1st, Kevin Harvick
2nd, KYLE BUSCH
3rd, DENNY HAMLIN
9th, CLINT BOWYER
11th, BRIAN VICKERS
14th, MATT KENSETH
29th, COLE WHITT
34th, ALEX BOWMAN
41st, MIKE WALLACE
42nd, TRAVIS KVAPIL
KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Starting Position: 2nd
How confident are you starting second in Sunday’s race?
“I’m pretty confident with it. I think we had a good car here in the spring — we just kind of lost the handle on it a little bit there early in the race. But, the way the track rubbered in throughout the first run and then especially the second run of the race — we just weren’t ready for what happened. So, I think we’ve got a better understanding this time around and qualifying obviously went well for us here being in second and it’s a good starting spot for us. It keeps us upfront and hopefully we can keep that track position and have a good handling car through the runs of the race and be there at the end.”
How much will you pay attention to guys around you during the race who have to race well to advance in the Chase?
“You’re always cognizant of that. I think just based off just how this points structure is and how it was to get in the Chase first of all through the first 26 weeks. You’ve got to be mindful of who you’re racing and what’s going on — sometimes of their situation and what’s at stake there. But, for us, it’s a top-20 finish on Sunday and we’re moving on. That’s not what we want to do but we want to race and go out there and see if we can’t get a win for our Interstate Batteries Camry and everyone at Interstate Batteries and M&M’s, Snickers, Doublemint, Monster Energy. So, hopefully we can have a good weekend here in Dover and more importantly carry that on through the next round.”
How do you feel about your race team?
“I can’t say enough about what everyone does at Joe Gibbs Racing. I think — where we’re at right now this weekend — we’re better than where we were here in the spring I feel like. TRD (Toyota Racing Development) — the guys again have stepped it up I feel like. They’ve worked real hard and have done a nice job for us and also just being able to try to get our cars better — I think that’s a little bit where we’ve been lacking. We’ve been all over the place this year with trying different things. We haven’t quite hit on something as good as it seems the Penske cars have — those guys are really, really good each and every week handling-wise.”
DAVE ROGERS, crew chief, No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Why did Kyle wait in the garage area during the first half of the first qualifying session?
“We had to go through the platform a second time so our car wasn’t through inspection before qualifying started. The rule says you have to start from your pit stall so our options were to wait here (in the garage), roll around the race track or have Kyle (Busch) back down pit road. Pit road is narrow so we didn’t want to do that. So, we just waited hear and will roll around for a lap.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Starting Position: 3rd
What happened in turns one and two on your final qualifying run?
“Just a little bit off — you miss your points by a little bit here at Dover and it magnifies itself. Proud of the whole FedEx Freight team. They brought me a fast car and that’s half the battle is getting a good starting position, getting yourself a good pit box for Sunday. This place, as much as it used to be my nemesis in the past, over the last two to three years we’ve really run strong here. I’m confident coming here that we should have a good car and similar to last week should have a shot for the win. We’ve just got to make sure no problems and if we can do that then I’m pretty confident we can race our way into this thing.”
How was it to get your weekend off to a good start?
“Obviously, excited to get the weekend off started on a good foot. Just putting ourselves in a good position to start the race and obviously with a good pit stall as well. Will give us a good advantage for Sunday. We just hope to kind of build some momentum and obviously have a strong run this weekend. It will be very timely.”
DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing (continued)
What does this do for your confidence?
“It hasn’t changed much other than where the guys are around me. I expected to come here and contend for a pole and really contend for a win this weekend. No matter what happened last weekend it didn’t affect my mindset as far as what my expectations were when I got to this race track. There’s just a little bit more pressure to perform well this weekend. So, we hope that things fall our way.”
Will you be paying attention to other drivers in the Chase during the race?
“Short of just winning the race, it matters what other guys do. For us, we don’t control our own destiny unless we win. I really don’t want to know. Honestly, this will be the hardest race I’ll definitely ever drive for 400 miles. I’m just going to be as aggressive as I can, not put myself in a bad position. This is the most important race of my career because it’s the most significant of my career at this point. We got to get the job done and I’m going to do my part to try to make sure we’re successful.”
How have you improved at Dover?
“I learned a little bit of what it takes to be successful here. I watched a lot of tape from guys that are really good here — studied them for probably two or three days in a row, two years ago–– and ever since then I took what I learned and moved it to what I do. It’s been successful. Whatever it is — it’s working.”
CLINT BOWYER, No. 15 5-hour ENERGY Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Starting Position: 9th
“Well that was pretty decent for the ol’ 5-hour ENERGY Toyota. We made it to the final round. We were just too tight to make a run at the pole but we’ve got a good starting spot and that’s important here. We’ll give it a good run on Sunday.”
BRIAN VICKERS, No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Starting Position: 11th
How was your qualifying run?
“The first round was really good, but the second round we got loose. Not sure why. You typically go tight here on the second run and so we kind of adjusted anticipating that and just got real loose. I think we’ve got a good car for Sunday. We’ll see. Obviously, when you’re that close to being the fastest in the first round you want to do the same and be the fastest in the second but still a good starting spot.”
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Home Depot Husky Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Starting Position: 14th
Where did you miss it to get into the next round?
“We just missed the balance a little bit. We were just too slow. Times are really tight there. It’s amazing — two or three-hundredths will move you up and get you in there pretty comfortably. Like I said, we just missed the balance there a little bit with our Home Depot Husky Tools Toyota. Hopefully Denny (Hamlin) or Kyle (Busch) will be able to get the pole here in the next round and hopefully we’ll get driving good tomorrow so we’re ready for Sunday.”
COLE WHITT, No. 26 Uponor Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Starting Position: 29th
ALEX BOWMAN, No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Starting Position: 34th
MIKE WALLACE, No. 66 Toyota Camry, Jay Robinson Racing
Starting Position: 41st
TRAVIS KVAPIL, No. 83 Burger King Toyota Camry, BK Racing
Starting Position: 42nd
