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  • Jeff Gordon Weathers Storm to Win Pennsylvania 400

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]In a race delayed by rain at the start and then called later for severe thunderstorms, one driver weathered the storms to collect his first victory of the season.

    Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, won the rain-shortened race, with torrential rain, blinding wind, thunder and lightning heralding his official celebration.

    The win tops an action-packed weekend for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, who earlier collected the Heisman Trophy Humanitarian Award and celebrated his 41st birthday. Crew chief Alan Gustafson also celebrated his birthday on race day.

    This was Gordon’s 86th victory in 674 Cup races and he is third on the all-time series wins list. But sweeter still is that this is Gordon’s first win of the season and his ninth top-10 finish in 2012.

    Although wild weather this weekend, Pocono Raceway has been smooth sailing for Gordon. This is his sixth victory at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ and he is now the sole proprietor of the all-time Pocono win list.

    With the victory, Gordon moves to second in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup wild card standings.

    “Pocono has been a special place for us,” Gordon said. “It’s been an interesting year to say the least.”

    “We’ve had some trying times,” Gordon continued. “We’ve had cars capable of winning and things didn’t go our way, so to see this race unfold the way it did certainly makes up for those would have, could have, should haves.”

    “Today we got the win and it’s nice to know that things can still go our way.”

    What meant the most to Gordon, however, was that his family, his wife Ingrid Vandebosch and children Ella and Leo, were there to celebrate with him.

    “With the wind, rain and lightning, I was so excited to have all my family here,” Gordon said. “I didn’t care if Victory Lane was in a shed.”

    “That experience means more to me than anything else.”

    “Obviously that was a great day for us,” Alan Gustafson, crew chief, said. “We didn’t have the fastest car but we did have a good enough car to get a win. It all worked out our way.”

    Along with Gordon in the first wild card position is now teammate Kasey Kahne. The driver of the No. 5 Farmer’s Insurance Chevrolet finished in the runner up spot, even with a flat right rear tire and some miscues in the pits.

    This was Kahne’s sixth top-10 finish in 18 races at Pocono and his 11th top-10 finish for the season.

    “We had a great car,” Kahne said. “The Hendrick power is something else here on these straightaways.”

    “I made a mistake on pit road, slid over the hose, and it cost us a lot of time and a couple of positions,” Kahne continued. “Jeff got a little better restart and got in front of me when the field wrecked in front of us and he won the race.”

    “And we came in second,” Kahne said. “It was a solid day for us car-wise.”

    New Jersey native Martin Truex Jr., in the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, posted his fifth top-10 finish in 14 races at Pocono. He scored the third place finish in the 39th Annual Pennsylvania 400.

    Truex Jr. commented that the weather was a ‘monsoon’ and that he had to move quickly through his post-race media obligations.

    “Newman told me ‘one word answers’ because he’s waiting on me and we’ve got to go,’ Truex Jr. said. “It was a good race for NAPA Toyota.”

    “Once we got going out there, we were the fastest car on the track,” Truex Jr. continued. “Obviously we got a little bit lucky because a lot of those guys wrecked.”

    “All in all a good day for us.”

    Storms brewed for the Busch brothers, both of whom had close encounters with the wall. Kyle Busch, driving the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, brought out the first caution on Lap 20 and brother Kurt, behind the wheel of the No. 51 Phoenix Construction Services Chevrolet, brought out the second caution on Lap 87.

    While Kurt Busch was whisked away without comment from the infield care center after his hard hit, Kyle Busch had plenty to share as his team worked feverishly on his car to get him back on the track.

    “We just blew out the rear brake rotors – – disintegrated it and then blew out the rear caliper after that,” Kyle Busch said. “Getting down into Turn One with a three-wheel brake is about the worst situation you can have as a race car driver.”

    “I kept trying to pump it to keep feeding pressure to the rest of the three wheels to keep it off the fence, but just couldn’t do it,” Busch continued. “I hate it for all of these guys. We had a really fast race car today.”

    Busch admitted that this did nothing but hurt him in the point standings. And he knows that a win will be a necessity going forward.

    “We’re obviously not going to make the top-10 so if we get a win great we’ll make the Chase,” Busch said. “If not, we’ll probably miss it.”

    Points leader Dale Earnhardt, Jr. also had a stormy day at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’  The driver of the No. 88 Diet Mountain Dew/AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet lost a transmission and finished 32nd.

    “We didn’t have third or fourth gear, so we had to change the transmission,” Junior said. “After qualifying it was fine, but when the race started it was a bit of a vibration and started missing some shifts.”

    “We had a good run going,” Junior continued. “I’m sorry to all the guys at the shop and I hope we get a win for one of our cars.”

    The other major drama of the race occurred in the waning laps just before the storms hit. On Lap 92, the race leaders got into one another, causing a wreck that involved Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton and Jimmie Johnson.

    “Well on that last restart, Turn One actually widened out pretty good and we took off,” Kenseth, driving the No. 17 Zest Ford, said. “The 2 didn’t get going and I had a pretty good gap so I crossed the line and was going to pull behind Jimmie (Johnson) and when I pulled down to go behind him I got a little draft and actually pulled up to his door.”

    “So, I decided to race him through there and we went off into One and I could hear his pipes,” Kenseth continued. “I wasn’t sure he lifted. He drove in really, really far and spun out underneath me and I got wrecked.”

    “You don’t mind if something happens it is just a bummer when it takes you out after you are running top three all day and finish 22nd or wherever we are,” Kenseth said. “That is very disappointing and it is hard to look at the bright spot in that.”

    Rounding out the top-five finishers in the Pennsylvania 400 were Brad Keselowski, in the No. 2 Miller Lite Doge, who finished fourth, and Tony Stewart, in the No. 14 Office Depot Back to School Chevrolet, who finished fifth.

    Unofficial Race Results
    Pennsylvania 400, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=21
    =========================================
    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 27 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 47
    2 4 5 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 43
    3 15 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 41
    4 31 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 41
    5 28 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 39
    6 9 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 38
    7 17 99 Carl Edwards Ford 37
    8 19 15 Clint Bowyer Toyota 36
    9 11 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 35
    10 5 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 34
    11 3 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 33
    12 18 55 Mark Martin Toyota 32
    13 14 20 Joey Logano Toyota 31
    14 10 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 32
    15 12 16 Greg Biffle Ford 29
    16 25 22 Sam Hornish Jr. Dodge 0
    17 21 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 27
    18 16 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 27
    19 13 43 Aric Almirola Ford 25
    20 1 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 25
    21 26 38 David Gilliland Ford 23
    22 23 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 22
    23 7 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 22
    24 24 10 David Reutimann Chevrolet 20
    25 37 93 Travis Kvapil Toyota 19
    26 22 83 Landon Cassill Toyota 18
    27 39 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 17
    28 32 34 David Ragan Ford 16
    29 2 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 16
    30 6 51 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 15
    31 41 32 Jason White Ford 0
    32 8 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 13
    33 20 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 11
    34 36 30 David Stremme Toyota 10
    35 29 13 Casey Mears Ford 9
    36 38 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 0
    37 34 26 Josh Wise * Ford 7
    38 42 36 Tony Raines Chevrolet 6
    39 30 119 Mike Bliss Toyota 0
    40 35 37 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 4
    41 43 98 Mike Skinner Ford 0
    42 40 191 Reed Sorenson Ford 0
    43 33 23 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 1

  • Eddie D’Hondt, Jeff Gordon’s Spotter, Sees a Team on the Verge

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”168″][/media-credit]While Eddie D’Hondt has done just about everything in his career, from racing modifieds in the Northeast to spotting for four-time champion Jeff Gordon, he is absolutely sure of one thing.

