Dodge Charger Quotes from Daytona. Mayfield and Wallace.

Friday, Feb. 11, 2005
Daytona International Speedway.
Budweiser Shootout Practice

 

JEREMY MAYFIELD (No. 19 Top Banana Dodge Charger)

NOTE: Mayfield posted the third fastest speed in the first practice
session Friday.

"The car is pretty good. I don't think we're as good as we were in the
test here, but we're gaining on it. I feel like the top banana right
now. The 01 and 24 were faster, but I think the big banana is going to
go to the front. We're starting 10th, and we feel good about it. It'll
be cold tomorrow night, and I think that'll be good. Any time it's cold
the drivers always feel better about it and the car usually runs better.
If the tires are sliding they're going to last longer, and they have
more grip in the cooler weather. I think we can win the race. We're
going to have to run good and beat 'em off pit road with some kind of
strategy and we'll win it. The pit stop will be the most important part
of the race. You might have to come in and gamble a little bit. We'll
see what we're made of. We just put on right sides or four or gas only.
Who knows what's going to happen? We didn't take tires last year and
came out leading and spun out, but I was leading when it happened. We
were loose. Right now, I'm saying we'll get four tires, but you never
know until it's showtime."

 

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger)

NOTE: Wallace posted the 10th fastest time in the first practice.

"That really doesn't mean anything. When you're drafting out there, it
really doesn't mean anything. When you get a good sniff and run up on a
big group of cars, you put a big number on 'em. That's on everybody's
mind to show off a little bit, but it doesn't really mean Jack. My car
was floating the nose just a little bit. We made some tape changes and
some spring changes and track bars and shock work and it got it where it
stopped all that. You can feel it getting colder, so the final session
will be the key. The car won't slide around as much. Now you get about
20 laps into a run and you've got to part-throttle it. It'll slide
around a little bit. The cool temperatures will make it last a little
longer before it starts that stuff. I know some guys went with two tires
on the pit stop last year, but I can't see doing that. I want to know
more about what this thing is going to do for the 500 than anything. I
shouldn't say that. I want to win this thing. That's what I really want
to do. I know I can. It's just about getting into position. I brought
two cars here testing. One car was way off the good car. We really tuned
up the good car, and when we left here we were sixth quick with our good
car. I like that 500 car. This other car, we never even tested it. We
ran this car last year. We thought it would draft good, so we brought it
for the Shootout. I feel confident the other car will run better than
this one, but this one is driving good also. We'll see what happens."