FMS: Watkins Glen post-race quotes

POLAROID 125 NASCAR FEATHERLITE MODIFIED TOUR POST RACE QUOTES

TIM CONNOLLY (#4 Ralston Purina/Tidy Cat Chevrolet) -- Winner of the Polaroid 125 -- I hope the fans got their nickel's worth. I got a chance to show these people in my back yard, Elmira, Corning Binghamton and Ithaca, what the modified tour is all about. There is some serious racing that goes on in this division. These people run you hard. They run you clean, and the draft really plays an effect here. I liked the show in my rear view mirror a lot better then I did when it was in front of me. The team gave me a great car. I want to thank Purina, Tidy Cat and Goodyear and my owner, they're great people. I felt a little choked up about it for them. They've wanted this for a really long time. They have been in a dry spell for some years now. I'm really proud to bring it home for them. I knew we were close. I just wanted to keep it going. I'm so close to home, and that we were able to win ... it's just a great feeling.

RICK FULLER (#21 Polar Beverage Chevrolet) -- Second place finisher -- Second is where we came here to finish. The car was running super. I spun the tires about midway through the race and got the car greasy. I waited too long to try and catch him. We reeled him in at the end. We were definitely strong enough to pass him, but my timing was off. We're going to go home second. We were faster then him (Tim Connolly) and he knew it. Timmy ran the same speed the whole race. I'd get out in front of him and try to take it easy, just coast away, but I spun the tires a couple of times. That'll kill ya. Then I had to back up and let him go to cool them down. I waited too long to reel him back in. Hey! He drove me clean. Anytime you can leave a place like this where there are so many people uncertain about the race track and leave in once piece, that's a win!

TED CHRISTOPHER (#13 Les Care Kitchens Chevrolet) -- Third place finisher -- At least we finished compared to last year. I'm disappointed because I thought we had a car to win last year and I thought we did this year. I think we let something go in the motor or the valve spring or something. I was good through the turns but the straight aways is where they got away from me. We'll take third, it's better then last year. It's like anything, the first time you come somewhere with guys that never did this stuff before. You go to an oval track for the first time and you have to learn what you're doing. It isn't any different here. It'll take a while to get going. The second year proved to be a good year for us.

REGGIE RUGGIERO (# 44 Gulf Racing Pontiac) -- Something broke in the rear end, I'm not sure what, so I'm out. The racing was better this year because everyone had a little bit more experience and they are doing a better job. I'll be back in August.

BILLY WOODS (#51 Woods Machine and Tool Chevrolet) -- It was really fun. I started 10th and finished 12th. This is my first year in the series, but my third year in modifieds. I used to run Sports Modifieds at Apple Valley Speedway. I learned you don't have to be super-fast, but you need to be smooth to keep it on the track. I didn't have any really big problems, except I lost another position on the last lap. I will be here in August.

TONY HIRSCHMAN (#3 Beech Bluff Auto/Hoosier Tire Chevrolet) -- We were running up front when we broke the brake line and didn't have any brakes. Then we got tangled up with somebody in the back. I guess we can't do any worse in August.

TOMMY CRAVENHO (#17 T and M Landscape/Independent Truck Chevrolet) -- This is the first time I've even seen a road course. You really have to go to a school . I'll pick up a little more experience the next time. Today I spun one time and got into somebody else. We were both running way back at the time.

CURTIS MARKHAM (#00 Citgo/Brady Motorsports Chevrolet) -- It was fun, it was just unfortunate that the transmission broke. We got hung in third gear, and thrid isn't the one you want to be hung in, and the straightaway speed was really down. But it was fun, and hopefully I'll get to do it again. Joe Brady and all the guys worked really hard on he car, and I hope to have the chance to do it again. I've always wanted to drive a modified, and it was just pretty neat.

JAN LEATY (#24 Adirondack/P&C Foods Chevrolet) -- Leaty hald his own for a while, "Then my driver messed up there a little bit. It's simple, I just lost my concentration, going down into the loop there. One mistake, fourth or third, and I ended up...I don't know where I ended up. It's too bad. I'm disappointed, but we've got a race car in one piece yet, right? Always a real big plus. I don't know what I was thinking about, probably going boating tomorrow or something. I just screwed up, that's all.