    D’Hondt is firmly convinced that the No. 24 team is on the verge of taking the checkered flag and, once that occurs, that there will be other wins to follow.

    “We’ve had some awful good races and we’re so close and on the verge of busting out,” D’Hondt said. “Working with Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and getting to know Jeff (Gordon) more and more has been very rewarding.”

    “Once we finally have our day, it will all come together.”

    D’Hondt brings years of racing experience to the spotter’s stand for team 24. He has worked for drivers the likes of Tony Stewart, Kenny Wallace and Bill Elliott, as well as owning his own Nationwide team with Tommy Baldwin and working for Yates Racing.

    “Since I left Yates, I’ve been pretty much spotting for teams,” D’Hondt said. “I’ve worked for Kyle Busch the last year and a half and now Jeff Gordon.”

    “So, that’s my journey.”

    Because of his diversified background, on and off the track, D’Hondt feels that he brings multiple characteristics to the spotter’s stand. But he credits his time behind the wheel as the key to effective spotting from the sky.

    “I think having been a driver helps me understand a little bit of the driver’s aspect of it and understanding the cars,” D’Hondt said. “I stay on top of that as best I can.”

    “A lot of spotters were drivers at one point so it helps.”

    D’Hondt also acknowledges that his spotting style varies, depending both on the type of track and on the type of driver.

    “It may vary for sure,” D’Hondt said. “At a speedway race, the driver and spotter talk a lot more.”

    “Here at New Hampshire, it’s more the crew chief than me talking,” D’Hondt continued. “I also spot for Justin Allgaier in the Nationwide Series and Miguel Paludo in the Truck Series, so whatever feedback, like tire wear or other trends, I’ll bring it to their attention.”

    In his career, D’Hondt has seen many changes in the role of the spotter. And that evolution has kept him constantly busy on the stand, with breaks in the action being few and far between.

    “The evolution of the spotter has changed over the last few years,” D’Hondt said. “It used to be when a caution came out, you could take a drink or relax a little bit.”

    “Now, there’s a lot more action,” D’Hondt continued. “We’re looking for cars coming around so we don’t hit them or looking for problems in the pit stalls. Pit road is tight and cars are coming at the last second.”

    Because of all this action, D’Hondt advises preparation for each and every race is key. And once the race starts, focus is all important, especially with juggling multiple radios as well as seeing the activities on track.

    “Two hours before a race, I’ll go up and start getting into my mental mode,” D’Hondt said. “Once the race starts, you could blow a bomb up next to me and I would never notice.”

    “I have five radios on, so I’m listening to a tremendous amount of things,” D’Hondt continued. “I listen to the race broadcast, NASCAR, myself, and I have a digital radio when the crew chief talks to me.”

    “So, it’s pretty dizzying,” D’Hondt said. “But that’s all just part of me being able to give information when it’s applicable or warranted.”

    Of course, because spotters are human too, there are other preparations that have to occur before they came atop the stand.

    “There’s a lot of goofy stuff we have to do to prepare for a race, like make sure we got to the bathroom before it starts,” D’Hondt said. “Like at the Charlotte 600, you’ve better have gone because there’s no time once you’re up there.”

    “I generally won’t drink anything two hours before a race,” D’Hondt continued “Once the race starts, I’ll take a drink every once in awhile.”

    “I also chew gum to keep my mouth going,” D’Hondt said. “The only time we’ll eat anything is in between practices because that’s a decent enough break.”

    One of the more recent challenges that spotters like D’Hondt have had to face is the ever changing paint schemes on their drivers’ cars. This played special havoc for D’Hondt last weekend at Daytona when driver Jeff Gordon was in the black Pepsi Max race car.

    “We had a black car at a dark race track last Saturday and when the wrecks started happening and there’s smoke, it’s really hard,” D’Hondt said. “You just have to feel your way through it.”

    “It’s almost a sixth sense.”

    “I come early and walk around the garages to make sure I know what the sponsors are and whose car number is whose because a lot of times, Jeff will ask,” D’Hondt continued. “So that’s part of my job.”

    While many consider the role of spotter as glamorous and exciting, D’Hondt affirms the most serious aspect of the job.

    “It’s got its glamorous side to it,” D’Hondt said. “But at times, it can be pretty intense.”

    “It’s our job to keep the drivers safe first and foremost.”

    While safety is supreme, spotters also play important roles as information givers, as well as cheerleaders and encouragers. And of course, that balance depends greatly on the driver, his tenure in the sport and his own expertise behind the wheel.

    “Sometimes I feel like cheerleading might be a good thing, but there are other times when you just have to let them concentrate and do their jobs,” D’Hondt said. “So, there’s a little bit of a fine line there.”

    “I think it depends on the driver,” D’Hondt said. “With Jeff, as a four-time champion, I don’t have to tell him much.”

    “With a second year driver in the Truck Series, he still has a lot to learn,” D’Hondt continued. “I can say, in the right moment, a lot to help him.”

    Of all the drivers he has worked with, D’Hondt expresses highest admiration for his current driver and four-time champion.

    “Jeff has been there, done that and he knows,” D’Hondt said. “So, I talk a whole lot less when it comes to Jeff.”

    “I’ve worked with a lot of drivers with tenure in our sport, but Jeff Gordon to me is the consummate professional,” D’Hondt continued. “He amazes me how he never gets rattled, never takes his anger out on his guys and is just very professional.”

    “I like that and I like to carry myself the same way.”

    With D’Hondt atop the spotters’ stand and Jeff Gordon behind the wheel, this spotter knows it is just a matter of time until he, his team and driver finally reach Victory Lane. And with one win will no doubt come others as well.

    “We’ve had a pretty rough year, not because we haven’t had fast cars or cars capable of winning,” D’Hondt said. “I feel like once we win our first race, it won’t be our last.”

    “I feel like now, we’re in a pretty good rhythm,” D’Hondt continued. “And having won in the past, I know I will never lose sight of what winning will mean.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Kobalt Tools 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Kobalt Tools 400

    [media-credit name=”David Yeazell” align=”alignright” width=”259″][/media-credit]Under a gloriously sunny sky and with an amazing flyover complements of the United States Air Force Thunderbirds, the green flag flew on the Kobalt Tools 400. Here is what was surprising and not surprising from Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    Surprising:  Since the reigning champ is primarily known for heating up over the summer or in the Chase, it was surprising to see Tony Stewart capture the checkered flag this early in the season.

