These quotes were collected from various press and media sources after the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet, driven by Denny Hamlin, won the Busch Series race last Saturday at Milwaukee, after Aric Almirola qualified the car on the pole, and ran the first 30 laps. Almirola was in 3rd place when he was called into the pits, and Denny Hamlin was installed in the car.
That’s my job. — Aric Almirola after qualifying the #20 Rockwell Automation Chevrolet on the Busch Series pole at Milwaukee
What I said to those guys (the #20 Busch Series team) as a group was, ‘If you think Denny can get in the car and win the race let’s go, let’s do that. If you don’t think he can do that, let Aric run it out’ — J. D. Gibbs
To come out here and get this win after such a long trip and not being able to land and everything, just having to sit out the first 60 laps, it’s amazing to come out here and win this thing. — Denny Hamlin
I didn’t want to do it. I knew he would be really upset, as well as he was running at the time. But we gotta do what we gotta do. It wasn’t my choice. — Denny Hamlin
I flew a long time to come here and race, but Aric was doing an exceptional job. I’m glad he gets credited for this win, because he deserved the credit for sure. — Denny Hamlin
No one wants to see Aric Almirola succeed more than we do. We started four years ago with Reggie White, that whole program. We handpicked him. We invested in him, invested in his future. — J. D. Gibbs
Trust me, I know he (Aric) is upset. I would be upset. I am not disappointed in him at all. ” — J. D. Gibbs
I left a message for him last night. … I said, ‘Call me. I’m proud of you. Give me a call. ’ — J. D. Gibbs
It became a no-win situation. Nobody cares about Aric and his future more than we do. At the same time, Rockwell stood in a (sponsorship) gap when nobody wanted to. … The only reason we flew Denny out there was in appreciation for all Rockwell has done (for the team). — J. D. Gibbs
They (Rockwell) weren’t throwing a fit. The reality of it was that we were there to encourage Rockwell and let them know that, hey, you’ve got two great drivers here, and hopefully next year, they’ll say, ‘Yeah, Aric is awesome. — J. D. Gibbs
He’ll run another race for them (Rockwell) here down the road this year, and they’ll line up and do a full deal with him next year. That’s what I hope. — J. D. Gibbs
“?? ” — Aric Almirola, post race, after being credited with his first Busch Series win, even though Hamlin was driving. Almirola had apparently left the track before the end of the race. He has yet to make a statement as of this writing.
| 
|