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slash M365 Copilot. It's very rare where you just have a race-winning car that is that much
better than the field to be able to actually capitalize on that and go and win the race.
There was definitely a brief moment there where I was like, man, you're going to lose this race,
but just had a dig deep.
Well, Chase, congratulations on winning another race at Darlington. That looked like a pretty
flawless night. Yeah, it was fun. I've obviously been a fan of, or I've been a fan, right? And
I'm seeing the 19 car kind of go and just dominate these races. I've seen the four car do it as
well. So it was fun to be on the other side of it where I was the one behind the wheel.
Like I said, I've seen you do those types of races where you go out and just dominate, right?
And as a driver, I mean, that's what you dream about is a car like that. And it's just nice
to be able to capitalize on it. Whenever you get a car like that, it's very rare where you
just have a race-winning car that is that much better than the field and to be able to
actually capitalize on that and go and win the race and just execute all night long.
There's a lot to be proud of when it comes to that. So yeah, it was a great night, great way
to obviously start the playoffs for us. And pretty cool to, you know, anytime you can just even
race at Darlington, it's cool, but let alone win there and do it in the Southern 500. It's
pretty special. What were those last 20 laps like? It looked like your car started to get
loose, maybe. And it looked like Tyler had finally said, screw it. I'm going to put this
thing right next to the fence and see what happens here. But that had to be pretty intense
with that 45, right in your mirror right there, knowing that if you made one slip, it was going
to be trouble. It was for sure, you know, a concern for me when that final costume came
out, you know, it was going to be a 48 lap run, I think to the end. And my car was,
I mean, unbelievable for 25 laps. But from lap 35 on, that was kind of the struggle spot
for me. But I could normally could build a big enough gap that it would kind of even itself out.
And I just remember I started getting pretty loose and I honestly didn't drive away from
Tyler as much as I was needing to. I think I only got to like a 1.7 second lead where
the other runs I was able to build over three seconds. And yeah, I remember I was getting
loose in the lap times. I was only like a 10th better than him and even even out at times.
And I looked over at the big screen down the front straightaway and it was 30 to go.
And I was like, man, I'm in trouble here. And he got there around lap, I think 20 to go,
if you were saying. And he was running way higher into one than what I was. And I hadn't
really been able to do that all night. And I was just so loose. There was definitely a
brief moment there where I was like, man, you're going to lose this race. But just
had a dig deep, you know, truthfully, and just kind of just decide and hey,
look, like if you spin this thing out, you spin it out. Because at that point,
I felt like I'd had a pretty good points not already, but it's hard to go back to your
team. I felt like if you don't win with one of those cars, so you just better figure out a way
to go win with it. And, you know, I able to, you know, hold Tyler off, you know,
luckily for me, I was good enough in three and four. I can normally get away enough for how
bad I wasn't wanting to, you can never really get there. But yeah, another couple laps,
it would have definitely been interesting. So you've gone from fighting for your life,
your whole career, not knowing what you're doing next. And now you're in a position where
you can, you can fight. I mean, you've always been really good at closing those races out.
And now you're in a position to where the expectation is to win. Do you feel like
that you go to the racetrack every week, not expecting with that expectation to win?
And how long has that mentality and approach taken for you to change? Because it seems
like you guys have settled in. You've turned good qualifying into top fives. You've turned
it into wins now. How long has it taken you to switch that mindset into what's happening on a
week to week basis now? It's definitely switched. I would say it was probably a month, month and
a half ago where like finally kind of, you know, there's just this moment where I don't
know what determined it, but it just felt like everything went from, it was probably right
around where we finished second, you know, three weeks in a row. And I felt like I was,
you know, I still am auditioning, right? Like I'm, I'm replaceable at any point, but
I definitely felt way more comfortable where I'm at in my career here. And it felt like,
you know, in the past, I've always felt like, you know, I needed the team almost
way more than they needed me. And I feel like I'm almost finally getting to that point in
my career where I've proven myself enough and showed enough speed to where, you know,
I am valuable to the team now and they need me just as much as I need them. So it definitely
has been different, you know, over the course of the last month and a half, I would say,
and just even my demeanor going to the racetrack, you know, from, you know, just going there and
trying to kind of prove that you belong to all of a sudden feeling like you have a legitimate
shot to win the championship. And it's definitely been different, you know, at least
in my cup career, I've never felt that way. You know, an Xfinity, I did, but it's just so much
different doing that at the cup level. And it's a, it's a great feeling, you know, but there,
it's spent a lot of fun at the same time. So I have a conversation that, that we had
a long time ago. Well, it's not been a long time ago, but it seems like a long time ago.
