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NASCAR WCUP: Winston 500 Post Race Notes and Quotes

17 October 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

RICK MAST, NO. 14; CONSECO PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

"Heck of a race out there today. We got screwed up on that pit stop and we lucked out when that caution came out and that kept us from going a lap down. And then, we went to the rear of the field on that restart, and I don't know, it wouldn't go, or I got caught sleeping or something, and I got left behind. I was by myself and got lapped. At times today it was fun and at times it was white-knuckle time."

MIKE BLISS; NO. 27; VIAGRA PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

"That was just awesome. It was nerve wracking but I had a lot of fun out there today. That's the best race I've ever run and the most fun I've had racing. I've got to hand it to this Eel River team. They deserve most of the credit for this finish today. The pit stops were good, the spotters were on top of it all day. The car was just great all day long. It wanted that middle groove and when we were there it just moved right on up. I think NASCAR did good on the plate stuff. Everybody was about equal. You could fall back, but then you'd move forward and gain positions again. That lead didn't last long did it? But we got up there on a great pit stop and we got bonus points for the first time. On the last lap, we got four of five wide and I got trapped in the rear, but we kept it under control. That's a fantastic run for us. A great finish. I can't say enough about how good the car was today. Just awesome." (3rd top-rookie of the year, first career top-10, and led for the first time this year.)

BOBBY LABONTE, NO. 18 INTERSTATE BATTERIES PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

(ON HIS RACE) "It was a good finish for us and it could have been a lot worse. "It's mentally demanding. I've never played chess before but I am sure it would be like that. Typical Talledega racing. It's just that they made it more exciting because they made the cars drive better and the made the wake of the draft so you could pick it up a lot faster. Daytona wasn't a good race so they fixed it so know it's a good race."

(ON RULES STAYING THIS WAY) "I don't know. It's hard to say. When you're running third with one lap to go it doesn't make you happy. Any other race if that were to happen it would be different. The driver has no control a lot of times in what takes place for us.

(IN DIFFERENCES AFTER RULES CHANGE) - "I didn't see a whole lot of difference in it. Just ride around, try to protect your position. The car probably handled better but that was about all. I'm tickled to death to be honest with you. We were at the wrong place at the wrong time. It just depends on where you are. It's pretty much obvious that it was pretty good for the most part but there at the end it got kind of rough as far as trying to go after it. But that's just racing and that's the way it is here.

(HOW WAS IT IN THE DRIVER'S SEAT DURING THE LAST THREE HOURS?) - "It's pretty adventurous. You pick and choose, fall back and ride around for awhile, have a snack, take a break, get back up front, do that for a little bit. You know that's kind of the way it is here."

(BUT YOU MANAGED TO AVOID THE BIG WRECK) - "We sure did. We were running up pretty good there behind Junior and things got kind of crazy there at the end, but that's racing on the last few laps here at Talladega. There ain't no difference, I guess, from year's past."

STEVE GRISSOM, NO. 44 HOT WHEELS PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

(ON INCIDENT AT THE END) "I have no idea what happened. They took the checkered flag and they let off and then the next thing I know I looked in my mirror and saw someone start spinning. The next thing I know I got collected up there.

(ON RACE OVERALL) "We had an awful good car. Everybody at Petty Enterprises prepared an awesome car. You just had to work all day to get yourself in a position. We started in the very back and worked our way towards the front and then went to the back. The main thing we just wanted to get ourselves in position to have a run there at the end. We were there, it just didn't work out our way."

JOHN ANDRETTI, NO. 43 STP/CHEERIOS PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

(ON DOING WELL IN RACE) "It doesn't matter. At the end there we got shuffled and got hit a lot. We even got spun out there at the finish line at the end. It shouldn't have ended that way but that's what I expected because of the rules. I expected that to happen. Right there at the end I thought I might be able to get the lead and maybe even pull it off but unfortunately it didn't happen that way."

DAVE BLANEY, NO. 93 AMACO PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

"It was fine. It was a restrictor plate race. We let a tire get away on pit road and that cost us a lap."

JOHNNY BENSON, NO. 10 AARONS PONTIAC GRAND PRIX:

(ON HOW THINGS WENT DURING RACE) "I think everything went OK. I think it was a good race, but it wasn't for us. We had a couple of problems. I didn't complain half as much on the radio, and everybody looked like they were pretty respectable during about 95 percent of the race. I don't know, as long as it's a good race for the fans that's all that matters. I mean I'm okay with it so I think it will probably be alright."

Text Provided By Al Larsen

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