    This was also Smoke’s first ever win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a track that he felt definitely owed him one after a pit miscue cost him the victory last year.

    “I don’t know that it’s important this early but we only get one shot at Vegas,” the driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet said. “It was real hard leaving here last year. It’s nice to come here and have a car that was bad to the bone.”

    It was also surprising that Steve Addington, Stewart’s new crew chief, won his first ever Cup race with a driver not named Busch. And although known for his calm, relaxed nature, Addington definitely felt the pressure of calling the race on his shoulders.

    “I take it very personal every time that car goes on the race track,” Addington said. “I felt a ton of pressure on myself to get a win and I’m glad that’s under our belt.”

    “The stars lined up and we won this race at Vegas.”

    Not Surprising:  With the penalty appeal scheduled to be heard during the upcoming week, it was not surprising to see Jimmie Johnson attempt to get the best finish and most points possible. The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet scored the runner up spot in the race bearing his sponsor’s name.

    Johnson had an eventful race weekend, crashing in the first lap of final practice, as well as having to go to the rear of the field in a backup car for the start of the race. So, although he wanted the win, he seemed satisfied with his second place run.

    “Tony could just get through the gears better,” Johnson said of his final run with Smoke. “With everything we went through this weekend, I’ll take it.”

    Surprising:  Greg Biffle, behind the wheel of the No. 16 3M/Meguiars Ford, scored his third third place finish of the season. But even more surprising, the Biff is now the official points leader, with the chance to be the only driver to win a championship in all three of NASCAR’s top tier series.

    “It certainly has started off to be a good season for us so far,” Biffle said. “We’re super excited about it but there again, we want to win like the 14 car did today so we’re going to keep our heads down and keep working hard.”

    Not Surprising:  With one half of the Stewart-Haas Race team in Victory Lane, it was no surprise that his teammate would not be far behind. Ryan Newman, in his No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet for SHR, scored a top-5 finish as well.

    “It was a hard fought day,” Newman said. “We struggled a bit in the pits but we got lucky on the last restart. It was an awesome day for Stewart-Haas.”

    Surprising:  As good as Jimmie Johnson was for Hendrick Motorsports, it was surprising to see four-time champion Jeff Gordon struggle so mightily. Gordon fought tight conditions most of the race, complaining that his car was plowing mightily.

    Gordon did manage to bring his anniversary celebrating No. 24 Dupont 20 Years Chevrolet home in the twelfth position.

    “Well, we weren’t very good,” Alan Gustafson, Gordon’s crew chief, said simply. “We struggled but we ended up with an okay finish. Sometimes you have to do that and we did it.”

    “You’re never happy with 12th, but there was a point in time during the day when I would have been happy to finish 20th,” Gustafson continued. “So, it was okay.”

    Not Surprising:   In spite of the fact that the two are teammates, it was not surprising to see sparks fly yet again between the Roushketeers Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards. The two tangled on the restart in the waning laps of the race.

    Carl Edwards, in the No. 99 Alfac Ford, saw it this way.

    “Matt spun his tires just a little bit on the restart and I went down to the apron,” Edwards said. “He gave me a ton of room but we just got all bunched up over there.”

    Kenseth, behind the wheel of the brightly colored No. 17 Zest Ford, just seemed confused by it all.

    “I honestly don’t really know what happened,” Kenseth said. “Carl just laid back and got by me three-wide and then it just didn’t seem like there was a lot of room getting into turn one.”

    “And then I did get clear behind him and he just stopped in the middle of the corner.”

    Edwards was able to finish well in the fifth position, while Kenseth finished 22nd in contrast.

    Surprising:  With their driver under the weather, it was surprising to see the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet score an eighth place finish.

    “Jamie (McMurray) showed up this morning and he was sick,” crew chief Kevin ‘Bono’ Manion, said “For him to come through like he did for us today was really big.”

    “Going into this race, we felt really strong about our McDonald’s Chevrolet,” Manion continued. “All in all, it was a good day.”

    Not Surprising:  In spite of leading more laps than he did all last season and scoring a top-10 finish, it was not surprising to find a frustrated Dale Earnhardt, Jr. at the end of the race.

    “I think we should have run better than that,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet said. “We are just a little bit disappointed.”

    “We were fast and I knew before the end of the race we were going to have to free my car up and I never let Steve (Letarte) do it,” Junior said. “It was more my fault than anything really. I didn’t give him enough information I guess.”

    Surprising:  Fresh faced youngster Trevor Bayne had a surprisingly good run in his No. 21 Motorcaft/Quick Lane Ford for the famed Wood Brothers.

    “A top-10 feels like a win to us,” Bayne said simply. “We hadn’t had a top-10 since Daytona and it feels good to be back at it.”

    Not Surprising:  Unfortunately, it was not surprising that the Dodges again struggled early in this 2012 season. Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge, finished 32nd and his teammate AJ Allmendinger fared even worse, finishing 37th in his No. 22 Pennzoil Dodge.

    “We had a pretty decent Dodge Charger and we were going to give Tony a run for his money,” Keselowski said. “The fuel pump broke. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

    “Man, this is not the start to the season any of us were expecting,” Allmendinger said. “Just when I knew we could make something solid, we started having fuel pressure issues.”

    “We came into the garage and changed some things,” ‘Dinger continued. “My guys busted their butts but we’re not sure yet what the cause was.”

    “But you know the guys back at the Penske shop will figure it out.”

  • Countdown to Daytona: 85

    Countdown to Daytona: 85

    With just 85 more days to Daytona, the focus can be on none other than Jeff Gordon’s 85th historic win this season. With his 85th victory, Gordon moved from being tied with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip to sole position in third on the all-time career win list.

    [media-credit name=”Photo Credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”224″][/media-credit]Gordon also joined even more elite company, now behind Richard Petty, with 200 career victories, and David Pearson, with 105 career wins. The Hendrick Motorsports driver earned his 85th win at the track where he made his Cup debut in 1992.

    The historic 85th win also came with some drama as weather wreaked havoc with the AdvocCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway that weekend this season. Gordon scored the historic 85th after a two-day rain delay and by surviving a race delayed by several showers, as well as several late-race wrecks.

    In fact, Gordon’s historic win came in an historic race, as the AdvoCare 500 was only the second Cup race since 1978 to run on a Tuesday. The race was originally scheduled for Sunday evening, but Tropical Storm Lee forced the two-day rain delay.

    While Gordon led 146 of the 325 laps during the Tuesday race and was out front for the final 38 laps, the finish was more than challenging. And it was none other than his teammate, nemesis and five-time champ Jimmie Johnson battling him for the race win at the end.

    Gordon was so intent on holding off Johnson to win the race, that he totally lost track of his historic 85th.

