Quotes of the week
Dan Gurney, former racing great
"I am bitter about the way it has unfolded, and I am not afraid to say it. I have kept my distance (from Indianapolis). I have been back to Indianapolis for a couple of Formula 1 races, but not for the 500. I spent more than 20 years or more of my life there, but they chopped it off abruptly. The new arrangement destroyed the history and lore of 70 decades of racing." (Dan Gurney expressing his disgust for Tony George and what he has done to destroy open wheel racing in America)
05/20/07
GORDON JOHNCOCK, Two time Indy 500 winner
"It ain't like it used to be and never will be……We think the public feels the same way." (Commenting on the demise of the once spectacular Indy 500 race)
PHIL GIEBLER, 33rd place Indy 500 qualifier
"They [Playa Del Racing] worked real hard and never got discouraged. They stayed as late as they needed to, got there as early as they needed to. They gave me a good car today. It felt great. I'm really happy for them, more than anything. These guys are awesome. They pulled me up from the Indy Pro Series, and they believe in me and I believe in them. It's a good match. It really shows what the team is made of and even the other teams [Chastain Motorsports, et al] that helped out with parts and stuff like that, it means a lot to me. I didn't want to disappoint them. It's a small team, but we do a great job. We've had a big mountain to climb all week so it feels really good to get everything done and get it in the show. That was more than the initiation I wanted."
JOE NEMECHEK, NASCAR driver, Ginn Racing
"I think what happened is Juan Pablo Montoya thought he was going to be Superman on the first lap. He was driving in there three wide and then got loose doing it. I don't know what he was thinking. I mean I'm frustrated. We didn't even get in a half a lap of racing, and I'm sitting here with a junked race car. And to have someone to make a…..I don't know, I better watch my words here…..make a STUPID move like that going in Turn 1 and then not to control your race car. Man, it's all his fault. So, all I can say is, paybacks are heck."
JUAN PABLO MONTOYA, NASCAR driver, Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
"Well, it's racing you know. I'm trying. If they're not trying… I'm sorry to have wrecked a couple guys. The only real guy I wrecked was the #38. The only guy I put in the wall was the #38, and that's it. So I'm the guy who caused the wreck, but get over it." (Speaking after the Nextel Open at Lowe's)
SIR JACKIE STEWART, Triple F1 World Champion
"The way he [Kimi Raikkonen] lives his life is contrary to the complete package; the kind that allowed Schumacher to win multiple championships, (as well as) Senna and Prost, Jim Clark or even me," Stewart said. "It is an attitude, a mentality, a way of doing business. Our lifestyle, mind, make-up was different from a Raikkonen — or for that matter a Jenson Button. There are other things in Raikkonen's life he still wishes to carry on doing," Stewart said. "He doesn't seem prepared to make the sacrifice of reducing the lifestyle he has chosen because he enjoys it. He is not prepared to compromise. That is why Hamilton has the opportunity to be dominant over time and Raikkonen doesn't, unless something substantial changes." Stewart also accuses Ferrari's Raikkonen of being "oblivious of social skills."
DOUG THOMPSON, Journalist, Capitol Hill Blue
"If Dale Jr.'s name were anything but Earnhardt, we wouldn't give a damn who he is or what he drives. In reality, baby Dale is not that good of a driver. He's a journeyman wheel man with a so-so team whose career is possible by accident of birth and a lot of successful marketing. NASCAR needs Dale Earnhardt Jr. because he is a last, desperate connection to a dead legend, a reminder of the days before stock car racing became television's replacement for 'professional' wrestling. And Earnhardt Jr. allowed his handlers to turn him into a marketing bonanza. Forget the fact that he hasn't won a race in over a year. Forget his erratic driving, frequent on-track mistakes and lackluster career behind the wheel. He's Dale Earnhardt's son, looks good on camera, and serves as a natural sacrificial lamb to the commercialism gods of NASCAR. Earnhardt Jr. embodies the new image of NASCAR – prepackaged, over marketed and over-hyped. He's scripted pabulum and a perfect symbol for a celebrity-driven culture with little use for substance."