Quotes of the week

"I think [Lepage] just pulled up right in front of the of field and 'Good Afternoon! I'm glad I didn't get hurt there, that I didn't get a roll bar through the floorboard. This whole restrictor plate deal is a spectacle, but that could have killed someone." Carl Edwards, NASCAR driver, talking about Kevin Lepage's boneheaded move in the Talladega Nationwide race that caused a big wreck that eliminated 16 cars

"Fernando arrived last year, put the car on the right track, and they thanked him by basically kicking him out. And look where they are now." Adrian Campos, Fernando Alonso's former manager is convinced that the Spaniard is the missing element at McLaren this year.

“I had a great car today and was in fourth and could have challenged for a podium spot, but E.J. Viso ruined our chances of that. I came into the pits and he was trying to pit in my pit box, and that’s just unacceptable." Ed Carpenter, IRL driver, who finished 10th on Sunday

"I look forward to resuming contact with him when the News of the World's deliberate and calculated lies have been comprehensively refuted." Max Mosley commenting about sports minister Galeb Majadle hurriedly withdrawing an invitation for Mosley to visit Israel after belatedly learning of the scandal surrounding him.

"I am very upset with him [Max Mosley]. Very upset, because he didn't invite anyone to his party. Is there no one in formula one who has ever had a sex party?" Nelson Piquet, 3 times World Champion; father of Nelsinho Piquet, Renault F1 driver

"In the IRL I do not see anything — no brakes, no corners, no nothing." Nelson Piquet, former triple world champion commenting on Danica Patrick's credentials to compete in Formula One

"Driving the car in 2008 configuration, with much more downforce than we will have next year, on slick tires, was like going to Disneyland! It was incredible. I have to say it is much nicer to drive the car on slicks." Felipe Massa, Scuderia Ferrari Marlboro

"If we are third and fourth and I'm ahead of him, then to be honest I'm thinking about the two guys in front of me. I have confidence in myself. I'm not afraid of anyone. In the race it does not enter my head at all to think 'Where is Lewis?' I did not expect to be fighting for podiums and pole positions straightaway. That has been a little surprising." Heikki Kovalainen, commenting on McLaren teammate Lewis Hamilton

"It sucks being out of the race car. There’s no simple way to put it. Your ego takes a hit. For a race car driver being at the track and watching cars, especially yours, go around might be the worst thing in the world." AJ Allmendinger, NASCAR driver; ex-Champ Car driver

"I always expect Scheckter to drive like that. And that Viso, I don't know who he is even. He's new and he's got a pretty fast car. He's learning the ropes of this oval racing. He almost put me in the wall at one point. I was like, ‘Look dude, you're new. You better be nice because we all know how to handle this a little better than you do at this point.’ It's all right. You got some newcomers and they're going to be trying to push it. They're not going to know how. They're not going to know what they can and can't do. There's a lot of etiquette to learn in oval racing. It takes a little time. Yeah, there was close racing out there, but didn't end up racing close at the end." Danica Patrick, IndyCar driver commenting after the Indy 300 at Kansas Speedway

"Tony George stopped me today at Kansas Speedway to respond to an answer I gave earlier in this format. He said his family indeed has the ability to sell Indianapolis Motor Speedway, although, clearly, there it has no interest in doing so at this time. George also said there have been multiple inquiries over the years, including those from Roger Penske, Bill France Jr., John Mecom and even a group that included A.J. Foyt." Curt Cavin, Indy Star