T
TonyB
Guest
From ERaceFans.com
Robert Pressley
“I’ve never been in a Busch Series car at Pike’s Peak, but I know it’s a great racetrack. We’ve done a lot of work on our flat-track program and we’ve gotten better in every race on them. I’m confident we’re going to be good at Pike’s Peak because the guys on this Clorox/Wisk team know the key to the track is getting off the second turn for the quick burst down the backstretch and the ability to accelerate through the middle of the third and fourth turns.”
Ron Hornaday
"You have to get the car down into the track and make it turn all day. It seems like I say that at all the tracks, but with the downforce these bodies produce, it is easy to get very tight in traffic. At Pikes Peak, the tires wear out a little sooner than at other tracks, so you have to make them last. The track has the feel of Richmond (VA.), but since it is longer, it drives different. You also need a lot of motor, which we have at RCR."
Kyle Busch
“I’ve heard that it’s kind of like a small Michigan (International Speedway), or kind of like a bigger Richmond (International Raceway), except that turn two isn’t as sharp. Every racetrack has some unique aspects to it, but it’s nice to go to a new track at least having some idea of what to expect. Once we get on track and get a few laps under our belts, I think I’ll be able to adjust to it pretty quickly.”
Derrike Cope
“You take your notes from last year and your notes from the year before, and you take your notes from tracks that are similar, and see what you can come up with. It’s not as unscientific as it sounds. Remember, testing isn’t exact. You go somewhere a couple of weeks before the event and the weather, the track and everything else can easily change drastically by the time you get back for the race. You are still relying on notes, just more recent notes when you actually test. If somebody tests a track, that can give them an advantage. If several teams test, that can give them an advantage over the ones who didn’t. But if nobody tests, then nobody has that advantage. At Pikes Peak, that is normally the situation."
Tina Gordon
“Pikes Peak is a great track and serves as one of the only stops for NASCAR in that region of the United States. This is a big deal for us to come in and put on a good show. We want to grow the sport. The Busch Series has a lot of pressure to put on a good show for these fans. We want to really impress them and show them that NASCAR is a great sport. I think it’s a great opportunity for us and we will put on just as good of a show here than anywhere else."
Travis Geisler
“I don’t know if it’s the altitude or not, but something about Pikes Peak gets your juices flowing. I had the opportunity to race there last year in what is now known as the NASCAR Autozone Elite Series, and we had a pretty good run. We ran in the top 10 for awhile before finishing 11th. It’s not often a rookie driver gets to race somewhere he has experience. I guess Pikes Peak is about as familiar as it gets for a rookie.”
Ashton Lewis
"I am very excited about the sponsorship for Pikes Peak. Even though it is only a one race deal, Rick Broome is a very talented artist and to have a piece of his artwork on our car, which was commissioned by the Air Force Academy graduating class, is very exciting. Our team is honored to be able to carry the artwork and bring attention to the graduating class. We were introduced to Rick through the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) two years ago. He has become a friend of the Lewis family and team, as well as one of our supporters. After our test session, we are very confident in going back there (Pikes Peak) to fight for a win."
Tyler Walker
“ I’m not sure how different the Busch cars will be from the Silver Crown cars. I think we’ll still run the same line, but the braking and lifting points will more than likely be different. I like running at Pikes Peak, and I feel pretty comfortable out there. It definitely helps that I was just there a few weeks ago."
Mike Wallace
“It has been a couple of years since I’ve been to Pikes Peak, but I feel good about how we’re going to do this weekend. The air is much thinner, and it just affects everybody. You just have a hard time breathing. It is good that you are there a couple of days. It just takes you a while to get use to the thinner air.”
David Green
“Pikes Peak is the ‘raciest’ track we go to all year. It’s pretty common to see three and four wide racing thru the turns. As a crew chief, you have a lot of options to get your car dialed in. It’s not too big and it’s not to small, a really nice sized track. My first race there in 2000 was very special. I qualified eighth and had the opportunity to race my brother Jeff (Green) for the win. I led some laps towards the end and had a great battle with him to the checkered flag… it’s a race I will never forget.”
Steve Grissom
“I’m really looking forward to going out there. The one-mile oval is a lot like New Hampshire since it’s mostly flat with just a little bit of banking. A strong motor, handling, and securing great track position are all really important. We are carrying the same car that we took to New Hampshire. We finished 23rd overall in the Siemens 200, and as a team we were able to learn a few things. The elevation at Pikes Peak makes it a little tougher on the motor, which means a stronger emphasis on getting it tuned up right. Using what we know about the car all ready, I am sure we will have strong finish.”
