Race for the Championship (2022–…): Season 1, Episode 6 - All or Nothing - full transcript
what do you think so
far about the season
and how everything's
been going?
i think we have had potential.
but i'm not exactly
yet where i want to be.
i think we sort of have
to clean up a few things.
I think the big question
mark for daniel suárez
is can he win in the cup series?
we have seen so many
different winners this season.
- holy crap!
- yeah, boy!
- hell yeah, you are the man!
- good job! whoo!
- yeah, we did it!
- yeah! yes!
His name's not
in that bucket yet.
he's had fast cars,
but he just seems to not be
able to shake the bad luck.
it's one thing after
another, after another.
and it's like, he's right there,
and then something
inevitably happens
that keeps him
from victory lane.
what do you want to
do for dinner tonight?
always very decisive.
ever since i met daniel,
i realized what a such
a genuine person he is.
first of all, he's very
kind. he's very intelligent.
just his work ethic
is so admirable.
and the fact that he
really goes after his dream
and works so hard for it.
and, you know, i get to see
the daniel behind the scenes.
until suárez wins the
race at this level,
there's going to
be people wondering
whether he's capable
of actually doing it
and whether that potential
is going to be fulfilled.
and his teammate,
ross chastain,
he's got two wins this
year, and suárez doesn't.
that doesn't look
good for daniel.
are you finding
it annoying yet
that people are always saying,
"don't worry, it's coming,"
or, "you'll get it soon"?
yeah, but i can't focus
on that. i have to focus
on what i can control and
the work i have to do.
i feel like, once you get it,
it's going to be one less
thing for people to talk about.
well, let's do it this
weekend. get done with it.
nascar wants to have a
presence in california.
sonoma, in wine country,
represents that
perfect opportunity.
and it's in a big market
in the san francisco area.
a lot of attention on
it. it's a great track,
great racing, and plus,
you get to drink some wine.
i love seeing you
win last year.
- yeah?
- well, all the wins were great.
yeah. hometown wins
are always the best.
yeah.
sonoma really is a home
race for kyle larson.
he was born 80 miles away
in elk grove, california.
began racing at seven.
by the time he was a teenager,
he was a top outlaw kart racer
running out of
cycleland speedway
in chico, california.
I look forward
to going to sonoma.
i get to go home, really,
and see friends and
family and race fans
i don't get to see
often. it's really cool.
it's the only track
on the circuit
that i sell more merchandise
than chase elliott does
throughout the year.
so it shows that i have
a lot of support there
from the hometown fans,
and i can definitely feel it,
and it definitely drives me
to try and do a good job.
thank you, bro.
appreciate it, man.
- thanks.
- have a great day.
thank you so much.
you are awesome.
we're so happy to watch
your career take off.
thank you. your name's chase,
and you got a kyle
shirt. i like that.
- best of luck to you today.
- yeah, thanks.
yeah, nice meeting you.
see you, chase. see ya.
kyle larson is a
hugely talented driver,
and he won 10 races in 2021.
- and here comes larson.
- another opportunity for larson
to get a huge run.
- larson to the bottom of
the track.
- side job!
- trying to take the lead away.
- he was the driver of the year.
this year, not been the case.
got that win in fontana.
but the expectation
for this team
is that they are winning races
and contending for
the championship.
California, i have
always seen as part of myself.
there's a lot of
hispanics there,
so i feel like it's
been part of my house.
we had daniel's amigos there.
i have my people, you know,
because that's what
they are, you know.
they are my people.
i feel that this
is extra special
just because they make
me feel like home,
and i make them feel
like home, as well.
it's not only the people they
are wildly excited about,
daniel suárez, when
he comes to town.
but his background is
road course racing,
so i think he feels like this
is a very good place for him
to get that first cup win.
the nascar cup series playoffs
are essentially tied to winning.
there are 16 slots.
any driver that wins a race
qualifies for the playoffs.
the other way is just by
being consistent and amassing
as many points as you can.
there's normally not
this many winners
by the midpoint of the season.
you can find yourself
on the outside
if enough drivers win races,
so it's looking
increasingly like he
might have to win to
make the playoffs.
Sonoma raceway,
the perfect setting for
america's best drivers,
hitting the road on
this road course.
alex bowman's your
new boyfriend?
you don't like
william anymore?
i do! okay. okay.
You can get
doored. you can get bumpered.
you can get shoved
into the tire barrier.
lots of things can happen.
drivers...
start your engines!
we're going to go 110 laps
here. that's 219 miles.
everybody puts
emphasis on these road course
races now, and now we have
more of them than ever.
Fans
are on their feet.
we are ready to race
here at sonoma today.
And
here they come.
Green, green, green.
They go door
to door through turn one.
climb the hill to
turn number two.
Still right side,
all clear, all clear.
nice lead for larson. great
start to the race here.
My car
feels pretty good.
i remember, you know,
being able to gap chase.
2.1 back to
chase. 3.8 to third.
Suárez able
to make a clean pass,
move him up to
fifth into the s's.
My car was okay. i
wasn't 100% happy with it,
but i didn't hate it either.
i feel like, in the beginning,
we're probably a top 7 car.
we made a couple adjustments
to try to help that.
And now chase
elliott takes the green flag.
he's got the lead, but chastain
draws even with chris buescher
as they head to turn number two.
ross chastain goes
around in turn number 7,
trying to catch his
teammate, daniel suárez.
He spun himself
out. all clear here.
I thought, okay,
we have a top 5 car.
it's not perfect,
but i think i can give
them a fight with this.
Chris buescher
is going to lead the field
back to green.
We don't have
to win it right here.
we do not have
one more pit stop.
long way to go.
All right. i pace
car's off. it's all you.
we restarted second,
and i had a good jump.
he did, as well, and
we fight side by side.
Door to
door through turn 1.
they take that left-hander
head up to right-hand
turn number two,
suárez door to door with
him. still side by side.
suárez is going to have
the preferred inside line.
He locked him up.
buescher locks him up,
swings it way wide.
suárez comes out
of 4 with the lead.
All clear.
we know he can
drive a road course,
and he's driving this
one great right now.
After that, i was
able to dictate the race,
push as hard as i
needed to push...
Running hard
here, run hard here.
defend what i need to defend.
Suárez
is extremely smooth
right here at this
section of the racetrack.
In a career
that's had ups and downs,
you're kind of wondering, how
is he going to lose this race?
I know a lot of
drivers are that way.
they say, like, "what is
going to go wrong this time?"
i don't think that.
Three, two,
one. four tires.
A good stop,
the boys got it done.
just four tires for the 99.
That was a fast stop.
On the side,
you'll be going on the jack.
four tires.
go hard, go hard,
go hard. go hard.
coming right side.
Kyle larson
off the racetrack.
Oh, no.
- we just lost a tire, i think.
- we did?
half a turn. they've
been tight all day.
- yeah.
- and then that one just didn't.
This will
result in one of nascar's
costliest penalties
to this team.
tough break for kyle larson
and that hendrick crew.
daniel suárez, the leader,
hasn't won in 195 starts.
- you've done a great job, man.
- yeah, buddy. thank you.
keep it up.
- you got this, man.
It was going to
be tough to hold the 17.
i knew that we were
going to have to battle
hard to be able to win.
Green flag is
out. suárez gets a good jump.
Clear 17 here, clear.
Daniel
suárez on the point.
it was really a race
between two cars.
One turn at
a time right here.
i was pushing hard because
i knew he was close.
Locks up the
brake just a little bit.
He was better
than me in the short run.
Chris buescher's
putting the pressure on.
