NEXTEL CUP RAYBESTOS® ROOKIE QUALIFYING QUOTES FOR HOMESTEAD
FORD 400
NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
NOVEMBER 17, 2006
J.J. YELEY IN THE No. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVROLET WAS THE TOP RAYBESTOS ROOKIE QUALIFIER AT HOMESTEAD.
Notes:
* Yeley will start eighth in Sunday's race at Homestead, his seventh top-10 start of the 2006 season.
* Yeley's best qualifying effort of his Raybestos Rookie season was second at Texas (race No. 7).
* WIX Filters is an associate sponsor for Joe Gibbs Racing. WIX Filters and Raybestos brand brakes are members of the Affinia family of brands.
J.J. YELEY - No. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVROLET: Qualified 8th
"That was an excellent run for the Interstate Batteries Chevy. I was just a little bit loose through 3 and 4 there. Obviously, it still wouldn't have been a pole run but as tight at the field is a .49 could have been a .40 and we could be sixth instead of eighth. It was an excellent run. We worked the entire practice on qualifying and it paid off for today. We worked real hard on race stuff and try to use that track position to our advantage."
HOW BIG IS IT TO RUN WELL AT THE FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON?
"It's going to be big. The last couple of races we finished in the top-20, which isn't spectacular but it's good. We've been consistent throughout the entire run. It'd be great to get another top-10 finish in the final race and to finish in the top-five would be even better than that. They've got all winter to fix these cars, they've got all winter to try to make things better so we'll go out there and we'll run really hard tomorrow and try to win the race."
STEVE ADDINGTON, CREW CHIEF, No. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVROLET:
THAT IS A GOOD RUN FOR THIS TEAM.
"That is good for the guys, good for this race team because we've been ignoring qualifying. We've had a car capable of running top-10 lap times in the race but we've just lost it on track position and never could battle to get it. We came down here and tried to get us a top-10 qualifying spot and we worked on that and everybody did a great job."
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO RUN WELL HERE THIS WEEKEND?
"It's big. It's big for us to go into the off-season with a little momentum and get everybody pumped back up and come back into Daytona with a fresh outlook. This race team is a lot better than what it's shown."
CLINT BOWYER, No. 07 JACK DANIEL'S CHEVROLET: Qualified 10th
"The draw was finally on our side a little bit there. Hopefully that will stay in the top-10. That will get us a good starting spot. The best thing is that we improved on it a lot. That was a pretty good pickup for us. The guys did a good job getting the car where we needed it to be."
YOU HAVE RAN WELL THIS SEASON. DO YOU TAKE PRIDE IN HOW WELL YOU HAVE RAN?
"You know, it's frustrating. Yes and no. I mean you do to a certain extent, knowing that you have the speed and knowing that you have the capability but it is frustrating not being able to get that finish at the end of the race, it really is. The guys here are working hard. The Jack Daniel's Chevrolet keeps getting stronger and stronger and I think we keep showing more and more promise. But the bottom line is, the only thing you see is that finish on Sunday."
REED SORENSON, No. 41 TARGET DODGE: Qualified 11th
"It was pretty good, just a little loose into 3 but the car was good. We tested down here really good. This is the car that we tested and it was good in race trim this morning so it should be good all weekend."
YOU GUYS APPEAR TO BE WILLING TO GAMBLE TO WIN A RACE.
"Hopefully we won't have to do that here. We feel like we've got a good enough car where we can beat other people who roll the dice trying to beat us. If you can get in the top-10 you have a shot at winning so if we can just get it where we're fast enough to run in the top-10 we've got a shot at it."
DO YOU LIKE THIS TRACK?
"Yeah, I do. The first Busch race I ran here I think I finished fourth and that was probably the best car I've had here. This car is driving really well right now. I only ran three laps in the Busch car earlier today but this one has been good since we tested here so I feel good about it."
THIS RACE WILL START IN THE DAYTIME AND END AT NIGHT.