Casey Atwood
“I think it’s kind of like Vegas, but just smaller. I remember it being short, fast and flat, which I like. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a car there. I don’t think it should cause any problem for me though, and definitely isn’t an excuse. Give me a couple of laps to set my marks and I’ll be able to get around the track in the right groove. It’ll all come back to me.”
Jason Leffler
“I love the shape of Pikes Peak. The track has got really good grip and it's the type of place where you can move around quite a bit and see if you can find a faster groove. It's almost like a bigger Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. When you come down the front straightaway, you're turning the vehicle. It's almost like one big corner from Turn 3 all the way back to Turn 2. The shape of the racetrack makes for some great racing.”
Paul Menard
“I’m excited to be going to a track where I’ve had some success in the past. It’s definitely good to have that Busch race here last year under my belt. I came here with the team a couple of weeks ago when Martin (Truex) tested and actually learned a lot from that, too. PPIR is one of my favorite tracks as it is small, fast, and multi-grooved. We have a little momentum to build on after a solid run up at New Hampshire. I know Tony (Gibson) and the boys are fired up for this one!”
Johnny Sauter
“Pikes Peak is kind of a smaller version of Las Vegas. It’s flat, fast and it has a lot of room to race. There are three good grooves that your car can stick to. The bottom is always the preferred line, but the track lets you run up high if need be. You’ll see a lot of guys trying to move up the track if their car isn’t that fast on the bottom. And as the sun loosens up the track, you’ll see the bottom groove creep up the track. What I like about Pikes Peak is the side-by-side racing. You can do a lot of passing there, high or low, which makes the track fun for drivers."
Tony Raines
“You’ll hear a lot of the drivers say that Pikes Peak is a just bigger Richmond (Va.) International Raceway and I completely agree. That’s a good thing for me because I love racing at Richmond and have had success there. So far, I haven’t had the results I’ve strived for at Pikes Peak. It’s a track that I like a lot because of how wide it is which makes for a great race because there is a lot of room for passing. We’ve had the potential for some solid runs there but some unfortunate circumstances have hindered a strong outcome.”
Stacy Compton
“It’s no secret Pike’s Peak has been a good speedway for ST Motorsports. We have two top-10 finishes there in the last two years, and Phil Parsons finished third there one year in the Kingsford/Bush’s Baked Beans car. It’s a great racetrack because it has a lot of room to race, especially coming through the third and fourth turns and along the main straightaway. What I like most about the track is it’s not a follow-the-leader track like we see too many times on the Busch Series schedule. It’s a racers’ track, so it’s one of our favorite trips of the year.”
Robert Pressley
“I’ve never been in a Busch Series car at Pike’s Peak, but I know it’s a great racetrack. We’ve done a lot of work on our flat-track program and we’ve gotten better in every race on them. I’m confident we’re going to be good at Pike’s Peak because the guys on this Clorox/Wisk team know the key to the track is getting off the second turn for the quick burst down the backstretch and the ability to accelerate through the middle of the third and fourth turns.”
David Stremme
“If the TRIMSPA Team can keep bringing fast cars to the racetrack like we have the past month then I am sure we will put together some more top finishes and a win before this year is finished. Pikes Peak is a unique track and I really got the feel for it last year in my first start there. We were running as high as third at one point.”
Clint Bowyer
"I raced there in my touring late model, so I'm actually excited to get there. So many of the tracks I go to, I've never seen before, and it takes some of my practice time to get used to the track. It'll be nice to get here where I've been before, concentrate on the car and not worry about getting acclimated to the track."
Kenny Wallace
“Pikes Peak is my favorite track on the NASCAR Busch Series schedule. When I ran Cup last year, I really missed coming to this place. I think we have a really good shot at repeating last year’s performance this week out in Colorado Springs. My crew chief, Chris Rice, has really put a lot of effort into this car, and I think the Stacker 2®/YJ Stinger team will have a really good showing out there. I really want to get a win for the Bill Davis Racing organization. They have been so good to me over the past couple of years, and I want to repay them by getting the Stacker 2® Chevrolet into victory lane. I think one of the best shots to win that we’ve had so far this year will be this weekend.”
Jason Keller
"This is a pretty good track for us. It’s one of those flat tracks that we run well on. Especially coming off the type of weekend we had last week in Loudon. We ran really well there the whole day, so I think this team knows that we’re capable of doing well each week when we get to the race track. It was just an unfortunate deal there at the end of the race. So, we’ll have to do our best to bring home a top-five finish this weekend at Pikes Peak.”
