Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Cup Series | Post Race
Bank of America ROVAL 400 | Sunday, October 13, 2024
UNOFFICIAL FORD FINISHING RESULTS
4th – Austin Cindric
8th – Joey Logano
10th – Ryan Blaney
15th – Michael McDowell
17th – Chris Buescher
19th – Todd Gilliland
21st – Harrison Burton
23rd – Josh Berry
24th – Brad Keselowski
26th – Ryan Preece
28th – Kaz Grala
30th – Josh Bilicki
32nd – Noah Gragson
37th – Chase Briscoe
RYAN BLANEY, No. 12 Discount Tire Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 10th | Advanced to Round of 8)
“I thought our car was fast, we just were in the Stage points game all day and we had to restart 30th every run to get back up to where we finished in 10th. To be honest, I wasn’t as aggressive on some of the restarts there in the back to weave our way through because we knew our objective today. I am proud of the effort of all the 12 boys to come out here and forget last week and focus on this week which really mattered.”
WHERE DO YOU FEEL YOU ARE RIGHT NOW?
“I feel like we are in a pretty decent spot. I was really happy with our speed at Kansas and I thought that was huge at a place we have struggled at. We hadn’t been the best there the last few years but to go there and have race winning pace was really impressive for our group. Hopefully we can carry that over to Vegas and Homestead and learn from the spring at Martinsville. I think we are in a good spot. We just have to go perform. It is a new week next week and I am looking forward to getting started.”
ANOTHER YEAR YOU HAVE ADVANCED TO THE ROUND OF 8:
“I definitely think we have been lucky to have a good group behind me, and each Round of 8 has kind of been with a whole different group of people. First it was Todd Gordon and then Jeremy Bullins, and now Jonathan Hassler and I have been able to win races with those guys and get to the Round of 8 to get a shot at Phoenix. It was nice to do it last year to just get there and then to perform well. It is all about the hard work from the fellas on the 12 group and I am lucky to work with really good people and I am excited. I hate it though that Austin and Joey didn’t advance. I guess the 22 is in on owners points but I would have loved to have all three of us still in it, but we will keep fighting.”
AUSTIN CINDRIC, No. 2 Menards/Sylvania Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 4th | Eliminated from Playoffs)
THAT WAS YOUR BEST FINISH SINCE YOUR WIN AT GATEWAY, WHAT MORE DID YOU NEED?
“A better performance and finishes at Talladega and Kansas. We had the speed and that is the encouraging thing and the exciting thing but today we needed it all. We had a great car. We had a great finish. My guys called a great strategy and we got points in both Stages, all the things that are hard to do in a Cup race, but we did those things and were capable of doing those things in the two prior races. That is what this format is. It is difficult. I think for us, having a better regular season, having a bit better of a buffer would definitely help. I am proud of everyone. I feel like we are getting into a rhythm here. I am proud of the team and looking forward to trying to spoil some races and support our teammates the rest of the way.”
JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse (Finished 8th | Eliminated from Playoffs)
WHAT IS THE SENTIMENT NOW KNOW HOW HARD YOU FOUGHT AND CAME UP JUST SHORT OF ADVANCING?
“Yeah, we fought hard for sure. Paul and the guys did a good job executing the strategy of what we needed to do today. We just didn’t get quite enough at the end there. We fell off a little too much that last run. Honestly, the 45, Tyler, and those guys did a good job driving up through the field and scored more points. It is hard not to think about Richmond a little bit right now. The positive of it is that we are still in the owners championship, so we can confuse all the fans from here on out about drivers and owners championships. The money is in the owners, so we will keep fighting for the money.”
LISTENING TO YOUR RADIO, COLEMAN WAS GIVING YOU UPDATES OF WHERE TYLER WAS, DID YOU FEEL HELPLESS?
“A bit of it is, yeah. Tires were coming behind you with two of the best with AJ (Allmending) and SVG coming at me. I was just trying to maintain the best I could and honestly was praying for a caution because that was the only thing that could stir it up enough to where a lot of what-ifs can happen. Congrats to them. They fought hard, changing toe links and all that and were still able to make it. It just wasn’t meant to be. You can start looking back at different points in the season to gather four points pretty easily. One race in particular. Talladega we didn’t do a good enough job scoring Stage points and that is where a lot of it lies.”
CHASE BRISCOE, No. 14 Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang Dark Horse
(Retired early due to damage on Lap 41 | Eliminated from playoffs)
“It is tough to have all the momentum that we had and to have it come to an end like it did is unfortunate. I wish we could have kept going for it. I am sure all the guys that get eliminated wish they could keep going for it, right? We knew, I think as a team even, going into it that if we could get through this round we could get to the final four but we weren’t able to get through this round. It is unfortunate. We still have a lot to race for. We can still go win four more races and that is what we will try to do. It is four really good tracks for us so I feel really good about it. I wish we were racing for a championship still. It is just one of those days. Honestly, kind of one of those weeks with everything that has happened. I am ready for Monday.”
WHAT ARE YOUR EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW AS YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP HOPES COME TO AN END?
“It stings. Not even really for myself, just all the employees at Stewart-Haas. They were all kind of living through the 14 car, and the environment we have had these last few weeks has been really exciting to be a part of. I hate that it is coming to an end. I know what that means for Stewart-Haas not to be racing for a championship anymore. That was keeping a lot of people, honestly, in the building. Hopefully, the repercussions aren’t too bad, but we have four races left, and we are going to give it everything we’ve got.”
WHAT HAPPENED TO CAUSE THE DAMAGE?
“The steering rack or something broke. I don’t really know to be honest. Realistically we probably weren’t going to move on anyway but on those restarts in Turn 7 we all kind of get stacked up and they all kind of stopped in front of me and it ripped the wheel out of my hand. I could turn to the left but as soon as I got to the right-hander, my car just went straight. I about hit the wall on the backstretch chicane, and then on the front stretch chicane, I hit the 3 car just because I literally couldn’t turn. It is an unfortunate way for it to all come to an end. It is part of it, part of racing. We just didn’t have a very good three weeks when it all boils down to it. We have four more races left to try to go win and send Stewart-Haas Racing out with a win.”
YOU’VE EXPERIENCED THE HIGHEST OF HIGHS THIS WEEK AND THE LOWEST OF LOWS?
“Yeah, it has definitely been a tough week with the highest of highs but then everything that Marissa was going through and the playoffs too. The racing is one thing but I am more worried about my family at the end of the day and making sure Marissa is okay. I would have loved to keep racing for a championship. It is unfortunate that the way the week ended, but life could be a lot worse. I have three healthy kids at home and a wife that is hopefully getting healthy and I get to drive racecars for a living so at the end of the day you can’t be upset just because you don’t have a chance to race for a championship. I still have an incredible life and I am certainly blessed.”
