TOYOTA NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)
Post-Race Notes & Quotes
Dover International Speedway – June 1, 2014
· Three Camry drivers registered top-five finishes in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Dover International Speedway — Matt Kenseth (third), Clint Bowyer (fourth) and Denny Hamlin (fifth). Jimmie Johnson was the race-winner.
· Kenseth led the field five times for a total of 17 laps (of 400) at the one-mile concrete oval and Bowyer led five laps in the race.
· Kyle Busch started on the outside of row one and led the first 81 laps of the 400-mile race to become the 15th driver in NASCAR history to lead 10,000 career laps in NSCS competition.
· Camry driver Brett Moffitt, making his first career NSCS start, ended up in 22nd-place after starting from the 18th position.
· Camry driver Kenseth took over the top spot in the unofficial NSCS point standings and he sits two points ahead of second-place Jeff Gordon. Busch (seventh), Hamlin (ninth) and Vickers (13th) are also in the top-15 in the point standings following Dover.
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 3rd
How was your race?
“It was good. I mean, I thought the 48 (Jimmie Johnson) and the 4 (Kevin Harvick) had us all day. The 24 (Jeff Gordon) at times — all of the Hendrick cars were strong and Brad (Keselowski) got up there at the end. We had a good top-five car. I did an awful job on that last restart. Just got spinning the tires too much and the best car won. We just need to be a little bit better.”
What happened with the 23 (Alex Bowman) earlier in the race?
“So, he (Alex Bowman) blew a tire or something and I saw him blow a tire, and I was kind of running the middle and I didn’t know where he was going to go — so I hit the brakes and locked up the left front (tire) and then I didn’t have any steering when the left front was locked up. Yeah, that would’ve looked pretty stupid to drive up and go through the back of him.”
Did you see the piece of concrete come up from the race track?
“I saw a little piece of dust from one of those cars in front of me. I didn’t know what it was and then we drove back through there we saw a little bit of a hole. There’s been a big crack there all weekend and obviously it finally came apart.”
How did your race car handle today?
“Our Dollar General Camry was really solid all day honestly. So, we started kind of in the middle. I didn’t qualify well and the car was solid and we had really, really good pit stops, good adjustments. They gave me a shot and put me there again just couldn’t get it done.”
CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 Cherry 5-Hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 4th
How was your race?
“It was a day — alright. It’s just kind of the way everything goes. I hated to be in that situation with the 18 (Kyle Busch). It’s one of those deals where I thought I was clear obviously and wasn’t and ruined his day and certainly didn’t help mine. But, nonetheless the guys kept digging and working hard and kept fixing it up — and man I tell you if it wasn’t for debris cautions and stuff like that that keep coming out I think we can be in contention to win one of these things. We certainly had the fuel mileage and everything else. Did our homework with the facts that were given, and unfortunately those facts changed.”
What was your conversation about with Matt Kenseth after the race?
“I was just trying to help him. Man, we were all spinning like crazy and I had a pretty good run at him (Matt Kenseth) and he was still spinning when I hit him and I knocked him into the wall and I was like, ‘Not another (Joe) Gibbs (Racing) car.’ But, what a day. Frustrating day. I hated that with Kyle (Busch) obviously. We’re teammates so to speak with the manufacturer and it was a bad deal. Obviously I thought I was clear and he kind of got up there and I thought he was going to give it to me and he didn’t. Ruined his day for sure and certainly didn’t help ours. The strategy was fuel mileage. We did a good job. I was saving a lot of fuel and (Brian) Pattie (crew chief) did a good job of strategizing to be there for the end and unfortunately another debris caution comes out and forces everybody to figure it out from there. Kind of hard to strategize around these races when the facts change.”
Did you see the piece of concrete come off the race track?
“It’s just — what do you do? The track come apart. It’s a bummer deal but we’ve seen that before. It was unfortunate for the 1 (Jamie McMurray) man. He couldn’t hit it any worse. I knew as soon as — I was right behind him and as soon as he hit it boy that thing took off and flew up in the air and ruined his day. What a day. That deal with Kyle (Busch). I felt horrible. It’s just kind of the way our year is going. You try to stay out of trouble — I mean it’s a team effort. He (spotter) told me I was clear and I wasn’t.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Autism Speaks/FedEx Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 5th
Did you think you could make it through the field after pitting before the final restart?
“We just didn’t have enough laps and the balance of the car was way off. We had a third to fifth-place car all day and that’s kind of where we ended up. It was at least good to have a finish where we could actually finish where we were capable of running. We haven’t had that in about three months. This is the first top-five I think at a non-restrictor plate track, which is a little late in the season for that for us.”
What does this top-five finish mean for your team?
“We’ve got some ground to gain on the Hendrick guys. Bottom line. They’re just in a different league every single week whether it be their engines or chassis or whatever, they’ve got it going on. We’ve got some new stuff coming and hopefully we’ll close that gap.”
How were you able to recover from an early pit road speeding penalty?
“Usually we don’t recover from those but Darian (Grubb, crew chief) gave me a great car this weekend. Really just proud to run well during the FedEx 400 and in the Autism Speaks car this weekend and having a good showing for them. That was important for us and obviously a good top-five for me.”
BRETT MOFFITT, No. 66 Land Castle Toyota Camry, Jay Robinson Racing
Finishing Position: 22nd
COLE WHITT, No. 26 Burger King Toyota Camry, Swan Racing
Finishing Position: 27th
RYAN TRUEX, No. 83 Burger King Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Starting Position: 32nd
ALEX BOWMAN, No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 40th
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Peanut Butter Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 42nd
BRIAN VICKERS, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 43rd
What took you out of the race early?
“I don’t know exactly. I don’t want to speculate on what it was or what caused it. Certainly an engine. We lost an engine. Just out of power on the restart. Everyone at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) and Toyota work so hard and we’re always pushing these engines to the very limit. So, I’m sure they will get to the bottom of it and get it fixed.”