Robert Pressley
“I’ve never been in a Busch Series car at Pike’s Peak, but I know it’s a great racetrack. We’ve done a lot of work on our flat-track program and we’ve gotten better in every race on them. I’m confident we’re going to be good at Pike’s Peak because the guys on this Clorox/Wisk team know the key to the track is getting off the second turn for the quick burst down the backstretch and the ability to accelerate through the middle of the third and fourth turns.”
Ron Hornaday
"You have to get the car down into the track and make it turn all day. It seems like I say that at all the tracks, but with the downforce these bodies produce, it is easy to get very tight in traffic. At Pikes Peak, the tires wear out a little sooner than at other tracks, so you have to make them last. The track has the feel of Richmond (VA.), but since it is longer, it drives different. You also need a lot of motor, which we have at RCR."
Kyle Busch
“I’ve heard that it’s kind of like a small Michigan (International Speedway), or kind of like a bigger Richmond (International Raceway), except that turn two isn’t as sharp. Every racetrack has some unique aspects to it, but it’s nice to go to a new track at least having some idea of what to expect. Once we get on track and get a few laps under our belts, I think I’ll be able to adjust to it pretty quickly.”
Derrike Cope
“You take your notes from last year and your notes from the year before, and you take your notes from tracks that are similar, and see what you can come up with. It’s not as unscientific as it sounds. Remember, testing isn’t exact. You go somewhere a couple of weeks before the event and the weather, the track and everything else can easily change drastically by the time you get back for the race. You are still relying on notes, just more recent notes when you actually test. If somebody tests a track, that can give them an advantage. If several teams test, that can give them an advantage over the ones who didn’t. But if nobody tests, then nobody has that advantage. At Pikes Peak, that is normally the situation."
Tina Gordon
“Pikes Peak is a great track and serves as one of the only stops for NASCAR in that region of the United States. This is a big deal for us to come in and put on a good show. We want to grow the sport. The Busch Series has a lot of pressure to put on a good show for these fans. We want to really impress them and show them that NASCAR is a great sport. I think it’s a great opportunity for us and we will put on just as good of a show here than anywhere else."
Travis Geisler
“I don’t know if it’s the altitude or not, but something about Pikes Peak gets your juices flowing. I had the opportunity to race there last year in what is now known as the NASCAR Autozone Elite Series, and we had a pretty good run. We ran in the top 10 for awhile before finishing 11th. It’s not often a rookie driver gets to race somewhere he has experience. I guess Pikes Peak is about as familiar as it gets for a rookie.”
Ashton Lewis
"I am very excited about the sponsorship for Pikes Peak. Even though it is only a one race deal, Rick Broome is a very talented artist and to have a piece of his artwork on our car, which was commissioned by the Air Force Academy graduating class, is very exciting. Our team is honored to be able to carry the artwork and bring attention to the graduating class. We were introduced to Rick through the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) two years ago. He has become a friend of the Lewis family and team, as well as one of our supporters. After our test session, we are very confident in going back there (Pikes Peak) to fight for a win."
Tyler Walker
“ I’m not sure how different the Busch cars will be from the Silver Crown cars. I think we’ll still run the same line, but the braking and lifting points will more than likely be different. I like running at Pikes Peak, and I feel pretty comfortable out there. It definitely helps that I was just there a few weeks ago."
Mike Wallace
“It has been a couple of years since I’ve been to Pikes Peak, but I feel good about how we’re going to do this weekend. The air is much thinner, and it just affects everybody. You just have a hard time breathing. It is good that you are there a couple of days. It just takes you a while to get use to the thinner air.”
David Green
“Pikes Peak is the ‘raciest’ track we go to all year. It’s pretty common to see three and four wide racing thru the turns. As a crew chief, you have a lot of options to get your car dialed in. It’s not too big and it’s not to small, a really nice sized track. My first race there in 2000 was very special. I qualified eighth and had the opportunity to race my brother Jeff (Green) for the win. I led some laps towards the end and had a great battle with him to the checkered flag… it’s a race I will never forget.”
Steve Grissom
“I’m really looking forward to going out there. The one-mile oval is a lot like New Hampshire since it’s mostly flat with just a little bit of banking. A strong motor, handling, and securing great track position are all really important. We are carrying the same car that we took to New Hampshire. We finished 23rd overall in the Siemens 200, and as a team we were able to learn a few things. The elevation at Pikes Peak makes it a little tougher on the motor, which means a stronger emphasis on getting it tuned up right. Using what we know about the car all ready, I am sure we will have strong finish.”
