Talladega Winners Press Conference Transcript

Transcript Winners Press Conference Talladega Speedway today.

THE MODERATOR: We’re joined winning team today’s race.

We start wh J.D. Gibbs. today’s victory?

J.D. GIBBS: know, it’s dt days us. Denny’s run first, tire go, hits wall. scary. Birmingham, doctors check out. little headache, foot hurting. fm that, here, watching race, Kyle caught accident there. Tony was, win year, deal us. won it, go, Man, we close. realize can’t yellow line. We’ve caught times or that. Zippy rt can’t tt past experience.

THE MODERATOR: Joe Gibbs, ge yr tt today’s day?

JOE GIBBS: J.D. right. te cars, tough happen them. tg kd focused race was, know, it’s Zippy Tony, tr wh Home Depot, it’s 33 wins. That’s awesome. mean, jt doesn’t happen sports enjoy kinds wins. we ts one.

Zippy gt job managing, handling team, keeping together. Obviously wt lot ts happened race team. appreciate attitude. kept attitude year.

THE MODERATOR: Greg, te th yr day.

GREG ZIPADELLI: day us. I’m proud group, teams, ey tt chipped help Friday overcome wt happened Happy Hour. mean, that’s foremost, spent lot time ts brand car bring here. tore Happy Hour. ey teams helped fix car, 11 car. Vy appreciative that. gd job, obviously.

We car day. We’ve lot gd cars he past haven’t able tt victory. ps gg pick fe racetracks win career, ts them. finally ft win te sd fives we’ve had, it’s cool.

It’s bn tough year, down, keeping focused trying frustrated or happen wt through. guys, they’ve de job trying stay focused doing job, know, trying prepare racecars. Hopefully wl little momentum lt races, os tk belong.

THE MODERATOR: We’ll te questions.

Q: races left, I’m se you’re gg gunning victories. pretty mh era Tony. kd address it’s wh victory wh him, times shared, gd bad?

GREG ZIPADELLI: It’s good. days, it’s good. choice, wish staying we gg continue on.

But ts changing. I’m proud everybody. Tt win here, we’re gg winless season, know, little wear you. go, me wonder at it. wonder, this, this?

Proud everybody. Excited we’re racetracks we’ve won at. rest year, we’ve won lt one. Gg Charlotte nt week. decent test. Probably won tt race spring. we’re definitely looking forward season.

Q: Joe J.D., answer that, please?

JOE GIBBS: me, ry focused ft keeping ey tr 10 years, particularly ts sport, sport. kept Zippy, Tony, we team, Home Depot, reupped us. focus wn you’ve gt sponsor that, ty ce io sport for. 10 years, it’s awesome deal. Ry appreciate it.

Goes bk shop, office, th organization. tr 10 years, it’s deal.

J.D. GIBBS: wn look back, it’s 10 years, it’s closer 13 years, on wheel, here, Nationwide, Busch time. It’s special bond get, know, time. ups relationship. tk that, finish wh victory, deal us.

Q: Zippy, obviously eg Smith yellow line, there’s talk people preceded press at Truck Series, goes final lap, word gg morning flag stand, go. all, there’s scuttlebutt, brought drivers meeting? io race knowing rules lt lap?

GREG ZIPADELLI: Obviously wt rules were. mean, ty yellow line tn penalized. it’s pretty seven advance yr position bw yellow line, you’re gg lose yr position.

I swear you, we car penalized July race Daytona, tk 2002, 2001 2002. finished sixth. Ty bk car lead lap. lt lap. actually forced bw there, te kd cause wreck. told that…

Honestly, handout handed ty sd bm it. don’t kw chafe changed anything. truly believe ts it’s five, six, seven ys here. It’s pretty cut.

Q: sd moments ago try ts season. discounting possibly championship?

GREG ZIPADELLI: I’m not. I’m realistic. 11th week, head direction. We’re seventh, let’s try five. Let’s try adding wh couple races mathematically chance championship.

And adjust goals go. We’ve nr starting Daytona February tt couldn’t weren’t try it. Honestly, wk getting five, race guys. know, lt weeks we’ve had, I’m bg realistic we’ll continue goes.

I wd hope win ey going. we’ve had, hope gs shot arm, Joe Gibbs Racing. They’ve wd hard restrictor plate cars, ty cars gg Charlotte.

You know, we’ve struggled group, se reason, races, know, ts gd us. Denny car today. Kyle day. run Charlotte. know, jt run gd there.

Q: Greg, soon race over, said, official? te tt conversation little bit.

GREG ZIPADELLI: Well, wd se I’m not, se tg did. just, know, peace mind, hear cl ty changed rule stood. that, heard radio, 20 Victory Lane. So, know, en there, call.

Q: Zippy, fighting hard primary car Friday? Obviously wd you. tell little bit concerns fought hard fix tt car.

GREG ZIPADELLI: Well, brand car built here. basically twin car spring, led te laps. Ft we capable winning. car. practiced it. drafted it. tune up, gearbox te cars finicky, tried things. car responded it. didn’t feel tt damage car tt wd hurt wd drive suck up. it thing, hood, ft fascia, intact. little fender rest back. ft shot. bt motor it. effort tt car.

Q: Greg, obviously te sl issues rt tires, oy race ty tt races weekend. Or drivers he bn concerned. crew chief? notice ag car tt possibly led tire pm on?

GREG ZIPADELLI: No, tires looked gt day. else’s tt ce cuts them. spring. leading race cut tire. didn’t hit wall hard. behind. wreck. lost tire spring don’t he explanation happened.