And I, and it sticks out of my mind every time I watch you race or I hear James
talk to you on the radio. And it was about Richard Boswell and why you wanted to,
to switch your crew chief to Richard Boswell. And I vividly remember this. And it's because
I need somebody to stay on my ass, yell at me when I need to be yelled at, push me to,
to do things that, that I might not otherwise do. Well buddy, you've got your, you've got that all
and you've got that intensity. What's that been like with James? Because I know that you
have asked for that and liked that. What's that been like? Has it been more than you
want? Or has it just, it seems like it's obviously been good, but it seems really intense.
Yeah. It's a, it's been good. It's definitely intense. You know, I didn't think it got much
more intense than Boswell, but boy was I wrong. Yeah. James is just the super,
you know, to the point guy, you know, just very, you know, short and blunt,
truthfully. And it's definitely something, I mean, you know me, right? And I do need
somebody that kind of pushes me, I'm very laid back and just nonchalant kind of about everything
in my life. And, you know, when it comes to the competition side, I think it's helped both of us
truthfully. Like I'm so laid back and easygoing. I think it helps James kind of come down off
some of that high emotion sometimes. And that's something that I think is important, at least
for me, like those are just buttons that have always been what I needed. Like, and I
think it's because my dad was that way with me. Like he was never going to sure code anything. He was
going to tell me when I was doing stuff wrong. And, you know, in a crew chief, I need that same
thing. Like I can't get better unless you tell me what I'm doing wrong. And James will certainly
tell you what you're doing wrong. That's for sure. And so it, you know, it, it,
you never know how it's going to work with people. And you guys have obviously worked
together. As you go into the next couple of weeks, obviously you've won. You know,
you're going to the next round. What's the goal for the next two weeks? And what
worries you? Is there a track ahead of you that you're like, all right, we got to make
sure we're buttoned up here?
Um, I mean, I think for the next two weeks for us, it's just trying to get as many
playoff points as we can. I mean, last night, yeah, I'm happy that we locked into the round
of 12, but truthfully I feel like we've, as long as we just ran halfway decent,
we were going to go to the round of 12 anyways. So I was way more excited about
the seven playoff points last night than anything. I mean, we only had 10
playoff points going into playoffs. Now we have 17. I mean, that's a huge,
huge delta now, especially once you get into that round of eight, at least makes it
somewhat achievable to point your way in if you had to. So for us, that's the biggest thing.
I think these next two weeks is just trying to, to keep doing what we've been doing,
try to win stages, obviously try to win the race. Um, but yeah, I would say if
there's any track that kind of worries me, I would, I mean, obviously Talida, right? But
in the round of 12, I would say it's loud. And you know, it's just been a place that
I've always felt very lost at, um, and just always been a huge struggle for me and,
and trucks, Xfinity, everything. So that would be the one I would say I'm
probably definitely going to put more effort into now that were locked in already. You know,
I already told James last week, even like, Hey, let's, let's the next week or two
start already working on loud and just cause I feel like I need the work there.
Um, so yeah, I'm sure that we'll put a little more emphasis on that now.
Well, careful what she asked for there. You might have to do a thousand laps in,
in the simulator before you, before you get too far, get too far along.
We did 10 or 12 hours at Richmond because that was one of my worst tracks too. So yeah,
I'm sure I'll be grinding the hours out in there at Loudon.
So what, what's last question, what's made Darlington so good for you? I mean,
it's Xfinity cars, cup cars. What do you think has made that place so good for you?
I think it just, I mean, there's tracks, right? To fit your driving style. Um, and that track just
is very similar to what I grew up doing in non-naming spread car racing where you, you know,
the thing's got 900 horsepower, waist, 1300 pounds. And, you know, I grew up non-naming racing,
so there is no downforce. You're just sliding all over the place and, you know, your grip
level is so low all the time. And you're constantly searching the race track for,
you know, different grip. And you never do the same thing twice at Darlington. And it's
certainly been a place that, I mean, literally, I remember the first time I went there in Xfinity,
I just kind of fell in love with the place and, and had speed from the get-go. So yeah,
I think it just fits my driving style. You know, I definitely, you know, out of all the tracks
we go to, it seems like the slick and wore out ones are typically the best ones for me.
You know, between Homestead and Darlington, but Darlington and my career has definitely
been the best track. And yeah, I think it just relates so much to non-winged sprint car racing,
just where you're always sliding around and searching for grip. And yeah, I've just always
felt comfortable doing that for whatever reason. Well, it's been fun to watch. I love the fact
that, that you guys have progressed into consistent winners and top five runners and,
and you've earned it. We'll be looking forward to the rest of your playoff run and good luck.
Yeah. Thank you, buddy. Appreciate it.
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