- Toyota driver Matt Kenseth was victorious in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Pennsylvania’s Pocono Raceway.
- Kenseth started seventh in the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) No. 20 Camry and led twice for two laps (of 160) en route to his second win of the season and his first career win at Pocono Raceway.
- Toyota drivers have now won four consecutive races, including three straight for Kyle Busch at Kentucky Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway along with Kenseth’s victory at Pocono.
- It marks the eighth NSCS win for the season for Toyota and the Camrys 73rd win since joining series competition in 2007.
- Kyle Busch took the lead on the final laps, however Busch ran out of fuel on the final lap and Kenseth was able to win the fuel mileage event at the 2.5-mile track.
- Busch, who started from the pole, led the field three times for 19 laps in the JGR No. 18 Camry.
- Camry drivers Clint Bowyer (eighth) and Carl Edwards (10th) also earned top-10 finishes.
- Four Camry drivers are now in the top-20 in the NSCS point standings with Kenseth (seventh), Hamlin (11th), Bowyer (14th) and Edwards (16th). Busch is currently 32nd in points and 13 points out of the 30th position.
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 1st
How surprised are you to get the win today?
“We had a really fast Dollar General Camry today and I think it showed all day. I had real bad restarts but I thought we had one of the best cars here. So, just a big thanks for everybody at TRD and everybody at Dollar General, DeWalt and really everybody back at Joe Gibbs Racing. Man, they’ve been giving us some bullets lately and it feels good to get one today.”
How did you save fuel coming down the stretch?
“I wanted to pass Jimmie (Johnson) because you just never know about those guys and I knew that Chad (Knaus) didn’t want me to pass him so I wanted to pass him and get in front of him and then control the gap. Once it started dropping behind me Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) just told me to just keep saving. We talked about it a little bit before the race and just saved as much as we can. So, again just need to thank all of my partners and all our sponsors on this car and everybody back at Joe Gibbs Racing. Glad to get one here at Pocono.”
What does this win mean for your team?
“There’s nothing like wins. We had a lot of wins in 2013 and were pretty spoiled and last year we had a big dry spell and this year were able to win Bristol. We’ve been upfront a lot so just really, really thankful to be with these guys and to get the win. I never thought I’d ever win at Pocono and I never ever thought I’d win a fuel mileage race so we did both today.”
How does it feel to win at Pocono for the first time in your career?
“Thanks. I’ve just got to thank everybody on this Dollar General team. Everybody at TRD and Toyota did a great job with these engines. We had a lot of power. The 18 (Kyle Busch) has been cleaning up. We’ve been leading a lot of laps and everything lately and it was good for us to get upfront and finally get a win. It feels good.”
Can you describe the last laps of the race?
“It was nerve-wracking. I really didn’t think the 48 (Jimmie Johnson) was going to make it but I still really wanted to be in front of him. Once I got in front of him I started saving as much as I could. I figured we had a little bit more than Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) was letting on. I saved a lot and I was worried about the 2 (Brad Keselowski) and they said he was out so then I just saved as much as I could. I saw the 22 (Joey Logano) and the 18 (Kyle Busch) drop and I was like, ‘Well, the 18 is going to get another one.’ Then, they said he was out off the tunnel. So, it’s really, really hard not to go as fast as you can those last few laps. We had a really fast car today, I just had real bad restarts. The thing was a bullet all day so I don’t care how we got here, we’re here.”
How much confidence do you have at Joe Gibbs Racing right now with all of the recent success?
“All four of our cars have been pretty close to the front here the last couple of months. Obviously, Kyle (Busch) has been winning a lot of races, so I feel like as a group we’re really fast right now but there’s some time to go before the Chase and we know we’ve got to keep improving because our competition is. So, it feels good to be getting some wins for sure and hopefully we can keep it up.”
CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 Maxwell House Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 8th
Are excited are you to finish in the top-10 today?
“Holy cow that was a finish. What a race. We got caught with the caution lights and had a heck of a comeback. We were able to save enough fuel and give the Maxwell House Toyota a great finish.”
CARL EDWARDS, No. 19 Stanley Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 10th
DAVID RAGAN, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 17th
How was your race?
