Winston Breakfast Press meeting at Darlington Raceway

Photos © 2002 by Gary Larsen

"I think it energizes me. It pays 3.7 million and we're going to try to get it. Dodge will kick in an extra million so it's definitely something we want to do. Last year we were floating around fourth or fifth place a lot and you look at the payoff sheet and look at everything you do to try to make it better. Week-in-week-out we're trying to make the car run much better."

"We'll keep doing whatever we've been doing. We try to be competitive and at least try to get a couple more wins this year. If we can maintain what we've been doing I think we can be in good shape…try to win. If we can't do that, run in the top five. If we can't do that, run in the top ten."

"You have to watch Jeff Gordon any time. He's really competitive. He drives hard and he has a great race team under him. Maybe winning a race will give him momentum. We're going to concentrate on our car, try to make the Coors Light Dodge go as fast as we can and try to take care of our business."

"I have known Tony since about 1978. I've had a great friendship with him over the years. He thinks like I do. He's a laid-back guy who doesn't get excited about things. He's a really good friend of mine and I have a good relationship with him."

"He's been great. He's won four championships in CART and he's a really competitive person. He wants his cars up front. He's given us the crew and the opportunity to do it. I have a great relationship with him. He'll call once a week asking what we need now and what we need to get better. He wants the car to be faster and the crew to be better."

"It's a real potato sport and I guess it can get under your skin when you run just about a whole race and get taken out. Everybody wants to win. You look at the competition 10 years ago to now and it's really closed up. Everybody races as hard as they can and it's aggravating to get taken out."

"In my heart I knew I could do it. What it takes is the car and people to do it. You work hard. It was a good thing I was patient to sit right where I was when Chip Ganassi came along and bought the team. You can drive your guts out and run 15th or you can drive your guts out and run 1st."