Simon Pagenaud was consistently quick during the opening day of the Shell and Pennzoil Grand Prix of Houston presented by the Greater Houston Honda Dealers.
"Today was an up-and-down day for this Rheem Comfort Products team. We were just fighting a loose and tight truck all day and had to continue to work on it to make it better. This team never gives up and we managed to leave here with a top-10 finish.
"Most of my energy is spent with do we have a shot at winning at this track. I feel like we have run solid here the last few times we have been here. I feel like as good as our cars are this year that this is probably the most legitimate shot that we’ve had of crossing that one off the list. It would mean a lot.
"We struggled getting the truck handling like we needed it to. We tried a lot of things to get it off the race track, but it ended up being a frustrating night for our Nextant Aerospace/Curb Records team. Consistency has been the key to us staying in contention this season and ending with a top-10 isn't a bad thing."
“It’s probably the longest in my career to not have a top 5 in any given season, but at the same time we’re sitting eighth in points, which is probably twice as good as I was at this time last year if I remember roughly. So, that part of it is better. That’s why I said it’s the best/worst year I’ve had without top 5’s and a few top 10’s; and yet consistency-wise, we’re eighth in points.”
In his first-career race at Kentucky Speedway, Ben Kennedy put forth a solid qualifying effort and fought hard for the duration of the UNOH 225, overcoming multiple handling challenges to bring home the No. 31 Turner Scott Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado in the 10th position.
Matt Crafton and the No. 88 Ideal Door/Menards team entered the eighth race on the 2014 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) schedule at Kentucky Speedway looking for redemption following a season-worst 26th-place finish at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Ill. Crafton endured a "wicked loose" Toyota Tundra and a broken side skirt, which plagued the handling of the Menard's yellow machine in the opening laps.
“I’m really looking forward to getting back here -- we ran second here last race. More importantly, hungry for a win. There’s obviously a lot of teams that are hungry for a win, but I do believe we’re finally poised for a win. At this point in the season we’ve finally got our consistency back.
“But sitting in meetings and being around him as close as I am with our situation of the No. 48 and No. 88 being in the same shop, I see a guy that knows his race car better than ever; and a guy that’s focused on all the details. He’s thoroughly involved, is much more open and communicating on a far deeper level than I’ve seen him, especially when he started at Hendrick Motorsports.
“It’s always fun coming to Kentucky. It’s not too far from home, so friends and family have come up. It’s our first race with Fifth Third on the car this year, so we’re excited about that. They’re great people to work and partner with and they’re excited.