“I felt like we had a solid top-10 car. A great improvement from Friday. Our Aaron’s Dream Machine team did a nice job making adjustments throughout the weekend. We showed up with a mid-pack car on Friday and I felt like we had a top-10 car on Sunday. That’s the gamble that you’ve got to play sometimes when you’re trying to win races and get the best finish to try to make this Chase. Just came out a half lap short. I’m proud of the team and all we can do is move on to Watkins Glen.”
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 21st
How disappointed are you not to get your fourth straight win after running out of fuel on the final lap leading the race?
“Yeah, that was it. I didn’t know we were that close. Normally when we’re close or that close I get harped on pretty hard to save fuel. They were just telling me to save just to not put too much pressure on the car and everything else. Man, that’s a bummer. I wish I would’ve saved a little more there that last run. I wish I would’ve known that the 22 (Joey Logano) was that far away from making it. He was way far away from making it. Man, that was just a shame that we weren’t able to get it done there. But, this M&M’s Crispy Camry again I can’t thank my guys enough — Adam Stevens (crew chief) and everybody. We’ve got fast race cars right now so congratulations to Matt Kenseth for winning today for Joe Gibbs Racing and everybody at home can continue the celebration although it’s not the right JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) car for the 18 it’s certainly good for the company.”
How are you feeling about qualifying for the Chase as you are 13 points out of 30th place in the point standings?
“Was I in before we ran out? We would be celebrating a win and a Chase berth. We got greedy, I don’t know how greedy but that’s the position we’re in. If it came down to other things that we haven’t had the success that we’ve had here lately we would’ve had to have pitted and just made the opportunity of it and made the best finish that we could. But, we went for broke today and come up a little bit short so can’t fault the team.”
Did you think you had enough fuel to earn your fourth consecutive victory?
“I thought it was. I didn’t know we were that short on making it on fuel and by the time I got notice that the 22 (Joey Logano) was going to run out. He was pretty much out, but by then to try to save that much gas in the last three laps of the race that just wasn’t going to be feasible. I didn’t know we were that close. I wish that maybe I had a little bit better heads up but I can’t fault these guys for trying and going for broke. We’re in the position we’re in for a reason and that’s because of fast race cars and today we probably could’ve made a few different choices there through the last run and made it and won this thing again but that just wasn’t to be. This M&M’s Crispy Camry was awesome today though. Really fast car. I thought I was faster than Joey (Logano), I just couldn’t get there in traffic. I got real loose behind him and the closer I would get to him so I just couldn’t make anything of it.”
How was the race?
“It was a caution-filled race there for a while. I was surprised the end then went green. I don’t know where we were on our strategy and all of that stuff. I’ve got to debrief with Adam (Stevens, crew chief), but I don’t know how close we were and if we were one lap short of making it then I probably needed to save or do a better job of running those last 30 laps or so. They kept telling me to save, save my stuff just in case we had yellow and had to race but I didn’t know we were going to be short on fuel. Once the 22 (Joey Logano) ran out to try to save fuel on those last 3 laps, it just wasn’t going to happen. We were short, we run out but we went down swinging so I can’t fault my guys for that. An awesome call, they called the race right and another Monster Energy can of gas and we’d be winning another one.”
What are your thoughts on all of the cautions early in the race?
“The race was definitely the most different Pocono race I think I’ve ever seen. A lot of yellows. Normally you kind of see those at the end of the race but it seemed there at the end it obviously went green and I felt like it was a race between the 22 (Joey Logano), the 78 (Martin Truex Jr.) and us. We all were really, really close and I don’t know, I felt like I was the faster car if I could just get through them. Was just way too loose behind them, I couldn’t get anything.”
Why is it that JGR can’t seem to do anything wrong lately?
“Well, as a team yeah, we did something wrong today, but the 20 (Matt Kenseth) were really good and they obviously deserve to win this race. They played it right and we didn’t. It’s definitely good for Joe Gibbs Racing. Everybody at home can continue to celebrate even though it wasn’t the 18.”
Do you think you are okay being 13 points out of 30th in the point standings?
“Ah, we’re fine. If I would’ve won today we’d be in and celebrating a win and a Chase berth.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 22nd
MATT DIBENEDETTO, No. 83 Burger King Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 29th
JJ YELEY, No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 30th
JEB BURTON, No. 26 Maxim Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 35th
