NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
THE COMBAT WOUNDED COALITION 400 AT THE BRICKYARD
INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JULY 23, 2016
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and discussed racing at IMS, getting into the Chase and other topics. Full transcript:
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE BACK HERE AT INDY? “It is an awesome race track, and being a past winner makes you appreciate coming back here. We only get to race here once a year. To me it is one of the most challenging tracks that we go to, not only because we only come here once, but because of layout. It is really hard to me to make this car better at this track.”
IS THE HEAT GOING TO BE A BIG FACTOR ON SUNDAY? “It is going to be really hot in the car. For some reason this track is typically hotter than most. I don’t know why that is. It is just hard to get a breeze. The cars are also so sealed up all the way around the track that it is really hard to get the car cooler inside even though they have mandated a right-side NACA to blow some fresh air on the driver, it is still one of the hottest races we run all year long.”
HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING SPECIAL FOR CONDITIONING? “No, not really. I pretty much hydrate all week long every week. I really enjoy running and riding bikes and everything that goes along with that. My life style kind of leads to benefitting in weather like this. But I think it is that way for most of the drivers. Everybody is fairly athletic. It is just part of it. Really not much more you can do to prepare for it.”
WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO TOMORROW TO PUT YOURSELF IN CONTENTION? “It is one of the harder tracks to pass at just because there is only one line around here. Some of the tracks you can try and run the top or the middle, or try to find different grooves, but there is only a groove here, and it is on the bottom. I also don’t see pit strategy coming into play. I believe when the cautions fall you will see everybody put on four tires. Maybe at the end, people will take a chance on two tires, but yesterday in practice tires were incredibly important. Having a good car, and being in the right place at the end.”
HOW IS THE LOWER DOWNFORCE AFFECTING YOU HERE? “We’ve had that so much this year, it is just normal now. When they first make those rules changes, or when we went to Michigan and Kentucky with even lower downforce it is somewhat noticeable. But this is the package we have run all year long. I didn’t really get around other cars in practice yesterday. I did a few but I really didn’t notice a big difference in my car around cars in traffic.”
ON SIMILARITIES BETWEEN INDY AND POCONO: “I think it used to be that way for sure. It was honestly whoever won Pocono came to Indy and contended to win or vice versa. I don’t think it is that way anymore. The setups are quite a bit different now. We used to run almost the exact same set-ups at Pocono and Indy, but with simulation and how far the sport has come, it is just different now for both tracks.”
ON JEFF GORDON RETURNING TO BRICKYARD TO SUBSTITUTE FOR DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: “I feel like Jeff Gordon has never been away. He is at the track every single weekend doing TV and as active as anyone about being in the garage doing TV. He also flew with me a few races, so it is cool. I know it is special for him to come back to Indy. It is cool. It is really special for him to get to come back to Indy and be a part of this. I love just seeing how dedicated he is. When I read some of the quotes about all the studying he did to come back here, it shows why he is won all the races and championships that he has.”
ON WHERE TEAM IS FOR THE CHASE: “We are definitely running better than what we did at the beginning of the year. Our cars have been quite a bit quicker. This weekend we have been a little bit off, both the No. 1 and the No. 42 have been a little bit off. I thought we were okay in qualifying trim, but in race trim, we were not as good as we need to be. Our performance has been quite a bit better. So as long as there are no DNF I feel really good about it.”
WITHOUT A WIN, DO YOU TAKE CHANCES OR KEEP DOING WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING? “I don’t think you do anything different. Honestly I think you probably take less chances. Unless you can win, it is about getting the most points every single weekend. You are really racing the five or six guys in that points race with you. So honestly I think you probably take less chances.”