I knew that, in the long
run, i was going to be better.
Daniel is out front,
and it's just lap after lap
of having to hit his
marks absolutely perfect.
Wow. it is
certainly the pressure
building on daniel suárez.
don't panic. for
daniel suárez,
that's what he has
to believe in now.
don't panic. don't let me do
something to get this race away.
and i was thinking about
every single moment,
every single sacrifice,
every single person
that has helped me
to get to that point.
Daniel suárez
is a nascar cup winner.
Attaboy! yeah!
yeah! look out!
so damn proud of you.
awesome job, buddy.
awesome job, man.
love you, buddy.
i love you! i love you!
! thank you! thank you!
My journey hasn't
been easy, you know.
coming from a different
country. a lot of ups and downs.
and a lot of people
thought that i was over.
everybody wanted to see
that 99 go to victory lane.
one of the biggest wins,
hands down, for the industry
in a very long time.
that's a weekend and a week
that i will never forget.
it's been a long time coming.
you know, i've seen daniel
in the lowest of lows,
and now i get to see him
in the highest of highs.
so happy for him. he's, like,
the most deserving winner.
- oh. so happy.
- thank you, brother.
- thank you, man.
- drink a little wine.
- thank you, brother.
- yeah.
I swear, if they
would have weighed him
on the scales afterwards,
he would have been
about 100 lighter
because he had been carrying
that weight all year
and probably for
a number of years.
proud of daniel,
proud of travis.
both first-time winners,
both cars in the playoffs.
i mean, i continue
to live a dream
that just doesn't make sense.
The job is not done yet,
and i believe that we can make
it a very, very magical season.
we have to keep pushing.
the most important part of
the season is coming up.
it's just for fun.
if they don't...
owen is kind of on the fence
all the time, which is fine.
i told him the other day
that he doesn't have the race
if he doesn't want to.
audrey really wants to do it.
oh, i hear. how's
it look, audrey?
owen, are you hiding
your hair since...
he took scissors to
himself yesterday.
what?
you look like a dork.
i need a haircut!
my dad had a friend that
he worked with that he had,
like, a little dirt track.
that's kind of what i
got my start out in.
i think it's cool that i get
to see my kids experience
the things that i
got to experience.
so slot cars,
go-karts, any racing.
they're into the same things
that i was into as a kid.
where'd you get this pillow?
on the couch.
after a disappointing
finish at sonoma,
it's good to come out here
and just play with the kids
and spend quality
time with them.
it helps take your mind off
it. not that our race was bad.
but we had misfortunes.
Kyle larson
off the racetrack.
Oh, no.
good job, audrey.
being smooth.
- what's wrong?
- you turn it off?
the next-gen car has
really created this layer
of unpredictability
that's led to a lot
of new winners this year,
and, so, larson really
hasn't had his dominance.
But do not pull on
superman's cape too much
because he will snap back.
it's already turned
all the way up
because the screw backed out.
told you i'm not a mechanic.
i think you walk this
way a little bit.
and then walk
straight a little bit.
stop. into the dog poop.
We've been together
for, it's over two years.
i've kind of always been a
loner, and it's been great
to kind of turn a
house into a home.
- you come out here all the time.
- yeah.
- love it.
- i love coming out here.
i like watching
these guys work.
honestly, i never really had
a committed relationship,
you know, serious
relationship for extended
periods of time before that.
i was just kind of waiting
for the right person.
i feel like we
inspire one another,
just kind of get creative,
and then we feed off
each other's ideas,
and then we created this.
when i first met him, he was
very shy, reserved, quiet.
so i'm like, okay,
i'm the opposite.
i'm going to be the one
making all the conversations,
calling him, finding
things to talk about.
but once we really got
to know each other,
he has the best personality
i've ever found in someone.
he's so funny. he's so goofy.
my "star wars" trinkets
that were around the house
are gone now, so
that's one of the...
honestly, that's one
of the biggest things.
but it's been nice for me,
too, to be a part of it
ever since i moved,
'cause it makes it more
of my house feeling, too.
it definitely makes you
miss home more knowing
you're coming home
to people and animals
that want you to be there
and look forward
to you getting home
and that miss you
and you miss them.
so, yeah, that, that
dynamic definitely changes.
and then, you become
more of a homebody.
i don't plan on going
anywhere any time soon.
so i have a job for a
little while longer,
so i feel like we can
be here for a long time.
i get to see his
real personality,
not what the camera always sees
or people see at the track.
a bad race,
most people would think
he'd come home really upset,
pretty pissed off, frustrated.
and i'm proud of him
because he'll come home
and say, "it's just part of it.
now i need to focus
on the next race."
This season is
unlike any in recent memory.
Kyle larson is struggling.
ryan blaney can't
find victory lane.
there's more winners
than ever before.
and guys like corey
lajoie and teams
of that caliber,
they have hope
that they can realistically
get to the playoffs.
because of the number of
different winners nascar
has seen this season
and the success we've
seen younger teams have...
- hell yeah, baby!
- holy cow!
Daniel suárez
is toast of the town.
Spire has to
be disappointed.
There's a little
bit of extra pressure,
just winning in general,
of wanting to win
just to pay back a little bit
everything that people have done
for me to get me here, you know,
and to be able to to win in
the cup series would be huge.
not only for my family,
but just for everybody
that's had a hand
of getting me here.
all right, friends,
i am corey lajoie,
and i only have one friend
in the studio with me today,
and that is my dear friend,
analyst mr. ryan flores.
how was your weekend?
did some racing.
i talked to you on pit
road sunday morning.
yeah. sunday before the race.
shortly before you
were in the garage.
dude, it's been
a tough stretch.
and some guy hit me with a stat
that, in the last seven races,
we have only finished
better than 34th twice.
geez.
we have had an issue in five
of the last seven races.
that's a stat.
that is a stat.
feel like as though
we've left about 88
to 90 points on the table,
which would probably be 25th,
26th in points, which blows.
that's part of it.
stats don't lie, and a
lot of guys were saying,
"hey, we're not going
to get 16 winners."
well, guys, hmm, i don't know.
the only way corey lajoie's
gonna make the playoffs
is if he wins a race
on a superspeedway,
whether it's in
atlanta or daytona,
that kind of type track.
People don't
expect corey to win races.
i said at the
beginning of the year,
i thought that
they could win one,
and i still believe that,
and we're going to find out.
there's a lot of
stuff coming up
that could be really,
really interesting.
watch that 7 car
sneak up in there,
really "f" things
up for everybody.
Nashville, tennessee.
music city welcomes
nascar and with it
a 10-race scramble
to see who can make the
2022 cup series playoffs.
nascar has almost a
second home in nashville.
music, rock and roll, good
time. it's just nascar.
and the fans seem like they love
it when nascar rolls into town.
everybody decent?
hey.
- how are you?
