Toyota NSCS New Hampshire Post-Race Notes & Quotes 7-13-14
· Kyle Busch (second) was the first Toyota driver to the finish line in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
· Brad Keselowski was the race-winner in the 305 lap race at the New England one-mile oval.
· Busch led 62 laps (of 305) in the race.
· Camry drivers Matt Kenseth (fourth), Clint Bowyer (sixth) and Denny Hamlin (eighth) also recorded top-10 finishes.
· Bowyer (36 laps), Hamlin (20 laps) and Kenseth (12 laps) all led laps in the race.
· In the unofficial NSCS championship point standings, Kenseth sits fourth — 49 points behind first-place Jeff Gordon. Kyle Busch (eighth), Bowyer (10th) and Hamlin (12th) also rank in the top-15 in the standings.
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Starting Position: 2nd
How was your race?
“The guys did a great job today. This Interstate Batteries Camry was good. Should have been anywhere from fourth to sixth, but we made a gutsy call there at the end to stay out and see if we can make it on fuel — barely made it, ran out right at the start-finish. Couldn’t have timed it more perfect. That was good. Solid effort for our team. We still know we got a little bit of work to do trying to get better and be able to catch up with some of our other competitors. All in all, a decent day to be coming home second for our Interstate Batteries Camry.”
Did you have anything for Brad Keselowski?
“Oh, no. No, I don’t think anybody did. Denny (Hamlin) was the best (Joe) Gibbs (Racing) car, so he probably had a better shot at him than any of us did, but it seemed like he stalled out in third there on that last run trying to get up there. We started so far back, I think we were 11th and 12th or something like that on that restart there with that long run, and Denny made some good ground. I couldn’t do that. But, unfortunately they felt like they were too short and had to pit.”
How do you feel about the Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) short track program?
“Well, we’d actually say it’s decreased. Last year and the early part of this year — Martinsville (and) Richmond — I’d say that our short track program has decreased, unfortunately. You know, we haven’t seen the 11 (Denny Hamlin) and the 18 (Kyle Busch) winning at as many short tracks like we used to be so dominant at, and Denny (Hamlin) went and did a test for us at Richmond last week for Goodyear and learned some things that he brought here. And so today was just a true testament to teamwork, and what we did with our race car was somewhat try to mirror what the 11 was doing this weekend and put some of their stuff in. Real proud of the effort there that we had somewhat similar race cars — all three of us did for that matter. I think we were second, third, fourth for a part of the race because there was only one car that was lights‑out on the rest.”
Is JGR gaining ground from earlier in the year?
“Yeah, this weekend here was a positive. Like I said, Denny (Hamlin) made a test and we were a little bit better at Kentucky. We made some changes to our race car and got better and were able to finish second there, as well. The last two races for us we’ve been second, but it would be nice to get up there and lead some more laps, be a little bit more dominant and show that we’ve got a little bit better car than where we’re running. We’ll get there hopefully. It’s not quite time to get ready to have to go for the Chase, but it’s about that time, so we’ve got a few weeks.”
How does today’s performance bode for the September race at New Hampshire?
“Well, everything is kind of changing as we go here this season. It seems like things are kind of this way or that way on the given weekends, but there’s been some cars that have had some really, really fast cars all year‑round. We’re not quite there. We have gotten some good finishes, though, but we haven’t led the laps we want to be leading. We haven’t been such dominant forces that we were last year. At this time last year (Matt) Kenseth and myself and the races that Denny (Hamlin) was able to make — we led a lot of laps. Unfortunately, we just haven’t quite seen that yet this year. Trying to get better, and once we do, I think everybody will see, and you’ll start hearing the name JGR a little bit more.”
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 4th
How exciting was the green-white-checkered flag finish?
“Green-white-checkers on 80 lap tires are always exciting. I got a good move in (turns) one and two and got a couple of those there and Kyle (Larson) and I got racing. I had a good run off of (turn) two and was going to try to go in the corner and use him up as much as I could — and he got up in the third groove and grabbed that sticky stuff and raced it off the corner. So, we both raced as hard as we could there without wrecking. That was fun, except for him beating me — that part was no good. The rest was fun. Overall, it was a good day for our Dollar General Camry. I thought we really gained on it. Denny (Hamlin) and them guys really helped us a lot this week. I felt like all three cars were top-five race cars today. I feel like we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”
Are you gaining on it in any particular area?
“I think each and every track is different. Kentucky we were fairly competitive — the 2 (Brad Keselowski) again had us covered. Here, I wasn’t thrilled with it all weekend. The 18 (Kyle Busch) and 11 (Denny Hamlin) were a lot faster than us. I’m not all sure what Jason Ratcliff (crew chief) changed today, but I know Darian (Grubb, Hamlin crew chief) and that group helped us out a lot. They’ve been learning a few things to try to apply some of that. I felt like we were definitely in the ball game today. I thought all three of us had top-five cars if everything would have went right.”
CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 6th
How was your race?
“Just frustrating. Kind of our M.O. This year, nothing goes right. We got into position to get a top-five and a solid run and the 4 (Kevin Harvick) runs out of gas and stacks us all up on the bottom and a bunch of them get around us. We got the consistency down — we just got to keep gaining on it. We’re here to win races for 5-Hour Energy and everybody and all our partners on this Toyota. We’re just not quite there yet. We still got some work to do to catch up to the Fords and the Hendrick cars. We’re gaining on it. We got the consistency.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finishing Position: 8th
JEFF BURTON, No. 66 Toyota Let’s Go Places Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 20th
How was your race?
“We had a good car — we just never got track position. And then Danica (Patrick) got into me there — I think Tony (Stewart) was working the outside and I think she just thought Tony was on the outside. Got the right side tore up. After that, we never turned. We tried to fix it with changes, but we couldn’t fix it because it was all aero. I’m really disappointed with the outcome. Three-quarters of the way through the race I thought we’re doing pretty good.”
BRIAN VICKERS, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finishing Position: 21st
How was your race car?
“We had a good car today at times. Just messed it up on the calls. We were just struggling too tight and with track position all day. I felt like we always restarted in the wrong lane. It just wasn’t our day.”
COLE WHITT, No. 26 TapOut Muscle Recovery Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 28th
ALEX BOWMAN, No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 31st
RYAN TRUEX, No. 83 Burger King Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 36th
TIMMY HILL, No. 87 Toyota Camry, Jay Robinson Racing
Finishing Position: 41st
MIKE BLISS, No. 93 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Finishing Position: 43rd
