Denny Hamlin Weekly Top-12 Hauler Chat at Richmond

Denny Hamlin Richmond Hauler Chat Audio File

Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Impala SS met with media to discuss racing on his home track in Richmond, strategy for the Chase, pit crew issues, not having to points race, racing with teammates in the Chase and more.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS HEADING INTO THE CHEVY ROCK & ROLL 400, THE LAST RACE TO SET THE FIELD FOR THE CHASE, EVEN THOUGH YOU'VE ALREADY CAPTURED A SPOT IN THE LINE-UP? "It's going to be important for us to have a good run here. We obviously want to carry as much momentum into the Chase as you can. For us, we're going into another car of tomorrow race where I feel like we should be very strong. We weren't spectacular in practice but we never really are here. I definitely think that tomorrow, in particular; we'll have a pretty good car when it comes to the night. Things change so much on this race track from day to night that it's really hard to get a good read when we come out here and practice."

THIS CLOSE TO THE CHASE, IS IT WIN OR ELSE AND STILL EXPERIMENT AND HANG IT OUT OR NOW DO YOU START TO GET CONSERVATIVE AND GET FOCUSED ON THE CHASE? DO YOU PULL IN SOME OF THAT AGGRESSIVENESS YOU'VE HAD FOR THE PAST FEW WEEKS? "Not really. I think this week in particular, you're even a little more aggressive that what we have been in the past. For us, particularly, because I've never really been here without being in some kind of points battle. So I've always had to points race here so want to take advantage of the one time when I really don't have to. Next week, in particular, is when guys really are going to start playing more of the conservative role and doing things like they were earlier in the season."

YOU'VE HAD ISSUES WITH YOUR PIT CREW THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. ARE YOU CONFIDENT NOW THAT THEY HAVE THEIR ACT TOGETHER AND THAT YOU WON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS GOING INTO THE CHASE? "Yeah, I definitely am. Our crew has been really great the past three or four or five weeks. They've been better than the driver has, for sure. I've really got to work on getting my focus set for the Chase. Lately I've been off the track, on the track, as far as not doing things racing the way that I normally would, simply because I knew I didn't have to worry about points. But really, ultimately, we're only going to finish as good as we are each and every given week. So, the more I try, the worse we end up running. I've really got to get back to that conservative mode. Last year, we always seemed to finish better than what our car was capable of. This year it seems like it's the opposite. We're finishing worse than what our car is capable of, just because we're making a lot of mistakes. But lately, the crew has been great and I've been supplied with good cars. We just haven't really had the race winning car in the last three or four weeks."

THE THEME OF THE WEEK HAS BEEN NOT HAVING TO POINTS RACE AND HOW FUN AND COOL THAT IS. DOES THAT NOT INDICATE THAT SOMEBODY IN DAYTONA BEACH, FL OUGHT TO BE LOOKING AT CHANGING THE SYSTEM SO THAT WINNING IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN POINTS RACING? "I don't know. The reason we're put in this situation now where we're really throwing all caution to the wind is because winning means so much and second doesn't matter if you're the guys first through 11th in points. So I think if they stretch it out and add even more rewards for wins, you're going to have the problem continue to just get worse. So I think really, if any changes, maybe back up on it a little bit."

ON RACING AT HIS HOME TRACK NOW THAT HE'S LOCKED INTO THE CHASE: "Last year, in this race, we were really stressed out over our situation. I can't remember how many points we were to the good coming in. But then we had the engine issues and that really stressed us out during the race. So yeah, this is the first time in Busch and Cup where I've really has a total opportunity to not worry about points. That's a situation I plan on really taking advantage of. Once again, I don't want to try too hard because it seems like I do worse when I do that. You've got to keep your goals in mind. You're not going to give up a top five run to try to get a win just on a total outside shot. You've got to be somewhat conservative still because you want to preserve a good finish because that ultimately is going to reward the team and the driver as far as confidence goes."

ON THE NEW GENERATION RACE CAR "The car is a lot better than what it was when we first came here in the spring. They haven't changed the cars, they haven't made any rules changes or things like that. The teams are just getting a little bit better with it. However, I think we're coming to a wall. We're coming close to really just maxing out on everything we can do to make these cars turn. I noticed even today in practice that I was two-tenths faster than a guy and as soon as I got within five car lengths, he started pulling away again because it was just so tight you just couldn't do anything about it. At some race tracks, that makes for good racing. At your flatter tracks, it makes it a lot worse. Maybe in the future, we can get some help from NASCAR - maybe let us travel these cars just a little bit more. A half-inch would go miles of distance that these teams could go in different areas to help these cars turn and whatnot. But I think eventually they're probably going to be open to it because the t eams are going to get to the point where they can't do anything more to them. But we've seen it in the past, even when they keep the rules the same that the teams find ways to make it work. So you never know in the future what we're going to have."

