dodge cup qualifying notes from martinsville. Newman Wins Pole!

Friday, Oct. 22, 2004.
Martinsville Speedway.
Subway 500.  Qualifying.
 

RYAN NEWMAN (No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge) - Wins 7th pole of season, breaks tie
with Jeff Gordon, sets track record.

"Totally the track (track record lap of 97.043 mph). Obviously the car
had to be right, but the track, just being so much smoother, allows the
cars to grip off the corners as well as the concrete being farther down
the straightaway. It used to be the hardest part of this track was the
transition both getting in from the asphalt to the concrete and then as
well the concrete to the asphalt on the exit getting the power down. The
fresh concrete is definitely grippy on top of the fact that there's more
of it.

 

"Track position isn't everything, but it's a good start. We said
earlier, and I don't know why, but you can't benefit from the pit
selection until you use the track position. We've got to start off
strong and run good and the track position will be the best starting
point of our weekend and then the pit selection will hopefully take over
after the first pit stop. It's a good start to the entire weekend, and
we'll just try to keep it up.

 

"The crew chiefs are looking for tire wear and the drivers are looking
for good places to pass. I said before the walls are in the same
location. The curbs are in the same location. The curb is a little bit
different, but you're still working with the same basic layout of the
racetrack. There's more grip there, so the cars are going to go faster.
You're still going to have cars that are better balanced than other
racecars. You'll have faster cars and slower cars. It's just a matter of
how easy it is to get around somebody.

 

"Without a doubt, we're looking for places to make up major ground
because we need that right now. Just one step at a time. The points the
last five races haven't gone the way we wanted them to with the
exception of Dover, but we're not out of the championship by any means.
We're not in a good position, but we'll just keep our nose to the
grindstone, stay focused and do our best job.

 

"I think it's really the same last year as it is this year (importance
of teammate). Putting the first 26 races compared to the last five,
teammates are somebody who are supposed to help you out, but in the end
they're still a competitor. They want to win just as badly as you do or
at least they should. You have to stay focused as far as what's going on
around you. Hopefully your team understands as well as the entire
organization understands. Who's got the better opportunity to do better
or who's got the better opportunity to do worse in some instances.
Basically, just have respect in all cases whether it's the last five
races or the next five races or the previous 26. Points as a whole. Race
to race, I don't think it makes any difference now as to how it is now
versus how it was. Look at what happened in Charlotte. We were in the
wrong place at the wrong time. Our teammate was one of the ones involved
in getting the whole deal started so sometimes you can avoid things and
sometimes you can't.

 

"We used to struggle a lot here, mostly because I didn't know how to
drive the place. We could get around it fast, but I didn't know how to
drive it on a consistent basis. We had a real bad habit of burning up
brakes, and that's usually the driver's fault. I think the new track is
going to lead to a little less braking because you can carry more corner
speed. I think we'll do well here. I'm not going to sit here and say
we're going to win, but I think we've got a shot at doing a little bit
better. I think we've finished in the top five once or twice here.

 

"The best way to put that is it depends where I'm at. Nobody likes
racing at Daytona or Talladega unless you're out front. It's kind of the
same situation here. It's not the best racing, door handle to door
handle type racing we see at other racetracks, but you can race side by
side and you can do some passing. It just takes a little bit more time
and sometimes it's a little bit harder. Sometimes you've got to use your
front bumper or your rear bumper or your door. I won't say I like it. I
tolerate it because it's what we do, but I'd much rather go to a place
like Charlotte or Michigan or Atlanta and get some real racing done.

 

"Rookie drivers should be treated just like any other driver. If it's me
that's being reckless and causing accidents, then treat it that way. If
it's Brendan Gaughan or Kasey Kahne or Vickers or Rusty Wallace it
doesn't matter. We should all be treated equally whether we're rookies
or not. Every rookie driver that's in the NEXTEL Cup Series has usually
been racing longer than 10 years and has usually one or more track
championship under his belt. I don't think any rookie should be treated
differently because they're a rookie.

 

"The bottom line is, I don't want to use go for broke, but basically
we've got to do the best job we can each and every lap. We weren't race
any differently if we were first. We are ninth and our goal is to lead
the most laps and especially the last one.

 

"Usually for me it's more of a banked racetrack where you can go through
the corners side by side on a repetitive basis, sometimes three or four
wide, not including restrictor-plate tracks in that equation, but again,
like I said, places like Michigan where you can see three or four
grooves in the corners, cars car run side by side, you can take a car
that's in the back that's fast, just like Mark Martin did in the fall
race, came from the back and came up to finish second. That's difficult
to do at a place like this in one fuel run. I guess that's what I'm
referring do. Obviously this is a racetrack and they've done a great job
resurfacing it. I don't think it's the raciest track we have on the
circuit. That's a good answer I thought.

 

 "If we were sitting in February of '04 I would say, yeah, I expected to
have more (poles). We've been through a lot this year. We've learned a
lot and we've got a lot more to learn. Having seven right now is a big
thing in my box of egotism as far as bragging rights. It just makes me
feel good to know we've got the most, nothing against what Gordon's
done. He's obviously a great racecar driver, but to have the most at
this point makes me feel good."

