to your group or whatever, obviously more cars seems to be more speed. I don’t know how much it will help, but I think more cars are better.”

DOES THIS PACKAGE SEEM TO LEND ITSELF TO MORE CARS IN A PACK BEING BETTER?
“It seems like from the prior few races or with the other package, there were cars that you could really tell were way better. I just felt like there was a larger group that were pretty evenly matched. I feel like it will open up your potential for possible winners tomorrow even more than it already was.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 ALLY CAMARO ZL1 – Qualified 21st
“We should be fighting for the front row, but this new package clearly has some new tweaks that go with it and we’re not up there fighting for the front row. So, we’ll get in the race and see what happens. I don’t think any of us really have a clear idea of what we need. So, we didn’t execute like we needed to today, but we’ll be fine come tomorrow. At plate tracks, the work is done at the shop. All the decisions are made there. There are so few areas really, for us to work. But all the speed is at the shop and we just kind of come here and go through the motions.”

WITH THE BIG RUNS AND EXTRA DRAG, ARE YOU A SITTING DUCK NOW MORE THAN EVER BEFORE?
“I feel like that’s the intent for the rule. I’m not sure. I know on the 1.5-mile it hasn’t necessarily been the case. Track position still has been the most important thing. I believe NASCAR is working hard to create more competitive passes for the lead. So, I just don’t know yet.”

YOU’RE ALWAYS CONCERNED WHEN YOU COME TO TALLADEGA. BUT DOES THIS PACKAGE AND THE UNKNOWN GIVE ANY ADDITIONAL CONCERNS ESPECIALLY BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY TO BLOCK?
“You can block. You just have to manage that environment a little differently than in the past. When there are unknowns, I’ve seen this race be really wild and good in a good way, and then I’ve seen it really boring where we all just go to the top and try to protect and get to the end. I don’t know how it’s going to turn out but I’m comfortable with where I sit and the way the Ally Chevy is running and what we have going on. We’ll just go at it tomorrow and pull ‘em tight and hope for the best.”

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

Toyota Racing Post-Qualifying Report
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Talladega Superspeedway – April 27, 2019

TOYOTA STARTING POSITIONS
1st, Austin Dillon*
2nd, Aric Almirola*
3rd, Clint Bowyer*
4th, Brad Keselowski*
5th, Daniel Hemric*
20th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
22nd, KYLE BUSCH
23rd, DENNY HAMLIN
26th, MATT DIBENEDETTO
27th, ERIK JONES
33rd, JEFFREY EARNHARDT
35th, PARKER KLIGERMAN
*non-Toyota driver

TOYOTA QUOTES

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

Qualifying Position: 20th

How did yesterday go and how do you feel about the race tomorrow?

“Yesterday was interesting, we had a lot to learn with the new package coming here. We unloaded off the trailer pretty far off. Just the way the car drove. We have a lot to do, but the guys did a good job making it better for second practice and thought we ended in a pretty decent spot. Made some more changes for tomorrow. We’ll have to see, it’s going to be part of the learning curve, it’s a lot different. Looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun. I felt like yesterday was pretty exciting in practice and usually that leads to a pretty fun race.”

Does it mean anything that it’s been several years since a pole winner won at Talladega, why is that?

“I think it does mean something. If your car is trimmed out to go fast by itself, sometimes you struggle a little bit in traffic and I think with this package that we have now, with more downforce than ever and the turbulence, that’s probably something we’ll be hearing about tomorrow and the next time we come back here. It’s going to be tricky, the cars are going to be a handful. It’s going to be really fast and the runs are big. It’s going to be really different from what we’ve done here the past few years. It’s going to be fun, I think. We’ll see what we can do, hopefully we’re one of the guys left at the end near the front.”

Is it possible for the drivers to be more respectful in the race with the closing speeds?

“Definitely possible and I think you’re going to have to respect your blocking a lot more than normal because the runs are so big. Our sitelines in the rearview mirror are way worse than they’ve ever been as far as having that wicker. The tall spoiler and the wicker – there’s only a little window of clear lexan on that spoiler that you can actually see through. It’s hard to judge the closing rate when it’s so fast like it was yesterday and like it will be tomorrow that you’ll have to definitely mind your blocking and try not to make any close call blocks. It’s going to jam up the whole field and cause a wreck. I think it’s possible, but when we get down towards the end, nobody is going to do any of that and it’s going to be mayhem. Hopefully we’re one of the guys left at the end and we can go for it.”

