Ford Notes and Quotes
O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge (Texas Motor Speedway)
Saturday, November 3, 2018
FORD FINISHING RESULTS
1st Cole Custer
3rd Austin Cindric
13th Ty Majeski
29th Ryan Reed
COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Autodesk Ford Mustang — Finished 1st
“I can’t believe it. The 1 is the best pusher in the series and I hated that I didn’t have him behind me. We did all we could. I drove it in deeper than I have all weekend and it worked out. I am pumped for Autodesk, their first time on the car. Gene Haas, I wouldn’t be here without him and Haas Automation. I am pumped. We are going to Homestead and I think we have a great shot of winning.”
YOU WON THAT RACE LAST YEAR. YOU PUNCHED YOUR TICKET, HOW DOES THAT FEEL? “We haven’t won all year but we have been so close. It starts to frustrate you. We kept going and this is a perfect time to do it. Thank you to all the fans. Texas is always a great place to come. Thank you guys.”
JEFF MEENDERING, crew chief, No. 00 Autodesk Ford Mustang — YOU TOOK SOME CHANCES OUT THERE: “Yeah, we did. It was a nerve wracking race for sure but Cole did an awesome job and our guys did a great job on the car. It is great to have a new sponsor on and get those guys to victory lane and get our team to Homestead.”
HOW CLOSE WERE YOU ON FUEL? “Well, all those cautions got us about seven laps but you always worry about the pickup on the restarts.”
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang — Finished 3rd
“After everything that happened today this is great. I would have just been happy to finish the thing not in the fence. Every opportunity to be in the middle of something it seemed we were there. It is just perseverance by everyone. The guys over the wall did an amazing job getting the right front fender fixed. We almost had a tire go down because of it. I am really thankful to still be in the playoffs and still have a shot to win a race. We were a few bumps and bangs away from really benefiting from that one. I was yelling all the way down the backstretch for something to happen. I am thankful to everyone at Team Penske for really pushing hard this weekend. Obviously it is no doubt that these guys are the best in the business. To be able to unload a backup car and have a top-three finish is unheard of. I am pumped. I am ready to go to Phoenix and go put on a show and have a little fun.”
RYAN REED, No. 16 Lilly Diabetes Ford Mustang — Finished 29th
“We just struggled all day. We tried a lot of stuff and it just didn’t work out the way we wanted it to. I am really proud of the effort of the guys for sticking with it. All the 16 team guys. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to work hard and at least try to go for successful runs. Unfortunately the parts and pieces just weren’t there this evening.”