Casey Atwood
“I think it’s kind of like Vegas, but just smaller. I remember it being short, fast and flat, which I like. It’s been a while since I’ve been in a car there. I don’t think it should cause any problem for me though, and definitely isn’t an excuse. Give me a couple of laps to set my marks and I’ll be able to get around the track in the right groove. It’ll all come back to me.”
Jason Leffler
“I love the shape of Pikes Peak. The track has got really good grip and it's the type of place where you can move around quite a bit and see if you can find a faster groove. It's almost like a bigger Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. When you come down the front straightaway, you're turning the vehicle. It's almost like one big corner from Turn 3 all the way back to Turn 2. The shape of the racetrack makes for some great racing.”
Paul Menard
“I’m excited to be going to a track where I’ve had some success in the past. It’s definitely good to have that Busch race here last year under my belt. I came here with the team a couple of weeks ago when Martin (Truex) tested and actually learned a lot from that, too. PPIR is one of my favorite tracks as it is small, fast, and multi-grooved. We have a little momentum to build on after a solid run up at New Hampshire. I know Tony (Gibson) and the boys are fired up for this one!”
Johnny Sauter
“Pikes Peak is kind of a smaller version of Las Vegas. It’s flat, fast and it has a lot of room to race. There are three good grooves that your car can stick to. The bottom is always the preferred line, but the track lets you run up high if need be. You’ll see a lot of guys trying to move up the track if their car isn’t that fast on the bottom. And as the sun loosens up the track, you’ll see the bottom groove creep up the track. What I like about Pikes Peak is the side-by-side racing. You can do a lot of passing there, high or low, which makes the track fun for drivers."
Tony Raines
“You’ll hear a lot of the drivers say that Pikes Peak is a just bigger Richmond (Va.) International Raceway and I completely agree. That’s a good thing for me because I love racing at Richmond and have had success there. So far, I haven’t had the results I’ve strived for at Pikes Peak. It’s a track that I like a lot because of how wide it is which makes for a great race because there is a lot of room for passing. We’ve had the potential for some solid runs there but some unfortunate circumstances have hindered a strong outcome.”
Stacy Compton
“It’s no secret Pike’s Peak has been a good speedway for ST Motorsports. We have two top-10 finishes there in the last two years, and Phil Parsons finished third there one year in the Kingsford/Bush’s Baked Beans car. It’s a great racetrack because it has a lot of room to race, especially coming through the third and fourth turns and along the main straightaway. What I like most about the track is it’s not a follow-the-leader track like we see too many times on the Busch Series schedule. It’s a racers’ track, so it’s one of our favorite trips of the year.”
Robert Pressley
“I’ve never been in a Busch Series car at Pike’s Peak, but I know it’s a great racetrack. We’ve done a lot of work on our flat-track program and we’ve gotten better in every race on them. I’m confident we’re going to be good at Pike’s Peak because the guys on this Clorox/Wisk team know the key to the track is getting off the second turn for the quick burst down the backstretch and the ability to accelerate through the middle of the third and fourth turns.”
David Stremme
“If the TRIMSPA Team can keep bringing fast cars to the racetrack like we have the past month then I am sure we will put together some more top finishes and a win before this year is finished. Pikes Peak is a unique track and I really got the feel for it last year in my first start there. We were running as high as third at one point.”
Clint Bowyer
"I raced there in my touring late model, so I'm actually excited to get there. So many of the tracks I go to, I've never seen before, and it takes some of my practice time to get used to the track. It'll be nice to get here where I've been before, concentrate on the car and not worry about getting acclimated to the track."
Kenny Wallace
“Pikes Peak is my favorite track on the NASCAR Busch Series schedule. When I ran Cup last year, I really missed coming to this place. I think we have a really good shot at repeating last year’s performance this week out in Colorado Springs. My crew chief, Chris Rice, has really put a lot of effort into this car, and I think the Stacker 2®/YJ Stinger team will have a really good showing out there. I really want to get a win for the Bill Davis Racing organization. They have been so good to me over the past couple of years, and I want to repay them by getting the Stacker 2® Chevrolet into victory lane. I think one of the best shots to win that we’ve had so far this year will be this weekend.”
Jason Keller
"This is a pretty good track for us. It’s one of those flat tracks that we run well on. Especially coming off the type of weekend we had last week in Loudon. We ran really well there the whole day, so I think this team knows that we’re capable of doing well each week when we get to the race track. It was just an unfortunate deal there at the end of the race. So, we’ll have to do our best to bring home a top-five finish this weekend at Pikes Peak.”