If sg te debris racetrack cutting them, don’t know. don’t tk ay ry explanation. wasn’t wear. cy didn’t le heat issue. lot lost air.

THE MODERATOR: welcome winner today’s race, Tony Stewart. race today, Tony, yr victory he Talladega.

TONY STEWART: Well, mean, obviously, lap ws think. gd restart there. Jt didn’t where, know, didn’t gap we cd run us. Coming lap, Regan rt bumper and, man, gt push dn backstretch. cd kp glued bumper that, shot. Jt cruising on, getting everybody.

When center, ts bad news. we gap te didn’t want. run coming. know, counter me ey committed direction, tn line quick.

Man, mean, it’s tough position wn you’re ft guy. It’s tough position you’re guy. But, know, able finally tt win he Talladega. There’s te left haven’t won now. 33 10 ys sitting here. It’s we’re vy proud of.

THE MODERATOR: We’ll release Greg Zipadelli, J.D. Joe Gibbs. We’ll questions Tony.

Q: Tony, watched race lg time dirt, asphalt, wh wheels it, you’re doing it?

TONY STEWART: Obviously, 12 months, know, we’ve struggled trying figure wt we’ve bn missing nd Victory Lane. It’s te tt we’ve bad luck season. he won Charlotte. position win Bristol. Te shots winning races ts happens race bad luck stuff that’s happened.

Man, finally year, Talladega, people don’t understand wt tt means win here. Winning Nationwide race yr huge me. winning Cup race, sy lose tr vocal cords outside happy are.

But, man, it’s awesome feeling finally win here. talked Red Farmer phone. funny pt talking Red, talking, tt talking guy tt handed phone. said, that? Wl work? said, Tell Tony… said, talking him. said, What? can’t hear dag gone thing. En excited were. Man, it’s jt finally Victory Lane here.

Q: address detractors tk you’re leaving, you’re lame duck, ts jt wasn’t gg happen Chase?

TONY STEWART: Well, mean, it’s secret we’ve little bit year. there’s opportunities, le mentioned earlier, we’ve opportunities win, something’s happened. nice today. mean, look happened racetrack, weren’t pt it. finally te days we us. know, able finish off.

Man, mean, there’s lot nights gg home night going, Man, do? slump be? he it? days, tt I’m it.

Just happy results ty happy little luck side.

Q: We’ve kn yellow line rule Daytona 2002. Ty Regan talking at understood based truck race yesterday te word gg garage tt line flagman goes. hear thing? yr interpretation matter unfolded.

TONY STEWART: I’m gonna at tt ty drivers meeting. don’t understood anywhere. sat drivers meeting le ey did. tt somebody’s copy it. hear tt drivers meeting, then, know, guess we’ll stand corrected. that’s understood it.

Q: Earlier Jimmie Johnson offensive tool left ts car tracks hit somebody, meet wh him, push forward. yr assessment se thing?

TONY STEWART: Pretty much. mean, bumpers match up, mean, jacking or wh wh cars slanted noses tails tn noses bumpers flat rear bumpers flat they’re height. ls able guy’s bumper that, push here.

When repaved track te ago, aren’t gg half miles asphalt that’s smooth ts is. don’t pave highways ts smooth. that’s allows able that, ’cause surface that’s kw nice that, know, handling issue. It’s matter wn te cars locked tr le that, car bk doesn’t air resistance all, it’s le shifting gear bk bumper somebody.

I happy wn Regan bumper backstretch, Nemechek start before. hoping wd stay till line. That’s worry you, too, time, ty bumper, ahead, tt bd catch up.

Q: (Question at yellow line.)

TONY STEWART: I’ve lost Daytona 500s, I’ve lost races he Talladega blocked. That’s ne game. Today’s race wasn’t tn 19 races I’ve run here. There’s as bn people blocking.

The nice actually rt time. Trust me, I’ve regrets wt did. exactly wt win race, out.

Q: With et go, one, said, good. th yr head mentioned, lost races lot way?

TONY STEWART: wn Nemechek that, cd away. tg car bumper le that, tt car isn’t getting air radiator. Tt temperature gauge climbing. stay te lg want, there’s pt he’s water temperature motor lays dn it’s pushing water vent tube.

I kw tt we ahead tt tt we line cars, we sitting ducks there, that’s wt happened. we Elliott Sadler se Nemechek two, able block push fm Elliott protect spot there.

But that’s kw situation. There’s guy. can’t mash brakes slow dn guy pushing you. wrecked, mash brakes. But, know, br jt riding out. Tn jt watch mirror train’s coming.

Q: You’re seventh now, races go, 203 out. Lt week saying probably don’t shot it. view te remaining races shot championship jt race time?

TONY STEWART: We’re halfway th Chase. happen still. I’ve learned wh ts ty mathematically you’re out, shot.

So kw what’s happen fm week week. race obviously kw happen me tracks. know, te week time now.

Q: ambiguity rule?

TONY STEWART: what? I’m Southern Indiana. sr words (laughter).

Q: rules tt define br be Regan sd ad question drivers meeting, didn’t feel veteran, shouldn’t doing that, held second. unclear, sd clearer it?

TONY STEWART: mean, I’ve sat meetings ty yellow line rule. tg David ss is, yr warning. drivers meeting warning at staying yellow line racing yellow line. As preceded aggressive driving zones. tt starts drop green flag checkered flag emphasis corners tri ovals.

It’s speech tt rule. They’ve wavered it. know, pretty self explanatory, think.

THE MODERATOR: Tony, congratulations.

TONY STEWART: Thank you.

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