ON HIS SUCCESS SINCE FIRST RACING AT RIR: "The biggest kind of wake up call I had was doing my very first suite appearance here and seeing my car on the grid. That was just kind of weird to see that and know at the time I was up there looking down I just thought I was in the stands again. So, yeah, I mean it's definitely a long way in a very short amount of time. But it's happened so fast that I don't think I've really had a whole lot of time to transition. So I'm still kind of the same that I was then. I hope to stay that way as much as I can. It's just amazing to me that with the opportunities that I've been given and making the best of them, it just kind of shows that you still can get to this level the old fashioned way."

IF YOU LOOK AT THE THREE PREVIOUS YEARS OF THE CHASE, THERE IS A DANGER OF OUTSMARTING YOURSELF IN TRYING TO MAKE THE CHASE AND THEN LOSING MOMENTUM? HAVE YOU LEARNED LESSONS IN PREPARING FOR THE CHASE? "Yeah, definitely. If I have one concern right now going into the Chase, and it has nothing to do with the nuts and bolts of the car, it's just the momentum that we have right now. We ran really strong at Bristol before we blew the engine, but still. It's a 33rd place finish. At California last week, we had a flat tire and finished 19th or 20th or whatever it was. So we're coming off two tough weeks for us as a team. So yeah, morale gets down a little bit. But you're not going to go to the race track with any different cars, especially our team, because we have bad momentum going into the Chase. But it just seems to make a difference. We definitely saw it with the No. 48 in the past and even guys that save race cars leading up to the Chase. We've run all of our best race cars, even this week. We have a new one this week. But we're running all of our best cars to try to get more information for it for the Chase. So we're not really concerned about saving what we have for the Chase because we know that momentum means so much."

YOU'RE LOCKED INTO THE CHASE AND THERE IS REALLY NO PRESSURE ON YOU. WHAT WOULD IT MEAN TO WIN HERE AT RICHMOND? "It definitely would mean a lot. Right now this is where I want to win first, before anywhere else. I'll take a win anywhere else, but this is definitely the one accomplishment I'd love to have. Coming close last year, my very first Cup race here, kind of gave us a taste of what it's like. But we struggle with having bad luck here it seems like. We either run very, very strong. Top two or three. Or we have something that kind of goes wrong mechanically. We try to prepare as much as we can to come to Richmond because I think my whole team knows how much it means for myself. It's the same for Tony (Stewart) at Indy or California for Jimmie (Johnson). So I think they put a little more pressure on themselves when they go to their home race track and I do the same."

WHO IS THE GUY WHO PROVIDES THE LEADERSHIP TO GET MOMENTUM SHIFTED TO THE TEAM? IS THAT YOU? "I've still got to learn what it takes to get those guys pumped up. I know what it takes, but always doing it isn't always what I seem to do. I'm so competitive when things go bad such as last week, I'll be the first one to rant and rave on the radio and of course that affects the guys in the long run. So, I've still got to learn that and that's just going to take a little bit of time. So it's really more so on my shoulders than anyone's right now."

DURING THE CHASE, FROM A TEAMMATE STANDING, ARE YOU GUYS EXPECTED TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT OR IS IT EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF? "I don't think things are going to change very much. We do know that the No. 20 car is one of the cars we're going to have to beat for this championship. I think early in the Chase, you're probably going to have a lot more cooperation. Or, you could have it later in the Chase. It really depends on where the two are in points. We're probably going to race each other a little bit harder than if we were first and 10th. I think it depends on the situation. But really, ever since our Daytona deal, things have been really good; communication and everything. So I definitely am going to need to rely on his help if we're going to win this championship and he's going to need my help if he's going to win. I think that if the No. 11 team wins, they're going to have to give a lot of credit to the No. 20 and vice-versa, depending on how this Chase ends up."

YOU SEEM TO HOLD YOUR GROUND WITH TONY STEWART. JOHNSON AND GORDON SEEM TO HAVE THEIR OWN RIVALRY WITHIN HENDRICK. COULD THIS EVOLVE INTO A CHASE WHERE THERE IS MORE COMPETITON AMONG TEAMMATES THAN COOPERATION? "Yeah, I definitely think the reason is because the two teammates, whether Hendrick or Gibbs, they are running close to each other. Every driver will say if they have a teammate, they want to be the best of the teammates. They want to be the best at Gibbs. They want to be the best at Hendrick. You know that the other guy that you're racing with has got the same stuff that you've got. I think that has something to do with it. In years past, the No. 20 and the No. 48 and the No. 24 in particular have been the ones to beat for a championship. So they know they're going to have to beat each other for a championship so maybe their cooperation is not as much. We were hanging around last year in the Chase as far as being a championship contender. I don't know if the No. 20 really looks as us as an immediate threat to them, but maybe five races in when they look at the points then maybe. I think really it's just because you want to be the best and you know that's who you're going to have to beat for a championship."

