Jeff Gordon Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Jeff Gordon Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Jeff Gordon, No. 24 DuPont Impala SS, met with media members at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the new track surface at Bristol, the lack of Cup tire testing there, the working relationship with Kyle Busch, grip on the new surface, lack of practice time here, success in the new car and how it carries over to the Chase, more room at Bristol, the Chase format, Denny Hamlin, new drivers in the sport and Talladega's finish line location.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TRACK? "I love it. The track is spectacular. I want to applaud them. They did an awesome job. I didn't think you could make Bristol any cooler and any more fun but they have. Unfortunately Goodyear is in the position, they were put in a position that they are in by not getting any testing. Our tire is not matching up to the race track. I don't know if that's going to be good or bad. I think for qualifying you're going to see a lot of guys out of control but I think for the race you might see some great racing. I don't understand why we got so little practice today. I didn't think that made any sense. We got no tire test in and the Busch cars got five hours yesterday but we made the best of it and we'll see where we end up."

WHY DID THE BUSCH SERIES GET TWO TESTS HERE? "Trucks and the Busch cars got tire tests and I don't know how much practice the Trucks got but I know how much practice the Busch cars got and it didn't make much sense to me. But I don't create the schedules."

ARE YOU ANTICIPATING MORE PASSING? "The potential for more passing is certainly there. We were all being pretty careful. here's the problem - when you have as little grip as we have because the tire is so hard, then you've got to be careful. But the track definitely has multiple grooves. Who knows, once we get running longer I think that there is definitely going to be more side-by-side racing than we've ever seen before. But you do have to be a little bit careful on the bottom getting underneath a guy like we saw the other night with Kyle Busch."

HOW CLOSE ARE YOU AND KYLE STILL WORKING TOGETHER? "We're working close together but he didn't get any laps in the Cup car. I think he may have got some laps in a Busch or a Truck, I don't remember exactly but none in the new car. And this car is night and day compared to the other car. But any information that they got from the Busch car, we gathered it up and we've been working great together, no issues at all."

IS IT AS SLICK AS YOU THOUGHT IT MIGHT BE ON THE TRACK? "No, it's better than I thought but it sneaks up on you. Everything is working good, working good and then 'whoom,' it gets your attention. So you realize the limit of the grip is a very fine line in between having good grip and no grip. That's the difference between a hard tire and a softer tire or whatever they call them these days."

DOES THE FINE LINE CHANGE WITH MORE PRACTICE OR THE BUSCH RACE TONIGHT? "The more time we get on the track, the more we can fine-tune the car and make the car better and handle better and create more grip. And that's why I think it was so important for us to get a heck of a lot more practice than what we're going to get. But that's obviously not going to happen and so we'll make the best of it and hope that we still put on a great race tomorrow night. I think the track itself is offering up the makings of a great race."

HOW MUCH IS THIS THROWING EVERYTHING OUT OF WHACK? "I'm telling you, I'm driving around here thinking this is the first time I've ever been here. It's a bowl, it's momentum now. You used to drive in and the car would get real light getting in. You'd stop the car in the middle of the corner, turn and go. Now it's a little more of a momentum track. Even though the speeds are slower, I think everybody thought for some reason the speeds were going to be a lot faster. But they're really not. That's just because the grip level isn't quite there. But I think the configuration and the transitions in and off the corner are phenomenal. They've basically made this track have more room to race on."

ON PRACTICE: "We were okay each time we went out. We went faster, faster and faster. But we just need more time. Hopefully we make the right adjustments for qualifying and then we go fast. I think in the past, track position was extremely important here. It's not going to be as important although still, pit selection is going to be important. So we want to qualify well. I think we've got a shot at top 10, if we're lucky we'll get further up in the top five."

DOES SUCCESS THAT YOU HAD IN THE NEW CAR CARRY OVER TO THE CHASE? "I think it definitely carries over. It gives us confidence; it gives us a direction to work in. It doesn't guarantee anything but it certainly is a plus."

WHERE DO YOU SEE THE ADVANTAGE? "I think Martinsville - we were very strong at Martinsville. I'm looking forward to going back there. Honestly, other than Martinsville, we've not been the best car. We just won the races so we feel like we don't have any advantage. We feel like we've got to actually find the advantage. I think over the majority of the cars out there we've got an advantage. Just not over the guys who I think are going to be competing for the championship."

WITH MORE ROOM ON TRACK, DOES THAT MEAN CONTACT IS NOW LESS ACCEPTABLE? "You never want to go to... the reason that we hit one another so much is because it's one groove. But just like we saw in the Truck race the other night, it's still going to be bumping and banging. Although now there's a groove to get underneath a guy or you can run on the outside of a guy, the cars are still sliding around and it's easy to lose control and get into one another. I think you're going to see just as much action, I just think you're going to see a little bit better racing. In the past it's been action, not racing. There's a big difference between good racing and just cars sliding and getting spun out and cautions every 20 or 30 laps."

ON THE FORMAT OF THE CHASE: "It's good news in my opinion for the whole sport. I don't see a negative to it at all because it creates great racing. If a championship is going to be decided down to the final race, it's anybody's championship to win. I still feel we're one of the teams to beat based on just how good we've been week in and week out. We're consistent, we're solid and we're just constantly getting better so even though we're going to lose that points lead that we have, I still think that we've got a heck of a shot at it."

HOW ARE YOU HANDLING THE HEAT? YOU LOOK DRY. "That's because all the sweat has soaked into this thing and I'm soaking wet. It's hot out here and it was hot inside the car. None of us should be standing out here right now."

DO YOU THINK THE CHASE HAS TAKEN AWAY THE LAST LINK TO THE PAST IN TERMS OF HOW CHAMPIONS WERE DECIDED? "Definitely. To me there should be an asterisk next to the 2002 season because once the Chase format was formed, champions were decided in a much different way. We talked about modern era championships and races won in a single season, comparing it to the past, I think it's the same thing with the Chase format ever since that's come along. In my opinion, though, it's a move for the better. I think it's more exciting. It's more challenging, which makes it more rewarding to win the championship."

