Kevin Everett at the Glen

WATKINS GLEN -- Former Bills tight end Kevin Everett was at Watkins Glen International to be the grand marshal of Saturday's NASCAR Nationwide Zippo 200.

While he said "gentlemen, start your engines" to start the race -- here's some more of what he said when he met the media:

On how he feels right now and his current rehab work:

"It’s been a tough recovery, but with the blessings of God everything’s been great. ... I’m nowhere near 100 percent –- I’d say I’m around 60. I’m still working every day doing rehab about three days a week, three hours a day. Just trying to improve on the little things, defining motor skills, doing physical therapy and working on my physical endurance –- just trying to get back to somewhat normal."

On who from the Bills he stays in contact with:

"I talk to my position coach all the time, Charlie Coiner -– matter of fact, I talked to him yesterday. I guess he heard I was coming around here. He wanted me to stop by training camp but I had to come straight here. I stay in touch with Roscoe Parrish, Robert Royal –- those were two of the guys I was really tight with in my time in Buffalo. And Anthony Thomas -- he’s retired now, but those are a few guys I was really tight with."

On visiting the Glen:

"They contacted me and wanted to be a part of NASCAR and I jumped on it because I’ve never been to a NASCAR race before."

On the toughest part of his injury and how it feels to inspire people:

"The toughest part was pushing myself every day just to get up to go down and do my therapy when I was in the hospital.

"It’s just a great feeling I get every time I come into contact with people. I get it all the time –- people who have family members that went through similar situations I went through. It’s a great feeling that I can tell them what I did and the things that got me through it."

On being away from the game and if he'll coach someday:

"I get a sick feeling every time I’m watching it on television now –- especially preseason and all that is getting underway. I’m always imagining myself out there now – that’s all I can do. I’m real critical [when I watch on television]. I didn’t know I was that much of a critical person. I’m just criticizing everybody out there. Later on down the line, I plan on some coaching maybe, if I finally get my mind up to doing it, because it’s long hours you have to put in that job. But that’s later on, down the line."

On the hit that caused the injury:

"It was just a clear shot. Usually I have the wedge coming at me, the three big offensive linemen or defensive linemen or whoever they choose to put in the wedge. But this particular time I didn’t have the wedge coming at me, and I found that odd. The timing of it was just bad. I caught the side of his helmet and his shoulder pad, which created the dislocation in my neck. I would probably lead more with my chest [if he did it again]. I've made tackles like that before –- the timing of that was just bad."

On if he has talked with the Buoniconti family (Marc Buoniconti, son of former NFL star Nick, suffered a paralyzing spine injury playing football at the Citadel):

"Our foundations are coming together with the league and we’re plan on doing some things the first game of the season."

On what the experience has taught him:

"You don’t take things for granted, you value every day now. You just never expect things like that to happen to you. When it happens it’s kind of mindblowing. You just don’t take things for granted. Nothing."

Why write the book?

"Just waking up every day and going down to the therapy room, and seeing people with different situations than mine, maybe brain injuries ... just seeing normal everyday people working hard and just try to accomplish the same thing I was doing. That was the thing that got me up every day to keep going and want to work hard and inspire them."

For updates from Watkins Glen all day check out the Live from the Big Event blog.

--- Keith McShea