DO YOU NEED TO ANALYZE WHEN IT'S WORKING WELL AND NOT WORKING WELL? CAN THAT BE OVERWORKED? "I definitely know the ups and downs are going to happen each and every week because you've got 42 very competitive drivers out there all going for the same goal. You're going to have ups and downs. You're going to have weeks when you just don't run like you expect to run. California being one of them. We could have finished fifth or sixth, but we had a flat tire. That really bums a team out, especially happening so late in the race. I think really, if you can minimize those - even when you're down - everyone is working as a team, that really will pay off big dividends in the long run."

Jeff Burton Weekly Top 12 Hauler Chat at Richmond

Jeff Burton Richmond Hauler Chat Audio File

Jeff Burton, No. 31 RCR Impala SS, met with members of the media and discussed racing at Richmond and New Hampshire, his approach for this race, on keeping competitive when locked into the Chase, negatives on being locked in, the impact of Toyota in NASCAR, his approach for New Hampshire, how expects the race here to go, Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s situation, Mark Martin driving the No. 8 next year, Clint Bowyer, racing the new car in the Chase, Talladega with the new car, the best number of drivers for the Chase, on drivers from different series coming to NASCAR, being in shape and whether or not NASCAR champions have common traits.

ON RACING AT RICHMOND AND NEW HAMPSHIRE: "We have a pretty good track record here. We're always excited about coming to Richmond and then obviously New Hampshire has been a place where we've been real successful also. This is, in some ways, our strong points, in some ways it's been our weak points so this race for us is real important. We've worked real hard to get our CoT program better and hopefully we can apply that here."

HOW DO YOU APPROACH THIS RACE AS YOU ARE LOCKED INTO THE CHASE? "We don't want to approach it differently than we would have approached it. Obviously the stress level is lower than it could have been, and that's a nice thing. As I said, going into last week's race, that's the last time I can remember in forever going to a race and not having the pressure of points. It's very nice but this race is for us, about learning and trying to go in. If we can't win we'll try to finish second and so forth so the pressure is a lot different but the effort is no different."

HOW DIFFICULT IS IT TO KEEP COMPETITIVE WHEN YOU ARE ALREADY LOCKED IN? "Jeff (Gordon's) situation is a difficult situation. We see it in all forms of sports. We see football teams decide whether they want to play their starters or not. As much of a same situation they've been in, it's easy to get knocked off your rhythm with that kind of situation. It's a situation that everybody wants to be in but it has its negatives. The other teams have had to stay aggressive and had to continue to work to be better and stay race-focused. Those guys have had a different ballgame. It may not be an advantage. I'd take it, I'd like to figure out if it is an advantage or not but it has its challenges."

WHAT ARE THOSE NEGATIVES? "The negatives are just rhythm. Honestly, when you're in the hunt every week, trying to get in the Chase, you're in the trenches, so to speak and at battle every week. That's a different mental thought process than if you are not. I think mentally I think it's easier to get - not complacent, but it's easier to get relaxed than if you are in the middle of it. There are some advantages in both but given the choice, I would take what Jeff Gordon has been dealing with any day. But it's not without its challenges."

ON THE IMPACT OF TOYOTA: "I think Toyota has made a huge impact in a lot of areas that haven't necessarily been seen with success on the race track. They've had a major impact on jobs in the sport; they've had a major impact on the cost of racing. They've forced the cost of racing up and they've put more teams in the field that have sent more people home on weekends. It's been a major impact on our sport. Competitive-wise certainly, they haven't been the first year what they could have been but those teams will continue to improve and they are getting a team right now that's ready to win championships. At Joe Gibbs Racing, they've got three of the best drivers in the business. All of them very young, all of them with a lot of future ahead of them. Very good operation. They've stepped up the ballgame quite a bit this week."

YOU'VE HAD A LOT OF SUCCESS A WHILE BACK AT NEW HAMPSHIRE. HOW DO YOU APPROACH IT NOW? "The track is a lot different and by the way, competition is a lot different too. If you look at the way it is today versus eight years ago, it's way more competitive today. More good teams, more teams capable of winning races. The competition has gotten tougher. Jeff Gordon has not had the success he's had in the past there, nor have we. I think that's more of a show of the competition than anything else. We ran very well there at this race last year. Harvick won and we finished fifth, I think. But we ran better than that and I feel good about it. It is different because the groove has changed a lot. But I think the biggest difference is competition."

