“We’re getting back to the basics, we’re going to try to minimize the change going forward as best we can and focus on what we’ve always focused on, which is the best product in the world.”—NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France during the NASCAR Charlotte Media Tour (1/21/08)
“Kurt came up behind me off of two and just gave me the push from heaven. It was awesome. Listening to my dad on the radio spotting for me, all the other things, all the other emotions, all the hard work, people that gave me a shot racing quarter midgets, midgets, Sprint cars, Silver Crown cars, I have to thank everybody, including the fans.”—Ryan Newman on Daytona 500 victory (2/17/08)
“The new car, you hear a lot of good and bad. For me, it’s more good and I’ll tell you why. One, it’s safer as I kind of proved that at Texas. The car has a lot more room, especially for a guy my size, over 6’2”. The old car, it’s really tight to cram in there so if anything happened, you’re pretty much stuck in there. You’re trapped. The new car has a lot more room. It’s got a lot of safety features.”—Michael McDowell on accident during Texas qualifying (quoted on 7/24/08)
“These are the 43 best drivers in the world, the cars have 900 horsepower, drive 200 miles an hour, and the track and tires are slippery and that’s a spectacle, and that’s what it’s supposed to be. It’s not supposed to be easy for everyone and not supposed to be driving down the interstate; and I’m tired of hearing people complain the media make up stories about how terrible it is and stuff. This is auto racing. There are going to be people that are faster and days we won’t be able to keep up because the car is too hard to drive and somebody is going to win. That’s racing.”—Carl Edwards after winning the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway (4/6/08)
“Whether it was fair or not, he’ll still need extra security.”—Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the crowd’s reaction after Kyle Busch spun him late in the Crown Royal Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Raceway (5/3/08)
“I can’t believe we’re in Victory Lane. It’s been a long time. It feels so good to take it back into Victory Lane, to win a race like this. This is such a tough race to win. Twenty-four, 25 really good racecars in it, and we drove by them. We got voted in by the fans, which is just really, really special and feels good to know that we have that many fans following our team.”—Kasey Kahne on winning the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (5/17/08)
“I race one day a week. I don’t race twice a week. I race one day a week. I have one day a week to prove myself. I have 200 laps, not 400, I have 200. I have to take every opportunity I can to prove myself. To prove myself not only to JR Motorsports but to the Navy and my competitors and fans, and I have to make the most of every lap.”—Brad Keselowski after an on-track incident with Denny Hamlin during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Carquest 300 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway (5/24/08)
“I saw the win in my grasp and got beat to the line. I’ll tell you what, the fans couldn’t have seen a better race. I don’t think it’s going to get any better than that.”—Johnny Benson on getting beaten by Erik Darnell to the finish line by 0.005 seconds in the Cool City Customs 200 at Michigan International Speedway. It was the closest in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history by electronic timing. Although the Grand Rapids, Mich. native lost this race at his home track, he went on to win the 2008 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title, joining Greg Biffle as only the second driver to win both NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series titles. (6/14/08)
“I know I can’t tell my father happy Father’s Day but I get the opportunity to wish it upon all of the other fathers out there, and I genuinely mean that when I say it, because that’s what today is all about. It’s for all of the fathers out there.”—Dale Earnhardt Jr. after winning on Father’s Day at Michigan International Speedway (6/15/08)
“This is obviously special for me personally winning on the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve. Gilles was a hero of mine and I watched him in 1980 or 1981 in pouring rain. So for me to win here, and in the wet, this is really special.”—Canadian Ron Fellows on winning the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve (8/2/08)
“Who finished second? Are you kidding me? You’ve rained on my parade. I could have done without that one. That’s unbelievable, he does a great job.”—Carl Edwards after winning the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway and finding out Jimmie Johnson was the race runner-up (10/26/08)
“At the end of the day, I am that jackass from El Cajon deep down inside. It’s not that I’m not trying to be there, but I’m just focused on what I’ve got to do.”—Jimmie Johnson during the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Contenders News Conference (11/13/08)
“Yeah, we want four, why not? That’s why we’re here.”—Chad Knaus after winning third consecutive championship (11/16/08)
“I didn’t aspire to be in the record books. I think I’ll appreciate that much more as my career slows down or I retire. But right now it’s really about the act of winning a championship. Right now we’ve been fortunate to win three. So over the off-season I’m going to be drooling about a fourth. It’s not really where I fall into the books, it’s more about what I want to be as a champion.”—Jimmie Johnson after winning third straight championship (11/16/08)
“I thought it was time to have a beer so I bought everyone a beer in the bar and just wanted to raise a glass…. So thank you all for your support and all of your hard work throughout the year.”—NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson toasts the media and fans at Foley’s Bar and Restaurant in New York City during Champions Week. (12/3/08)
“All records are going to be broken and tied. Tied really is all he’s done so buddy, you’ve got some work to do. (Laughter and applause) But if anybody was to tie my record, I’m glad Jimmie did it. He’s a great man, great race car driver and got a great future ahead of him. And I’m sure you’re going to win a lot more. Just skip one year and come back later.” Cale Yarborough saluting Jimmie Johnson at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards Ceremony in New York City (12/5/08)
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