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Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other Chevy drivers offer thoughts heading into Richmond weekend
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 QUAKER STATE CHEVROLET SS – 2nd IN STANDINGS:
“I definitely believe in momentum. I know I've tried to work hard over the years to get more consistent because that was definitely my weak spot since I've been in the Sprint Cup Series. I feel really good about where we're at right now, and the momentum is huge. When you have momentum and confidence from the driver to the pit crew to the crew chief, as well as every aspect of putting our car on the track, it helps. I've been in situations before where I've felt like everything was fine, like I was driving every bit as hard as I usually do and all that, and then I won a race and realized, man, now I'm like rejuvenated and have a boost of energy again to race. So I think it definitely helps, and sometimes you don't realize it, but when you are on the upswing and things are going well, everybody feels it, and it's a big part of running well.”
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS – 5th IN STANDINGS:
“Hopefully we can have a good weekend at Richmond. I’ve had some really good cars, and won some races here. Then I’ve had some unexplainable poor runs; just had cars where I couldn’t get around the track. I’m excited to get to the track and in the car for practice and see where we are at. See what kind of drivability we’ve got and how much comfort we’ve got.”
PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 MENARDS/CERTAINTEED CHEVROLET SS – 10th IN STANDINGS:
"Racing at Richmond (International Raceway) is significant because when we go back there in the fall it's the last race before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. We want to do well and learn all we can this weekend, so we can take that knowledge and apply it to the fall race. Richmond is uniquely shaped so, as a driver, I've got to approach both ends of the track differently. It is shaped like a 'D,' and there is a really big arch going into turn one. Turn three is almost like a Martinsville (Speedway) turn. It has a really sharp entrance and it's not very open. On exit, it opens back up with the 'D' shape. Hopefully we can keep our fenders clean this weekend and come home with another top-10 finish."
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET SS – 11th IN STANDINGS:
“I am looking forward to racing at Richmond this weekend. We have had two strong runs on short-tracks already this year (Bristol and Martinsville) so I hope we can carry some of that momentum into this weekend. We had a Goodyear test at Richmond a couple of weeks ago and I felt we had a good car there. Plus, it’s always fun to race on a Saturday night under the lights!”
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 BELL HELICOPTER CHEVROLET SS – 12th IN STANDINGS:
“Richmond has been a great race track for us through the years. It’s always fun to go there and do a little short-track racing, I really enjoy the style of racing that Richmond International Raceway produces. I’m definitely looking forward to getting back in the car there to see what kind of result we can walk away with.”
JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 AIRGAS/BULWARK CHEVROLET SS – 23rd IN STANDINGS:
“Richmond (International Raceway) is truly one of my favorite race tracks. It’s a fun time of the year and the weather is warmer. I think Richmond is the perfect size race track. It’s both big enough and small enough to produce good races. One thing we haven’t seen lately is the top groove come in. Most competitors are finding speed at the bottom of the race track. Hopefully, that top groove will come in. If it does, that will make the racing even better than it already is. I always look forward to going to Richmond.”
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDAY.COM CHEVROLET SS – 25th IN STANDINGS:
“I was over talking to Tony (Stewart) after practice (last week at Kansas) and said, ‘Look, I’ve got to figure out how to qualify better.’ And you know a lot of the runs there have been obvious issues, whether it be really loose or really tight or having a moment at the end of the first lap which leads into the next lap, so it kills both of them. You know there have been reasons. But all in all, it’s not necessarily my strong area and I know that. I was saying that in the Nationwide Series, it was kind of the same thing. And once I really got comfortable in the car and understood it and what it did when you pushed it, and obviously developed a set-up that I am comfortable with, things really changed. And all of a sudden it was like a light switch and I was like all right,
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 DEPEND CHEVROLET SS - 27th IN STANDINGS:
“We’re running a pretty cool paint scheme this weekend in Richmond and trying to help Depend promote their campaign, The Great American Try On. Dario (Franchitti), Scott (Dixon) and I did a photo shoot for them earlier this year and we’re teaming up with athletes from other sports also. DeMarcus Ware from the Cowboys will be with us on race day. One of the great things about Target is that we get to be involved with the partners like this and help spread the word. Let’s hope our luck has turned around and we can get the Depends Chevy SS a strong finish.”
“I definitely believe in momentum. I know I've tried to work hard over the years to get more consistent because that was definitely my weak spot since I've been in the Sprint Cup Series. I feel really good about where we're at right now, and the momentum is huge. When you have momentum and confidence from the driver to the pit crew to the crew chief, as well as every aspect of putting our car on the track, it helps. I've been in situations before where I've felt like everything was fine, like I was driving every bit as hard as I usually do and all that, and then I won a race and realized, man, now I'm like rejuvenated and have a boost of energy again to race. So I think it definitely helps, and sometimes you don't realize it, but when you are on the upswing and things are going well, everybody feels it, and it's a big part of running well.”
