FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, November 6th, 2016

NOTES AND QUOTES FROM NASCAR SPRINT CUP COVERAGE FROM TEXAS MOTER SPEEDWAY ON NBCSN

Race Winner Carl Edwards to Mike Massaro: “We have a shot at the Championship, and that is all we wanted this year.”

 

Steve Letarte on Edwards: “This win, if it ends up being a win, for the No. 19 car was truly a team effort. I think that is a great wave to ride into Miami.”

 

Dale Jarrett on NASCAR’s concussion protocol: “What I’m telling drivers is appreciate what NASCAR is mandating.”

 

FORT WORTH, Texas — November 6, 2016 – NBCSN presented a pivotal chapter in the 2016 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup this afternoon from Texas Motor Speedway. After rain pushed the green flag back nearly six hours, the action picked up on one of NASCAR’s fastest tracks. After 293 hard-fought laps around TMS’ 1.5-mile tri-oval, Carl Edwards secured a win as the caution came out, due to rain, with 45 laps to go. Edwards officially joins last week’s winner, Jimmie Johnson, in the hunt for the 2016 NASCAR Championship.

 

RACE RESULTS 

 

Position Driver Car Number
1 Carl Edwards 19
2 Joey Logano 22
3 Martin Truex Jr. 78
4 Chase Elliott 24
5 Kyle Busch 18

 

UPDATED 2016 CHASE STANDINGS

 

Position Driver Points
1 Jimmie Johnson Win
2 Carl Edwards Win
3 Joey Logano 4074
4 Kyle Busch 4074
5 Matt Kenseth 4073
6 Denny Hamlin 4072
7 Kevin Harvick 4056
8 Kurt Busch 4040

 

Inside the NASCAR on NBCSN broadcast booth, race announcer Rick Allen and analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte called the action. Working the pits were reporters Marty Snider, Kelli Stavast, Mike Massaro and Dave Burns.  Pre-race and rain delay coverage was handled by host Krista Voda, and analysts Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett.

 

The following are highlights from today’s Sprint Cup Chase coverage.

 

During this afternoon’s rain delay coverage Dale Jarrett reacted to Matt DiBenedetto being sidelined for NASCAR’s concussion protocol, and openly discussed his struggle with memory loss: “In three weeks I will be 60 years old. I do struggle with memory loss and things in my brain that probably came from concussions, from what I’ve been told. Would it have happened anyway, without the concussions that I went through, I’m not sure.  What I’m telling drivers is appreciate what NASCAR is mandating. Even though right now what is happening is the most important, you have a lot of living to do. Just appreciate somebody is looking out for you.”

 

A link to Jarrett’s full comments is available here.

 

Halfway through the race, Letarte on the teamwork between Joe Gibbs Racing drivers: “The topic of conversation is really how will these cars work together? They did such a great job at the beginning of the year in the Daytona 500…They are currently all spread out through the field. If we get to the closing of this race and they are all in the top five, we are going to test that. It is easy to sit in a conference room and get it worked out. It is much different to do it on a race track.”

 

Burton added: “Teammates in NASCAR are completely different than teammates in the NFL, or basketball or anything else. You are competing against each other. You are working during the week to try and build the best race cars you can, and to try and help each other. But on Sunday you are here to win the race.”

 

Letarte on the pending rain with 106 laps to go: “At this point, it is the most difficult type of race to call if you are a crew chief because the end point is in flux.”

 

Letarte on race leader Carl Edwards as the caution comes out with 45 laps to go: “What an incredible job by the No. 19 driver, Carl Edwards, and by the team for bringing a car that has the pace to keep the lead after the pit crew got them the lead. This win, if it ends up being a win, for the No. 19 car was truly a team effort. I think that is a great wave to ride into Miami.”

 

Burton on Edwards’ team: “I think it is fair to say they were all the best tonight when they needed to be. They had more speed tonight then they have had in the Chase. They gave themselves a shot. They gave the pit crew a shot. They gave their driver a shot. They all worked together to put themselves in this position. And when they got in position they capitalized on it.”

 

Race winner Edwards to Massaro: “The pressure was really mounting. Obviously this is what we had to do. Dave (Rogers) and the guys got me off of pit road first and that is what won it for us…We have a shot at the Championship, and that is all we wanted this year. I can’t wait to go to Homestead, it is going to be a blast.”

 

Letarte on race winner Edwards: “This is a guy that basically lost a Championship in the closest battle ever. They were tied. Edwards scored the same amount of points in 2011 as Tony Stewart. It went to a tiebreaker, race wins, and Tony Stewart owned it. You have to think Edwards has been reliving that. He can’t wait to get back. You heard it. He just wants a shot back at Miami for a Championship.”

 

– NBC SPORTS GROUP –