HOW WOULD YOU DETERMINE A CHAMPION - THIS WAY OR THE OLD WAY? "I would be doing it the way they are doing it now. Although what I might do is maybe award something to the team and the guy that does lead after Richmond or after 26 races. I think maybe if you have a certain amount of lead over second place, maybe you get some bonus points or there is some incentive to that. It is a shame that the leader gets it all taken away from him but I still think that the Chase format is great, to be decided among 11 or 12 guys for it to come down to the final race of the year, I think that's all great for the sport."

YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF THE RACING SURFACE: "I love it. I think they did an awesome job with the race track. I'm disappointed that Goodyear didn't get an opportunity to tire test and that we didn't get more time to practice today. This is not the same Bristol, this is a whole new race track. You can throw out all the old notes right out the window and to only go out there and get an hour-and-a-half of practice was a real challenge but we're all in the same boat and making the best of it. But the track itself, awesome."

DO TWO GROOVES MAKE FOR MORE BANGING OR LESS BECAUSE OF MORE MANEUVERABILITY? "I don't know, I think the conditions are tricky so the cars are hotter to get a hold of the race track with. That's going to make challenges, create instances. But I think as far as passing is concerned, you've got the opportunity to make cleaner passes here. That doesn't mean they're going to happen though."

ON DENNY HAMLIN: "He was in contention for a championship the first year. He's definitely impressed me. He's done a great job, has handled himself well. He's a smart driver but also an aggressive one. That's always been something that's stood out in my mind as a guy that does well - a guy that knows how to push hard but think about it at the same time, about when to utilize that. I think he's pushed (Tony) Stewart to elevate his level of competition and driving so it's only making both of them better."

IS IT EASIER FOR A YOUNG GUY OR DID YOU COME IN WITH MORE OF AN EDGE THAN DENNY? "I came here with a lot less experience in a stock car. I came in from a Midget and a Sprint car and I think the setups in the cars certainly have changed. Cars have a lot more downforce now than they used to. In some ways that makes it a little bit easier for a young guy to come in and be more aggressive and not bust his butt as much. Most of it was for me, just the learning curve. I had so much to learn, run 500-mile races and be in these big, heavy cars when I hadn't driven a heavy car a whole lot prior to that." IS MONTOYA'S SITUATION SIMILAR TO YOURS IN LEARNING TO DRIVE THESE CARS? "Yeah, he's definitely in a position where he comes from a very different race car than what he's in now. He's got to learn the competitors, the race tracks, the race car, everything. I knew it was going to be a big challenge for him this year. The thing though about him. like for me, I wrecked by myself. My first year I was spinning out all by myself and he doesn't do that. He only seems to wreck when he's racing with other guys. So it's still a learning curve. It's things that he's going to learn and get better with and do a great job because he's got a lot of talent."

HAVING CLINCHED THE CHASE, IS IT AS ALL-OUT AS IT CAN BE FOR YOU? "Yeah, I feel like that's really where we're at. We're just in the mode of 'how can we be better, how can we step everything up to get better for the Chase and get 10 more bonus points?'. That's what it's all about for us right now."

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE LOCATION OF THE FINISH LINE AT TALLADEGA? "Definitely there's a lot of momentum that shifts from turn four all the way to turn one. So the further you put that start-finish line down there, the more lead changes that you're going to see. Plus the way that the tri-oval widens out so much, it makes so many lanes for guys to get momentum and make passes. That's why we've seen three, four wide come to the line there numerous times. It's quite a bit different deal than what you see at Daytona."

Denny Hamlin Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Denny Hamlin Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Freight Impala SS, met with media members at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the new track surface, the hot temperatures currently in the area, the new car and its impact on the Chase, what he has learned so far and how to apply it to coming races, the mentality of drivers going into the Chase, California and Richmond, his approach this weekend and just how important a win at Bristol is.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEW TRACK SURFACE? "The track seems real racy. Some guys are three lanes high and some guys are right around the bottom so I think it's going to make for some good racing. I think it's going to be tough to run side-by-side because you really tend to get loose in here if your car is at all decent. But as far as the layout of the track, they did a very, very good job. I think it's going to overall make for better racing where before guys would just fight for the bottom. I think guys now are really going to fight for the top."

WILL THE EXTRA THREE FEET HELP MAKE THE RACING SANER OR GIVE DRIVERS A REASON TO TAKE MORE CHANCES? "I think it could go either way, really. You can definitely tell that the track is wider. There's a lot more room for error, I guess you could say. But things seem very slick out there for some reason. I know the track is hot but really there's a lot of slipping and sliding going on. These cars don't really have a lot of grip on the surface. I think there's probably going to be a lot of wrecks, to tell you the truth. Just because I know how on-edge you are into the corner here so the guy on the bottom is really going to have to be very, very careful not to body-slam the guy up high. And that's probably going to happen."

CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE PHYSICAL DEMANDS FROM THE HEAT IN THE CAR? "I don't know that it's going to be that much different. Really, I think this race is probably going to be less physically demanding than in past because you don't have the G-forces here that you used to have. So even though you are hotter than what other races might be, this track really takes a lot out of your body. It puts a lot of pressure on you when you entered the corner before, because of the G-forces and especially with the older car that had so much more grip, it just pushes you down on the race track harder. Here, with the cars don't have as much grip, you're more on top of the race track, you're sliding around more, which doesn't give you that 'into the race track', pushing-down feeling, and then with the slick conditions you're sliding around even more. Especially with the smoother surface, you're sliding around even more. So it's taking away G-forces, so I can actually talk after I run five laps here where in past I really couldn't just because it almost took al l the breath out of you."