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

Qualifying Position: 22nd

Do you think the leader will be able to defend with the runs people are getting with this package?

“I think the leader can block and defend. The runs today in the Xfinity race, you kind of saw were a bit slower and got stagnant as the guy got closer from behind. I don’t think you’ll have the same effect happen tomorrow. The runs will be greater and the guy up front is still going to try to block, but I guess it’s a matter of how nice the guy behind you is and whether or not he’ll hit the brakes or drive through you.”

Do you feel you have the block in the right way to not wreck?

“You kind of have to see it coming. If you know a guy’s going to block, you can kind of roll out a little bit and slow that run down, then you can not crash the car in front of you, but you take the risk of getting crashed from behind. There’s a lot of different things that you have to weigh. Just yesterday, there was a guy that pulled down in front of a run that me and six other guys had and I had to stop. I had no other choice because I had somebody on my outside too. The fourth guy in line back there about got wrecked. There’s going to be an accordian effect.”

Are you comfortable with the closing speeds?

“It doesn’t matter, it’s just a matter of all of us knowing what’s going on and being respectful to what’s going on and trying to race and not try to win from lap 100 to lap 185.”

Will all the drivers have to be more respectful in tomorrow’s race?

“The cars are definitely edgy on the straightaways. We’ve got greater downforce on them, but for some reason there’s just no left-rear grip as we’re going down the straightaways. When you get bumped from behind, they want to turn sideways the wrong way. Somebody is going to get crashed from behind tomorrow from being pushed and not being able to control that slip on the straightaway, but we’ll play it out and hopefully tomorrow I can just walk out of here at the end of the race.”

Does the wicker on the spoiler impact your vision through the rearview mirror?

“It does a little bit. It’s probably a good thing for guys trying to throw blocks and be able to see. The more limited you are at being able to see, the less you’ll see and hopefully they won’t throw bad blocks.”

ERIK JONES, No. 20 Stanley Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Qualifying Position: 27th

What will you be thinking about tonight to prepare for tomorrow’s race?

“Just trying to get a game plan for tomorrow and how it’s going to race. We don’t know how it’s going to play out yet and I think our Stanley Camry drives good in traffic from yesterday and that’s all that matters. We didn’t make a mock run, didn’t work on single-car speed so it kind of is what it is there. As far as the race, I think we’ll just figure it out as we go tomorrow.”

How does the Chevrolet camp working alone impact the strategy for the Toyota’s tomorrow?

“We’re kind of on our own this weekend with our six or seven cars that we have. It hurts us a little bit, but with this package it’s probably going to be less of an impact than it was in Daytona in February. It’s just going to be really scattered I feel like tomorrow because there’s going to be guys learning so much and we don’t know how the runs are going to develop and how the line’s going to develop, where we’re going to run – top or bottom. I think it’s going to be a little bit easier than it was so fewer cars won’t hurt as much as it did.”

Do you expect there to be less blocking in tomorrow’s race?

“I think everybody is still going to be blocking if you get up in the lead. It’s the only matter of defense that we have to keep it. It’s going to cause a wreck at some point just because the runs are so big. You’re going to have a guy with a lot of energy and a lot of momentum coming and somebody is going to make a big block. Even if they don’t want to turn the guy around, they’re not going to have time to slow down. It’s going to cause an issue at some point.”

Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Saturday, April 27, 2019
EVENT: GEICO 500 – Qualifying

RICKY STENHOUSE JR., No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang
Qualified: 6th
“I didn’t really have any feelings before today. I don’t care what the package is. Speedway racing is speedway racing. We are all going to be close together and learn a lot tomorrow. I don’t think anybody learned anything in Friday’s session. We had one session with this package. We will learn throughout the day tomorrow and make sure we learn as much as we can so that we can do the right thing at the end of the race to put ourselves in position to win.”

ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 10 Smithfield Ford Mustang
Qualified: 2nd
“I think we got pretty close to backing up what we ran in the first round there but I felt like the win picked up a little bit more. I don’t know if that was it or what the case was. All in all, it was a great run for us. I am happy about starting on the front row with good track position to start the race and a good pit stall. All those things matter.”

RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Menards/Knauf Ford Mustang
Qualified: 7th
“We got some drafting runs on Friday and I thought it helped. Especially when you have a new package like this. This package is way different than what we had and I think you will see a way different race that we have seen here the past few years. It is new and exciting and there are going to be a lot of lead changes and comers and goers and you just get massive runs on people. That is pretty neat. It will be exciting for sure.”

