Dodge Quotes from NASCAR Nextel Open

May 22, 2004.
Lowe's Motor Speedway.
NASCAR NEXTEL Open.

STERLING MARLIN (No. 40 Coors Light Dodge) - Race winner

"I kind of spun the tires on that last restart. Jamie was on fresher
tires and he pinned me down getting into turn one. I got loose in the
center. I was kinda hoping those two (McMurray and Jeremy Mayfield)
would get together. They got to knocking and banging, so it was pretty
wild.

 

"Lee McCall made a great call on that two-tire stop. We got in that deal
on the start and messed the nose up on it and got way in the back. We
put two tires on and went back out leading and it was really good. I
think if it had stayed green we had it. We had the double file restart
and Jamie kind of pinned me down in one and two and got me loose. They
got by me and Jeremy and Jamie really started racing each other. I was
gaining on them before they started doing that, but they got to banging
on each other. Both of them got crossed up off turn four and I was able
to sneak by on the inside.

 

"We were really good yesterday in race trim. I think it is (good enough
to win). It's driving good now. It wasn't driving good on the start, but
we made some adjustments on the pit stop and it's really hooked up for
putting two tires on it. Hopefully we can put the Coors Light Dodge in
victory lane again tonight and get that million bucks."

 

JAMIE McMURRAY (No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge) - Finished Third

"From about lap 15 on the car was loose. We felt like if we put tires on
for those last 10 laps we would be pretty good. I don't know if the
rubber from those cars in the race before ours was the difference or
what, but the track freed up a lot. We gave it all we had, but we just
came up a little short."

 

DONNIE WINGO (Crew chief No. 42 Texaco/Havoline Dodge)

COMMENT ON McMURRAY'S SAVE

"It doesn't surprise me. I've seen him do it before. He's good at that,
but I don't know how it does it. He can catch it. When it gets out on
him he can usually catch it. He takes a lot of pride in that. He does a
good job at it."

 

JEREMY MAYFIELD (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge) - Finished Second

"We really wanted to get to the big race, but we just came up a little
short. Our car was really fast, and we had a lot of fun out there. Those
three Dodges put on a good show. I just wish that 19 Dodge Dealers Dodge
could have finished one spot better, but we had a good run and we'll
come back next week ready for the 600."

CASEY MEARS (No. 41 Target Dodge)

"The transmission blew up. I went from second to third, got to third for
a split second and then it just blew apart. As soon as the car stopped I
couldn't even pull it out of gear. It was all jammed together. I feel
bad for everybody. We had a mechanical failure and it took out half the
field. Fortunately Jamie and Sterling are still in it and it'll give
them a better chance to win the Open."

 

BRENDAN GAUGHAN (No. 77 Kodak Easy Share Dodge)

"I have no clue. That's one of those racing things. I think because the
Orleans Dodge Ram actually finished the race last night without any
damage, it's like the Steve Park thing. It was my turn. I had to take it
for Steve this weekend. We would have liked to at least have this as a
test session for the Coca-Cola 600 next weekend. As a Raybestos Rookie,
we would have loved to get a few more laps. This time is about the main
portion of the 600. We think we had a decent shot. This style of racing
is up my alley - short and take it to the point. I feel sorry for the
guys. It was nobody's fault, nothing anybody could have done. It was
just one of those things. For the first time at least I hit the soft
wall. Every time I hit walls with soft walls I hit the non-soft part. I
don't know how I got spun I was already up to the wall and I got hit and
still ended up backwards. It was just a racin' deal."