Official Release

JOEY LOGANO – No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion – PRESS CONFERENCE – THIS IS YOUR FIFTH STRAIGHT FRONT ROW START HERE. “So close to getting that fourth pole in a row. It would have been pretty cool to be able to say you did that, but it’s been a great streak."

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – Qualified 3rd - ON QUALIFYING: “Yeah it’s such a tricky little place. I just seemed to get better as the day went on kind of finding my rhythm."

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing - How does it feel to be in this ‘Round of 8’ after last week at Talladega being close on transferring? “It’s good, obviously you always prepare for the worst coming into the weekend, but we knew last week we had a good chance to go out there and win and if not win then run good."

JEFF GORDON, INTERIM DRIVER, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Martinsville Speedway and discussed if this is indeed his final Cup Series race, what he has learned this season being an interim driver, his thoughts on this year’s Chase and many other topics.

WILLIAM BYRON, No. 9 Liberty University Toyota Tundra, Kyle Busch Motorsports - How big is this race to start the next round of the Chase? “I think it’s a big race just because it’s the start of the next round. We’ve been waiting for this since New Hampshire and we’re looking forward to it."

JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS, met with members of the media at Martinsville Speedway and discussed if he has contemplated a seventh title, his past success at Martinsville, how he will use teammate Jeff Gordon’s past Martinsville success to help him this weekend and many other topics.

Brian Scott, driver of the No. 44 American Red Cross Ford Fusion, is coming off his best finish of the season after finishing second to race-winner Joey Logano last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.

In 156 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Martinsville Speedway, Richard Childress Racing has earned four pole awards and posted seven victories with drivers Dale Earnhardt (five times), Ricky Rudd (1983) and Kevin Harvick (2011).

“Martinsville is another great short track,” McDowell stated. “Our short track program has been really good this season and we will look to build off what we learned at New Hampshire and Richmond at this race. I think we will go to Martinsville and have another solid run. It’s one of my favorite racetracks – I love Martinsville.”

CHASE CRUNCH TIME: Following Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) race at Talladega Superspeedway, the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship field was reduced to eight drivers and all four Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) Camry drivers – Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth – advanced to the ‘Round of 8.’