- hey, good. how are you?
i figured i'd see
a whole group.
i started watching corey
in the arca k&n series.
he would take cars that i
didn't think were as good
as what he was racing against,
and he would beat people.
he earned every
inch that he got.
so what's going on?
getting ready to go, man.
i think the season, this
point, has been a little bit
underwhelming because these
cars are fickle with the limited
amount of resources we got.
we've missed it a little bit.
yeah, there's some
glimpses, though.
i try to tell him
not to lose sight
of what an incredible
opportunity
he is in right now.
they're improving
and having opportunities
to not only run up front,
but win races.
they weren't there a
couple of years ago.
in another year or two,
they could be right there.
i think, man, you just got to
keep doing what you're doing.
it's easy to get
impatient with,
like, "when's somebody
going to call me?"
yeah. it's always easy
to look over the fence,
like, in home
improvement and see,
you know, the neighbor's
grass is always greener.
you don't know what's going
to happen in the next four
or five years. yeah.
you might actually be sitting
exactly where you need to be.
any seat at the table right
now on a sunday afternoon
is hard to keep, hard
to get, for sure.
i've stopped looking
over the fence
if the grass was
greener a long time ago.
he has a lot to be happy with
and be proud about right now.
and i think he's humble
and authentic enough
to really understand that,
you know, you worked your
tail off to get this chance.
yeah.
and don't don't forget how
valuable what you have is.
no, that is good.
i don't probably have
to tell him that.
i think he knows it, but it's
good to hear it once in a while.
appreciate it. hey,
talk good about me.
i will. always do, baby.
yeah.
just remember all them boys
sitting in them million-dollar
motor homes all week
just getting weak.
soft. go up there and
take it from them today.
There's a
long list of drivers
trying to get their first win.
12 winners have already
claimed a spot in the playoffs.
the pressure is on because of
that to get in and get a win.
time is running out.
Nashville, there's
nothing else like it.
this is different.
it's kind of deceiving
'cause it's so wide.
you think you can go faster
than what you actually can
getting in the corners.
you're gonna haul the mail
down the straightaways
and then use a ton of brake
to slow down and get
around the corner.
First time for
this car at nashville.
what's in front of
us? we don't know.
green flag in the air.
denny hamlin leads
them on the break.
oh, the 7 car, lajoie
up the racetrack.
way back in the pack,
man, the racing is fierce.
41 laps complete.
Lightning in the area.
A red-flag
condition now for lightning.
within seven miles
of the racetrack,
a mandatory 30-minute delay.
Nashville's super hot.
so a lot of guys were
thankful for a 30-minute break
to let the cars cool off a bit.
Fans on
their feet once again
as we get ready to
go back to racing.
Green, green,
green, green, green.
Raindrops around
the speedway starting to fall.
Caution's
out. caution's out.
Another
lightning strike.
this is terrible.
We are
under a rain delay,
so we are gonna wait it out.
it was kind of a weird race.
you're racing in
the heat of the day,
so you kind of set
your car up for that.
the track cools off,
and the sun goes down.
it's turning into a night race.
completely changes
what you're working on.
It's a little bit
of a guessing game, right?
like, what's this
track gonna be like?
how do we figure this out?
and it's basically a fresh
track when these guys restart.
Back to
racing in nashville.
they are wide open here
at the mile and a third.
boy, how about these toyotas?
one, two, three, four right
now, the battle for the lead.
ryan blaney looks like
one of the few cars
that can contend
with those turns,
but he's been
dropping like a rock.
Lap 188,
pit lane is open.
up, up, up, up.
Jack it up,
jack it up, jack it up.
go, go, go.
Under the
stage-two caution,
they had a hang-up
on the left rear.
all the way back to 25th.
things going seriously
wrong for the 12 car here.
what was it?
just got
jammed in there sideways.
One out back,
still two in front.
Oh, the 12!
Hold on to
it. hold on to it.
Coming up
on the final 56 laps
of the nascar cup
series ally 400
from nashville superspeedway.
One out back,
still two in front.
Oh, the 12!
he's gonna hit the wall.
blaney in trouble.
but he does a great job
of hanging on to the car.
into the grass, and
the caution comes out.
ryan blaney, what a ride.
that was a great save,
to be honest with you.
he almost gets his
teammate right here. whoa!
a terrific job saving that
car from major damage,
but now he's got a lot
of spots to make up.
green flag back in the air.
chase elliott moving
forward in this field.
first time we've really
seen him up in the top five.
it was just 85 laps ago
he was sideways, sliding
through the grass.
but ryan blaney has worked his
way back up into the top 10,
running in the ninth position.
Caution's out.
caution's out. caution's out.
you get a late caution, right?
and so it's all
about pit strategy.
do you pit? do you not pit?
- oh, split decision.
- chase stayed out.
- kyle busch.
- and a lot stay out behind him.
This is
gonna be interesting.
staying out. stay out.
10-4.
before the last caution,
i think i was 11th.
you have no shot to
win at that point.
so you come down pit road, and
it kind of made it a no-brainer
for us to restart
third where we did.
Only four laps
to go from nashville.
chase elliott, kurt busch,
and a great restart for both.
blaney has moved up to third.
and contacted into the wall.
brad keselowski
gets into the wall.
They're wrecking. stay
low, stay low, stay low.
keep braking.
no yellow, no
yellow. keep going.
Chase elliott
looking for his second win
of the 2022 season.
chase elliott wins!
elliott over kurt busch,
blaney, larson, and chastain.
Good job, man. p3.
well, good job.
so we gain a spot
in the points.
ryan's had a weird season.
like, you step back and you
look at the point standing.
he's second in points.
he's led a bunch of races.
he's had a really,
really good year.
statistically, great year.
the problem, however,
there's one thing missing
from his résumé,
and that's a win.
and in this playoff format,
winning is everything.
and if you can't win a race,
well, you can still get
in the playoffs by points,
but there's no guarantees.
It wasn't
pretty, but top 20.
way to hustle, boys.
appreciate the hard work.
It was okay.
you know, i hoped for
a little bit higher.
thought we had a little
better speed than that.
we kind of lost the handle
when it went to night.
we finished it. that's
all that matters.
uhh!
do you get nervous with
atlanta being reconfigured?
do i get nervous at daytona?
yeah, you read a
book the entire time
and don't watch any of it.
yeah.
Corey
lajoie is a winner.
when he was on his uptick,
it was kyle larson,
corey lajoie, chase elliott,
ryan blaney, bubba wallace.
but the problem
is, his trajectory
hasn't been with the
same caliber of teams.
we haven't really had our
strategy meeting of...
the team wanting
me to ride around
and not wreck and run seventh.
but i'm not gonna
quite heed to that.
good luck.
for me, as bad as the last two
months have been at the track,
like, finishing fifth
doesn't do it for me.
like, i could care less.
If you're corey,
you're kind of auditioning
for that next big opportunity.
so winning a race
is a game-changer.
13 different winners...
that means three spots left
on the playoff grid,
which is unheard of.
guys that are lower in
points... corey lajoie,
ricky stenhouse jr.,
brad keselowski...
are ultimately in a
must-win situation.
Corey lajoie's
season, i think,
has been a little
bit disappointing
because the next gen was
gonna be his best hope
for showing that he
belonged in the cup series.
but there's still
that element of,
"how hard do i race,
but yet how much
do i also want to be
mindful of this team
trying to establish
itself for the long term?"
it's the balance of, do you
trash a $300,000 racecar
'cause you're trying
to be aggressive and...
try to get that payout,
probably the million and a half,
$2 million difference
in terms of winning
and getting yourself
in the playoffs,
or are you okay with conceding
and finishing 8th, 10th,
miss the wrecks and ride
around and take the paycheck?
and i've been that for the first
couple speedways so far, and...
i'm not gonna do that.
We are certainly
looking for a great show today
here at atlanta motor speedway.
atlanta motor speedway was
repaved and reconfigured
for the 2022 season.
the intent was to take
a mile-and-a-half track
and make it race like
2 1/2-mile daytona,
2.66-mile talladega.
It's more
like a baby daytona.
you can go three wide.
it's a little bit more sketchy
than it previously was.
You're gonna be
on your feet a whole lot more
than you're in your seat today.
- can i get a picture?
- please, please, picture.
made my day, sir.
