“I was just a little bit too free there that last bit. We should have just tightened up a little more. The track was cooling off and getting a little bit looser. We just didn’t adjust enough. That is partially my fault. I didn’t want to adjust as much as Jeremy wanted to. That is unfortunate but we had a great Discount Tire Ford Mustang today. All in all not a bad day.”
“It’s been just a phenomenal year. We have had some bad luck, but these guys continue to focus on the thing that they need to focus on and that is bringing fast cars. They are staying focused one practice at a time, one lap at a time and they are grinding away through the tests and the things that you have to do this time of year.
"I've been really happy so far with the car this weekend. We've only been in qualifying trim, we haven't made any race runs yet so it's hard to say. Typically, the team is capable of taking speed in race trim and putting it in qualifying and vice versa -- taking speed in qualifying trim and turning it over to race trim.
“That was really important for us. Even though we are out of it we still want to compete like we are in the Chase. Prove we are capable of doing it and prove it to ourselves and everyone else out there. This is exactly how we need to do that. We need a good run Sunday.
“I’m just really proud of everybody on our Budweiser team. We’ve been dealt some bad luck throughout the year, but it hasn’t fazed them in continuing to work on the cars and the speed. The first three weeks we have led a bunch of laps and qualified well.
“I’m just really proud of everybody on our Budweiser team. We’ve been dealt some bad luck throughout the year, but it hasn’t fazed them in continuing to work on the cars and the speed.
Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion, returns to his hometown track looking to secure his first win. Edwards is not shy about how important a win at Kansas Speedway would be and discussed the added importance to securing that win in the Contender Round of the Chase.
Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet SS met with media and discussed is view of the three races in the ‘Contender’ round of the Chase, the importance of winning prior to Talladega, his expectations of the race track at Kansas, the importance of track position, and more. Full Transcript:
"Kansas City is a blast. It's fun for everybody in the garage area, the food is great and obviously I'm partial to it, but it's fun because you hear your peers, you hear the crew members -- everybody enjoys coming here because there's so much to do. Look at the storyline that Kansas City has had this week -- if somehow a Kansas City driver could win this race that would be unbelievable.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet SS, met with members of the media at Kansas Speedway and discussed turning 40 years old next week, his relationship with Ned Yost, his current position in the NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup and many other topics. Full Transcript:
The 23-year-old Hocevar from Portage, Michigan, was barred by Spire Motorsports from competing in the 2026 Cup Series Championship Race at Homestead following his on-track incident and brake-checking Austin Cindric at Martinsville.
Spire Motorsports has suspended Carson Hocevar for this weekend’s NASCAR Championship Race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Justin Haley will drive the No. 77 Spectrum Chevrolet Camaro ZL1.
The three-time Truck Series champion from Tulare, California, will compete in ThorSport Racing's No. 66 Ford to cap off the 2026 Truck Series season after stepping away from full-time competition following the 2025 season.
