It's almost therapeutic driving there and driving back (to North Carolina), with the time you get to think about things as well as create checklists.

There are a lot of lessons that you learn, and you have to learn them quickly if you want to be competitive at this top level.

There wouldn't be any way I could have jumped into Cup with the success I had without the truck series. I wish I had more time to spend there. There are so many things the truck teaches you about aerodynamics, the professional ranks of racing, and working with a professional team.

It's almost therapeutic driving there and driving back (to North Carolina), with the time you get to think about things as well as create checklists.

Dale Earnhardt told me it doesn't matter if fans boo or cheer, as long as they're making noise.

It was such a dramatic escalator that I was on. It was at 90 degrees. I was going straight up like a rocket ship into space. And I was thrown in with the sharks. They said sink or swim in this Cup deal.

When Jimmie Johnson goes out early and finishes 35th, as he did Sunday, he can look at the cameras, lament about it being a tough day, and then say, 'We'll just try to get them next week at Darlington'.