I've just been a regular media darling this week, ... I know you've got a job to do. I promise to do a better job dealing with you guys next year.

The second thing that they agreed to is to give us what amounted to an open books promise, so that we could — without getting a subpoena, without getting a warrant — walk into their offices and ask for any records that they might have about any of their operations in the United States or any effort to control their operations from outside the United States.

This party will, ultimately, be judged on its ability to deliver on its promise.

The easiest way to sum up the relationship between the drivers and NASCAR is that we are pawns on a chessboard. We don't make the big moves. We're just sacrificial lambs so to speak. They have their way of explaining to you very quickly that you can be replaced very, very easily in this sport no matter how popular you are.

That stung a little bit,

It was just a little bit tight getting back to the gas, but that's something we can cure pretty easily. The guys worked really hard to get the backup ready. I'm proud of them. Even though we have to start at the back, we've got a pretty good piece.