The latest auto news, reviews, prices, product and vehicle releases. Nov
3rd
Stay connected Subscribe to our RSS feed
Who said Jimmie Johnson isn't superstitious? It was Jimmie himself as he remained in his car after winning the provisional pole then waited for it to become official for the second week in-a-row.
Johnson, who went out fairly early in qualifying for the Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway, turned his fourth pole winning lap of the season at 28.261 seconds/191.076 mph. around the 1.5-mile track
"I was ready to get out," said Johnson continuing "and my engine tuner stuck his head in the car and said 'Hey man, you are going to be sitting here a long time this week'. And I went 'Oh yea, that is right. I'm not superstitious, but I'll sit here'.
"And, I sat there. It doesn't mean anything, but may as well. At this point in the season, you have to pull out the stops. It gives us a nice talking point I guess through it all."
Speaking of his accomplishment he added "that was a white knuckle lap. Blasted off a great lap."
Brad Keselowski who holds a slim two-point lead over Johnson seemed genuinely happy with his eighth place star. "It feels like the pole," he said. It may not be the pole, but it feels like the pole for us. Our car has had a ton of speed since we've been here in race trim. Qualifying trim has been our weakness all year. I think that bodes very well for us on Sunday."
Greg Biffle, who qualified second in a Ford, at 190.382 mph was a little confused that the fast time came earlier, rather than later when he said "You know what is weird is that normally you can write a book about how the speed will pick up throughout qualifying, always.
"Today it wasn't really like that. Not taking anything away from the 48 (Johnson) but from when the 48 went and I went guys weren't going fast."
Trying to overcome his lowest race win number - one since 2007 - Kyle Busch was third. "It was a really good lap: guys did a great job of making the changes. Hadn't done that many times before at Texas."
Clint Bowyer was fourth fastest.
Johnson, who went out fairly early in qualifying for the Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway, turned his fourth pole winning lap of the season at 28.261 seconds/191.076 mph. around the 1.5-mile track
"I was ready to get out," said Johnson continuing "and my engine tuner stuck his head in the car and said 'Hey man, you are going to be sitting here a long time this week'. And I went 'Oh yea, that is right. I'm not superstitious, but I'll sit here'.
"And, I sat there. It doesn't mean anything, but may as well. At this point in the season, you have to pull out the stops. It gives us a nice talking point I guess through it all."
Speaking of his accomplishment he added "that was a white knuckle lap. Blasted off a great lap."
Brad Keselowski who holds a slim two-point lead over Johnson seemed genuinely happy with his eighth place star. "It feels like the pole," he said. It may not be the pole, but it feels like the pole for us. Our car has had a ton of speed since we've been here in race trim. Qualifying trim has been our weakness all year. I think that bodes very well for us on Sunday."
Greg Biffle, who qualified second in a Ford, at 190.382 mph was a little confused that the fast time came earlier, rather than later when he said "You know what is weird is that normally you can write a book about how the speed will pick up throughout qualifying, always.
"Today it wasn't really like that. Not taking anything away from the 48 (Johnson) but from when the 48 went and I went guys weren't going fast."
Trying to overcome his lowest race win number - one since 2007 - Kyle Busch was third. "It was a really good lap: guys did a great job of making the changes. Hadn't done that many times before at Texas."
Clint Bowyer was fourth fastest.