Official Release

COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang – “It was tough. We had a lot of cautions there and we weren’t very good firing off so that kind of hurt us. I’m happy that we got our car a lot better throughout the weekend , our Haas Automation Mustang, but we just need to figure out how to get it a little bit better so we can compete for a win. We’re really fast at the end of a run, but we can’t compete at the start of a run, so we’ll go back and figure it out.”

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Busch Light Ford Fusion – “That’s a good effort for us. I think as you look at this place it’s hard to put a lap together and I just didn’t get off of two like I needed to. I kind of chattered the front end, but it’s still a good lap for us and a good starting spot.”

RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 CATERPILLAR CAMARO ZL1 – Qualified 10th - GOOD RUN FOR YOU TODAY HERE AT KENTUCKY: “Well, it was a good qualifying effort for our Caterpillar Chevrolet. We were definitely improving upon what we did in race trim and qualifying practice and race practice. We were definitely more competitive and that is one of the major goals moving forward. The guys did a good job. I wish we had a little bit more speed, but we will see how good we can make it race now. We never really got a great long run in during practice but I don’t think anybody did either.”

SPARTA, Ky. – Martin Truex Jr. didn’t need a dress rehearsal to put on a pole-winning performance at Kentucky Speedway on Friday. His lack of mock qualifying runs in practice did not affect the ultimate result – his first Busch Pole on the 1.5-mile track.

MARTIN TRUEX JR., No. 78 Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota Camry, Furniture Row Racing - Where are you on another contract extension with Furniture Row Racing and are you certain you’ll be back with the team? “No. Am I – I don’t know. We’ve got some stuff to figure out for sure, but I don’t plan on anything different, so just give the team some time to figure things out and we’re all kind of trying to figure it out together, so hopefully we can make it happen.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 Snickers Intense Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - How difficult is Turn 3 following the repave? “Yeah, I mean, it’s just so much different here – Turn 3 – than any other mile-and-a-half we go to. Normally other places you get to and you start picking up a little bit of the banking before you get into the corner and here it’s so flat all the way down in there before you pick up the banking that, you know, it’s just has its own characteristics and it’s own challenges that are tough to deal with, you know?"

ERIK JONES, No. 20 DEWALT Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - Were you able to enjoy the win before you went to race at Slinger Super Speedway? “Yeah, it wasn’t much time, but it was a little bit. I mean, we got back and it was pretty late, but some of my buddies were waiting over at my house and had some celebrations ready for me, so that was fun."

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 AXALTA CAMARO ZL1, met with members of the media at Kentucky Speedway and discussed his recently announced paint scheme for Pocono, his thoughts on running at Kentucky Speedway this weekend, blocking and many other topics. Full Transcript:

Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 12 DEX Imaging Ford Fusion, came to the infield media center at Kentucky Speedway before Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice to talk about this weekend’s event.

Saturday night's race at Kentucky Speedway will mark the beginning of the second-half of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, and the CorvetteParts.net team could not ask for a better swing of momentum than with the finish they earned last weekend in Daytona Beach, Florida. This weekend, Matt DiBenedetto will work with Crew Chief Randy Cox to continue their 1.5-mile racetrack success and together they hope they can find speed in their primary sponsor's backyard.