Toyota Racing Post-Qualifying Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Auto Club Speedway
400 miles, 200 laps
March 24, 2017
TOYOTA STARTING POSITIONS
1st, Kyle Larson*
2nd, DENNY HAMLIN
4th, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
6th, MATT KENSETH
9th, KYLE BUSCH
10th, DANIEL SUÁREZ
14th, ERIK JONES
29th, REED SORENSON
30th, COREY LaJOIE
39th, GRAY GAULDING
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Starting Position: 2nd
How special would a win at California’s Auto Club Speedway mean to you?
“It’s top of my list since 2013. Just as a race track, it’s been a great one for us. We’ve come very close. It’s been tough on me physically and mentally. You want to kind of overcome and get a win at a track like this, for sure.”
Did you think you had the pole when you ran the 38.50, did you think you had the pole?
“I thought it was definitely a lap that would be in contention for it. We improved our car just slightly from the previous run and it looked like our time was slightly faster as well. I thought being the fastest car in round two with the 51 and then improving in the final, I knew it put us very close. I didn’t get quite through (turns) 3 and 4 on entry as good as I needed to beat the 42 (Kyle Larson) it looked like. All my exits were very good, but my entries were just a little bit slow. I knew that it would be close, but running a 50, I thought we probably would have got beat.”
Does this track lend itself to competitors who are in front of the field?
“Track position is important no matter where we go. I don’t think it is as important as other places we go, like Phoenix where it’s a little bit tougher to pass. If you have a good car, you can make up positions. I think it’s less of a disadvantage here as it is anywhere. Those guys are fast enough they are going to make it to the front pretty soon. The only disadvantage of starting in the back is there’s really no tire strategy to be had at this race, so you can’t get up to the front by doing two tires or no tires or not pitting. Everyone has to take four every single time, so it makes them try to have to get to the front the old fashion way.”
Did today’s wind play a role in on-track performance?
“I don’t think made the speeds faster, but it definitely changed the way we drive. There was no wind in practice, but there was in qualifying. Anytime there’s a headwind, you can always drive into the corner slightly deeper than what you did before, so carry more throttle in. Maybe that’s the difference on that hundredth that I missed out on there is not carrying that speed into three that I needed to having a head wind there. You have to drive the corners differently if you have a tail wind or a head wind that we didn’t have in practice, but did have in qualifying.”
MARTIN TRUEX, JR., No. 78 Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Toyota Camry, Furniture Row Racing
Starting Position: 4th
What’s going to be the biggest challenge looking ahead to Sunday?
“It’s all going to be a challenge, long runs are going to be fun. It’s going to be so slippery out there tomorrow (Saturday), I can’t wait for final practice just to be able to dial this Bass Pro Toyota in. All in all a great job by the guys today, we have good speed, but we just could not get the balance right. We just been too loose all day long; finally got it close that last round and jumped up. I missed my line in one and two, but a good recovery by everybody and I’m proud of them for that. I’m looking forward to working on it tomorrow, it seems like longer runs with this type of aero package and this type of track has been good for us. I’m excited for tomorrow and ready to get to work.”
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 PEAK Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Starting Position: 6th
How are you feeling this weekend?
“I hope I’m feeling better, I’ve been sick all week – it hasn’t been a lot of fun. Hopefully I’m on the back end of that. Our PEAK Camry had good speed, I just totally missed it on the last run. I tried to get a perfect lap down there for the pole. This place is such a knife edge and I just messed that up. Overall it was a decent day for us.”
Does it feel like you’re going 215 MPH going into turn 1?
“I needed to do a 213 and I would have made it, that was the problem.”
ERIK JONES, No. 77 Toyota Service Centers Toyota Camry, Furniture Row Racing
Starting Position: 14th
“I made somewhat of a mistake between turns 1 and 2 in the first round of qualifying. I rushed the throttle and 77 Toyota Service Centers Camry got tight but we were fortunate enough to make it to Round 2 from there. In Round 2, we were still just too tight in 1 and 2 to make a good lap. Turns 3 and 4 were all right but it just wasn’t enough to make the final round. We’ll just have to work hard in race trim and get the 77 Camry good for Sunday.”