CLINT BOWYER, No. 14 Toco Warranty Ford Mustang
Qualified: 3rd
HOW WAS YOUR CAR? “So far so good. I actually was surprised that we picked up as much as we did that second lap. We made a little adjustment on the car and woke it up. We picked up a little over a tenth or so. I was excited about that. I was sitting on the couch watching the Xfinity race and usually you are watching that and learning but the whole time I was watching today I kept thinking, ‘Man, I don’t know I am going to be doing that tomorrow.’ I think the face of the race and what you are going to see is drastically changed with the way those cars are pulling up and racing. It is easy to have something new and get excited and oversell it a little bit. It will probably calm down on the long runs. I hope so fora little while. If not, it will be difficult to find a place to hide. That is what you are going to need to do, hide an automobile to keep it from flying through the air.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 MoneyLion Ford Mustang
Qualified: 8th
HARVICK SAYS THERE WILL HAVE TO BE MORE RESPECT AMONG THE DRIVERS SO THAT THERE ISN’T CHAOS. WHAT DO YOU THINK? “I would agree. The runs are bigger and they come really fast and if you throw one of those late blocks, it is going to be chaos, or even if you realize a car is coming at you four or five mile per hour faster, you can’t stop that very well. Before, you could see it coming and everything happens a little slower motion. It will be really fast now. If cars are willing to make late moves, there is going to be a penalty to pay and unfortunately it is going to be cars that had nothing to do with it that get tied up in it. Everyone needs to give each other some room and learn what we can and can’t do early in the race.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Snap On Ford Mustang
Qualified: 4th
“We will run and try to get to the front. Same as we always have. We will control what we can control. Hopefully we will be the one to win.”

YOU WERE THE MASTER AT BLOCKING AND GETTING IN FRONT OF RUNS. CAN YOU DO THAT HERE NOW? “Track position is going to be really important. If you can get out front and to the lead that is going to be really helpful, just like before. You are going to see a lot of shuffling in the middle of the field the entire race. I don’t think you will see single-file to the wall because the cars are getting such bigger runs. We will see. I have been wrong before.”

WILL YOU STILL BE ABLE TO WORK WITH TEAMMATES OR WILL THAT BE HARDER? “I don’t know. It could be a little tougher. I could see that. I really need to get a race under my belt to understand exactly what we are going to see.”

RYAN NEWMAN, No. 6 Acorns Ford Mustang
Qualified: 24th
“I think it is raw speed and the fact that the cars are higher in the back. I think that is the biggest concern in my eyes. The big runs and all that stuff, we have had that in the past. We have had no runs in the past and had boring races. There is a balance to all of it. I just hope everybody makes it through safe. It is what every drivers wife’s biggest concern.”

DO YOU REALLY EXPECT HERE AT TALLADEGA FOR THE REST OF THE FIELD TO GIVE EVERYONE A LITTLE EXTRA RESPECT? “I think it will for a little bit but not for 188 laps. At some point it goes out the window and it just matters how many cars are still running good at that point.”

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
GEICO 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 27, 2019

TY DILLON, NO. 13 GEICO CAMARO ZL1, met with media and discussed his 100th career start in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, what the cars and the racing will be like on Sunday in the GEICO 500 at Talladega, his long-term relationship with Germain Racing and GEICO and how they are growing together, what Talladega Superspeedway means to him, and more. Full Transcript:

YOU ARE CELEBRATING 100 NASCAR STARTS IN THE MONSTER ENERGY CUP SERIES. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT MILESTONE AND YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT IT
“Wow, 100 starts in the Monster Energy Cup Series means a lot to me. Obviously I grew up in this sport, watching the races, since I was able to even open my eyes and look at a TV and go to a race track. So, personally, in my career, to be making my 100th start is huge. And to do it at a track the means a lot to us, at a team, and with the GEICO 500, it’s funny how it all lined up, but maybe it’s lining up for just the perfect story. And, it’s been a great 100 races, but I’m looking forward to 100 more and this being our first win on number 100. And, because we love you guys (the media) so much, we brought you 200 donuts on behalf of GEICO and Germain and myself. We brought you guys a little snack.”

