MBNA RacePoints 400 - Jimmie Johnson Notes

Team 48 Dover Preview

Lowe’s Monte Carlo driver Jimmie Johnson and Team 48 race at Dover International Speedway on Sunday in the second of the 10- race NASCAR Nextel Cup “Chase for the Championship.” Johnson is sixth in the “Chase” trailing leader Tony Stewart by 53 points.

JIMMIE JOHNSON:

ON DOVER: “We run well at Dover. We finished strong in the spring race this season. We won twice at Dover in our rookie year. I am excited about going back there. We didn’t test there but we usually race very well there.”

DIFFERENCES IN RACING ON THE CONCRETE SURFACE OF DOVER VERSUS THE TYPICAL PAVEMENT SURFACE OF THE MAJORITY OF THE TRACKS: “The track at Dover isn’t as sensitive to the heat pounding on it because of the concrete surface. The rubber takes to the track in a different manner than it takes to pavement tracks. The biggest difference is the surface and the way the track is laid down. When you think about concrete, it is laid in squares so you have multiple seams and it feels like driving on a washboard road at times because you are going over those seams where they poured the slab. It really jars the car and it is a rough ride all the way around the track. It is extremely hard on tires because of the steep banking and the speeds we carry. You have to have the setup under the car as perfect as you can get it to be able to manage your tires effectively throughout the race. If you get a long green flag run, you can’t be abusive to your car or your tires.

DO YOU HAVE TO ALTER YOUR DRIVING STYLE FOR DOVER? “Yes, a little bit because you really have to recognize when you are being abusive to the car and as a result to the tires. If the car isn’t handling right, especially if it is tight, you can’t just muscle through it like you might at other tracks. You have to take care of it and baby it a little bit. At other short tracks, you can just pound it and throw it around and you can’t hurt the tire, but at Dover you can, so you have to remember that.”

ARE YOU CHANGING ANYTHING ABOUT YOUR APPROACH TO DOVER BECAUSE OF THE CHASE? “No, not at all. We know what we need to do to run well and win at Dover. Just like New Hampshire, we have our goals for the weekend and as long as we meet or exceed our goals, we will have a successful weekend, which will translate to positive results in the Chase. We need to continue to qualify in the top-five and consistently finish up front as well. If we change what has made us successful in the past, we will decrease our chances of success in the Chase.”

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