What NASCAR Playoff bubble drivers are saying at Phoenix

By Pat DeCola | Published: November 11, 2017 16

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On Sunday, five drivers enter Phoenix Raceway with a shot ... but only one of them will walk away with a berth to the Championship 4 next weekend at Miami.

Here's what Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski are saying before the Round of 8 finale (2:30 p.m. ET, NBC, MRN, SiriusXM).

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Chase Elliott

On his approach to Phoenix cutoff race

'Our task at hand is pretty simple, we have to win the race to move on next week. ... We are going to try to attack the weekend as best we can.'

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Chase Elliott

On how far drivers will push the limit to advance

I think it depends on who is where and what the situation is and what guys are racing for what spots. I mean, we have seen that here before. I think you've got to be pretty aggressive.'

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Chase Elliott

On how much racing intensifies from regular season to playoffs

'Definitely different for sure and the intensity picks up as the playoffs start. Teams pick up intensity, guys are less lenient on track to certain situations -- as they should be.'

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Jimmie Johnson

On his approach to Phoenix cutoff race

'It's a pretty easy approach for us. We're in a must-win-situation. We wish we were in a better points scenario, but that's not the case. This team thrives on pressure and adversity and we're certainly in the position right now.'

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Jimmie Johnson

On how stressful it is to be in a must-win situation

'I feel like the Round of 8, in my mind and the way I've approached it, has been a must-win, period. I look at Martinsville and I look at Texas and then I didn't want to be in a position here to need points, because if you're here needing points, you've got to win.'

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Jimmie Johnson

On what Chase Elliott's chances are

'I think the No. 24 car has always had a good set-up here. I think of Jeff's (Gordon) history here and Chase. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and Chase both have a good feel for this track. Inherently, Alan and Chad (Knaus, crew chief) have some different concepts with their cars and where their cars go, so I can't say our cars are identical. But, I feel Chase's chances are high.'

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Ryan Blaney

On the odds he can make it to Miami on points

'You never know what can happen. If you go and you get a good couple stages in, you and the 11 (of Denny Hamlin) or the 2 (of Brad Keselowski) don't have very good stages, you might be right there.'

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Ryan Blaney

On handling the pressure of the playoffs

'I don't really feel a lot of pressure in any situation. I thought the situation at Kansas was a big challenge for us and I thought the way that we handled it in overcoming it was a big statement for our team.'

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Ryan Blaney

On if starting on the front row with Denny Hamlin changes his approach

'Not really. Those guys are gonna be good in the race. The 2 (Brad Keselowski) car struggled in qualifying, but he'll find his way up there. Our mindset coming into this weekend was really trying to win the race, and sitting on the pole, my mindset doesn't change.'

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Denny Hamlin

On where the line of aggression drivers will toe on Sunday

'I mean, you do everything you can. I sensed how important it was in the first race of this round, much less the last race of this round. I don't know how much different you would do. I mean, you try to do everything you can to win.'

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Denny Hamlin

On if he's worried that Chase Elliott is starting behind him

'Was I worried last weekend? No, and I'm not worried this weekend. No, I'm not worried. Everyone up front is professionals and we all have one job to do and that's to win.'

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Denny Hamlin

On if Phoenix will race like a short track and drivers could make desperate moves

'I think you'll see drivers doing desperate things for sure.'

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Brad Keselowski

On if he can make it to Miami from a starting position of 16th

'We'll find out. It’s a short race and if there's a track to qualify well this is one of them. It's not where we want to start, but when the track gets hot and slick we seem to run better here than when it cools off at night. I don't know, maybe that's my style.'

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Brad Keselowski

On his frustration with his car during qualifying

'I had one pole here in 2014 and it seems like the fall race here I can never seem to get qualifying hooked up here. Maybe I'm doing something wrong.'

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Brad Keselowski

On his car's down performance through practices and qualifying

'I'm not real sure. We hope we'll find it for Sunday when it counts. Qualifying here hasn't been my greatest here as of late, so we'll just kind of do what we can for Sunday.'