Dan Wheldon Race Quotations

I anticipate a really good race because, even though the championship is decided in my favor, second, third and fourth places are still up for grabs,

I had a Sonoma race where I was disappointed in the result, ... I wanted to make amends for that. That was the longest period of time I've ever had between races. From the last race of the year to the first race of the next season is a long time. It felt a lot longer than that.

I think California is going to be a really good race because obviously the championship has been decided, but second, third and fourth are up for grabs. There's going to have to be some big things happen for those positions to change. Then I think you have the fifth through 10th pretty close. I think everybody's going to be going for broke.

Well, it was a win obviously under very difficult circumstances. I think certainly my thoughts and prayers and everybody here, their thoughts are with the Dana family and everybody at Rahal Letterman Racing. It's very difficult to race under circumstances like this. I think everybody in the community and the fans that came out to Homestead-Miami Speedway today should be commended for the effect that they have on the drivers to pull through under very difficult circumstances.

We had an aggressive setup and were very quick in traffic. Once underway, the car was very, very good. This is a fun place to race and win and to take Sam's record is truly special.

When I think of the pace that I drove my first race, everything was happening a million miles an hour. Now when I get in the car everything happens so much slower.

But I have to say I'm incredibly proud of the Panther Racing National Guard Team, and in my IndyCar career there's not many races where I've honestly left the track feeling that we've executed everything perfectly. And I have to say, I thought they did an absolute phenomenal job. The pit stops were just first class.

The two championship contenders, Dario Franchitti and Will Power, are starting right next to each other in the middle of the grid. Honestly, if I can be fast enough early in the race to be able to get up there and latch onto those two, it will be pure entertainment. It's going to be a pack race, and you never know how that's going to turn out.

The biggest thing for me is the self-satisfaction of winning the race. I don't care about who gets the most attention. I've achieved something that's very special to me.

It was very difficult to race under circumstances like this. This is a job that can be pretty vicious at times with a lot of highs mixed in.

It was very difficult to race under these circumstances. It's a job, and it can be pretty vicious at times.

We didn't get everything we wanted to out of our qualifying run. The Klein Tools/Jim Beam car definitely had a little bit too much understeer and that cost us. It's so competitive out here that you've got to gamble a little bit, but we have a relatively good race car, so hopefully we'll get a good result.

I'm going to celebrate like a race winner, but I'm not going to celebrate like a champion until it's done,

I'm going to celebrate like a race winner, not a champion, ... If all I have to do is run a practice lap at Watkins Glen, it's going to be the slowest lap you've ever seen.

I'm going to celebrate like a race winner, not like a champion,

It's difficult to race under such circumstances. It's a job and it can be pretty vicious at times. But there can be a lot of highs as well.

I didn't expect the race to go like that, and I didn't think I'd forget to push the pit lane speed button coming into the pits. When you make an error, as long as you make up for it, it's a good day.

It's very difficult to race under these circumstances.

That statistic of most race wins in a season is something pretty special to me. I love the Indianapolis 500, and that's always going to be my favorite race in the world, and it's going to be one of the fondest memories of my life, but that statistic somewhat means as much to a championship for me.