Toyota Racing Post-Qualifying Report
Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS)
Bristol Motor Speedway – April 5, 2019
TOYOTA STARTING POSITIONS
1st, Chase Elliott*
2nd, William Byron*
3rd, Ryan Blaney*
4th, ERIK JONES
5th, DENNY HAMLIN
17th, KYLE BUSCH
21st, MATT DIBENEDETTO
23rd, MARTIN TRUEX JR.
35th, TIMMY HILL
*non-Toyota driver
TOYOTA QUOTES
ERIK JONES, No. 20 Craftsman Racing for a Miracle Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Qualifying Position: 4th
What was your take on qualifying?
“We were close. We just missed it a little bit. The Craftsman Camry had good speed. We just didn’t quite have the balance we needed. That was good from practice. We didn’t really practice in the PJ1 so the transition into qualifying, we had to make some big changes and we did a good job of it. We just didn’t have quite enough. It’s good to start up front and get a good pit stall here which is really important. Hopefully it will play out good on the initial start and we’ll stay up there all day.”
A lot of talk about the bottom line coming in today with the Xfinity Series on track. Did you see it coming in?
“A little bit from watching there on tv and seeing where they were running. Overall I wasn’t sure what was going to happen. We practiced in a very odd line all day so it was good to have it finally come in and get a little normality back to what we do and we knew how to adjust, so we did a good job. I figured especially after the start of qualifying that we were going to be running down there.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Qualifying Position: 5th
How was the bottom line during qualifying?
“Once the traction compound came in and the Xfinity (Series) guys kind of heated it up, it really kind of took off there.”
With the way the top groove is so dominant here, would you be in favor if they did a choose rule at this particular track?
“I think they certainly could do a choose rule at a lot of race tracks where it’s an advantage to be in one lane or the other. When I think of Michigan, one that you really don’t think of, it’s a huge advantage to be on the top lane at that track. This track I think it’s a little more equal than some, but certainly a choose rule is something that I’ve always been in favor of.”
