Thursday featured media interviews plus the NMPA Myers Brothers awards presentation. Here are some interesting quotes:
* NASCAR Chairman Brian France: "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Does that apply in a room full of media?"
* France on the CoT: "We've made 20 adjustments to the car based on (driver, crew chief) comments . . . We'll continue to look at modifications."
* Joey Logano, Cup rookie of the year: "At the start of the season, I was a huge project . . . "
* Dale Inman, Richard Petty's longtime crew chief, who received Champion Spark Plug's Buddy Shuman Award: Inman said Petty "is a little sick" and didn't come to Vegas. "Where's Richard when I need him?"
* Dale Earnhardt Jr., who received the Most Popular Driver award for the seventh year in a row: "I just wanted to be a race car driver. To have all these fans is a bonus. I guess I'll just keep showing up."
(On the Danica front -- Rick Hendrick said to ask Junior. Junior said to ask his sister, Kelley. Tony Eury Jr. and Kelley Earnhardt now have ownership shares in JR Motorsports.)
* Mark Martin, Coors Pole winner: "All I had to do was hold my breath."
* Lance Armstrong, seven-time Tour de France winner, in a video tribute to Jimmie Johnson: "You just have three more to go."
* Johnson, after collecting more sponsor award checks: "Looks like we have some gambling money . . . "
* Tony Stewart, after accepting a sponsor award: "I have to thank Juan (Pablo Montoya) for my inspiration." Stewart said he and Homestead rival Montoya "were having fun back there (behind stage)."
* Chad Knaus brought his own video camera onto the stage and said NASCAR Images might be upset he had his own "bootleg footage."
TIGER: My PR/media management antenna is signaling an eventual 60 Minutes sit-down strategy. CBS has long televised The Masters, so it wouldn't surprise me if golf host Jim Nantz did the interview. Or, depending on polling/demo research of female consumers by his agents at IMG, Katie Couric.
Upcoming The Race Reporters guests:
(Show is live Wednesdays at 7 p.m. ET, downloadable, and available on-demand at no cost. Click on TRR page logo in upper right-hand column.)
December 9 -- Season-In-Review, Part 1. Panelists: Holly Cain, Gordon Kirby, Jeff Burk.
December 16 -- Season-In-Review, Part 2. Panelists: Jon Asher, John Oreovicz, Bob Margolis.
[ more from Vegas Sunday . . . ]
