Podium Press Conference: 2026 High Limit Racing Joker's Jackpot At Eldora Speedway

Hear from the top three after the $100,000-to-win Joker's Jackpot for Interstate Batteries High Limit Racing.

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Video Transcript

Yeah, I mean, sometimes on, on the restarts like that, you can create a little turbulence behind the, for the cars behind you.

But I just have a rhythm here that I always try to search for in three and four, and to find that groove of, like, sticking the right sides of my car, where I don't have to necessarily commit to the wall, you know, just 'cause it's such a treacherous corner in three and four.

So, I was really searching for that, especially on the restart with lower tire pressures, and I just kept spinning and spinning, and I knew I was in a little bit of trouble.

So if I were to redo it all, I'd probably take off on the cushion, time the start a little better, and then get a huge run down the front stretch.

But it was, you know, a, a tricky race to manage there leading.

Kyle, ran a very patient race.

You dropped back to third.

Rico got a great start from fourth, made her back to fourth, and, ran a very patient race just to claw your way back to the front, very methodical.

Does that kind of When you get passed like that and slip back to fourth on the start, I mean, normally a lot of guys would lose their minds.

What were your thoughts in the car, and were you just content to be patient?

Well, I mean, I wasn't anticipating Rico getting such a good start behind me.

So I, I kinda told myself, you know, "If Corey gets the lead, don't Be patient," because he's It's easy You know, I can run the wall like him, but it's easy to get baited into doing that, and I don't really wanna do it for 35 laps.

So when I fell back to third, I'm like, "All right, now I just gotta kinda be extra patient."

And Logan Well, Sunshine actually was poking inside, and I tried that, and then Logan got by, and I really thought I was kind of in trouble at that point.

But then, I'm not sure if Rico started catching traffic, but it kinda brought us all to him and slowed the pace down, and was able to get by Logan.

And then Corey was kinda trying to create things and, you know, slipping on exit, which, you know, allowed me to be able to run to slide him, and then, you know, got racing with him for a few laps before he got in the wall.

And then, yeah, that, that led into the restart, and was just hoping to be within striking distance to do something.

And I don't exactly remember how it all played out, 'cause there was a lot of slide jobs.

But, yeah, I was just able to You know, Rico didn't get as good of a one and two, and then that kinda allowed me to, to just build some stuff behind him, watch what he was gonna do, and, and react to it.

For Rico and Kyle, what's it like racing each other at this track?

You guys have, have had two electric battles the last two nights.

It, it just seems like it's haymaker after haymaker after haymaker.

What's the opinion for that?

Yeah, I mean, I feel like we have a really, high level of respect for each other's craft out on the racetrack.

And, you know, growing up watching each other, studying each other's styles, like, you know, the thresholds to these race cars and then how close you can get and how hard you can race each other.

And, like, I was actually excited with last night's race, and I felt like the announcers, like, made it like it was an enemy rivalry race.

And, you know, that stuff really excites me as a driver.

It really, like, under- allows me to understand, like, race pace and how hard you can push yourself in moments like that.

So, I enjoy it.

I feel like it really raises the bar in the pits, you know, when you race that hard and can try to do it for multiple laps.

Yeah, I mean, same, same for me.

Like, I always have a ton of fun racing with Rico 'cause I feel like in a lot of ways we have a, a similar style but a different way of getting around here.

And, and with that I think creates exciting racing like we saw last night and tonight again.

And, and then you throw in everybody else, you know?

So, that's what makes sprint car racing so cool, is that, you know, we all are running the absolute shit out of these things and, trying to figure out how to be the best.

So, and Rico's probably the most s- one of the most, if not the most successful guy here the last decade.

You know, he's always up there on the podium, so it makes you step up.

Logan, you started to close in on the guys, got up to, got up to third, and, you know, Kyle and I, then you got back to third.

Just, a lot of movement out there.

It just got bunch You'd get close to them.

You just couldn't pull the trigger on anything to get by there up front tonight.

Yeah, I feel like, you know, I said earlier in the year and then when we were here last night that we needed to, to work on being better running the top side of the racetrack.

You know, when we were here in May, Rico and I had a, you know, great battle.

Track was a lot slicker, just running, you know, real slow and slick through the middle.

And, I knew we needed to work on things because I couldn't run the top, in May if, if that's where the racetrack, called for it, and, tonight it did.

So we, we worked on things, you know, Brian, Carly, Bill, to, to make ourselves better, that we could kinda be more versatile.

And we were a lot better.

I feel like towards the, you know, beginning of the race, I could, kind of float through the middle a little bit, you know, hoping that it would maybe slow down and we could get the wing back.

And I feel like if the racetrack got to that way, that we'd be, you know, kinda in the mix.

But, it just, the top never really slowed down.

And, when, when we got to the top, I, I didn't feel like I could kinda be as aggressive as, as these two were.

I'd get, The straighter I drove the car to the cushion, I'd get tight, and then if I tried to get myself kinda loosened up as I got to the corner, I'd just get the left rear out from under me and kinda slide to it and catch it, and that's not always the best thing either.

So, I could kinda stay with them, but never enough that I could kinda pull the trigger and, and maybe make something happen.

So we'll take the, the podium finish tonight and work on things and see what the racetrack gives us the next two nights.

Kyle, I talked to you last night.

Is this You've won a lot of big races.

Is this a little bit of a relief, though, after just the way your week's gone and just to kinda get that off, just put that in the, in the rearview mirror?

Yeah, no, no doubt.

Yeah, it was definitely I was as pumped up for a win as I have been in a long time inside the cockpit.

You know, I might not show it outside, but I was yelling, screaming, fist pumping, all that.

I was, I was really happy just honestly because Paul and Trevor work so hard.

Like, I, I mean, I think they're two of the hardest working guys in the pit area.

You know, most teams have three to four people, be on their cars.

And, you know, most weeks.

This week we had a little bit of extra help , but it's really still Paul and Trevor.

So, and Rico knows the work that they put in and, and it, I just wanna make Like, I wanna do a good job for them.

And, and when I have nights where I screw up and make it, you know, hard on myself and them, it just, it ma- it bums me out.

So then you go out there and kinda reward them with a good run last night, and then, you know, cap it off with a, a six-figure payday, it, it just makes me feel good.

So, I love those guys, and, it's just, I, I really appreciate what they do.

Rico, s- you're so close to one of these things here.

I believe last year you, you had podiums.

I think last year was second in the King's Royal, third in the Joker's Jackpot.

You're flirting with it.

It's just, you're getting close.

We I mean, just to kick the door in, you've gotta be pumped for Saturday.

Yeah.

I mean, anytime I come here I get really excited.

So, I just go with the flow really and, and just race the racetrack and enjoy walking into this, facility and, and getting a hot lap and qualifying and just putting the whole night together.

And I feel like you consistently do that and you'll, you know, cross the checkered flag or the finish line first one day.

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