“The 600 is a difficult race. So many things happen and change during a four- or five-hour race depending on cautions. It’s tough mentally and physically. It gets really hot in the car and with each pit stop you need to be able to get better. Being able to keep your momentum up is really one of the keys to the race.”
Kasey Kahne
“The extra 100 miles is real. I think it’s really more stress on the components, driveline, engine, rear-ends, hubs – an extra 100 miles on all the things and parts and pieces we have moving around is a lot. I think it really puts the stress on that stuff more than it does the drivers. It is 100 miles more, but it doesn’t seem much different or hasn’t my first two tries.”
Chase Elliott
“This weekend is special to me for so many reasons. To have SPC Rodriguez’s name on the car, having spent time with his family last week, they will be at the race with us so I want to make them proud. Being at Fort Bragg for the car unveil was a reminder that life is so precious and the men and women who fight for our freedom are true heroes. We were pretty fast at the All-Star Race – it should be a great weekend all-around.”
Jimmie Johnson
“Winning the 600 would be awesome. Charlotte is our home track and I haven’t won a points race there. So, I would like to win there, but there is a long list – any track that we haven’t won at would be great. Any win this year would be good. But if I had to pick, winning the 600 would mean a lot. I always went to that race as a little kid, so I like to win at the places where I spent tons of time growing up and that was one of them.”
Dale Earnhardt Jr.