Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at Watkins Glen: "Watkins Glen isn't my best road course track, but I enjoy racing there. It's fun because it's fast-paced. With little fall off (in times), you have to be aggressive the whole run and it seems you have to make some hairy passes in the braking zones to get by people."
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on Watkins Glen compared to other road courses: “Watkins Glen is unique because it’s so fast and there’s not a lot of fall off (in lap times due to tire wear). Some of the other road courses we’ve been to like Circuit of The Americas and Road America are fast in some areas, but there’s a lot of fall off. We’ve been fortunate to look back through the (No.) 9 team’s notes from ’18 and ’19 when they won and make the best decisions we can based on that.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on returning to Watkins Glen: “We are excited to get back to Watkins Glen. Any time you run well and can win somewhere, it’s always nice to go back. Winning in the Cup Series, in general, is something to be proud of in my opinion, regardless of where it is or who you beat. The last couple of trips to The Glen I have enjoyed battling against Martin (Truex Jr.). I feel like we share a lot of mutual respect and have for many years, so I have enjoyed those battles with him.”
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at Watkins Glen: “Watkins Glen is different from other road courses. The really high speeds are one reason – the average speed is high, probably in the 140-150 mph range. Aerodynamics is also a huge part, and the braking zones are really important. I think those are the biggest things that stand out. The other thing that is really important is that there are a couple key places in the track, up to the esses and in through the inner loop where you have to change directions really, really fast. The car having stability to change directions really fast is super important to be successful there. I think that’s what makes Watkins Glen so different from the other road courses.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on why he enjoys racing at Watkins Glen: “Honestly, Watkins Glen is one of the most fun racetracks we go to as a driver because it’s so fast. It gives you a chance as a driver to really get through the gears and feel the speed. That is unique for a road course but fun to do in our cars. Where when we go to these road courses that other series run on, we have to brake a lot more because our cars are so much heavier. Watkins Glen just really feels like a superspeedway for road courses. It makes it fun, fast-paced and exciting as a driver, and I’m ready to get back after we’ve had a year off from there.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on returning to racing after the two-week break: “It was nice having a couple weeks off from racing but I’m ready to get back after it. We went into the break without the momentum that we hoped, so I think that the time off allowed us all to reset so we can come back even stronger for this final stretch before the playoffs. Road course racing is a strong suit of not only William but also Hendrick Motorsports. We don’t have the results on those tracks that we anticipated having but we’re going back to the basics Sunday. We’re going to go there and execute what we need and put ourselves in contention to get another win. I grew up close to there and it was the first race track I ever attended as a kid. I’ll have friends and family at the track supporting us, so ending up in victory lane would be even more special.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on what he looks forward to at Watkins Glen: “I’m looking forward to going back to Watkins Glen this weekend. We didn’t get to go there last season, so it should be a lot of fun. It is a really fast track and it’s extremely tough. I still have a lot to learn there, but I feel like we are gaining on it. Going back there, I think we can unload really strong. I’m really excited to see fans back at The Glen this weekend. It is always a great crowd there and it is a really fun atmosphere every time we go. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on preparing for Watkins Glen: “With the uptrend of road courses on the schedule, we have been putting a lot of
emphasis on fine tuning our setups. Alex has been doing a great job in dry and wet conditions and giving us great feedback to help develop the setups. I'm definitely looking forward to getting to Watkins Glen.”
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