FORD RACING NOTES AND QUOTES
Daytona Preseason Thunder Saturday, Page 1
January 22, 2011
Daytona International Speedway
Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion, and Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion each took time Saturday morning before hitting the track at Daytona International Speedway for the last day of testing to discuss what they have learned this weekend, where the organization is heading into 2011 and more.
MATT KENSETH, driver, No. 17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion – WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING TO ACCOMPLISH TODAY, THE LAST DAY OF TESTING? “Well, we are going to go out there and mostly do some more single car runs and sit in line for a half hour between every run and get to five o’clock.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE POTENTIAL POINTS CHANGE? “I need to dig into it and look at it and see what it would do. At first glance I think it would be a much bigger penalty to drop out and finish bad than it was before, so I think consistency would be real important which is fine with me. There have been a lot of changes in the last eight or nine years. Hopefully, eventually they will get to a system that they really like and we can leave it like that for awhile and get some consistency.”
WITH ALL YOUR CREW CHIEF CHANGES LAST YEAR, HOW IMPORTANT IS SOME CONSISTENCY FOR YOU IN THAT ASPECT THIS YEAR? “I think it is important to get consistency within the team and with the personnel and car builds and everything. I think that always helps. Last year we finished the year pretty strong. We didn’t get the win we were looking for but we still finished pretty strong in the points and got some good finishes toward the end of the year. Hopefully we can roll that into this year and keep it going.”
CAN YOU ASSESS WHERE THE ORGANIZATION IS COMPARED TO THIS TIME LAST YEAR? “You feel like you are better but every off season you feel like you have made changes and gotten things better than they were before. You really don’t know until you get six or seven weeks into the season and then you get a better idea.”
WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE NEW NOSE AND SPLITTER SO FAR? “I haven’t learned anything yet. We haven’t done any drafting yet or anything. Being by yourself out there at the speeds we are running right now you can’t really tell a difference.”
EVERYONE IS SAYING THIS RACE NEXT MONTH IS GOING TO BE WILD, BUT WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON WHAT WE MIGHT SEE? “I think it will be just like Talladega since they paved that. Handling isn’t going to matter. I think it is going to be all about drafting.”
GREG BIFFLE, driver, No. 16 3M Ford Fusion – WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED THIS WEEKEND IN YOUR 3M FORD FUSION? “We have been doing single car runs so far on the new surface and have been learning a lot about where the speed is at. This afternoon we are going to get into a spot where we are going to be drafting with other cars and we will learn so more about what this race track is going to be like when we are under race conditions. Right now we are working on qualifying.”
CAN YOU ASSESS WHERE THE ROUSH FENWAY ORGANIZATION IS AT NOW COMPARED TO A YEAR AGO? “I think we are about where we were compared to the field. We haven’t lost any ground, which is really important, but I don’t know that we have gained a whole bunch. We are on a pretty level playing field with our competition right now.”
WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE POSSIBLE CHANGE TO THE WAY POINTS ARE DISTRIBUTED? “I haven’t had a lot of time to think about it but it would be simpler for the fan. One point per position, 10 points behind is 10 points on the race track. As far as that goes it would be better, but I really haven’t had a ton of time to think about it and really dissect it.”
WHAT KIND OF EXPECTATIONS HAVE YOU SET FOR YOURSELF FOR 2011? “That is simple, to win the title. I want to win a bunch of races and win the title.”