Eight races
left in the regular season,
and the playoff picture
is heating up, too.
spots to get in without a
win are dwindling quickly.
today, another wild-card race
that could see yet
another new winner.
tyler reddick is gonna win his
first-ever cup series race.
Tyler reddick's
win at road america
really changes the
complexion of the playoffs.
there could be 16 winners.
ryan blaney... magnificent
year, great year,
second in points, may
not make the playoff.
it's crazy.
with this season
and this new car,
i mean, people jump up there
and win right out of the blue
who maybe haven't
had the best season,
but they have a great race
and they win and they're in.
let's do it.
let's have some
fun today, fellas.
have fun, make sure
we're there at the end.
- check, check.
- yes, sir, got you.
Atlanta!
y'all ready?
Alright, go
ahead. fire it up.
Alright,
buddy, have some fun.
i'll see you in 25.
The greatest
racecar fans in georgia
are on their feet.
pace cars heading
to the pit road.
we're ready to get
it on in georgia.
time to start the second half
of the 2022 nascar season
here at atlanta motor speedway
in the quaker state 400...
260 laps of intense competition.
green flag out.
blaney's gonna work to
the outside of hamlin
with a push from elliott.
give blaney the advantage here
as he arcs out to the high
line of the exit in turn 2.
they are neck and neck.
ryan blaney is your
leader for now.
Our car was pretty
decent. i was a little loose.
but able to stay up
towards the front.
chase was really quick all day.
he could make some
pretty spectacular moves.
so noticing that, what
his car did so good,
you try to take of, you know,
"what do i need to do better?"
Ryan blaney backed up
to tyler reddick's rear bumper
on the front quad.
in his tire tracks,
chase elliott.
ty dillon spins to the
inside, nails the inside wall.
It's evident that
this track is gonna race
exactly like daytona
and talladega,
which means you have a lot more
opportunity for large wrecks
'cause the cars are
running closer together.
that makes it a lot more
likely that a lot more drivers
are gonna crash and
increase that danger level.
Green, green, green.
Chase elliott
moves to the lead
and opens up a
car-length advantage.
Going into
the speedway races,
you kind of understand
what they are
and you understand that
you might get wiped out
and it's none of your fault.
you just got involved
in someone else's mess.
Trouble
in turn number two.
chase briscoe, it's
a lazy spin around.
Easy, easy, easy,
easy, easy, easy, easy, easy.
Trouble... we got
seven cars here stacking it up.
atlanta is about putting
yourself in position
to be there at the end,
which means you have
to dodge these wrecks
that are inevitably going to
happen on this tight track
that is racing like
a superspeedway
like daytona or talladega.
corey did that.
he put himself in a position
where he was able to
avoid these wrecks.
he gradually put himself in
position where he was up front
and could take the lead
towards the end of the race.
Pace
car on pit road.
green flag displayed
to the field.
78 laps to go here in atlanta.
chastain continues
to lead the way.
got to give a shout-out to the
guy running third right now,
corey lajoie.
it has been a season of
misery for that young man.
but right now he is riding
third and looking good.
we executed today
start to finish.
we had a really fast car,
and we found ourselves third,
which was pretty wild.
if corey lajoie wins a race,
you might as well
shut down for a week,
because the party is
gonna be out of control.
Do you dare
believe the glass slipper
will fit cinderella today
at atlanta motor speedway?
Here we go.
corey lajoie has
improved 29 positions
to be the leader of this
race with 66 laps to go.
green flag is back out.
The number-7 team hit
their strides in atlanta.
they put together as close
to a perfect race as possible
to position corey to get
to the end of the race
and have a shot at victory lane.
At daytona and
talladega, it's wide enough,
you can kind of get three
wide and you can make moves
and pull a lane.
atlanta, you just can't do that.
you know, if you get stuck
in a fifth or sixth row,
you aren't going anywhere.
you're just riding around.
Chastain now
driving hard on the inside.
can't take the lead.
still on the outside.
lajoie is at the point.
When you're in it, man,
you're just trying to get every spot.
that car had a ton of
speed through the corners.
it was handling well.
i was nervous, you
know, just because
it's gonna come down to
green-and-white checkered
and you don't know
who your friends are
at that point in
time, which is nobody.
Elliott's gonna
look inside again, and he does.
he gets to the quarter
panel, he gets to the door,
and he gets clear in front.
move chase elliott in the
napa chevrolet to the lead.
but lajoie fights back outside.
i was gonna say, not so fast.
lajoie is enjoying
that out front,
but he's gonna have to really
get with the program now.
elliott... bottom
of the racetrack.
he's gonna advance
forward by a car length.
he's gonna slide up
in front of lajoie,
and the 9 is back in the lead.
lajoie looks down low.
he's gonna go up inside,
drive down with elliott,
and clear him, and elliott
does a cross-over move
right across chastain
to look for the lead.
wow, look at that go.
good racing up front.
chase elliott with
his hands full.
three laps to go in
the quaker state 400.
4 1/2 miles left here
today to decide the issue.
corey lajoie gets the
jump on the inside.
pulls a half-car-length
advantage over...
elliott on the outside.
the 9 got to my right rear
corner and got the lead.
but i told myself going in, if
i find myself in this position,
you got to do whatever it takes.
And the white flag.
it's chase elliott,
corey lajoie.
lajoie goes high.
elliott up to block.
lajoie in the wall.
chase elliott has indeed
won this race today...
the quaker state 400.
he's always wanted to win a
cup race on his home track,
and he has finally done it.
your runs only come once,
so had to take it
when it was there.
i wasn't able to commit to
the bottom like i wanted to.
the 9 was able to cover...
cover the run to the top.
um, you know, the
rest is history.
It stinks
when you don't win
and you're in this position
at the end of the day.
we've had a good year,
and it's not over yet.
ryan blaney will
tell you, like,
"i'm having a really,
really good year.
but the way this
season is going,
i may not make the playoffs
despite my brilliance."
i'm gonna be honest
with you, i was enjoying
not seeing a new winner,
because they would've
put us in a worse spot.
i want to see corey win but
just not right at this moment.
man, it was damn close,
but, you know, we didn't...
i would have rather gone
down in a ball of flames
and finish 21st than be
content to run second,
'cause you don't get those
opportunities very often.
god, we were up there
all day, had a great car.
great strategy. it
timed out right.
we had ourselves right
where we wanted to be.
is what it is.
still finished 21st.
i was going for it.
you got to. that was fun.
hell yeah, it was fun.
Corey lajoie did
absolutely the right thing.
he seized the moment.
but i'm sure there's huge
disappointment, as well,
because he and the
team have had this race
circled on their calendars...
"this is one of our last
opportunities to prove
that we can make the playoffs,
run for a championship."
and he came so
close to doing it.
In a lot of ways, we
haven't lived up to the goals
that we set for us this year.
but we're gonna try to
finish the year out strong,
and, you know, trying to find
the small victories every week
is what i keep
showing back up for.
we thought you had it,
man. we thought you had it.
- great race, bud.
- attaboy, corey. attaboy.
i moved it, and
somebody moved it.
it was a minivan.
no, you.
are you proud of daddy?
yeah. yeah.
For a driver,
a concussion
is the last thing
that you want to get.
Everything shoulders
down is ready to rip,
and here up, it's unknown.
Just two
spots left on points,
with the playoff cut
line coming quick.
he's got this reputation of,
like, coming out swinging.
that's what we've got to do.
are you nervous?
Blaney's
got the lead.
we're kind of sitting
in the danger zone.
The field
is coming apart.
