Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 - Rookie Qualifying Quotes

CASEY MEARS, NO. 41 TARGET DODGE:

"It's not good at all. It was horrible. It was probably the worst qualifying run I think I've had all year and I'm hoping that it's not a provisional, because it's not very good. We fought some things this morning and it kind of set us back a little bit. We did a run there at the end and the car was really loose. We made some changes to tighten it up a little bit and it was looser than I was in practice so either the track loosened up or what we changed for some reason freed it up. We'll see where we end up. I just hope it doesn't end up too bad, provisional land or anything."

GREG BIFFLE, NO. 16 GRAINGER FORD:

'It was all right. I left a lot on the table down there in one and two. We probably won't be in the top-20. The speeds are really picking up here so I'm curious to see how we end up. The track is pretty good right now so I think we are going to get bumped back there a ways." IS IT ENCOURAGING TO AT LEAST PRACTICE WELL? "We were a lot better in Phoenix and we've been a lot better here. We're starting to improve."

JAMIE MCMURRAY, NO. 42 HAVOLINE DODGE:

"That was terrible. I qualified second and seventh here the last two times. We just didn't hit on it today. I really don't know what to tell you. We haven't had it since we've been here."

LARRY FOYT, NO. 14 HARRAH'S DODGE:

"That's the best the car drove all day. I don't know. There's no speed there. I don't really know what else to do (smiles). From watching everybody, I can't see anything that we are doing way different." IS IT DIFFICULT TO QUALIFY HERE? "I kind of enjoy it. Your qualifying practice is kind of funny because you only get one or two true runs to let you know what the car is going to do. That left us making us a lot of changes for qualifying and they seemed to all go the right way. I don't know where the speed is."

TONY RAINES, NO. 74 BACE MOTORSPORTS CHEVROLET:

Note: Tony Raines was the highest qualifying Raybestos Rookie at Rockingham. He will start fourth, his best career Winston Cup start.

"It was good, really good. I got in nice and smooth. We tightened the car up a little bit because I thought in our last sticker run it was actually a little bit free. It turned really good and I got in the gas hard and it took off and I thought 'Wow, this ought to be pretty good.' You can't ask for much more than that, when it does what you are looking for. Usually good things happen." IS THIS THE SAME CAR YOU HAD AT BRISTOL? "This is the car that we raced at Atlanta. It raced real well there. It didn't qualify well. It's a good car but we thought it would run really well here. The body has good downforce on it. Hopefully the driver learned something and doesn't wear the tires out too fast and we have a good weekend." WITH THE TIRE WEAR HERE, HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO QUALIFY HERE? "It's hard because you don't really get a lot of laps in practice that truly represent the stickers and that's the hard part because you basically go out and look for a feel and balance and hope that when you put stickers on it stays the same." THIS MUST BE REWARDING TO RUN THIS WELL. "It seems like we keep getting better. To get stronger toward the end of the year is obviously a good sign for next year. We're really happy. We practiced pretty good in qualifying practice, higher than we normally do so we thought we had a little bit better car than normal. Larry (Carter, crew chief) and the guys made a couple of good changes to it before we went out to qualify. It did everything that I asked it to do and you can't beat that. We keep getting stronger as the season goes along and it's showing itself. If we can get some paint on that car, that will help improve our program and will make us have an even stronger season next season." WHAT IS THE GOAL FOR THE RACE? "Not burn the tires off (smiles). We're going to have to work really hard at getting a good race setup on it because this is such a trick track and experience is worth a fortune here. We don't have a lot of that. We raced in the spring here and we didn't qualify well and we didn't race well. We were horrible and we came into it with a little bit more focus, looking for a feel and not necessarily dialing yourself out and that's what all the experienced guys don't do. We try to come at it a little slower, a little better and so far it's looking that way." YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD PIT STALL FOR THE RACE. HOW IMPORTANT IS THAT FOR THE RACE BECAUSE OF SO MANY FOUR-TIRE STOPS? "We'll definitely be changing tires. We need a good pit stall. We'll put a little pressure on the pit crew because they will have to earn their keep this weekend because they are going to change a lot of tires. Track position is important here but a good setup here in the long run can really make a world of difference."

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