Ford Performance NSCS Notes and Quotes
NSCS Can-Am Duels Practice Session
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
RYAN BLANEY POST RACE PRESS CONFERENCE
“We were locked in before but it is kind of nice to feel like we raced our way in. We had a really fast race car and we had our couple of problems early in the race which got us a lap down and luckily we got a caution at the right point which got us back on the lead lap to where we can go racing for it. We got in a couple good lines with good guys in front and behind and Joey ducked down the bottom when nobody else wood. I figured I would give it a shot and see what happens. That was with 7 or 8 to go and nobody went with us at first and I was discouraged thinking we would finish 15th but luckily some guys went with us and we were able to make some good ground there at the end and had a shot at it.”
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO DO BETWEEN NOW AND SUNDAY TO GET GUYS TO TRUST YOU AND GO WITH YOU? “The first time I pulled out early in the race we had our problem and I was wanting to get away from the pack. I didn’t want to have an issue and wreck cars. That was the first time, which I didn’t blame anybody for that. The second time I did behind Joey and yeah, it is a product of if someone could just get a blow torch and burn the yellow stripes off the bumper I think that would help. I think what we did tonight kind of helps that. I think every speedway race you try to earn respect of other people and show you have a fast car and they are confident enough in you to make moves with you. That is all you can hope for but you never know. You hope things work out for the best. Even if I didn’t have yellow stripes – nobody went with Joey at first and he has won a 500 and tons of races. It is just a product of how people feel at that time I guess.”
WAS THE VIBRATION A BAD SET OF TIRES? “We had a loose left front wheel. It slowly worked its way loose and luckily we resolved that. What happened was it was loose at the beginning of the race and it worked itself loose and when we had to pit the first time the studs are stripped so all of the air guns in the pits, they don’t tighten them up if it is a stripped lug nut, they go to a certain pressure and stop because that is what they are designed to do. When we went out in another six or seven laps they were still loose and we had to come back in and actually torque them and make sure they would stay on there because we had damaged studs on there. Luckily we had that caution but it was the product of a loose left wheel.”
WHAT DO YOU TAKE AWAY FROM RUNNING IN THE PACK IN COLD WEATHER? “It is tough because the handle of your race car isn’t going to be as good Sunday as it was tonight. We were pretty loose tonight but there are a lot of things we can do for Sunday. It will be slick and hot Sunday and hopefully we might have a small practice Saturday to maybe get a small idea for what Sunday is going to hold. It is usually a handful Sunday when you have twice as many cars and there will be more energy and three-wide more. You can take a little bit away from it but not too much. We can’t put all our hopes into this race.”
