SPRINT Cup Series

DAVE BLANEY, No. 22 Caterpillar Camry, Bill Davis Racing
Finished: 3rd
Can you talk about your race today?
"We had a good race. Our first goal was to get back in the top-35 in points, so I had to take care of the car all day. I didn't want to do anything to put it in harm's way. I was way more cautious than I probably wanted to be. I just got with the right group of cars there at the end. I was lucky enough to get behind the 24 (Gordon) and 48 (Johnson), getting pushed by the 99 (Edwards). I was in a good group. I could've easily run 23rd with that car, but here, it's all about the group you're with."

Were you concerned about the durability of your car having to race a qualifying setup?
"The only think I think we had to do was take care of the transmission. I had to be easy going in and out of pits and on restarts. I'm thankful that nothing happened. I came in here yesterday and said that it was going to be a wild race, but it really wasn't. It was hard to get that second lane going. It was a little bit of a strange race, but the cars are pretty good here."

How did the Car of Tomorrow change the racing today?
"It just made it hard to get that second lane going. The middle lane is usually fast, but today, it was really slow. It was hard to get two-wide or three-wide and compete. The top lane took over. The COT package is all right here, but it maybe needs tweaking a little bit."

Do you think the Toyota engines have an advantage at these restrictor-plate races?
"I think our restrictor plate engines are better compared to the field than our open engines are. But, no, I don't think we have an advantage. We're just even. (Brian) Vickers ran good, and so did the 00 (Reutimann). There is no real qualifying trim here. You can go with some lighter oils and play with the gears, and then pray you get in. I thought we could hang up in there, and a few of us did."

How do you think Jacques Villeneuve did in his first NNCS race?
"I saw him a little bit and he was going fine. He was running wherever he should have been, doing a good job. He wasn't making any sudden moves. The experience he got here is invaluable, gaining trust from the other guys. I'm sure he's pretty happy with his day."

JACQUES VILLENEUVE, No. 27 Unicef Camry, Bill Davis Racing
Finished: 21st
Can you talk about your first NNCS race?
"Early in the race was tough for some reason. I was really tight. I almost ran into a couple of people on the inside line because of that. I didn't want that to happen, so I moved up to the high line. That's why I got into the wall. On one of the big wrecks, I slammed on the brakes and went down to the apron, but got sandwiched between a couple of cars. I lost the shifter ball and the radio plug came loose, and I lost third gear on the last restart. So we had a lot of things going on. It was a great day to learn. I'm quite happy with the result."

What will you take away most from your first start?
"I'm glad that I didn't create any problems with the drivers. The finger was being pointed before the race, and that was understandable. The goal today was to stay out of trouble and not make enemies so next time I come back everything will be a little bit easier. Also, I worked great with the crew and the spotter. Overall, it was a great experience."

When did you decide to move to the back of the field for the start?
"We decided to do it this morning. It was the logical thing to do. Our car was set up for qualifying and we didn't know how it was going to handle. Starting from the front or the back doesn't really change anything. I had more to learn from the back, anyway. Also, it was to show respect to all the guys fighting for the 'Chase.' I was thankful for them allowing me to race here, which is really special to me. It was just a way of saying 'thank you.'"

MICHAEL WALTRIP, No. 55 NAPA Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing

What happened that caused your flat tire?
"I'm not sure what exactly happened. I think I just ran over something because the inside of the tire was fine. I brushed the wall on that big crash, and I though something was rubbing, but the guys said it was nothing. And then, with no warning, it went flat. I was having fun and I thought I was in pretty good shape, but it was not to be. It was unfortunate for the NAPA Camry. The car was good. It was fun to be up front again. It is a much better view from up there."

How much of the team's success is a testament to Dr. Eric Warren (MWR Technical Director)?
"It's a testament to a team that was ready to have some help. We worked really hard to get into a position where when somebody like Dr. Warren showed up, we were ready to take that help and run with it. Our guys have done a tremendous amount of work - and Toyota has as well - to get us to the point now where we feel good about where we are. If we had Dr. Warren six months ago, we might not know what to do with me. We feel comfortable about what we're doing."

DAVID REUTIMANN, No. 00 Burger King Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finished: 22nd

BRIAN VICKERS, No. 83 Red Bull Camry, Team Red Bull
Finished: 39th

DALE JARRETT, No. 44 UPS Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Finished: 41st