

When Michael McDowell said he'd run through a concrete wall to gain Jeff Burton's approval, we never thought he meant literally.

Those of you who think a cowboy hat can make anybody look tough didn't see Jack Roush wearing one in the post-race news conference.

They may have to re-film that Shell commercial, using Kevin's in-car audio from Texas:
"Still won't turn left, Kevin?" "Nope."

How did a car that good get to be so bad that quickly? If you know the answer, Dale and Tony would love to hear it.

Driving the new car on an intermediate track is like having your back waxed: It's painful at first and you swear you'll never do it again, but sooner or later, it'll grow on you.

In addition to not uttering a negative comment about the new car, Kyle is refusing to answer questions about global warming, the Democratic primaries and his favorite color of M&M's.

Somebody asked Denny who was at fault on that last-lap incident with the Jack Daniel's car and he replied, "I'll take the fifth."

Try the San Diego Freeway on a Friday afternoon: "I was really shocked today in how bad the cars drove in traffic. At the last two intermediate tracks, our stuff had bigger problems than worrying about how the car drove."

Give me your lunch money, kid: "When you're the first one on old tires and everybody's got new tires behind you, they're going to eat your lunch."

The bad news: Clint got wrecked and finished 10th.
The good news: He had Kansas going all the way in the RCR basketball pool.

To paraphrase Captain Renault in Casablanca: "I'm shocked, shocked to find that post-race inspection issues are still going on in here!"

You know it's not your day when the wheels come loose and the engine gets tight.

The Beach Boys sang about Good Vibrations, but there's no such thing when you're driving along at 170 mph, as Kasey found out Sunday.

Points in the last five races:
Jeff Gordon: 562
Kasey Kahne: 580
David Ragan: 594

Eyes wide open: The setting sun used to be so bad at Phoenix, David said it was "like driving without seeing." Now I know what meant when he said he was so familiar with the place, he could drive it with his eyes closed.