Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series
Firekeepers 400 NCS Post Race Quotes | Michigan International Speedway
Monday, August 19, 2024
FORD UNOFFICIAL FINISHING RESULTS
5th – Brad Keselowski
6th – Chris Buescher
11th – Ryan Preece
12th – Noah Gragson
14th – Harrison Burton
18th – Ryan Blaney
19th – Michael McDowell
20th – Justin Haley
21st – Cody Ware
22nd – Josh Berry
28th – Austin Cindric
31st – Chase Briscoe
33rd – Joey Logano
36th – Todd Gilliland
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 6 Castrol Edge Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 5th)
WHAT HAPPENED DOWN IN TURN 1 ON THAT LAST RESTART? “Yeah, we just had a couple of issues today with the engine shutting off. It was frustrating, but it was just part of our day. We were probably that fourth or fifth-place car, and the way the race played out, the 45 got by us, and he was really fast. He deserved to win the race. We were in position, but we just really couldn’t make anything count. I am really proud of our effort. It was really good execution today and a little more speed than we have had. We just need one more step to be able to win these races.”
WE ALL KNOW HOW BAD YOU WANT TO WIN HERE. YOU WERE CLOSE TODAY. WHAT IS THE EMOTION LIKE?
“Yeah, we are just waiting for something good to happen to us. We were in position, it just hasn’t happened yet.”
CHRIS BUESCHER, No. 17 Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 6th)
YOU WERE 18TH ON THE FINAL TWO RESTARTS ALL THE WAY UP TO SIXTH: “It was a good strategy call and a good move to pit there and do something different for us. Ultimately our chance at winning this thing had gone away. I had been caught up in whatever happened in that early accident, and we have damage on all four corners of this Fifth Third Bank Ford Mustang. We were still fast but the balance was not near as good. It was a lot of fun before that. We had a chance to win this race. So it was a good call to do something different and take the right side tires and we were able to pass a ton of cars. It was wild but a heck of a way to salvage a day that should have been better.”
HOW DIFFERENT WAS THE CAR ONCE YOU GOT THE DAMAGE? “It freed up a lot and probably just sealed that splitter down to the ground. Things happen in front but to me I just feel like if you see an accident, start checking up. It seems like not a lot of people do that right now. It is just chaos when these yellows come out. That happened a little quicker than I really realized but it is still frustrating to be involved in that and take away the pace we had in this Mustang. It was just so good. I had such a fun time the first half of this race between yesterday and today and this is a heck of a recovery ultimately on the day.”
CONSIDERING HOW BAD THE DAY COULD HAVE BEEN, YOU LEAVE 16 POINTS ABOVE THE CUT LINE. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THAT GOING INTO DAYTONA? “That is the first I have seen it. I am adamant that we are not points racers but when our chance to win this thing was gone, ultimately that was some of the mentality, to figure out how to make the best of our day. We had seen troubles from some of the other cars that were on the bubble. I wouldn’t say we weren’t aggressive on restarts, though. We were moving, but we were also trying to be smart and methodical about it and not put ourselves in a really bad spot. It was on our mind there at the end. It is what you have to do once you aren’t in contention to win the race.”
RYAN PREECE. No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 11th)
“That was a good ending. I didn’t think we were going to finish 11th today. I thought if everything went out way we would finish maybe 16th or 17th, so that was a net gain for us. Certainly, we have some strengths and have made gains. We need to make gains on those weak areas. I feel like we are getting closer, so hopefully these final 12 we can finish out on a positive note.
JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse
(Retired early due to multi-car accident on Lap 116)
WHAT DID YOU FEEL? “We had that right-rear tire go flat right before that, which put us back there down a lap, and then I think the 5 just spun out in front of me and kind of caused a big wad and a Daytona-type crash. There was nowhere to really go. I couldn’t steer it left, so I just committed to maybe if I could slow it down enough, I could center punch it, and it wouldn’t be that bad. That was my only option there. Unfortunately, we got knocked out a little early. We were fighting for probably a top-10. We weren’t that great, if there were more wrecks we could maybe have ended up with a top-five but we will move on.”
TODD GILLILAND, No. 38 Grillo’s Pickles Ford Mustang Dark Horse
(Retired early due to multi-car accident on Lap 116)
WHAT HAPPENED? “I am not too sure. We were fighting for the Lucky Dog and I thought we were in a pretty good position. I ran to the bottom into Turn 3 and I was trying to get up all the way back to the wall. I am pretty sure I was just looking in my rearview camera, and everybody wrecked. I am not too sure. I was trying to get up into a hole, and the next thing I knew, we were all in a wreck. It is unfortunate. I thought we were clicking away.”
