NASCAR WCUP: Notes and Quotes from first 125, Daytona International Speedway
17 February 2000
Posted By Terry CallahanMotorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
TONY STEWART, NO. 20 HOME DEPOT PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"We were best in class. We're pretty happy. The car was a lot better than it was two days ago. The guys did a great job yesterday. Greg and all the guys really turned this car around. It's a whole different race car than what we had two days ago. We ran good. This Pontiac has been good everywhere we've gone, and I think right now we're just getting snookered a little bit. The car is driving really good. We're just getting beat. We're just getting outrun right now." (CAN HE WIN SUNDAY) "Not at the rate we are right now. We can run with the pack. We just can't run with those guys that ran up front today. We've got our work to do to get it ready for Sunday. I ran with a Ford all day, and can't say that nobody is going to run with us, because there were two Chevys behind us and then another Pontiac. Right now, we just have to do our work and try to catch up to where they are. We were about two tenths off of what the front three guys were running when we were leading that pack, so we have to find two tenths somewhere."
BOBBY LABONTE, NO. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"That was the best medicine I could have had. I haven't been feeling too good today. I was just riding a little bit too much, compared to Bill (Elliott). Congratulations to him. We just need to get a little better handle on it a little more speed." (PRETTY "TAME" RACE) "It kind of was in a way. It was just more like July 4th. That means July 4th isn't going to be very good when it comes to slipping and sliding. All-in-all, we've got to work on our handling package and make it better." (FORDS LOOK TOUGH) "Yes. You know the 24 car finished in front of me and I guess he was the first Chevrolet in the field. His car was pushing pretty bad there at the end, too. So, I think we've all got our work cut out for us." (CAN YOU PASS OUT THERE) "You could suck up on somebody, but we when you got down to the corner, you better beware because you were sliding all over the place. It's just one of those deals right now. It's not bad in one way, but in some ways it's just different. We've got to work on it."
KEN SCHRADER, NO. 36 M&M'S PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"We've got a lot of work to do. We were way tight. We were big-time tight. We never got a chance to run out in front of anybody. We were just big tight. We've got a lot of work ahead of us between now and Sunday."
JOHNNY BENSON, NO. 10 TYLER JET MOTORSPORTS PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"We got tight and couldn't quite stay on the bottom.. That's just all part of the deal. But, I was getting pretty nervous there at the end. I couldn't run the bottom where I haven't been able to run really good. But, it gives us an idea what we need for the 500." (DID HE KNOW HIS POSITION NEAR THE END) "I knew we were in trouble. That's all I knew. We just kept going. We still felt fairly confident we could make it in on time, but you don't want to do that if you don't have to. I think we've got a great race car. We just got to work on it a little bit and see where we end up for the 500."
KYLE PETTY, NO. 44 HOT WHEELS PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"We'll see what happens. All we can do is wait. The team worked hard and put forth a strong effort. What can I say? It's Daytona."
MIKE BLISS, N0. 14 CONSECO PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"You look at Stacy (Compton) and I. We just went straight to the rear. No one wanted to push us along, which is going to happen. We're rookies. Nobody wants to run behind us.. We just had to bide our time. I had to learn. Now, we have to hold our breath and see if we get in by time. We'll see what happens. The car was real good in one and two, and tight off of four. Those guys were running a lot higher line. I was told by A.J. to run the lower line all day, so I did that. I didn't want to get up high. He wanted me to run low all day. I'm disappointed. After the early start there, I just got hung on the bottom by myself and nobody was there to go with me. There is nothing I can do now."
A.J. FOYT, OWNER, N0. 14 CONSECO PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"We put this operation together in just three and a half months and I owe a lot of the credit to Waddell Wilson and the group of guys that he hired for us. The crew worked so hard and I am just thrilled for Mike, the crew and for Conseco because it's their first Daytona 500. I've been here many times, but it's hard for me to put into words just how happy I am for everybody else. I kept saying that if we were meant to be in the race, we would be. But I have to tell you, sweating out those last laps was worse than Bubble Day at Indy."
JEFF FULLER, NO. 27 VIAGRA PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:
"When we lost the primary car, we were at a disadvantage because off the attention was paced on that car. All of our emphasis was on the 'A' car and we really didn't get up to speed with the car. It's a shame because the car we wrecked was a fast race car. It was 13th fastest overall but we didn't' really have a chance to prove what we had." (FEELING ANY EFFECTS FROM YOUR CRASH) "Not at all. My neck feels fine. I wore a special neck brace and the MRO truck did a great job. It wasn't a problem what-so-ever."
Text provided by Al Larsen
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