Jimmie Johnson crosses the start-finish line to complete a season sweep at
Lowe's Motor Speedway. Credit: AutostockQuotebook: Chase for the Nextel Cup
driversCompiled by Ron Lemasters Jr., Special to NASCAR.COM
October 17, 2004
10:20 AM EDT (14:20 GMT)
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CONCORD, N.C. -- Comments from the 10 drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup
following Saturday's UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway:
1. Kurt Busch, 5,850 points

Finished fourth, his best career finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
At one point Saturday, Kurt Busch had to hustle through the grass to avoid an
accident. Credit: Autostock
"It was an awesome job. I really don't know what to say except this is our best
finish ever at Charlotte. And to be able to do this with dodging so many
obstacles, it was the adventure of Kurt Busch and team today.

"The Irwin team did a great job and it was just a matter of every pit stop
trying to understand what to change and what was going to happen next. We did a
good job of just avoiding disaster as many times as it did strike today. I was
just far enough behind some of those accidents to stay away -- having a blown
engine in front of us, to have a few wrecks and just being able to avoid the
disaster.

"It was an adventurous night and we were able to come away with a good finish."
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr., minus-24

Finished third, his third consecutive top-10 finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
UAW-GM Quality 500
• Unofficial Results• Unofficial StandingsVictory Lane
Jimmie Johnson completes the season sweep at Lowe'sDisappointing
Kahne's dominating performance ends up in the wallNowhere to go
J.Gordon spins and gets tagged by Rusty WallaceSpin cycle
Vickers' night ends early has he tags the wallNear disaster
Busch, Gordon involved in a wreck on Lap 1

""I just have to keep finishing ahead of them. Aside from that, that's all you
can do. Kurt brought his A game, we have our A game going on right now. We just
have to keep having the same kind of weekend.

"Every race, I just focus on a top-10 finish. It's hard, but I try not to think
about where Kurt is or Jeff is on the track or any of the other guys that are
close enough. You just try to get what you can get. There were a couple of times
tonight where I had to kind of pull the reins back a little bit because I got to
racing too hard. There's a point where you don't want to make any mistakes too
early in the race.

"We had a pretty good car, probably a second-place car to the 9 [Kasey Kahne].
We got to trying some things and I wouldn't let them free the car up enough. I
kept telling them I was a little tight, but don't get me too loose. That timid
attitude toward loosening the car up didn't keep up with the track, because it
tightened way up at the end. We had a good car when it counted and we got a
great pit stop there with 20 to go and we were able to get a top-five."
3. Jeff Gordon, minus-74

Finished second despite being involved in two separate incidents in Saturday's
race.
Jeff Gordon suffered damage in two separate incidents Saturday at Lowe's Motor
Speedway. Credit: Autostock
"It was a really up-and-down day. We started off the race and that wreck
happened in Turn 1. We seemed to get the worst of it. All the points guys were
right there around us. That was disappointing to fall that far behind to fix
some damage.

"We took off really good and then got completely loose and sideways. I couldn't
drive it. We need a caution really bad. I didn't realize we were going to be the
caution, but I just couldn't hang onto it any more.

"The car came around on me coming off Turn 4 and I just tried to hang onto it. I
hated it for Rusty, but we were able to make some good adjustments and the car
really came to life. We drove from a long ways back. There were so many moments
today where we could have crumbled, but we stayed calm and came back."
4. Elliott Sadler, minus-157

Finished seventh, his second consecutive top-10 finish.
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"We had a great race car all night until the last three runs. We got the car a
little bit too tight. I don't know if the track changed that much and we didn't
keep up with it or maybe I gave Todd [Parrott] some wrong information.

"It was a little frustrating there at the end to have a top-three or top-four
car and finish seventh with it. But, all in all, that's not gonna kill us for
the points. We didn't gain anything on the 97 or the 8, but we didn't really
lose anything.

"There are other guys behind us, so I think we're still fourth in the points and
we'll go to Martinsville."
5. Mark Martin, minus-186

Finished 13th after being caught up in a multicar accident on Lap 312.
Mark Martin's team hustle to get its driver back on track. Credit: Autostock
"It's hard for me to believe that some of these guys could pass a driver's test.
I can't believe they've got a driver's license. Golly, we did everything we
could do here. We gave it a great run for the whole team. I can't help it. We
wrecked. It was a great effort by the Viagra team. I'm really proud of them.

"[With the crash] the damage was done. We were in damage control at that point.
There wasn't any crazy frustration going on at that point. It was just how we
could recover the best possible way. We had a shot, but it didn't work out."
6. Tony Stewart, minus-204

Finished 10th despite having a car he threatened to intentionally wreck.

"We were obviously looking for a better race that that, but to come out of here
with a top-10 says a lot about this race team. Nobody ever quits here, that's
for sure."
7. Matt Kenseth, minus-215

Finished 11th, his best finish since New Hampshire last month.

NOTE: Quotes are from crew chief Robbie Reiser.
Matt Kenseth has just one top-10 finish in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Credit:
Autostock
"All in all, you've got to look at this as a championship team and they put on a
championship effort. We had an opportunity at winning this race tonight. We were
up in the top three all night long and cut a tire down. That cost us big.

"The guys worked and worked and got the car to the point where we could even
race it. We got back on the lead lap and then worked our way back to an
11th-place finish. That just shows to me what type of team this really is."
8. Jimmie Johnson, minus-227

Won Saturday's race to complete a season sweep at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"We still have hopes [for the championship] but it's out of our control. It's
going to require that the No. 8 and the 97 to have some bad luck. Right now,
with a lot of the drivers having one bad race, maybe a top-five is a realistic
goal that we can control as a team by four performances on the racetrack.

"We need to finish as high as we can in the points and do the best we can. If
these guys bobble up front, then we have a chance. But with two bad races like
we've had, I don't think it's in our control."
9. Ryan Newman, minus-271

Finished 14th after getting caught up in a multicar accident on Lap 312.
Ryan Newman stops for some tires Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Credit:
Autostock
"It knocked the toe out real bad, and I just couldn't turn it. It was just a
disappointing day for the Alltel Dodge.

"We had a fast car. We got back on the last pit stop, but we had a car that
would have won. We were watching the 48. He was loose and we were a little bit
tight. We were getting better as it went. It was just a typical night at Lowe's
Motor Speedway.

"Kasey was really good tonight, too. All we can do is try our best in these next
five races and see where we end up. We've had a lot of stupid stuff happen to
us."
10. Jeremy Mayfield, minus-257

Finished 30th after involvement in an accident on Lap 223.

"I guess it just wasn't supposed to be our night. We got caught in the pits when
the yellow came out, and then we slipped in some oil. What are you going to do?
We had a good car. If everything had gone right, we'd be out there running for
the win with Kasey [Kahne]. His car was really strong, and he ran a good race.
It looked like he was going to get his first win tonight."



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ALL STRESSED OUT AND NO ONE TO CHOKE!!











































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