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10-31-2008
TOYOTA RACING: Busch Qualifies Third Despite Fire
KYLE BUSCH, No. 51 Miccosukee Resorts Toyota Tundra, Billy Ballew Motorsports
Starting Position: 3rd
How was your qualifying run? "Our run was good for the Miccosukee Toyota. It was pretty good so I'm happy with a third-place there. I wish we were a little bit better. I felt like our truck was better than that. I knew it was going to be hard to beat the 2 (Cale Gale) and the 33 (Ron Hornaday Jr.). Fortunately we beat the 33 but the 2 was right on. Congratulations to Rick Crawford -- that was pretty cool that he stole the pole out from under us being his sponsor's home state. Overall for us the truck stuck real well. I held it wide open and hopefully we can expect some of that tomorrow night."
What happened with the hauler fire and how has your team worked together to get the truck ready for today? "That's the primary truck (I ran today) that was in the hauler that got burned up. Fortunately, that's truck (chassis) 11 -- that's our baby. The backup truck got smoked. It's a good thing it didn't happen in the trailer going down to Atlanta because 11 was our backup for Atlanta so we probably would've lost her. Twenty-seven is a truck that we ran at Atlanta. It got smoked. I say smoked as in 'burnt up' and pretty much destroyed. The rest of the hauler, from what I've seen pictures of and from what I've heard, the only thing that made it out of it was the pit box which is pretty scared up which is over in the garage area and the truck 11. Everything else is pretty much gone and a waste. It's unfortunate for Billy (Ballew) and his financial situation. I'm sure the million dollars in insurance isn't going to cover what was lost in that trailer. It's a pretty big devastation to all of us and luckily we've got a great surrounding with NASCAR and all of the fellow competitors where the Germains have stepped up and they're going to loan us a trailer to use for the rest of the year. So hopefully we'll be able to continue on with our good success. Tomorrow night hopefully we can show that we're still as strong as we've always been here at Texas and run up front and try to win this thing. It's always come down to coming out of the pits on the last stop and unfortunately for me I've never been the first one off pit road on the last stop here. I've always had to come from a ways back and I don't expect it to be any different tomorrow. We've had some scrubs on our pit crew this year that have been terrible so we've got some recruiting to do."
Was the truck that you are using here this weekend on the hauler that burned? "Yeah, the truck that we're using here today was on the hauler. It was the primary so the fire didn't quite get to it. It was all smoked out and the inside doesn't smell too pretty. It was all full of black soot. You couldn't even read the door number on it this morning."
Could you tell while you were driving it besides the smell of the truck that it had been in a fire? "No, there was nothing wrong with it. Everything was good on it fortunately. I guess they came in here last night at 12:30 (AM) or one o'clock and the motor guys -- the fire guys that took the back door down and they were just spraying water on that truck and there was so much water that was in it that it filled all of the cylinders and the intake manifold all the way up to the carburetor. When they pulled the carburetor off there was just a pool of water sitting there at the top of the intake so they pumped all of the water out of it last night and shot it full of lubricants in order to try to oil up the cylinders so the motor wouldn't cease up when they fired it. They ran it for an hour last night and everything ran well with it today. It seems like everything is just normal with it."
How bad does the inside of the truck smell? "It's not terrible. I guess I'll put a car freshener in it in the morning -- hang it from the mirror and let her eat."
MAX PAPIS, No. 07 GEICO/Construct Corps Toyota Tundra, Green Light Racing
Starting Position: 5th
Was that qualifying lap what you expected it to be? "I'm ecstatic. I think we did an awesome qualifying run. The Geico 07 truck drove awesome and I was really impressed from how the Tundra motor picked up horsepower with the cold weather and we just kept everything under control. The guys gave me something that drove by itself basically, it was just great."
Are you excited to run in the Truck Series this weekend and full time in the Cup Series next year? "I'm here to learn and I'm ecstatic about the opportunity. It's a great opportunity to learn and drive with champions like Todd Bodine and Mike Skinner - people who have been around the business for many, many years. I just need to absorb everything and I'm a quick learner so I'm going to listen to all the advice possible. To me, it's a dream coming true and I want to prove that I belong in NASCAR for the next years to come."
