NASCAR Cup Series

BRAD KESELOWSKI (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger R/T) Qualified 8th "It was a pretty good lap for the Miller Lite Dodge. I've never been a good qualifier here, but I think we may get a top 10 or top 15 out of that run. We picked up about three tenths from practice and the car seems very balanced. I've think that we have something to work with for Sunday."

KURT BUSCH (No. 22 AAA Dodge Charger R/T) HOW WAS YOUR CAR IN THE FIRST PRACTICE? “The car is good. The AAA Dodge is fast. We have a shot at the pole and we’re going to go for it. We’ll loosen it up and let the rough edges drag.”

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M's Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing What are your impressions of the changes made to the race track at Phoenix? "The new Phoenix (track) is definitely different. It's something that we've all got to become accustomed to and kind of used to, how it's going to change and what's going to be different about it. It's fun. We'll see what happens when we get there."

Danica Patrick will make her NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the prestigious season-opening 54th annual Daytona 500 on Sunday, Feb. 26.

Danica Patrick announced Friday she will make her short track debut in a Sprint Cup car at NASCAR's most popular event, the 2012 IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Michael Waltrip Racing announced Thursday that driver of the No. 00 car David Reutimann has been released from the team for the 2012 season. Reutimann will stay with the team for the three remaining races of 2011.

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Office Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Can you talk about defending your race win here at Texas Motor Speedway? "It was a big turning point in the Chase for us last year. This is the point where everything starts getting a little tighter within the Chase and guys start thinking about the results quite a bit and all the position. It was a pivotal moment for us and a big momentum boost we felt like. We quickly got set back to reality the next week."

RICHARD CHILDRESS, TEAM OWNER OF RICHARD CHILDRESS RACING (RCR) met with media following the announcement that RCR and AdvoCare, an award-winning premier health and wellness company, have entered into a partnership for the company to be the primary sponsor of the No. 3 AdvoCare Chevrolet Impala driven by Austin Dillon for 20 races in the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR., NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD BY TRADITION/AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET, met with members of the media at Texas Motor Speedway and discussed 2012, the addition of Kasey Kahne, Daytona Testing along with other topics.

Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Aflac Ford Fusion, leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings by eight over second-place Tony Stewart. Edwards held a press conference Friday after practice to talk about this weekend and the championship chase.