NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY POST QUALIFYING PRESS CONF. TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 26, 2016
JIMMIE JOHNSON LEADS TEAM CHEVY AT QUALIFYING IN MICHIGAN
Team Chevy Collects Eight of Top 12 Starting Spots at the Bowtie Brand’s Home Track
BROOKLYN, Mich. – (August 26, 2016) – Six-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, Jimmie Johnson, piloted his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet SS to the outside pole position for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race with a quick time of 35.728 seconds/201.523 mph. The run marks Johnson’s 10th top 10 start of the season and his 20th top 10 start at Michigan International Speedway.
“Michigan, since it’s been repaved, has been very sensitive and track position has been very important,” said Johnson after his qualifying run. “So, we’ll take it. We’ll stack more pennies in the right direction and hopefully have a nice race on Sunday. Our past history shows good Fridays mean good Sunday’s for this No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet team and we’re off to a good start.”
Last week’s winner at Bristol Motor Speedway, Kevin Harvick, placed his No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS in the fourth starting spot. He was followed by the fastest rookie in the field Chase Elliott, driving the No. 24 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet SS.
Substituting for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the No. 88 Axalta/University of Michigan Chevrolet SS, Alex Bowman, earned his career best NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start placing his Chevrolet SS in the sixth position for Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400.
Jamie McMurray, No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet SS, will start eighth, Ryan Newman, No. 31 Freightliner Chevrolet SS with take the green flag from the 10th starting position, Kasey Kahne will start 11th in the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS and Kyle Larson will roll off the starting grid in the 12th spot to give Team Chevy eight of the Top 12 starters overall.
Joey Logano (Ford) won the pole and Denny Hamlin (Toyota) will start third to round out the Top 5 starters.
The Pure Michigan 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race from Michigan International Speedway is scheduled to begin Sunday August 28th at 2 p.m., ET. Live coverage of the 200-lap/400-mile contest will be available on NBCSN, MRN, Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 90 and NASCAR.com.
POST QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT:
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – Qualified 2nd:
GOOD FRIDAYS FOR YOU USUALLY LEAD INTO GOOD SUNDAYS. HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU FOR SUNDAY’S RACE?
“We’re definitely building confidence as today has progressed. We felt like the Chicago test session a couple of days ago went well for us and we were able to improve the car over the course of the test session and consistently put up decent and respectable lap times. We brought some of that stuff here, although we have a different package, so it’s hard to be overly confident with or speed today because this rules package is much different than what we’ll race in the Chase with. But, all signs are pointing toward progress being made and I’m very excited about that. I just want to thank everybody at Hendrick Motorsports for their long hours and all the time they’re putting in to get a little better in all areas. It’s not just one thing. We have to look at everything globally and everybody in all departments is finding a way to bring a little bit more; and it’s showing up. I think all four Hendrick cars showed a lot of speed today in Qualifying and we’re all optimistic for Sunday.”
IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT YOU GUYS LIKE THE 2017 PACKAGE BETTER THAN THE 2016 PACKAGE AFTER THE WAY YOU QUALIFIED TODAY?
“It’s tough to say. We felt like, at the end of the Chicago test, that we were the closest we’ve been to those Toyotas in a long time on speed. I feel like the things that you’re able to learn mechanically in the car, do crossover, regardless of the rules package. And I’m excited knowing that because what we’ve learned, springs, shocks, bars, all that, will cross over and roll nice into our ’16 package. So, I do feel like this speed is going to be there for us and we’ll be able to carry it into the following weeks. But, time will tell. It’s one thing to go fast for one lap, but to go fast all day long is the next step for us. And we’ve just got to piece that together.”
IT SEEMS THAT THIS TIME OF YOU, WHAT YOU HAVE IS WHAT YOU HAVE. THERE’S NOT MUCH TIME LEFT TO MAKE BIG GAINS BEFORE THE CHASE. IF YOU ARE ABLE TO TURN THIS INTO A GOOD SUNDAY, HOW MUCH OPTIMISM WOULD THIS GIVE YOU FOR A POTENTIAL CHASE RUN?
“It really would give us a lot of much-needed momentum. I’ve been able to win championships having a slow summer, which most of my summers have been slow. And then there’s a few where we were quick through them. When you think of the tracks that we race on during the summer months, although they are very challenging and aerodynamics do come into play, they’re not your traditional 1.5-miles and they’re really not a lot like the tracks we race on during the Chase. And, they’re not my best tracks. My best tracks really are during those final 10 events. I’m not thinking that far ahead. I’m not thinking that much into it. Past history show when you get hot, you can stay hot. I think Tony Stewart might even be a better example with what he did in 2011 or 2012, somewhere in there. We hope we’re heating up and on the verge of getting hot.”
AIRFLOW UNDER VERY HOT CONDITIONS IS DIFFERENT THAN UNDER COOLER CONDITIONS. DO YOU FEEL ANY DIFFERENCE OR IS IT DIFFICULT TO SET-UP A CAR UNDER VERY HOT CONDITIONS LIKE TODAY THAN UNDER COOLER CONDITIONS?
“Yeah, the cooler it is, the easier things happen for you. The engine runs better. The tires have more grip because the surface is cooler and then the air quality is better as well, and it just creates more downforce. Yes, cooler is better on all fronts.”
THE SPEED THAT YOU SHOWED IN QUALIFYING AND WHAT YOU GUYS PRACTICED TODAY, IS THAT THE FIRST SIGN THAT YOU’VE SEEN OF THE IMPROVEMENTS? OR, HAVE YOU SEEN THINGS BEFORE THAT MAYBE THE RESULTS JUST DIDN’T SHOW?
“I think we’ve shown speed. I think of Indy where we had great single-lap speed. I made it up to third in overcoming a pit road penalty and some other issues. So, that was a good showing for us. Pocono was such a bummer for us because somehow I knocked the nose in on the car. I hit debris or something, and had a huge hole in the front of the car on Lap 1. So, we weren’t really able to show what we had there (laughs). I feel like Bristol was a good showing for us. If we didn’t have that final rain shower, I think I could have raced Denny (Hamlin) for second and been on the podium, essentially. My car just didn’t like those restarts, especially with a green race track. It was just really ill handling and angry. But, I do believe we’re showing signs. And I’m living it, so I guess I’m looking for those little signs and rays of light and maybe others don’t see it. And I really try hard not to BS you guys when you ask the questions; but I could say in the last couple of months, we have seen some bright spots. We just need a little more consistency with it; and then most importantly, stop making mistakes. I’m part of that as well.”
THE KIDS DRIVE NASCAR HAVE JOINED US. WE HAVE A QUESTION: WHAT MADE YOU PURSUE YOUR DREAM IN RACING?
“For me, my parents were involved in racing. My grandparents actually owned a motorcycle shop, so I grew up at our local race tracks then I was a kid and started racing at the age of five. With my dad’s love of racing, it was easy for me to fall in love with it as well. He used every resource he had and every dime he had to take me and my brothers racing. Fortunately I was noticed by some big teams, and especially by Chevrolet. Chevrolet was the key moment for me to guide my career and get me to the right places. I guess I just have to thank my parents and those early years and traveling to races and racing with my family were on small motorcycle tracks, which is where it all came from.”
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