Quotes of the week
UPDATE
“Listening never hurt anyone. It’s interesting, right?" Danica Patrick, IndyCar driver, Andretti Green Racing, on speculation that NASCAR and F1 teams are interested in signing her
“Listening never hurt anyone. It’s interesting, right?" Danica Patrick, IndyCar driver, Andretti Green Racing, on speculation that NASCAR and F1 teams are interested in signing her
03/01/09
"Unfortunately, our company has a slight cold right now. But we would like to cure this cold as quickly as possible and work towards reaching that happiness [of racing]." Takanobu Ito, the future Honda CEO, set to take over Honda Motor Company in June
"I tell you what, this is pretty cool. I didn't know exactly what it would mean, but coming to the checkered flag, there were knots in my stomach. It's bigger than winning the Daytona 500. I said it wasn't going to be, but it is. I just had to kiss the ground this place was built on (recalling watching every phase of construction)." Kyle Busch, NASCAR driver, Joe Gibbs Racing, after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, his hometown track
"Clint Bowyer slipped off the bottom just a little bit. So I had my left sides right on the white line there, got a good drive through the center of the corner because it gripped good. I got right up to him. He started coming back down a little bit. I'm like, 'Oh, don't do that.' He got loose and I got by him. Fortunately it was a clean move for us. We were able to get by him. He was able to rebound with a second-place finish. I think he got by (Jeff) Burton there at the end. He had a good strategy there to stay out on his old tires. He knew what to expect with his car. He wasn't the fastest car because of those tires, not having any. We were able to have just a little bit better grip than he did and pass him." Kyle Busch, NASCAR driver, Joe Gibbs Racing, on his winning pass.
"It's been kind of a crazy weekend and a crazy race. I'm kind of disappointed that we didn't start out as well as what we had practiced all weekend. The car wasn't where it needed to be. We had to make some major adjustments. Sometimes you just have to scratch and claw and kick, spit and fight for a win. That's what this whole race team did, along with Kyle (Busch) today. I think they took advantage of an opportunity when it came." Steve Addington, Crew Chief, Kyle Busch's No. 18 M&M's Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing when asked if he thought his car was capable of winning the race Sunday
"If I were to design a Formula One driver today, I would design Marco. He learns quickly. He’s very much of a free spirit." Mario Andretti, World Racing Legend, promoting grandson, Marco Andretti, to drive a Formula 1 car for the new USF1 team “The fact that we are in a recession means people actually listen to us now and take us seriously because it all adds up. Forget the $48 million bond days, forget the $100 million budgets, forget the $30 million retainers for drivers. Over the next three or four years, things are going to change dramatically in Formula One and that’s our period. I first told Bernie Ecclestone about this in Brazil ’06, and he was his usual specific self and said, ‘Great, get it done.’ The FIA equally have known about this in detail now for about five to six months and instantly grasped the program and accepted the program as we wanted to do it as, dare I say it, the poster child of how a Formula One team should be going into the next generation facing a recession and the rule changes. How we are approaching it – the lean, mean skunk works approach – is exactly the sort of thing the FIA are looking for, so they say, for the future." Ken Anderson, Team Principal, new USF1 team "Peter Windsor is a very appealing young man … they used to say Tommy Lasorda would bleed Dodger blue, well (Peter) bleeds Formula One red and you can feel it. It’s a genuine thing. He is a very good student of it. I just feel like he is a huge asset to the team, and the knowledge he has built up and the credibility he has maintained is all very, very positive." Dan Gurney, World Racing Legend, commenting on Peter Windsor's credibility and experience to help run the new USF1 team
"If I were to design a Formula One driver today, I would design Marco. He learns quickly. He’s very much of a free spirit." Mario Andretti, World Racing Legend, promoting grandson, Marco Andretti, to drive a Formula 1 car for the new USF1 team “The fact that we are in a recession means people actually listen to us now and take us seriously because it all adds up. Forget the $48 million bond days, forget the $100 million budgets, forget the $30 million retainers for drivers. Over the next three or four years, things are going to change dramatically in Formula One and that’s our period. I first told Bernie Ecclestone about this in Brazil ’06, and he was his usual specific self and said, ‘Great, get it done.’ The FIA equally have known about this in detail now for about five to six months and instantly grasped the program and accepted the program as we wanted to do it as, dare I say it, the poster child of how a Formula One team should be going into the next generation facing a recession and the rule changes. How we are approaching it – the lean, mean skunk works approach – is exactly the sort of thing the FIA are looking for, so they say, for the future." Ken Anderson, Team Principal, new USF1 team "Peter Windsor is a very appealing young man … they used to say Tommy Lasorda would bleed Dodger blue, well (Peter) bleeds Formula One red and you can feel it. It’s a genuine thing. He is a very good student of it. I just feel like he is a huge asset to the team, and the knowledge he has built up and the credibility he has maintained is all very, very positive." Dan Gurney, World Racing Legend, commenting on Peter Windsor's credibility and experience to help run the new USF1 team