NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
STP GAS BOOSTER 500
MARTINSVILLE SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
APRIL 5, 2013
 
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – POLE WINNER
YOU WERE FASTEST IN PRACTICE AND NOW FASTEST IN QUALIFYING.  WHEN YOU ARRIVED HERE THIS MORNING, WHEN DID YOU REALIZE YOU HAD SUCH A GOOD RACE CAR?
“Probably my second or third lap on the race track.   We always go to the race track hoping we will have speed and be the guy to beat, but you just don’t know until you get out there and do it.  I think Phoenix proves that, because it was one of our better race tracks and we just didn’t have what we needed to there.  That hasn’t been the case here this weekend.   The car has been very fast and I am happy to back it up and I wish I would have made it on the second lap because I feel a car that can go two laps will be faster in the second lap.   Our car was a little too loose and I got all I could on the first lap and tried for a little more on the second and it didn’t happen.”
 
SO A HANDFUL ON THAT SECOND LAP? WHAT WAS IT LIKE OUT THERE?
“In order to be fast here, you have to be uncomfortable.  It sounds odd at such a small race track but it’s true and I had plenty of uncomfortable on that lap.  (laughs).”
 
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED FIFTH
HOW WAS YOUR QUALIFYING LAP?
“It felt really good.  I was a little bit loose off the corner so I didn’t get back to the throttle near as hard as I wanted to.  I just had to kind of ease the throttle down and that was where we gave it up.”
 
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 39 QUICKEN LOANS CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 10th
DO YOU THINK HAVING AN EARLY DRAW IN QUALIFYING MAKES A DIFFERENCE HERE AT MARTINSVILLE?
“I think it doesn’t matter a whole lot here.  The only thing you are really going to have is the first couple of cars got a little dust on the race track.  I think you get brake dust and everything else from the next cars on.  I think it’s pretty fair no matter where you draw here for qualifying.”
 
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NO. 42 TARGET CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 14th
YOU WERE TALKING TO YOUR TEAM WHAT DID THE CAR DO ON YOUR LAP?
“It just stepped out in turn four.  I think our Target Chevy is pretty good.  We are supporting Racing with Insulin this weekend.  It’s a pretty good cause.  I don’t know it’s a bit of frustration, but we got great speed this week again.  Just have to get a good finish.”
 
TONY STEWART, NO. 14 RUSH TRUCK CENTERS/MOBIL 1 CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 26th
HOW WAS YOUR QUALIFYING LAP?
“It wasn’t very good.  It’s not advantageous at most places to be the first guy out, but we will take what it gives us here and we will work hard to see if we can get this car better for Sunday.”
 
DANICA PATRICK, NO. 10 GODADDY.COM CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 32nd
HOW WAS YOUR QUALIFYING RUN?
“We were very much just like everybody else.  It was pretty much backing up the time from practice.  Some people went a little bit quicker and some people went just a little bit slower.  We were kind of right in the middle of that.  It wasn’t anything terrible, we are in a position where we need to keep picking up.  I think we were looking good getting into (turn) three but got loose on the brakes and lost all of our time there.  Other than that the rest of the track was fine.  If we can get the rear more comfortable on entry I think we will be pretty good.”