Getty Grant Enfinger has embraced his new experiences at Sonoma Raceway.
Grant Enfinger got behind the wheel of a Cup Series car for the first time at Sonoma Raceway. Adapting to a new car is never easy, but the Truck Series veteran has embraced drinking from a fire hose.
Enfinger’s weekend began with a practice session on June 10 as he replaced Noah Gragson (concussion-like symptoms) in the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet Camaro. He ran 14 laps in his session, which put him in a tie for the most among the Cup Series drivers.
“Yeah, it definitely took a while to get comfortable with things just with it being a new car,” Enfinger said after his qualifying session. “I was really concentrating on the tire — just trying to feel the tires and trying not to do anything incredibly dumb early on.
“Definitely taking it slower to get up to speed. I felt more and more comfortable the more laps I ran. I felt like we were struggling a little bit on the backstretch there, but I got more and more comfortable there on my side, and I feel like we’ve made it a little bit better in qualifying, as well.”
Enfinger went out and qualified 35th overall while trying to learn about the key differences between the Cup Series Chevrolet Camaro and his Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado. It wasn’t the lap he wanted, but he also wanted to avoid any rookie mistakes.
Enfinger Has Received Some Crucial Information
GettyGrant Enfinger (rear) practices at Sonoma Raceway.
There is a steep learning curve associated with the Cup Series cars, but there are some key figures at Legacy Motor Club that have made this process easier. This includes Gragson, who has stepped up in support of his replacement driver.
“I want to send a big ‘thank you’ to Noah,” Enfinger added. “He’s been trying to walk me through this for the last couple of days — about kind of transitioning from the truck to here and what that experience will be like, and how close the simulator world would be to where we are. I appreciate all of his help.
“…I think the biggest thing I’ve been concentrating on, that Noah wanted us to hone into during practice and go back and look at data on, is the tire. I remember right at the beginning of last season, I feel like you couldn’t slip these things at all. Obviously, the crew chiefs and these teams have made those cars better and better.”
As Enfinger continued to explain, he expects to make some more progress as he takes on the Cup Series race itself. He identified a spot on the track where he particularly struggled, and he noted that crew chief Luke Lambert would have some more data that he could utilize once he took the green flag.
The ‘Shark Tank’ Awaits Enfinger
GettyGrant Enfinger practices at Sonoma Raceway.
There are several hurdles that Enfinger must overcome to deliver a solid performance in his Cup Series debut. He has to complete all of the laps, avoid mistakes on the road course, and watch out for high-speed passing areas where other drivers will try to use him up due to his inexperience in the series.
Making a Cup Series debut on short notice is no small feat, especially at a road course like Sonoma where missing a corner means ending up in the dirt or the tire barrier. Is it easier than somewhere like Texas Motor Speedway which is a high-speed oval? That is certainly up for debate, but multiple Cup Series veterans recognize the difficulty awaiting Enfinger.
“Yeah, it’s probably up there,” William Byron said. “This place depends on kind of how the car handles and feels. But it can be enjoyable, or it can be really tough. It’s just a matter of kind of putting it all together.”
“Dude, there’s no easy race in the Cup Series to make your debut,” Corey LaJoie said. “Man, it’s just everybody’s such a freakin pro. There’s really not much room to just jump in something and get comfortable. It’s just the freakin’ shark tank where there’s 33 guys now that just get after it every week. So there’s no good one to make [a debut].
“Now, I’m a Grant Enfinger fan. Guy’s doing the hard way. it’s cool to see him get a shot. And he knows it’s not gonna be easy, right? The 42 car hasn’t been a freaking ball of fire. It’s been more on fire than it’s been a ball of fire on speed, but it’s cool to see a guy like that grind away and get a shot.”