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The Final Word – What I want from the 2015 NASCAR season

A new season, new hopes, new drivers, old drivers with new teams, and a whole lot of things I want to see come out of 2015.

I want Danica Patrick to do well. In the words of the classic song by Melanie, she has done alright for a girl, but it is time to expect more.

I want Dale Earnhardt Jr. to build on last season’s exploits, to win, to gel with his new crew chief.

I want Jeff Gordon to go out with a bang.

I want Jimmie Johnson to challenge for seven.

I want Brian Vickers to get well and to get back to where he belongs.

I want a season without outside drama for Tony Stewart and a return to success on the track.

I want to see Jeb Burton challenging the Danica Line, to be in a ride good enough to earn a minimum of 700 points over the season.

I want Kurt Busch to be known for his awesome talent and his outstanding character, on and off the track. Okay, he can be feisty…just not a weasel.

I want Kyle Busch to convert his early race dominance into late race victories in Cup, and to realize that by running an average of 25 Xfinity races per season he robs an up-and-comer of valuable seat time.

I want to thank Matt Kenseth. A five race schedule on the junior circuit is more than enough for an established Cup star and former champion.

I want Jamie McMurray to do well. He has all the tools to be a star, but not the results.

I want Martin Truex Jr. to bring Furniture Row racing back to the heights they enjoyed when Kurt was behind the wheel.

I want good seasons for Richard Petty, Michael Waltrip and Richard Childress and all who sail with them.

I want people to remember that Kasey Kahne also drives for Rick Hendrick.

I want Kevin Harvick to stand tall in defending his championship, with Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle in the mix. I want the best to be among the best.

I want more entries that matter. There are 28 who manage to average a 25th place result over the course of the season or better, but there is room for at least one more to break through, to contend rather than just participate.

I want a season where cars can pass, that the only thing keeping them from doing so is the quality of the ride and his (or her) ability.

I want to hear broadcasters who can take me on a three or four hour escape, who through their talents make even a dull race good, and a good one great.

I want no races lost due to Fox Sports not being picked up by cable companies in Canada. We already have to do without the ARCA race from Daytona. So, please, no rain outs.

I want Steve Byrnes back.

February 9, 2015
The Final Word – The Countdown to the New Season is Down to Single Digits

The countdown has begun to the start of a new season, with less than ten days to go before the Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona. A new campaign, some new teams and some new expectations.

Stewart-Haas had a year of mixed results in 2014. Kevin Harvick has his crown, but I think if you claim one championship you might like to claim another. Hey, it works for Jimmie Johnson. His boss, Tony Stewart, has three, but just having a year without the drama would be a Godsend. Kurt Busch won a race, which placed him in the Chase, but he actually was not even as good as Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, or Brian Vickers over the course of the season. He needs to show this year as to why Gene Haas spent the big money to bring him into the stable.

Danica Patrick must do well. I hear that, I believe that should be so, but I am not so convinced the bloom is off the rose just yet. With the big money funding, a solid organization behind her, and the media attention she gets, I do not believe she needs to be anything more than the novelty she already is. Being the best female driver in NASCAR history might still be enough, but results better than those of, say, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. should be expected as the soon-to-be 33-year-old embarks on her third full season.

Kasey Kahne turns 35 this spring and probably is considered the little guy at the big boys table at Hendrick by some. Seventeen wins over his career, including six in the past four years, argues otherwise. The only reason Kahne is not more front and center is due to having teammates who have either won the title multiple times or who happens to be the sports most popular performer. Even Harvick and Stewart would be considered fourth on the depth chart on this outfit.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a new crew chief. After matching his win totals of the previous nine seasons in 2014, Junior has Greg Ives on the box after Steve Letarte left for the broadcast booth. The 40-year-old needs to repeat what he did in 2014, as 23 Cup wins, 23 more on the junior circuit, two Daytona 500 wins, five Talladega celebrations, and a dozen straight Most Popular Driver of the Year nods might not be enough to make the Hall…in 2030.

2015 marks the final full-time season for Jeff Gordon. You better enjoy it, as he will not be eligible for the Hall of Fame until at least 2023. That would mark 30 years since he began his career, which is one qualification. If he has to wait until he is 55, that would be in 2027. Gone is the former three years in retirement qualification, as of this year. This alone causes me to expect more tinkering to the qualification rules between now and then.

