NASCAR CUP SERIES: FIREKEEPERS CASINO 400

August 19, 2024

Billy Scott

Press Conference

An Interview with:

THE MODERATOR: We are joined by our race-winning crew chief, Billy Scott. Second win of the season for the team. Take over the points lead.

If you can talk a little bit about today's race, just that hot streak you guys have been on.

BILLY SCOTT: Yeah, that's been nice. We've obviously had some races come up short on that we felt we had a really good shot to win. Chicago disappointment, a few others. We just talked a lot about staying in contention, running top five, getting the points along the way, and eventually they'd fall our way.

Glad it did today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. What is the range of emotions when that caution comes out late?

BILLY SCOTT: Yeah, it definitely would have been a lot easier to keep that two-and-a-half-second lead and finish off under green. We've come to expect it almost.

We talked about it last week, a lot of controversy at the end of that race, but it all started with the yellow before the white.

Kind of always prepared in the back of our mind for it. Just a matter of everybody staying calm, having a good plan for the restarts. Tyler executed perfectly.

Q. Is this just the normal what you guys could have been doing earlier this year for circumstances, that nothing has changed in terms of peak performance?

BILLY SCOTT: I think it's a little of both. We feel that way. We feel like we're clicking on all cylinders, that we are in peak performance. It feels like it's been a slow trajectory there. Getting to know each other, new team along the way. Still only three years old for the 45 team in general. It's just slowly been an incline. Everybody is having fun right now, staying relaxed.

A lot of times you can get to the point where you push so hard that you feel like you need a break or something. I think with that time with the off week, being able to carry the momentum through it, everybody feels refreshed. Hopefully got a long road ahead and we can continue it into the Playoffs.

Q. How difficult was that to take that two-week break, but things have continued the same?

BILLY SCOTT: I don't think you fully know until you get back and get after it, see how it feels. Tyler got married, a lot of us went to his wedding up in Wisconsin. That was fun.

Again, it was nice to have the break. Fortunately last week we picked up where we left off.

Q. This sport will humble you, reward you. I don't want to say you're at the top of the mountain right now, but what is that like for you personally?

BILLY SCOTT: Yeah, it's been awesome, very satisfying. Again, I think it's been most rewarding just because the team around us, everybody has been clicking, everybody has been contributing. It takes so many people to do it, it is important to stay humble and to keep it all in perspective, approach each week like it's a new week. You never know who is going to be good, when you're going to have a mis-step. You know it's going to come. You can't keep it up forever. We have to be prepared to rebound.

Even today there were a lot of ups and downs, points in the race that everybody could have given up on it. We had some bad restarts at the beginning, low on fuel, having to wait on it. It's just a matter of believing that things can turn around quick, knowing that Tyler is patiently aggressive getting back through traffic. He did that really well.

Q. Tyler seemed to have some reservations about starting on the bottom for the second overtime. Was that a case of not giving up the front row?

BILLY SCOTT: Yeah, I think maybe overthinking a little bit, just being worried about what could go wrong perhaps. I think the points is a big conversation piece. I think that definitely rides in the back of his mind. I think he was worried about giving up a lot.

In the end we felt confident he could take the lead back. He was really good on entry speed and through the whole corner really all race. I think just reminding him that we're here to win and he's able to do it. He certainly took it with authority.

Q. Seemed like the Toyotas collectively had a strong performance. Is that reflective of something you feel like can go forward? Is this a good sign for your camp?

BILLY SCOTT: It is. I think historically, statistically we haven't won here in a while, haven't been as dominant as much as other intermediates. That has been our strong area, both for our team and Toyota as a whole.

It is good to come here and get a win for 'em, run up front again. I think that does continue to provide some encouragement for the Playoffs, that that will keep it up.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you very much, Billy.