Here’s a sampling of what the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers are talking about today at Texas Motor Speedway in preparation for Sunday’s Chase race:
Short Runs: What NASCAR Drivers Are Saying Today At Texas Motor Speedway
DENNY HAMLIN
Q: Do you feel pressure to win the championship based on your time in this sport and your age?
Denny Hamlin: I don’t know that my biological clock is ticking if that’s what you’re asking. No. I have a few good years left to get it done if we don’t this year. For me, I feel like if we got the championship this year, it would be sooner than what I’d expect and probably younger in age than what I would expect.
It’s simply because I hadn’t been running in the Cup Series – this is my fifth year – I was running Late Models six years ago. I didn’t have years and years of Nationwide Series experience and things like that, that a lot of guys had before they got to the Cup Series level.
I am still relatively new to this. That’s why I feel like I’ve gotten so much better every year is because I’ve really got thrown into this not too long ago. There’s no sense of urgency that I need to get it done this year because I feel like the best is still probably yet to come as far as my potential.
JEFF GORDON
Q: Have you gotten any flack from people thinking you weren't being honest about the engine problem at Talladega?
Jeff Gordon (looks surprised): Well, I've been out of the country this week. I'll be honest with you: My wife is turning 40, so we celebrated her birthday and I've been out of touch with everything until I got back last night. So, I haven't heard anything like that, but I laugh at it as you said it because trust me, in a situation like that, as much as I rode around the back all day, I was not about to lose that lead.
I still don't even know what happened to the engine or what was going on there and I'm anxious to know and talk to those guys. I'm just focused on Texas now and I can just promise you that there was no foul play there. I was doing everything I could to win that race.
KYLE BUSCH
Q: What do you think about your teammate running in championship contention with three races to go?
Kyle Busch: I think it’s great for Joe Gibbs Racing and having a shot and having a car that’s capable of winning the championship, but much more than that it doesn’t matter to me.
JEFF BURTON
Q: What makes you say Denny Hamiln and Kevin Harvick have as good of a chance at the championship as Jimmie Johnson?
Jeff Burton: Because Jimmie winning the last four championships doesn’t win him this one. His results over the last seven races and the upcoming three races will determine whether he wins or loses. The results of the other people are going to determine that.
If past success guaranteed you future success, then the same people would always win. You have to go out and earn it. You have to go out and do a better job than your competitors. Jimmie doesn’t start this race with bonus points because he had four championships and the guys he’s racing don’t have any.
Certainly he has a statistical advantage because he has four championships, but perhaps he doesn’t have a realistic advantage is that makes any sense. I’m probably not saying that well, but again, past success doesn’t guarantee future success.
JIMMIE JOHNSON
Q: How do you view last year’s Texas race to prepare for this year’s race?
Jimmie Johnson: Everything that goes on in a driver’s career, you learn from – especially the mistakes that you make. In my opinion, last year’s crash started on Friday; I went out and had a very fast car and drove a conservative lap and ended up 12th.
If I would have gotten the car fully committed to running a hard lap, I could have been maybe on the pole or fifth or wherever it was and wouldn’t have been where the issue took place on the racetrack.
You learn those lessons and those lessons have worked for me and are good for me, but every driver has his own style. ... Over the years, I’ve picked up my lessons along the way and know what I need to do and feel very confident with where I am mentally and what I need to do this weekend.
TONY STEWART
Q: Everybody has made comments about Jimmie Johnson like, “Anybody but the 48.” Where do you think all that comes from?
Tony Stewart: I just laugh at everybody about it. The whole idea here is to go out and win races and win championships and the guy has been good at it for four years. So, I don’t know how you can say the guy doing what he’s supposed to do – and doing what all of us want to do – how you can say it’s bad. That’s where I stand on that.
CARL EDWARDS
Q: What do you think about NASCAR possibly preventing Cup drivers from winning the Nationwide title next season?
Carl Edwards: I don’t know. I hope we can run for the championship. I am a principle-based person. It seems odd to make rules that keep certain drivers out, based on where they race.
I always think back to if I want to go race at my local dirt track, they don’t treat me any differently. Right now Brad (Keselowski) is doing very well, but I am not dominating or anything like that. I hope we can run for the championship and do what has been done historically.
GREG BIFFLE
Q: Why do you think there is a sentiment that there should be a new champion?
Greg Biffle: I don’t necessarily feel that way. Everybody looks at it as Jimmie has won four in a row and they maybe are ready for something new. In my eyes, the best team should win. Right now, there are three of them that are neck-and-neck in how they are performing and it is going to be close when it comes down to it. We will just have to wait and see.
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