- everybody is involved.
- unbelievable!
oh, my god!
far about the season
and how everything's
been going?
i think we have had potential.
but i'm not exactly
yet where i want to be.
i think we sort of have
to clean up a few things.
I think the big question
mark for daniel suárez
is can he win in the cup series?
we have seen so many
different winners this season.
- holy crap!
- yeah, boy!
- hell yeah, you are the man!
- good job! whoo!
- yeah, we did it!
- yeah! yes!
His name's not
in that bucket yet.
he's had fast cars,
but he just seems to not be
able to shake the bad luck.
it's one thing after
another, after another.
and it's like, he's right there,
and then something
inevitably happens
that keeps him
from victory lane.
what do you want to
do for dinner tonight?
always very decisive.
ever since i met daniel,
i realized what a such
a genuine person he is.
first of all, he's very
kind. he's very intelligent.
just his work ethic
is so admirable.
and the fact that he
really goes after his dream
and works so hard for it.
and, you know, i get to see
the daniel behind the scenes.
until suárez wins the
race at this level,
there's going to
be people wondering
whether he's capable
of actually doing it
and whether that potential
is going to be fulfilled.
and his teammate,
ross chastain,
he's got two wins this
year, and suárez doesn't.
that doesn't look
good for daniel.
are you finding
it annoying yet
that people are always saying,
"don't worry, it's coming,"
or, "you'll get it soon"?
yeah, but i can't focus
on that. i have to focus
on what i can control and
the work i have to do.
i feel like, once you get it,
it's going to be one less
thing for people to talk about.
well, let's do it this
weekend. get done with it.
nascar wants to have a
presence in california.
sonoma, in wine country,
represents that
perfect opportunity.
and it's in a big market
in the san francisco area.
a lot of attention on
it. it's a great track,
great racing, and plus,
you get to drink some wine.
i love seeing you
win last year.
- yeah?
- well, all the wins were great.
yeah. hometown wins
are always the best.
yeah.
sonoma really is a home
race for kyle larson.
he was born 80 miles away
in elk grove, california.
began racing at seven.
by the time he was a teenager,
he was a top outlaw kart racer
running out of
cycleland speedway
in chico, california.
I look forward
to going to sonoma.
i get to go home, really,
and see friends and
family and race fans
i don't get to see
often. it's really cool.
it's the only track
on the circuit
that i sell more merchandise
than chase elliott does
throughout the year.
so it shows that i have
a lot of support there
from the hometown fans,
and i can definitely feel it,
and it definitely drives me
to try and do a good job.
thank you, bro.
appreciate it, man.
- thanks.
- have a great day.
thank you so much.
you are awesome.
we're so happy to watch
your career take off.
thank you. your name's chase,
and you got a kyle
shirt. i like that.
- best of luck to you today.
- yeah, thanks.
yeah, nice meeting you.
see you, chase. see ya.
kyle larson is a
hugely talented driver,
and he won 10 races in 2021.
- and here comes larson.
- another opportunity for larson
to get a huge run.
- larson to the bottom of
the track.
- side job!
- trying to take the lead away.
- he was the driver of the year.
this year, not been the case.
got that win in fontana.
but the expectation
for this team
is that they are winning races
and contending for
the championship.
California, i have
always seen as part of myself.
there's a lot of
hispanics there,
so i feel like it's
been part of my house.
we had daniel's amigos there.
i have my people, you know,
because that's what
they are, you know.
they are my people.
i feel that this
is extra special
just because they make
me feel like home,
and i make them feel
like home, as well.
it's not only the people they
are wildly excited about,
daniel suárez, when
he comes to town.
but his background is
road course racing,
so i think he feels like this
is a very good place for him
to get that first cup win.
the nascar cup series playoffs
are essentially tied to winning.
there are 16 slots.
any driver that wins a race
qualifies for the playoffs.
the other way is just by
being consistent and amassing
as many points as you can.
there's normally not
this many winners
by the midpoint of the season.
you can find yourself
on the outside
if enough drivers win races,
so it's looking
increasingly like he
might have to win to
make the playoffs.
Sonoma raceway,
the perfect setting for
america's best drivers,
hitting the road on
this road course.
alex bowman's your
new boyfriend?
you don't like
william anymore?
i do! okay. okay.
You can get
doored. you can get bumpered.
you can get shoved
into the tire barrier.
lots of things can happen.
drivers...
start your engines!
we're going to go 110 laps
here. that's 219 miles.
everybody puts
emphasis on these road course
races now, and now we have
more of them than ever.
Fans
are on their feet.
we are ready to race
here at sonoma today.
And
here they come.
Green, green, green.
They go door
to door through turn one.
climb the hill to
turn number two.
Still right side,
all clear, all clear.
nice lead for larson. great
start to the race here.
My car
feels pretty good.
i remember, you know,
being able to gap chase.
2.1 back to
chase. 3.8 to third.
Suárez able
to make a clean pass,
move him up to
fifth into the s's.
My car was okay. i
wasn't 100% happy with it,
but i didn't hate it either.
i feel like, in the beginning,
we're probably a top 7 car.
we made a couple adjustments
to try to help that.
And now chase
elliott takes the green flag.
he's got the lead, but chastain
draws even with chris buescher
as they head to turn number two.
ross chastain goes
around in turn number 7,
trying to catch his
teammate, daniel suárez.
He spun himself
out. all clear here.
I thought, okay,
we have a top 5 car.
it's not perfect,
but i think i can give
them a fight with this.
Chris buescher
is going to lead the field
back to green.
We don't have
to win it right here.
we do not have
one more pit stop.
long way to go.
All right. i pace
car's off. it's all you.
we restarted second,
and i had a good jump.
he did, as well, and
we fight side by side.
Door to
door through turn 1.
they take that left-hander
head up to right-hand
turn number two,
suárez door to door with
him. still side by side.
suárez is going to have
the preferred inside line.
He locked him up.
buescher locks him up,
swings it way wide.
suárez comes out
of 4 with the lead.
All clear.
we know he can
drive a road course,
and he's driving this
one great right now.
After that, i was
able to dictate the race,
push as hard as i
needed to push...
Running hard
here, run hard here.
defend what i need to defend.
Suárez
is extremely smooth
right here at this
section of the racetrack.
In a career
that's had ups and downs,
you're kind of wondering, how
is he going to lose this race?
I know a lot of
drivers are that way.
they say, like, "what is
going to go wrong this time?"
i don't think that.
Three, two,
one. four tires.
A good stop,
the boys got it done.
just four tires for the 99.
That was a fast stop.
On the side,
you'll be going on the jack.
four tires.
go hard, go hard,
go hard. go hard.
coming right side.
Kyle larson
off the racetrack.
Oh, no.
- we just lost a tire, i think.
- we did?
half a turn. they've
been tight all day.
- yeah.
- and then that one just didn't.
This will
result in one of nascar's
costliest penalties
to this team.
tough break for kyle larson
and that hendrick crew.
daniel suárez, the leader,
hasn't won in 195 starts.
- you've done a great job, man.
- yeah, buddy. thank you.
keep it up.
- you got this, man.
It was going to
be tough to hold the 17.
i knew that we were
going to have to battle
hard to be able to win.
Green flag is
out. suárez gets a good jump.
Clear 17 here, clear.
Daniel
suárez on the point.
it was really a race
between two cars.
One turn at
a time right here.
i was pushing hard because
i knew he was close.
Locks up the
brake just a little bit.
He was better
than me in the short run.
Chris buescher's
putting the pressure on.
I knew that, in the long
run, i was going to be better.
