Richmond: Mears post-qualifying interview

CASEY MEARS (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge Charger)

"We weren't as good in race trim as I wanted to be at the test. We laid down a good lap in the test in qualifying trim, and I thought we'd be able to qualify well. We're better than we were in the test in race trim. I think some changes we made at the end of practices were the right way to go. We're going to have a decent car for the race. We've got to stay out of trouble. This track is a racy track, and you've got a lot of side-by-side racing. It's easy to get caught up in it early and tear up your car. The track is fast enough where your car is still aero dependent. You've got to take it easy in the first part of the race and be there at the end.

"With it cooling off, it wasn't a big advantage because it's been overcast all day so the temperature didn't drop as much as it normally would, but it dropped some and it definitely helped. It's a fun track to race, but we haven't had a good race here in awhile. My first year here we were fast, but I feel a lot better about where we're at now.

"We've got to (get back in top 10). We've got to do whatever it takes to get up in there good. I'd like to be sitting sixth or seventh when we come back here in September so the track won't be on our shoulders."

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