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[/media-credit]NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
COCA-COLA 600
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE
MAY 24, 2012
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 QUAKER STATE CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Charlotte Motor Speedway and discussed his season to date, winning the Coca-Cola 600 and other topics. Full Transcript:
TALK ABOUT MAKING YOUR 300TH NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES START THIS WEEKEND IN THE COCA-COLA 600:
“It’s a lot of Sprint Cup races and we’ve got some pretty good success in the series, not near enough, but things have went pretty well for us at times. It’s pretty awesome to make the 300th start at the Coca-Cola 600. A race that we have won a couple of times and driving for Hendrick Motorsports a company who is as strong as anyone every year. I feel like Hendrick is really good right now hitting on some things. The No. 48 car has proven that. I think our car is getting closer as well. Just looking forward to the weekend, it should be a lot of fun. The weather looks great and hopefully we can have a good show.”
YOU HAVE WON THIS RACE TWICE. WHAT DO YOU DO THROUGHOUT THE WEEKEND FROM A NUTRITION STAND POINT AND HYDRATING YOURSELF TO PREPARE FOR THIS RACE?
“Just looking at the weather, I have had a busy week there has been a lot going on, then the weather for this weekend is going to be in the 90’s, hot and sunny. I’m doing the Nationwide race on Saturday, the World of Outlaw race tomorrow night. I need to make sure I have plenty of fluids and think about you never know maybe an IV or something even after the Nationwide race just to keep that stuff in you. You sweat a lot this weekend. I usually lose a lot anyway. For a big weekend like this, a long race and things you need to be ready to go when the race starts on Sunday for five hours.”
DO YOU EAT ANYTHING DIFFERENTLY?
“No I just try to mainly just fluids for me. I eat pretty plain stuff on a regular basis. Just try to get some fluids in throughout the week, not forget to drink stuff because it is easy when you are hot to not drink a lot of water or something when you are in the car or Gatorade, just stay up with it.”
CAN YOU TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HAVING A SPRINT TEAM AND HAVING FOUR CARS COMPETING AT THE DIRT TRACK TOMORROW NIGHT?
“Usually we run two cars that are full time. Brad Sweet is going to be racing tomorrow also. I thought man it’s close to home, I ran Sunday night in Hagerstown, Maryland so I kind of did a little bit of sprint car racing. Then just felt like we would go over there and take four cars. Charlotte the dirt track can be really good or it can be really bad they have proved that over the years. You never know what you are going to get. When it is right it is a lot of fun to race on. Hopefully, they prepare the track nicely this time and we can put on a good show over there. But you never know what you are going to get when you go to that track.”
WHAT IS IT LIKE AT HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS NOW?
“Well I would say myself since I have been there I think everybody has been really confident. Our car has been fast all season. Last year there were some tracks where maybe they struggled a little bit. This year I think everywhere we have went we have been as competitive as any other organization. Things have been really good. Then after Jimmie (Johnson) won that 200th win that got everybody even more excited and the All-Star race, the pit crew challenge, everybody feels pretty good about themselves. They had a great 200th win party the other night. Mr. Hendrick, they put on a great show. Brad Paisley sang it was awesome for all the employees and everybody that was part of it. I really enjoyed it.”
I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT THE 200TH WIN PARTY, I SAW SOME PHOTOS SO IN YOUR OPINION WHO WAS THE BEST PERFORMER ON STAGE?
“Well, I was confused because I saw him come out. I actually thought it was Brad Paisley. I didn’t realize I think it was Jeff Gordon came out for a minute. I was confusing there I didn’t know what was going on. Then I thought Brad did a really good job, obviously he was the best performer. He did well; he puts on a good show. I think everybody there really enjoyed it.”
WHAT KIND OF CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED COMING TO A NEW ORGANIZATION? HOW EMOTIONAL HAVE THE UP’S AND DOWN’S OF THIS SEASON BEEN FOR YOU?
“To me it hasn’t been that great. I think some people may have thought it was much worse than what it was. It never really got to me too bad because the situation I was in I don’t feel like we’ve performed to our capability yet at all. I feel like we are running pretty well since the start of the season, we really haven’t made those big gains yet. I think as a company it’s obvious that we have the speed and it’s all right there. We just need to put it together. I felt good about kind of where we have been all season long and just trying to put it all together. It’s a different program, the cars are a little bit different and the way they drive compared to things I’ve been in, in the past. Just trying to figure those balances out for the race, the 600 is going to be such a long race starting in the day and going to night and all that. It’s something that we really need to work hard on Saturday. It hasn’t been too big of a deal for me. I have felt really good about where we have been. I just want to run better. I want to keep learning about where we are at, what some of the other guys are doing. That is the best part for me these seasons so far is that I can look at what people are doing and how they are doing it.”
HOW IS THAT DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU EXPERIENCED BEFORE?
“It changes the way I look at things because I can put in any one of their set-ups and see how it drives and be like okay that is what they are doing. This is how it feels and things. I’ve never had that before. Obviously, he is doing this different for this reason. So you can kind of figure it out and it’s been nice to be able to do that.”
WHAT IS IT LIKE DRIVING FOR AN OWNER, AN ORGANIZATION THAT CAN BE SO DOMINANT?
“I don’t know I mean you look at that it is great to see. I’m happy for Jimmie (Johnson) and Chad (Knaus) and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports. I let them all know that. I don’t necessarily feel like it’s me. Our team is not running as good as what we would like to and stuff. It’s nice to know that it is right there and we have the same stuff that they do and if we can hit on things hopefully we can run well like the No. 48 has been running. I don’t know it’s cool to see them do it. I feel good for them and for all the people at Hendrick Motorsports. Everybody is really excited about things right now. The momentum and things, that is good, but as far as myself, I don’t really feel any different than I would have last year watching those guys win three or four straight.”
LAST NIGHT THE 2013 HALL OF FAME CLASS WAS ANNOUNCED. WHO ARE THE HISTORICAL FIGURES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE WANTED TO SEE IN OR WHO WOULD YOU HAVE PICKED IF YOU WERE ON THE VOTING PANEL?
“I think there are a lot of people who have brought a lot to this sport and the history of the sport. There are a lot of drivers or owners or crew chiefs that still haven’t been picked and will be picked soon. I think last night’s panel was pretty cool. A lot of guys that have brought a lot to this sport, Mr. Hendrick has got to be coming soon. He has done so much in NASCAR and so much for so many people involved in NASCAR not just the drivers or things. He has done a lot for a lot of people there. He has got to be coming soon on that also. I think the Hall of Fame is great. I think they do a nice job with that and kind of showcase some of the people that you haven’t seen in a long time. You can go back and look at what they have actually done and how much it meant to NASCAR.”
About Chevrolet
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