DO YOU EXPECT THE RACING TOMORROW TO BE DIFFERENT SINCE MOST OF THE CHASE CONTENDERS ARE LOCKED IN? "A lot is made about the type of racing that we do depending on where we are in the points. I think that's grossly overrated. The one thing that happens in our sport is that we have to race each other every week. We have to race each other with respect, and I just don't see things being different because of where people are in the points. The goal is to win this race no question about it, and the negative consequences for not having a good race are certainly aren't as big as they would have been for guys who are already in the Chase. But nonetheless, you still have to race each other with respect. You can't just throw that out the window. If you do, you're destined to not have a successful last 10 races."

CAN YOU COMPARE TO OTHER SPORTS WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE TO TRY AND MAKE UP 128 POINTS IN ONE RACE? "You're referring to Junior, and I don't know the number of points, but Junior is in a situation where it's fourth quarter in a football game and they're down by 21 points. They've got to have the other team contribute to their success. They can't just go out and gain up that many points without one of the other two teams contributing to their success. So not only do they have to do great, the other team has to have some bad luck or make a mistake that allows them to step in the door that's open."

ON MARK MARTIN DRIVING THE NO. 8: "The whole number thing has been of great fascination to me. I used to drive the No. 8 and Billy Savola owned it. It's very clear in our sport that the car owner is the number. That is the identity of the car owner. I understand and have a great deal of respect for why Junior wants to run the No. 8. Listen, I ran the No. 12 because that was my dad's number that he played football and baseball with and that was what my brothers ran. That's my family number and it means as much to me as that No. 8 does to Junior. But that number doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Roger Penske and I'm not entitled to that number because it belongs to Roger Penske. It's just that simple. I appreciate the history of the Earnhardt family a great deal and I have a great deal of appreciation of why Junior wants that No. 8. But he doesn't want that No. 8 any more than I want the No. 12. When Mark Martin left the No. 6, he didn't say 'well, I'm the No. 6, I'm taking that with me'. When I left the No. 99, I didn't say 'well, I'm the No. 99, I'm taking that with me'. That is the identity of the car owner and that's just how it is. I understand why the fans want Junior to be No. 8 but the No. 8 is DEI, it's not Dale Jr. The same way the No. 24 is Hendrick Motorsports and not Jeff Gordon. There are occasions where the car owner and the driver become one and the number reflects the two of them, there's no question. And the No. 8 is a great example of that. The identity of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is certainly the No. 8, there's no question about that. But history out rules everything prior to it and says 'hey, the No. 8 is DEI and that's just where we are'. But I do understand why he wants to run it."

ON CLINT BOWYER: "Clint is a remarkable young man. He obviously has a great deal of driving talent. A very smart racer and very limited experience. If you think about the experience he has on asphalt, it's very limited. What he's been able to do in really only four years of asphalt experience has impressed the hell out of me. He's just a lot of talent. He's going to be somebody I have to deal with well into the future. He's just full of talent."

ON RACING THE NEW CAR IN THE CHASE: "We better be comfortable with it. Half the races have been with the new car. Half the races in the Chase are too. If we're not comfortable with it by now, then we've got a problem. We knew in February that half of the races in the Chase were CoT races and we need to be prepared for that."

IS TALLADEGA THE BIGGEST VARIABLE? "There are a lot of variables but Talladega is the one where we have no idea what's going to happen. I honestly have no idea what to expect at Talladega. It's really interesting going there next week to test. I have no idea what to expect. I have no idea what to look for. It's going to be really interesting."

DID YOU THINK 10 DRIVERS WAS ENOUGH FOR THE CHASE? "I'm okay with the number 12. If you look at the number 10 in comparison to all the other major forms of sports, the percentage of teams that made the playoffs was smaller. So I was in favor of making it a little bit bigger. We don't have the point race or the pressure coming into this race as we did last year. But that's not because we have 12 teams, that's just the way it worked out. We came into this race last year seventh in points in the midst of a battle with eight other teams to make it. We now are seventh in points and if they only took the top 10 we'd still be in it. It's just the way it worked out that the number game isn't as exciting today as it was last year. But if you look at it, it's three teams battling for the top 12 and if it was a top 10, I think it would be four teams. So not a big difference."

YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE LEAD UP TO THE CHASE THIS YEAR COMPARED TO YEARS PAST? "Every year is going to be different and this year we just had more teams be more consistent than we were able to be last year. So that put more people locked in sooner. It really had nothing to do with the number 12, it had more to do with just the consistency on the race track. There would be fewer teams if there were only 10 teams - there would be less teams battling for that spot than we had here last year. And it's just the way it worked out. Next year no matter what the position is, if you made it 20th, the top 20 cars, you're still going to have a hell of a battle for who the 18th, 19, 20th and 21st teams are. Some years it's going to be closer than others; this year it's not as close as it was last year. But it's not because of the points system, it's just because of the way things worked out."

