Sunday

Notes from TNT’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coverage – Saturday, July 04, 2009

For the first time ever, TNT’s Wide Open Coverage featured no missed laps of green flag racing during the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona presented by Coca-Cola.

TNT’s coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series concludes on Saturday, July 11 from Chicagoland Speedway. NASCAR on TNT Live! begins at 6:30 p.m. ET, followed by Countdown to Green at 7:30 p.m. ET. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series racing begins at 8 p.m. ET.

NASCAR on TNT

“I don’t know if I was real proud of that but I don’t know what else I could have I done there. I went where I had to go and he went where he had to go. You just hate seeing a guy who’s been up front all day, especially a guy that helped me the whole race, get wrecked like that. I don’t like winning them like that.”

– No. 14 Tony Stewart on winning in the final lap after a collision with No. 18 Kyle Busch

NASCAR on TNT Live! from Daytona International Speedway

Marc Fein (host), Larry McReynolds (analyst) and Kyle Petty (analyst)

Petty on the gravity of racing at Daytona International Speedway: “It’s Daytona and that’s all that needs to be said. Churchill Downs, Indianapolis Raceway for open wheel racing, Boston Garden where the Celtics used to play, so many sports arenas. This is the Holy Grail, this is the Mecca of stock car racing. It’s not the 500 (in February), but it’s still the Daytona 400 and it’s still Daytona.”

McReynolds on NASCAR’s substance abuse policy: “I support (NASCAR) very, very much being very aggressive with the substance abuse policy. Our athletes, they do not have a baseball bat, a football or basketball, they have 3,550 pound race cars with over 800 horsepower driving off in the corners at over 200 miles per hour. And right here driving at 55 miles per hour where there are crew members out there on pit road. I think NASCAR has to be as aggressive as any sport out there with their substance abuse policy.”

Petty on the recent court case involving driver Jeremy Mayfield who challenged NASCAR banning him after a drug test: “We are independent contractors and that’s why Jeremy (Mayfield) is fighting so hard. If I believe I’m innocent on anything I’m going to fight for it, and that’s why Jeremy Mayfield is fighting so hard. So you’ve got to give him kudos and you’ve got to give NASCAR credit for standing up and fighting for their substance abuse policy. We’re going to have a better policy in the sport when this is all said and done, the loopholes will be closed. I’m not a legal scholar, I’m not a doctor and I can’t address any of those issues, and I’m not going to. As Larry said, this is not striking out, this is not missing a free throw, this is not missing an extra point. This is a life and death sport and there is not room in this sport for any substance that impairs your ability to drive.”

Legendary driver and current NASCAR owner Richard Petty joined the TNT rig to discuss the 25th anniversary of his 200th and final win on July 4, 1984 in Daytona, along with being in contention for the inaugural class of the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Petty on his father Richard wearing a fire suit: “I’ve just got one simple question, does Mama know that you’re in a uniform?”

Richard Petty: “I slipped out and she said, ‘how many laps are you going to make?’ That’s what she was worried about. She said as long as I don’t make but one lap I’ll be able to come home tonight.”

Richard Petty on being one of 25 nominees for the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class: “You’ve got to figure I’ve been here a long time. I think it started with who’s been here the longest. It started with Bill France and then Richard Petty. It’s a great honor to even be mentioned at the same time with a lot of guys whose names are on there. It makes you feel real honored.”

Current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader No. 14 Tony Stewart joined the TNT rig prior to the race.

Stewart on the heat affecting the track conditions: “It is absolutely hot here and we can sit there and wipe our foreheads, but as soon as we get the rag off it’s sweaty again. It’s blistering hot and handling is a premium here versus February. We even talk about in it February of Talladega and Daytona, Daytona is definitely the handling track. The asphalt is worn out but that’s what makes this place fun. That track has heat soaked all day long and it’s going to take a while before the track starts getting some grip in it again.”

Stewart on his old tradition of climbing a fence after he won a race: “I’m too fat to be climbing fences. It was fun to do that, but it’s a lot tougher than it looks, let me tell you. The first time I did it when we won the July Fourth race, I got to the top and I thought, ‘man, what was I doing?’ But it was such a cool view that I did it again the next week. But man, it’s a lot harder than it looks, I can promise you that.”

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ******

Countdown to Green

Marc Fein (host) and Wally Dallenbach (analyst)

TNT’s Wally Dallenbach interviewed No. 5 Mark Martin prior to the race

Martin on how his intensity benefits him: “I’m a real intense guy and I have real hard time relaxing. When it comes time to do business, whether it’s training, driving or anything like that, my intensity is a big benefit.”

Martin on competing in NASCAR at a high level while at the age of 50: “I suppose it is remarkable at this stage in the game and in (NASCAR) with the youth movement that we’ve experienced in the last few years. I’ve even surprised (myself) that I’m able to compete at this level.

Martin on how much he’s enjoyed this season: “I would like to freeze (this year) and do it over and over (again).”

Martin on how he has an advantage due to his experience: “There’s something to be said for experience. Obviously, at 50-years-old there are things that decline. My reaction time is not what it was 25 years ago. But what I do with that reaction time is better. I have as much fire and desire every day that I go to the racetrack as any 20-year-old.

TNT’s Lindsay Czarniak interviewed No. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. prior to the race.

Earnhardt, Jr. on why he loves racing at Daytona and the strength of his car in this race: “I love the area, I’ve been coming here for a long time. It’s a fun racetrack, a fun area and a good time in the race car. We’ve got a pretty good car in the National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet. Hopefully all the troops who are watching will appreciate it, especially since it’s July Fourth. We’ve worked real hard to make this car drive good, the engine is amazing. I want to tell all the engine guys back at Hendrick that this is the best motor I’ve had down here in a long time. I can’t thank them enough for all the hard work they’ve done, they’ve made some big gains even since February. It’s pretty awesome.”

