Comment Quest Story and photos by Dwight Drum
© 2007 Dwight Drum Web work by Larsen & Drum
Driver about Driver
KURT BUSCH (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Avenger)
COMMENT ON KASAY KAHNE DRIVING FOR BUDWEISER
"Things develop over time and I think people are selective to change when things take time to develop. The way Rusty Wallace led Miller Lite for so many years. Not one guy is going to replace Rusty with the same impact Rusty had developed with the Miller Brewing Company the past 20 years.The same thing falls into place with Dale Jr.leading that other beer company as long as he did, I think since the turn of the century, so it's going to take Kasey some time to develop into that guy and the fans to look at him as that guy. I think in time it will balance out. He definitely is one of those quiet shy guys.with probably the loudest sponsors there is. It looks a bit different than my situation but winning races and running for championships that's what people want to see and ultimately that's what's more important."
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet Impala)
Hamlin Talks about Joe Gibbs Development Driver Joey Logano
IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN TELL US ABOUT JOEY LAGANO?
"Well, they're kicking me out of my Busch car next year so he can run it. No, he's definitely the future of Joe Gibbs Racing by far. He's going to be the guy we're going to be chasing here soon; I'd say in the next three years or so, he'll be in Cup even though he's only 17 right now. He just is able to adapt. And that's where you can find a race driver that can go in a different series in a different car at a different race track and adapt. You can find guys who get good at one race track, but Joey has really adapted to a lot of these race tracks that he's never been to before. To accomplish what he has this year in the Busch East Series is really a big deal for Joe Gibbs Racing and I think I'm pretty sure he clinched the title last week. So, it's a great accomplishment for them."
Tony Stewart (No.20 Home Depot Chevrolet)
Stewart talks about teammate Denny Hamlin
"The thing about Denny and I is that we both get along really good and occasionally we've got to sit down and hit the button and get back to square again if there are little things that are a little bit off par. But we've never had any big problems and we never will. Denny is a good enough kid and we get along good enough that I don't think you'll ever see us having major problems."
Martin Truex Jr. (No. 1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats Impala SS)
Truex talks about Dale Earnhardt Jr.
HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT DALE EARNHARDT JR. LEAVING DEI?
"Well, it stinks, obviously. He's a great friend and has been a great teammate for me; not just this year, but the past couple of years. When I drove his Busch car I learned a lot from him just by being with the same team. But we've got some great stuff going on and I'm real excited about this deal with Mark and his whole team. We're still looking for that fourth driver for next year. So I'm excited about the future. I'm looking forward to seeing what we can learn hear short term from the 01 team and the things they are doing and seeing how much better it can make all of our teams. So it's going to be interesting to see how they do things and how we can incorporate that into all our teams. And it's the same for them. It's just more notes to look at and more information and more knowledge to pull from. It's only going to make all of us better."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Soon to be driver No. 88 AMP/National Guard Chevrolet)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the resurgence of Martin Truex Jr. during season 2007
"I'm happy for Martin because we're good friends and he appreciates everything that anybody has ever done for him to get him where he is today. He's thanked me and everybody on his team and everybody that ever helped him ever get to race a modified or whatever. He's just so good about that and it makes you feel good to see him have success and you want him to win more and do better."
Dario Franchitti (2007 IndyCar champion Turning His Goals to NASCAR)
Franchetti talks about crashes and 14-time NHRA champion John Force
"I've been in a few crashes that hurt me. I crashed a Champ car and broke a bone. I've had a whole lot of things happen. John Force's one (crash) was really - I couldn't believe that he got out of that. I like watching John Force. He's cool. I like watching the Funny cars."
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Talks about the No.88 Navy Busch Series Car)
ON BRAD KESELOWKI STAYING IN THE NO. 88 CAR:
"We have to talk to our sponsors really. We have to sit down with the Navy and come to an agreement. They have an equal share in that decision. Brad has done a great job, I would sign him right now. He has had his lawyer coming in a week or so. We are going to sit down, me, him, Kelly, and his lawyer and really go over what a contract will look like. I think Brad is real happy and with the new things we are going to do next year, with the merger. I think it would be a great opportunity for him, personally, as a person, I think we can give him everything he needs. He is really, really talented, he is a great driver for any time, in our situation especially. That is what I want, we just have to sit down and make sure the Navy is onboard.
"He is doing perfect, he is bringing the cars home in one piece and finishing well with them. We tore up a lot of our inventory in the middle of the season and that is the reason we made a change, we were down to our last car. Brad has helped us build that back up. We have all of our cars repaired or replaced. He has taken great care of them and he is running up with them and that is really important. I want to be bonafide as an owner in this series and put a great a mark on it. As long as I can be an owner in the Busch Series, I want to lay down a lot of great stats and have a great performance and I think we can do that with Brad."
Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet Impala)
Hamlin talks about crash and conflict with Kyle Petty at Dover
HAVE YOU TALKED TO KYLE PETTY YET?
"No, I haven't talked to Kyle yet but we're here with a new weekend and I feel refreshed and ready to go."
HAVE YOU PUT THE INCIDENT WITH PETTY BEHIND YOU?
"Definitely. Kyle is someone who I really respect a lot, regardless of any on-track incident or anything like that. I definitely stand for everything that he stands for and a lot of (what we raise with) the 'Wear Your Heart on Your Helmet' campaign that we do with FedEx goes to Victory Junction Gang Camp at the end of the year. So we're all about Kyle and we know that he's fighting to stay in the top 35 as well as we're fighting for that championship. Really, we've got two races within one."
IS IT TOUGH TO BE INVOLVED IN AN INCIDENT WITH SOMEONE LIKE PETTY?
"Yeah, definitely. No matter what you do, Kyle is going to be right and a lot of what he did was right. It's tough. You never want to be involved in an incident, especially with Kyle because he's respected a lot like Mark Martin is in the garage. So really I've just got to learn to grow up as far as that's concerned."
WHAT DO YOU THINK HE DID WAS RIGHT?
"I just like his intensity. Even though he's not battling for a top-20 spot in points, he's not out there just collecting a paycheck. He's out there to race and he gets frustrated just like anyone else. I personally know that he got loose in front of me; I was right on him when I hit him. So there's really not a whole lot I could have done. There was a closing rate that was big. But I probably shouldn't have went after him. I should have just let it go as soon as he chose to hit my helmet. I should have just let it go and not gotten out of the car. It would have been no big issue, really."
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