MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES
TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
AAA TEXAS 500
TEAM CHEVY PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
NOVEMBER 1, 2019
WILLIAM BYRON, NO. 24 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1, Media Breakout Session Highlights:
YOUR CAR LOOKED PRETTY SPORTY IN PRACTICE. TALK ABOUT IT.
“It was good. I think the first couple of runs weren’t quite as good as we wanted them to be, but once we kind of got the balance of our car a little better, I thought it was pretty good. I think the Toyota’s and the Gibbs’ guys are really fast. It’s going to be pretty tough to compete with that, but I think we are in the ballpark I would say with where we have been on 1.5-mile tracks. I feel really optimistic.”
INAUDIBLE
“No, I mean not yet. It’s not completely worked in yet, so I’m hoping some of these Xfinity guys kind of work it in. It’s kind of like playing with fire; you don’t really know what’s up there and you don’t really know if it’s got grip or not yet. So, you don’t want to be the first guy to test that out. I’ll try not to get in it where I really feel like I’m going to use it because I feel like it’s not quite there.”
ARE THE COOLER TEMPERTURES GOING TO MAKE THE TRACTION COMPOUND MORE CHALLENGING?
“It is. I feel like the reason it comes in so well during the race is because the lap cars have to run in there. They aren’t going to run the preferred lane, so they are going to run right in it and that’s typically going to heat it up enough for it to be a factor. It seems like it takes a couple of runs for it to actually activate right away. I feel like I’ve noticed how in the beginning of the race, it comes in at the end of a long run. At the restart, it’s not there at all. By the end of the race, it’s there on a restart. I don’t know if that’s something just I’ve learned, but it seems like it’s been that way.”
IT SEEMS LIKE LAST WEEKEND, YOU HAD A REALLY GOOD PACE THERE AT THE END. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE END OF MARTINSVILLE.
“Yeah, it’s easy to say a few more laps, but I think we had a chance there with about 35 laps to go. We got to his (Martin Truex Jr.)’s back bumper and the caution came out right away. That was a bummer, but that’s last week. We had a great run. I feel like we’ve been running really well the past month or so. I think if we can continue what we did last weekend into this week, which is kind of hard to say for a short track versus a 1.5-mile track, but that momentum carries on through communication and things like that. We’ll see what happens.”
HOW IS THE TEAM MORALE RIGHT NOW?
“It’s been great. We’ve really clicked. I would say since Darlington, we’ve really had a good idea of what we want to do. It’s been great, so I think we just have to continue to improve and keep that momentum rolling.”
HOW DIFFICULT IS TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY? WHAT MAKES A GOOD RACE CAR?
“Man, I feel like turns three and four have to be pretty respectable because it’s an important end of the race track. So, three and four have to be decent. But I feel like you make your money here in one and two with the way the car gets into turn one and having the ability to control where you put it. I feel like that’s kind of the key here; just making sure you’re nailing the car on the white line in one and two, and that’s really what makes the speed.”
CAN YOU TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE SPRING RACE THAT WILL HELP YOU AT ALL THIS WEEKEND?
“Yeah, it’s definitely a lot different than when we came here the first time. But I feel like it’s still some of the same contenders and same guys that are going to be fast. I feel like it’s going to be similar because the same guys are going to be competitive. But that was a long time ago and a lot of things have changed, too.”
A LOT OF THE GUYS IN THE BOOTH WHERE TALKING ABOUT HOW CLOSE YOU ARE TO GETTING YOUR FIRST WIN. AROUND HALF SAID BEFORE HOMESTEAD AND THE OTHERS SAID EARLY NEXT SEASON. I KNOW YOU WOULD LIKE TO GET IT DONE BEFORE HOMESTEAD.
“Yeah, that’d be awesome. We’ve been really close and that’s definitely our number one goal on our mind for the next three weeks. I feel like these next two tracks are ones that could present a really good opportunity for us.”
WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO GET YOUR FIRST WIN?
“Like I said last weekend, I’m not going to race someone dirty. But, at this point, I’m just trying to get my first win and trying to break the seal is going to be really important to me and my team. I definitely have to be conscience of the Playoff guys and making sure I don’t interfere with that. At the same time, I’m here to race and try to win. If I get the opportunity to try to win, then I’m going to go for it.”
IT WOULD BE A HUGE SPOILER FOR SOME OF THOSE GUYS. DOES THAT WEIGH ON YOU AT ALL?
“I would be a spoiler for one guy, but the other guys would probably be pulling for it because they don’t want to see another Playoff guy win. They want to have as many spots available as possible. I think it would be kind of a welcome sight for some of those guys.”
WHEN YOU LOOK BACK ON THE SEASON, SAY IT WOULD END THIS WEEKEND, WOULD YOU CONSIDER IT A SUCCESS?
“Absolutely. We’ve gone from being a 20th place team to finishing, hopefully, in the top-10 in points. I think that would be awesome. A lot of credit goes to Chad (Knaus) for that and the people he’s put around me. I feel like we’ve really elevated the performance of this team and giving it a good vibe. I’m just excited for what’s ahead for us. I think if we can keep the same group of guys intact for a while, we’ll be really strong.”
ARE YOU AT THE POINT THAT WHEN YOU GET TO THE WEEKEND, YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’RE CAPABLE OF WINNING?
“Before this weekend, I would say that I felt capable of top-five’s and top-three’s maybe. But showing up to the track this weekend, I feel capable of winning. So, I think that’s really exciting for our team and it’s kind of the first time I’ve felt that excited since the Truck days.”
IS THERE ANY PARTICULAR REASON WHY?
“Just how we’ve run and how we’ve run as of late. The way things are, you kind of have to run well every week to win. So, I feel like we are getting closer and closer to that.”