Ford Racing NSCS Notes & Quotes:
Kobalt Tools 400 NSCS Friday Advance (Las Vegas Motor Speedway)
Friday, March 8, 2013
Page 1
NSCS Qualifying Rained Out
Starting Line Up Set by Rule Book as Follows (Ford Qualifying Order)
1st – Brad Keselowski
5th – Greg Biffle
7th – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
16th – Carl Edwards
19th – Marcos Ambrose
21st – Joey Logano
22nd – Aric Almirola
29th – David Ragan
30th – Casey Mears
31st – David Gilliland
36th – Trevor Bayne
Brad Keselowski will start on pole for Sunday’s Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after qualifying was rained out at the track Friday afternoon. The grid was set by rulebook, putting the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion at the head of the field. Keselowski spoke to media after qualifying was canceled.
BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Miller Lite Ford Fusion – YOU WILL START THE RACE OUT FRONT. THAT IS A PRETTY GOOD DEAL FOR YOU I SUPPOSE. “Yeah, that is a really good deal. It is one of the perks I guess of being the champion in the first few races. Obviously with the rain coming you are kind of getting a great deal there. That is the first time I have had a decent starting position in a rainout. That is great. I feel pretty good about that. I was just thinking when I walked in, with this being Vegas and all, what the odds would be of a rainout in Vegas. I bet that was pretty high. Obviously whenever you can start up front it is a big deal and you get the first pit stall and all those things that make a big difference on pit road. The way our car has been running the last two weeks, and off of what I saw in practice yesterday I feel like we are in position to hopefully keep that for a very long time in the race and hopefully close it out. We have been really close to doing that the last two weeks. We were in position to win and just came up a little bit short. Hopefully this will be the catalyst we need to close it out.”
WITH NO PRACTICE TODAY, DOES THAT HELP CERTAIN TEAMS, IS IT THE SAME FOR EVERYBODY? “That is a good question. I am not sure if it is specific to whether you are a front running team or not. The more time you have the better you will be, that is for everyone, or at least it should be. What I think is really important is that I am very thankful we had the test day yesterday. That is a big deal for us to not go into Sunday blind. I am glad that worked out. Someone had the foresight to know that it was a possibility and I applaud them. For us, the car we tested yesterday is not the same as what we will run here on Sunday. Certainly we would like to have all the track time we can get but it is the same for everybody. It is the same circumstances and just a matter of how you adapt to them.”
LAST WEEK TRACK POSITION SEEMED REALLY IMPORTANT BUT YOU WERE ABLE TO DRIVE THROUGH THE FIELD AT TIMES. WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? “I am really good.”
IS TRACK POSITION IMPORTANT? WILL IT CONTINUE TO BE IMPORTANT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR? “I think that track position in this sport has always been important and is becoming increasingly important the last few years. It has always been important. I don’t want to undersell the history of the sport to that regard. It was certainly not easy to make those passes last week. I am not going to assume that it will be this week. Thankfully I don’t have to as it pertains to the start of the race. Hopefully we will be able to keep that throughout the race.”
IS THERE ANY CORRELATION FROM THE CHARLOTTE TEST TO WHAT YOU WILL BE RUNNING ON SUNDAY? “There is a little correlation. They are both fast tracks with a little bump going into one, although Vegas is more pronounced than Charlotte. I would say there is definitely some correlation there. The variable will be the track temperature we see Sunday and how that will affect the racing. I think there are a lot of drivers pulling for it to be warm on Sunday. As the track heats up and builds temperature it tends to lay down rubber quicker and the upper lanes will open up and make it easier to pass as the track becomes a multi-groove track. That is a big variable. Obviously in testing at Charlotte it was a lot colder and that affects some of your approach. We are hoping there is very little correlation, how about that?”
THIS WEEK, MASHABLE DID A LIST OF THE THREE BIGGEST SOCIAL MEDIA MOMENTS AND YOU WERE RANKED 3RD FOR YOUR DAYTONA 500 TWEETS. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? “It is an honor. I am honored by it and I am thinking, ‘Damn, how am I going to top that?’ Maybe it isn’t possible. I am glad we were able to do something cool and unique. I am always looking for something unique and fun to do and I am glad other people enjoyed it.”
