Official Release

CLINT BOWYER – No. 14 Mobil 1 Ford Fusion – “It’s a great effort, considering everything these guys have gone through all season long, switching manufacturers and everything that goes with that. That’s a lot. That’s a huge undertaking and these guys did it without fail."

CHASE ELLIOTT, NO. 24 NAPA AUTO PARTS CHEVROLET SS – POLE WINNER: CONGRATULATIONS ON BACK-TO-BACK POLES. THIS IS BIG FOR YOU. “Yeah, this is really cool. I’m just happy for our NAPA team and it’s great to have Napa on board this weekend; and a big thanks to the Hendrick engine shop and Chevrolet. Everybody at Hendrick Motorsports has done a lot of work this off-season."

Alex Bowman earned a spot in the 2017 Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway by earning his first career pole at Phoenix International Speedway last season in the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet SS, while filling in for the injured Dale Earnhardt, Jr. The Hendrick Motorsports organization gave the ‘super sub’ the opportunity to run the 75-lap non-points race at Daytona as the 2017 season for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series got underway.

Recap: Brad Keselowski and the No. 2 SKF Ford Fusion team came within half a car length of winning the 2017 Clash at Daytona, but contact with the No. 11 of Denny Hamlin on the final lap resulted a sixth-place finish in the opening exhibition race for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS). Keselowski began the race from the pole position thanks to his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, drawing the No. 1 starting spot during the random draw on Friday that set the 17-car field. Keselowski stayed out front until a lap 19 caution brought the field down pit road for tires and adjustments.

KURT BUSCH – No. 41 Monster Energy Ford Fusion – WHAT HAPPENED? “I was just minding my own business in the low groove and we got tagged in the right-rear. It’s kind of a shame. All of the hard work and the effort everybody puts into the off-season – Doug Yates and his engines and everybody from Ford and everybody at Stewart-Haas – all of the effort put towards building a car and we didn’t even make it to the first pit stop, so it’s kind of a bummer.”

"It's hard to be the Lone Ranger out there. If you look at the race, the top five were all team cars and I didn't have a teammate in the race or anybody to work with. I am really proud that I was able to run up there with those cars knowing how important it is to have help."

The four Joe Gibbs Racing Camry drivers led the 17-car field for much of the 75-lap race, but significant movement in the field in the closing laps shuffled the pack of 2018 Camrys at the checkered flag.

JOEY LOGANO – No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion – VICTORY LANE INTERVIEW – “It’s cool to win the Clash. We came close last year and it’s really neat to be in Victory Lane and a good start to our day.” WHAT DID YOU SEE THE LAST LAP? “That was the play. The Toyotas are so selfless, I guess is the way to look at it. They are able to work together and think of one car of winning, and they’re really good at that. We had to think the same way as Ford and with Stewart-Haas and the Penske cars and we were able to get a good enough run to work together enough to break them up and make the passes and then there at the end was kind of a mess. Everything was going really fast. Everything was going on and I was just in the right place at the right time.”

ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – FINISHED 3RD - HOW MUCH FUN DID YOU HAVE? "It was frustrating. We kind of struggled all day, a little bit. We couldn't get the track position we needed. To come home third is solid, and not bad by any means. We will learn from it and hopefully give Greg (Ives, crew chief) and Dale (Earnhardt, Jr.) some information for the Daytona 500. It is a day race. I am just happy to be a part of the Clash."

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS - Sidelined in a single car crash on lap 48: THIS IS LIKE SHADES OF LAST YEAR DURING SPEEDWEEKS WITH YOUR TEAMMATES HAVING SIMILAR ISSUES, IS THIS MORE OF A HENDRICK AERO ISSUE OR THE TRACK BEING SLICK?