    “I totally forgot about that,” Gordon said in Victory Lane on receiving a special plaque from NASCAR saluting his 85th win. “Eighty-five, wow. That is unbelievable.”

    “We really used the car up at the end,” Gordon continued. “I was slipping and sliding. It was a lot of fun racing with Jimmie (Johnson).”

    While securing his 85th, Gordon was also at that time primarily focused on making the Chase for the Championship and a run at his own fifth title. With his 85th victory and third win of the 2011 season, he also scored sole possession for the fifth spot in the point standings.

    “I’m just blown away by the kind of day we had; the kind of year we’re having,” Gordon said. “I just feel rejuvenated in such a big way.”

    Gordon’s crew chief Alan Gustafson shared his driver’s sentiments, but also admitted that he had been worried going into the 1.5 mile Atlanta race track.

    “This was one of the race tracks that we felt like, to be an elite team and contend for the championship, we’ll have to do well on these styles of tracks,” Gustafson said. “There were times when I felt like we were going to win the race and times that we were 10th and it look like it was going to rain out.”

    “That’s all Jeff Gordon right there,” Gustafson said of his driver and his historic 85th win.

    There was other drama on the race track that might have impacted Gordon’s historic 85th win, however, the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger managed to stay out of the fray. Involved in ‘Boys have at it, Atlanta style’ were Juan Pablo Montoya and Clint Bowyer, the former sending the latter into the wall, damaging his Chase hopes.

    After that encounter, Bowyer had a few choice names for JPM, as well as saying it was impossible to race around him.

    “We’re out here racing for a spot in the Chase,” Bowyer said. “He’s racing for nothing.”

    In addition to dodging the wrecks at race end, Gordon also had to survive a very close finish to score his 85th career victory. He won by just about half a second, 0.598 seconds to be exact, over his teammate Jimmie Johnson, who at the end of this race took over the top spot in the Chase standings.

    Johnson was running so fast at the end trying to catch Gordon that he literally was sideways coming to the checkered flag.

    “I’m so glad I grew up racing on dirt,” Johnson said. “I could have spun out four or five times at the end. To race that hard, that sideways at 180 mph, lap after lap, is a good time.”

    “That was fun,” Gordon said of his Atlanta win and his 85th career victory. “We’ve been able to send a message of how strong this team is and just how good our race cars are.”

  • Jeff Gordon’s Crew Chief Alan Gustafson Likes It Hot, Hot, Hot

    Jeff Gordon’s Crew Chief Alan Gustafson Likes It Hot, Hot, Hot

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”242″][/media-credit]After a scorching race weekend in Kansas, the Cup Series is at an equally warm Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA this weekend.  And yet, Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not be happier.

    “I love the heat,” Gustafson said. “I would much rather be hot than cold.”

    “I think mental toughness in the driver and the team comes out under those conditions,” Gustafson said. “And if you’re mentally tough and strong, that will give you an advantage.”

    “Obviously the slicker and the hotter the conditions, it is more difficult, but that’s where the best come out,” Gustafson continued. “I do think the hotter conditions also help better cars.”

    “When it’s cool, anybody who gets out front is going to be good because the grip is there,” Gustafson said. “But when it’s hot and slick, it doesn’t matter, the good cars get on it.”

    “I prefer the heat,” Gustafson said. “I hope it stays hot and gets hotter. I think that will be an advantage to us.”

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Gustafson is not only happy with the heat but also with his evolving relationship with his driver, four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

    “I think the relationship is good,” Gustafson said. “Personally we get along really well and the communication’s been good.”

    “There has been a little bit of a learning curve knowing his driving style and what he needs in the car,” Gustafson continued. “Early on that was a hurdle that we struggled with and had to get over.”

    “But now as of late, I feel like we’ve got a really good handle on what Jeff needs and what he looks for in his adjustments,” Gustafson said. “So, that’s going good.”

    “It’s always going to be an evolution for anybody, even if you’ve been together ten years,” Gustafson said. “Tires change and cars change and rules change so you’ve got to continue to work hard and to grow and improve.”

    “But I feel like we’re getting to the point where we should be, competing for top-10s and top-fives every week,” Gustafson continued. “We’re getting a whole lot closer to that.”

    Gustafson knows that these next few months are going to be critical for his Hendrick Motorsports team. He also knows that driver Jeff Gordon needs to get a few more wins under his belt to make it into the Chase whether by the wild card or on points.

    “For me the summer’s the most important stretch of the season,” Gustafson said. “That’s when you’re in a position for the Chase and gives you the momentum in the Chase.”

    “We may have struggled early but we had to put ourselves in the position to be going through this summer push and really strong in the Chase,” Gustafson continued. “We’ve got ourselves in a really strong position.”

    “But we’ve got to win,” Gustafson said. “I feel like we’re going to get in on points and that’s our goal, but I’d still like at least two more wins. That would put us in really good position.”

    Gustafson has been working around the clock on his strategy, especially fuel mileage strategy, to continue to get his driver into Chase contention.

    “We work really hard and you have to utilize all hours of the day,” Gustafson said. “I feel like we can work on a little bit of the extracurriculars or the intangibles, like fuel mileage.”

    “At Kansas, we had a car to win and things didn’t work out,” Gustafson continued. “As we evolve and improve, not only do we have to have fast cars but we have to have the fuel mileage to go with it.”

    Fuel mileage is obviously on Gustafson’s mind, as well as on the minds of all of the crew chiefs as they attack the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “This is a fuel mileage track,” Gustafson said of Pocono Raceway. “If you’re just working on your fuel mileage now, you’re too late.”

    In addition to fuel mileage, crew chiefs and drivers alike will have to deal with another wrinkle at the ‘Tricky Triangle,’ that of being able to shift.

    “It’s another variable which we can use and which I like,” Gustafson said. “We can tune to that and it plays to Jeff and good drivers for sure.”

    “Shifting is going to change depending on how your car is,” Gustafson said. “If your car is not very good, shifting may be a huge advantage but if your car is really good, shifting may not be that big of a problem or that big of an advantage.”

    “I’m glad that NASCAR made the decision to give us that ability,” Gustafson said. “I think Jeff will be really good at it. He’s had the experience of doing it here in the past and he’s really good.”

    Another issue on Gustafson’s mind is the new qualifying rules, which sometime entails further strategy, and even some sandbagging, in order to get into the best qualifying order at each track.

    “It’s just part of it,” Gustafson said. “It’s very counter-intuitive to me for someone to get rewarded for being slow. I don’t think that’s right.”

    “I think NASCAR will look at that, Gustafson continued. “What I would like to see is that the fastest guy chooses when he wants to go in qualifying.”

    “That would be really ideal if in the practice, the guy who is fastest gets to choose if he wants to go first or last,” Gustafson said. “Then that way, that takes the sandbagging out of it. I think being rewarded for going fast is the way our sport is built.”

    Whether fuel mileage, shifting or qualifying strategy, Gustafson feels very strongly that he, his driver and his No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet team have to have the entire package to win, get into the Chase, and win another championship. He sees several factors, including versatility, adaptability and even perfection, as the most critical.

