KASEY KAHNE (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge Charger) HAVING WON FROM THE POLE HERE AT TEXAS, HOW IMPORTANT IS QUALIFYING HERE? “It’s important. Our Budweiser Dodge was actually decent (in practice), just a touch too loose. We’re going to work on that and if we get (being too loose) it right, I think that we’ll have a shot at a top-five qualifying. We’ve won here from the pole, but I think with this track, you can win from anywhere. It’s racy, fun. I think it’s one of the best race tracks that we come to race. We can win from anywhere if we have the car on Sunday and do all the right stuff.”

IS THE TRACK ANY DIFFERENT FROM THE SPRING RACE HERE? “It’s not any different. Turn 2 is still a tough corner. It always has been and always will be the way that the banking drops off. It’s tough. You can lose the front end or the back end depending on whatever end you’re struggling with. You just have to be aware of it and make sure that you don’t hit the wall.”

RUNNING AROUND A 1.5-MILE TRACK AT NEARLY 190 MPH IS AWFULLY FAST. WHAT MAKES THIS TRACK DIFFICULT AT THAT SPEED? “Texas is such a difficult track because the corners are all different. You fall into Turn 1 and the exit is real flat so the car changes. Turn 3, you usually have wind pushing you down the backstretch which doesn’t let you turn into the corner very easy and then the wall comes up pretty quick on (Turn) 4. It’s a tough, pretty unique track. I enjoy it, but you do feel the speed once in a while when you get loose into (Turn) 1.”

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON DANICA PATRICK COMING OVER TO NASCAR? “I think that it would be neat if she really wants to get into NASCAR. These cars drive so much different. It seem like it’s been a little bit difficult for those (open wheel) drivers who grow up on the go-karts, high down force, Indy Car-type stuff. But Juan’s (Pablo Montoya) figured it out really well and I think other guys can with the right amount of time and right people helping them if they want to spend the time helping them. It’s going to be a lot different for her. She’s showed that she’s really good in Indy Cars and I think she could probably adapt if she had the right time.”