	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

VERIZON INDYCAR SERIES: KOHLER GRAND PRIX

June 23, 2018

Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin

THE MODERATOR: Joined now by two further members of our Firestone Fast Six here for tomorrow's Kohler Grand Prix here at Road America, Alexander Rossi, driving the No. 27 NAPA Auto Parts Honda for Andretti Autosport starting fourth, and Will Power, driving the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet, starting second in tomorrow's race.

Will, we'll start with you. Another front-row start for you here at Road America, also starting next to your teammate. How are you feeling heading into tomorrow's race with your starting position?

WILL POWER: Yeah, pretty good. You know, we struggled in the first two rounds of qualifying, then got the car right at the end there. So yeah, happy with the front-row start. Obviously this year I've had plenty of front-row starts, missing out by hundredths of seconds, so I've got to change something. What do you do to find a hundredth? Or five hundredths?

THE MODERATOR: Joined also by Alexander Rossi, a new career-best start here at Road America. His previous best was 15th. Also starting next to his teammate Ryan Hunter-Reay, who will be starting third. Alex, you've shown some speed throughout the weekend it seems especially heading into this morning's practice session, and heading into qualifying you found even a little bit more. Did anything change overnight? Did your team work together to find a little extra speed heading into qualifying?

ALEXANDER ROSSI: Yeah, a lot has changed overnight. We were really struggling yesterday afternoon, really all day yesterday, so a huge hats off to the whole NAPA know-how team for the decisions they made overnight and gave me a car that I was a lot more comfortable with this morning, and again made an improvement this afternoon. We missed it a bit on the used Firestone reds there, so that's disappointing because we led our two groups, but at the end of the day, starting P4 has plenty of opportunity for a good result tomorrow.

Q. Will, can you describe the track? How was it? Was it much different compared to the last days?
WILL POWER: Yeah, it actually got quite hotter, so it was definitely more difficult, harder to get the balance right, sliding around more. It's basically a low-grip track and abrasive on tires. I mean, it's good because it's really hard to put a good lap together without a mistake.

Q. This track, as you said, it's more abrasive and low-grip. The red tires, the announcers during qualifying, said they seemed to get better the more laps that were put on them. Do you think the red tires would be the way to go because of the low grip?
WILL POWER: Yeah, I think in the race for sure the reds are going to be better. They'll probably degrade a bit more by the end, but I think overall your stint will be quicker, so yeah.

ALEXANDER ROSSI: I have no idea just because we were focusing so much on kind of single-lap pace all the way through these past two days without a warmup tomorrow, we're going to kind of be looking at other people's time progression that did longer runs as well as our teammates' and trying to find out. He probably knows more than I do.

Q. Are you going to have to pit for tires before you pit your fuel?
WILL POWER: I don't think so. Actually this car seems to be nicer on tires than last year. I think it's because with less downforce you're not leaning on them as hard. You're not -- the actual force on the just driving in a straight line is worse when there's more downforce. So I think they won't wear as much as last year, so yeah, it will be a fuel deal.

Q. Alex, having no warmup tomorrow, do you think personally for you it will be a disadvantage?
ALEXANDER ROSSI: No, it's the same for everyone, right? No one has a warmup. It's not like I just don't get a warmup and everyone else does. No, it's the same for everyone. I don't think it'll disadvantage us, no.

Q. With Scott starting eighth and you guys both fighting for the championship, is it any more pressure to get a result better than him this time, take advantage of the starting spot?
ALEXANDER ROSSI: I think even if Scott was starting 23rd, he'd still be at the front at the end. Doesn't matter. Yeah, we'll just have to try and maximize what we have, but by no means is that any consolation.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297