Juan made up a lot of ground on the first couple of runs and made it into the top 10.  For some reason the first gear in our car was much taller than any other car, which means that at low speed (like during restarts) the car was very sluggish on the take off, but was very fast once it got going.  Once we got into a good position on the track inside the top 10, restarts were very critical and we simply lost spots on the initial take off.  Juan had caught Jimmie Johnson and had position on him two times and Johnson “chopped” him both times.  It caused us to lose a spot because of the momentum loss and Juan expressed his mind on what Johnson had done.  I made my way to Johnsons spotter just a few spots down from me and I told him “Just so you know….next time he comes down on us, he is going around!” He responded with “I told him both times that you were down there!” I started back down to my position and sure enough Juan had a run under him into the final turn and Johnson came down on him, contact was made and Johnson went around.  I hate that it happened but, the warning was given and that was that.

Knowing that we were a sitting duck with the first gear the way it was, Juan and I talked about different ways he could keep momentum, but Jeff Gordon brought the field down so slow it did no good.  With under 20 laps remaining, it was getting to be crunch time.  If we were going to be a contender, we could not lose any more positions on restarts.  When the green flag flew the #1 car of Martin Truex was behind Juan and had a bit of a run.  I told Juan that he had a run and to “defend the bottom.”  Juan went to the bottom and Truex blatantly hit him in the back.  He hit Juan so hard it knocked him directly into Kevin Harvick and there was a pretty big wreck.  After Juan and Harvick spun, we were hit very hard by the 31 car.  Juan and Harvick got out of their cars and had words with each other, I know Harvick was mad because he got involved but at the time he did not know that Juan had been wrecked. It was a spur of the moment, real time call.  I could have told him to just let him by and a couple of others would have followed, but I tell you what, I came to Watkins Glen to win the race.  I did not go to sit there and let people just drive by.  We had a very good race car, maybe a little more patience on my part was in order.  I know that everything that I say has an influence on the race, but as I said before we came to win and I felt it was time to GO! I knew that it would take some time to catch and pass others for higher positions.  But I will tell you this, I am proud to have a driver that will not take any crap from other drivers out there. Harvick thinks he can get out of his car a bully people around like he has done in the past, but I think today he met his match!    

-Tab