HOW MUCH OF AN IMPACT WILL THE NEW CAR HAVE ON THE CHASE? "We're definitely looking forward to it. We've been very, very strong in the new car and we felt like we had a good chance to win here but I think it's going to play a large role in who wins the championship, for sure. Even though the new car races are short tracks, so it's going to have that element of you can get in trouble anyway, I think it's the teams that are going to stay up front - the Hendricks, the Gibbs and those guys that have a good grasp on it right now. Those are the guys I'd really look for as far as championship contenders. Now you're going to have guys from RCR and Penske run pretty good at most of the Car of Tomorrow race tracks but I think for the most part, you just need to look in the past of who has run well in them. It's probably not going to change when it gets down to the last 10."

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED ABOUT THE NEW CAR IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON THAT WILL HELP YOUR TEAM IN THE SECOND HALF AND CHASE? "Really, it's just how I'm driving them. Specifically, you just can't charge a corner in these cars. I talked to Kyle (Busch) quite a bit last week and he thought that that's why we really excelled at them. Where he's not done as well in the new car - even though he won the first race - it's just he tends to charge the corners and that really rewarded you with the older car and it doesn't reward you with these cars. I think with everyone starting on a level playing field it just kind of plays into my driving style, really. It's why we've been somewhat successful."

TALK ABOUT THE MENTALITY OF THE DRIVERS IN THE CHASE AND WHAT EFFECT THAT MAY HAVE ON THIS RACE: "It will have an effect on anyone that's in front of me if I'm running second. They're definitely going to feel the wrath. We're definitely in all-out mode for sure. I think this race in particular is probably going to be wilder than ones in the past because I think the points are a little bit spread out than what they have been in years past. Even though you add more Chase drivers you'll still have a distinct group. Before, I think I was sixth or seventh and I was desperately worried about not making a mistake here because there were so many guys lined up from 10th to 13th or 14th last year. Here I think the No. 8 thinks he's got an outside shot, I think right now. He's probably going to be racing pretty hard or maybe cautious, depending on what the No. 2 car does. I think the No. 8 and No. 2 are going to be cautious, the No. 1. other than that I think everyone else in the top 10 is going to be racing as hard as they can to try to get 10 bonus points where it really just did n't reward you before."

ON YOUR MENTALITY FOR CALIFORNIA, RICHMOND AND YOUR BUSCH SPONSOR LEAVING: "It's big, for sure. This one and Richmond in the near future are definitely ones I'd love to win. Definitely leading it with less than 10 to go here in the spring was very frustrating but Richmond, with a race that pretty much doesn't count for us, I'm definitely going to be excited to go there and not have any pressure. Especially the whole week leading up to it and I think it's going to improve my performance on the race track because I'm going to maybe take a few more chances that I wouldn't. Where last year and the year before that, when I was just racing Busch, I was always racing for points, racing for points. This year in the Busch race, I'm not racing for anything but wins and when we go to Richmond it's nothing but wins. So I'm excited to go there with that mentality instead of having to protect my position but still have a good showing for my hometown fans."

DO YOU ENJOY RACING AT FONTANA? "I enjoy it, it's a lot like Michigan. I'm specifically excited about going there because we ran really good in the Busch race at Michigan and a lot of things transfer. And in the Cup race things transfer. It's hard to get excited when that place holds so many seats that when 100,000 or 150,000 people are there, it doesn't look sold out and it just doesn't get the kind of buildup that a lot of other race tracks do when the stands are packed, no matter how many people are there. I think it tends to make for good racing but the cars just get so strung out there it tends to be kind of a snoozer of sorts."

WHAT WILL BE YOUR APPROACH TO THIS WEEKEND AND WILL IT BE DIFFERENT THAN THE SPRING RACE? "The biggest thing for me is that I don't know where to set up my race car right now. I used to know. you knew where the track rubber built up and it's probably my own fault because I didn't watch the Truck race and so I didn't really learn a whole lot there. Now I'm going to really be watching the Busch race to see how it plays out and where the cars end up running. But I used to know that you had to run with your left-side tires on the black; get your car working there in practice. Here I just don't know where. when the rubber builds up is your car going to slide out of the groove because right now I'm running where all the rubber is at. So that kind of somewhat worries me a little bit. I think after the Busch race I will have a better idea of where I need to start running tomorrow night but it's not really going to help me, being that the last practice is before the Busch race. So I think I need to kind of get my car set up running where other guys aren't. Try to set up th e car to where it comes off low so you can pull down and pass. Because if you use all the race track up - I did see highlights of the Truck race - you open up the door for somebody else."

HOW IMPORTANT IS A WIN AT BRISTOL FOR A DRIVER'S CAREER? "It definitely is. It would be a huge accomplishment for me, probably borderline. probably the biggest win I've ever had. But here we tasted the win in the spring and I was especially frustrated not to get it, it being the first race with the new car. I think here, in specific, now with this race track layout, the driver is going to be able to change his race car here more than ever by just his line. I think even more pride will be in winning a race here because you're the guy that kind of figured out the new surface before everyone else did."

Tony Stewart Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Tony Stewart Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Tony Stewart, No. 20 Home Depot Impala SS, met with media members at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the track surface, his qualifying run, the addition of the three feet to the track, comparing his championships under the old and new system and racing at California.

HOW'S THE RACE TRACK? "The track's awesome. I don't think you could have asked them to do a better job with the race track than what they did."

WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT IT THE MOST? "It's smooth. I mean to be able to pour concrete and make it as smooth as they did, that's pretty remarkable. I think they did an awesome job here."

ON THE TRACK BEING THREE FEET WIDER AND IF HE'S HAD A CHANCE TO NOTICE IT: "It's a whole new race track. I mean you notice everything because it's just a totally new race track right now."

HOW IS THE CALIFORNIA TRACK TO GET AROUND? "It seems a lot slicker than Michigan does. It may be the mix of asphalt that they use there but it seems like.you can still move around like you can at Michigan but it seems like you're either all the way down or all the way the up. It's one or the other."

