NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
FORD ECOBOOST 400
HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST RACE NOTES AND QUOTES
NOVEMBER 22, 2015
KEVIN HARVICK, NO. 4 BUDWEISER/JIMMY JOHN’S CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 2ND
A SECOND CHAMPIONSHIP DID NOT WORK FOR YOU TODAY. AFTER LEADING LAPS EARLY, WHERE DID THE CAR GO?
“We were just struggling all night, to be honest with you, with our Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevy. We had a lot of trouble getting up off the corner and putting the power down. And the longer the run went, the looser that we would get up off the corner. We just want to thank everybody: Hendrick Engines, SHR, Outback, Mobil 1, Hunt Brothers and everybody who is a part of this car and who has been supportive of us over the last two years, it’s been a great couple of years and I’m looking forward to next year. So, it’s fun to be able to run like this. You always want to win, but I’ve learned not to get greedy. After last year, I felt like we had everything go our way and tonight, it didn’t go our way. But, just congratulations to the No. 18 team and everything they did and all of our guys; they’ve done a great job all year.”
YOU GUYS HAD A SHOT THERE WITH THAT LATE CAUTION, WHAT DID YOU GUYS NEED?
“We just weren’t very good tonight and we were having a little trouble with the rear end getting up off the corner and just wound up too tight there at the end. I am just proud of everybody on our Budweiser/Jimmy John’s team. Everybody from Outback, Chevrolet, Mobil 1, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Ditech, and for everything that they do. Proud of everybody at SHR because we kept fighting. We were just a little bit off all weekend.”
YOU GUYS SEEMED LIKE YOU WERE AT THE TOP OF YOUR GAME ALL SEASON AND JUST CAME UP ONE SPOT SHORT:
“Yeah, we had a great year. We just ran second today and unfortunately needed to win the race. Just really proud of our team and everything that they have done. Congratulations to Kyle (Busch), they had a great car tonight. Just really proud of everybody on our Budweiser/Jimmy Johns team for just staying in there for two years and working hard for both years to run for a championship. Just really proud of everybody and just didn’t have it tonight. Kyle had a really strong car and we really never had anything for him all night. We kept working on it and working on it, but we just could never get the back of the car hooked up through the corners. But all in all, everybody stayed in there and kept fighting because it’s never over till it’s over. We were just too tight on the run after that last caution to gain any ground on them.”
KYLE LARSON, NO. 42 TARGET PLAID CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 5TH
YOU HAD A GREAT RACE TODAY AND ALMOST GOT YOUR FIRST WIN, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE NEEDED AT THE END TO GET IT DONE?
“Well, I didn’t need that last caution. It probably cost me or Brad (Keselowski) a win, but it did make it somewhat exciting at the end. Disappointed that we didn’t get the win because I really thought we were about two to three laps away from passing Brad for the lead. I don’t know. We will just go back next season and try and fight for some more wins.”
JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 AXALTA CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 6TH
“To drive for one of the best car owners, if not the best, and drive the best race cars and work with the best people and that’s why I have the wins and championships that I have and why we did what we did here today in the final race battling for a championship. Ingrid, she goes through so much all the ups and downs and what goes along with this sport. We both said going into this race what an amazing experience this has been this year, the last nine years of our lives together and this day, surrounded by friends and family and the people that matter most and work hard on this race team and all the love I’ve gotten from the fans and everybody in this sport, there’s nothing better than that.
WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE JUST GETTING OUT OF THE RACE CAR AND NOT GOING AWAY
“No, I’m not going anywhere. I had such a blast knowing that we had a good race car and could battle with these guys. Me and Martin (Truex, Jr.) had a heck of a battle there; but, unfortunately, it wasn’t for the championship. Congratulations to Kyle Busch. I got caught up there in my emotions of Rick (Hendrick) in the other interview. But, what a great driver. What a great champion. And with all he’s been through this year, nobody is more deserving than him.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW?
“Well, unfortunately, I’m a little disappointed that we weren’t more of a threat for the championship. Beyond that, it’s absolutely been a dream come true. To get an opportunity to race at this level, to have the success that I’ve had, to have the sponsors that we’ve had and to have the fans that we have. The first one to the car was the team and Rick Hendrick and then my family. That is all that really matters to me. Those people are so important to me and make this all worthwhile. I told everybody before the race that no matter what we are going to be happy and celebrate. That is exactly what we are going to go do.”
WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION BETWEEN YOU AND MR. H AND YOU AND INGRID (WIFE)?
“Well with me and Mr. Hendrick we have been together so long, he gave me the most amazing opportunity to drive for one of the best car owners, if not THE best. And drive the best racecars and work with the best people. That is why I have the wins that I have and championships and why we did what we did here today to be here in our final race battling for a championship. I’m just so proud of that and, of course, Ingrid – she goes through so much all the ups and the downs of what goes along with this sport. We both said going into this race what an amazing experience this has been. This year… the last nine years of our lives together and this day surrounded by friends and family and the people that matter most and work hard on this race team. And all the love I’ve gotten from the fans and everybody in the sport, there is nothing better than that.”
“To drive for one of the best car owners, if not the best, and drive the best race cars and work with the best people and that’s why I have the wins and championships that I have and why we did what we did here today in the final race battling for a championship. Ingrid, she goes through so much all the ups and downs and what goes along with this sport. We both said going into this race what an amazing experience this has been this year, the last nine years of our lives together and this day, surrounded by friends and family and the people that matter most and work hard on this race team and all the love I’ve gotten from the fans and everybody in this sport, there’s nothing better than that.
WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE JUST GETTING OUT OF THE RACE CAR AND NOT GOING AWAY
“No, I’m not going anywhere. I had such a blast knowing that we had a good race car and could battle with these guys. Me and Martin (Truex, Jr.) had a heck of a battle there; but, unfortunately, it wasn’t for the championship. Congratulations to Kyle Busch. I got caught up there in my emotions of Rick (Hendrick) in the other interview. But, what a great driver. What a great champion. And with all he’s been through this year, nobody is more deserving than him.”
RICK HENDRICK, TEAM OWNER, HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS:
“We’re going to do a lot of things together (he and Jeff Gordon); he’s not going to drive the race car, but he’s going to be in the booth and he’s going to help us with the team and we’re going to get to do some things together that we haven’t had time to do. So, it’s just a great feeling. I’m just so glad that he’s part of my life.”
DOES IT FEEL MORE FINAL NOW THAT HE’S TAKEN THAT LAST LAP?
“Yeah, it does. It’s hard to put into words. It’s like right now, the racing doesn’t matter as much as the relationship does. I would have loved to see him go out a champion, but he went out in the top four and not many guys do that. I wish we were a little better tonight. People are not going to really understand what Jeff Gordon meant to this sport until a few years down the road when you really look back and you think about all the doors he opened and TV and sponsors and brought this sport to a whole new level. What he did for me and my family and our company, it’s obvious; 93 wins and four championships; he brought along Jimmie Johnson and drove his cars first and just he’s just a special person.”
WHAT IS THIS FEELING LIKE? IT FEELS LIKE A WEIRD SENSATION TO THIS MOMENT
“Yeah, it’s real now. I think that’s what it is. Until right now when he got out of the car and gave me his helmet and said he wanted me to have it; that is real. And until right now, it wasn’t over. I’m very thankful that he has been a part of our company and a part of our racing deal and I’m just glad I saw him and got him in the car and didn’t have to race against him.”
KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 8TH
“We battled hard after scrubbing the fence early. There was some oil on the track. I just got up into the fence. But, all the work to the fenders straightened it back out and we just worked our way through there the best we could. This is really a perfect type of statement night for the team on how we always scrap back and are always close at the end and then we settle for a nice top-10. We’ve got some work to do, but really it was a fantastic season. I’m really proud of everybody and we just have to get that little bit extra out of everybody come back next year.”
MARTIN TRUEX, JR., NO. 78 FURNITURE ROW/DENVER MATTRESS CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 12TH
YOU GUYS HAD A GREAT SEASON AND JUST CAME UP A BIT SHORT TONIGHT FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP. TALK ABOUT YOUR SEASON AND THE RACE
“It was a big deal for us and for our team, for our owner, and for me personally to get this car this far and to have a chance to come in and battle for this championship. It was a big deal for us and I wish we could have performed better today. We struggled all weekend with this car and it definitely wasn’t for a lack of effort. The guys put a ton of effort into this car and really all weekend we just kept throwing stuff at it and we just could never get it where we needed it. I am not sure what we were missing, but we were missing something. Proud of my guys for the effort and proud of my pit crew as well but we just didn’t have the car when we needed it. Little disappointed, but proud of our season.”
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