Ford Performance - Sonoma (Harvick and Bowyer Lead Ford and SHR at Sonoma)

KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Mobil 1 Ford Fusion - Finished 2nd

RODNEY SAID ON THE PIT BOX THAT THE 78 TEAM SNOOKERED EVERYONE WITH THEIR STRATEGY. WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT WHEN YOU HEARD THAT? “I don’t really know what is going on up on the pit box and who is doing what. I just do what I am told. Those guys do a great job. You make some right ones, you make some bad ones and sometimes you guess right and sometimes you guess wrong. Who knows what is right or wrong. I thought that was a good call at the end to put tires on in case the caution came out. We got right back up to where we were running and put ourselves in position to have a chance in case the caution came out. I am really proud of everyone on our Mobil 1 Ford. We had a really good weekend and came up one spot short.”

CLINT BOWYER, No. 14 One Cure Ford Fusion - Finished 3rd

“I am happy to be in this equipment and have this opportunity but I am also frustrated because we were one of the three that were the class of the field and had a legitimate shot at racing for a win. They just took a little different strategy than we did and that is what it took. You had to separate yourself some way. It was a lot of fun out there. I had my struggles just like they did. It seemed like the 4 had a little better turn than I did and the 78 was better. On long runs I was coming to him, especially that real long run we had. Then we started pitting and I didn’t know what to expect. All in all it was a solid day and I am proud of the guys for going out there and getting the job done. We just came up a little short.”

KURT BUSCH, No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Fusion - Finished 6th

“I went 12 rounds and there should be no-decision today. I feel like we gave it everything we could. We didn’t have superior lap times in the beginning and then we figured we would just do a two-stopper at the end. That is what won it last year but I was on a three-stopper last year and a two-stopper this year. I feel like we did everything we could to just find the right rhythm and you never know when yellows will come out but we were in position. We were a top-five car and couldn’t quite hold off my little brother at the end. We battled. This is one of my favorite tracks and I was hoping we could contend for a win. I was looking at fourth place pretty early because the 14, 4 and 78 all checked out.

 ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 10 Smithfield Ford Fusion - Finished 8th

“We are just plugging away. As solid as they come. We are a top-10 car and this just goes to show me and all of our guys that we are a top-10 car everywhere. I have just run top-10 at my two career worst race tracks, Pocono and Sonoma. If we can do that, that is incredible. It speaks true volumes about how great this race team is and how great our race cars are because they carry me at those two places where I know I struggle. I have tried really hard to become a better road course racer and I put a lot of effort into this weekend running the K&N car to help me for today and it certainly did. To come out of here with a top-10 is an awesome day for me. I am proud of everyone on this Smithfield Team. Our Ford Fusion was fast. All four of our Stewart-Haas Racing cars are in the top-10 so everyone back at the shop should be really proud of themselves. We called a great race with great strategy and scored some stage points. It was a great day for us.”