NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
COKE ZERO 400
DAYTONA INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY RACE NOTES & QUOTES
JULY 6, 2015

DALE EARNHARDT JR., NO. 88 NATIONWIDE STARS AND STRIPES CHEVROLET SS – Race Winner
YOUR FIRST REACTION WASN’T ‘HEY WE WON’ YOU WERE WORRIED ABOUT AUSTIN DILLON AND EVERYONE ELSE: 
“Yeah that scared the hell out of me, I will be honest with you. I saw the whole thing happen. You are looking in the mirror the whole last lap. I saw Denny (Hamlin) get turned. I guess that is kind of how it started. That was terrifying to watch. You know a wreck like that has such a high potential for someone to get injured and you saw the car get high and get into the fence. You just worry about everybody else in the grandstands and all that stuff. You just don’t want to see that happen. It was touch and go there for several moments. I’m more thankful that everybody is okay than to be standing here in Victory Lane that is for sure.”

TALK ABOUT THE WIN FOR YOUR RACE TEAM. THE CAR LOOKED SO DOMINATE, ESPECIALLY ON RESTARTS HOW KEY WAS THAT THIS EVENING? 
“Just great motors, the guys in the engine shops do such a good job so got to thank all those guys. My 88 boys, all the guys back at the shop they put together such good cars. This car is the one we won Talladega with. It’s going to get retired one of these days, hopefully we get to keep using it. Hopefully we get to keep using it, hopefully the boss man doesn’t put it in the barn yet. I want to thank Nationwide, Diet Mountain Dew, Kelley Blue Book, Chevrolet, Sprint and Microsoft, one of our new partners for everything they do. I had a lot of fun tonight. You hate to see that kind of a wreck at the end. You don’t want to see anybody be put in danger like that. I’m just so thankful that all the drivers are okay. It shook us up pretty good. We got down there at the end of pit road and Jimmie (Johnson) came up to me and the first thing he said was how wild was that and how scary was that. We weren’t even really shaking hands about the win or nothing. You just hate to see that. Just so thankful that nobody is hurt, very close call there.”

AUSTIN DILLON, NO. 3 BASS PRO SHOPS CHEVROLET SS – Involved in severe multi-car accident on final lap. Finished 7th:
I DON’T THINK I HAVE SEEN MORE HAPPY PEOPLE AFTER A CRASH, HOW ARE YOU?
“I am just going to be really sore. It got my tailbone pretty good and my arm. Should be fine, just go ice it up and get ready for Kentucky. But just thank the good Lord for taking care of me and for what NASCAR has done to make the sport this much safer. I just hope everybody in the stands is all right. That is the next biggest concern. Just praying for everybody and glad the good Lord looked out for me tonight.”

WHAT HAPPENED?
“You know the 11 got turned by the 4 across the start/finish line and I thought the race was going to be over right there. We were almost there and I was just pushing the 24 and the next thing I knew was that I was looking at my roof for a long time. I thought it was all over when I was sliding there and the 2 came in and really got me. So it was a wicked ride but thank the good Lord above for taking care of me.”

WHAT WERE YOUR THOUGHTS AS YOU LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW AND SAW YOU WERE SURROUNDED BY CREW MEMBERS TRYING TO HELP?
“I thought that was pretty awesome. As soon as I looked up and I don’t know if it was Casey Mears pit crew member or Casey right at the door, but that made me feel really good and comfortable. The only thing I was worried about was that there was oil everywhere and I wanted to get away from the car and that was why I was scrambling to get out from under it. And then just wanted to waive to the fans and let them know I was all good.”

THE CATCHFENCE. IT WILL BE A TOPIC OF CONVERSATION. IT KEPT YOU IN THE BALLPARK SO TO SPEAK, BUT DID IT DO ITS JOB?
“I don’t know because I haven’t even looked at the replay yet and I don’t know when I am going to. But I just think the next thing is that we are going to have to make this racing even more safe. We are running 200 mph and pushing each other around out there and it’s just bound to happen. No matter how safe we can make the sport, when you are going that amount of speed, things happen.”

JEFF GORDON SAID THIS STYLE OF RACING IS MORE LIKE A VIDEO GAME, BUT IN REAL LIFE. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE WHAT YOU SAW THERE IN THE END?
“It definitely is a video game. With three to go you are just going to push somebody until the end of the race. It’s wreckers or checkers. It’s like Talladega Nights out there. So it takes a lot of confidence and just staying into the gas is tough. It is a tough sport and it’s what racing is about and it is why NASCAR has been here for so long.”