Notes from Watkins Glen
JEFF GORDON, INTERIM DRIVER, NO. 88 AXALTA CHEVROLET SS – Qualified 21st
WHAT WAS THE DIFFERENCE?
“Just the grip. I was pretty disappointed we were fast yesterday. I felt like we were going to have no issues moving through to round two. I was more thinking about whether we could get in the top five. That is not the way it went for our Axalta Chevrolet. The first run out I was a little conservative just, because I knew the grip level was down. I just wanted to put a solid lap together and hit every corner. I got a little bit loose at the top of the esses. The second time out I tried to attack a little bit more and unfortunately when I did that I missed Turn 1 and my shift point and that kind of just got us off the whole time. We picked up time we just didn’t pick up enough.”
DID YOU GET YOUR MESSAGE ACROSS WHEN TALKING TO GREG IVES (CREW CHIEF) AND THE CREW TO HELP IMPROVE THE CAR FOR TOMORROW?
“Well, like I said I have been feeling good this weekend. I like this race track. I like the repave. The tire is a little tricky, but the team has done an excellent job and I’m having fun out there shifting and turning right and left. We’ve got 21st to 24th nailed in qualifying three weeks in a row. We want to see improvement. This team races amazing I wanted to make it easier on them and myself for tomorrow. We’ve got our work cut out for us, but we’ve got a race car just like we have every weekend, so far I’ve been in the car, that can work its way forward.”