Stenhouse, JTG Daugherty delight in ‘recognition’ of Daytona 500 win
A prompt care following a tactical pass for the lead on the last lap of the 2nd overtime protected Stenhouse’s win in the NASCAR Cup season opener.
It was a much-needed win for Stenhouse and his group.
Stenhouse had actually last won in 2017– a winless streak of 199 races. While JTG Daugherty’s only previous Cup success had some in 2014 with chauffeur A.J. Allmendinger at Watkins Glen, N.Y.
Both chauffeur and group were seeking to go back to competitors and winning the sport’s most significant race definitely offers a remarkable declaration.
Race winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr., JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet Camaro
Photo by: Ben Earp/ NKP/ Motorsport Images
The roadway to constant success in the Cup Series has actually been a rough one for both motorist and group an outcome such as Sunday’s assists offer verification both are on the ideal course.
” Make no error, this is a fight. The competitors in this series is intense and it’s major, and we are blessed to have the partners that we have and the sponsors that we have,” stated group co-owner Jodi Geschickter. “But it’s a fight and it’s a battle, and it’s tough.
” It’s not for absence of effort. We’ve come truly close, so I attempt not to get our hopes up. When it was the last lap (Sunday night) and there’s another care, I simply believe, ‘Dear Lord, please, no. We require it. We require it, and we require it now. We require it this evening. We require it to occur.’
” And it did.”
Stenhouse, 35, was is a comparable circumstance in his profession.
Despite winning back-to-back titles in the Xfinity Series in 2011 and 2012 with Roush Fenway Racing, he went winless in his very first 4 seasons in Cup.
Then in 2017, Stenhouse made his very first 2 series wins– at Talladega and the Daytona summer season race. That success was short lived as he didn’t win the next 2 years and lost his trip at Roush.
Stenhouse got a 2nd opportunity signing up with JTG Daugherty in 2020, which has actually considering that ended up being a single-car operation. The company had a hard time in 2015 in the launching season for the Next Gen automobile, completing 26 th in the series standings.
” Definitely never ever thought of quiting. I seemed like, yeah, 2017, winning a couple races was substantial for us, however I’ll even recall at that season, and we still weren’t very outstanding,” he stated. “We had our ups and downs. Clearly 2 wins kind of puts a Band-Aid on some of those things that you can neglect.
” But I believe for me, pertaining to JTG Daugherty Racing was a great reset. We had 2 automobiles at the time, relocated to a single-car group, which I believe has actually been useful. We’ve had the ability to put a great deal of concentrate on the No. 47 vehicle, and everyone in the store.”
Stenhouse stated he and the group experienced “a fantastic minute” over the offseason throughout a group lunch.
” They had actually a video created, and it put a few of JTG’s wins therein, my wins therein, and sort of assisted us recognize that– hi, we require these wins together, and recognized that we might do that.
” We’ve both done it in our past, so it’s unique to do it together.”
Sunday’s win now opens a multitude of chances for the company.
Stenhouse is all-but guaranteed an area in the 16- chauffeur playoffs, which supplies a chance for him to win his very first series champion and in turn shines an even larger spotlight on the company and its sponsors.
” You strive, you require to end up things,” Jodi Geschickter stated. “For me, that seems like recognition. That seems like a surface. We required that. Our men required that. Our sponsors required that.
” Kroger individuals have actually been with us for 16 years. They required that. They required to see us in Victory Lane. They required to be there with us. I am simply enjoyed death that we had the ability to do that together.”
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