Richmond II: Pole winner interview

DENNY HAMLIN , No. 11 FedEx Monte Carlo SS - Qualified 1st

"It's pretty good right there. We missed Turn 1 quite a bit but hopefully it's a good enough lap to get us somewhere in the top-10."

DOES IT MATTER WHERE YOU START HERE?

"Yeah, I definitely think it matters. It kind of dictates where you're going to be at the first quarter of the race so we'll see where we stack up, top-five hopefully and top-10 at worst."

A LOT OF TIMES AT AN IMPOUND RACE YOU QUALIFY WELL BUT DON'T RACE WELL.

"We've got enough adjustability in this car, with the adjustments that they allow, that we should be in pretty good shape."

"Actually I overdrove Turns 1 and 2 but at the same instance we hit 3 and 4 pretty good. It was good enough to hold on and I guess that's all that matters."

YOU'VE ACCOMPLISHED A LOT THIS YEAR. HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE FACT THAT YOU ARE IN THIS POSITION GOING INTO THIS RACE?

"I don't know. I mean, I kind of find it hard to believe I'm racing with the guys for points that I am, especially as inexperienced as I am. A lot of these racetracks, had I not run those last seven races at the end of last year, I'd be going to some of these racetracks for the first time if I'm in the Chase racing for the championship. It was good of us to do that last year and I feel like if we do make it in it's going to be a big help for us that we do have something to fall back on. I think qualifying up front is going to be a big deal. Hopefully we can get out there and hopefully at least lead one lap and hopefully then we can finish 17th instead of 16th [to clinch a spot in the Chase]."

-credit: gm racing