HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT THE CAR YOU'LL HAVE FOR TOMORROW'S DAYTONA 500? "I feel good about it. We've been down here and bolting a bunch of stuff on it for the last two or three days -- it seems like two weeks. You know, right there, that last session, I was pretty happy with it."

IT'S OFTEN SAID THAT ALL THE RACES PAY THE SAME, IN TERMS OF POINTS, BUT DOES PARTICIPATING IN THE DAYTONA 500 TAKE ON A SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE? "There's a lot on the line here. This is a prestigious event. It's the first race of the season. There's just so much about it. I hate to use the cliche, but this is our Super Bowl. People know who won the 500 the entire year."

IT'S BEEN WHILE SINCE A FORD HAS WON HERE, BUT TODAY, THREE OF THE TOP SIX HAPPY HOUR SPEEDS WERE ROUSH FENWAY RACING DRIVERS. DOES ANY OF THAT MEAN ANYTHING FOR TOMRROW'S RACE? "I think it means a little bit. I think it means we're gaining on it. I'll have to tell you that I was a little disappointed once we got here -- I was excited to get here -- we saw that there were a few teams that were a little better than we are. You know, we're working hard. It's not for lack of effort, but we are off just a hair to some of the other teams, but we're certainly not going to give up. Our cars have gotten to where they drive really good, and that's more important than speed. Driving good here in the 500 is important. That's what we have. We knew we're giving up a tiny bit of speed, but that has never normally won the Daytona 500, and I don't think it will this year."

-credit: ford racing