Mark Martin with crew chief Alan Gustafson: He likes the speeds at a Watkins Glen road race. (Photo: Getty Images)

 

“Infineon is a finesse track, and you ‘attack’ Watkins Glen.” – Jeff Gordon.

“So much is determined by where you are when the cautions come out. You do what you can to make the right decision for your car and your team, to put yourself in the best possible situation, but you can’t control what the other 42 cars are doing out there.” – Denny Hamlin.

“I think we’re darn lucky to be 12th (in points) with as bad as things have been, really.” – Matt Kenseth.

“There’s just something about the shifting side of it that’s been really natural to me, and it’s fun. I like having a different discipline to race on. I like having the opportunity to do something twice a year that we don’t get a shot at doing very often.” – Tony Stewart.

“The tracks at Watkins Glen and Sonoma are comparable in the same way as Pocono and Indy are comparable. The tracks are different but the same.” – Jeff Burton.

“I’m becoming much more aware of what these cars need on road courses. We were very fast at the race last year at the Glen, so I think we have a shot: our best shot yet.” – Jimmie Johnson.

“I don’t feel like I have a huge advantage with my background, but I certainly am on the sharper end of that stick.” – Scott Speed.

“There’s a fine line between aggressive and smooth driving on a road course.” – Sam Hornish Jr.

“Watkins Glen its a momentum track, and we need some momentum for the remainder of the year.” – Robby Gordon.

“The smell of the campfires on Sunday morning when you wake up lets you know you are Watkins Glen. The race fans here know their racing. There’s no other place like it in NASCAR.” – A.J. Allmendinger.

“I think the racing is better at Watkins Glen. They both (Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen International) have potential for fuel mileage races, and Sonoma, I think, has fewer passing zones. I think there are one or two more passing zones at Watkins Glen, which make for better racing.” – Ryan Newman.

“I had three goals for this season, and they were to win the championship, win at Martinsville and win a road-course race.” – Carl Edwards.

“I love road racing because it’s almost like an off weekend to me. You get a chance to turn right and left and be kind of crazy.” – Kyle Busch.

"It’s the superspeedway of road courses, and Sonoma is the Martinsville of road courses, so to speak. Let’s say it like this: I think that 1.5-mile racetracks are my strong suit, and the Glen is an intermediate, bigger track. It’s like a superspeedway road course. I like the higher speeds.” – Mark Martin.

“Road courses were not in my ‘growing-up path,’ so I’ve had to learn a lot about them.” – Clint Bowyer.

“Watkins Glen is a really fast road course, where Sonoma is more of a technical course. The Glen is like the ‘Daytona of road courses.’ You’re in the gas for a majority of your lap. You need to be able to pick up the gas as soon as you can to get down the long straights.” – Bobby Labonte.

“I think it’s reasonable to shoot for a top-10 finish this weekend.” – Greg Biffle.

“I think it’s all about the momentum of the race. It is a little different than Sonoma because Sonoma is a lot more technical, in my opinion.” – Patrick Carpentier (substituting for Michael Waltrip).

“If I had the opportunity to be a spectator, this is the weekend that I’d be sitting in the grandstands or glued to the tube.” – Kurt Busch.

“There’s a lot more to do on a road courses. You have to shift, stop, shift, gas it and slide.” – Kevin Harvick.

"Watkins Glen is a great track, what I consider a proper road course. It’s fast, has great passing zones, high-speed corners, great S-curves up the hill, and if you have a good car, you’re able to pass.” – Brian Vickers.

 

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