Daniel is out front,
and it's just lap after lap
of having to hit his
marks absolutely perfect.
Wow. it is
certainly the pressure
building on daniel suárez.
don't panic. for
daniel suárez,
that's what he has
to believe in now.
don't panic. don't let me do
something to get this race away.
and i was thinking about
every single moment,
every single sacrifice,
every single person
that has helped me
to get to that point.
Daniel suárez
is a nascar cup winner.
Attaboy! yeah!
yeah! look out!
so damn proud of you.
awesome job, buddy.
awesome job, man.
love you, buddy.
i love you! i love you!
! thank you! thank you!
My journey hasn't
been easy, you know.
coming from a different
country. a lot of ups and downs.
and a lot of people
thought that i was over.
everybody wanted to see
that 99 go to victory lane.
one of the biggest wins,
hands down, for the industry
in a very long time.
that's a weekend and a week
that i will never forget.
it's been a long time coming.
you know, i've seen daniel
in the lowest of lows,
and now i get to see him
in the highest of highs.
so happy for him. he's, like,
the most deserving winner.
- oh. so happy.
- thank you, brother.
- thank you, man.
- drink a little wine.
- thank you, brother.
- yeah.
I swear, if they
would have weighed him
on the scales afterwards,
he would have been
about 100 lighter
because he had been carrying
that weight all year
and probably for
a number of years.
proud of daniel,
proud of travis.
both first-time winners,
both cars in the playoffs.
i mean, i continue
to live a dream
that just doesn't make sense.
The job is not done yet,
and i believe that we can make
it a very, very magical season.
we have to keep pushing.
the most important part of
the season is coming up.
it's just for fun.
if they don't...
owen is kind of on the fence
all the time, which is fine.
i told him the other day
that he doesn't have the race
if he doesn't want to.
audrey really wants to do it.
oh, i hear. how's
it look, audrey?
owen, are you hiding
your hair since...
he took scissors to
himself yesterday.
what?
you look like a dork.
i need a haircut!
my dad had a friend that
he worked with that he had,
like, a little dirt track.
that's kind of what i
got my start out in.
i think it's cool that i get
to see my kids experience
the things that i
got to experience.
so slot cars,
go-karts, any racing.
they're into the same things
that i was into as a kid.
where'd you get this pillow?
on the couch.
after a disappointing
finish at sonoma,
it's good to come out here
and just play with the kids
and spend quality
time with them.
it helps take your mind off
it. not that our race was bad.
but we had misfortunes.
Kyle larson
off the racetrack.
Oh, no.
good job, audrey.
being smooth.
- what's wrong?
- you turn it off?
the next-gen car has
really created this layer
of unpredictability
that's led to a lot
of new winners this year,
and, so, larson really
hasn't had his dominance.
But do not pull on
superman's cape too much
because he will snap back.
it's already turned
all the way up
because the screw backed out.
told you i'm not a mechanic.
i think you walk this
way a little bit.
and then walk
straight a little bit.
stop. into the dog poop.
We've been together
for, it's over two years.
i've kind of always been a
loner, and it's been great
to kind of turn a
house into a home.
- you come out here all the time.
- yeah.
- love it.
- i love coming out here.
i like watching
these guys work.
honestly, i never really had
a committed relationship,
you know, serious
relationship for extended
periods of time before that.
i was just kind of waiting
for the right person.
i feel like we
inspire one another,
just kind of get creative,
and then we feed off
each other's ideas,
and then we created this.
when i first met him, he was
very shy, reserved, quiet.
so i'm like, okay,
i'm the opposite.
i'm going to be the one
making all the conversations,
calling him, finding
things to talk about.
but once we really got
to know each other,
he has the best personality
i've ever found in someone.
he's so funny. he's so goofy.
my "star wars" trinkets
that were around the house
are gone now, so
that's one of the...
honestly, that's one
of the biggest things.
but it's been nice for me,
too, to be a part of it
ever since i moved,
'cause it makes it more
of my house feeling, too.
it definitely makes you
miss home more knowing
you're coming home
to people and animals
that want you to be there
and look forward
to you getting home
and that miss you
and you miss them.
so, yeah, that, that
dynamic definitely changes.
and then, you become
more of a homebody.
i don't plan on going
anywhere any time soon.
so i have a job for a
little while longer,
so i feel like we can
be here for a long time.
i get to see his
real personality,
not what the camera always sees
or people see at the track.
a bad race,
most people would think
he'd come home really upset,
pretty pissed off, frustrated.
and i'm proud of him
because he'll come home
and say, "it's just part of it.
now i need to focus
on the next race."
This season is
unlike any in recent memory.
Kyle larson is struggling.
ryan blaney can't
find victory lane.
there's more winners
than ever before.
and guys like corey
lajoie and teams
of that caliber,
they have hope
that they can realistically
get to the playoffs.
because of the number of
different winners nascar
has seen this season
and the success we've
seen younger teams have...
- hell yeah, baby!
- holy cow!
Daniel suárez
is toast of the town.
Spire has to
be disappointed.
There's a little
bit of extra pressure,
just winning in general,
of wanting to win
just to pay back a little bit
everything that people have done
for me to get me here, you know,
and to be able to to win in
the cup series would be huge.
not only for my family,
but just for everybody
that's had a hand
of getting me here.
all right, friends,
i am corey lajoie,
and i only have one friend
in the studio with me today,
and that is my dear friend,
analyst mr. ryan flores.
how was your weekend?
did some racing.
i talked to you on pit
road sunday morning.
yeah. sunday before the race.
shortly before you
were in the garage.
dude, it's been
a tough stretch.
and some guy hit me with a stat
that, in the last seven races,
we have only finished
better than 34th twice.
geez.
we have had an issue in five
of the last seven races.
that's a stat.
that is a stat.
feel like as though
we've left about 88
to 90 points on the table,
which would probably be 25th,
26th in points, which blows.
that's part of it.
stats don't lie, and a
lot of guys were saying,
"hey, we're not going
to get 16 winners."
well, guys, hmm, i don't know.
the only way corey lajoie's
gonna make the playoffs
is if he wins a race
on a superspeedway,
whether it's in
atlanta or daytona,
that kind of type track.
People don't
expect corey to win races.
i said at the
beginning of the year,
i thought that
they could win one,
and i still believe that,
and we're going to find out.
there's a lot of
stuff coming up
that could be really,
really interesting.
watch that 7 car
sneak up in there,
really "f" things
up for everybody.
Nashville, tennessee.
music city welcomes
nascar and with it
a 10-race scramble
to see who can make the
2022 cup series playoffs.
nascar has almost a
second home in nashville.
music, rock and roll, good
time. it's just nascar.
and the fans seem like they love
it when nascar rolls into town.
everybody decent?
hey.
- how are you?
