CHEVROLET RACING IN THE VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES
HONDA INDY TORONTO
STREETS OF TORONTO, EXHIBITION PLACE
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING DRIVER QUOTES
JULY 14, 2018
JOSEF NEWGARDEN, NO. 1 HITACHI TEAM PENSKE CHEVROLET – POLE WINNER
IT WAS DRY, IT WAS WET; THERE WERE A LOT OF DECISIONS TO MAKE DURING QUALIFYING
“I thought I steered us in the wrong direction for a moment. We went out a little later, which to me, I thought if we could keep the minimum amount of laps on the tires, the better. The risk is if it starts raining heavier during the session, then that’s the wrong choice because you need to be out there early getting a lap. But, fortunately it started drying up toward the end. In the middle I thought I made the wrong decision because it was raining more intensely. And then those last two laps, it just got progressively better and I knew that last lap was going to be the one to nail it. And, the car has been incredible this weekend. The Hitachi car has been fast. We haven’t had to do too much. We started a little bit slow but then found our rhythm this morning. The guys did a great job. The team has been working well together. We got all three of us (Team Penske drivers) in the ‘fast six’, so that’s all you can ask for, I think, on a day like today. And so now we go to tomorrow and focus on the race.”
YOU COULD TELL ON THAT LAST LAP YOU REALLY HUNG IT OUT THERE
“Oh, man, I braked as deep as I could, I felt like, into Turn 3 that time. And, I didn’t know if it was going to stick because the whole session you’re sliding in the drizzling conditions. You just don’t know what grip level you really have. And the last lap I could feel it was getting better and better and I’m like, I’ve got to go for it here. I know that we can get the pole so I’m going to go for it. I gave it everything I had and that’s what we came up with, man.”
DIDN’T YOU WIN HERE LAST YEAR? THIS COULD BODE WELL FOR PERHAPS ANOTHER WIN
“Yeah, it’s a good start. Now we’ve got to take care of everything for the race. But it’s a great start with a fast car. We’ve just got to get it right tomorrow and execute like we always try and do; and if we do that, we’re going to be just fine.”