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[/media-credit]TOYOTA NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) Post-Race Notes & Quotes Richmond International Raceway – April 28, 2012
Kurt Busch won the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Richmond International Raceway. The win marked the first victory for Kyle Busch Motorsports and team owner Kyle Busch in the NNS.
The victory was Kurt Busch’s first in a Camry and fourth overall in the Series. Busch started 10th and led three times for 68 laps (of 250) on the .75-mile facility in Virginia. The win was the 66th victory for Toyota in the NNS. Denny Hamlin finished second (just .06 seconds behind) at his hometown track and led three times for six laps.
Camry drivers Brian Scott (14th), Mike Bliss (17th) and Logano (18th) also posted top-20 finishes at Richmond International Raceway. Joey Logano led once in the race for 13 laps.
Other Toyota drivers in the field included Travis Pastrana (22nd), Tyler Malsam (25th), Jason Bowles (30th), Eric McClure (31st), J.J. Yeley (37th) and Jeff Green (43rd). Pastrana was making his first start in the NNS.
KURT BUSCH, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry, Kyle Busch Motorsports Finishing Position: 1st How does it feel to get Kyle Busch Motorsports its first Nationwide Series win? “Man, it was an amazing run for us tonight just to be in position after our rough start to this season. To get KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) its first win — this is unbelievable. This team with (Mike) Beam (crew chief) and (Rick) Ren (general manager) — all these guys have been working so hard. It’s that love that you have as a family member and I’ve driven for guys like (Roger) Penske and guys like (Jack) Roush, but when you’re driving for a guy named Busch you’ve got to be on it and I’m happy to deliver tonight. Unbelievable run with (Denny) Hamlin — I didn’t think he was going to catch us. I was pacing ourselves. I was pacing ourselves and then boom. He just came out of nowhere at the end. I slipped up going into (turn) three coming to take the white flag and I was on the outside at that point. I just had a flashback to an IROC (International Race of Champions) that I lost here before where I was on the inside. I said, ‘You know what, I’ve got to hold him (Denny Hamlin) down. I’ve got to pinch him a little bit and it’s going to be rough coming off turn four,’ and we held off Denny. It’s great to race a guy like that where here he’s using his head and we can both rough up our cars, but still finish the race one two.”
What did Kyle Busch say to you? “He just couldn’t believe that we got this car to victory lane. You could just feel his hand trembling of, ‘I’m an owner. I don’t know what to think,’ but he knows he could have drove this car today as well. Just got to thank all these guys — Triad Motorsports with the way the chassis are built, the engine stayed together as we were overheating all day long. Just all the guys — this is a great day for Monster Energy and this guy (Kyle Busch) right here. I’m so proud of you. He (Kyle Busch) told me what to do driving at like lap 40 and I was like, ‘Here we go. Here’s the owner telling the driver how to drive.’ Just got to thank Monster and Tag Heuer, my guys at Toyota. This was an unbelievable race and the fans here and Nationwide — it’s a great series to run and I’m happy to run here this year half the season with Kyle.”
What does it mean to help build this Nationwide program? “It’s harder than you think putting a program together and you think you can come in here and muscle your way to the top, but you have to think your way to the top. And we’ve got great guys like Mike Bean (crew chief), Rick Ren (general manager), a guy back at the shop handling the shop duties, all the PR department, all the staff — everybody working together. It’s tough to win in any national series in NASCAR and I’ve just got to thank KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) for the opportunity to drive. This December, January, February has been rough for me and this is a great way to get back on top and take this car to victory lane.”
How difficult was it to hold off Denny Hamlin? “Denny Hamlin came over — true sportsman. This is his home track here in Virginia and to come out on top over him — it’s special to win and beat the hometown guy. This is a great day for our Monster Energy Toyota to bring it to victory lane after all the hard work that’s been going into it and to be here with Kyle (Busch) and winning with KBM (Kyle Busch Motorsports) — this is an unbelievable experience. There’s a lot of hard working people on this team and there’s a great sponsor with Monster Energy. I’m just all jazzed up right now with those guys and their partnership.”
KURT BUSCH, No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota Camry, Kyle Busch Motorsports (continued) How special is this for your family? “It’s huge for me and for this team. This December, January, February has been rough. To get on top no matter what series it is in NASCAR, you’ve done something special for a day and today was a long day. I’ve never been in the car at eight o’clock in the morning for practice and here we are in victory lane and just got to thank these guys and to have Monster with us — it’s an interesting family feeling right now, because I’ve raced for guys like (Roger) Penske, guys like (Jack) Roush — a guy named Busch owns this race car and it’s a little bit different feel.”
