RYAN NEWMAN (No. 12 alltel Dodge Charger)

“We started 14th, finished 14th and fell to 14th in the standings. The only good result was we’re only 61 points out of 12th now and we entered the race 127 out of 12th. It’s going to be tough, but we really want to qualify for The Chase. We had a good car tonight, but we didn’t get a good finish with it. We’ll try to bounce back and get ‘em next week in Chicago.”

KURT BUSCH (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger)

“I’m real proud of this team and real proud of this year. It feels good to come to a plate track and do welll. We definitely came back strong to Daytona, looking for a good finish after the Daytona 500 didn’t turn out like we wanted. To build a car five months in advance with more downforce, we felt like that was the way to go. We were really strong on the long runs, and that played true a lot percentage of the time. Long runs were minimal tonight with yellows early and yellows late. Everybody was real strong at the end. We expected everybody to be out there three wide and never lifting. That’s what’s so exciting at these plate tracks. For me to finish third, it feels great to do that. It would have been great to win it, but we’re real happy with that. To be able to be in position at the end and to be able to try to push Kyle to victory lane. I had my foot through the floorboard and I had Jeff Gordon behind me. I thought we could hook up and go. I just didn’t quite have the run the 26 did. The 26 car has shown strength at these tracks. He just hasn’t shown patience. Tonight it turned out in his favor with a short run at the end.” MORE KURT BUSCH TO COME

KASEY KAHNE (No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger)

“The crew did a tremendous job repairing the car. We didn’t lose a lap for the initial repairs and when we made stops later, they continued to work on it. It just kept getting better and better. It’s a shame we were caught up in that incident that early in the race (lap 4). A pair of top 10s at Daytona this year. This was good for our team and a great way to start the second half of the season. We overcame adversity tonight and battled back to finish ninth. That’s the mark of a good team. It says a lot about this No. 9 crew.”

BOBBY LABONTE (No. 43 Cheerios/Betty Crocker Dodge Charger)

“It’s restrictor-plate racing. It’s gotta be kind of wild really. I had that first wrecked cleared and the 41 hit me in the back. We had to fight back all night. The car was pretty good, but I’m ready to go home.”

SCOTT RIGGS (No. 10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge Charger)

"We had to make some lengthy stops during the early cautions to undo some of our qualifying setup. We fell a lap down but got it right back. The car was fast, it sucked up well. We just playing it safe at the back of the pack and needed one more big adjustment before we could make a run to the front. But it seized up, something broke in the drivetrain or engine. I am not sure if we can fix it and get back out."

ELLIOTT SADLER (No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger)

‘How was the car tonight? “We had a good racecar, but we had gear problems from the beginning. We didn’t have first at the beginning of the race so we had to hang back and work our way up to speed. The guys had to push me off on the first pit stop. Once we got going, the car was pretty good. When that big wreck came out early, we had to go to the garage and change the transmission. The guys did a great job getting us back up and running. We didn’t have the night we wanted, but it was great having Scott (McDougall) and Ray (Evernham) working together on the box. We’ll go back to the shop and keep working on getting this team where it needs to be.”

REED SORENSON (No. 41 Target Dodge Charger)

“The 20 and 11 got together way up ahead and it got back to us. We were having some problems with the brakes even before the race, so we had some trouble slowing up to avoid the wreck. Somebody hit us, I’m not sure who it was, and we just never could get it back together.”

KURT BUSCH (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger)

“I look two or three cars ahead and see who has momentum and who is doing a side draft off one another and how close are they nose to nail. I looked at Casey Mears to see if he had tires, so you could almost disregard him. You can’t go places other cars can. You see Roush cars out there that I know that I don’t want to work with and I see Hendrick cars out there that I know are fast. Then I had a teammate behind me, Ryan Newman. He saved me one time. I got a little tight and he checked up so I could get back in line. I did the same thing for Kyle a few times. He was a little loose, and I got off the gas, gathered back up and you do down the next straightaway and see who’s sliding in the next corner. I don’t know how to explain it. I just play defensive. I just find a hole and I go there and I don’t try to get too aggressive with my moves.

“There was a yellow with about 40-45 laps to go. We stayed out at that point and that’s what we needed to win the race, a long green-flag run. Kyle and I traded positions back and forth. It was almost to weather the storm for awhile.”

“Everybody is pretty good on tires for 10 15, 20 laps. After 20 laps it begins to string out and that’s what I was hoping for. With the yellows popping out like they did, we had 18 to go and we had to come in and take four. We did the best job we could on pit road and beat everybody out that took four tires. We just had one guy stay out in front of us and then a few guys took two tires. The 07 took, the 9 was in the mix, when you’re that far back everyone is in the mix and they’ve got fresh tires and they’ve got good power.

“I love the chance we have to work together. Pat Tryson is an experienced crew chief but I enjoy working with him. He’s confident in his pit calls. This was the first car he got his hands on. Our Sonoma car and Loudon car had already been built and setup and put on the trailer. This one here he was able to put some ideas into. We’ll be able to go to the wind tunnel with our Chicago car this week and double check where we are. It’s going to begin to roll. I’m happy about that. I can’t express my thanks about him being able to come over to this team. I think we can put a good think together. We’re excited to have him. I think he’s excited to be here and Miller Lite wants us to do better. This was a good sign of that.

“At the end of a restictor-plate race you don’t have any teammates. Everybody seems to be gunning for themselves. There are times as a driver when you realize you can’t win. Maybe I should stay tucked in line and help a teammate. In Hendrick’s case there are so many fast cars out there. I was in a position with Roush where we didn’t seem to have the speed with restrictor-plate cars. Maybe there would be one like a Kenseth. For Kyle the advice I’d have is you’re out there working as an individual, that Hendrick is fielding your cars and there’s not much you can do to help the other guys. So therefore you shouldn’t expect much help from the other guys.”