 

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) - Qualifies Second Fastest

"It's got more grip and everybody I talked to said it's going to take
different springs and all that. I came up here to test last week and
everything I tried to do messed up. I came out of Kansas City and I
tried to helicopter up and got stuck in the fog. I went back and got in
the airplane and tried to come up here and the airport was broke down.
If I'd known all that I would have driven up, but I screwed up so bad I
missed the test. I couldn't test at all. I got here and put my last
year's qualifying setup in it and it was out of control with that. I
just started slinging springs and shocks and made about 50 changes. It
was getting pretty close. Then I qualified second and it was balanced
pretty good in qualifying and felt real good. I'm excited about getting
out on the track tomorrow and see what's going to happen. I don't know
if the concrete is going to grind the tires off if the car is going to
go dead loose or stay tight or what it's going to do, but it was a good
run for our team.

 

"These are the same tires we had the first race here and the track is
more aggressive. Something is going to give. I don't know what it is.
You did see a ton of rubber out there. It's all stacked up out there.
When the guys tested here I did hear they had a little trouble with
that, but I just hope when the trucks go out and they get through with
their race tomorrow they can lay more rubber down and we'll have to
negotiate what we're going to negotiate on Sunday. It's a lot of
unknowns at the moment.

 

"I think one of the most important things in qualifying here is getting
your pit selection. It sure makes it a lot easier on the brakes and
suspension and pit road position. When you can get up there in the front
and select that baby and get it in the wind and let the brakes breathe
and not have to work the car so hard. I don't think it's going to be one
groove, I really don't. I think there's going to be a lot of passing
going on. I think the track is going to go loose. I don't think it's
going to go tight. I think it's going to grind the tires off and people
are going to try to get hooked up. Everybody told me how tight the track
was and I got here and I saw everybody spinning the tires up off the
corner. I saw half of them spinning out and sliding all over the place.
It didn't look like it was totally hooked up to me.

 

"I don't know the characteristics of the track yet. I don't know what
it's going to do. I think the right rear tires are going to give up. I
think the track is going to go loose. That's what I think. It's been
kinda hooked up they tell me and I was running more right rear spring
than I was running in the first race. I do think it'll go loose. I'm not
certain. I would like to see the truck race get done, lay a little
rubber down tonight and let's get our practice done tomorrow with all 40
cars on the racetrack and I think the second session is going to be real
key. I think there will be more rubber down yet. I think when it's all
done we'll leave with a little different outlook. I think there are a
lot of unknowns right now. The tires are good. I liked them the first
race. Something's got to give. They're going to wear. I just don't know
which one is going to wear the worst. I think it's going to be the right
rear.

 

"If I'm out there running bad and I see Dale coming behind me, I'm going
to give him room. There's nothing I can gain out of that. If he's behind
me and I'm getting ready to go a lap down and I do go a lap down... I'm
not going to pull over if I am going a lap down. I'm going to stay on
it, but I'm not going to rough him up. He's going for the money and I'm
not. On the other hand, if I'm coming up behind him and I'm leading the
race, I expect the same courtesy out of him."

 

STERLING MARLIN (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge)

"We ran a .68 up here testing and just couldn't get back to it. The car
drove good. We  just need some speed somewhere. Both laps were smooth.
We didn't skate or slide or nothing. The track surface is real smooth.
It's got a lot of grip. The weather is a little different than when we
tested here, but we're looking forward to a good race."

 

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

"Overall we're happy. It's Martinsville and if you back up what you
practice you should be happy. It does seem like the track is slowing
down a little bit. That should be somewhere in the top 15, but we'll
take it. We'll get in race trim and go from there. That should give us a
good solid starting spot. It's faster, and I think it's going to be
tough to pass. Everybody is breaking the track record and when you have
that at a place like this, you're not going to be able to move up. The
guy at the bottom will just drive away from you. We'll know more about
it after the truck race. At least it's smoother and all the dips are
out. It'll probably help me a lot."

 

JAMIE McMURRAY (No. 42 Texaco Havoline Dodge)

"The bottom is definitely the way around here. It's really smooth, and
it's going to be fast in the race. It might be hard to pass, so we're
going to try to pick out a spot with an opening on pit road. The pits
are so narrow and tight here. That could really mean a lot."

 

CASEY MEARS (No. 41 Target Dodge)

"That wasn't very good at all. It was just too tight. We've been tight
since we've been here. It just wouldn't turn. We didn't have this
trouble this bad here the first race this season. We were just too tight
out of the gate. The track is different. I don't know if we're behind it
or what the deal is. We're just way too tight."

 

BRENDAN GAUGHAN (No. 77 Kodak/Jasper Dodge)

"Not being known as a great short track racer, we'll take that. We
picked up from practice. I pinched it sideways coming out of turn two on
the second lap, so we decided just to bring it back in one piece. This
is our second brand new Penske car of the season, and it's pretty nice.
We're going to try to make it to the race with it on Sunday."