"I'd rather start it at Noon. I seem to run a little bit better in the sun. It's not going to be too bad. Today it was overcast, kind of like it would be right at dusk when it starts getting dark. The car was still good then so I'm not really too worried about it."
MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 1 BASS PRO SHOPS/TRACKER BOATS CHEVROLET: Qualified 20th
"That's about where we practiced, I think. We were 12th and that will probably be about 20th by the time it cools off and everybody goes, maybe, if we're lucky. It's our typical qualifying. Our car's not really, really fast in qualifying trim for some reason but in race trim it was really good today, as good as I expected it, good as it was in the test."
WAS YOUR QUALIFYING DRAW A DISADVANTAGE?
"Yeah, I imagine it will cool off some more. But like I said, we were 12th and if we're anywhere mid-pack we'll be able to drive to the front."
DO YOU HAVE SOME MOMENTUM BECAUSE YOU RACED WELL AT PHOENIX?
"Well, we made a good day out of bad car and that's what we need to do. Usually we make a bad day out of a good car [smiles]. Hopefully our car is really good here and hopefully we can turn it into a really good day."
DAVID STREMME, No. 40 COORS LIGHT DODGE: Qualified 23rd
"It wasn't bad. We were just loose that first lap and it come in the second one but the grip is out of the tires by then. I think it will be a solid top-15 starting spot and that's all we care about. The car seems like a pretty good car. It's brand new and I think it will be all right."
YOU RAN WELL IN PRACTICE. ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR QUALIFYING RUN?
"A little bit. We just missed it a little as far as keeping up with the track, probably. It wasn't bad."
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FEDEX EXPRESS CHEVROLET: Qualified 33rd
"That wasn't very good for us. We were way too loose. We're going to end up being mired back very far in the pack. I think we've got some improvement to do. I think in race trim, though, our car is going to be just fine."
WILL TRACK CONDITIONS BE THE SAME ON SUNDAY?
"I haven't really looked at the weather. I'm sure this is all taking in perspective but I think the early draw killed us. It's not any help that our car was as bad as it was. I think we knew that going into qualifying trim that we weren't going to be very good."
COMMENT ON TRACK POSITION AND HOW HARD IT IS TO MAKE UP GROUND AT THIS POINT. HOW WILL THIS SET YOU UP FOR SUNDAY?
"We knew as soon as I drew third that it was going to be our fate as far as qualifying. We decided to do more race runs than what we did qualifying and we only did two qualifying runs. It's about what we expected. We knew this was going to happen. This is a racetrack, though, that where it's wide enough where you can pass and really that's the most important thing for us."
HOW DOES THIS RUN AFFECT YOUR CHANCES TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
"It really doesn't change for us, really. The only thing, you worry about being back there is how you line-up. And you don't want to be around cars that are getting wrecked a lot. That's what happened at Charlotte. We just got ourselves back there and ended up getting in a first-lap wreck. That part of it kind of bothered me a little bit, being back there, but I think our car is fast enough where we can drive to the front."
YOU RAN WELL IN PRACTICE THIS MORNING. HOW COMFORTABLE ARE YOU AT THIS TRACK?
"I think it's going to be pretty good. We definitely have a little bit of room for improvement. We need to be a tenth better to be with the best cars but we're not the worst one by any means."
IF YOU DO START BACK IN TRAFFIC HERE, CAN YOU STILL GET TO THE FRONT?
"You can pass easier than what you can at any other racetrack, for sure. It's not like a one-groove racetrack where you worry about being 40th and going a lap down early for us. We know we can pass and that's the most important thing."
IS THIS A TRACK WHERE YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD PIT STALL FOR THE RACE?
"No, you don't have to. The stalls are big enough to where you can make up some difference. I've seen guys come from the back here before. I'm frustrated with where we qualified but yet I knew this was going to happen."
WILL YOUR RACE SETUP BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN QUALIFYING TRIM?
"Yeah, it's totally different than what we are in qualifying trim. I know we're going to be a lot better."