    “It used to be where the strategy didn’t have to be pin-point perfect,” Gustafson said. “Now, you do have to be perfect.”

    “I think what it takes to win these races is to be very versatile,” Gustafson continued. “You have to have a fast car and you have to adapt to whatever circumstances come up.”

    “Now you have to have a good, fast car and the ability to be good in a multiple strategy situation,” Gustafson said. “And that’s a little bit tougher than it used to be.”

    “You can be good on two tires, you can save fuel, you can be good on four tires, you can be good on a five lap shoot out at the end,” Gustafson said. “A champion is going to be good at all of those situations.”

  • Jeff Gordon Is Ready For His Close Up

    Jeff Gordon Is Ready For His Close Up

    After a fourteenth place finish at Bristol and a slight disagreement with fellow competitor Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon is ready to move on to the next race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”275″][/media-credit]Not only will Gordon head for the Hollywood hills to race but the driver of the No. Pepsi Max 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motor Sports is also preparing for another important close up, his upcoming role on the big screen.

    Gordon announced during the pre-race festivities at ‘The World’s Fastest Half Mile’ that he would be appearing this summer in Pixar’s movie Cars 2. The driver will make his close up as ‘Jeff Gorvette’, an up and coming racer that is “turning hoods wherever he competes”.

    The Pixar release states that “Jeff Gorvette is one of the greatest American race cars alive today.” Gordon’s character in Cars 2 closely mirrors his real life, including his animated character hailing from Vallejo, California who travels to Indiana to pursue a racing career, just as Gordon has done.

    Another similarity is that Gorvette’s car number in the movie will be the same as Gordon’s car number in real life, the infamous No. 24.  In Cars 2, the No. 24 Corvette C6.R will, however, race on tracks in the Grand Touring Sports circuits, competing for the World Grand Prix, while Gordon makes his rounds on the familiar NASCAR tracks on which he has garnered four Cup championships.

    Gordon stated that he was most excited about his close up in Cars 2 as he could not wait to take his children, daughter Ella and son Leo, to see the animated feature. He will be talking about his role more fully this week as he is scheduled to appear on The Ellen Degeneres Show on Friday.

    Gordon is also preparing for his upcoming close up at Auto Club Speedway. The driver has three wins, ten top-fives, eleven top-10 finishes and two poles at the Fontana, California track.

    “It’s big and fast,” Gordon said of Auto Club Speedway. “You got to have the power down the straightaways, you got to have the grip in the corners, same as all the other big tracks.”

    “Certainly a track I love, look forward to going to, one we’ve had success at,” Gordon continued. “Especially when I think of this team, I think of Alan and his group, they’ve run well there.”

    Gordon has the fifth best driver rating at Fontana, a 99.6. He has an average finish of 10.9, with an average running position of 9.3, the third best at that track.

    While Gordon is looking forward to his California close up, he acknowledges that Auto Club Speedway can be a bit challenging.

    “When you get to a track like California, it can get tricky,” Gordon said. “There’s a lot of different combinations of setups that you can put underneath the car to make it go faster.”

    “You plan ahead,” Gordon continued. “You spend so much time in the off-season trying to create new bump-stops, shock packages, springs, sway bars, you hope the direction you were working in is the right one.”

    “We learned a lot about that at Vegas, but we’ll learn even more when we go to California,” Gordon continued.  “That’s what I’m most anxious to see, where we stand as well as where our competitors are at.”

    “To me, I look forward to going to every racetrack every weekend because it’s kind of like starting over and doing some new things that I look at their past performance and I look at their current performance,” Gordon said. “It’s got me really excited to go to the racetrack and see what we have for the weekend.”

    Whether on or off the track, Gordon has already proved the value of his close ups, particularly in the area of brand exposure. According to Joyce Julius & Associates, Gordon has generated more on-screen time for his sponsors during the television coverage of the 2011 season than any other driver to date.

    Gordon leads the pack with one hour, 50 minutes, 16 seconds of exposure for his sponsors in the first three Cup races for the season. This totals to approximately $7.6 million of in-broadcast exposure value.

    Gordon will no doubt strive to continue his on and off track marketability. His Auto Club Speedway close up is scheduled for this Sunday, March 27th at 3:00 PM ET, where he will compete in the Auto Club 400.  And Jeff Gorvette’s Pixar Cars 2 close up will come to the theaters throughout the country later this summer.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: PIR Subway Fresh Fit 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: PIR Subway Fresh Fit 500

    After one of the most exciting Daytona 500 finishes, the Cup Series promptly headed west to Phoenix International Raceway. Although it actually rained a bit in the Valley of the Sun, the second race of the NASCAR season, the Subway Fresh Fit 500, was filled with its own share of surprises.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”292″][/media-credit]Surprising:  In contrast to the youngest winner, 20 year old Trevor Bayne, celebrating in Victory Lane after his Daytona 500 win last week, a 39 year old veteran driver was finally able to celebrate a victory, ending a 66 race winless streak.  After receiving a big bear hug from team owner Rick Hendrick, the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, Jeff Gordon, stood relieved and overwhelmed with emotion in Victory Lane.

    What seemed to mean the most to Gordon, in addition to beating Kyle Busch of course, was how the fans embraced his win.

    “Man, we just beat Kyle Busch!” Gordon said after getting out of his race car. “Are you kidding me? Pinch me, pinch me.”

    “I don’t really care how we do it because we just wanted to get to Victory Lane,” Gordon said. “But to do it that way, leading the most laps, and to see the fans’ reaction. What an awesome feeling it is.”

    “God, it feels so amazing,” Gordon said. “I’ve got to say thanks to the fans.”

    With the win at PIR, his 83rd, Gordon officially tied Cale Yarborough for fifth in NASCAR’s all-time win list. Gordon also catapulted up 21 spots in the points, now in the fifth position.

    Not Surprising:  It was not surprising that Kyle Busch, who had won both the Truck and Nationwide Series races at PIR, was right there nipping at Gordon’s heels in the final laps. Busch battled back from an early incident to give Gordon a run for his money, just coming short of the sweep by finishing as the runner up.

    After paying homage to Gordon, Busch then apologized for getting into Carl Edwards, whose pole sitting race car was totally wrecked as a result of the contact.

    “It was unintentional,” Busch said. “All that aside, we came through a lot of adversity and kept battling through everything that was thrown at us. There at the end, Jeff just had a better car than us and flat out passed me.”

    Surprising: In a flashback moment to Daytona, there was actually a ‘big one’ at Phoenix International Raceway.  Thirteen cars were involved, including the likes of Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, David Ragan, Regan Smith and David Reutimann to name a few.  The race actually had to be red-flagged in order to allow for the extensive clean up needed.

    Clint Bowyer summed up his take on the ‘big one’ up best. “I’m pretty disgusted with the whole thing,” Bowyer said. “Our day is done.”

