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IMSA WEATHERTECH SPORTSCAR CHAMPIONSHIP: ROLEX 24 AT DAYTONA

January 27, 2019

Richard Westbrook

Daytona Beach, Florida

THE MODERATOR: We'll start our post‑race press conferences right now with Richard Westbrook, driver of the No.67 Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT. Richard, thanks for spending some time with us.
Would you like to just talk briefly about what happened at the end of the race for you and your team.
RICHARD WESTBROOK: Yeah, we were five laps down, and patience was the key. We knew we'd get our laps back eventually. We didn't think it would take that long as it did. But come the daylight, come the rain coming, we were on the lead lap, got ourselves in a really strong position. The car was good. I was able to pull away.
The conditions were absolutely terrible. I couldn't believe‑‑ you know, even despite being in the lead, I just thought they've got to stop this race. It's ridiculous. Anyway, we carried on going, pulling away, had to pit for fuel. Once we pitted, they pulled out the red flag, which, you know, obviously cost us the race.
It just seems really strange that they pulled it out when they did, but they obviously had a decision to make. But I just couldn't understand why they didn't bring it out three or four laps before.

Q. So what was your guys' thinking? You had no idea, you were just going in, it was an emergency stop for fuel?
RICHARD WESTBROOK: We were out of gas, so we had to pit, whatever. But I don't know why they were waiting to throw the red flag. It's just‑‑ you know, the conditions weren't getting any worse. They were just incredibly bad throughout that last green period. It didn't matter what speed you were driving at, 30 or 130. You just couldn't keep the car on the track. It was just lottery.
I've driven in many, many conditions in my life‑‑ you know, in the fog, in the rain, but nothing like that. It was ridiculous. But then to throw the red when they did is just really‑‑ it's like a real kick in the nuts.

Q. Okay. So then after‑‑ what are you doing the last‑‑ you think there's going to be a decision at 2:00. How are you spending that final time?
RICHARD WESTBROOK: Yeah, obviously, we're looking at the radar. We knew the weather was going to get worse and worse. Obviously, you can't ever bank on them throwing a red and then calling the race like they did at Petit LeMans in 2015, but that is in the back of your mind. The best place to be is in the lead, and at that point, we were controlling the race and pulling away.
Obviously, we had to pit, and everyone else was going to have to pit a few laps later, but we were the unlucky ones today that they threw the red just after we pitted.

Q. Can you describe some of those experiences inside the cockpit where you said things were treacherous. Just give us some examples of what made things so bad.
RICHARD WESTBROOK: It's just absolutely no fun. I absolutely love racing in the rain, as yourself knows. I really‑‑ you know, I enjoy the challenge. But that was just beyond a challenge. That was just a lottery. You're just going down the straight, and you're just thinking, if there's anyone stopped, I'm toast and they're toast. You could not see a thing.
And because of the tri oval round here and the painted white lines, there's a reason NASCAR don't race in the rain because it's just so difficult on an oval. It really is. You're crossing white lines. You're trying to avoid the puddles. The engine is shutting off because you're aqua planing so much. It was just awful. I'm probably moaning a bit too much now, so I'll stop.

Q. Richard, you just said earlier it was ridiculous. Conditions were absolutely terrible. I suppose you were maybe in radio contact with your team. Did you expect that maybe get in touch with race control or the organizers?
RICHARD WESTBROOK: Yeah, but that was just falling on deaf ears because on the last green I was saying, they've got to red flag that race. At that point, we were second, so we had a lot to lose. And I was saying, look, just call the race. This is ridiculous. And then the next lap, they said on the radio, we're going green, and I just thought, what are we doing here?
But it is what it is. It was good for us. We pulled out a gap, and everyone else seemed to be struggling more. So I think we pulled out a good 15‑second lead. So at that point, we were thinking we were going to take the hot spot, but it wasn't to be.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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