®Raybestos is a registered trademark licensed to Brake Parts Inc. by Raybestos Products Company
FORD 400
NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
NOVEMBER 17, 2006
J.J. YELEY IN THE No. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVROLET WAS THE TOP RAYBESTOS ROOKIE QUALIFIER AT HOMESTEAD.
Notes:
* Yeley will start eighth in Sunday's race at Homestead, his seventh top-10 start of the 2006 season.
* Yeley's best qualifying effort of his Raybestos Rookie season was second at Texas (race No. 7).
* WIX Filters is an associate sponsor for Joe Gibbs Racing. WIX Filters and Raybestos brand brakes are members of the Affinia family of brands.
J.J. YELEY - No. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVROLET: Qualified 8th
"That was an excellent run for the Interstate Batteries Chevy. I was just a little bit loose through 3 and 4 there. Obviously, it still wouldn't have been a pole run but as tight at the field is a .49 could have been a .40 and we could be sixth instead of eighth. It was an excellent run. We worked the entire practice on qualifying and it paid off for today. We worked real hard on race stuff and try to use that track position to our advantage."
HOW BIG IS IT TO RUN WELL AT THE FINAL RACE OF THE SEASON?
"It's going to be big. The last couple of races we finished in the top-20, which isn't spectacular but it's good. We've been consistent throughout the entire run. It'd be great to get another top-10 finish in the final race and to finish in the top-five would be even better than that. They've got all winter to fix these cars, they've got all winter to try to make things better so we'll go out there and we'll run really hard tomorrow and try to win the race."
STEVE ADDINGTON, CREW CHIEF, No. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES CHEVROLET:
THAT IS A GOOD RUN FOR THIS TEAM.
"That is good for the guys, good for this race team because we've been ignoring qualifying. We've had a car capable of running top-10 lap times in the race but we've just lost it on track position and never could battle to get it. We came down here and tried to get us a top-10 qualifying spot and we worked on that and everybody did a great job."
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO RUN WELL HERE THIS WEEKEND?
"It's big. It's big for us to go into the off-season with a little momentum and get everybody pumped back up and come back into Daytona with a fresh outlook. This race team is a lot better than what it's shown."
CLINT BOWYER, No. 07 JACK DANIEL'S CHEVROLET: Qualified 10th
"The draw was finally on our side a little bit there. Hopefully that will stay in the top-10. That will get us a good starting spot. The best thing is that we improved on it a lot. That was a pretty good pickup for us. The guys did a good job getting the car where we needed it to be."
YOU HAVE RAN WELL THIS SEASON. DO YOU TAKE PRIDE IN HOW WELL YOU HAVE RAN?
"You know, it's frustrating. Yes and no. I mean you do to a certain extent, knowing that you have the speed and knowing that you have the capability but it is frustrating not being able to get that finish at the end of the race, it really is. The guys here are working hard. The Jack Daniel's Chevrolet keeps getting stronger and stronger and I think we keep showing more and more promise. But the bottom line is, the only thing you see is that finish on Sunday."
REED SORENSON, No. 41 TARGET DODGE: Qualified 11th
"It was pretty good, just a little loose into 3 but the car was good. We tested down here really good. This is the car that we tested and it was good in race trim this morning so it should be good all weekend."
YOU GUYS APPEAR TO BE WILLING TO GAMBLE TO WIN A RACE.
"Hopefully we won't have to do that here. We feel like we've got a good enough car where we can beat other people who roll the dice trying to beat us. If you can get in the top-10 you have a shot at winning so if we can just get it where we're fast enough to run in the top-10 we've got a shot at it."
DO YOU LIKE THIS TRACK?
"Yeah, I do. The first Busch race I ran here I think I finished fourth and that was probably the best car I've had here. This car is driving really well right now. I only ran three laps in the Busch car earlier today but this one has been good since we tested here so I feel good about it."
THIS RACE WILL START IN THE DAYTIME AND END AT NIGHT.
"I'd rather start it at Noon. I seem to run a little bit better in the sun. It's not going to be too bad. Today it was overcast, kind of like it would be right at dusk when it starts getting dark. The car was still good then so I'm not really too worried about it."
MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 1 BASS PRO SHOPS/TRACKER BOATS CHEVROLET: Qualified 20th
"That's about where we practiced, I think. We were 12th and that will probably be about 20th by the time it cools off and everybody goes, maybe, if we're lucky. It's our typical qualifying. Our car's not really, really fast in qualifying trim for some reason but in race trim it was really good today, as good as I expected it, good as it was in the test."
WAS YOUR QUALIFYING DRAW A DISADVANTAGE?
"Yeah, I imagine it will cool off some more. But like I said, we were 12th and if we're anywhere mid-pack we'll be able to drive to the front."
DO YOU HAVE SOME MOMENTUM BECAUSE YOU RACED WELL AT PHOENIX?
"Well, we made a good day out of bad car and that's what we need to do. Usually we make a bad day out of a good car [smiles]. Hopefully our car is really good here and hopefully we can turn it into a really good day."
DAVID STREMME, No. 40 COORS LIGHT DODGE: Qualified 23rd
"It wasn't bad. We were just loose that first lap and it come in the second one but the grip is out of the tires by then. I think it will be a solid top-15 starting spot and that's all we care about. The car seems like a pretty good car. It's brand new and I think it will be all right."
YOU RAN WELL IN PRACTICE. ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED IN YOUR QUALIFYING RUN?
"A little bit. We just missed it a little as far as keeping up with the track, probably. It wasn't bad."
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FEDEX EXPRESS CHEVROLET: Qualified 33rd
"That wasn't very good for us. We were way too loose. We're going to end up being mired back very far in the pack. I think we've got some improvement to do. I think in race trim, though, our car is going to be just fine."
WILL TRACK CONDITIONS BE THE SAME ON SUNDAY?
"I haven't really looked at the weather. I'm sure this is all taking in perspective but I think the early draw killed us. It's not any help that our car was as bad as it was. I think we knew that going into qualifying trim that we weren't going to be very good."
COMMENT ON TRACK POSITION AND HOW HARD IT IS TO MAKE UP GROUND AT THIS POINT. HOW WILL THIS SET YOU UP FOR SUNDAY?
"We knew as soon as I drew third that it was going to be our fate as far as qualifying. We decided to do more race runs than what we did qualifying and we only did two qualifying runs. It's about what we expected. We knew this was going to happen. This is a racetrack, though, that where it's wide enough where you can pass and really that's the most important thing for us."
HOW DOES THIS RUN AFFECT YOUR CHANCES TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP?
"It really doesn't change for us, really. The only thing, you worry about being back there is how you line-up. And you don't want to be around cars that are getting wrecked a lot. That's what happened at Charlotte. We just got ourselves back there and ended up getting in a first-lap wreck. That part of it kind of bothered me a little bit, being back there, but I think our car is fast enough where we can drive to the front."
YOU RAN WELL IN PRACTICE THIS MORNING. HOW COMFORTABLE ARE YOU AT THIS TRACK?
"I think it's going to be pretty good. We definitely have a little bit of room for improvement. We need to be a tenth better to be with the best cars but we're not the worst one by any means."
IF YOU DO START BACK IN TRAFFIC HERE, CAN YOU STILL GET TO THE FRONT?
"You can pass easier than what you can at any other racetrack, for sure. It's not like a one-groove racetrack where you worry about being 40th and going a lap down early for us. We know we can pass and that's the most important thing."
IS THIS A TRACK WHERE YOU MUST HAVE A GOOD PIT STALL FOR THE RACE?
"No, you don't have to. The stalls are big enough to where you can make up some difference. I've seen guys come from the back here before. I'm frustrated with where we qualified but yet I knew this was going to happen."
WILL YOUR RACE SETUP BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT THAN QUALIFYING TRIM?
"Yeah, it's totally different than what we are in qualifying trim. I know we're going to be a lot better."
®Raybestos is a registered trademark licensed to Brake Parts Inc. by Raybestos Products Company
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