ON DRIVERS FROM DIFFERENT SERIES COMING TO NASCAR: "I'm sure they all have different ideas on why they want to be here. Opportunity is certainly one of the things that has opened the door for them. This is a fun type of racing. It's more actual racing than the form of racing that they've come from - I think that's appealing to them. Obviously the opportunity - there's more teams which means there's more opportunity. That's made the availability. So a lot of factors. I don't think there's one overriding thing that everybody came for. I think everybody's different."

WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIG ADJUSMENTS THAT THOSE GUYS HAVE TO MAKE TO GET USED TO THE NASCAR STYLE? "I think that the biggest thing is the cars. The cars that they're accustomed to are much more race cars. They're designed for high aerodynamics. They're light cars. The horsepower to weight ratio is much different. They brake much better and they handle much better. These cars are perhaps the worst-handling race cars in major forms of motorsports and that's the biggest adjustment."

HOW IMPORTANT WAS IT TO BE IN SHAPE IN THE HEAT OF CALIFORNIA? "I'm going to say it is because we ran in the front. But I think the majority of the drivers are in really good shape and at this point in the year, I don't think that the heat... we're acclimated to it. I will tell you that it gets harder as the year goes on. This is a grueling schedule. You can get run down pretty quickly and the more hot days you have, the harder it is. We haven't had - leading up to the last few weeks - we haven't had a lot of hot races. If you go back and think about it, we've dodged, even though most of the country has been exceptionally hot this summer, we've dodged a lot of that. That helps. The more nice days you can have, the easier it makes it later in the year."

WHAT IS YOUR WORKOUT ROUTINE? "It changes, but this time of year there's quite a bit of cardio work. Certainly weight training is still in the program but starting here in about a month, it switches to much more weight training as the temperature comes down and the cardio stays the same. This time of year it's much more cardio in addition to weight training and as the winter comes I'll cut down on some cardio and hit more race stuff."

DO NASCAR CHAMPIONS HAVE COMMOM TRAITS? "They're all persistent people and they're all people that are mentally pretty tough, that are confident, that are obviously talented race car drivers. That goes without saying. Persistent is something you have to be. You have to have a no-give-up attitude. This is a tough way to make a living and to have success at it, you have to be fairly tough."

Kyle Busch Weekly Top-12 Hauler Chat at Richmond

Kyle Busch Richmond Hauler Chat Audio File

Kyle Busch, No. 5 Kellogg's/Cheez-It Impala SS, met with members of the media and discussed tracks he has success at in the Chase, the Talladega test, preparing for the Chase, Gibbs moving to Toyota, how intense the race will be, what he can carry over from practice for qualifying, football, learning about Interstate Batteries, on his preparation for this year's Chase versus last year, racing at Richmond and this race in particular, how important it is for stars to be in the Chase, what he gained from being in the Chase last year, his chances, whether the new car will play a big role in the Chase, on being in shape, on being locked into the Chase and getting bonus points and his experience in the Chase.

Select quotes from driver interview:

WILL THE TALLADEGA TEST BE A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE CHASE? "No, that doesn't have anything to do with it. It's just trying to go there and get situated with the new car and get everybody on the same page with what's going on and what NASCAR expects, how their tech process is going to work. It's bigger things for the teams than it is really for us drivers. We've been used to running that wicker package before and taking it off and running some different things with restrictor plates. Going to Talladega is just going to be, the biggest thing, about finding a plate size we can all be happy with and we can put on a good race with along with the wicker bill, probably, putting it on top of the wing."

WHY DO YOU RUN SO WELL HERE? "When I came here for my first time, I left here absolutely hating this place and now I've always run well in a Cup car for whatever reason. My worst finish is fifth. The Busch Series has been pretty good to me; we sat on the pole and won my first race here ever. We've also had some really good runs. I guess it's just kind of grown on me and I'm getting more accustomed to it."

WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED FROM BEING IN THE CHASE ONCE BEFORE? "You've experience it and you've been there before and it's just frustrating because you start off so bad and you just keep going worse. This year you can just do what you know how to do, do what we've done the past 10 races or whatever it's been that we've been running strong. Our worst finish, I think, is 13th or 17th. Just kind of hopefully keep the momentum rolling."

Clint Bowyer Weekly Top-12 Hauler Chat at Richmond

Clint Bowyer Richmond Hauler Chat Audio File

Clint Bowyer, No. 07 Jack Daniel's Impala SS, met with members of the media and discussed if there's a bit of an All Star race mentality for tomorrow's Chevy Rock & Roll 400, if there will be a wild finish tomorrow, on being on the threshold of making his first Chase for the Championship, on racing motorcycles, his outlook on the Chase races, the impact of NASCAR's new generation race car on the Chase, open wheel drivers making the transition to NASCAR, on his mentality about getting his first win, if he looks back on races on what he might have done wrong, Kansas Speedway, on making the Chase in his second year and the challenges of New Hampshire.

