Phoenix: William Byron maturation; low downforce discussions; Parker Kligerman 2023 Xfinity season; how the young driver narrative is changing in NASCAR

NASCAR on NBC podcast

Time codes (estimated): William Byron’s maturation into Cup Series winner (2:00); the importance of managing emotions even for a low-key driver (4:30); races that come down to restarts and take more out of the driver’s hands (6:30); Harvick’s weak restart at the wrong time (8:30); review of the low downforce package debut (10:00); has Parker’s prediction of the powerhouse teams striking back in 2023 come true? (12:30); Parker’s 2023 Xfinity Series season (16:00); disappointment in Phoenix (19:00); learning how to manage expectations and maximize resources as a young team (22:00); why Parker is giving up any semblance of a personal life to make this work (26:00); and how he’s leaning on his girlfriend and inner circle for support in a different way than his last full-time foray into NASCAR (29:00); what happened with his brakes in Phoenix qualifying and how it ties into the fine line drivers always walk with setups (32:00); a short plug for Parker’s YouTube channel/vlogging (34:00); where things stand with John Hunter Nemechek post-Vegas (35:30); is the narrative changing for drivers in their late 20s and early 30s getting better opportunities in NASCAR? (38:30); recalling Parker’s Next Gen debut last year (44:00); the unfair expectations for drivers thrust into Cup cameos (46:00); plans for COTA and the F1 driver experience (49:00).

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