DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – What would you do to win?
Thou shalt not wreck your teammate seems like gospel at the track.
A few Cup Series drivers shared just how far they would go to take the win just 24 hours before the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
It was among the questions fielded by the No. 12 Team Penske Ford driver Ryan Blaney, and the 2023 Cup Series Champion handled it with finesse and a chuckle.
“I guess that is how you define ‘screw over’. You know, like. If I have a chance to go win, I’m going to go win the race. I’m not going to layover for another fellow Ford whether it’s Front Row or RFK like I’m not going to go layover for them to win the race and get in when I have a shot to win the race. You know? So, I’m going to race them hard like normal but I’m also going to help them in situations like normal.”
Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing’s No. 60 Ryan Preece showed a teamwork attitude sitting side by side with teammate Chris Buescher.
“Chris and I, it’s an easy genuine relationship to have as far as not just a working relationship but just very similar interests. When we’re around each other it’s not a competitive nature of man, I need to beat my teammate, it’s hey what can I do to help him, just as I assume when he’s around me, I notice that same reciprocation of whenever I need help, he helps me. Or if I catch him at a mile and a half or whatever, he doesn’t make it very difficult for me to get by. He’ll help me as I feel you do for Brad, and I do for Brad, and Brad does for us.”
Chris Buescher, the No. 17 racer for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing didn’t mince words.
“Ultimately there is only ever one winner. Every time you come into a speedway race and you work with your teammates, you always have the mindset of push each other and get each other as far as possible until there’s no cars left to pass and then you work it out amongst yourselves, right? I still say that there’s no doubt in my mind that you come off of Turn 4 and you’ve hung with each other all day, then all bets are off at that point. Or maybe earlier, I don’t know. But you know what, it’ll be a race. I think the normal teammate, I don’t know, you could say agreement, mindset is you’ve got to race each other hard but be respectful about it.”
In the playoffs, there’s not too much pressure on William Byron. The No. 24 Chevy driver for Hendrick Motorsports already has the 2024 Cup Series Championship to his name. While sitting at number one in the points standing as of Friday night, it doesn’t mean he’s lost his edge when it comes to winning.
“Obviously we want to win. That would help them as well. We just try to go out there and win but you have to be really mindful of you know helping a teammate, so it’s very double-edged sword. I want to make sure I’m making moves to advance myself forward, not advancing somebody else forward. Yeah, I think it’s learning from previous races. This package, as easy as it is to say hey, I don’t want to help somebody else, you’re kind of boxed in. This is pretty much a two-by-two race. You’re pretty much pushing whoever’s in front of you and that’s how you go forward. So how do you separate ok, I want to go forward versus I want to help my teammate.”
As race fans know, anything can happen at the Daytona International Speedway. Fans will have to keep an eye on the Coke Zero Sugar 400 kicking off at 7:30 PM, Saturday night.
