NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
LENOX INDUSTRIAL TOOLS 301
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
JULY 15, 2011
DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at New Hampshire International Speedway and discussed racing at New Hampshire and other topics. Full transcript:
ON BEING BACK AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY: “Ready to go practice. Should be good.”
WHAT IS YOUR MENTALITY FROM HAVING A FEW ROUGH WEEKS? “I think the best thing we can do is stay positive. We run good at New Hampshire. We have been kind of eying this weekend and looking forward to it. We wanted to come in here with a lot of confidence that we belong in the Chase. That we belong up front in the top-five and the top-10 and try to make that happen this weekend and try to race up there well.”
HAS YOUR CONFIDENCE CHANGED IN THE LAST FIVE RACES? “No, not really. It has just been really frustrating. Running poorly is not what you want to be doing. You just have to keep going to the race track. We’ve got good cars. We’ve got a really really good team. We should be running better than we have been the last couple of week and we know it. We are just going to try and work really hard to get back where we were earlier in the season. It shouldn’t be that difficult.”
ARE YOU TAKING A BREAK FOR THE OFF-WEEKEND OR ARE YOU TESTING? “We have some testing lined up be we’re also going to take a break.”
WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES HERE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE? “I don’t really know. We just come out here and try to run. I like the race track. I always enjoy the racing in New Hampshire. I’ve always had some pretty good cars here and ran well in a lot of the races I’ve run here. I enjoy coming here and look forward to the race. It is good racing. It is really challenging to pass, but it is fun. Hopefully this tire which is new this time, is a good tire.”
HOW DO YOU WEIGH WHETHER TO GO FOR A WIN OR TO GATHER POINTS FOR THE WILD CARD IN THE CHASE? “If I could win a race, I’d win a race. You go out every week, you show up to run as well as you can. That is all do every week.”
HOW DO YOU BALANCE GOING FOR THE WIN? “I don’t worry about that. I just go race.”
ARE YOU BEING THE LEADER ON THE TEAM AFTER THESE PAST COUPLE OF WEEKS? “I don’t know. We’re just going to go to the race track and try to do a good job.”
THE FACT YOU HAD GOOD RUNS HERE LAST YEAR GIVE YOU ADDITIONAL CONFIDENCE THIS WEEKEND? “It is pretty good. I like the race track. We’ve always ran pretty good. I’ve been looking forward to coming with my new crew chief. We ran really good here last year with Lance (McGrew) and those guys. I’m curious as to how the car will drive or how different it might be, good or bad with Steve (Letarte). I am anxious to get going. Anxious to get in the car today.”
WHAT WAS THE FEELING YOU HAD WITH THE FANS THE FIRST TIME YOU WENT DOWN THE FRONT STRETCH AT INDIANAPOLIS MOTOR SPEEDWAY? “I don’t even remember.”
WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE SUCCESSFUL THERE? “Be leading.”
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