NASCAR MEDIA CONFERENCE

February 15, 2024

JJ Yeley

Pit Lane Interview

Q. JJ, what were those moments like racing against Jimmie Johnson for that last spot?

JJ YELEY: Obviously it was exciting. I was worried when they dropped the green we were going to have a hard time keeping up with the draft. Hendrick put this car together, had a lot of speed in the draft. We were just riding, taking my time. I had to be on the outside, inside. I killed my momentum.

Then obviously what happened with the 84 there, got a caution, got a break. The car just didn't have good acceleration on restarts.

Side by side coming to two, three to go, I thought we were in really good job. Going into turn three, I'm not counting my chickens, but I was getting close. Saw there was some contact. Someone in the middle lost a lot of momentum.

I made a split-second decision to go to the outside, carry the momentum, clear him, make the racetrack two-wide where he couldn't pass. He stayed in the middle. The 19 pushed him. The momentum carried him all the way to the checkered flag.

It sucks. Two years ago we were close. Just couldn't get it.