TALLADEGA IS ALSO A TRACK WHERE YOUR GRANDFATHER, RICHARD CHILDRESS, HAD SO MUCH SUCCESS AS A CAR OWNER. WHAT DOES THAT MEAN TO YOU AND MAKING YOUR 100th START HERE?
“This is where some of the biggest breaks in the lineage of our family has happened. There is so much success here with my grandfather and Dale (Earnhardt, Sr.) and RCR in general and for myself. One of the biggest moments in my career was being able to drive for Tony Stewart when he hurt his back. The final race of that stint, we had had a really good run in that No. 14 car and probably should have finished in the top 10 at Bristol. We were running inside the top 10 and got moved around by Dale Jr. with inside 20 to go. On the last race, Tony was feeling better. His back was healing but he wasn’t comfortable with running the full race. It was my last opportunity to get in the car and we did the switch during the race and I hopped in the car and finished sixth unofficially. It gave Tony another top 10, like he needed it. But, that would have been my first top 10. Just that moment, coming here at Talladega, I won an ARCA race here and it’s a very historic track for NASCAR and it means a lot to my family and myself.”

SWITCHING GEARS TO THIS SEASON, YOU STARTED OFF THE SEASON WITH A TOP 10 AT THE DAYTONA 500. DOES THAT GIVE YOU SOME CONFIDENCE COMING INTO THIS WEEKEND AND TOMORROW’S RACE?
“Yeah, I don’t know if that’s correct, but I think three of the last four Superspeedway races we’ve finished sixth here last year in one of the races. So, we have good success. I think superspeedways are an opportunity for us as much as short tracks now, where we can really show what we’re capable of. It kind of equalizes the field in our terms. When we get to 1.5-miles, we have a little bit of growth to do. That’s where the money war of being in the wind tunnel constantly is a tough battle. We’re getting there. We’re getting better as a team. But, when we come to superspeedways and short tracks we really look at these opportunities as our chance.”

CAN YOU DESCRIBE THE DIFFERENCE YOU FELT IN THE CAR BETWEEN THE TWO PRACTICE SESSIONS WITH THE CHANGE AND HOW COMFORTABLE YOU ARE FOR THE RACE TOMORROW?
“I think NASCAR tried to slow down the cars when we got faster. I think what we’re doing is we’re punching a bigger hole through the air, which puts less air on the car behind you and you go faster. So, I don’t know exactly what we’re doing, but I think the racing is going to be good no matter what. It’s going to be crazy. I think the cars, the runs, and when you side-draft somebody and slow down the run, everything is happening twice as fast as it’s ever happened, which is tough to catch-up to for a lot of drivers. So, I think there’s going to be an adjustment period. And what that looks like in NASCAR is, I don’t know. We’ll see. But, I think when we put the wickers on, driving-wise; it made the cars looser, but it didn’t make us run any further apart. So, pull your seat belts tight for tomorrow. It’s going to be fun.”

WHEN THEY PUT THE WICKER ON THE CARS, IS THE FEELING SO MUCH DIFFERENT?
“It was for me. We went out in a small group and then we jumped into the big pack in the back of it and I kind of lagged back to get a big run just to get as much speed as I could jumping up to the pack. And when we ran our fastest lap, I lifted because I got so loose I was going to crash on my own and you don’t typically get that here. Like in the past with the previous set-up, and even in the first practice without the wicker, I could get big runs and the car wouldn’t really fobble. So, we saw that in some wind-tunnel testing that the car could get freer and just talking with some other drivers, they felt the same thing. I think it’s just that everybody is going to battle that a little bit. But, we had enough time yesterday to kind of adjust for it, so you might not hear about it anymore. But, just that small difference…. I think the biggest thing that it’s actually going to cause is you could just see less out of the back of these car. You’ve got that big spoiler and now you put a big metal line in the back of it, pretty much. And the viewing out is just terrible already. So, it just makes it a little bit tougher.”

