BUSCH: Watkins Glen Qualifying Quotes

LYSOL 200 AT WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL NASCAR BUSCH GRAND NATIONAL SERIES QUALIFYING NOTES

RANDY LA JOIE (#74 FINA Chevrolet) -- Well, you can see a testing helps. We learned a few things when we came here for testing. As for race strategy tomorrow, we'll wait and see - we'll run hard and save the brakes. The number of pit stops won't be my call.

ANDY SANTERRE (#47 Monro Muffler Chevrolet) -- I'm pretty tickled. The secret to Watkins Glen is run your own race, don't worry about the others and don't race hard until the end of the race. You can't overdo it. One thing you can count on is there will be attrition - people losing transmissions and rear ends, so if you can stay on the lead lap, you have a good chance to finish well. We haven't talked strategy yet, but we'll sit down tonight and do that. When you start up front that makes it much easier.

DALE EARNHARDT, JR (#3 AC Delco Chevrolet) -- A car blew up out there while we were out there so it made us a little nervous about where it might be on the race track. So we could have gotten more out of it, I suppose.It's possible that we could win. We've got a real good car and a real good team. We'd need things to work our way. There are a lot of good road racers here this weekend. Post qualifying note: The team is changing engines. They found a pulley on the front of the engine was broken after qualifying, which knocked the belts off. They are changing engines as a precaution.

RON FELLOWS (#87 BellSouth Mobility Chevrolet) -- I'm terribly disappointed.We thought we could get well into the :15s and we didn't, but that's the way it goes. We think we've got a really good race setup, and we'll be fine tomorrow. I'd like to thank Joe Nemecheck again for the opportunity. We're in good shape, and we'll see what happens tomorrow.

MIKE MCLAUGHLIN (#34 Goulds Pumps Chevrolet) -- We're happy with our run. We came back with basically the same car. Maybe these guys will burn themselves out before the end.

BORIS SAID (#12 Zippo Manufacturing Co. Chevrolet) -- No Fear has an expression that says "If you're not living on the edge, you're taking up too much space", and for three laps, I was right on the edge. I used all the grass, all the curbs, everything I had, and I definitely couldn't have gone any faster. I feel pretty happy - it's my first time in a Busch car. Of course, I've been here a lot, I've had some situations lately where I've been robbed of some wins, so this feels like a pretty good payback.And it always feels good to knock off your buddy Ron (Fellows).

DAVID GREEN ( #36 Stanley Works Pontiac) -- I've had some good runs here in the past, but it's never really easy to jump in the car. I have to say, Matt Hutter did a good job of preparing this race car. We didn't have to change a lot, it's just trying to get me adapted back to the Busch engines stuff like that. This is a great team - they've had a little bad luck, so hopefully we can get back on track. It may be a little early to talk about a win but a good strong finish would be nice.

KAT TEASDALE (#52 Team IGA Chevrolet) -- Today we were refining what we did since the last time we were here, and the major decision we made was that we now have no rear sway bar. That means the car is not quite as fast, but we can run all day, so I told the guys to lock it in and don't change a thing. The set up now is a brilliant race set upI dropped a couple of wheels off in turn one and I just rode it out (On full series involvement) I plan to run five races this year, and then make a run for the rookie of the year next year.

JOE BESSEY (#6 Power Team Chevrolet) -- There was some misunderstanding. They told us in the driver's meeting this morning that the qualifying groups were going to be decided based on the speed of the cars, and we were fourteenth quickest in the last practice. The reason everyone's upset is that I was back in my motorhome when my group went out. I assumed, based on everything that was said in the meeting, that I'd be in the third to last group going out, so I did a couple of hundred yard sprint to the car, jumped in, strapped in, and went out and got three laps. NASCAR's explanation was that, because they extended practice this morning, and we got our fast laps in the extended time, that they didn't count. But the car is good, and I'm looking to Sunday. We ran consistent laps, so that's a good sign.

ELLIOTT SADLER (#66 Phillips 66 Chevrolet) -- I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with this thing. It was bouncing, and hopping, and jolting, and I'll bet you my left front tire was coming a foot off the ground through the loop. That might be fun for the fans to watch, but it sure 'aint fun drivin' it. We're going to keep working on it, and working on it, and see if we can get it a little bit better and a little bit safer. It was hopping pretty good in the Loop, and I felt like I was doing wheelies on a bicycle. You've got to figure out for yourself what's wrong, and then you can fix it. If I don't know what's under the car, then I can't fix it, so I like to get up under the car and learn what I can, and then I'll either mess it up or I'll fix it. I don't know what I'm doing yet, and sometimes the guys tell me I'm messing it up. But we'll see what happens.

RICKY CRAVEN (#2 New Holland Chevrolet) -- I can't describe how good it feels to get back in the cockpit of a race car. I'm just glad to be able to get started as quickly as I did. It could have taken a lot longer, but tomorrow is the final hurdle. By tomorrow afternoon, I'll know when I'll be back in the Bud car.