Jimmie Johnson Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Jimmie Johnson Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe's Impala SS, met with media members at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed racing at Bristol, upcoming race at California Speedway, special paint scheme featuring Jimmie Johnson Foundation at Fontana, preparing for racing in the heat at Bristol, Jacques Villeneuve coming to NASCAR, racing in Europe and the upcoming Chase.

ON RACING AT BRISTOL: "I'm probably a lot like everyone else where we just want to get on the track and see what this new surface is like. I've heard nothing but great things about it. I was encouraged watching the truck race and sitting here watching practice today. It looks like we have an outside lane. I really don't have an opinion until I get out on the track but I have high hopes and it looks like everybody's done an awesome job here to improve this great race track."

ON JACQUES VILLENEUVE RUNNING TRUCKS AND HOPEFULLY TRYING TO GET INTO CUP BY THE END OF THE YEAR: "I'm ashamed to admit this but I had no clue. You just broke news to me. With the week that we had I don't even know when they announced it. I'm encouraged to hear that more and more people are choosing NASCAR and think that NASCAR's the place to be. I think that with Juan Pablo (Montoya) coming in, it's shown the world what NASCAR is about and I was very exited knowing Juan was coming in and now that Villeneuve is looking at coming over or is coming over, I'm encouraged to hear that. We have a great thing here and as I travel and run in these other specialty races overseas, I can see as the years go by and as I participate in these things, I can see how these other drivers start to ask more questions. They're watching the races more and seem more interested and giving us more respect so I'm happy to see that and hopefully that trend continues. He's going to have to learn just like Juan has and Juan's still learning now. I think of (A.J.) Allmendinger and some of these guys. The cars are different and it just takes a while to figure it out and I'm sure he'll be through that learning as well."

ON HIS FEELINGS OF THE CAR OF TOMORROW NOW VERSUS EARLY IN THE SEASON AND WHAT THE IMPACT WILL BE WITH THE CAR OF TOMORROW IN THE CHASE: "If you get out of the old car and enter the new car, as much as you hate the difference between the two.when we went to Dover, Dover was still Dover and the cars drove in a similar way and the racing was probably a little bit better. I think at Bristol we were all concerned about running here (in March) and still had a good race and the characteristics were the same maybe just slower in speed and performance of the car.

"So going into the Chase with the mile tracks that we have I think we're in good shape as a team at Hendrick Motorsports and for the Lowe's team, so I'm excited about it. I think it's a good mix of tracks and as we move forward I've heard some different horror stories about the big tracks with the Car of Tomorrow and I'm concerned with that but I'm happy to know that we're going to be testing more. I know there's a tire test at Charlotte. We'll be testing Atlanta and hopefully understand the aero balance of the car a little more so we can have good racing on the big tracks."

WILL THE THREE EXTRA FEET OF WIDTH OF RACE TRACK MAKE A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE IN RACING HERE? ARE YOU STILL CONCERNED THAT THIS WILD PLACE AND WILD RACE IS POSITIONED TO HAVE SO MUCH AFFECT ON THE CHASE? : "This track's always concerned me with that. You have so much to lose here if something takes place and from what I've seen so far with the racing it looks like there is an option to pass and hopefully it will be more of a racing track than it will be kind of a contact, bump and run track. If that is the case I think, from my perspective and probably the rest of the garage's perspective, you won't feel like you come in here with as much to lose and it isn't as volatile of a race track than what we think it is now or what it has been until now.

"I'm excited to get out there and see it. I don't know what that three extra feet's going to do. I can only think that it's going to help but so much of that depends on the transitions and how the banking throws you out onto the straightway so don't really have a good idea but again watching the truck race, watching the 77 truck run center.the top of the track from the center off was very encouraging for that transition and that extra room they gave us."

IS CALIFORNIA AS IMPORTANT TO DRIVERS ALREADY IN THE CHASE SINCE CALIFORNIA DOESN'T TRANSLATE WELL TO A LOT OF THE OTHER TRACKS IN THE CHASE? "In my opinion in the way I look at it is you got to get locked in and race in a way to get locked in and that's my goal and seeing where Jeff is at and where the 24 is at, they're more looking at victories and taking a chance like at Michigan they stayed out on tires. They had nothing to lose. If they could somehow get to the lead and win that thing, that's 10 more points on the seeding process. So my opinion, that's the way I'm looking at it. California we don't have a track like that in the Chase. There are some things that you can take over to a mile and a half track from there but the current car is pretty well sorted out so I don't think it's going to be a big technical race for a lot of people. It might be an engine race. I know that some people might.if you are locked in, again, it just depends on where you are. That's a big horsepower track and I know in the past we have taken more horsepower to Fontana when we've had a nice position in the points just trying to see if we can make it live and survive and get some race time on it. But I really think it depends on if you're locked in or not, what type of chances you take."

WITH THIS BEING YOUR FOURTH TIME IN THE CHASE AND STARTING ON TOP, IS IT EASIER THIS TIME? "The new format this year definitely is a little more forgiving for me the way I'm positioned right now but looking at the Chase I think that our team is more confident in what we've been able to accomplish and the fact that we've won a championship that we're in a much better place between the years than we've ever been. We're just more relaxed, more confident and more secure with where we're at and really looking forward to the Chase where last year at this point we had that tension inside of us where we were excited to get the Chase going and we've been close and are we going to win a championship. To have the championship behind us and know that we can do it, know that we have the skills and the team and all that good stuff, I'm really excited for it, excited in a way that I haven't been before going into a championship battle."

