Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet and the No. 17 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, met with the media in advance of running double duty in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series at Pocono Raceway.
Media Availability Quotes:
“We would like to take some positive things that we had a year ago to this weekend. That would be great. So, we will just keep chipping away, and I thought we were doing some good things so we just have to do some of the things we are doing well and add some more to it.”
WILLIAM (BYRON) AND KYLE (LARSON) ARE 1-2 IN POINTS, LED A LOT OF LAPS AND WON RACES. YOU ARE NOT TOO FAR BEHIND THEM, BUT WHAT DO YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO DO TO LEAD MORE AND GET INTO VICTORY LANE?
“I think there are a lot of things that go into that. It’s a little bit of everything truthfully, but I think probably the biggest one, is qualifying. You know I think the qualifying thing is so important and an area that I have struggled in. No doubt. So, when I look at some of the races…I look at Michigan, I think Michigan is a good example. We got ourselves up front and when that happened, I thought we were super competitive. It was like night and day from running around 10th to 20th and just a lot of traffic, and starting runs in traffic and it can just really dictate what your car drives like. So, I think being up front, having a really good pit stall, keeping yourself up there, it can change the complexion of your day in such a large way that it can really be overlooked. So, I think that would be really top of mind for me as I look at what is one thing that we can do to help ourselves, and I think that is probably it.”
WHY WAS IT IMPORTANT TO RUN THE XFINITY RACE THIS WEEKEND?
“Well, I mean it’s an opportunity for me to get better. I don’t do a ton of Xfinity races or Truck races or whatever, so for me, it’s mainly the Cup thing. So, it’s an opportunity to race and I only had one on my schedule this year and when they talked about adding another one I was super open to it and wanted to get involved. Had a lot of fun in Darlington, thought we were really competitive and right in the mix. So, I think the car is in a really good spot and everybody on the Xfinity side of the shop has done a really good job of getting this thing really where it needs to be. So, yeah, it’s been fun to be a part of that process a little bit and hopefully we can keep it rolling and have some fun and also get some reps here today and kind of get myself up to speed. I hope that it will help us a little bit on the Cup side and just start the day off quick, get a good qualifying effort over there, and help us for tomorrow.”
YOU HAD THE UNIQUE POSITION OF BEING ON A PODIUM LAST WEEK. ARE YOU FOR THAT IN FUTURE RACES?
“Yeah, I am not really for it or against it. I am fine with it. I have no problem in giving Shane (Van Gisbergen) his congratulations and making sure he is celebrated properly. He won the race, and he deserved the right to that. Me being the second loser, I can get in there and make sure that I appreciate the job that he did. I guess that is what you are getting at, there is no doubt. Would I have rather that been me? Yeah, no question. It’s not normal for us, so I am okay with it, I am okay with doing it, I am okay with not doing it. If that is going to be a new thing, then it’s totally fine and we can start a new tradition. But that has not historically been us, so I just want to make sure our focus is being us, being NASCAR and that is okay. We are our own form of motorsports and we can stand on our own two feet and we can do our own thing. So, as long as we are not doing it to be like everyone else, I am fine. But if that is the case, I am also good not doing it.”
WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHAT YOU HAVE DONE SO FAR, HAS THIS BEEN A GOOD SEASON FOR YOU?
“That is a good question. Good? Sure, but it’s not where I want to be no doubt. I think for us there have been some high spots and to be honest, there have been weeks where we have run well where we have had a good finish, and there have been weeks where we have not had a good finish and I can go home and be like, ‘man, we were in the mix, and we had good pace today’. And those are the weeks where you just want to feel like you are in the ball game as it pertains to pace, doing the right things, and getting up in there and giving yourself a shot. Those days I can go home and have something to be proud of. It’s the days and weekends where we are just not even relevant that I think are the most frustrating to me. We have had more of those than I would want to have and that we would want to have as a team. So, I think it’s been good but not satisfactory for myself or to our team, but there is still a lot of racing left in the season and I think we have ourselves in a position to make a mediocre day alright. We can build from it, and we still have a chance.”
