NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
PURE MICHIGAN 400
MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER PRESS CONFERENCE TRANSCRIPT
AUGUST 19, 2011
PAUL MENARD, NO. 27 DURACELL/MENARDS CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Michigan International Speedway and discussed his season to-date and racing at Michigan. Full transcript:
TALK ABOUT YOUR SEASON SO-FAR, THE CHASE WILD CARD TALK AND COMING INTO MICHIGAN:
“We had a rough week last week (at Watkins Glen International). Definitely took a big hit in the wild card standings. We qualified terrible. I screwed up the Bus Stop and just had to fight strategy all day. Slugger (crew chief Richard Labbe), had a good strategy, I think we were running 14th with a few laps to go and had a left front tire cut down. It would have been a really good points day with some of the guys we are racing having some trouble. I was really looking forward to capitalizing on that. But I had a tire failure and wound up 32nd which definitely hurt us. Now our focus, even more so than before, shifts to getting the second win and doing all we can to try and get that second win. Throwing the dice on the table and seeing what we’ve got. This is a good place for us. Historically we have had fast cars here. A good run back in June. If it comes down to fuel mileage, we’ve got great fuel mileage and Slugger makes great calls on the box.”
HAVE YOU SURPRISED YOURSELF THIS YEAR OR HAVE YOU ALWAYS REALLY HAD THE CONFIDENCE IN YOURSELF TO BE A WINNER? “No, I haven’t surprised myself. I’ve been racing for a long time and I know what I am capable of. I’ve just struggled being in the right situation and I feel really comfortable where I am at right now. I am surrounded by great people. They definitely pick me up when I am down.”
About Chevrolet
Founded in Detroit in 1911, Chevrolet celebrates its centennial as a global automotive brand with annual sales of about 4.25 million vehicles in more than 120 countries. Chevrolet provides consumers with fuel-efficient, safe and reliable vehicles that deliver high quality, expressive design, spirited performance and value. The Chevrolet portfolio includes iconic performance cars such as Corvette and Camaro; dependable, long-lasting pickups and SUVs such as Silverado and Suburban; and award-winning passenger cars and crossovers such as Spark, Cruze, Malibu, Equinox and Traverse. Chevrolet also offers “gas-friendly to gas-free” solutions including Cruze Eco and Volt. Cruze Eco offers 42 mpg highway while Volt offers 35 miles of electric, gasoline-free driving and an additional 344 miles of extended range. Most new Chevrolet models offer OnStar safety, security and convenience technologies including OnStar Hands-Free Calling, Automatic Crash Response and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown. More information regarding Chevrolet models can be found at www.chevrolet.com .
