2011 Coca-Cola 600: NASCAR Drivers React To Stunning Finish

Here are what a few of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers had to say after Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway:

KASEY KAHNE (leading on final restart but finished 22nd): “I ran out of gas (on the restart). We were trying to make it. It was just our strategy. That was our plan. ... We had to. It was our only chance to finish in the top 20.”

DENNY HAMLIN (ran out of fuel while running second on last lap): “You can’t run second on the back straightaway and be happy with 10th. ... My eyes got huge when I saw everyone running out in front of us. As soon as they got big, they got small – because we ran out of fuel. ... We’re back being competitive like we should be, and we’re going to win some races here soon.”

JIMMIE JOHNSON (blew an engine with four laps to go, finished 28th): “What I’m taking from this week is that we had a fast car. Unfortunately four laps from the end, we lost an engine – which never happens. We’ve had a lot of things go our way over the years and the last couple of weeks, things have not gone our way and that’s just how it goes.”

KURT BUSCH (fourth): “It’s amazing that we can race 600 miles and it comes down to a green-white-checkered finish and fuel mileage. That’s the excitement that this sport brings, and you never know when it’s going to be your time to have fuel or not.”

KEVIN HARVICK (won the race, but felt bad for Dale Earnhardt Jr.): “I feel like complete crap, to tell you the truth. Man, when I saw that thing slowing down, I was like, ‘I really want to win the race, but why can’t it be on a day when we’re running bad or have something going wrong?’ I think everybody sitting up here would say we want the 88 to win. ... I feel so stinking bad for him, and I know how bad he wants it. They keep running like that, it’ll happen.”

RICKY STENHOUSE JR. (finished 11th in Sprint Cup Series debut): “That was interesting. ... It was everything I thought it was going to be. The 600 miles didn’t seem too bad. I still feel pretty good, so that’s good. Our trainer at the shop must be working me out pretty good.”

MARCOS AMBROSE (finished sixth): “That’s the longest race I’ve ever been a part of, I can tell you that, without switching drivers around. It’s just a big thrill to finish one. This is my third try and I hadn’t finished one, so I’m proud of my team and proud of our record.”

REGAN SMITH (finished eighth): “I guess you can say the longest race of the season paid off in our favor. .... The pit strategy was perfect, which was the main reason we made a pretty good leap near the end of the race. It was a good points day as we continue to fight for a top-20 position in the driver standings.”

DAVE ROGERS (crew chief, Kyle Busch): “Kyle just tried to do the impossible, and that’s why we love him. We know he gives us 100 percent and he doesn’t ever leave any on the table. Tonight, he just tried to take a little bit too much and it got away from him. That’s why we love Kyle Busch – he only knows one speed: Full throttle.”