    Not Surprising:  Whether as a result of the big one or smaller skirmishes on the track, there were several drivers who were unhappy with one another, sparking the first rivalries of the season. One of the biggest differences of opinion occurred between Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who clashed in an early incident.

    “In my opinion, this was the car to win,” Edwards said after his tussle with Busch. “That’s too bold a move to make early in the race.  We had been in the running for the race win.”

    Other cross words were exchanged between Brian Vickers and Matt Kenseth after getting into one another.

    “Matt wrecked us,” Vickers said simply. “It’s coming back to him.”

    Surprising: One of the most surprising finishes was for NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. After receiving a penalty for entering too fast into his pit, sliding through his pit stall, and breaking a wheel off the jack, Junior rallied back for a top ten finish.

    Not Surprising: Rick Hendrick’s wisdom in making his giant crew chief swap amongst the Hendrick drivers, sans Jimmie Johnson, certainly became evident at this race. Thanks to his pairing of Steve Letarte and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., the new duo was able to rally back from adversity, with Letarte serving as head cheerleader. And of course, the driver in Victory Lane, Jeff Gordon, credited his new crew chief pairing with Alan Gustafson, with getting him back to winning ways.

    Surprising and Not Surprising: It was surprising, yet not surprising, that last week’s winner Trevor Bayne had such a difficult time at Phoenix. He wrecked his primary car in practice and had the same experience in his back up car in the race. Bayne hit the wall hard, bringing out the third caution in the race and totally destroying the rear end of his No. 21 Wood Brothers race car.

    “I don’t know what happened,” Bayne said after the wreck. “That’s tough coming off of our high at Daytona to come to this, but we’ve got a great race team behind us.”

    “We’ll be back at Vegas,” Bayne continued. “I hate it ended this way this weekend, but we’ll be back.”

    Indeed all of the Sprint Cup drivers will be back and this time they will try their luck on the track in Sin City. The Kobalt Tools 400 will run at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 6th at 3:00 PM and will be broadcast on FOX and PRN.

  • Jeff Gordon Spotter Jeff Dickerson Is Home With Hendrick Motorsports

    Jeff Gordon Spotter Jeff Dickerson Is Home With Hendrick Motorsports

    In the early part of the 2010 season, Jeff Dickerson was on the spotter’s stand for driver Kyle Busch, a former Hendrick Motorsport team member.  But a change was made midway in the season and Dickerson returned home to HMS to spot for four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”267″][/media-credit]Dickerson is most excited to be reunited with crew chief Alan Gustafson, Busch’s former crew chief while at Hendrick.  Gustafson was part of the major crew chief swap at Hendrick Motorsports, moving from the pit box of Mark Martin to Jeff Gordon.

    “Alan Gustafson is one of my true loves in that garage,” Dickerson said.  “He is responsible for my success in this sport as much as anybody.  So to be reunited with him and those guys, it’s kind of like going home.”

    “It didn’t really take much to get re-acclimated with those guys because those relationships never really ended,” Dickerson continued.  “That’s really just been a lot of fun.”

    “Alan and I approach the race the same,” Dickerson said.  “He taught me everything I know.”

    As far as working with driver Jeff Gordon, Dickerson is feeling equally at home on the spotter’s stand.

    “Everything’s been good,” Dickerson said. “I’m obviously excited as everybody to get a chance at that championship.  But we have to close some races out.”

    “Last year, we were so close to winning some races and we couldn’t close them out.  Hopefully we can get that monkey off our back.”

    Dickerson said that his transition to Gordon was made most easy by the driver himself.

    “Jeff basically said for me to do my deal and he would figure it out,” Dickerson said.  “When they came and got me Jeff was looking for something different so he has done a really good job adapting to me.  He’s really made a nice soft landing for me.”

    “Any feedback that he has for me is in real time,” Dickerson continued.  “He is very open as far as feedback from me as far as what he needs to be doing.  No one is worried about hurting anyone’s feelings.  We’re just always trying to learn.”

    As at home with Jeff Gordon that Dickerson feels, he is definitely not feeling comfortable quite yet with the style of racing that has presented itself so far at Daytona.

    “We’re all still learning about this tandem racing,” Dickerson said.  “I’m as curious as anybody how this is going to go with 43 of us out there.  The cars on the race track are also still trying to figure that out.”

    Dickerson is also trying to figure out just how to make the appropriate deals up on the spotters’ stand that will most benefit his driver and team.

    “In the past, it was let’s make a deal, but you knew you were going to get screwed,” Dickerson said.  “If it was one big pack, you could jump in and jump out and everything was great.”

    “But now when you make a deal with someone, you sit in tandem and it’s a deal,” Dickerson continued.  “Now you need somebody more than you needed them before.”

    Dickerson described the spotters’ stand at Daytona as basically a “train wreck” given this new style of racing.

    “You’re running around making deals with whoever the guy is that’s ahead or behind or who is lined up behind you,” Dickerson said.  “We’re all running into each other just trying to adapt.”

    Dickerson also predicted that the partnerships that are formed in the Daytona 500 will last throughout most of the race.  This very situation occurred in Gordon’s duel, where he worked with young Trevor Bayne throughout, only to get caught up in a wreck at the end of the race.

    “I think Trevor Bayne did a great job,” Dickerson said.  “Can you only imagine being that old and having Jeff Gordon coming to you saying ‘Hey bud, we’re going to be working together today?’  It was just unfortunate that we all got caught up there in the end but he kept his poise.”

    “It could have been David Pearson in the car,” Dickerson continued.  “He looked beyond his years.  There’s been a lot of great guys that have run that car and it looked like anyone of them was in there.  He did a great job.”

    “Jeff would have no problem working with him again.”

    Unfortunately the two working together did not last during the final laps of the race.  Both Bayne and Gordon wrecked, with Bayne finishing 19th and Gordon finishing in the 12th position.

    “We were very fortunate to get through that with what we got,” Dickerson said.  “We’re really lucky because we could have been in the same position that the 88 is having to start at the back.  And that’s not what you want to do when you’re guaranteed a starting spot from the front row in this deal.”

    When Sunday rolls around and the Daytona 500 gets underway, Dickerson said that what he will be most surprised about is if the cars can really run like they did in the duel races for 500 miles.

    “I will be surprised if these guys can do this for 500 miles,” Dickerson said. “I am also curious to see how we are going to do that with 43 guys out there.”

    “It’s going to be as intense and crazy as you’ve ever seen.”

    Dickerson will get the opportunity to see just how intense the racing will be when he takes the spotter’s stand for America’s Super Bowl of racing.

    Until then, he will continue to savor his homecoming with the No. 24 team and his Hendrick Motorsports family.

  • Jeff Gordon: NASCAR’s Best All-Around Driver Ready to Win More Championships

    Jeff Gordon: NASCAR’s Best All-Around Driver Ready to Win More Championships

    Throughout the years, the NASCAR racing Gods have always shown a great deal of generosity whenever the time has come to hand over the reins to the sport’s next big superstar. Whether it be every 10, 20, or even 30 years, there will always be a driver who will step up to the challenge that takes him beyond the normal realm of just being labeled as, “One of the guys.”

