Toyota Racing Post-Qualifying Quotes
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Homestead-Miami Speedway – November 16, 2018
TOYOTA STARTING POSITIONS
1st, DENNY HAMLIN
2nd, KYLE BUSCH#
3rd, MARTIN TRUEX JR. #
4th, Brad Keselowski
5th, Joey Logano*#
7th, ERIK JONES
12th, Kevin Harvick*#
18th, DANIEL SUÁREZ
37th, TANNER BERRYHILL
38th, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota driver
#Championship 4
TOYOTA QUOTES
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Qualifying Position: 1st
What is the secret to qualifying at Homestead?
“We made the right adjustments. We kept tuning on it and getting a little better. We got off there in that second round, but just made the right adjustments, I hit my marks and that was it.
How difficult is it to find the right mark out there?
“It’s such a fine line. On a race track that’s got such little grip like this one, you’ve got to hit your marks to the inch and we did that last round.”
You’ve done it before winning here in a year when you haven’t won all year long. Can you do it again?
“It’s big for us to get this race team up front here. We definitely want to end on a high note and try to win. 2013 we were in the same predicament where we hadn’t won a race until the final race and we got it done, so hopefully it’s our time to do it. We’re going to keep digging. Hats off to this team. We were hanging around that seventh to tenth the first couple of rounds and they just – (Mike) “Wheels” (Wheeler, crew chief) made the right adjustments.”
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Qualifying Position: 2nd
How was your qualifying lap?
“Not too bad, wish we had a little bit more there obviously to get the number one pit box. Two years in a row, Denny (Hamlin) has been able to figure that last run out. Just see what happens tomorrow.”
How did the car change through the qualifying rounds?
“The first run was really good obviously and then the second run was okay and the third run I thought we made the right adjustments and hit the right line and did a good job with everything. I guess we didn’t have enough speed there. Overall, pleased with the effort today and the guys did a good job. The car felt pretty good.”
Is it better to have a non-championship four contender win the pole so there is no advantage?
“It happened the last two years. It happened to him (Martin Truex Jr.) last year and it happened to me this year with Denny (Hamlin) both times being able to get on the pole. Obviously, just they’ll have that pit selection and we’ll have to pit from where we pit from. Overall, I think that if it was for a championship four contender to win the pole then I think that would give them a slight advantage if it comes down to those late restarts and late pit stops having to come to pit road.”
Would there be a chance that the No. 11 team might pick a different stall and let your team take the number one pit box?
“That’s probably too far, but it would sure be nice. I think that if you’re not in the number one pit box then two through 40 are the same.”
MARTIN TRUEX JR, No. 78 Bass Pro Shops / 5-hour Energy Toyota Camry, Furniture Row Racing
Qualifying Position: 3rd
What did you need there on that final run?
“We were a little too free on that final run. I tried to gain a little bit more but I just couldn’t quite finish getting the throttle down and I think I lost a little bit there. It was a good day. Great effort by the guys. Nice, smooth solid day, which is what we needed. We go win this thing from there and we’ll get to work tomorrow.”
Now that there is a non-champion pole winner, does it level the playing field?
“I would say it does for sure. As long as the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) keeps it. We’ll see how that plays out. It does, though. Last year, he got the pole and took the first spot. We all got what we could. We’ll see how it all plays out. A good first day. Two to go, so we’ll see what we can do.”