Select quotes from driver interview:

WILL THIS RACE KIND OF HAVE AN ALL STAR RACE MENTALITY? "Well that's what's so much fun, being able to get all this pressure off of you. The last month and a half, two months we had to play that conservative approach because we were on the bubble of this Chase so much. I mean we couldn't afford to do anything. We had to be conservative with everything we did starting from the guys in the shop to the guys at the track and me in the race. So it's going to be a lot of fun to be able to go here, no pressure, run hard in practice and just do what we like doing and racing hard. I think our practice speeds have already shown that pressure being off. We were second fastest and everybody's got a little more pep in their step and having fun."

ON BEING ON THE THRESHOLD OF GETTING INTO THE CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP FOR THE FIRST TIME: "That's what this series is all about, that's what you race this whole season for to get inside that Chase. Now that you are, now let the race begin. You got to pick the pace up and go after that championship. For us we're a top 10 team. We got to make that next step and turn the corner and become a top five team, start racing for wins and racing for this championship."

IN THE CHASE WHICH RACES ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO AND WHICH RACES ARE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT? "Tracks like this, I really love this race track at Richmond. Hopefully we can get a race won here and not be that odd man out with a victory. If we can't going to hometown, the third race of the Chase is Kansas. That's back home. New Hampshire's been a good track for us. Last year looking at our season, most of our good runs came within the last 10 races of the series so I'm really looking forward to these last 10 races and seeing what we got."

Martin Truex, Jr. Weekly Top-12 Hauler Chat at Richmond

Martin Truex, Jr. Richmond Hauler Chat Audio File

Martin Truex, Jr., No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Impala SS, met with members of the media and discussed where his team is right now, how he will approach Richmond, on the team's strategy if Dale Earnhardt, Jr. makes the Chase, on Mark Martin driving the No. 8, visiting the Eagles' training camp, the nature of the upcoming race, losing Tony Eury, Jr., Dover and what it means for the Chase, on what he will carry over from practice today, on how he thinks the Chase contenders will race, what he looks forward to about the Chase, whether or not he has a disadvantage in the Chase, on who the favorite to win the championship is, on his status now at DEI, how stressful the Chase can be, his first win, on trying to win 128 points in one race, starting the Chase at Loudon, having his team's lineup settled, his strategy and preparation for this race, his excitement on being in the Chase, common traits of NASCAR champions, on being calm, the finish line at Talladega, to be a sophomo re in the Chase and pit stop improvements and how his crew has grown.

Select quotes from driver interview:

ON HOW THE FANS WILL REACT TO MARK MARTIN DRIVING THE NO. 8 NEXT YEAR: "I don't know. Mark has a lot of respect from the fans and the media, people in the garage. Just everybody in general. Everybody really has a lot of respect for Mark and what he's been able to do for the sport. I think the fans will be easy on him. I think his chances of not making people mad by getting in it are a lot better than somebody else's would be so I think they'll be fine. I think they will welcome him. I know I do and hopefully everybody else will too."

ON LOSING TONY EURY, JR. AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT THE COMPANY: "It's going to change it. Tony Jr. has been a huge help to me and Bono since we came into the Cup series last year. Him and Bono have got a great relationship and it just kept getting stronger and it seems like now, our teams are stronger than they have been in the past and they're working better than they ever have. That's going to be the biggest thing I'm going to miss is working with Junior and Tony, Jr. Just all of us together seem to be always on the page. We talk the same, we try the same things. 90 percent of the races this year me and Junior have been this close on our setups. So it's going to be tough not having him to bounce stuff of off but we're going to have some great teammates and Tony Gibson and all those guys on the No. 8 car will do a great job next year and hopefully the relationship will continue to be strong with them and the other teams that are involved."

WHO IS THE FAVORITE TO WIN THE CHASE? "The favorite has got to be Jimmie Johnson. Obviously he is the defending champion and those guys just seem like no matter what happens they can find a way to get a good finish. Somehow, someway. they can run like crap all day and all of a sudden, he's in the top-10 with 20 to go. Where'd he come from, nobody knows. But they're really good at doing that and that's going to be hard to beat. We'll see. We've been able to do that lately here too so hopefully we can keep on doing it."

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Driver Availability at Richmond

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., No. 8 Budweiser Impala SS, met with members of the media to discuss the upcoming Chase and anticipating the 2008 season:

ON CHANCES OF GETTING IN THE CHASE IN TOMORROW NIGHT'S RICHMOND RACE:"We are just going to try to do the best we can. I am just going to run hard and leave the rest up to chance."

