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TOYOTA NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) - Post-Race Notes & Quotes - Daytona Shootout

KYLE BUSCH, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 4th
How crazy was the final lap of the race?
“The last lap got a bit hairy there in (turn) three, but we made it through. We didn’t quite have the car we were looking for tonight, unfortunately. I have to apologize to some of our fans. The M&M’s Camry just didn’t quite have enough in order to be able to turn on the exit of the corners. I couldn’t keep the throttle down the way that I wanted. We’ll go to work and Dave (Rogers, crew chief) and I will go to work and fix it up to get it ready for the (Daytona) 500. This isn’t the same car, but we know what we need to do or at least we have some ideas anyway. Real proud of the way the guys worked. We just have to go back to the drawing board a little bit.”

How did the race look from your perspective?
“It was out of control -- we all just kept it in control. Everybody did a really good job. These cars aren’t that easy to drive so we’re having a hard time. It’s just trying to get the cars to stay in their own lane. We could be real, real tight and scoot up on people or we would be real loose with people tucking underneath us. There’s so little room for error at this place and we’re just all over. There’s not a lot of grip here. You’re sliding around a lot. It makes it exciting so just as long as we can all keep it straight, it should be alright.”

DAVE ROGERS, crew chief, No. 18 M&M’s Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What were you able to learn for the Daytona 500?
“We weren’t too happy with our Toyota Camry. I just missed the setup. This whole bump rubber deal at Daytona and the splitter is totally different for me. I just missed it and I’ve got some studying to do over the next few days. We’ll come back for the (Daytona) 500 with a little bit better race car for Kyle (Busch) to drive.”

DENNY HAMLIN, No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 5th
How was your race tonight?
“It was an anticlimactic ending, that’s for sure. We fought out car. We didn’t have the best pit stop there at the end. We came in in a pretty good position but we were going for four tires and then audibled for two at the end and that kind of slows up your stop. It’s a good top-five finish after starting last and we’ll just work on it and get our FedEx Camry better for the 500.”

How did your knee feel after racing 75 laps?
“It was good. It bothers me more to get to the car than it does actually in it. It’s better in the car than it is out. Sitting in the car I’m more comfortable than I am anywhere. It’s a good thing that it’s a leg thing and maybe not an arm thing. It would’ve been a bigger issue if that was the case. I tested it right before this race started. I pressed down on the brake just as hard as I could and had some pit stops and was able to take off with the clutch and everything was smooth. Really, I didn’t even think about it until I went to get out of the car and I remembered, ‘Hey, I’ve got to be a little cautious getting out.’”

How was the racing tonight with the larger restrictor plate?
“It wasn’t nearly as crazy as I thought it would be. We are running so fast and handling is such an issue that everyone was being fairly cautious with each other and that was good. You would’ve liked to have seen a little bit more excitement. I would’ve liked to have seen it go green there at the end or at least have a green flag finish but we’re playing by the rules.”

How would you describe your first weekend?
“It was a good start. We didn’t want to tear this car up and that was the main focus -- make sure we ended today with the car that we started with and that way we don’t have extra work to do during the week to get ready for the 500.”

What do you expect for the Daytona 500?
“I tell you, I think it’s really going to be strung out especially a day race. When the temperatures are up handling is going to be more of an issue. I think you’ll see the cars start to spread out and you’ll see the good handling cars upfront.”

What are you going to do for the next three days before you have to get back to Daytona on Wednesday?
“I’m going to go back to Charlotte and try to relax a little bit. You kind of get cabin fever in these motor homes for the entire Speed Weeks so I’m going to head back to Charlotte.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 20 Home Depot Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 7th
How was your second Shootout?
“It was better than the first one. It was pretty fun. I feel like we did a decent job with what we had. I don’t know what happened. We had a good car in the first part -- we were really tight. We came in and freed it up and started the next run after the 25 lap period. We were picking up spots and the car was pretty good. We didn’t really want to change much except to tighten me up a little bit, but we got stupid loose on the last run before that last caution. We lost a ton of spots and I was hanging on for dear life.”

What did you learn for next week’s Daytona 500?
“The way I have to set the balance of this car and what tires I need to be pressing back and forth to have a good car here. I feel like we gained a little experience of where I need to end up. The good thing is that I’m pretty sure this is the first race in the Cup car that I finished here without wrecking. I finished a race before, but I was torn to pieces. This is the first car that I actually drove to the pits, so that’s a plus. I feel like I’m making progress. We’ll just keep pressing along here."

BRIAN VICKERS, No. 83 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team
Finished: 8th
How was the race with the new aerodynamic package and restrictor plate in the cars?
“I thought the race was good. With the new rules, I thought there was a little more throttle response. I felt like if you got shuffled back or got in a bad spot, it was easier to recover. Not by a lot -- we’re talking pretty minimal.”

Why do you think the cars were so loose?
“It was a product of several things. It’s always been that way, as long as I’ve been coming here. Two, the cars were a little harder on the right rear tire now that we have more power. All the way around the race track, just a little harder on that tire. This track is just worn out. It’s worn out, it’s slick, it’s rough and rough on tires. It gets worse every year. It’s not going to get any better. It’s fun, but that’s what you’re going to have.”

KEN SCHRADER, No. 82 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Red Bull Racing Team
Finished: 14th
How was the race from your perspective?
“Everybody was just out of control. I think you can make a lot of changes on the chassis, but it’s not going to do anything because there’s nothing holding it down. It’s not on the ground, so I don’t think it’s going to make much difference. I like the cars. They are out of control and race cars aren’t supposed to be real easy to drive.”

MICHAEL WALTRIP, No. 51 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finished: 21st

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