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 Centurion Boats at the Glen at Watkins Glen International.
“The good Lord was with us today. I gave it away and got it back the same way I lost it. I felt we had a shot if we could run them down. But Jeff [Gordon] was tough. He was very strong. We just had to keep the pressure on Jeff and hope he made a mistake, and that’s just what happened. The good Lord was with us today, and I got it back the same way I lost it.” – Tony Stewart (race winner)
“I just overdrove it into [turn] 1. Pretty much same thing that happened to Tony [Stewart] earlier; just stupid. I knew I had to push. Tony was really good, and I wanted that win really bad. And I know points don’t mean anything so I pushed and I pushed too hard.” – Jeff Gordon (finished ninth)
“We’re competitive, but I wasn’t happy with the car today. It didn’t drive the way it should have. It’s amazing; you got a car sideways in the middle of the racetrack, there’s not a yellow, but if you get a piece of debris then there is a yellow. I guess a car isn’t classified as a piece of debris anymore.” – Ryan Newman (finished 13th)
“My interpretation was that we got run over. I guess the No. 1 [Martin Truex Jr.] ran over the No. 42 [Juan Pablo Montoya]. Just hate it. I’m frustrated with the No. 42; it seems like he runs over somebody every week. I was talking about kicking his ass cause that’s how I felt about it.” – Kevin Harvick (finished 36th) following an accident involving Montoya
“I went to Kevin and said ‘It wasn’t my fault. I got hit from behind.’ He started shouting and grabbing me and I don’t appreciate that. If it was my fault I would have gone and said, ‘It was my fault.’ I have a little respect for the guy, well I use to have a little respect for the guy like that, because he helped me a lot to start with. I tried to tell him this.” – Juan Pablo Montoya (finished 39th)
“Stay in the car! Just stay in the car! Let’s go! What’s the problem?” – Donnie Wingo on the radio when Montoya got out of his car
“The guy, comes running down, jumps over the wall, leans into the side of my car, hands me a hat and a Sharpie and says, ‘Will you sign this.’ I’m like, I’m a little busy here man. And the truck comes and he starts running.” – Matt Kenseth (finished 12th) on his radio during the red flag with 15 laps remaining
“It’s frustrating to run so well again and then end up here on the trailer with a broken racecar. It seems like the same scene every week. Yeah, it hurts us in the points but we can make it up. This team has been through a lot and I’ve been through a lot in this business, so we know we can come back when we’re down. We know strange things happen and we could right back in the points in a flash. I’m not giving up, and I know those guys there loading up the racecar aren’t going to give up.” – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (finished 42nd)
“It was a good day. We worked our way up all the way to second at one point. We tried to be conservative on fuel and that put us in the back of the pack. All those yellows at the end made it too tough to pass.” – Kurt Busch (finished 11th)
“What a day. I still can’t believe the gesture from Bill to allow me to drive. I hope he and the rest of the guys think it all worked out OK. I think the No. 22 finished way behind us and that should be enough to get them the points they need to be in the Top 35. I certainly hope so. That was my goal for this group today. They’re such a great group of guys, and I was really honored to be able to run a race in the famed No. 21 car.
“Thanks to Eddie and Len and Little Debbie, Air Force and Motorcraft for such an opportunity. I can’t say enough about it – it was a thrill.” – Boris Said (finished 14th)
“We changed some things from Sonoma, and the fuel mileage was very good today. Things we did to the carburetor hurt the torque a little bit, so running hard I would get beat off of turn 1 a little bit. All in all, it was a good day, but I’m disappointed a little bit because I felt we should have had a better finish.” – Jamie McMurray (finished 34th)
