Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Is Finding Stability at JTG-Daugherty Racing
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is finding a sense of balance at JTG-Daugherty Racing in his second year with the organization. Stenhouse has been able to test the NextGen car and form a relationship with his team, some of the things the 33-year-old was unable to do in his first year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What will the last super speedway race of 2021 be like before the NASCAR Cup Series moves to the NextGen car?
“I was in the shop yesterday talking to the guys.” Stenhouse said, “You know, they’re always putting really good details on our superspeedway cars. Brian Pattie’s always trying to make sure they’re perfect and fast and ready to go.”
Stenhouse has earned one top-five finish and two top-10 finishes so far this year, but his last three super speedway results have been outside the top 15.
“I definitely think that there’s a thought in the back of our heads that, hey, we’re not gonna need these cars anymore. We’ve been fortunate enough to make it through some of these speedways lately without major damage, but it’s still hasn’t been great speedway races for us. We’re either battling for the win or kinda riding around waiting for the race to be over.”
“Definitely could get a little crazy knowing that nobody needs these cars again."
Despite the unknown at the 2.66-mile track, Stenhouse can rest easy knowing where he’ll be for the 2022 season. Stenhouse told ESPN’s Bob Pockrass on Thursday that he’ll return for his third year in the No. 47 Chevrolet.
“Definitely back at JTG-Daugherty Racing in the No. 47 Kroger car, so definitely happy about that. Something that we’ve kinda been sitting on for awhile, Just trying to get everything else in place obviously, there’s a lot of moving parts that go along with race teams and specially transitioning to a whole brand new car.
“It’s been a busy few months for our team and they’re continuing to work hard. We’re looking to finish this year off as consistent as we have been. If that’s one thing we’ve been proud of this year, it’s that our consistence is better than what it was. We’re looking to build on that the rest of the races.”
Stenhouse is looking forward to the rest of the year and 2022, where he’ll be the only driver for the organization. Stenhouse finds that that can be both a negative, but more of a positive than anything in his career.
“I definitely think that it could be a negative on one hand and a positive on the other.” Stenhouse said, “Obviously, when you’re practicing and testing and can have more ideas and run different things through both cars, it definitely helps speed the process up. We would also have to share the seat when it comes to testing.”
“I feel like what I look forward in a racecar and what somebody else looks for in a racecar and the way they drive is sometimes totally different. I feel like we’re gonna be able to build the car around me.
