KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 CREDIT ONE BANK CHEVROLET SS - Sidelined with engine failure on Lap 77
WHAT WAS THE FIRST INDICATION SOMETHING WAS WRONG WITH THE ENGINE?
"I felt it drop a cylinder or something. So, it's disappointing way to finish our race and probably our season, but we'll be all right."
THIS SCENARIO OF THINGS THAT COULD HAPPEN TODAY WAS PROBABLY NOWHERE ON THE LIST FOR YOU. WILL YOU SIT AND WATCH THE POINTS AND SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT, OR WHAT?
"Yeah, obviously I'm going to watch and just cross my fingers and pray to anything I can pray to. But, I don't think 29 points is enough. So, it's disappointing, but we've had a good year. I've got to thank Credit One Bank and Target and everybody that's been involved. It sucks to have the engine failure, but it is what it is."
AFTER A SEASON OF WORK LIKE THIS, TO END SO SUDDENLY, WHAT'S THE EMOTION LIKE RIGHT NOW?
"I don't know. I guess it's sinking in as each second passes by. But I don't know. Things happen. You look at the past playoffs and the No. 78 (Martin Truex, Jr.) had an engine issue last year and he was the best car all year; and then us, this year. So, it's disappointing. But there's still a long race left to go and maybe we can get lucky."
WAS THERE ANY INDICATION SOMETHING WAS GOING WRONG?
"Well it just dropped a cylinder 10 laps ago or so and then it suddenly got worse and finally blew up. I hate that we blew an engine and probably blew our shot at the championship, but luck is a big factor of our sport."
IS THERE ANY PART OF YOU THAT IS HOLDING OUT HOPE?
"Yeah, I mean, yeah, I am hoping that something happens. I guess you hate to have or hope for bad things to happen to other people, but right now I kind of am. It just stinks, but it is what it is."
TALK ABOUT GIVING THE TEAM DIAGNOSTICS:
"Just on the diagnostics page and trying to read them whatever code to help them learn what was going on with the engine. But, I don't know you are not going to read a magic potion and have your engine start running better. Oh well."
DID YOU KNOW IT WAS FATAL AT THE TIME?
"Yeah, I knew as soon as I felt it or heard it I was probably done."
ARE YOU JUST COMPLETELY STUNNED?
"I don't know. I guess, I'm not stunned because freak things happen in every sport. I mean you look at every year in the past and a lot of times, most every time at least in the new Playoff format era not always does the best team win. Not saying we are the best team, but we have been one of the contenders all season long. So, I'm not stunned, because it is a long 10 race Playoff season, so anything can happen, but we have had a solid Playoffs. We have been consistent and just now got bit."
WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT HAPPENED?
"I don't know I was thinking ... oh crap, this sucks... but I don't know 29 points isn't going to be enough."
YOU WIN FOUR RACES IN A SEASON JUST HOW PAINFUL IS THAT?
"It's painful."
WOULD IT BE MORE PAINFUL IF THERE WAS SOMETHING YOU COULD DO ABOUT IT PERSONALLY? IT WASN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU DID, YOU JUST HAVE TO LIVE WITH IT I GUESS AND HOPE THAT MAYBE SOMEHOW...
"Yeah, I don't know. Either way you go about it, it stinks. A part of me, I guess, will maybe be thankful that it wasn't on my doing, but I don't know it sucks."
IS THIS ONE OF THE HARDEST PARTS IN RACING TO HAVE A PARTS FAILURE?
"Yeah, I mean part failures, I don't know I keep saying everything sucks. I don't really know how to answer these because it's the same answer for every question."
--- Team Chevy ---