BRAD KESELOWSKI CONTINUED … CAN YOU TALK ABOUT RETURNING TO BRISTOL NEXT WEEKEND IN THE NEW CAR? “The spring race last year at Bristol was a race I will never forget. That is by far the best car I think I have ever had. I had a pretty good car last week but wasn’t able to capitalize on it. That car at Bristol was phenomenal. To be able to lead a bunch of laps at that facility – I have said a couple times what Bristol means to me and that hasn’t changed. Bristol is one of those race tracks that defines what I feel a race car driver, what characteristics I feel a driver should have to have to be successful. To win there makes me feel like more of a racing man. That place is very special. The way it challenges you both physically and mentally, it never gives you a break. It always demands the most out of you of any track I have been to both physically and mentally. The plate tracks are pretty demanding mentally but not so much physically. There are other tracks more demanding physically but not so much mentally. Bristol is both. To be successful there you have to find another level. You have to find your zone and you have to find it quick. If you don’t it won’t take long for you to be punished. I have just really taken accustomed to that track. It seems like every time I run well there, there is a change, whether to the facility or the rules to where it makes it harder but that is part of the challenge and it makes every win and accomplishment at that track so special.”
WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THE DENNY HAMLIN SITUATION? “It is a divisive topic for sure and one that I think every driver is a little reluctant to spend a lot of time talking about because there is no winner. There is no winner. I don’t think that conversation is the conversation that this sport needs to be having right now. The conversation we need to have right now is what we can do to provide the best on track racing for fans and our stake holders. When we are talking about things like that, we are not talking about the real discussions and how we are going to accomplish those other things.”
PENSKE RACING ANNOUNCED THAT AJ ALLMENDINGER IS COMING BACK INTO THE FOLD. CAN YOU DISCUSS ROGER’S LOYALTY? “It is just what you said, loyalty. It continues to amaze me how Roger doesn’t give up on people. You were at the Hall of Fame weren’t you? Did you hear Rusty’s (Wallace) speech about ‘don’t spin out on me’? That shows Rogers character. AJ went through a really rough patch there and Roger didn’t spin out on him either. He could have very easily. That is very rare and hard to find, not just these days but at any given point in time. That makes him a special person.”
HOW DID THE POKER GAME GO LAST NIGHT? “I lost. It is a good thing I didn’t put down any of my own money. It was great to be able to do things with the members of the military and everyone knows that is a special cause of mine. I am happy Miller was able to do that to make it worthwhile and the same goes for Bally’s casino. That is one of the great things about coming to Vegas. You get to do special and different things. It is neat I got to do something special and different but still in my wheelhouse with the military.”
EARLIER TODAY, FORD RECEIVED THE 2012 NASCAR DRIVING BUSINESS AWARD AT THE NASCAR FUEL FOR BUSINESS COUNCIL HERE IN LAS VEGAS. THAT IS A BIG AWARD THAT NASCAR PRESENTS TO OUR SPONSORS AND PARTNERS. TALK ABOUT THAT AND WHAT THAT MEANS KNOWING THAT YOU DRIVE A FORD FUSION. “I think it just backs up the reason why we switched to Ford at Penske Racing in 2013. Their commitment to the sport right now I feel is the highest of any manufacturer. Rewards like that are a reflection of the work and justifies the endorsement. I think that is why Penske Racing is with Ford this year and in the future. Their commitment that I have seen from the highest level down is by far more than what I have ever been accustom to and it makes me proud to be a part of it. I feel like with the proper amount of time and execution that we can be extremely successful with their involvement.”
YOU HAVE HOSTED A RADIO SHOW, DONE A BURNOUT IN A HOTEL BALLROOM. WHAT IS NEXT ON THE LIST? “Oh there are definitely things on my mind. I was just talking about one today but I can’t tell you. It has to be a surprise. I just like doing different things. Something to break the sport out of the ordinary which I think is great. There is no shortage of ideas. It is just a matter of finding someone that is willing to let me do them.”