    NASCAR garages from around the country are oozing with such talent, and it’s usually from these same garages where a driver will emerge who can defy the odds and take his racing career to the next level.

    In a sport where some of the biggest names who have graced our asphalt gladiator rings have come from the south, in walked California native Jeff Gordon who felt ready to accept the challenge knowing the rewards would be worth its weight in gold. Gordon knew he would be facing a long and strenuous uphill battle, with his biggest clash being the fans who couldn’t find it in their hearts to accept a driver who was not born with the “southern blood” running through his veins.

    Not long after his first Winston cup start, “the perfect storm” had already started brewing and Gordon found himself in the midst of its stranglehold. Along with the storm came the black cloud of doubt as driver after driver begin doubting Gordon’s ability to compete at a level he was not used to, which resulted in his tendency to push the cars too hard and crash. None of this stopped the California native from reaching the goals he set before himself, and before long Gordon made his first visit to victory lane during the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Gordon was well on his way to NASCAR stardom and it was attributed to the extra work he was willing to put in knowing that greatness can only be measured by the amount of enthusiasm that a driver can carry through all the hardship. Words alone cannot describe the amount of respect that he has earned throughout his very lucrative racing career and to say that he is anything less is absolutely ludicrous.

    Gordon has shown how an everyday run-of-the-mill California boy can come into a sport that was dominated by the good old boys from down south and dominate every aspect of their beloved sport.

    Gordon was truly an one-of-a-kind driver when he first entered what was then the Winston Cup Series, and one of his many characteristics that played a big role in him being successful was the methodical way he could pick apart his competition. Gordon learned patience along the way, which helped him to keep his composure with the result being the 82 victories he has in his win column.

    When you look back at his career, which is continuing to stand the test of time, how can a fan not take to heart what Jeff Gordon has endured, while racing against some of the great drivers from the past, as well as the present. There is no other driver in the garage today, who comes close to the accomplishments that Gordon has already garnered and his numbers speak for themselves.

    Gordon leads all active drivers with the most victories, and is currently sixth on the all-time winners list, and with one more victory he will tie Cale Yarborough in addition to Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison who are only one win away from the number three spot.

    Will Gordon ever win 200 races or will he reach the seven championship milestone? Probably not, but with 15 short-track wins, 12 restrictor-plate wins and a record nine road-course wins, along with Homestead-Miami as the only track he hasn’t won at, these stats alone make him one the most versatile and greatest drivers of our time.

    As father time continues to slowly creep up on one of NASCAR’s most prolific drivers, the drive for his fifth championship picks up where it left off after another disappointing and winless season.

    During the off-season team owner Rick Hendrick announced that Alan Gustafson, crew chief from Mark Martin’s No. 5 GoDaddy.com team would take over for Steve Letarte, with Letarte moving over to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. Gordon responded about the change saying that, “This just shows the kind of commitment we have at Hendrick Motorsports. You don’t make a move like this without hoping you’re making all the right ones. I feel really good about what we’re doing, and I feel like we’re going to win more championships. Things like this, led by Rick, are what get you there.”

  • Who, What & Why to Watch NASCAR 2011

    Who, What & Why to Watch NASCAR 2011

    Championship Week is over, the trophies have all been collected and 2010 has taken its final curtain call. Instead of looking back to the year that was, I’m looking ahead to the limitless possibilities of next season.

    2011 promises to be a pivotal year in NASCAR and these are just a few of the stories to watch.

    Camping World Truck Series:

    Austin Dillon wasted no time in his first full season in this series. He earned seven poles in 2010, breaking a rookie record previously held by Greg Biffle (four), ended the season with two wins and 16 top-10 finishes and finished fifth in the points standings.

    With his first win at Iowa Speedway, he became the series’ second youngest winner, at age 20 years, 2 months, and 37 days. He also has the distinction of capturing the first series victory for Richard Childress Racing since 1995.

    Dillon rounded out the season by winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year award and was named a top breakthrough performer of the year.

    Look for Dillon to run another full season in the black No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing next year but don’t be surprised to see him competing in a few Nationwide Series races too.

    Nationwide Series:

    Rumors abound that the Nationwide Series may see some changes for 2011. The biggest news is that Sprint Cup drivers may no longer be allowed to race for the championship. If this is true, will the change spell the end of the series, or, will it revitalize it?

    The Nationwide Series has been struggling to find its own separate identity as a proving ground for drivers aspiring to rise to the premier Sprint Cup Series level. The last Nationwide regular to win the championship was Martin Truex Jr in 2005.

    This change could allow fans to form a more personal connection with these drivers and allow the fan base for the series to grow.

    The flip side of this scenario is that sponsors may decide that their money might be better spent on the more popular and better established Sprint Cup Series.

    This leaves us with two big questions.

    Will the Sprint Cup drivers continue to race in the series without the benefit of racing for a possible championship?

    If the Sprint Cup drivers abandon the Nationwide Series, will the sponsors follow?

    Travis Pastrana:

    Travis Pastrana will make his NASCAR debut in 2011.

    Although he will only run a limited schedule of seven races in the Nationwide Series, his potential impact on the sport should not be overlooked.

    He’s not interested in anything but first place and he’ll do whatever it takes to prepare for this new challenge.

    Michael Waltrip told ESPN’s David Caraviello that the plan is for Pastrana to gain experience in the K&N Pro Series and possibly run some Truck Series events. This means that Pastrana probably won’t make his debut in the Nationwide Series until mid to late season.

    “Hopefully, he can make all his mistakes and learn all the lessons that he has to learn, and get up to speed where we can be very comfortable when he runs his first Nationwide race or first Truck race, that he is in a position to be competitive,” Waltrip said. “That’s his goal. He wants to test and work really hard at getting up to speed.”

    If he’s successful, Pastrana could breathe new life into a sport that needs some exciting new faces.

    As an added bonus, his “X Games” and “Nitro Circus” following could bring in a new generation of younger fans which NASCAR desperately needs.

    Trevor Bayne:

    In his first full Nationwide Series schedule, Bayne finished the 2010 season in seventh place.  His year included 3 poles along with six top-five and 11 top-ten finishes.  Bayne also made his Cup debut at Texas finishing in 17th place.

    Bayne’s 2010 season was a rollercoaster ride that had him suddenly looking for a new ride just a few weeks before the season was over.

    “It just goes to show that you don’t have any control over it. God has a path for me and He’s guiding me right along because there’s no way I could have done this on my own. It’s just crazy to see how it happens.”

    “Everything seems like it’s the end of the world when Diamond Waltrip Racing has no sponsorship and can’t sign a contract, and then all of a sudden I hear that Jack Roush is making comments that he’s interested, so I checked into it and the next thing I know I’m signing a contract with him. Shortly after that, I hear I’m gonna be in the Wood Brothers Cup car, so it’s been a whirlwind, but it’s been really exciting.”