How much fun was that last lap? “Hell, it was awesome. With (Denny) Hamlin, I never thought he’d catch us. I thought we had it in the bag with 20 (laps) to go. The spotter and crew chief kept giving me intervals and he caught us. He just flat out reeled us in like a fish and I slipped up getting into turn three and I had a flashback to an IROC (International Race of Champions) race that I lost here years ago to Mark Martin. Mark was on the outside then, so I used some of that knowledge to get to victory lane tonight.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 2nd Can you describe the last few laps? “Man, I don’t know. I could have just moved him (Kurt Busch) up and got him out of the groove and been over with, but Kyle’s (Busch) a teammate and Rick Ren (general manager) and those guys have built a great program. I wanted to be fair. He won fair and square. Just one lap too late.”
What happened on the missed pit stop? “We waited so long to pit. First thing is — I made a mistake. I didn’t hear the guys to help me in and I missed the pit box and we had to go to the rear. That was far to come back. I just drove with everything I had. I just drove qualifying laps the last 50 laps. Made up a lot of time — just a few feet short.”
How disappointing was the finish? “Just so disappointing not to get these guys win. Wow — what a comeback for our team. We were just a lap short. I had a choice. I could have moved him up and it would have been over with — he would have been out of the groove. It would have been clear sailing. Kyle’s (Busch) been a great teammate. I know how much he’s put in to working that program and getting it better. Proud for those guys. Kurt (Busch) is going to take a lot of pride in getting his first win for his old brother.”
JOE NEMECHEK, No. 87 AM/FM Energy Wood & Pellet Stoves Toyota Camry, NEMCO Motorsports Finishing Position: 13th
BRIAN SCOTT, No. 11 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 14th
MIKE BLISS, No. 44 Toyota Camry, TriStar Motorsports Finishing Position: 17th
JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finishing Position: 18th
TRAVIS PASTRANA, No. 99 Boost Mobile Toyota Camry, RAB Racing with Brack Maggard Finishing Position: 22nd How did you feel during your debut? “Honestly, the result wasn’t what we wanted, but to be perfectly honest — I felt pretty good out there. You know we weren’t a top-10 car, but for a while we were closing in on what could have been a top-15 before I messed up the pits. But, first time for a stop-and-go pit. I felt really good. We passed (Brad) Keselowski at one point and I was like, ‘That’s awesome.’ Though the 18 (Denny Hamlin) came by — I think he had to go around the pit twice. I’m racing with some guys — Danica Patrick — her second pit was really loose. To go around and keep moving forward there was really cool.”
TRAVIS PASTRANA, No. 99 Boost Mobile Toyota Camry, RAB Racing with Brack Maggard (continued) How was your race? “It was awesome. We didn’t really know what to expect. We’re not on pace, but we’re not that far off. So, then we went on a super long green there at the end. I had three goals when I started. One was finish the race. Two was to finish on the lead lap. So, I did the first goal and didn’t do the second goal. My third goal was — I bet Ross Cathy, my friend from Chick-fil-A, that I’d donate some money to charity or he’d donate money to charity — either one — if Danica won. I knew that was a long shot bet, but we were so close to her at the end. I had to go through the pit twice. I got on the gas at the end when I thought it was the end. I was like, ‘Yeah.’ Then I got out and I was like, ‘Ahh, it was the yellow line, not the white one.’ I was so stewed — just getting antsy at the pit. That was my first green flag pit though. It was pretty cool.”
Was it better than you expected? “No. I think everybody envisions they’re going to do well. I was hoping — I was optimistically thinking it was going to be around here — hoping for better. I really thought we could get a top-20, but that was my mess-up in the pits. I learned a lot though. It felt good. I really trust the team. They did a good job. Pretty excited about it.”
How important is patience? “Definitely patience is going to be key. And just not burn off the tires. Honestly, that last run we got stuck on the outside and Danica (Patrick) went by and I was like, ‘Got to go. Got to go.’ We just burnt the tires off and was going slower than I ever went. You can only drive how fast you can drive — how fast you set the car up. It really is a team effort — from before practice — but from the first lap of practice to the first lap of the race and just getting everyone together. Every driver out there wants to win. I know it’s going to be a really long time. I believe we can be a top-20 driver this year and hopefully a top-10 next year — maybe shooting for wins the year after. It’s not going to be a fast process. I’m happy. I’m actually really happy with how we ran today.”
TAYLER MALSAM, No. 19 G-Oil Toyota Camry, TriStar Motorsports Finishing Position: 25th
JASON BOWLES, No. 81 American Majority Toyota Camry, MacDonald Motorsports Finishing Position: 30th
ERIC MCCLURE, No. 14 Hefty/Reynolds Wrap Toyota Camry, TriStar Motorsports Finishing Position: 31st
J.J. YELEY, No. 17 Toyota Camry, TEAM Finishing Position: 37th
JEFF GREEN, No. 10 Toyota Camry, TriStar Motorsports Finishing Position: 43rd
