"I really thought Jimmie was going to win the race. I really wasn't getting the momentum that I felt I needed to make a pass. … I was sitting there with the 12 (Ryan Newman) and the 2 (Kurt Busch) on the outside just locking me down. I couldn't have gone anywhere if I'd wanted to. Then they got three-wide and the momentum shifted. I got a push from the 22 (Dave Blaney), and I just went with it. Then I heard my spotter say the 20 (Stewart) had a run outside, and it just happened when I made that move on Jimmie that he couldn't block me. I got to the outside, and I looked in my mirror and there was the 20 pushing me. Sometimes that move works for you, and sometimes it doesn't."

UAW-Ford 500 winning crew chief Steve Letarte, No. 24 DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet

"It was exciting. I think it was everything everybody hoped for in an exciting finish. This facility is so smooth and such a beautiful race track and to be as big as it is, you're going to have a wild finish and you're going to have a wild race. I thought the race was actually relatively calm throughout it other than a few engines and a couple of tires. I think everybody really did a good job, especially all the drivers. I thought the drivers very patient and made good decisions. There at the end it was exiting as everybody wants. I think the fans will definitely be coming back. To make a pass on the last lap for the win and to have your teammate finish second is definitely a great feeling."

Jimmie Johnson, No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, second-place finisher

"Well I was doing all I could on the bottom to defend that bottom lane and not get caught in the middle or anything. It would have been a problem too on that last lap trying to defend and block the No. 24 (Gordon). But there was more going on behind me than I could really see. Evidently the No. 20 (Stewart) had a big run. Jeff moved up in front of it and it was a strong enough run to push him by me and I couldn't even side-draft him and slow him down. I'm happy with our performance. When you get that close to winning, it's tough. But our big picture racing today was really smart. We paid close attention to where the action was on the track and kind of held out in the back and then went up there and race for the thing at the end and almost won it."

Dave Blaney, No. 22 Caterpillar Toyota Camry, third-place finisher

"We had a good race. Our first goal was to get back in the top 35 in points, so I had to take care of the car all day. I didn't want to do anything to put it in harm's way. I was way more cautious than I probably wanted to be. I just got with the right group of cars there at the end. I was lucky enough to get behind the 24 (Gordon) and 48 (Johnson), getting pushed by the 99 (Edwards). I was in a good group. I could've easily run 23rd with that car, but here, it's all about the group you're with."

Denny Hamlin, No. 11 FedEx Chevrolet, fourth-place finisher

"It was pretty exciting those last few laps, a lot of pushing and shoving going on there but everyone did a good job of holding their line there at the end. Everyone was driving kind of crazy but it was cautious at the same time. We just got behind there when we got a little big of damage but this whole crew did a good job putting it back together. We were able to march our way to the front there at the end." Ryan Newman, No. 12 alltel Dodge Avenger, fifth-place finisher

"The 48, 24 and 25 they had the run on the inside and out-motored us, the 2 and the 12 on the outside. They got to a point where they got in front of us, they moved up and took the line away. The 20 got around us, pushed the 24 to the lead and that was all it took."

Kurt Busch, No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Avenger, seventh-place finisher

"Our day was great. We survived and finished in the top 10. We didn't quite lead a lap. It would have been nice to get the five bonus points for that. All in all we consider this a big success. You want to win every race you can but if you can't you need a top 10 finish."

Reed Sorenson, No. 41 Target Dodge Avenger, 10th-place finisher

"It was a good run for us. We ran in the top 10 for most of the race and we managed to finish there, which is a good thing in a race like this. I think we were a little better than where we finished, but we got shuffled out and had to work our way back up there." Carl Edwards, No. 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion, 14th-place finisher "I did the best that I could there. We had a great run going there coming down the back straightaway. I thought Denny and myself were working pretty well together, but he snookered me there and we ended up running 14th or something, instead of top five like it looked like. But it was a good effort because we didn't wreck the car."

Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet, 40th-place finisher

"We had a good car and it's hard to be too upset when we ran so well and the guys worked so hard to give us the horsepower we need. When you're pushing everything to the edge, sometimes that means you're not as reliable as you should be, but I'd much rather go out racing for the win than hang around at the back because we can't keep up. This sport is about taking those kinds of risks, and I think we were going to have a great shot to win the race. I feel worse for Martin (Truex Jr, teammate, who also suffered a blown engine). He's out there racing for a championship and it hurts them a lot to go out early. We were setting ourselves up to win that thing." (About this being the final race with cousin/crew chief Tony Eury Jr, who is leaving to join Hendrick Motorsports)

"It's the end of an era. It's kinda sad because it would have meant a lot for me and him to get a victory this season and celebrate together with all of the guys and the people we've been with for so many years. I know and they know we all put our heart and soul into everything we could to try to get that win, but it wasn't meant to be."