ABOUT BLOCKING, HOW MUCH DO YOU BLOCK AND HOW MUCH WILL YOU CHANGE THAT? YESTERDAY, THE SPOTTERS WE SAYING IT’S GOING TO POTENTIALLY CHANGE THE VIEW ON BLOCKING
“There are going to be some people who can block and make it happen. But, blocking is going to be dangerous. The runs are happening so fast, you can’t hardly, physically, look in your mirror quick enough to block some of these runs and you’re going to be too late when you do. So, that’s why I’m saying pull your belts tight because the speed in which things are happening with this package is something we haven’t seen before, or I haven’t seen before at a speedway. And, I’ve run essentially the normal package, the low downforce package, and now this package. This is going to be the most intense one.”
FOR A FATHER’S DAY PIECE, CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR DAD’S AND GRANDFATHER’S INFLUENCE? I KNOW IT’S PRETTY BIG.
“I think the biggest thing they taught me is I guess determination and perseverance throughout your career. My dad was successful in his own right in Late Models and even in the Xfinity Series, back in the day. I think he made one Cup start, filled-in for Dale (Earnhardt Sr.) at Rockingham. But my dad knows this sport more than just a driver. And everybody knows the history of my grandfather and how much he knows. Just having some of that knowledge throughout my career has been helpful. But also, you’ve got to kind of learn your own things too, and get your own opinions of the sport and where you belong. The next level from my career, I think, this year, is settling into who I am as a person in this sport and who I want myself to be. I’ve had some incredible teachers and some incredible experience passed down to me. But until I started kind of taking my own career path into my own hands and understanding who I am and who I want to be within this sport, it’s really taken me to another level of comfort ability and being a Cup driver.”

HOW HAVE YOU CHANGED FROM YOUR FIRST CUP START TO THIS WEEKEND MAKING YOUR 100th START? HOW HAVE YOU SEEN THE SERIES AS A WHOLE CHANGE FROM WHERE YOU WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
“I think my first season, I thought I knew everything. I thought I was going to win the championship (laughs) right out of the gate and win all these races. I have just humbled myself a lot since then. I’ve been humbled and humbled myself as far as a driver. And then I think also, I’ve changed in just developing relationships and realizing how important that is on and off the track, to success on the track. I feel so grateful with where we’re at now, I think in five years I’ll look back and say man, I didn’t know what I was talking about then. But, things are going better. Every year you learn a little bit more. You grow a little bit more.

“That’s why I’m so thankful for the relationship with Germain Racing and GEICO. And it’s because of the long-term commitment to where Bob Germain and GEICO have say hey, we believe in you. We’re going to do this amount of time. We want to see growth. And that growth isn’t always straight up. Last year we kind of leveled-off for a while. But we grew in that time. And this year, you see us starting to rise. In four of nine races, we’ve been in the top 15. We finished sixth at Daytona and won a stage at Bristol. We’ve had our best year, by far, as a team, driver, and sponsor. And that’s all because of commitment to growth. I’m just so thankful for that opportunity in this sport. You don’t get that a lot of times. It’s year-to-year contracts with sponsors and teams. Sometimes the dollar number is different, which changes a lot of the performance. But, when you actually get the opportunity to grow over years, you build something that’s lasting. And, that’s what we’re building at Germain Racing. A lot of thanks to GEICO and Twisted Tea for their commitment.”

HOW MUCH DO YOU FEEL LIKE GERMAIN RACING HAS DEVELOPED WITH YOU ON-BOARD AND KEEPING YOU AS THE DRIVER? HOW MUCH DO YOU THINK IT’S DEVELOPED INTO A STRONGER TEAM SINCE YOU FIRST JOINED?
‘I think we’ve come a long way. I think our first year we took a big step from where the team was. In our rookie season we did some things that the team hasn’t done. Last year we were a little stagnant, I feel like, in our growth. I think that changing the car and a lot of things that were going on in the sport, I think that we just kind of got behind. But we all grew this year a ton. And, I know we’re all in a position where we look back at three years ago; and I can’t speak for Bob (Germain) and Larry (Rogers), but we’ve had conversations where we’re all very happy with the positive growth that we’re seeing in the race team. We know we’ve got a ways to go to be where we want to be. But just that, that we have a commitment to growth and that we’re starting to see some of that and reap some of the benefits of that.”