YOU'VE HAD THE SAME NUMBER YOUR ENTIRE CUP CAREER. HOW MUCH ATTACHMENT DO YOU HAVE TO IT AND WHAT WOULD IT MEAN IF YOU HAD TO GIVE IT UP? "That's a good question. I've never thought of it to be honest with you because that's all I've had and I've got a few more years left on my contract and I haven't had to think about driving another number. But in a situation if it's referring back to Junior it'd be difficult to leave that. I mean it's your identity and that's kind of the way things work. Probably the number is one of the. maybe the paint color or the number, I'm not sure what would be the most identifiable trademark to a driver, but I think the number is probably number one. So it'd be tough to leave that but I know that with some guys that I've talked to in the past that have changed numbers, that it's a way to start over and there's history with a certain number and it's an opportunity to start over with a new one. And I think with Junior and his fanbase and how loyal they are that it is a good opportunity for him to start over. It's going to slight some of them, there's no doubt about it, especially the p eople with the 8 tattoos. I'm sure they'll not really like this but it just depends. But I really think coming to a new team like Junior is, it's a good opportunity for him to start over, re-identify himself and be at Hendrick instead of being a carryover from another operation."

ON GOING HOME NEXT WEEK AND GOING BACK TO HIS HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME: "I actually am embarrassed to go back to the school, in a weird way. I remember being a kid being in school and somebody would come to class and we were only excited because it got us out of school and were like 'Alright, we got to listen to somebody talk.' I am excited to go back. I am nervous, I don't know why. I'm just going back to (my) hometown and back to the school. It's hard to explain. Maybe I'm afraid they're going to post my grades for everybody to see or my detention slips. It's going to be fun and I'm happy to see that the school is excited to have me back and from what I understand the students are excited and they're going to do some real nice stuff out there. (I'll) just go back and check it out. I don't know what to expect and I assume it's going to be a little overwhelming but fun at the same time. What's weird too is a lot of the people that I went to school with are now teachers and stuff inside the school so it'll be nice to see a lot of people I haven't seen in a long time."

ON RACING NASCAR IN EUROPE: "My wife Chani and I vacationed there this year, so I would find that to be a very good thing if we could race over in Europe, but with our schedule already and what it would take to get vehicles back and forth, I unfortunately don't think it would happen. I would love to do it and appreciate it, but it would be difficult."

ON LESSONS LEARNED FROM LAST CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT: (LAUGHS) "Yes, stay in the golf cart - that certainly is the place to be. (CONTINUED LAUGHTER) I am really excited for what we are doing out in California. It is going to be great to get back to the area where I grew up. We had a huge response already in our first shot at doing this golf tournament. We don't know what to expect, but we think we are going to have a great turn out and raise some good money and built at least one home for Habitat for Humanity. If this model works well and the community supports it and we are able to continue this on for next year and the future, we are going to keep doing it. Lowe's has been supportive. They are going to run the Jimmie Johnson Foundation paint scheme on the Cup car throughout the weekend. I am really excited, and just happy to see from Hendrick Motorsports, my sponsors, the community, everybody supporting the vision Chani and I have for the Foundation."

ON GETTING A SPECIAL GOLF CART WITH A ROLL CAGE, SHOULDER BELTS, ETC.: "I wouldn't doubt it. I have seen some designs and photos of golf carts that fans have suggested. There have been surfboards attached to the top of golf carts, with bindings so that I am locked in and wouldn't be able to fall out-or fall off, I should say. (MORE LAUGHTER)

ON HOW REWARDING IS IT TO SEE SUCCESS OF CHARITABLE FOUNDATION: "It has been very rewarding. I heard about dealings that come with having a Foundation, how you are able to give back and how much fan support and the community we would receive as well as our sponsors. But until you live it first hand and you really see how that side of a company, that side of fans where they want to give back and help people, it just hits you in a different way. It is really rewarding and the Foundation does take a lot of work, people want to see that it is important to my wife and I, and that we are really there working on it and leading the charge for it. So, I probably spend more time on the Foundation, thinking about and organizing, Chani does too, than most other things. It is time consuming but so rewarding at the same time."

ON WHAT HAS TOUCHED HIM THE MOST: "To see the spirit, especially in the Make a Wish Foundation, of these kids that are granted a wish. That have been through all the things they have been through, the outlook they have, the perspective they have--you get so caught up in material things -- and when you see someone is struggling and going through hard times, they go back to the basics and simple things and find satisfaction and happiness through all that - that teaches me a lesson. It really is wild to see a five or six year old child that is going through chemo with a smile on their face. They tell you they are a race fan, telling you that you are making their day, whatever it may be, and to see their fresh perspective on life, their different perspective on life, that is really cool. I am not sure it really pertains to just race car driving, more as a person, it hits you hard inside -- like, yes, I am consumed with competition and success and with that comes other great thing s in life--and you start using those as benchmarks for happiness. When you see someone that doesn't have those things and if fighting for their life, the fact that they are smiling and they are happy, it just re-racks your brain and thoughts. It is the simple things like that; it is not always the other things. "

ON OTHER TEAMS GAINING ON THEIR HABDLING OF THE NEW GENERATION NASCAR RACE CAR: "I think that is by design from NASCAR. There are very limited areas for us to work on suspension, on aero. The big teams, especially Hendrick, we able to sort things out and get a good head start, but we are kind of out of adjustments. We are out of areas to work in. The other teams are slowly but surely finding those things and catching up. We don't like it as competitors, but NASCAR is loving it because they are having the competition that they want."

ON CHANGES TO BRISTOL BEING MORE OF A RACING TRACK WITH NEW CHANGES AND LESS BUMP AND RUN AND HAVING FRESH RUBBER ON THE CAR LATE IN THE RACE: "It could. When I watched the Truck race, Mark (Martin) stayed on old tires the whole time and that wasn't encouraging. But, I understand that Goodyear came conservative with the tire that is here and hopefully, after this weekend, we can learn some things that bring a tire back that has some fall off to really promote that and put on good racing."