- hey, good. how are you?
i figured i'd see
a whole group.
i started watching corey
in the arca k&n series.
he would take cars that i
didn't think were as good
as what he was racing against,
and he would beat people.
he earned every
inch that he got.
so what's going on?
getting ready to go, man.
i think the season, this
point, has been a little bit
underwhelming because these
cars are fickle with the limited
amount of resources we got.
we've missed it a little bit.
yeah, there's some
glimpses, though.
i try to tell him
not to lose sight
of what an incredible
opportunity
he is in right now.
they're improving
and having opportunities
to not only run up front,
but win races.
they weren't there a
couple of years ago.
in another year or two,
they could be right there.
i think, man, you just got to
keep doing what you're doing.
it's easy to get
impatient with,
like, "when's somebody
going to call me?"
yeah. it's always easy
to look over the fence,
like, in home
improvement and see,
you know, the neighbor's
grass is always greener.
you don't know what's going
to happen in the next four
or five years. yeah.
you might actually be sitting
exactly where you need to be.
any seat at the table right
now on a sunday afternoon
is hard to keep, hard
to get, for sure.
i've stopped looking
over the fence
if the grass was
greener a long time ago.
he has a lot to be happy with
and be proud about right now.
and i think he's humble
and authentic enough
to really understand that,
you know, you worked your
tail off to get this chance.
yeah.
and don't don't forget how
valuable what you have is.
no, that is good.
i don't probably have
to tell him that.
i think he knows it, but it's
good to hear it once in a while.
appreciate it. hey,
talk good about me.
i will. always do, baby.
yeah.
just remember all them boys
sitting in them million-dollar
motor homes all week
just getting weak.
soft. go up there and
take it from them today.
There's a
long list of drivers
trying to get their first win.
12 winners have already
claimed a spot in the playoffs.
the pressure is on because of
that to get in and get a win.
time is running out.
Nashville, there's
nothing else like it.
this is different.
it's kind of deceiving
'cause it's so wide.
you think you can go faster
than what you actually can
getting in the corners.
you're gonna haul the mail
down the straightaways
and then use a ton of brake
to slow down and get
around the corner.
First time for
this car at nashville.
what's in front of
us? we don't know.
green flag in the air.
denny hamlin leads
them on the break.
oh, the 7 car, lajoie
up the racetrack.
way back in the pack,
man, the racing is fierce.
41 laps complete.
Lightning in the area.
A red-flag
condition now for lightning.
within seven miles
of the racetrack,
a mandatory 30-minute delay.
Nashville's super hot.
so a lot of guys were
thankful for a 30-minute break
to let the cars cool off a bit.
Fans on
their feet once again
as we get ready to
go back to racing.
Green, green,
green, green, green.
Raindrops around
the speedway starting to fall.
Caution's
out. caution's out.
Another
lightning strike.
this is terrible.
We are
under a rain delay,
so we are gonna wait it out.
it was kind of a weird race.
you're racing in
the heat of the day,
so you kind of set
your car up for that.
the track cools off,
and the sun goes down.
it's turning into a night race.
completely changes
what you're working on.
It's a little bit
of a guessing game, right?
like, what's this
track gonna be like?
how do we figure this out?
and it's basically a fresh
track when these guys restart.
Back to
racing in nashville.
they are wide open here
at the mile and a third.
boy, how about these toyotas?
one, two, three, four right
now, the battle for the lead.
ryan blaney looks like
one of the few cars
that can contend
with those turns,
but he's been
dropping like a rock.
Lap 188,
pit lane is open.
up, up, up, up.
Jack it up,
jack it up, jack it up.
go, go, go.
Under the
stage-two caution,
they had a hang-up
on the left rear.
all the way back to 25th.
things going seriously
wrong for the 12 car here.
what was it?
just got
jammed in there sideways.
One out back,
still two in front.
Oh, the 12!
Hold on to
it. hold on to it.
Coming up
on the final 56 laps
of the nascar cup
series ally 400
from nashville superspeedway.
One out back,
still two in front.
Oh, the 12!
he's gonna hit the wall.
blaney in trouble.
but he does a great job
of hanging on to the car.
into the grass, and
the caution comes out.
ryan blaney, what a ride.
that was a great save,
to be honest with you.
he almost gets his
teammate right here. whoa!
a terrific job saving that
car from major damage,
but now he's got a lot
of spots to make up.
green flag back in the air.
chase elliott moving
forward in this field.
first time we've really
seen him up in the top five.
it was just 85 laps ago
he was sideways, sliding
through the grass.
but ryan blaney has worked his
way back up into the top 10,
running in the ninth position.
Caution's out.
caution's out. caution's out.
you get a late caution, right?
and so it's all
about pit strategy.
do you pit? do you not pit?
- oh, split decision.
- chase stayed out.
- kyle busch.
- and a lot stay out behind him.
This is
gonna be interesting.
staying out. stay out.
10-4.
before the last caution,
i think i was 11th.
you have no shot to
win at that point.
so you come down pit road, and
it kind of made it a no-brainer
for us to restart
third where we did.
Only four laps
to go from nashville.
chase elliott, kurt busch,
and a great restart for both.
blaney has moved up to third.
and contacted into the wall.
brad keselowski
gets into the wall.
They're wrecking. stay
low, stay low, stay low.
keep braking.
no yellow, no
yellow. keep going.
Chase elliott
looking for his second win
of the 2022 season.
chase elliott wins!
elliott over kurt busch,
blaney, larson, and chastain.
Good job, man. p3.
well, good job.
so we gain a spot
in the points.
ryan's had a weird season.
like, you step back and you
look at the point standing.
he's second in points.
he's led a bunch of races.
he's had a really,
really good year.
statistically, great year.
the problem, however,
there's one thing missing
from his résumé,
and that's a win.
and in this playoff format,
winning is everything.
and if you can't win a race,
well, you can still get
in the playoffs by points,
but there's no guarantees.
It wasn't
pretty, but top 20.
way to hustle, boys.
appreciate the hard work.
It was okay.
you know, i hoped for
a little bit higher.
thought we had a little
better speed than that.
we kind of lost the handle
when it went to night.
we finished it. that's
all that matters.
uhh!
do you get nervous with
atlanta being reconfigured?
do i get nervous at daytona?
yeah, you read a
book the entire time
and don't watch any of it.
yeah.
Corey
lajoie is a winner.
when he was on his uptick,
it was kyle larson,
corey lajoie, chase elliott,
ryan blaney, bubba wallace.
but the problem
is, his trajectory
hasn't been with the
same caliber of teams.
we haven't really had our
strategy meeting of...
the team wanting
me to ride around
and not wreck and run seventh.
but i'm not gonna
quite heed to that.
good luck.
for me, as bad as the last two
months have been at the track,
like, finishing fifth
doesn't do it for me.
like, i could care less.
If you're corey,
you're kind of auditioning
for that next big opportunity.
so winning a race
is a game-changer.
13 different winners...
that means three spots left
on the playoff grid,
which is unheard of.
guys that are lower in
points... corey lajoie,
ricky stenhouse jr.,
brad keselowski...
are ultimately in a
must-win situation.
Corey lajoie's
season, i think,
has been a little
bit disappointing
because the next gen was
gonna be his best hope
for showing that he
belonged in the cup series.
but there's still
that element of,
"how hard do i race,
but yet how much
do i also want to be
mindful of this team
trying to establish
itself for the long term?"
it's the balance of, do you
trash a $300,000 racecar
'cause you're trying
to be aggressive and...
try to get that payout,
probably the million and a half,
$2 million difference
in terms of winning
and getting yourself
in the playoffs,
or are you okay with conceding
and finishing 8th, 10th,
miss the wrecks and ride
around and take the paycheck?
and i've been that for the first
couple speedways so far, and...
i'm not gonna do that.
We are certainly
looking for a great show today
here at atlanta motor speedway.
atlanta motor speedway was
repaved and reconfigured
for the 2022 season.
the intent was to take
a mile-and-a-half track
and make it race like
2 1/2-mile daytona,
2.66-mile talladega.
It's more
like a baby daytona.
you can go three wide.
it's a little bit more sketchy
than it previously was.
You're gonna be
on your feet a whole lot more
than you're in your seat today.
- can i get a picture?
- please, please, picture.
made my day, sir.
