dodge cup quotes from qualifying at infineon

Friday, June 25, 2004
Ray Cooper

Infineon Raceway
Clear!Blue, Inc.                    Dodge/Save Mart 350.   Qualifying
704-975-3232

 

STERLING MARLIN (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge)

"We made a few changes before qualifying and it got way, way too tight.
We made a minor change on the track bar. We were 18th in our banzai run
and had to miss a car. We probably lost about three tenths on that, and
that would have put us about 12th overall. We'll see what happens. I
think we'll be all right when it's all said and done."

 

BRENDAN GAUGHAN (No. 77 Kodak/Jasper Dodge)

"We struggled a little bit. We made some changes, but we can't get the
grip we're looking for. We'll figure it out. If Rusty and Ryan can find
it, we can find it. Qualifying is qualifying. It'll just mean we'll have
a lot longer day coming through the esses. We've just got to be smart
and not drop the wheels off the track. It's amazing how many guys in
Nextel Cup drop the wheels off and end up spinning themselves out. We'll
let those guys fall by the wayside and hope for the best."

 

JEFF GREEN (No. 43 Cheerios/Spoonfuls of Stories Dodge)

"We almost spun out a couple of times. We got a wheel off the track. I
didn't do these road courses at all last year. I guess I'm a little
rusty, but we've got to get the car a little bit better, too. We'll get
things worked out before Sunday."

 

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

"I'm pretty satisfied with that lap. I got to sliding too much in turn
10. That's where Gordon and the 32 went off. I got in pretty hot and it
was a long time before it hooked up. I knew it cost me too much time
right there. All-in-all it was a good lap. I really wanted the pole. I
don't have a real big smile because I left too much laying on the
table."

 

KASEY KAHNE (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

"It was really loose. The front cut good and the back was sliding
around. It got looser and looser as the run went along. I'm
disappointed. I thought we could run something in the .16s for sure.
It's just a matter of laps and doing it more and more. We'll figure out
what we need in the car. I enjoy this kind of racing. I just wish we
could have done better."

 

CASEY MEARS (No. 41 Target Dodge)

"We slowed up. We were way, way worse than we were in practice, and we
weren't that good in practice. I'm not satisfied with it at all. It was
pretty bad actually. I love road courses, but I don't know what's wrong
with us here. I grew up on road courses, and I feel like I'm a pretty
good road course driver, but for some reason at this place I really
struggle."

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SCOTT PRUETT (No. 39 Target Dodge)

"It was OK, but we were a little disappointed. The car was tight for
some reason, and we couldn't carry the speed we wanted. We're happy with
the Target Dodge. This is the first time in a long time I'm starting up
front instead of mid pack. All in all I think we've got a good car, and
we're going to be good in the race."

 

RYAN NEWMAN (No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge)

"That wasn't what we were looking for, but that's the way it goes
sometimes. We'll go to work and get ready for the race now and see if we
can have a better day on Sunday with the ALLTEL Dodge. We've had some
good runs on these road courses, but we're looking for a great run.
Hopefully that'll come Sunday."

 

JAMIE McMURRAY (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge)

"I thought we would be a little bit better than that. We were loose all
morning and all of a sudden we got tight. I thought we were going to be
in pretty good shape. I really enjoy road racing. It's a lot of fun. I
really thought we'd end up in the top five, so I'm a little disappointed
right now."

 

JEREMY MAYFIELD (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

"We had to change motors and we qualified with a brand new motor. We
just wanted to go out and get in a good safe lap so we could get a
decent pit spot. We'll just have to work our way to the front on Sunday
now."

 

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) - Runner-up interview

"I thought I could run a 15.10 or a 15.20. I ran a 15.50 pretty easy. I
looked down and ran a 16.07 and thought I had the emergency brakes on,
but I didn't. The track lost grip and that was it.

 

"I think this is a track where you get your choice left or right. We'll
see who picks the right one. Gordon's got the option, so we'll see which
one he picks. I know one thing. You don't want to get off course and
ruin your day in the first corner. You've got to get up through there
smooth and not screw up.

 

"I didn't have a problem. It was a clean track. I was real happy with
the condition of the track. I had no problem whatsoever. I don't think I
got into turn 10 any harder than I had all day long. When I got there I
just noticed reduced grip and that was about it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 "(New tire) seems OK. I haven't had a problem whatsoever with it. We
only did a one-day test here. If we hadn't tested here we would have
been fine because we haven't changed much from last year's setup.
There's not much difference. We verified some things. It's a brand new
car with a new style of brakes. So far everything is going good on it.
It's hard to evaluate the tire unless you're back in the back with one
old one and the new style. It's the same for everybody. I'm happy with
our performance and our starting position.

 

"It's hard for those guys (road racers) to run good in these cars. We
run these things every week and understand what they do and how they
feel. For a road racer to go out and get it done, it's hard for him.
It'd be like me winning the Brickyard 400 and then going back and run
the Indy 500. You're not going to be able to get out of a stock car into
an Indy car and make it happen. It's a little easier for those road
racers to run out here, but if they had more time, I'm sure they could
run with us. I'm having a hard time figuring out where I'm going with
this story...

 

"The track is smooth but the only grip I feel is in seven and in turn 11
but other than that you're still sliding around like you were last year.
I'm confident. I've just got to not screw up. Last year we got the
brakes hot and had a top five car and ended up seventh or eighth. We've
just got to keep it on course, that's the main thing. You've got to log
laps and keep it on the course. Track position is everything. You've got
to get in the pits and get out before everybody else and keep that track
position. Last year I spun and went from fifth to 30th. The caution flag
came out and the whole field pitted. I stayed out and really watched my
fuel mileage. I finished eighth by just staying out. I went to the gas
pumps and it held 21.9, so I didn't have much left.

 

"It's a crucial race to get in the top 10 (series standings). I got
myself out of it because of a crash at Talladega and a crash at
California back to back. I went from eighth back to 15th. I'm trying to
get back to the front right now. There are a lot of cars that are having
problems. I think Jimmie Johnson qualified 31st. This is a track where
you've got to run smooth and keep it on the track. A lot of guys are
really good at other places that struggle a lot here."

 

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