ON LEAVING DEI WITH AN EMPTINESS IF NOT IN THE CHASE: "Nah, I think when you are put in positions like this, you have an opportunity to add value to your integrity or take it away. What I try show my guys is the harder we try, even in the situations that are sometimes pointless, if we continue to try really hard, it just shows the integrity we have. There are positives in everything, I find the positives in everything at least. It is not so much the fox in the grapes deal, but it is more like there is a lot of pressure that won't be on me, I guess, for the last 10 races. There are other things that I will be able to do that those other guys will be wrapped up in as far as appearances and whatnot and I will have some time off. Also, I will be able to look a little more in to the future and peparing for next year and doing the switch with the teams and all, moving over. It is just, unfortunate, because I really feel like we should have made it. I really really feel like we shoulda. I didn't think it would even be close. I am really disappointed that we weren't able to realize our potential.

"I have been running harder each year. I don't understand why or how that is or what the reason is for that. But it seems like each year, there is more and more of a race car driver that comes out. Either I am just gettin a little bit better each year or I am just understanding that there is a lot more depth, no so much in ability, but in shear willpower and determination, you know. I think that is growing as I mature. I am getting better as I get older and more mature, getting more immersed in what I am actually trying to accomplish, what my goals are in racing.

"I drive harder, harder and harder each year. I think the California race this past week end sort of epitomized our entire season as far as our effort team wide. Our team, those guys have worked really, really hard, they deserve quite a bit more than there stats and records will show this year."

ON IF THERE IS ANY CHANCE TOMORROW NIGHT: "Well, sure. I have dealt with a lot harder and more difficult situations but, we were just beat. We were out raced. Kurt (Busch) out ran us, out qualified us, out ran us. We ran great, in the top-five but we couldn't shake him. He was either ahead of us or right behind us. He deserves credit for making it in to the Chase, because he outran us. Those other guys just had better years, overall. Like I said, there is no real excuse, we had some failures and whatnot but you can't really lean on those as excuses because, you are in control of those type of things too. We will just have to try from here forward, because the best thing we can do is make is a positive. Take this negative and make it a positive and come out at the end of the year with the same confidence level we came in to this season with."

ON TONY EURY, JR. COMING OVER TO HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS: "I am real happy about that. I think he deserves it. He deserves to really enjoy what he does. He is really really good at it and he is such a good person. I want him to just really enjoy the rest of his career and the possibilities there are for him to establish himself as one of the better crew chiefs that has come in to this sport. I feel like he is going to enjoy working over at Rick's (Hendrick). I really do, I think he is going to fit right in. They are already calling him little Robert G over there."

Mark Martin Driver Availability Hauler Chat at Richmond

Mark Martin Richmond Hauler Chat Audio File

Mark Martin, No. 01 U.S. Army Impala SS, met with members of the media and discussed moving to DEI's No. 8 car (shared with Aric Almirola), Regan Smith's role, fans accepting him in the No. 8, whether or not he had second thoughts about taking the number, how difficult it would be for Dale Junior to make the Chase, on how the season has gone for the No. 01 team, plans for next year, on who his crew chief will be, on how it feels to be locked into the Chase, on how he can help Martin Truex, Jr., on how Kurt Busch has been helped by his crew chief, on not running a full schedule, on drivers coming to NASCAR from other series, on being a spokesman for the Army and keeping in shape for racing.

Select quotes from driver interview:

YOU'LL BE IN THE NO. 8 WITH THE ARMY SPONSORING IT - HOW DOES THAT MAKE YOU FEEL? "I am (excited) Driving for the U.S. Army is a real special opportunity and I think it's one of the most meaningful sponsors in the garage so it's an honor to drive the soldiers' car and I'm happy about it. As well as driving the No. 8 and representing Dale Earnhardt, Inc. I spent a lot of years on the race track racing with Dale Sr. and a lot of battles and I know that following that legacy is big shoes to fill. But I think he'd be really pleased with where this company is headed. I know I'm excited about it; I know that we have a good bit of work to do in front of us to get. we're still in the very beginning stages of merging the No. 01 with the other three DEI cars. I think he'd be very pleased with where we're headed."

IT LOOKS LIKE THE FANS WILL PROBABLY ACCEPT YOU DRIVING THE NO. 8. YOUR THOUGHTS: "I know that there will be a backlash from a certain number of his fans but you have to understand that that number has a lot of meaning to Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and I raced against Dale Sr. in the No. 8 Busch car owned by DEI in 1984. So it's very important to this company and it's part of keeping Dale Earnhardt's legacy alive and I'm sorry for the ones that don't like it but for the ones that do, I appreciate them. I appreciate all the fan support, I talked to Richard Childress and it was very important to me to have the blessing from RCR as well as the rest of the Earnhardt family because it was a very touchy subject. But it's important to the company and I'm proud to be a part of it."

