Dale Jr. Quotes for Fontana
“I see a lot of people pointing at our poor finish here last year as a sign we shouldn’t be expected to do very well this week. But, it (the crash) was a freak deal – (Kevin) Harvick blew a tire and we had nowhere to go. It was a big-time hit, and I struggled for weeks after that, but we hit the wall in practice the year before (2001) and then came from the back of the field in a back-up car to finish third. I’d prefer to look at that run (2001) as a more realistic example of what we can do as a team.
“It’s been a fun start to the season. Tony (Eury, car chief) Jr. has been really good up on top of the (pit) box. He used to change the front tires on the stops and had a lot of different jobs on his plate, but this year we all decided it would be better for him to have a comfy seat up there on the box, and he’s really responded. We’ve kept each other focused and we have been making the right choices on changes and strategy. At Martinsville, we felt like we were the car to beat for 450 laps until a lapped car almost crashed us big time. Tony Jr. was really great about keeping everyone calm and focused on the bigger points picture. We did all we could to get as many positions back in the last 50 laps. I’m not so sure it would have been as positive of a comeback for us in years past.
“The weekend off was nice, but we’ll rest and celebrate in December if we win the championship.”
Dale Jr. and the No. 8 Bud Team at Fontana
Previous Winston Cup Starts: 3
Best Start: 9th (2002)
Best Finish: 3rd (2001)
This Race, Last Year: ST: 9th FIN: 36th
Dale Jr. took what he has described as the hardest hit of his career last season at this event after colliding with a car that had blown a tire. Dale Jr’s concussion as a result of the major impact hampered the team’s progress for several months after.
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Dale Jr. will appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC-TV late night Thursday (early Friday morning for some) at 12:05 am ET.
What:
Auto Club 500
250 laps / 500 miles / Race #10 of 36 in the Winston Cup Series
Where:
California Speedway, Fontana, California
2-mile oval
When:
Sunday, April 27 / 3 p.m.
Watch:
Fox-TV (pre-race: 2:30 pm)
Bud Pole Qualifying:
Bud Pole qualifying can be seen live Friday at 6:00 p.m. on Speed Channel. You can also hear qualifying and race action on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) on a radio station or computer near you. The radio programming is also heard on the 24-hour NASCAR channel on XM Radio. (All Times: Eastern)
"There is no resting place for an enterprise in a competitive economy."
Alfred P. Sloan Jr., former President and CEO of General Motors
Thanks to Jade Gurss for this Budweiser Race Preview!
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