Day One: NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway
The 38 week NASCAR season hasn’t even started but excitement is building.
All drivers have a clean slate with points set at zero for every team. It’s important to get a fast start but often that’s not enough. A consistent start, midseason performance and a strong finish are more important. Getting into the Chase for the Sprint is a season priority and then getting to the No. 1 spot is what racing is all about. Winning the championship is a season and a career prize.
Abundant comments now seem to raise many questions. Only actual racing will solve the uncertainties. Prior to green flags, comments and questions serve inquiring fans.
Stewart-Haas Racing: [Select quotes]
Tony Stewart [No. 14 Chevrolet]
“t was a year ago this time none of us knew what to expect,” Stewart said. “It was a big question mark as to what was going to happen.
"I'm expecting a great year. I feel like both of us being able to get in the Chase last year was something I expect both teams to do," Stewart said. “I feel like the changes that we went through and the work we've done over the winter have prepared both of these teams to have a shot at running for a championship."
Ryan Newman [No. 39 Chevrolet]
“Just going out there and having a lot better start to the season in Daytona is extremely important. Just like when I won the Daytona 500, it took a teammate to push me.” Newman said. “To make sure that our two cars work together, you have to put yourself in a position."
Question: Will Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman do as well in their team’s sophomore year?
Joe Gibbs Racing: [Select quotes]
Kyle Busch [No. 18 Toyota]
“We unfortunately missed the Chase, but I see the organization is strong,” Busch said. “Our stuff is there. It's all about having the right people in the right place. Hopefully, Dave [Rogers, new crew chief] is that guy, and he and I can really develop a great relationship."
Denny Hamlin [No. 11 Toyota]
“We just didn't have the reliability to win the championship and that's the bottom line,” Hamlin said. “We just didn't have the parts and pieces right. I think we know how to win a championship and I know how to win a championship. Now it's just going to be executing it.”
Joey Logano [No. 20 Toyota]
"You've got to keep improving from where we were at the end of the season," Logano said. "I think we've got momentum from that way, the beginning half we've definitely picked up a lot. If we keep doing that and then try to make this Chase, that would be something that would be cool to do.”
Questions: Will a new crew chief and an always rowdy Kyle Busch produce Chase results this year? Denny Hamlin had the most momentum producing efforts for JGR during the Chase, but after the media tour Hamlin injured his knee. Will Hamlin excel again in 2010? Joey Logano is a fast study and has been at all of the Cup tracks now. Will the skilled Logano make the Chase?
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