Notes & Quotes: Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg

Carlos Munoz: No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet

Conor Daly: No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet

CARLOS MUNOZ ON:

Everything NEW: “Everything is completely new for me this year. I have a new team, new teammate, new engine and package. We didn’t have much testing before St. Pete but we’ve gone pretty well. With the testing we did do, we learned a lot. I’m connecting better every day with my race engineer Will Phillips and with my teammate Conor Daly. We need a little more time for everyone to feel 100 percent comfortable and to understand the challenge of the Chevy aero kit. We need time to adapt but I think everything is progressing very well.”
Racing the Chevrolet: “In St. Pete the last few years, they’ve been really competitive and they have a great package on the road courses. I’m looking forward to running it this weekend.”
Competing on his ‘home’ track: “I’m really looking forward to St. Pete which is one of my favorite tracks. It is my home track and I have a lot of friends and family coming to the race. The track is really physical, and the car setup is hard to get because there are different corners. It’s actually pretty smooth compared to some of the other tracks. I want to start the season off well but I won’t put any numbers on my goals. When everyone does their job really well, it will pay off.”

CONOR DALY ON:

The Firestone Grand Prix: "I've always enjoyed the race weekend in St Pete. The city receives us all so well and the fans come out in a big way to support us all weekend. The track always presents good opportunities for racing which is crucial for a good start to the season."
The biggest challenge in the off season: “The biggest challenge for us so far has been the manufacturer switch and getting everyone up to speed on a lot of new stuff. This racing is so competitive that we need to be able to take advantage of the Chevy aero kit and engine package this weekend.”
The winter testing: “Testing in the winter is so crucial and I got to do more this year than in prep for last year so I'm certainly feeling better personally. I think we have some work to do on the oval side of things but that'll come with more testing and laps.”
Whether the Chevrolet package will dictate a different approach to the track: “I'm not sure if there will be a different feeling overall when it comes to the race. I think we'll just do our best job to produce the best race setup come Sunday and go for it. Couple that with the great weather and it's certainly one of my favorite events. I also lived in St. Pete during my first year in the States, so I know the city quite well and really enjoy going back there. It's a great place to kick off the season.”

ABC Supply celebrates its 35thth anniversary with a trip to the Bahamas: With the theme “Dream Big,” ABC Supply held their annual meeting at the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas. Drivers Carlos Munoz and Conor Daly along with team owner A.J. Foyt and Team President Larry Foyt attended the meeting to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the founding of ABC Supply. The company was founded in 1982 by Ken and Diane Hendricks with just three stores. The company now has over 700 stores and topped $7 billion in sales in 2016. ABC Supply began sponsoring the AJ Foyt Racing team with the 2005 Indianapolis 500. The company has leveraged its involvement by entertaining over 84,000 associates and customers over the past 12 racing seasons. At St. Petersburg, the company will entertain 650 guests.

Alfe Heat Treating returns as a major associate sponsor for the 7th season: What began as a limited race sponsorship in 2011 has evolved into a season-long sponsorship of the No. 14 and No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolets. Headquartered in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Alfe Heat Treating, Inc. is the largest commercial aluminum heat treating operation in the United States. The company operates plants throughout the Midwest serving aerospace, automotive, military, and commercial customers with both ferrous and non-ferrous facilities.

Valspar returns: Valspar returns as an associate sponsor of the No. 14 and No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolets for the third straight season. Founded in 1806 and headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, Valspar is a global leader in the coatings industry and employs over 11,000 employees to serve their customers in more than 100 countries.

ABC Supply national account SouthEnd Exteriors, headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., will be featured on the engine cover of Carlos Munoz’s No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet. Guests will receive the VIP treatment this weekend along with a Meet and Greet with Munoz.

ABC Supply roofing customer, Armortech Windows & Doors, located in Clearwater, Fla. won the ‘Your Name Here’ contest for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg. The company name will be atop the sidepods of the No. 4 ABC Supply Chevrolet. Guests will receive the VIP treatment plus a Meet and Greet with Conor Daly.