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS – 5th IN STANDINGS:
“Hopefully we can have a good weekend at Richmond. I’ve had some really good cars, and won some races here. Then I’ve had some unexplainable poor runs; just had cars where I couldn’t get around the track. I’m excited to get to the track and in the car for practice and see where we are at. See what kind of drivability we’ve got and how much comfort we’ve got.”
PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 MENARDS/CERTAINTEED CHEVROLET SS – 10th IN STANDINGS:
"Racing at Richmond (International Raceway) is significant because when we go back there in the fall it's the last race before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. We want to do well and learn all we can this weekend, so we can take that knowledge and apply it to the fall race. Richmond is uniquely shaped so, as a driver, I've got to approach both ends of the track differently. It is shaped like a 'D,' and there is a really big arch going into turn one. Turn three is almost like a Martinsville (Speedway) turn. It has a really sharp entrance and it's not very open. On exit, it opens back up with the 'D' shape. Hopefully we can keep our fenders clean this weekend and come home with another top-10 finish."
JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 1 MCDONALD’S CHEVROLET SS – 11th IN STANDINGS:
“I am looking forward to racing at Richmond this weekend. We have had two strong runs on short-tracks already this year (Bristol and Martinsville) so I hope we can carry some of that momentum into this weekend. We had a Goodyear test at Richmond a couple of weeks ago and I felt we had a good car there. Plus, it’s always fun to race on a Saturday night under the lights!”
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 29 BELL HELICOPTER CHEVROLET SS – 12th IN STANDINGS:
“Richmond has been a great race track for us through the years. It’s always fun to go there and do a little short-track racing, I really enjoy the style of racing that Richmond International Raceway produces. I’m definitely looking forward to getting back in the car there to see what kind of result we can walk away with.”
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DRIVE TO END HUNGER CHEVROLET SS – 15th IN STANDINGS:
"We've made some gains with the Gen-6 car - especially on the intermediate tracks, but I'm really looking forward to running this Chevy SS on a short track this weekend. When you practice during the day and race at night, you have to guess and I feel like every time we race here something is changing. I feel like we are advancing the technology of the cars - gaining more downforce and gaining more mechanical grip. You are always trying to figure out what combination is going to work best for the night race. We've been very successful three out of the last four times here, but we also missed it big one of those times. Our goal is to find that right balance and make sure we don't miss it big."
"We've made some gains with the Gen-6 car - especially on the intermediate tracks, but I'm really looking forward to running this Chevy SS on a short track this weekend. When you practice during the day and race at night, you have to guess and I feel like every time we race here something is changing. I feel like we are advancing the technology of the cars - gaining more downforce and gaining more mechanical grip. You are always trying to figure out what combination is going to work best for the night race. We've been very successful three out of the last four times here, but we also missed it big one of those times. Our goal is to find that right balance and make sure we don't miss it big."
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE CHEVROLET SS – 17th IN STANDINGS:
“The biggest thing at Richmond is it’s pretty high braking, so you have to keep a brake pedal in the car all night. But, like I’ve always said, using that brake pedal is one of the reasons I enjoy short-track racing so much. As a driver, it’s important for me to be smart on the racetrack and keep my head about me. Track position at Richmond is typically pretty important. It’s hard to make up a lot of ground there. You can go from the back to the front, but it takes a lot of the race to do it. It’s also a place where strategy, as far as getting off-sequence on tires, has potential to make a big difference. So this is a big race where not only is it important for the driver to be at his best, but the pit crew has to be on top of it all night. We need to maintain and gain positions in the pits. It all depends on how the yellows fly, too.”
“The biggest thing at Richmond is it’s pretty high braking, so you have to keep a brake pedal in the car all night. But, like I’ve always said, using that brake pedal is one of the reasons I enjoy short-track racing so much. As a driver, it’s important for me to be smart on the racetrack and keep my head about me. Track position at Richmond is typically pretty important. It’s hard to make up a lot of ground there. You can go from the back to the front, but it takes a lot of the race to do it. It’s also a place where strategy, as far as getting off-sequence on tires, has potential to make a big difference. So this is a big race where not only is it important for the driver to be at his best, but the pit crew has to be on top of it all night. We need to maintain and gain positions in the pits. It all depends on how the yellows fly, too.”
TONY STEWART, NO. 14 RUSH TRUCK CENTERS/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET SS – 21st IN STANDINGS:
“First it’s not one of my favorite tracks, it is my favorite track. It’s the perfect-sized track for a Cup race. The other short tracks we run – Bristol and Martinsville – they’re cool in their own right, but there’s a lot of congestion at those two tracks. But at Richmond, it just seems like that extra quarter-mile, and that three-quarter-mile shape, and how wide the groove gets there, allows for good racing. It seems like we have to race ourselves and race the racetrack versus racing each other a lot of times. You do have to race each other, obviously, but there are a lot of times during the race when you have the flexibility to move around on the racetrack and try to find a spot your car likes better than somewhere else. A lot of times on a short track you don’t have the flexibility. You’re more narrowed down with what groove you’re going to be in. It is literally the favorite track of mine on the circuit.”
KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING/SERTA CHEVROLET SS – 22nd IN STANDINGS:
“Each year I go to Richmond I feel like my luck can turnaround. I won one race there in 2005. I always joke around that I threw away Richmond wins more times than I won Bristol because of different things happening. Whether it was a pit stop debacle, an ignition problem or running out of gas. Richmond has been tough on me for having things happen in a race. So hopefully this will be a smooth race for our Furniture Row/Sealy Chevrolet SS and we’ll post a solid finish. We did a full two-day test there a few weeks back and put in a lot of effort to try to get better at this Richmond short track.”
“First it’s not one of my favorite tracks, it is my favorite track. It’s the perfect-sized track for a Cup race. The other short tracks we run – Bristol and Martinsville – they’re cool in their own right, but there’s a lot of congestion at those two tracks. But at Richmond, it just seems like that extra quarter-mile, and that three-quarter-mile shape, and how wide the groove gets there, allows for good racing. It seems like we have to race ourselves and race the racetrack versus racing each other a lot of times. You do have to race each other, obviously, but there are a lot of times during the race when you have the flexibility to move around on the racetrack and try to find a spot your car likes better than somewhere else. A lot of times on a short track you don’t have the flexibility. You’re more narrowed down with what groove you’re going to be in. It is literally the favorite track of mine on the circuit.”
KURT BUSCH, NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW RACING/SERTA CHEVROLET SS – 22nd IN STANDINGS:
“Each year I go to Richmond I feel like my luck can turnaround. I won one race there in 2005. I always joke around that I threw away Richmond wins more times than I won Bristol because of different things happening. Whether it was a pit stop debacle, an ignition problem or running out of gas. Richmond has been tough on me for having things happen in a race. So hopefully this will be a smooth race for our Furniture Row/Sealy Chevrolet SS and we’ll post a solid finish. We did a full two-day test there a few weeks back and put in a lot of effort to try to get better at this Richmond short track.”
JEFF BURTON, NO. 31 AIRGAS/BULWARK CHEVROLET SS – 23rd IN STANDINGS:
“Richmond (International Raceway) is truly one of my favorite race tracks. It’s a fun time of the year and the weather is warmer. I think Richmond is the perfect size race track. It’s both big enough and small enough to produce good races. One thing we haven’t seen lately is the top groove come in. Most competitors are finding speed at the bottom of the race track. Hopefully, that top groove will come in. If it does, that will make the racing even better than it already is. I always look forward to going to Richmond.”
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDAY.COM CHEVROLET SS – 25th IN STANDINGS:
“I was over talking to Tony (Stewart) after practice (last week at Kansas) and said, ‘Look, I’ve got to figure out how to qualify better.’ And you know a lot of the runs there have been obvious issues, whether it be really loose or really tight or having a moment at the end of the first lap which leads into the next lap, so it kills both of them. You know there have been reasons. But all in all, it’s not necessarily my strong area and I know that. I was saying that in the Nationwide Series, it was kind of the same thing. And once I really got comfortable in the car and understood it and what it did when you pushed it, and obviously developed a set-up that I am comfortable with, things really changed. And all of a sudden it was like a light switch and I was like all right,
“I’m
actually not so bad at qualifying these things anymore. But it took
time. And so, I’m sure that it does happen like that with me. All of a
sudden something happens
and I’ll feel more comfortable and there’s more speed there. But it
doesn’t stop me from pushing and trying to figure out how to get better
at it. I think the best thing that we can do at this point in time is to
try and get a car underneath me that I feel
comfortable with and try and develop a good platform that we can go
each and every weekend to these 1.5-mile tracks and to the short tracks
too, and just know what I have, as well. There’s something to be said
for coming to the green, and yeah, you’ve got
to be fast through (Turns) 3 and 4 coming to the green. So, just
knowing what you’ve got underneath you so that you know what it’s going
to do when you push it.”
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 DEPEND CHEVROLET SS - 27th IN STANDINGS:
“We’re running a pretty cool paint scheme this weekend in Richmond and trying to help Depend promote their campaign, The Great American Try On. Dario (Franchitti), Scott (Dixon) and I did a photo shoot for them earlier this year and we’re teaming up with athletes from other sports also. DeMarcus Ware from the Cowboys will be with us on race day. One of the great things about Target is that we get to be involved with the partners like this and help spread the word. Let’s hope our luck has turned around and we can get the Depends Chevy SS a strong finish.”
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7:18 PM
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