TODD BODINE, No. 30 Lumber Liquidators Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing
Starting Position: 10th
How was your Tundra during your qualifying run? "It was perfect. The truck was not loose, it wasn't tight, it didn't wiggle, it didn't bobble, it didn't do nothing but roll around the corner. It was about as good as were going to get it. The only thing that could have made it better was a different spacer."
Does qualifying first change your approach to qualifying? "It's going to get a little faster as it cools down. It's not because they handle better, it's because the motors run better."
RYAN LAWLER, No. 15 Hyprene-Ergon Toyota Tundra, Billy Ballew Motorsports
Starting Position: 14th
What is it like to run in Texas near your hometown? "I grew up about 15 minutes from here and its real cool to come back and run in front of all your friends and family. It's a cool deal to run with Billy Ballew Motorsports. I've been friends with Kyle (Busch) for a little while now where I've been able to get to know him and work with his Late Model stuff a little bit. I knew the guys already so it's cool to come out and work with everybody."
MIKE SKINNER, No. 5 Toyota Tundra, Bill Davis Racing
Starting Position: 17th
How is your Tundra here in Texas? "Our Tundra has not been up to its normal Texas par. We're struggling with something in the air box or the cowl. I know the engine is real good and the truck is driving awfully good and our corner speeds are good but we're off on the straight away. We have some problems and haven't quite put our finger on it but our old Tundra is driving really, really good and I think it will race good."
SCOTT SPEED, No. 22 Red Bull Toyota Tundra, Bill Davis Racing
Starting Position: 18th
How was your qualifying run? "We were faster in race trim in the heat of the day. For some reason today every time we put tape and tires on this thing we've gone two to three tenths slower. Honestly, I think we have at least a top-three truck here and feel really competitive in practice. It's not making our life any easier starting 14th so far."
JACK SPRAGUE, No. 60 Wyler.com Toyota Tundra, Wyler Racing
Starting Position: 19th
JOHNNY BENSON, No. 23 Toyota Certified Used Vehicles Tundra, Bill Davis Racing
Starting Position: 20th
How did your truck handle during your qualifying run? "Perfect, just slow. We've been fighting that all weekend. It's been driving good but just don't have speed in it. The race is a different story. I think it will be good. We're not going to qualify good -- I could see that. I kind of knew it coming in. I'm a little curious and miffed on how some of the other Toyota's are going quick but all in all it will be ok by the end of the weekend."
PAUL TRACY, No. 9 Bombadier Learjet/Sport Clips Toyota Tundra, Germain Racing
Starting Position: 22nd
How did your truck handle during your qualifying run? "The truck is driving good, it just didn't have any speed where my teammates are. We're flat all the way around and that's what it had so we'll see what happens tomorrow. There's not really much we can change right now but it seems to be real solid out there on old tires and times are good relative to top guys. I'm just a little bit frustrated with how it qualified. It just didn't seem to have any speed."
DAVID STARR, No. 11 Zachry Toyota Tundra, Red Horse Racing
Starting Position: 24th
How did your truck handle during your qualifying run? "The truck drove great. We ran wide open. I don't know how them guys can run that fast because our Zachry Toyota Tundra was pretty awesome. We ran wide open. I think I bent the floor board trying to push the gas pedal to it. That was as fast as it will go. I couldn't go any faster. We're happy with it. That's all we got so we're ready for the race."
Are you happy to be home in Texas this weekend? "Oh yeah, this always feel good to be back home. I live like five minutes from here. My family owns a racing school here. This is like being at home with my friends and family and everybody. It feels good to sleep in your own bed. I just love to race if we're in Texas or no matter where we're at. Racing is great and I'm just glad to be part of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, but even more happy to be home."
BRIAN SCOTT, No. 16 Albertsons Toyota Tundra, Xpress Motorsports
Starting Position: 25th
TERRY COOK, No. 59 Team ASE/Harris Trucking Toyota Tundra, HT Motorsports
Starting Position: 26th
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