IT SOUNDS LIKE THE BIG RUNS ARE GOING TO BE KIND OF SKETCHY. THAT SOUNDS PRETTY SCARY TO ME, BUT YOU’RE SAYING THAT’S GOING TO BE FUN AND TO PULL THE BELTS TIGHT. WHAT IS THE MENTALITY FOR A DRIVER THAT YOU CAN GO OUT AND EMBRACE THAT INSTEAD OF FEAR IT?
“I think the thing is knowing that I don’t have a chance to change it before tomorrow, you know? We’re going to all be out there doing it, so we’re all going to have to embrace it, in a way; whether you’re kicking and screaming getting put in your car seat like a little kid, or if you’re going to go out there and say hey, it’s going to be wild but we’re going to do it. And, that’s just kind of the way I’m approaching it. But, I think the guy with the run, hopefully he’s smart enough and the guy in front of you, trying to block, is patient enough in the race because I think the way things are happening with the speed, over-aggressive people are going to find themselves in trouble times. So, if they think they can block, over-confident people in their ability to get a block off, I think is going to cause trouble. And, it’s just going to be wild, I think. I think you’re going to see a little bit different version. It’s going to look the same in ways. But inside the car things are happening so quick. And TV might not be able to show it as well. I don’t know what could happen. We could go green all the way through and not have a caution. But, I don’t know. I feel like it could be big early, just by the way the cars felt in the draft.”

EARLIER IN THE SEASON AT BRISTOL YOU HAD YOUR FIRST STAGE WIN. ARE YOU STILL RIDING SOME OF THE GOOD VIBES FROM THAT? OR, IS THE CHALLENGE TO SUSTAIN THAT AND REPLICATE IT AND DO THAT MORE ON A WEEK-IN, WEEK-OUT BASIS?
“I think definitely that’s the goal to sustain that week-in and week-out. We definitely are riding the momentum. I think the thing that we take from that is that we’re capable of doing it. And, I think whether we get that opportunity again this year, we’ll see. I think our biggest challenge and our biggest goal is week-in and week-out being in that top 15 consistently and get that locked-in, and that’ll give us opportunities to have a chance with a three-lap stage at the end to stay out and risk it and give us a shot. We’ve just got to be in that chance. We’ve got to be in that situation and that running position to give ourselves a chance at some points. I’m sure that we can do it and go head-to-head with the top team. If not, one of the top two or three teams right now, and beat them straight-up, same tires, was big for our team. That’s everlasting momentum for our team.”

YOUR BROTHER, AUSTIN DILLON, THREW OUT THE FIRST PITCH AT THE BRAVES GAME LAST NIGHT. DID YOU STEP-IN AND GIVE ANY ADVICE TO HIM?
“I didn’t see it, but I heard he bounced it. So, that’s sad (laughs). He was a great athlete. He went to Little League World Series, but apparently he’s lost it. So, he needs to get out there and warm it up again.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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

MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY
GEICO 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
APRIL 26, 2019

RYAN PREECE, NO. 47 KROGER CAMARO ZL1 met with media in a breakout session at Talladega Superspeedway. Select highlights:

WHAT IS IT LIKE TO TRY TO GAIN RESPECT WHEN RACING AT A SUPERSPEEDWAY?
“I’ve already learned that I’m the rookie and not a lot of people are going to want to follow me. So I’m trying to be that guy that’s just following the leader and you know, hopefully I’m in the right position in the last lap to try and take advantage of a slingshot move. So we’ll see. But as far as respect, I think that’s just something where when guys start racing around you and you show a, what’s the word I’m looking for? I’m not being erratic is one thing. So if you show that you’re not erratic, I think more people will work with you over time.”

DO YOU EXPECT TO FIGHT HANDLING ISSUES HERE LIKE AT DAYTONA?
“I think I’m fighting more handling issues today than I did at Daytona, but this is also our typical package. I would say that we run on intermediate tracks that we, or you know, maybe just actually all of us haven’t really run. So, it’s a different animal and I felt like handling was an issue. I don’t know unless other people aren’t saying the same thing, but that’s kind of what we agreed this is, this is something that we came to and we didn’t really expect to be fighting handling and we unload it, and it was certainly an issue. So, we got it a lot better. But I think it’s going to be something you’re going to see on Sunday.”

HOW DO YOU CHARACTERIZE THE INITIAL PART OF YOUR CAREER TO THIS POINT?
“It’s been full of highs and lows for sure, but something that, you know, hard work and never giving up always prevail. So we just have to keep heading in that direction and, I feel like ultimately by the middle of the season, towards the end of the season, we should be hitting our stride and be exactly where I want to be. It’s just, it takes time. We’re working on that and, obviously I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity that JTG Jody and Tad and, and Brad and Gordon that have given me, and Kroger being behind me 110%. I get those texts every single week from all those guys. It’s a good feeling to know that no matter what, at the end of the day, they’re proud of me and we’re just going to keep moving forward.”
Team Chevy high-resolution racing photos are available for editorial use.

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