Ted Musgrave to Start from Outside Pole in Truck Series Finale at Homestead-Miami -- Dodge Notes & Quotes

Thursday, November 14, 2002
Homestead-Miami Speedway, Homestead, Fla.
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
Ford 200 - Qualifying

Patrick Mason
Golin/Harris International
773-593-2044

TED MUSGRAVE (No. 1 Mopar Performance Parts Dodge Ram) -- Second
"Well, it was a little loose, but the Mopar team did pretty good.  We've got a good Dodge for tomorrow.  It's the same truck that we've been running for quite a while.  Even though we didn't get the pole I know this team is dedicated to getting the win tomorrow.  The points are really tight.  We're going to do everything we can possibly do, and I know the guys back at the shop are doing all that they can do.

"There's still a chance for this team to get the championship.  It's slim, but as long as there's a chance we'll go for it.  As long as it's alive we'll try everything we can do.  Jim (team owner, Smith) knows that.  The guys back there are doing everything they can do.  We're going to do everything we can do behind the wheel.  However it comes out at the end of the year, it's been a good year - it hasn't been the best - but we'll come back next year.

"A championship would mean a lot. To win a championship would be really, really great for Mopar and especially for Dodge.  But Jim Smith here, he's been in this thing since the conception. He's been at every race, so to get a championship for him would mean more than anything.  I think that's the best thing right now.

"We need to lead some laps tomorrow.  I missed that at Phoenix.  I didn't lead a lap, and I lost five extra points there.  Just to get out and lead a lap is big.  Starting up front will help that a little bit more. So, it's critical for us."

JASON LEFFLER (No. 2 Team ASE/CARQUEST Dodge Ram) -- Third
"I think we got everything out of our qualifying lap that we wanted.  The guys did an awesome job.  Our Team ASE/CARQUEST Dodge has been pretty quick all day, and it's been really good in race trim.  We're happy to be starting in the third spot tomorrow, so we just need to work for the race.

"In turns three and four we were really, really loose.  I think it's just part of the track conditions right now.  Turns one and two were shaded, so we just sped through there.  In turns three and four you had to take it really easy getting back to the gas otherwise it'd break loose on you there.

"Track position is really critical at a racetrack like this.  Cars and trucks are so aero-dependant these days.  When you get them out in that clean air that's the place that you need to be."

ROBERT PRESSLEY (No. 18 Square D/Dickies Racing Dodge Ram) -- Fourth
"Our qualifying time wasn't quite as fast as we were practicing at.  We were pretty good, but I just about crashed on the second lap.  I was just trying to get something secured on the first lap.  We're turning a little bit loose, but the racetrack has gotten a little slicker since this morning.  Everybody had got to go out there and do it too, so we're happy to be up in the top-10.

"Your starting position at Homestead really doesn't matter too much.  This racetrack here is so much handling that what you've got to do here is have something that's going to stay consistent all day long on raceday.  Tire wear is going to be a big thing here tomorrow.  Whoever has the truck that's the most consistent is going to win this thing.  I don't think it's going to be speed. "

RYAN HEMPHILL (No. 4 Square D Dodge Ram) -- Ninth
"We didn't get to concentrate on our qualifying run too much.  We were just basically running around out there on old tires.  We were trying to make too many changes, and we ran out of time.  We basically guessed for qualifying, and ended up pretty good.  I'm pretty happy with it, since we didn't know what to expect."

BILL LESTER (No. 8 Dodge Motorsports Dodge Ram) -- 10th
"You could see the sweat on my forehead after that qualifying lap.  That thing was so loose it was unbelievable.  I'm glad I didn't wind up putting into the fence coming off lap four.  What we were fighting is a really loose condition off the corners, but a really tight condition through the center.  We definitely cured the tight in the center condition.  There was no problem there.  We were just extremely loose off the corners."

BRENDAN GAUGHAN (No. 62 NAPA/Orleans Dodge Ram) -- 14th
"I hadn't seen this place before and we started out the weekend pretty tight.  Shane (crew chief, Wilson) made a great call to loosen us up.  But for qualifying we were just way too loose.  We almost pulled a Barry Bodine and spun it about three times.  We'll start in a decent spot at least.  It's not like last weekend at Phoenix where we were way in the back. For all of the racetracks that we didn't know we've raced pretty well at this year.  With a few more adjustments to the NAPA Dodge, I'm sure we'll be back to the top of the board.  We know that we've got good horsepower, and we know that we've got a decent Dodge piece here.  We'll just need to make a couple more adjustments.  Now that I'm a little bit more used to the track I think we'll have this NAPA Dodge ready to race for tomorrow."

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