Each week, we’ll go through all the media reports, interviews, PR and all our own stuff to find the best quotes from the Nextel Cup race to capture the story of how the weekend unfolded. It’s the most original commentary you’ll ever find; the truth, coming straight out of the mouths of the drivers, crew members and the car owners themselves. This week, here’s a sneak peek at what some select few were thinking after the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
“This one is for everyone in the stands who pull for me and have to take the bull(expletive) from everyone else.” – Tony Stewart
“It’s a little late to be concerned about it now, isn’t it?” he asked. “Whatever happens, they can’t take this [trophy] away from me today.” – Stewart, when asked about his post-race expletive
“Here, kitty, kitty, kitty. Come get you some of this.” – Stewart while he was chasing Kevin Harvick
“Heh heh. That was FUN.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (finished 34th) on his radio after an aggressive pass on Stewart on lap 20
“I can tell you what Kasey [Kahne] said to me. I went by him so fast on the outside that it got him loose and made him mad. So he said ‘I figured if I was going, I’d take you with me.’ That’s what he said to me. I guess he’s having a bad day.” – Tony Raines (finished 41st) after a lap 39 accident with Kahne
“It’s feast or famine here for us. Unfortunately I had a situation early in the race where [Denny] Hamlin slid inside and got into [Matt] Kenseth and we all got caught up in a wreck and damaged the car. And from there, we were just trying to get the car straightened back out and get our lap back; which, I just got by the No. 8 [Earnhardt Jr.] and was in position for the Lucky Dog and then the left-front tire blew back out and I went into the wall. The flames had me nervous there inside the car and I lost some eyelashes and the side of my face got pretty hot.” – Jimmie Johnson (finished 39th)
“I just want to thank Hendrick Motorsports. I’ve never had a motor that run like that before in my whole life. If I hadn’t had messed up today we might have had a shot at it. Definitely could have done it a little better than that. I broke second gear, didn’t shift it right, and smooth enough and broke second gear and was having to guess on my speed a little bit and I got busted for speeding but incredible, incredible guys, incredible car.
“The motor was unreal and I’m pleased to fight back from all of that. I thought our day was over as soon as we broke second gear, so it’s partly about just nursing it to getting it to the end.” – Mark Martin (finished sixth)
“It was exciting. It’s the first actual race that I could get to people and I could pass them. I don’t think anybody had anything for Tony today.” – Juan Pablo Montoya (finished second)
“I just got hit in the left-rear quarterpanel. [David] Stremme tried sticking it underneath me when he shouldn’t have and spun us around. It’s unfortunate. We took a pretty good lick to the wall and ended our day.” – Ryan Newman (finished 42nd)
“I couldn’t see what happened on that wreck, just a lot of smoke. We got caught up in the wreck and the damage pushed the radiator into the oil cooler and caused a leak. We’re pretty good, we just need to get back out there and run some more laps with this car.” – Kyle Petty (finished 30th)
“That was way better than we could do. We had probably a 25th-place car and finished 10th with it, so, somehow, we were able to steal some spots and finish it but we ran just terrible. We’ve got to get our car a lot better.” – Matt Kenseth
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