ON CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY CHANGING BETWEEN RACE EARLY IN THE SEASON VERSUS THIS FALL EVENT: "I don't think it does change as much as some other tracks especially comparing it to Daytona and how different it is there in February versus July. It always seems a little slick and we always end up at the wall regardless if it is the spring or fall race. It is certainly a little hotter. But I don't know why-maybe the temperature swing isn't as severe from the spring race to the fall race that keeps the track a little more balanced. But I really don't know why, or I don't recall it being much different from spring to fall."

ON LOOKING FORWARD TO FONTANA AND RICHMOND BEFORE THE CHASE: "I definitely am. California has been a good track for me. With the things we have with the Foundation car in the Cup race that Lowe's is letting us do, going back home, all the things I am doing around that race, going back home is really cool and special to me. I am running the Busch car and a Cup car; I love the track that is where I won my first Cup race. The groove is widening out, we are getting more competitive racing there. I am excited to go back."

ON HOW DRAINING IT IS TO RACE 500 LAPS AT BRISTOL: "You don't realize it until you get out of the car how draining mentally this track is. Other tracks, you get out, you go to the bus and then work your way home. There is reserves in the tank. You can almost go home and go for a jog, do stuff around the house, bring the bags in, unpack and turn around from the weekend. You leave Bristol, you get in the motorhome and you are staring at the couch thinking that looks like a pretty good option right now. Then you get showered up and cleaned up and head home and when you walk in the house, you aren't concerned with dragging bags in from the car, you are looking at the again at the couch or your bed. You don't notice it in the car, but when you get out of the car, you are spent, you are just done.

"It takes at least a day to recoup. I have been training harder and harder knowing this race is coming and how hot it has been. I am hopeful it is only a day, but, I left here a couple of years ago and I didn't eat or drink properly before and during the race, for whatever reason, was way way down on energy and nutrition. I got home and actually got sick so it took three or four days. But I learned my lesson from that so with the heat, I am hoping to keep it still down to a day.

Jeff Burton Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Jeff Burton Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Jeff Burton, No. 31 RCR Chevrolet Impala SS, met with media members at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the new track surface at Bristol Motor Speedway, how it will affect the racing in Saturday's night race, what makes races at Bristol so special to fans, the busy week after the rain delays at Michigan and the situation regarding the sponsorship of the 31 car.

Select quotes from driver.

WHAT MAKES THE NIGHT RACE AT BRISTOL SO SPECIAL TO FANS? "There's always something going on. There's never a break. Maybe there's not a great race for the lead, but a lot of great races . Second and third battling. Seventh and eighth battling. There's always something going on. It's high intensity, high level of excitement for 500 (laps). It's just the most action-packed track on the circuit. No question about it."

WITH THE NEW SURFACE, WILL THERE MORE OR LESS PASSING? "I don't know if there will be more passing, but there will be more side-by-side attempts for passing. If you think about it, in the past there was always an attempt for a pass going on but it was very difficult to make that pass happen. The same's going to be true now, it's just that you're going to see guys .people . rolling on the outside of a guy or rolling underneath a guy, but pulling that pass off is going to be more difficult. So it's kind of like New Hampshire, when they changed that racetrack - it didn't become easier to pass, it provided more opportunity to get next to a guy but not necessarily make it easier to pass. So I don't know that we'll see more passing but we'll see more people running around here side by side than we've seen in years."

DO YOU THINK THE SITUATION WITH THE LOGOS ON THE CAR WILL BE SOLVED BY A COMPROMISE? "I've said all along that reasonable people can come to reasonable solutions and I'm still holding on to that. In order for that to work, people have to be willing to be reasonable. Hopefully we can get there - we haven't gotten there yet. I'm still holding on to the fact that we can come to a reasonable solution. I can't see where it's in the sport's best interests to ask a sponsor that's been part of this thing for years to not be here. I don't understand how that's in the sport's best interests. I do understand that the overall good is really important. But I don't understand how the best interests is served by a sponsor who's been here as long as our sponsor has been here not being here. That doesn't make sense to me. Again, I hold in my heart the belief that reasonable people will come to a reasonable solution and hopefully we can get there sooner than later."

Kyle Busch Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Kyle Busch Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Kyle Busch, No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Impala SS, met with media members at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed preparations for this weekend after a long stay in Michigan, returning here as a winner at this track, Chevy's strong performance with the Impala SS, the impact of the Car of Tomorrow in the Chase, if he's changed his opinion about the Car of Tomorrow, if he feels more relaxed after finalizing his plans for next year, if there's anything new to be learned about this track surface, if he has a chance to make it two consecutive Cup wins here this year, if there is anything he's learned about this track from Kurt, what he learned from last year's Chase, changing numbers next year and if he would have had any apprehension about running the No. 8 if he went to DEI.

Select quotes from driver interview:

ON RETURNING HERE AS A PREVIOUS WINNER AT THIS TRACK: "It's cool but it's a whole new surface here and everything with that. I liked the previous surface and it was a lot of fun there and then the new surface is really nice. You know it'd probably take a little time to be a huge fan of it. I ran a truck race (here). It's still a one groove race track but you can run side by side a lot better but now you can't complete the pass because the guy on the inside just doesn't have the room that he needs and the guy on the outside gets a big run off the corner. It's just a tougher place to pass. It's harder for some guys to make some mistakes so it's going to be harder to get underneath them."

ON IF THERE'S ANYTHING NEW TO BE LEARNED ABOUT THIS TRACK SURFACE: "Well there's plenty to be learned. In the Busch race tonight you'll see guys all the way up to the wall. We're going to be running all the way around the top side so it's definitely going to be a different race track, just learning the new grooves and trying to figure out how exactly you can man-handle the car around here is going to be one thing and trying to win is going to be another."

ON WHAT HE LEARNED FROM LAST YEAR'S CHASE THAT WILL HELP HIM THIS YEAR IF HE QUALIFIES: "Well you need to finish races, you know. We got wrecked out in the first one. We blew up in the second one. We had problems in the third one. I think there's only about two that we had no issues with and we finished seventh and sixth. If we could just keep the problems to a minimum then hopefully we can run up front and be just fine."

