Jimmie Johnson crosses the start-finish line to complete a season sweep at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Credit: Autostock

Quotebook: Chase for the Nextel Cup drivers

CONCORD, N.C. -- Comments from the 10 drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup following Saturday's UAW-GM Quality 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway:

Finished fourth, his best career finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

At one point Saturday, Kurt Busch had to hustle through the grass to avoid an accident. Credit: Autostock

"It was an awesome job. I really don't know what to say except this is our best finish ever at Charlotte. And to be able to do this with dodging so many obstacles, it was the adventure of Kurt Busch and team today.

"The Irwin team did a great job and it was just a matter of every pit stop trying to understand what to change and what was going to happen next. We did a good job of just avoiding disaster as many times as it did strike today. I was just far enough behind some of those accidents to stay away -- having a blown engine in front of us, to have a few wrecks and just being able to avoid the disaster.

"It was an adventurous night and we were able to come away with a good finish."

Finished third, his third consecutive top-10 finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

UAW-GM Quality 500 •   Results •   Standings Victory Lane Jimmie Johnson completes the season sweep at Lowe's Disappointing Kahne's dominating performance ends up in the wall Nowhere to go J.Gordon spins and gets tagged by Rusty Wallace Spin cycle Vickers' night ends early has he tags the wall Near disaster Busch, Gordon involved in a wreck on Lap 1

""I just have to keep finishing ahead of them. Aside from that, that's all you can do. Kurt brought his A game, we have our A game going on right now. We just have to keep having the same kind of weekend.

"Every race, I just focus on a top-10 finish. It's hard, but I try not to think about where Kurt is or Jeff is on the track or any of the other guys that are close enough. You just try to get what you can get. There were a couple of times tonight where I had to kind of pull the reins back a little bit because I got to racing too hard. There's a point where you don't want to make any mistakes too early in the race.

"We had a pretty good car, probably a second-place car to the 9 [Kasey Kahne]. We got to trying some things and I wouldn't let them free the car up enough. I kept telling them I was a little tight, but don't get me too loose. That timid attitude toward loosening the car up didn't keep up with the track, because it tightened way up at the end. We had a good car when it counted and we got a great pit stop there with 20 to go and we were able to get a top-five."

Finished second despite being involved in two separate incidents in Saturday's race.

Jeff Gordon suffered damage in two separate incidents Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Credit: Autostock

"It was a really up-and-down day. We started off the race and that wreck happened in Turn 1. We seemed to get the worst of it. All the points guys were right there around us. That was disappointing to fall that far behind to fix some damage.

"We took off really good and then got completely loose and sideways. I couldn't drive it. We need a caution really bad. I didn't realize we were going to be the caution, but I just couldn't hang onto it any more.

"The car came around on me coming off Turn 4 and I just tried to hang onto it. I hated it for Rusty, but we were able to make some good adjustments and the car really came to life. We drove from a long ways back. There were so many moments today where we could have crumbled, but we stayed calm and came back."

Finished seventh, his second consecutive top-10 finish.

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"We had a great race car all night until the last three runs. We got the car a little bit too tight. I don't know if the track changed that much and we didn't keep up with it or maybe I gave Todd [Parrott] some wrong information.

"It was a little frustrating there at the end to have a top-three or top-four car and finish seventh with it. But, all in all, that's not gonna kill us for the points. We didn't gain anything on the 97 or the 8, but we didn't really lose anything.

"There are other guys behind us, so I think we're still fourth in the points and we'll go to Martinsville."

Finished 13th after being caught up in a multicar accident on Lap 312.

Mark Martin's team hustle to get its driver back on track. Credit: Autostock

"It's hard for me to believe that some of these guys could pass a driver's test. I can't believe they've got a driver's license. Golly, we did everything we could do here. We gave it a great run for the whole team. I can't help it. We wrecked. It was a great effort by the Viagra team. I'm really proud of them.

"[With the crash] the damage was done. We were in damage control at that point. There wasn't any crazy frustration going on at that point. It was just how we could recover the best possible way. We had a shot, but it didn't work out."

Finished 10th despite having a car he threatened to intentionally wreck.

"We were obviously looking for a better race that that, but to come out of here with a top-10 says a lot about this race team. Nobody ever quits here, that's for sure."

Finished 11th, his best finish since New Hampshire last month.

NOTE: Quotes are from crew chief Robbie Reiser.

Matt Kenseth has just one top-10 finish in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Credit: Autostock

"All in all, you've got to look at this as a championship team and they put on a championship effort. We had an opportunity at winning this race tonight. We were up in the top three all night long and cut a tire down. That cost us big.

"The guys worked and worked and got the car to the point where we could even race it. We got back on the lead lap and then worked our way back to an 11th-place finish. That just shows to me what type of team this really is."

Won Saturday's race to complete a season sweep at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"We still have hopes [for the championship] but it's out of our control. It's going to require that the No. 8 and the 97 to have some bad luck. Right now, with a lot of the drivers having one bad race, maybe a top-five is a realistic goal that we can control as a team by four performances on the racetrack.

"We need to finish as high as we can in the points and do the best we can. If these guys bobble up front, then we have a chance. But with two bad races like we've had, I don't think it's in our control."

Finished 14th after getting caught up in a multicar accident on Lap 312.

Ryan Newman stops for some tires Saturday at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Credit: Autostock

"It knocked the toe out real bad, and I just couldn't turn it. It was just a disappointing day for the Alltel Dodge.

"We had a fast car. We got back on the last pit stop, but we had a car that would have won. We were watching the 48. He was loose and we were a little bit tight. We were getting better as it went. It was just a typical night at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"Kasey was really good tonight, too. All we can do is try our best in these next five races and see where we end up. We've had a lot of stupid stuff happen to us."

Finished 30th after involvement in an accident on Lap 223.

"I guess it just wasn't supposed to be our night. We got caught in the pits when the yellow came out, and then we slipped in some oil. What are you going to do? We had a good car. If everything had gone right, we'd be out there running for the win with Kasey [Kahne]. His car was really strong, and he ran a good race. It looked like he was going to get his first win tonight."