Dodge Quotes from Saturday at AMS

Saturday, Oct. 30, 2004.
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 Advance.
 

 JEREMY MAYFIELD (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge)

"Considering the luck we've had, I guess you could say the whole Chase
we've had bad luck, but we're still a strong race team and we feel like
we've got a shot anyway of getting close to the top five. We're 90
something out of ninth, but we're real close to the top five also, so if
we can just have consistent runs from here on out in the next few races
we should be in good shape and hopefully close to the top five. Who
knows? Kurt Busch could have bad luck in the next few races like we've
had and we could be right back up in the top before it's over with.
We're not going to give up. We're going to keep running hard and go from
there."

 

HOW TO YOU PLAN TO BREAK THE GOOD-FINISH BAD-FINISH TREND? "If you look
at the stats, this should be the down weekend, but we're not going to
let it be. We're going to fight back hard and try to break this thing.
It all started in Loudon. The 31 car hit the 16 and got into us, and
that kinda set us up for the downhill right there. We're not going to
give up. The good thing about it is none of that was our fault. That's
the thing we've got a lot of hope with. We've got great racecars, a
great race team and anything can happen. We've proved that before, and
we're not going to give up. We'll keep going and hopefully break that
little trend we've got going on."

 

COMMENT ON BLACK NUMBERS ON CARS "As we all know, Ray (Evernham) was
very close to the whole Hendrick organization. That's where he got his
start in NASCAR NEXTEL Cup racing. He's very close to the family, and
that was Ray's way of showing respect to everybody involved and
everybody on the plane. A lot of people have heard about that all
weekend and talked about it. We just want to pay our utmost respect to
everyone on that plane, including the pilots. It was a sad week for Ray.
I've never seen Ray Evernham so, I can't even describe. He wasn't
himself all week. It was an unbelievable feeling I had knowing the
people that were on that plane were very close to him. It's just amazing
for him to come back and want to do that. It's pretty neat."

 

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT THE CHASE? "I'd give bonus points for 10th.
Every week if you were in 10th spot you'd get extra points. If you're
going to be in the top 10 let the top 10 have their own points system.
Whether you leave the points like it is and leaving the top 10 in their
own little system. I think that would tighten it up quite a bit and put
on more of a show coming down to the line here. Everybody would still
have a chance or even divide it up one point per position to make it
even tighter where it comes down to the last wire to see who wins the
championship. Maybe if a guy wrecks you on purpose and you don't have
anything to do with it, maybe don't take any points away from you for
that, either. Give you bonus points. We've be in pretty good shape then.
I think the points system being its own system in the top 10 would be
pretty cool."

 

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR MORE SUCCESS NOW THAT SOME OF THE VETERANS ARE
BEGINNING TO RETIRE? "That's a good point. I've got a lot of respect for
all those guys that have been talking about retiring. I lost a lot of
Rusty fans when Penske and I parted ways. I know we've had our
differences, but Rusty has asked me to drive his Busch car in several
races next year. We're talking about it and are real close to getting
something done there. I thought that was pretty neat. One of the reasons
why I would do it if we get it done is that reason. Hopefully I'll gain
some of the fans back I lost there and maybe gain some of his that he's
got now. It's sad to look at it that way, but that's the way you've got
to look at it. Hopefully those fans will jump on a younger driver and
hopefully we can gain whatever we can out of that. That's just part of
the sport, passing on the torch. Hopefully when it comes our time we'll
get part of that torch and go from there."

 

HAS YOUR ATTITUDE CHANGED ABOUT THE CHASE?  "I can tell you we've still
got a great attitude. We're not going to be down or disappointed in what
we've done this year. We've had a great year. As far as attitude, no
change at all. If anything it's made us a better team with a better
attitude. I think the point system itself, after we got going here,
maybe they should have put us on a different point system just because
of our side of it because we have had bad luck, but overall we're still
positive and still feel like we've got a chance to win. We're honored to
be here and be a part of this deal."

 

HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN KURT BUSCH NOT HAVING ANY BAD LUCK SO FAR? "I don't
know. I guess you look at our side of it and wonder how we got all the
bad luck and he got all the good, but he's had bad luck. They've been
able to capitalize on it in the right way and things have fallen their
way. Somebody was talking about that the other day. When you're running
for the championship and whoever wins the championship, usually they
have a year when a guy spins out he doesn't hit anything and nobody hits
him and he comes back and finishes fifth somehow. The caution will fly
when that happens because something else happens. He's just been in that
position. When something happens he's been able to turn it around and
make the best of it. Really they've done a great job of doing that and I
guess you'd say holding their composure and not letting anything get to
'em. The thing about it is, when it came time to step up, it seemed like
that team stepped up more than anybody right now. They're running hard
and they're fast and they're not holding back and running right on the
edge obviously or he wouldn't be spinning out and saving it. I think
he's done a great job of it."

 

WERE YOU SURPRISED WITH THE WAY EVERNHAM ACTED THIS WEEKEND? "Not
really, I've learned a lot about Ray the last couple of years, and what
I have learned is that when you talk about the Hendrick family and
everyone on the plane and you hear about all the good things about
everyone who was on there, Ray's got a side of him that's just like
that. Ray helps so many people that people don't even know about. His
family member, friends, just a huge heart. He's probably got the biggest
heart of anybody I've ever seen - believe it or not. If he knew I told
you that he'd lose that intense side he's got. I guess you'd say the
image he's got portrayed here. Ray is just a great guy. If you had to
sum it all up, I guess you'd say I'm not surprised at all. It did hit
him hard, and it hit him deep. I understand that by knowing the person I
know now."

 

WHAT'S YOUR STRATEGY FOR PHOENIX? "Our strategy is just like it is every
week and that's we've still got to run hard. We can't hold back. We've
got nothing to lose and we're going into Phoenix the same way. We've got
great racecars, and we've learned a whole lot that's going to help us
there. Hopefully it'll help us here and we'll be in good shape going
into Phoenix. I love going out there. It's one of my favorite places.
I've had good runs, and I've had bad. We're hoping we can turn it around
and have a good run there. We tested there last year and we've got a
great setup. We should be in good shape for this  year."