Ford Performance NSCS Notes and Quotes
Daytona 500 Advance – Daytona International Speedway
Saturday, February 20, 2016
Today marked the final practice session before tomorrow’s Daytona 500. Here are what some Ford drivers had to say:
GREG BIFFLE – No. 16 KFC Ford Fusion – DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING? “We were just shaking down the new engine and making sure the car is where it needs to be with temperatures and no vibrations. I’m really happy with the way the car is driving. Our KFC Fusion has been fast right off the truck. I’m super-excited about my opportunity tomorrow in this 500-mile race.”
HOW HAS IT BEEN WORKING WITH BRIAN PATTIE SO FAR? “It’s been a lot of fun working with Brian. He’s a little more all over the place and that might be a bad thing because that’s how I am so you get those two personalities going together. But he’s doing a great job with the car and so is Billy, our car chief, he’s doing a fantastic job getting all the guys working together. We’re really excited. I am for the 500 and I can’t wait to get to Atlanta next week as well to see how our intermediate program stacks up.”
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO WIN THE 500? “We’re gonna try to run up front most of the day and keep out of trouble. That’s the most important thing because we have to be there at the end, and working with your teammates is important. A lot of the Fords are fast down here. The 2, 22 and 21 are fast and so are the 17 and the 6, so we’ll work with those guys when the opportunity presents itself and I think when it comes down to the end it’s gonna be every man for himself.”
SO WHAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THIS FINAL PRACTICE FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE? “We didn’t go out yesterday, so this is our first laps on our race engine and race gear and race driveshaft – all of our driveline components – so we needed to check for leaks, make sure the temperatures are correct and give the guys a chance to check everything over. No vibrations. We needed to do all those things in this practice because we didn’t go out yesterday. We just elected to wait until today to get everything checked and make sure that everything is good. We gave the guys a lot of time yesterday to check over the car and prep it for the 500, so this was a necessity for us. We just ran a few laps and went out twice to make sure everything is good, and we’re real happy with it.”
ARIC ALMIROLA – No. 43 Smithfield Ford Fusion – “We tried some things there just an opportunity to run some laps and get some reads on our splitter wear out by ourselves, and, really, just get ready for the Daytona 500. We tried a couple things there with some stuff in the front end and just wanted to get some reads on that. We drafted with our teammate and got another car out there so we can look at pictures and see what our splitter looks like in the draft behind other cars. Really, just trying to get ready for the Daytona 500. It’s gonna be so different tomorrow than what we’ve run in the Unlimited and what we ran on Thursday night in the Duel. So I think handling is gonna come into play and just making sure our car drives good, and it’s driving pretty good right now.”
BRIAN SCOTT – No. 44 Albertsons/Shore Lodge Ford Fusion – “I feel a lot more comfortable. I’m proud of my guys at Richard Petty Motorsports to work on our Alberstons Company/Shore Lodge Ford Fusion. There’s always a curveball or two that happens here at Daytona. Ours was wrecking in the Duels and having to go to backup. We’re all feeling more and more optimistic each time we get in this car and make strides on it. We continue to find speed and get it driving more like I want, and I’m optimistic about the Daytona 500. We’re starting in the back, but this is a long race and these superspeedways have shown that you can come from any position and win.”