ON HAVING TO CHANGE NUMBERS NEXT YEAR AND HOW ATTACHED HE IS TO HIS CURRENT NUMBER: "A number's a number. I came into this deal and been driving the 5 car which is Rick Hendrick's number. It's been that way since the beginning with all star racing. The 8's just been a part of the Earnhardt family, with Ralph (Earnhardt) driving it years ago and I think Dale (Earnhardt) had it a little bit in his Busch Series career, I'm not sure. And of course Junior, he stepped into that Cup ride and had it since then. It's just a part of who wants it worse or whatever but Teresa's got it so it's hers. It's really not that big of a deal. Slap an 81 on the thing and be happy and go."

Clint Bowyer Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Clint Bowyer Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Clint Bowyer, No. 07 Jack Daniels Impala SS, met with media members Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the new Bristol surface, tomorrow night's race, California race and Jacques Villeneuve coming to NASCAR.

Select quotes from driver interview

ON NEW SURFACE ON BRISTOL: "I think it will be good. We saw in the truck race, they were moving around quite a bit. The Cup cars are running a lot higher, I know I was, there is a lot of grip up there. I am looking forward to the race. The middle is still going to be the place to be. I think it is still going to be a little bit a little difficult to pass, but it the good cars are still going to go to the front and prevail."

"They did a really job. I like the transitions. They made them a little more gradual, it is enabling us to run a lot higher than we have in the past and still carry the same speed. Looking forward to a good Busch race tonight and a good Cup race tomorrow night."

ON UPCOMING RACE AT CALIFORNIA SPEEDWAY: "California has been a good race track for us, I am looking forward to getting out there. We have a good car that we are going out there with. We have a lot of confidence going in there.

ON GOALS FOR THE CHASE: "Obviously, we are here right now to win at Bristol. We have to do everything we can to do that. We need to secure a good finish; I know we can do that. We have a good car. Practice went well. Just have to stay out of trouble here, trouble can find you pretty easy here. You can't go out there and play defense and just try to stay out of trouble because you will end up being in it. You just have to go out there and race hard. If something happens, it happens. I know we will be able to do race hard here and at California. That is probably the best thing; I know the last two races before the Chase are good tracks for us. We should be good here."

ON WHERE HE IS SITTING IN THE POINTS RIGHT NOW: "As long as we keep doing what we are doing, top-10s or top-15s on the outside, they can't catch us. If we scratch, break or something like that, they win and we have a 40th place finish, they will catch us pretty quick. We just have to stay focused and honed in on what we can control. If we do that, we will be just fine."

ON RACING AT BRISTOL BEING NERVEWRACKING: "Well, yes, but a good thing about a place like this is that anything can happen. You can't control some of the things. You can be caught up in somebody else's wreck pretty easy, there is just no room to get out of trouble, but I Page 23 am not worried about it. That stuff happens, and if it does happen, we will race hard, we still be part of the Chase."

ON BEING MORE FUN THAN ROOKIE SEASON: "It has been a lot more fun. I am still learning every week. Definitely, I have found myself in some situations where were a little bit unfamiliar but nonetheless, I have a good team behind me, everything is going well and we are having fun this year. So you have to get that first year in and then tie up the to-do list until then, we just have to get into shape. That is what this Series is all about. That is the biggest part of our year."

ON BEING AMAZED THAT IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO WAS RACING WITH MARTIN IN THE BUSCH SERIES FOR THE CHAMPIONSHIP AND NOW IN THE CHASE LOOKING AT RACING FOR THE CUP CHAMPIONSHIP: "Martin and I are good friends ever since our battling days in the Busch Series. I have a lot of respect for him. We always race each other hard. It is kind of funny, here we are racing each other to get a spot in the Chase."

ON JACQUES VILLENEUVE COMING TO NASCAR: "That just tells you how prestigious our sport is. It is such a huge sport and everybody wants to be a part of it no matter what form of racing they have done before. Whether it is late model dirt cars down the road at Bull's Gap last night or Formula One like you are talking about. This is the cream of the crop, the top of the ladder. "

ON NASCAR BEING POPULAR IN EUROPE: "We certainly appreciate them watching us and staying tuned in. That just shows how big this sport is getting. (LAUGHS) I hope that doesn't mean we have to go over there and race. "

Kevin Harvick Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Kevin Harvick Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Kevin Harvick, No. 29 Impala SS, met with media members Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed racing on Bristol's new surface, Jacques Villeneuve coming to NASCAR and tomorrow night's race

Select quotes from driver interview

ON DIFFERENCE IN RACING WITH CHANGES TO BRISTOL MOTOR SPEEDWAY: "Well, I think that the groove is going to be wider than it ever has been before. You can race side-by-side. It is still going to be the same Bristol, you are just going to have more options to be able to pass somebody; you are going to have somewhere to go. They did a great job; I was pretty leery of it. This has been one of our best race tracks and one of our favorites to race on so I questioned it a little bit, but so far, everything has been really good."

ON THE TRACK BEING THREE FEET WIDER: "I didn't think three feet is going to make the difference, I think that it is just the progressive banking is what is going to make the difference. Race track is really smooth and they did a good job."

ON JACQUES VILLENEUVE COMING TO NASCAR: "I think it is all in how he wants to approach it and how he adapts to the car. This is a very different form of racing and the cars are very different."

ON DIFFICULTY IN TEAMS AND DRIVERS BEING PREPARED FOR BRISTOL AFTER DELAY OF MICHIGAN RACE: "I think everybody was pretty much prepared for Bristol. It is more getting prepared for California next week and after that."

