Talladega II: Bowyer post-qualifying interview

CLINT BOWYER, NO. 33 BB&T CHEVROLET -- QUALIFIED 2ND

YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE POLE, BUT STARTING SECOND ON THE OUTSIDE FRONT ROW SHOULD BE PRETTY GOOD FOR TALLADEGA

"Yeah, that's a testament to ECR and the engine shop and the job they've done this year all across the board on any race track. But they take a lot of pride. Richard (Childress) has always taken a lot of pride in superspeedway and plate racing and they've done their homework this year and we're all proud of them and have greatly benefitted because of them."

DAYTONA IN JULY WAS YOUR RACE TO WIN. WE KNOW YOU CAN WIN AT A PLATE RACE. WE KNOW YOU WANT ANOTHER WIN THIS SEASON TO PROVE YOURSELVES. HOW DO YOU LIKE YOUR CHANCES FOR TOMORROW?

"Yeah, you know, looking into the Chase or the start of the Chase, and probably more so after our penalty, you look at race tracks where you can win at and a way you feel like you've probably got as good a shot as anyplace. And this really stood out because I know the quality of our race cars and the speed in our cars and more importantly, I guess for the Chasers and the guys that are winning these races; this is a track where a lot of them have a lot to lose. I don't have anything to lose anymore. I was looking at it (laughs) and nobody can catch me from where I'm at and I can only go forward. I don't know what that means as far as how you race and your mentality, but I don't have much to lose these days."

DO YOU WANT TO FINISH IN THE TOP 10 SO YOU CAN GO TO THE BANQUET IN LAS VEGAS?

"Well, yeah! Who doesn't want to go to Vegas? Absolutely. Here's the bummer about Vegas. You have to go regardless of whether in the top ten or not, you've got to go out and talk to you and all the media (laughter) and then you have to go out and do all the work and then you don't get to participate in anything as far as the ceremonies go. So I kind of have my thoughts on that. You're good enough to make the Chase but you're not good enough to go across the state is kind of a very different thing but I guess I'll go out and talk to you and when I'm done, if I'm still 12th, I have a lot of racing to do; I can still make 10th, but if I'm 12th I guess I'll go home and laugh at you for still working."

WHAT IS THE MARGIN OF DIFFERENCE IN GETTING A POLE AND NOT GETTING A POLE HERE TODAY?

"If you ask my spotter, Mike Dillon, he told me I pulled it up right there at the start /finish line the last five feet and that was cost it. He told me it was definitely driver error. So, we've all had a laugh about that already but not really, to answer your question. You do everything you can do. You hold it wide open and try to hold it as straight as possible and be as smooth as possible. There's no question our ECR horsepower is what is sitting on the front row and that's the reason that we're on there. You've got two different, I guess you could call it chassis builders where they build their own chassis and we build our own chassis and bodies and the common thread there is the engine."

-source: gm racing