Phoenix Qualifying: 3rd

Jimmie will start 3rd in the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway this Sunday. Nice work, team! Only Martin Truex, Jr. and Kurt Busch were faster (which is kind of cool because it's the first time ever cars #1 and #2 will be starting 1st and 2nd - trippy, huh?).

In a Q&A session at Phoenix today, Mark Martin had some interesting things to say about the similarities he sees between himself and Chad:

Q. Mark, since you've had time now at Hendrick to work with some of the different crew chiefs, what have you learned about Chad Knaus in your dealings with him? Is there somebody over your years of experience, a crew chief in the past, a figure in the past, that he's kind of like? You also mentioned there's a little bit of Rick Hendrick in everybody. What part of Rick Hendrick is in Chad Knaus?

MARK MARTIN: That's too hard a question, okay, too in-depth. That's a pretty tough question. I will answer part of that question.

I see a lot of myself, younger self, in Chad Knaus, I do. Although I wasn't a crew chief. He is very, very intense. He pushes really, really hard. He leaves no stone unturned. He's insanely driven. That reminds me a lot of my younger self. So that I see.

You got to remember, I don't work next to Chad all the time. I can't get into his, you know, really, really great details. I see his work ethic. That's what I notice, his drive and determination. That's really what I see the most of.