Martin Truex, Jr. Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Bristol

Martin Truex, Jr. Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Select quotes from driver interview

Martin Truex, Jr., No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Track Boats Impala SS, met with media members at Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the new track surface here, if there's any similarities between the spring and September races at California, if he can solidify his place in the Chase here this weekend, on the impact of the new surface and Car of Tomorrow and pit strategies for Sunday.

ON THE NEW SURFACE AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT RACING THIS WEEKEND: "Well it feels like a wider track and I think anything three inches wider that's big. Inches are big here. There's not a lot of room to begin. They give us a little more room which is going to be a great thing I think. I really enjoyed the truck race. They moved up, a bunch of guys ran the high groove and that was cool. Cup race, whether or not we'll get that we'll just have to wait and see. But the Cup race is still going to be different in the fact that everybody seems to go out there and run the same speeds, most of the field at least. We'll have to wait and see but it seems like the groove is definitely wider. There's definitely more room to the race on than what there used to be."

ON IF THIS IS A PLACE HE CAN SOLIDIFY HIS PLACE IN THE TOP 12: "I don't know. My car is decent right now. Bristol you never know what could happen so we're just working hard and trying to get our car as good as we can and trying to do the best job we can do and work on the things we can control and hopefully we'll get our car better throughout the weekend and we'll have a great run this weekend."

ON IF IT WILL BE TOUGH TO KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN DURING THE RACE WITH THE NEW SURFACE AND CAR OF TOMORROW: "There's a lot of things that are different but it's still the same old Bristol. You've got to have a good car, it's got to turn well. We're fighting the same things we've always fought here as far as the handling of the car goes so it's sort of the same. I think the racing will be a little cleaner than it used to be. I think there's a little bit more room out there. People won't have to push and shove quite as much. Hopefully we'll see less wrecks and more racing but other than it's Bristol."

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Driver Availability Chat at Bristol

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Bristol Hauler Chat Audio File

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 8 Impala SS, met with media members Bristol Motor Speedway and discussed the new Bristol surface, tomorrow night's race and resolution to not running No. 8 in 2008 and beyond.

Select quotes from driver interview

ON CHANGES TO BRISTOL: "It is different. I think it is going to be a lot of fun. It is a lot wider. I would rather they had asphalted it, because I think we could get to the top a little better, but I am sure we will be able to work the top groove. It looked like everybody in the Truck race was pretty happy. All the drivers said good things. I expect us to be the same. Tires are a little hard but that was just a precaution I believe with the new surface. If they get us a little softer tire the next trip here, it will be a lot more fun.

"I think the bottom will get a lot of rubber on it and you will see guys move up just like you do at a bunch of race tracks."

ON STRATEGY FOR BRISTOL RACE: "I have to keep myself excited. Running conservatively sounds boring. It is Bristol, it is a new track, I will be looking all over this thing trying to find a groove, be searching all over the place trying to find where the car is fast. There is a lot of room. It is a lot wider. So I am excited, I am looking forward to the race and having some fun. Running real real hard and seeing what happens."

ON FEELING BAD FOR FANS OVER SITUATION OF NOT BEING ABLE TO TAKE NO. 8 TO NEW TEAM FOR 2008 AT AND BEYOND: "I feel pretty bad. There isn't much I can do about it. It was pretty much out of my control. I do want to say while I have a couple of media members here that it is about time to give Teresa a break. She makes the decision on the number because she owns it. And as much as I am disappointed and frustrated over the fact that I don't get to keep driving the No. 8, the stuff I read that I read on Internet and the stuff that I am hearing that is going on, the remarks about her, directed toward her, I don't think anybody deserves that. If people just take a step back and look, she hasn't done anything intentionally that is detrimental to me. I have a good future, I have a good opportunity in my hands, she is doing what she needs to do, what she feels like she needs to do. I think everybody needs to lay off a little bit because she was married to my Daddy and I kno w he wouldn't be too happy about it what is going on and what is being said about her. It bothers me a little bit."

ON WHETHER THIS WILL DIE DOWN ONCE NEW NUMBER AND SPONSOR ARE ANNOUNCED FOR NEXT SEASON: "Well, probably not but, I think they will get excited about what we are going to do. We have some cool stuff in the works. I am excited about it. I know my fans will enjoy it. I wish I could be in the No. 8 and I don't think that is something that goes away or I get used to. When I look at the possibilities I am looking at, I like them a lot and are pretty cool. I think I can make an identity with them. When we are ready to make those announcements, we will make them. I shouldn't be too long until we do that."

ON NEED TO HAVE DEI BE STRONGER THAN EVER: "NASCAR needs Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to be healthy and to be around. I never thought it would fall apart. I think the company will be active and productive. I always thought that. It has never crossed my mind nor have I ever pondered what if DEI doesn't make it out because it will. It is going to be fine. I am not worried about DEI's future. Because I think it is right.

"I hate to see somebody be crucified on the Internet and whatnot like Teresa has. She has a daughter that goes to school, that has friends. She has to put up with that stuff. It is just hard-core man. People have just been really really rude and really over the line, way over the line, on some of the things that have been said. I know Teresa doesn't know half of it because won't read it and she won't put up with it. If anybody in their right mind knew that was going on, they wouldn't be around it and deal with it.

"It still gets back to Taylor, maybe it does, I don't know, but nobody deserves that and it just isn't fair.

"I didn't like how it was understood between me and Teresa. We obviously didn't have a good line of communication. We obviously don't understand each other. We obviously don't know much about each other. You know. She underestimates my determination and my willingness to give it all I have got and obviously I probably know that little about her and her determination.

"But it doesn't matter, I am going to do something different. I want the best for DEI - simply put. If there is opportunities for me to help them, or there are programs that they want to involve me in that are interesting and fun for me, I have interest there. I am wide open to doing those things because they will make sense.

"The relationship that I have with Teresa as an owner I didn't like and I didn't enjoy and didn't want any more. That was the only single thing that has made all of this what it is today and that is one thing that I will avoid in the future when working with DEI."