BRAD KESELOWSKI (No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger) Qualified 12th
HOW WAS YOUR QUALIFYING LAP? “It was a decent run, just about what we expected. We’re ready to race. It should be interesting to see how things play out in tomorrow’s race. I’m looking forward to it.”
WHY RACE IN BOTH NASCAR SERIES? “It takes a lot of work to drive in both series, but it’s rewarding. I enjoy it, especially when you have fast cars like we have with our Dodge Challenger on the Nationwide side. Hopefully, I can learn things that will make me a better race car driver. I have fun. We’re able to make Penske Racing stronger. We’re able to do things for Dodge. We’re able to get sponsors like Discount Tire. There are just too many benefits to pass up.
HOW DIFFICULT IS IT KNOWING YOU’RE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE NATIONWIDE TITLE? “It’s painful, but it is what it is. We had a really great year last year and we can still run for the owner’s championship. We’ll just try to focus on the positives.”
TODD GORDON (Crew Chief, No. 22 Discount Tire Dodge Challenger)
“We’ll see where that (qualifying run) shakes out. With the plate changes this week, it’s been a little bit of a challenge, but we feel like we’ll race really well. We didn’t expect to be on top of the board in qualifying. I think the winner of the race will come from a two-car draft at the end. I don’t’ know that they’ll do it (draft together) all day, but at the end it will be two cars locked together.”
SAM HORNISH JR. (No. 12 392 Dodge Challenger) Qualified 17th
“It was an OK lap, not quite as quick as we wanted to be. It’s so hard to tell where you were at for speed in yesterday’s practice with all the other cars out there. We can’t do anything but get ready for tomorrow. This is a little bit different than what it’s been in the past as far as coming to Daytona, but I really enjoy being in this Dodge Challenger. It’s a different style of racing than what I’ve ever run here at Daytona. I was really partial to the old surface where the car slid around a lot. You had to get in and out of the throttle. I’m looking forward to the race tomorrow.
GIVE ME AN IDEA OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE BUMPERS LINING UP? “There are several things that are different between the Cup cars and Nationwide cars. If you look at the front bumper of the Cup cars, there’s a longer flat area across the front of the bumper. That allows you to push the guy straight forward. These Nationwide cars have a more round nose, plus the cars are lower in the front and the bumpers are a little bit higher. The rear bumpers on the Nationwide cars are also a lot softer than on the Cup cars. You can’t hit that person as hard. It will cave in the bumper. It should be interesting to see the drafting tomorrow.”
