NASCAR WCUP: Johnny Benson Post Race Notes, Darlington

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

March 19, 2001

JOHNNY BENSON, NO. 10 VALVOLINE PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

(ON HIS FOURTH CONSECUTIVE TOP 10) "It was a good run for us. We thought we had them in a good position there right at the end, but we faltered a little bit and fell back. We got tight and just struggled a little bit, probably the last 30 laps of the race. But all and all, [crew chief] James Ince and everybody on the Valvoline Pontiac team is just doing an awesome job. I can't ask for them to do any better. We've got some areas that we need to work on. But in the same token, we're going to lose some together and we're going to win some together."

(ON JEFF GORDON'S CREW PITTING HIS CAR) "We just had some problems on the stop just before that one. We probably shouldn't have changed, but in the same token we needed to get back up there because we felt like if we could get back in the top two up there, we felt like maybe we could pull off a win. The '24' had [mechanical] problems and we run their engines, so we just asked them for a little bit of help.

"Our guys are still doing a tremendous job. We've been just a little inconsistent there and we need to be a little bit better. I think that with practice they're going to be good. We want them to pit the car. It wasn't meant as disrespect to anybody on the pit crew. We just needed to gain back those seven spots that we lost to see if we could. Plus, I bent the car up a little bit and they (the '24' crew) are a little bit more used to handling those deals than what we are as a team right now, so we just asked for a little help."

(ON BEING SO CONSISTENT TO START THE YEAR) "Everybody on this Valvoline Pontiac team is just doing a tremendous job. I'm real happy with them. We're going to get one (a win). I'm just not sure when. I have felt that every year that we've run. They're just doing a great job and I'm happy."

(ON BEING TIED FOR SECOND IN POINTS - HIS HIGHEST CAREER RANKING EVER) "We're not worrying about that. We're five races in - c'mon. I think this team is great. I don't know if we're a championship caliber race team yet. We're learning to try to be and I think that is important for us to realize that. We've started off great and I think that is obviously going to be good throughout the whole year. But in the same token, I think that we'll have a better shot next year than we will this year because we're still learning. We're still learning as a team. It's still relatively new for all of us guys to be together. We're working hard. I'm real proud of these guys and I just hope we're going to be really good in the future."

(HOW IS THIS TEAM DIFFERENT THAN LAST YEAR'S TEAM?) "It's the same group as last year. A lot of people think this is a new race team, but it's not. It's the same team as last year. We just moved into a new shop after Daytona, which is pretty exciting for everybody. We're actually real pleased with how we're running considering we're still trying to move into the building - we're still not fully moved in - and there are a lot of things going on right now, so I'm real proud of these guys."

Text provided by Al Larsen

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.