ANY SECOND THOUGHTS? "I didn't have second thoughts; I had to consider it all the first time around. I talked to Mike Helton about it; talked to Richard Childress about it. Really Richard was the one that really made me feel good about it. He had some really awesome things to say about it and unfortunately, in this business, the numbers pretty much stay with the owners. That's all they have. Whereas Dale Earnhardt, Jr. gets to take his name and superstardom anywhere he wants to go. I drove the No. 6 car for 19 years and I understand how this thing works and the owners need. they build equity in the numbers and it's really an industry standard for the number to stay with the car owners."

IS CREW CHIEF RYAN PEMBERTON STILL GOING TO BE WITH YOU? "It's going to be the No. 01. Ryan's car. That was a stipulation that went down before the merger. I really wanted to drive Ryan's car. I believe Ryan Pemberton is the best in this garage and I think this team is one of the best in the garage. For what they had done for me in February for the Daytona 500 and every race since then, the way it feels to go to the race track and climb in their car and to see the excitement and enthusiasm on their faces is something really special to me."

Casey Mears Driver Availability Hauler Chat at Richmond

Casey Mears, No. 25 GMAC National Guard/GMAC Impala SS, met with members of the media and discussed his plans for next year, if he has any concerns about continuity with the change to the 5 team, comparing this change with when he's made other car changes and if he was surprised about the change to the 5 team.

Select quotes from driver interview:

ON HIS PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR: "I'm excited about it. I think just being part of Hendrick Motorsports, it can be a lot of fun. Obviously, getting involved in Hendrick Motorsports, and then working with Darian (Grubb) has been a lot of fun. I've had a great time this year. I think it's been fun getting to know him and work with him and work with the 25 team and the National Guard and GMAC, but at the same time I'm really looking forward to next season and working with Alan (Gustafson) and the 5 team. Obviously the focus for the remainder of this year is to win more races before the year is out, doing as good as we can for the team for the remainder of this season. I think the good thing is it's going to be a lot of fun and the fact that Darian will still be really heavily involved with both teams, on the 5 and 25 side, so I'm just looking forward to being part of the whole program and really curious to see how things are going to play out next year. Obviously, working with Dale and Tony (Eury) Jr. coming ov er, there's a lot of exciting stuff going on, and I'm looking forward to see how it will play out."

ARE YOU CONCERNED THAT ANY CONTINUITY THAT WAS BUILT UP WITH THE NO. 25 TEAM WILL BE PUSHED AWAY? No, not really because all the guys are still going to be there. At some point it will be nice to have a good couple years in a row with the same crew chief and all the same sponsors and stuff like that and just build the relationship and carry it on over to the next season but I think that's going to be an opportunity that we're going to have for next year and I think with Dale coming in, now I think things are secure the way they're supposed to be for the next few years. Looking forward to building that, and at the same time, like I said, I'm still going to be working with Darian quite a bit. A lot of the guys that are on the team right now are focused on being part of the organization in some capacity. I don't know exactly how it will work out yet but I've built relationships with all those guys. We're within the same team right now, within the same shop. I think that it's not like everything we built this year is just gone now. It's all still going to be there. I'm lookin g forward to it. I think it's going to be fun. I'm looking forward to down the road at some point getting some consistency and going into the next year with the same program but as of right now I don't feel like I am losing the guys that I have. I feel like I am gaining the other side as well. It remains to be seen."

ON IF THIS IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM WHEN HE WENT TO THE 41 TO THE 42 CAR: "I don't think it's completely different. Obviously there's some similarities for sure and that's why I know it's not going to be that big of a deal. When I did that, from the 41 to the 42, it was an internal thing as well and I already knew all the guys on team and it was a very easy transition. Obviously the part of Alan and I getting to know each other a little bit more and then getting to know the 5 guys a little bit more personally is going to be what's probably going to take the time to gel. It's going to be totally different starting the season, knowing that all the cars and everything is in place to be competitive. That team is already structured together where I really feel like with Darian coming in late, we kind of had to build something the first part of the year and then you start to get to go racing about seven, eight races in. I think we'll be able to hit the ground running maybe a little better than we did this season. I think it will be great to have Darian a part of that as well with helping Alan and I get up to speed a little bit quicker."

SO THIS CHANGE DIDN'T TOTALLY COME OUT OF THE BLUE? "No. When you're involved in this sport long enough you understand that anything is possible. I don't think any of this was really a surprise. At the same time I think that there were so many different possibilities. Obviously Darian really enjoys being a crew chief. He's had great season so far and I think he will for the rest of the season and I think he's very excited about this opportunity. I think in a lot of ways this is going to be the best thing for everybody."