Dodge/Save Mart 350 - Dodge Qualifying Quotes

STERLING MARLIN (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge)

“We made a few changes before qualifying and it got way, way too tight. We made a minor change on the track bar. We were 18th in our banzai run and had to miss a car. We probably lost about three tenths on that, and that would have put us about 12th overall. We’ll see what happens. I think we’ll be all right when it’s all said and done.”

BRENDAN GAUGHAN (No. 77 Kodak/Jasper Dodge)

“We struggled a little bit. We made some changes, but we can’t get the grip we’re looking for. We’ll figure it out. If Rusty and Ryan can find it, we can find it. Qualifying is qualifying. It’ll just mean we’ll have a lot longer day coming through the esses. We’ve just got to be smart and not drop the wheels off the track. It’s amazing how many guys in Nextel Cup drop the wheels off and end up spinning themselves out. We’ll let those guys fall by the wayside and hope for the best.”

JEFF GREEN (No. 43 Cheerios/Spoonfuls of Stories Dodge)

“We almost spun out a couple of times. We got a wheel off the track. I didn’t do these road courses at all last year. I guess I’m a little rusty, but we’ve got to get the car a little bit better, too. We’ll get things worked out before Sunday.”

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge)

“I’m pretty satisfied with that lap. I got to sliding too much in turn 10. That’s where Gordon and the 32 went off. I got in pretty hot and it was a long time before it hooked up. I knew it cost me too much time right there. All-in-all it was a good lap. I really wanted the pole. I don’t have a real big smile because I left too much laying on the table.”

KASEY KAHNE (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

“It was really loose. The front cut good and the back was sliding around. It got looser and looser as the run went along. I’m disappointed. I thought we could run something in the .16s for sure. It’s just a matter of laps and doing it more and more. We’ll figure out what we need in the car. I enjoy this kind of racing. I just wish we could have done better.”

CASEY MEARS (No. 41 Target Dodge)

“We slowed up. We were way, way worse than we were in practice, and we weren’t that good in practice. I’m not satisfied with it at all. It was pretty bad actually. I love road courses, but I don’t know what’s wrong with us here. I grew up on road courses, and I feel like I’m a pretty good road course driver, but for some reason at this place I really struggle.”

SCOTT PRUETT (No. 39 Target Dodge)

“It was OK, but we were a little disappointed. The car was tight for some reason, and we couldn’t carry the speed we wanted. We’re happy with the Target Dodge. This is the first time in a long time I’m starting up front instead of mid pack. All in all I think we’ve got a good car, and we’re going to be good in the race.”

RYAN NEWMAN (No. 12 ALLTEL Dodge)

“That wasn’t what we were looking for, but that’s the way it goes sometimes. We’ll go to work and get ready for the race now and see if we can have a better day on Sunday with the ALLTEL Dodge. We’ve had some good runs on these road courses, but we’re looking for a great run. Hopefully that’ll come Sunday.”

JAMIE McMURRAY (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge)

“I thought we would be a little bit better than that. We were loose all morning and all of a sudden we got tight. I thought we were going to be in pretty good shape. I really enjoy road racing. It’s a lot of fun. I really thought we’d end up in the top five, so I’m a little disappointed right now.”

JEREMY MAYFIELD (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

“We had to change motors and we qualified with a brand new motor. We just wanted to go out and get in a good safe lap so we could get a decent pit spot. We’ll just have to work our way to the front on Sunday now.”

RUSTY WALLACE (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) – Runner-up interview

“I thought I could run a 15.10 or a 15.20. I ran a 15.50 pretty easy. I looked down and ran a 16.07 and thought I had the emergency brakes on, but I didn’t. The track lost grip and that was it.

“I think this is a track where you get your choice left or right. We’ll see who picks the right one. Gordon’s got the option, so we’ll see which one he picks. I know one thing. You don’t want to get off course and ruin your day in the first corner. You’ve got to get up through there smooth and not screw up.

“I didn’t have a problem. It was a clean track. I was real happy with the condition of the track. I had no problem whatsoever. I don’t think I got into turn 10 any harder than I had all day long. When I got there I just noticed reduced grip and that was about it.

“(New tire) seems OK. I haven’t had a problem whatsoever with it. We only did a one-day test here. If we hadn’t tested here we would have been fine because we haven’t changed much from last year’s setup. There’s not much difference. We verified some things. It’s a brand new car with a new style of brakes. So far everything is going good on it. It’s hard to evaluate the tire unless you’re back in the back with one old one and the new style. It’s the same for everybody. I’m happy with our performance and our starting position.

“It’s hard for those guys (road racers) to run good in these cars. We run these things every week and understand what they do and how they feel. For a road racer to go out and get it done, it’s hard for him. It’d be like me winning the Brickyard 400 and then going back and run the Indy 500. You’re not going to be able to get out of a stock car into an Indy car and make it happen. It’s a little easier for those road racers to run out here, but if they had more time, I’m sure they could run with us. I’m having a hard time figuring out where I’m going with this story…

“The track is smooth but the only grip I feel is in seven and in turn 11 but other than that you’re still sliding around like you were last year. I’m confident. I’ve just got to not screw up. Last year we got the brakes hot and had a top five car and ended up seventh or eighth. We’ve just got to keep it on course, that’s the main thing. You’ve got to log laps and keep it on the course. Track position is everything. You’ve got to get in the pits and get out before everybody else and keep that track position. Last year I spun and went from fifth to 30th. The caution flag came out and the whole field pitted. I stayed out and really watched my fuel mileage. I finished eighth by just staying out. I went to the gas pumps and it held 21.9, so I didn’t have much left.

“It’s a crucial race to get in the top 10 (series standings). I got myself out of it because of a crash at Talladega and a crash at California back to back. I went from eighth back to 15th. I’m trying to get back to the front right now. There are a lot of cars that are having problems. I think Jimmie Johnson qualified 31st. This is a track where you’ve got to run smooth and keep it on the track. A lot of guys are really good at other places that struggle a lot here.”

KEN SCHRADER, #49 SCHWAN’S HOME SERVICE DODGE:

“We worked and worked on that thing all day long, and we got 75 percent of it. We really picked up from where we were practicing. It looked like it was going to be a long day at one time. But these guys kept working on the car, trying new things, doing this and doing that, and we ended up with a decent starting spot. Yeah, 18th isn’t where you come out here wanting to be but, when you look at where we were at one point this morning, we’ll sure take it.

“Now we need to use Saturday’s practices to get that last 25 percent. We think we can have a pretty good day with the Schwan’s Home Service Dodge.”

KLAUS GRAF, #59 SEM DODGE:

“I had heard about the pressures of NASCAR racing but I never thought the most I would feel would be in the lounge of the transporter waiting for qualifying to end. That was the longest hour or so of my life. I’d be happy, then sad, then happy again. We just kept watching the charts and seeing where things were going to go.

“I ran off the course up about turn four. There just wasn’t any grip there, and we’d been working on more grip all the way around all morning. It slid just enough to take me off, and it cost me a lot of time. Our practice times had been much better, and we didn’t get all that much practice. Our testing had gone better. We think after working more on the car tomorrow (Saturday), we’ll be able to be better on Sunday.

“I’ve learned a lot about life here (in NASCAR racing) quickly. We were the last car through inspection, for example, since we had no points. So we were the last car on the track for practice. So we lost about 45 minutes of practice time simply because of where we were in the points. I’m not saying that is a bad system and I certainly understand it. But life here is different, but the kind of life I am hoping for.”