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Indy ORP: Race winning team interview

KYLE BUSCH , No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing Finished: 1st Can you put into words the performance of this team in 2008? "Man, what a great car and what a great team. Joe Gibbs Racing - it's no wonder that we've won this ...

Published: Jul 27, 2008, 4:09 PM

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KYLE BUSCH , No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
Finished: 1st

Can you put into words the performance of this team in 2008?

"Man, what a great car and what a great team. Joe Gibbs Racing - it's no wonder that we've won this many races this year. The guys just come to the race track prepared. There wasn't much that we changed on this thing from where we unloaded. I'm so proud of Jason Ratcliff (crew chief) and everybody at the shop, they made this weekend worthwhile."

How were you able to overcome the rule change and still pull into victory lane?

"I was kind of disappointed. I feel like those 15 horsepower cost me the pole. I really want to thank all my competitors out there for the complaining they did because they gave me some traction control. That was nice. Tonight we had better traction control all night long. I felt like that was a good key for us by being able to get off the corners a little bit better. All around we'll see how it goes at the big tracks."

How were you able to control so much of tonight's race?

"It was awesome and it's great to be a part of this team. Jason Ratcliff (crew chief) and all these boys showed up to the race track with a great race car. We didn't' change much off the truck and that's what made our night. We were good off the bat and were able to tune on it and get it better. I have to thank everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing - everybody on this Nationwide team that works so hard around JGR."

Was this a disappointing week with NASCAR's engine rule announcement?

"It's just been a tremendous year for us. The opportunity that I've had a Joe Gibbs Racing and all the guys there. Everybody in the Nationwide shop and the Cup shop as a whole and Toyota has really stepped it up this year. We've really come ready to play. We wanted to come out here and get a little sweet revenge on everybody. It turned out that way and worked out in our favor, fortunately for us. For me it's been a dream season all around and we're still running and still able to win races so that's been the greatest fact."

What would your race have been like if the change from this week wasn't made?

"We probably would have sat on the pole and had more wheel spin up off the corner, that's about it. It kind of worked in our favor here tonight. I'm not complaining about it, I'm just saying they sort of gave us an advantage here for ORP. It's going to come down to next week and seeing what all we have. Joey (Logano) is going to go run the Nationwide race for JGR up in Montreal so hopefully he'll have some good luck up there and be able to bring home a solid finish. We'll see what the Toyotas bring to the table there and hopefully it's a good enough package that we've been able to catch up a little bit this week and getting some more power back in the car. We're really looking forward to getting that all back when we get to Michigan."

JASON RATCLIFF , Crew Chief, No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing

Was this a disappointing week with NASCAR's engine rule announcement?

"I don't know if it's been a tough week, but it has been a disappointing week. We've got just a great group of people and I think it shows with this being 14 wins for us at the Joe Gibbs Racing Nationwide program. It's all about the people here and I think this week that got over looked a little bit. People felt like we had advantages in other places and they're going to have a tough time taking them all away. It's a great job. Kyle (Busch) got to come in and do the first practice and then go back to the Brickyard. We were able to set the car up right and Kyle had a great starting spot. That's 50 percent of it here at ORP. It's just starting up front and keeping track position."

-credit: toyota motorsports

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