MARTIN (ON IF HIS DRIVING STYLE WILL CHANGE DURING THE CHASE.): “Absolutely not. I don’t anticipate doing anything different in these next nine weeks than I have in my entire career. I didn’t do anything different on that (final) restart in Loudon either. I tried to win the race. Winning is winning, whether it’s in the Chase or not in the Chase. And if I was 26th and racing for 25th place, I would have raced just like I did for first and second. I don’t anticipate anything changing for me at all.”
MARTIN (ON BEING CONSIDERED A CONTENDER TO WIN THE CHAMPIONSHIP.): “This is absolutely incredible. This entire season has been unbelievable to me. I know that someday I won’t be racing anymore. And recently I talked to Dale Jarrett (former driver and current ESPN analyst) who, of course, doesn’t (race) anymore. And he said that there is nothing like driving a race car. You can’t get that feeling anywhere else. He’s right. This is exactly what I want to be doing. Exactly where I want to be. And for all of it to be going so well, so right, it’s just unbelievable.”
MARTIN (ON EXTENDING HIS CONTRACT THROUGH 2011.): “Last year, when I decided to come back full time, I asked the guys on this race team to just make sure I keep having fun. If I was having fun, it wouldn’t seem like work. And let me tell you, I’m not just having fun, I’m having the most fun I’ve ever had. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) is incredible. He’s like everything you would want in three different people, but combined in one. He has made my life easier. I don’t have to worry about anything if I know he is behind it all. Why wouldn’t I sign on for more?”
ALAN GUSTAFSON, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 KELLOGG’S/CARQUEST CHEVROLET (ON MAINTAINING THE POINTS LEAD AFTER NEW HAMPSHIRE.): “Last Sunday was great. That’s our goal, that’s everybody’s goal—to have the points lead and make it as big as you can. We were able to improve our lead some; not nearly as much as we would’ve liked. But I think those points are going to be few and far between in the Chase because the competition is so tough. That was a track that we felt if we could just not get too much damage and hold serve, we would be in really good shape. To be able to gain was really, really positive. But like I said, it’s not nearly enough. We just have to keep doing that every week—hold the points lead and make it as large as we possibly can.”
GUSTAFSON (ON HAVING THE MOST WINS EVER FOR HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS’ NO. 5 TEAM.): “This achievement means a lot to me. This is a team that I am very proud to be associated with. My goal when I took the crew chief role here five years ago was to make this team the best it possibly could be, and to try to follow in the footsteps of some of the great crew chiefs that have led this team. To be able to bring this car up to one of its highest levels is really a great achievement. It’s a positive reflection on the team, the team members, Mark and everybody involved. It’s something I’m proud of. It’s very special.”
GUSTAFSON (ON EARNING HIGH PRAISE FROM MARK MARTIN.): “Mark is such a nice guy and a very humble individual. He is one of those people who takes a lot of joy in helping people achieve their goals and help make people better at what they do, or to make them better people in general. I think part of that is Mark, and that is one thing that makes him such a likeable person and someone who everybody wants to be around. At the same time, I know that Mark has been through a lot of rough times in this sport. He’s maybe not gotten the results or accolades that he deserves for different reasons. One of my goals was to make sure that we did everything possible for this team and for Mark to show how good Mark Martin is and how good that (No.) 5 car is. If he is happy, that’s great. Another goal is for this team to be at a top level in this sport. Both of those combined make me feel really good. Seeing the smile on Mark’s face, and the smiles on my team members faces in Victory Lane and the confidence they have and the pride they take in putting on their uniforms and being associated with this car, that’s what it’s all about. To me, that’s what I work for. It’s really special to have that happen. Mark is a big part of that. It’s worth all of the sacrifice.”
GUSTAFSON (ON MARTIN RACING TWO MORE YEARS IN THE NO. 5 CHEVY.): “It’s really good for the team to have the driver lineup nailed down for two years. That support really gives us a solid foundation to build on. That helps us in every phase of what we do, and we can now have goals to build toward. There is nothing in flux. We have a really solid foundation to build off of. It’s great. He’s the best driver out there. We were really honored to have him here for a year. For him to want to be here for two more is a huge compliment. We’re really excited about it.”
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