NASCAR CUP SERIES: BRICKYARD 400

July 26, 2026

Bootie Barker

Steve Lauletta

Press Conference

An Interview with:

THE MODERATOR: We're now joined by our winning team members, crew chief Bootie Barker and 23XI president Steve Lauletta.

We'll open it up for questions.

Q. Steve, 23XI now has won three of the last four crown jewel races. What does that say about this organization, where it's going, what it's doing, taking on the established teams?

STEVE LAULETTA: Yeah, I think it shows that the processes that we put in place are working. It shows that the people that are part of 23XI are really special. Continue to surprise me and amaze me on what we've been able to accomplish in a short period of time.

A Daytona 500 and two Brickyard 400 wins in less than six seasons in all honesty shouldn't be happening.

What Michael and Denny's vision from the beginning of what we've tried to do, since Bootie was a part of, since we were 24 people in a leased facility, we've taken a very disciplined approach to how we want to advance that year by year.

It's definitely working. So proud of everybody. We're going to cherish this one, for sure.

Q. Bootie, you got two wins this year. Corey is going full-time next year. How do you not stay on as crew chief?

BOOTIE BARKER: Not my call (smiling).

Q. Steve?

STEVE LAULETTA: Look, they've done a great job working together, no doubt about it. Like I said, all the people in our facility at Airspeed, when we go to the racetrack, we operate at one time. We just took a picture of all four of our teams on the Yard of Bricks. That's how we operate.

We'll put the best team forward, for sure, as we move into next year. He's got more races to go with Corey this year. The focus is on the right now and not as much as 2027.

Q. Bootie, you've worked with a lot of drivers. How does this guy win two of his eight races this year?

BOOTIE BARKER: I think everybody thinks I'm always joking. But, I mean, what I say, he's more talented than anybody else. That is a bit of a -- that's almost being a disservice to some of the great drivers here. That's not the case.

Like all the people we were racing at the end are the best of the best, tremendous. Show much respect to them.

But Corey is there in talent. Corey is also there in work ethic. He's there as far as a mentality. He has all that now. That's no guarantee going forward, but right now he has it.

Also what Steve said, though, he's got us backing him. Our cars, our team. The 67 is not really the 67. It's the 23XI fourth car, I guess, is the best way to say it. So I can name so many people from all our organization that helped me. I got two jobs at 23XI, you know? Crew chief and whatever the title of the other thing is. My point is, I work on everybody's stuff.

STEVE LAULETTA: Pain in the neck (smiling).

BOOTIE BARKER: Yeah. It's the same, our structure is such that everybody contributes.

Q. Is there any part of you that is surprised?

BOOTIE BARKER: No. If we would have had a better metric in qualifying, we would have won more already.

Q. Bootie, seeing Corey maintain his poise in the last run, what did you see from him in terms of keeping his head on straight and being able to fend off two really strong drivers?

BOOTIE BARKER: To win this race, you have to start as an organization months ago or years ago. This has been in the making for years. This is the most difficult race to win. So affording you must have everything right and make no mistakes. You have to execute the whole weekend.

So even when he got the front back, here the problem is, if you're in traffic, to be good, you tend to be tight. When you get up front, you're going to be loose. It's the same for everybody.

There's not so much I can do about it. In other words, when he was in position, he knew how disciplined, he was able, the mental fortitude, to nail every corner. It was difficult. I'm telling you what he just did was incredibly difficult.

It's kind of what it takes.

Q. Steve, these are two of the biggest races of the summer. For Corey to come out and show up for these particular races, he has more time to prepare because he's not in the week-to-week grind, for him to show up at these moments, what does that say about what he brings to the table?

STEVE LAULETTA: Bootie mentioned it, Denny has many times before. That's why Denny has had his eye on him and why Toyota has invested in Corey as much.

His approach, his work ethic, his race craft. Just the amount of discipline that he has and maturity that he has just really shows in all of his preparation. The relationship he's built with everybody at Airspeed, with the other drivers. I just think he's mature beyond his years and it's showing in a very quick way.

Q. Bootie, this is your second win of the year. The first time you've had two Cup Series wins in a single season. Did you ever think -- (interruption in audio).

Q. -- you would be this successful?

BOOTIE BARKER: I'm with a tremendous organization now, with a tremendous driver. There have been times in my career, I've said it before, where we made the race. That was a win, you know? There have been times when I've had sponsors call me or I knew that if we didn't finish at a certain level, the sponsorship was going away. That's pressure.

This is pressure, too, but it's a good kind of pressure. This is wonderful. The support I have personally is the best. So this don't faze me, you know? This is gravy right here.

And it is pressure. When the race was over, I was spent, emotionally, mentally. It's taken me a while to get back. But in a good way, you know? I'm very happy to be under this style of pressure. This is awesome.

Q. Those moments in that caution, I think it was the final caution, you're hyping up Corey saying, You're the man, it's Heim time. How important is it to build a young kid his confidence up whether it be be on the pit box or in the shop?

BOOTIE BARKER: I'm not - I hope - a disingenuous person, though. If I'm shooting that spiel all the time or some kind of junk, you're not going to listen to it.

I think by my actions and what I've always said, he believes me, and I do believe in him. I don't do that often. I wanted to make sure he knew. I'm about his (indiscernible).

He had that restart before where Logano, Joey has got to do what he's got to do, trying to get in position. But that hurt us. I knew the next one was going to be important.

I didn't want to over-sauce it up, but I wanted to give him a little something.

Q. What did you see on that final restart that allowed Corey to get ahead, get past Denny?

BOOTIE BARKER: If you get a decent enough push. I don't remember what it is, but in general, like I told him, you have to pinch. That's a problem, too, as an owner. You don't want to do anything dirty, but you have to pinch 'em. Get on that door, pinch 'em on that corner going in, you got a shot.

Now, the grip is not as good and everything else. But when he pinches Denny down like that, your left front fender is on his right rear of the car and gets him a compromised position. It can go either way.

If your car gets a little tight, he's clear. I knew if he was able just be there, he would have a shot, and he did.

Denny, though, didn't wreck Corey or push him, or Denny showed him respect after we got there. Going into two, Corey was blocking because he had a position, Denny kind of conceded it to him. If Denny would have hit him, he wouldn't have got the win either.

Q. Do you feel like that situation would have gone differently if that's not your owner?

BOOTIE BARKER: No, I mean, Denny's trying to win. Like he said, he's probably got a year and a half to try to win a championship and everything he can. I don't think he ever won a Brickyard. He ain't going to get us nothing. But we don't expect it either. But I do expect from him to be fair, and he was.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.