Today when we were out there, they were running one, two, three, I was hoping it would rain. It's just such a prestigious race. I was talking to Channie right after the chequered flag. You know, you just can't hardly speak. It's just such an exciting thing in motorsports when you work hard, and there's over 500 people back in Charlotte that have put a lot of effort into it, running motors through the weekend in simulation, all the guys that built all these cars. I mean, it's hard to get four cars to come down here and run this well.
It's not with just a little bit of effort; it's a lot of effort. This race will carry us. When you win the
Daytona 500, it kind of goes throughout the rest of the year. It's just such an important race. But they're all super special.
Q.
Jimmie, even with the problems Jeff had, you spent a good deal of the race with two teammates right with you up front. That was all gone by the end of the race. I just wondered how you managed to hold on, how concerned you were when you had the Dodge drivers behind you when the end came down.
JIMMIE JOHNSON:
Yeah, my teammates did an amazing job. I saw where Jeff and Tony kind of slid up the track and got into the wall. I was surprised to see the 20 back so soon, really kind of working his way through the field. I knew the 24 had some damage, unfortunately was probably going to affect his race. But the 5 and the 25, those guys were doing a great job. Kyle really worked with me and helped me get some huge pushes to work the outside lane and get to the front.
![Jimmie Johnson (Lowes/Hendrick Motorsport Chevrolet) celebrates his win in the 2006 Daytona 500 [pic GM Media/Dorsey Patrick]](http://pix.crash.net/thumbs/194780.jpg)
