Gaunt Brothers Racing driver Daniel Suarez was made available to media at Auto Club Speedway:
DANIEL SUAREZ, No. 96 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Toyota Camry, Gaunt Brothers Racing
What do you need to have happen this week after how the race in Las Vegas played out?
“Nothing actually. Las Vegas was actually a very good race for me. A lot of people don’t know this, but I left Las Vegas very happy. The way the team progressed and the way everything went out after that problem in the beginning of the race, I was actually very pleased with the way everything worked out. We have a lot of work to do. We are still building the team, still hiring some people and figuring out a way to get cars and stuff like that. We have to keep working. Right now, I feel like this weekend is going to be tough. I feel like this weekend, having the fact that this race track really needs a lot of downforce and a lot of grip because the race track doesn’t have it, you need to work a lot in the car and unfortunately we just don’t have that. I feel like this is one of those places that I have to work extra hard to make up for everything the car isn’t giving me.”
Would you have had a solid run at Las Vegas if not for what happened at the beginning of the race?
“I think we could have finished somewhere inside the top-22 or top-20. The car was fast enough to do that. We never had track position and we were never contending for that. The lap times and everything were pretty sporty. I feel good about that. We have a lot of work to do. We have to keep working with the group of engineers that we have and the rest of the engineers that we’re missing to be better.”
Is it difficult to be patient?
“It is. Especially for me. I’m not a very patient person. That’s the way it is sometimes. You have to work through various circumstances. I feel very proud to have great people around me. Marty Gaunt (team owner), Toyota and their support behind us and CommScope and Coca-Cola, they’ve been with me for a long time. I feel like I have great people and great companies behind this program. Have to be patient and keep building and keep growing.”
How many people do you have at GBR?
“That’s a good question. It’s still growing every week. Every time I go to the shop or to the garage, I see one newer guy or two more new guys. We are still building the team. I don’t really know the number, maybe 30 people. Still working and trying to build this.”
Toyota Racing PR
