NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
NEW HAMPSHIRE 301
NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY QUALIFYING NOTES AND QUOTES
JULY 15, 2016
JIMMIE JOHNSON, NO. 48 LOWE’S CHEVROLET SS – POLE WINNER
THAT WAS AM IMPRESSIVE LAP DID YOU THINK YOUR CAR HAD THAT IN IT?
“I knew the car was good. We had something really weird go on in our mock run in practice for qualifying. It had us kind of confused. We went back to kind of square one and where we unloaded. The car was fast in all the sessions, a little tight, but we kept progressing, we kept our lap count down which was really important and was able to advance to the next round on the first lap, so just really happy. It was a trying day for sure, but just so proud of this whole race team. Huge thanks to all the support from Lowe’s and all the employees at Lowe’s. They are behind us each and every weekend and we are very appreciative of that. Great support at Hendrick Motorsports and also Chevrolet. Just a great day.”
HOW MUCH DID THIS TEAM NEED THIS?
“We have had a lot of tough races. Qualifying has been so/so. I’m not the best at qualifying. I think the majority of that emotion was the fact that we actually got a pole. We don’t have many. It’s not our strong suit. Just a good day all-in-all and certainly something this Lowe’s team needed after the tough couple of months.”
DID THAT ONE TAKE YOU BY SURPRISE A LITTLE?
“Yeah, especially the way practice ended. We had a really weird set of tires or something odd go on on our mock run at the end of practice. It felt like something was broken on the car. So, to come back and have good speed in the car and advance, I knew after round two we would have a shot at the pole because we were able to keep our lap count down and advance to the next round on our first lap in each session. And then put together a smooth lap. I felt like it could have been faster, but certainly a good smooth one and it was enough.”
WHAT IS IT LIKE QUALIFYING HERE?
“You are just on edge. There is so little banking and so little grip, but if you get it right you can really produce a lap time. Overdriving the entry is something that is very easy to do. Then if you get in easy enough it is very easy to be too early to the gas and create all kinds of issues on the exit. Entry speed puts you in the right center and then you are able to drive off the corner and have enough drive off. Putting those three things together are about as tough as they get here. I was happy to get it. I ran one good lap, ran a second lap that wasn’t that good and Chad (Knaus) was encouraging me for a third lap and I about crashed down in (Turn) 1.”
KURT BUSCH, NO. 41 MONSTER ENERGY/HAAS AUTOMATION CHEVROLET SS – Qualified 4th
ON HIS QUALIFYING LAP:
“It’s always a fine line of driving right on that edge versus being conservative. Once you step over the edge you never get the time back. It’s a tough, flat, 1-mile oval that if you are smooth with it it will pay you back. I knew I could just be right there, but I couldn’t attack to run in the 40’s that is where the pole sitter was. We could have attacked. Yes, maybe we could have got into the 40’s, but we ran a 60 with our Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevy. We ran a 60 all three runs. I just couldn’t attack to run a 40.”
HOW MUCH POTENTIAL DOES THIS CAR HAVE?
“It’s got good potential. There is the drop off and the gear ratio that we have to keep track of. It’s dropping off more so because of the hotter temperatures this time around. Usually it’s a little bit cooler out. We will just go to work on it tomorrow, see what we had and try to get our car better from lap 15 to lap 40.”
AJ ALLMENDINGER, NO. 47 BUSH’S GRILLIN’ BEANS CHEVROLET SS – Qualified 10th
ON HIS QUALIFYING EFFORT:
“I thought it was a good result. It’s important to start up front here. The first run we were really loose, which kind of tends to happen here. We just got it too loose and it was a terrible lap. So, the next run luckily we ran and tightened it up a little bit. It was still a little bit too free, but I just tried to have a lot smoother lap. The last run I just tried to get all I could to see if I could pick up more spots. I got a little bit too tight, but it was alright.”
KASEY KAHNE, NO. 5 QUICKEN LOANS CHEVROLET SS – Qualified 11th
DID YOU GET EVERYTHING THAT YOU COULD OUT OF THE NO. 5 TODAY?
“I thought the second round we did pretty well. The third round I got loose off (Turn) 2 and that screwed my lap up. It wasn’t as fast… we tried to get back out, but we weren’t able to. I was happy in practice. We made some good laps there and then qualifying was okay. I think our Quicken Loans Chevrolet is close just a matter of doing things right. We have decent starting spot and should be a lot better on Sunday.”
ON DALE EARNHARDT, JR.’S ABSENCE:
“It’s different. It’s much different; Dale is a big part of Hendrick Motorsports and definitely want him here. I hope he heals up really quickly and he is back soon.”
ALEX BOWMAN, NO. 88 NATIONWIDE CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 20TH
WHAT DO YOU AND GREG IVES NEED TO WORK ON TO GET THIS NO. 88 TO GO FASTER?
“I feel like our second to last race run was really strong towards the end of practice, so happy with that. I felt like we probably could have qualified a little better there. I probably didn’t do the best job I possibly could have and we got a little too tight off. So, just part of it. I think we have a really good car. Everybody at Hendrick Motorsports has worked really hard on this thing. Obviously, I hope Dale is feeling better. Just happy to be a part of this Nationwide team. It’s been a crazy 24 hours. I’m ready to go take a nap, eat some food and relax a little bit until tomorrow.”
IT LOOKED LIKE YOU HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A MOMENT ON YOUR FIRST LAP IN THIS LAST ROUND DOES THAT AFFECT THE REST OF YOUR QUALIFYING?
“Yeah, you buzz the tire once and they kind of go away. That was kind of weird. I was committed to wide open and it was hooked up just fine and it just all of a sudden snapped. I feel like that right there is kind of what hurt us and kept us out of the final round, but it’s alright it is a long 301 laps on Sunday. I’m learning, Greg is learning how I describe race cars and just really thankful to be here.”
RYAN NEWMAN, NO. 31 WHELEN CHEVROLET SS – QUALIFIED 25TH
WHAT DO YOU GUYS NEED TO WORK ON TOMORROW TO MAKE YOUR CAR GOOD FOR SUNDAY?
“I’m not real sure. We had a really good Whelen Chevrolet in practice and then qualifying practice and in race practice. Just never hooked up there in qualifying. I don’t know if a set of tires was a little bit off or what, just kind of surprised. Just kind of swatting flies inside the race car trying to figure out how to get it hooked up. We will kind of assess our situation. Not exactly where we want to qualify by any means, but know that we had a good car in practice today and we will get it ready for tomorrow.”