Though his first two Derby appearances didn’t go according to plan, Gragson said that his experience gives him more of an edge this time around.

“I’ve been here two years in a row now,” Gragson said. “Before, I was trying to soak in the atmosphere, learning the race track and playing things by ear, but now I know how my car needs to handle during practice, I know how the race needs to be run to stay up front and I feel more comfortable with what it takes to be successful, so I’m excited about the possibilities if we just stay focused.”

“It’s not just that, though. I’m a short track racer, so this suits my style. I really struggled on mile-and-a-half race tracks this year and had a lot of success on the shorter venues, even if it didn’t show on paper all the time. We’ve had a lot of speed, we’ve just had to put everything together and I feel like we’re doing that now.”

Gragson also added that Derby weekend isn’t just about speed – it’s about surviving the psychological tactics played by other drivers as well.

“There are a lot of mind games that get played here and a lot of times on the ego sheet. Guys will mock up and try to put up a big number, but that doesn’t always win you a race at the end of the day. We just have to stay grounded as a team and stay focused on what really counts … so we don’t get caught up in the speeds too badly, because that will really mess you up if you’re not careful.”

And as far as who he believes he has to beat on Sunday, well, Gragson didn’t have to look very far.

With boss Kyle Busch in the field, the 18-year-old Las Vegas native knows a win will be a hard-earned task, but Gragson also added that the field is loaded with talent aside from the 2015 Monster Energy Cup Series champion.

“I don’t think (Kyle) is going to be the only one I’ll have to beat for the win. This is the biggest short track race in the country and there’s so many great competitors here – Ty Majeski, my Truck Series teammate Harrison Burton, Brandon McReynolds, Johnny Sauter … there’s so many people here that have won prestigious events and know what it takes (to win).”

“I think you saw it last year. I don’t think Christian (Eckes) had the best car, but he drove a hell of a race and was there when it counted, so you never really know, but hopefully we can be in contention and it comes down in our favor at the end of the day on Sunday.”

About the Writer

Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network, as well as a periodic contributor to SPEED SPORT Magazine.

Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.

The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.

Email Jacob at: editor@racechaseronline.com

Follow on Twitter: @Speed77Radio or @JacobSeelman77

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