SPRINT Cup Series

Does this effort make you question your decision to retire?
“No -- I’m good and I’m still good with that. It’s a lot of fun to come here and run this well and know that we’re getting the team to this point. Obviously as happy as I am to have this run and that Michael (Waltrip) made the race -- we still didn’t get all three cars in the race. The car that hasn’t had any problem qualifying this year with David (Reutimann) misses the race. But I’m very happy with the situation and scenario that I have for next year.”

Will you consider driving another NASCAR series next season?
“I won’t drive anything else and once I’m finished with the All-Star race -- that’s it. Whether I will run a Busch race or a truck race somewhere in between -- that really hasn’t been discussed. But once I get to the All-Star race in Charlotte in May -- that will be it and there will be no other series.”

Are you going to drive the UPS truck before you retire?
“I was kind of surprised and I don’t know what they might have planned for next year. That really hasn’t been a part of the process, but maybe your (David Poole, Charlotte Observer) paragraph you wrote about it will spur them on. I haven’t even sat in one of those things -- I really expected that to happen before the end of this. I’m game for it and maybe that paragraph and our little talk here tonight will help move that along. Maybe UPS will decide to do something different and I’m at their mercy -- whatever they want me to do is what I’ll do.”

What would be a good day on Sunday?
“Since I haven’t finished better than 22nd this season -- finishing better than that would make for a good Sunday. But that’s not a very lofty goal to sit here and talk about. But right now we have a good race car so let’s go take advantage of that. Let’s run up front and enjoy it for awhile. I miss seeing those guys a lot other than when they lap me and that’s not a very good sight. It would be great to run with them and I think I have a car capable of doing that. When you practice making only one-lap runs, it’s hard to get it to do what you want during the race, but when you have a car that’s doing the things that mine was doing this afternoon and tonight -- that gives me a lot of hope for a good race on Sunday. Being able to start there and run with the guys would be great and this is a long race so we’ll have plenty of time to adjust on the car. The one thing that will hamper us a little bit is the lack of running on these types of tracks this season -- we ran well at Kansas and we were sitting in a pretty good spot when we went back from that rain delay, we had a valve spring to break and we didn’t really get to see where we would have run there. That gave me some hope for this race and I was real disappointed that I didn’t get that car into the race at Charlotte -- I thought we could go there and put on a pretty good show like Michael did. This gives us another chance and it couldn’t come at a better place. The idea of what is a good run has changed tremendously not only from my perspective, but because of the level of competition. If I can compete Sunday and get a top-15 finish -- that would be great.”

Were you surprised that your team built a new car that is not a Car of Tomorrow this late in the season?
“When they came to me and told me what they were doing, it really surprised me. But we’ve learned so much and we haven’t really torn up much to have to build very many new cars. They felt like these last three races -- here, Texas and Homestead with this car, that this is something we could use. They felt like this was worth the effort to do that and they did a tremendous job. We’re sitting 40-something in owner points, but it doesn’t matter because we’re still fighting and battling hard. That’s what we have to do and that‘s what we have to show UPS and the rest of the sponsors -- that we’re willing to do this no matter how bad things have been. We have to continue to improve and show that improvement -- that’s our goal. I was probably a little ambitious in my speaking at the beginning of the year about what we would achieve and what we would be able to do by next year, but you have to do those things somewhat. You can’t be negative -- you have to be somewhat of a cheerleader at times. Now we’re starting to prove that we are worthy of having this team. Toyota has done a lot of work with the engines and that has been great to see. They have really listened to the drivers and made this a lot better for us on the race track. I’m excited about what I see and I think things are only going to continue to get better. Eric Warren coming over has also been a tremendous help to our entire race team.”

Can you talk about your career over the past 15 years of racing here at Atlanta Motor Speedway?
“It’s been a really great 15 years for me too. I was very honored to be a part of that race with Jeff (Gordon) coming in and Richard (Petty) going out. It’s been a tremendous 15 years for myself and for my family -- we saw this sport take on a whole other level from that time to now. Jeff Gordon has been a big part of all that happening and Richard Petty was the reason that the sport was where it was and is still a huge factor in where this sport is today. It’s been great to be a part of it and to have had the success I have in my career. Hopefully we’re not done making news -- we still have a few races left and Sunday would be a great time to make some more news.”

BRIAN VICKERS, No. 83 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Team Red Bull
Starting position: 14th
How much of an improvement was your car tonight versus practice earlier today?
“Compared to how we have been, this is probably one of the best qualifying cars we've had in a while. It was a little tight for qualifying, but the car was good. We finally got it to turn a little bit out of turn four and got it on the apron, which hurt us a little bit. It probably cost us a tenth or two, but we made the race, so I can't complain.”

What affect has the crew chief change had on your team today?
“Randy (Cox) and all of the guys have been great all week, they seem so seamless. We had good communication in practice, and we brought a pretty a good qualifying package, so hopefully we'll have a good race car on Sunday.”

MICHAEL WALTRIP, No. 55 NAPA Toyota Camry, Michael Waltrip Racing
Starting position: 24th
How was your qualifying lap?
“It was everything I could have asked for. I must have left a little bit out there. It was free and good, but I probably just didn't get all it had. I needed to be a little bit better.”

How do you feel about the progress your team has been making?
“It's fun to see an organization to make some progress. We've definitely done that. We fought through some really difficult, trying times. It was good to come back with the ability to survive, hang around and give ourselves a chance to turn this deal into something. It's just a real honor to be part of the Toyota team, with the support they've given me along with NAPA. It's been amazing.”

AJ ALLMENDINGER, No. 84 Red Bull Toyota Camry, Team Red Bull
Starting position: 31st
How was your qualifying lap?
“This was just a great job by the guys. I overdrove it way too much. The car was loose, but I didn't help it by the way I drove it. I'm not really happy with the lap, but I'll be a lot happier when I wake up tomorrow and I can drive, let's put it that way. I haven't been comfortable with the track all day. It's funny because I was good in the truck race last year and qualified second. I think I was spoiled with a really good truck. I liked the track last year. This year, we have struggled here. In the spring, we blew up leaving the pits and I wasn't very good in the truck race. This week, even when we were quick, I wasn't comfortable.”

Does it help the momentum of the team to get both cars back in the race?
“It's good for Brian to get back in the show after the struggles they've went through. I would've said the track was slowing down until (Greg) Biffle and (Dale Earnhardt) Jr went out. I just need to get better here, that's what it comes down to. I'm not very good around here right now. Hopefully I'll figure it out tomorrow and get around here better.”

Is Atlanta one of the race tracks that you struggle at more than others?
“Out of the mile-and-a-halfs, this is probably the only track that scares the living heck out of me. I don't know what the car is going to do. I'm just hanging on and hoping it sticks. That's what we'll work on tomorrow. You can run a lot of places here, so we'll just put some laps in tomorrow. There will be plenty of chances tomorrow and Sunday to work on the car, and that's what we'll do.”

DAVE BLANEY, No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota Camry, Bill Davis Racing
Starting position: 42nd