Eight races
left in the regular season,
and the playoff picture
is heating up, too.
spots to get in without a
win are dwindling quickly.
today, another wild-card race
that could see yet
another new winner.
tyler reddick is gonna win his
first-ever cup series race.
Tyler reddick's
win at road america
really changes the
complexion of the playoffs.
there could be 16 winners.
ryan blaney... magnificent
year, great year,
second in points, may
not make the playoff.
it's crazy.
with this season
and this new car,
i mean, people jump up there
and win right out of the blue
who maybe haven't
had the best season,
but they have a great race
and they win and they're in.
let's do it.
let's have some
fun today, fellas.
have fun, make sure
we're there at the end.
- check, check.
- yes, sir, got you.
Atlanta!
y'all ready?
Alright, go
ahead. fire it up.
Alright,
buddy, have some fun.
i'll see you in 25.
The greatest
racecar fans in georgia
are on their feet.
pace cars heading
to the pit road.
we're ready to get
it on in georgia.
time to start the second half
of the 2022 nascar season
here at atlanta motor speedway
in the quaker state 400...
260 laps of intense competition.
green flag out.
blaney's gonna work to
the outside of hamlin
with a push from elliott.
give blaney the advantage here
as he arcs out to the high
line of the exit in turn 2.
they are neck and neck.
ryan blaney is your
leader for now.
Our car was pretty
decent. i was a little loose.
but able to stay up
towards the front.
chase was really quick all day.
he could make some
pretty spectacular moves.
so noticing that, what
his car did so good,
you try to take of, you know,
"what do i need to do better?"
Ryan blaney backed up
to tyler reddick's rear bumper
on the front quad.
in his tire tracks,
chase elliott.
ty dillon spins to the
inside, nails the inside wall.
It's evident that
this track is gonna race
exactly like daytona
and talladega,
which means you have a lot more
opportunity for large wrecks
'cause the cars are
running closer together.
that makes it a lot more
likely that a lot more drivers
are gonna crash and
increase that danger level.
Green, green, green.
Chase elliott
moves to the lead
and opens up a
car-length advantage.
Going into
the speedway races,
you kind of understand
what they are
and you understand that
you might get wiped out
and it's none of your fault.
you just got involved
in someone else's mess.
Trouble
in turn number two.
chase briscoe, it's
a lazy spin around.
Easy, easy, easy,
easy, easy, easy, easy, easy.
Trouble... we got
seven cars here stacking it up.
atlanta is about putting
yourself in position
to be there at the end,
which means you have
to dodge these wrecks
that are inevitably going to
happen on this tight track
that is racing like
a superspeedway
like daytona or talladega.
corey did that.
he put himself in a position
where he was able to
avoid these wrecks.
he gradually put himself in
position where he was up front
and could take the lead
towards the end of the race.
Pace
car on pit road.
green flag displayed
to the field.
78 laps to go here in atlanta.
chastain continues
to lead the way.
got to give a shout-out to the
guy running third right now,
corey lajoie.
it has been a season of
misery for that young man.
but right now he is riding
third and looking good.
we executed today
start to finish.
we had a really fast car,
and we found ourselves third,
which was pretty wild.
if corey lajoie wins a race,
you might as well
shut down for a week,
because the party is
gonna be out of control.
Do you dare
believe the glass slipper
will fit cinderella today
at atlanta motor speedway?
Here we go.
corey lajoie has
improved 29 positions
to be the leader of this
race with 66 laps to go.
green flag is back out.
The number-7 team hit
their strides in atlanta.
they put together as close
to a perfect race as possible
to position corey to get
to the end of the race
and have a shot at victory lane.
At daytona and
talladega, it's wide enough,
you can kind of get three
wide and you can make moves
and pull a lane.
atlanta, you just can't do that.
you know, if you get stuck
in a fifth or sixth row,
you aren't going anywhere.
you're just riding around.
Chastain now
driving hard on the inside.
can't take the lead.
still on the outside.
lajoie is at the point.
When you're in it, man,
you're just trying to get every spot.
that car had a ton of
speed through the corners.
it was handling well.
i was nervous, you
know, just because
it's gonna come down to
green-and-white checkered
and you don't know
who your friends are
at that point in
time, which is nobody.
Elliott's gonna
look inside again, and he does.
he gets to the quarter
panel, he gets to the door,
and he gets clear in front.
move chase elliott in the
napa chevrolet to the lead.
but lajoie fights back outside.
i was gonna say, not so fast.
lajoie is enjoying
that out front,
but he's gonna have to really
get with the program now.
elliott... bottom
of the racetrack.
he's gonna advance
forward by a car length.
he's gonna slide up
in front of lajoie,
and the 9 is back in the lead.
lajoie looks down low.
he's gonna go up inside,
drive down with elliott,
and clear him, and elliott
does a cross-over move
right across chastain
to look for the lead.
wow, look at that go.
good racing up front.
chase elliott with
his hands full.
three laps to go in
the quaker state 400.
4 1/2 miles left here
today to decide the issue.
corey lajoie gets the
jump on the inside.
pulls a half-car-length
advantage over...
elliott on the outside.
the 9 got to my right rear
corner and got the lead.
but i told myself going in, if
i find myself in this position,
you got to do whatever it takes.
And the white flag.
it's chase elliott,
corey lajoie.
lajoie goes high.
elliott up to block.
lajoie in the wall.
chase elliott has indeed
won this race today...
the quaker state 400.
he's always wanted to win a
cup race on his home track,
and he has finally done it.
your runs only come once,
so had to take it
when it was there.
i wasn't able to commit to
the bottom like i wanted to.
the 9 was able to cover...
cover the run to the top.
um, you know, the
rest is history.
It stinks
when you don't win
and you're in this position
at the end of the day.
we've had a good year,
and it's not over yet.
ryan blaney will
tell you, like,
"i'm having a really,
really good year.
but the way this
season is going,
i may not make the playoffs
despite my brilliance."
i'm gonna be honest
with you, i was enjoying
not seeing a new winner,
because they would've
put us in a worse spot.
i want to see corey win but
just not right at this moment.
man, it was damn close,
but, you know, we didn't...
i would have rather gone
down in a ball of flames
and finish 21st than be
content to run second,
'cause you don't get those
opportunities very often.
god, we were up there
all day, had a great car.
great strategy. it
timed out right.
we had ourselves right
where we wanted to be.
is what it is.
still finished 21st.
i was going for it.
you got to. that was fun.
hell yeah, it was fun.
Corey lajoie did
absolutely the right thing.
he seized the moment.
but i'm sure there's huge
disappointment, as well,
because he and the
team have had this race
circled on their calendars...
"this is one of our last
opportunities to prove
that we can make the playoffs,
run for a championship."
and he came so
close to doing it.
In a lot of ways, we
haven't lived up to the goals
that we set for us this year.
but we're gonna try to
finish the year out strong,
and, you know, trying to find
the small victories every week
is what i keep
showing back up for.
we thought you had it,
man. we thought you had it.
- great race, bud.
- attaboy, corey. attaboy.
i moved it, and
somebody moved it.
it was a minivan.
no, you.
are you proud of daddy?
yeah. yeah.
For a driver,
a concussion
is the last thing
that you want to get.
Everything shoulders
down is ready to rip,
and here up, it's unknown.
Just two
spots left on points,
with the playoff cut
line coming quick.
he's got this reputation of,
like, coming out swinging.
that's what we've got to do.
are you nervous?
Blaney's
got the lead.
we're kind of sitting
in the danger zone.
The field
is coming apart.
- everybody is involved.
- unbelievable!
oh, my god!