ARE YOU APPROACHING THESE NEXT FIVE RACES AS GETTING THE WIN, OR POINTS OR CASE BY CASE BASIS?
“I think it’s a little bit case by case and a lot of it comes back to my speed comments. It’s do you really have a legit shot at winning that day. I mean just based on your pace and so on and so forth. Its super circumstantial is the best way to answer that. The biggest circumstance that is going to dictate what you do in those moments is what kind of pace you have, and what kind of real shot you have to win the race when you just kind of sit back and look at the day so far and compare it to the guys that have had good air and are out front. I have a pretty good idea when that is the case and when that is not the case, but certainly Alan and everybody on the box on the team, they are the ones that are watching that much closer than I am able to. So, we will see, and I hope that we are fast, and I am down with giving up Stage points to give ourselves a shot to win, all day long for sure. But if you are struggling and you are not super-fast, then some days those points might be worth the risk to try and get them and put yourself in a deficit the next stage.”
HOW WILL YOU NAVIGATE THROUGH THE HIGHER WINDS, AND WHERE WILL IT AFFECT YOU THE MOST?
“It’s definitely been windy in general, I feel like across the country. It seems like….especially this late in the year. But I do think the wind died down yesterday and I don’t feel like its going to be as big of a deal today and tomorrow from what I saw. But, it just depends on what direction it’s blowing and which direction the wind is pushing you, and where it’s working. The wind can work against you, but it can also work with you, for car handling too. Having a head wind is a good thing, right? So, you have to kind of think about it both ways and making a lap, you are going to see all different directions of the wind. And it just depends on which way its going and which corner it’s going to help you and which one it’s going to hurt you. You have to think about that a little bit.”
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT YOUR DESIGN TO DRIVE INITIATIVE?
“Yeah, for those that don’t know, it’s been our foundation’s initiative over the last nine years. It’s just all in support of children’s health care of Atlanta. We have typically done something around the Atlanta race every year and it’s been a lot of fun to be a part of it and watch it grow. It started as a shoe initiative where we were designing shoes, and we were auctioning those off. Then NAPA got involved and really when NAPA got involved it kind of took it to the next step, because they have given up one of their races to let this happen. A young girl named Raylen has designed my car, my helmet, and all the things for next weekend in Atlanta. I am super excited to meet her and have her family out at the track and hopefully spread some joy with her and her family and also to help a good cause. They are a fantastic network of hospitals, and I have some close friends of mine that have gone through there and it’s an amazing place if you do have to do anything. And no one wants that, right? But an amazing place, amazing atmosphere, great doctors, so we are just really proud and it’s an honor for me to partner with them. I am sure it’s not as much help as a lot of people do, but we have tried to help where we can and to grow this deal and it’s been a really fun thing to be a part of. So, I am looking forward to it next weekend as well.”
WHAT ARE YOUR EXPECTATIONS GOING TO YOUR HOME TRACK?
“I would like to go win. Pretty simple.”
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN TAKE, EVEN WITHOUT WINNING, THAT YOU AND THE TEAM CAN TAKE FROM THE CONSISTENCY SO FAR INTO THE LATTER HALF OF THE SEASON?
“The consistency has been good, but this deal really rewards winning. It’s way more important to win and to get those Playoff points in fives than to have to wait till the end of the regular season and maybe get eight or ten, depending on where you finish in the points. So, you need to have some wins, and you need to finish good in the points and then kind of double down on that to get yourself in a really good spot. The consistency is nice, no question. I think our team has done a really good job taking some of those days where we were not having a good day, and digging in, and finding a way to just get something halfway decent out of it. Sometimes that can be a really hard thing to do, and I am really proud of them for that. Because it’s easy to throw in the towel on those days, just lose it and be done and go try again next week. But we as a whole, we don’t know any better and we just keep trying, keep pushing, and make the most out of whatever the day has brought us.”
GM PR