TNT’s Matt Yocum interviewed No. 39 Ryan Newman prior to the race.

Newman on driving the U.S. Army car: “All the Armed Forces, all the people who helped to get us to where we are and allow us to do this…there’s a lot more to it than fireworks. We’ll go out there with our U.S. Army Chevrolet and do our best job we possibly can and hopefully have a good run at it.”

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ******

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Racing: Coke Zero 400 at Daytona presented by Coca-Cola

Announcers: Ralph Sheheen (play-by-play), Wally Dallenbach (analyst) and Kyle Petty (analyst); Larry McReynolds (analyst) contributes from the in-field at the TNT Offtrack Robotic Car (TORC)

Pit reporters: Adam Alexander, Lindsay Czarniak, Marty Snider and Matt Yocum

TNT’s Wally Dallenbach spoke to No. 2 Kurt Busch on the radio prior to the green flag dropping.

Busch on scoring the most points at Daytona in the past six races but being unable to win the race: “I think scoring the most points means I just missed the most wrecks. But to have a good car it starts back at the race shop. I want to thank all my guys and all the viewers who root for the Miller Lite Dodge. This is as good car as any and we want to bring it home tonight.”

Dallenbach on No. 11 Denny Hamlin pushing No. 2 Kurt Busch to the front spot early in the race: “When (Hamlin) had him sideways (Busch) was really mad, but he’s really happy right now. When a guy does that, he’s like, ‘what the heck are you doing? Oh, I’m in the lead, it’s ok.’ It’s one thing to get pushed on the straightway, but you don’t want to get hit in the corner because it just turns you sideways.”

Dallenbach on the unscientific method he used to gauge if there was a problem with his car: “I used to say all the time, your butt never lies. What that race car is telling you and what you’re feeling in the seat you can never second guess. I’ll second guess the crew chief, I’ll second guess the tire guys, I’ll second guess everyone, but I won’t second guess my butt. If that car feels like something is wrong than you’ve got to believe it.”

Dallenbach on No. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya being a lap down amongst race leaders: “The leaders don’t have much patience for a guy who is a lap down from the leaders. They want to be on the tail of a guy (who is on the lead lap). Especially coming in for a pit stop, that one or two seconds is critical when you leave pit lane and you don’t want to have a lap car in between you and the guy you’re racing.”

Petty on why No. 00 David Reutimann would attempt to repair his car and return to the race after a wreck: “You say why do we try to put this thing back together? Because we were right there in the cusp of being 12th in points, we are 13th in points or 14th. We interviewed (Reutimann) out at Sonoma and he said I’d take a 15th place finish and go to the house (rather) than lose time.”

Petty on the impact of pit selection during the race: “That’s why pit selection and qualifying is so important. It all starts when you unload that thing on Thursday afternoon or Friday morning for practice. That’s when everything starts that happens during the course of a race.”

Dallenbach: “And who you pit around. If a guy is going to come in like that (wild) you’ve got to know that going down the road.”

Petty: “People used to always pit next to me when I used to drive because they always knew I was going to wreck or fall out so they knew they’d have an extra pit.”

Dallenbach on the intense driving that is causing minor collisions on the track with only 40 laps left to go: “As it gets closer to the end of the race, you’re going to see more of this. It’s not erratic (driving), but you’re going to see these moves because everyone is trying to protect their real estate right now. You can’t afford to get shuffled to the back.”

Dallenbach on the final three laps of the race: “You’ve got to give it everything you’ve got. You either give a good finish or bring back the steering wheel.”

TNT’s Marty Snider interviewed No. 14 Tony Stewart who won the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona presented by Coca-Cola.

Stewart on winning in the final lap after a collision with No. 18 Kyle Busch: “I don’t know if I was real proud of that but I don’t know what else I could have I done there. I went where I had to go and he went where he had to go. You just hate seeing a guy who’s been up front all day, especially a guy that helped me the whole race, get wrecked like that. I don’t like winning them like that.”

Stewart on if the accident in the final lap was a product of the drivers doing what they needed to do: “It is but you still don’t like it. You’re kind of forced in that position. I made my move to the outside, got up to his right rear tire and when he went to block us and we were already there. It still doesn’t mean you like it, you don’t want to win that way. That’s not the way you want to win these things. We had a good car all day and you feel bad because you want him to have a good day too but we weren’t going to give it to him. If I did something wrong, I’m sorry. I don’t think I did but I was out there when he moved so you just feel bad about it. It’s not the way you want to win these things.”

Petty on Kyle Busch declining to comment about the finish of the race: “That’s probably good because you can tell he’s upset. I would be upset too. He had a shot at winning this race and (the accident) happened. That’s probably the best thing to do, not say anything because whatever you say, there are fans out there that love you and fans out there that hate you and the ones who hate you are going to use it against you so keep your mouth shut.”

Unofficial Coke Zero 400 at Daytona presented by Coca-Cola Results:

1. No. 14 Tony Stewart

2. No. 48 Jimmie Johnson

3. No. 11 Denny Hamlin

4. No. 99 Carl Edwards

5. No. 2 Kurt Busch

6. No. 47 Marcos Ambrose

7. No. 83 Brian Vickers

8. No. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya

9. No. 17 Matt Kenseth

10. No. 26 Jamie McMurray

- Turner Sports, Press Release