    Bayne has earned the respect of the Cup veterans he has raced against this year showing a talent and maturity far beyond his 19 years. Bayne is a rising star in NASCAR and one to watch in 2011.

    Sprint Cup Series:

    The Sprint Cup drivers have already been making headlines with Hendrick Motorsports leading the way, but the other teams are chipping away at the Hendrick dominance.

    Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin came within inches of breaking the HMS winning streak in 2010. Richard Childress Racing flexed their muscles with all three teams making The Chase and Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards won the last two races of the season.

    Mark Martin:

    Say it ain’t so. Mark Martin drives for his final season in NASCAR…or does he? We all know it’s his final year at Hendrick Motorsports but will Martin retire at the end of 2011?

    Next season may be his final year at the Cup level but sources say that Martin will also run a limited schedule in both the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series in 2011 for Turner Motorsports.

    Mark Martin may be the best driver who has never won a championship. With a new crew chief and one more year on his contract at HMS, this may be his last best chance to win that elusive Sprint Cup trophy.

    The recent crew chief change has many asking the question, “Is Martin getting Earnhardt Jr.’s leftovers?”

    Rick Hendrick was adamant that he is committed to giving Martin whatever he needs to make it happen and is confident that he’s put together the right team.

    “We are going to do whatever it takes with people, with equipment, whatever it takes for Mark Martin to win races and have the opportunity to go for the championship again. I have total confidence in Lance (McGrew) and Chris (Heroy) and I feel like with Mark, his technical expertise as well as those other two guys, will be a match that I think will surprise a lot of people. Mark’s not getting the short end of the stick. He is going to get all the stick he wants, and that comes from me.”

    Jeff Gordon:

    Alan Gustafson is widely accepted as one of the best crew chiefs in NASCAR today. Pairing him with the four-time champ could easily propel Gordon towards that fifth championship.

    Rick Hendrick explained his reason for pairing the two saying that Gordon “has a tremendous amount of respect for Alan (Gustafson) and wants to do whatever is necessary to give him the opportunity to win and win championships.”

    Hendrick also emphasized that while Gordon was not unhappy with Letarte he felt that “the opportunity to try something different and new would again create a spark inside of the company.”

    “With Alan as an engineer,” Hendrick continued, “he is a proven commodity; he’s been there and won races with a lot of people. He’s finished second in the points. He and Jeff have a relationship. He’s very technical, not a lot of conversation but very to the point and matter-of-fact and Jeff I think at this point in his career.”

    Gordon looks at the change as another chance to succeed.

    “I’m certainly looking forward to working with Alan,” Gordon said. “I’ve known Alan for a number of years, always respected him and I guess in the back of my mind, I always thought it would be kind of cool to work with him. It’s a great opportunity.”

    Gordon could very easily emerge as the real winner in the Hendrick Motorsports shakeup.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr:

    Will this new combination of driver/crew chief provide the magic ingredient that’s been missing?

    Is Steve Letarte the one that can restore his confidence and provide the spark to reignite Dale Jr’s career?

    It will take months before we know the answers to these questions but Letarte has already begun the rebuilding process.

    “I believe he’s a remarkable race-car driver, and I think some people in the world have forgotten that,” Letarte said. “I look forward to the opportunity to remind them that he is as good as I think he is.”

    “I’ve had the ability to work around some very remarkable talents, and I think he is included in that bunch. That’s my motivation – to show everybody in the world how talented Dale Earnhardt Jr. is. We know he can do it. We just have to give him a consistent platform to operate on. I have all the faith in the world with him.”

    The real solution will come from Earnhardt Jr. who acknowledged that the last couple of years have shaken his confidence. “The only person that can truly help me get where I need to go, obviously, starts with me.”

    For the first time in a couple of years, Dale Jr’s fans are excited about the possibilities and this can only be a good thing for NASCAR.

    Jimmie Johnson:

    The season finale will undoubtedly be focused on Jimmie Johnson once again.

    Will the five-time champ claim the six-pack in 2011?

    Team owner Rick Hendrick says that the 48 team was a little off this season but in the end they were good enough.

    Johnson is already looking ahead to the future and the possibility that he could tie Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty by winning seven championship titles.

    “I want to believe, and I do feel in my heart, that we’ll have a shot next year, but I don’t know what those challenges are going to be, how competitive we’ll be, what the competition’s going to look like,” said Johnson.

    “It’s really hard to look that far ahead. I feel like I have my best chances at Hendrick Motorsports, with Chad Knaus as my crew chief.  If I can seam together seven in any shape or form to tie those two greats, I would be extremely honored. If I was ever able to surpass them, it would be out of this world.”

    Look for the power team of Johnson/Knaus to level up in 2011 as they try to continue their unprecedented championship winning streak.

    Denny Hamlin:

    Although he was unable to bring home the championship trophy this year, Hamlin’s 2010 season was nothing short of phenomenal.

    With a season high eight wins and a runner up finish, Hamlin has proven that he’s one of the fiercest competitors out there.

    If anything, the loss to Johnson has made him even more determined to come back in 2011 and make another run for the championship.

    “It’s going to be fuel for me,” Hamlin said. “I’m just going to try to get better. There are things that I can improve on as a driver.”

    “I can assure you we’re going to hold our heads high because we came close this year. We had a great year. We were just a little short in the end.”

    NASCAR:

    While the fans are watching the racing, NASCAR will be the ones under the microscope.

    Attendance and TV Ratings:

    NASCAR has experienced a downward trend for the past four years in television viewership and empty seats at the race tracks have become the norm.

    Changes such as more consistent start times, three attempts at a green-white-checkered restart and a new “have at it boys” policy have had little effect on either.

    And while Johnson’s consecutive championship winning streak looks great in the record books, some will argue that it’s bad for the sport. Many fans will tell you that it’s simply not any fun watching the Chase when you already know what the outcome will be.

    One of the biggest problems facing NASCAR is the decline in 18- to 34-year-old male viewing audience. NASCAR plans to increase its marketing and target this younger demographic.

    Steve Phelps, NASCAR’s chief marketing officer, said their goal is to “use every resource available to us. We have to expose the sport to as many people as we can wherever they are, whether that is on a computer screen, mobile device or television.”

    Another obstacle to overcome is how to compete with the NFL. While NASCAR ratings decline, the NFL ratings have seen a steady increase over the last few years. Despite this, NASCAR has no plans to change the 1:00 PM standard starting time in 2011 which puts them in direct competition with the NFL.

    For most fans, the biggest complaint is the number of commercial advertisements broadcast during the race. NASCAR should explore options such as side by side viewing so that fans don’t miss a minute of the action at the track.

    The 2011 season will be crucial for the continued success of NASCAR.

    Maybe they should take a hint from Rick Hendrick who took a hard look at his company and said,

    “It’s not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what’s required.”

    Thanks to Ford Racing for Trevor Bayne quotes.