Trevor Bayne has a Daytona 500 to his credit, and not much else over the past four seasons. He leaves his part-time job driving for the Wood Brothers to a full-time gig with Roush Fenway. Bayne turns 24 the day they run the Duels at Daytona, with hopes of taking Mark Martin’s old No. 6 ride back to the front. The question is, does he and teammates Greg Biffle and Stenhouse represent an organization on the rise?

Bayne takes the place of Carl Edwards, who hopes to realize that first championship with his move. Twice he has been the season’s runner-up, as the 35-year-old seeks some greener grass on Joe Gibbs’ side of the fence. Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth are a pretty good trio of teammates to roll with. Without question, one of NASCAR’s Big Three organizations, along with Hendrick and Stewart-Haas.

Or should that be Big Four? Penske is just a two car outfit, but with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano on the reins their wagons can make something happen. Both finished amongst the season’s Top Five, combining for 11 victories last year. Yes, Big Four is more like it.

Is there anyone to make it a Big Five? Childress has youth in Austin Dillon, with brother Ty waiting in the wings. They have experience in Ryan Newman, who was just one point behind Harvick when the smoke cleared at Homestead last November. Then there is Paul Menard, who has yet to crack the season’s Top Fifteen in his career, the past four with Childress. On the positive side, he does come complete with a sponsor. Is that enough?

Michael Waltrip’s crew once was considered a top flight team, until the wings came off. Martin Truex Jr. found himself with Furniture Row, where their gains with Kurt Busch disappeared with his replacement. Brian Vickers is on the mend with a heart issue, so he will require a temporary replacement. As for Clint Bowyer, Captain Skid dropped to 19th in the season rankings after being the runner-up in 2012 and seventh the season after. Bowyer is locked in for another three years, but will they be the best of times, or the worst of times?

Ganassi has 22-year old Kyle Larson, who just missed the Chase in his rookie season, along with veteran Jamie McMurray. Am I the only one who thinks this team should have been, and should be, more successful? McMurray has only seven wins over 13 seasons, but where he won is impressive. Two came at Daytona, including the 500 in 2010, two at Talladega, two at Charlotte, as well as the Brickyard 400. Not enough to make one a contender, but certainly one who gets remembered.

You cannot forget Petty, if only for the guy the outfit is named after. Aric Almirola is back, after a single win got him into the Chase…for three races. That victory was just one of five the team has had over six seasons. Coming in is Sam Hornish Jr. who, in 239 NASCAR races in all three top series, has just three wins on the junior circuit. Two of them came over his last 39 races run there over the past two campaigns. Let us not forget his 19 IndyCar wins between 2001 and 2007, including the 2006 Indianapolis 500. Does that get one excited? Sadly, not much.

Maybe the biggest move comes off the track. Gone is ESPN. Thank God Almighty. FOX returns, with NBC taking over the second half of the season. Mike Joy is a good lap-by-lap announcer, while Rick Allen is even better. While he may have a few detractors, I enjoy Darrell Waltrip, along with Larry McReynolds, providing color analysis. I think Steve Letarte will be even better though, surprisingly, Jeff Burton may be the weak link until he smooths out his delivery. Still, he has a few months to work on it. All are infinitely better than the ESPN crew, and that works for me.

It all begins on Saturday, February 14th with the Sprint Unlimited from Daytona on FOX. Dare I say it, “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity.” Sorry, I just could not resist.

February 4, 2015
Hendrick Motorsports Fills a Fifth Chair

Charlotte, NC – There was lots of news during Hendrick Motorsports’ presentation at the 2015 Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour on Thursday. The biggest news of the day was what we all knew was going to happen. Chase Elliott will be driving the No. 24 Chevrolet in 2016. It’s a year off yet, but that was the buzz around the Charlotte Civic Center.

Before Thursday afternoon’s presentation from Hendrick Motorsports, five director’s chairs stood empty on the stage, one earmarked for team owner Rick Hendrick and the rest for his four drivers. One chair rested to the side, awaiting its moment to join the group.

In the same way, Chase Elliott has waited for his seat in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. And now his time is just around the corner.

Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday that Elliott, the defending NASCAR XFINITY Series champion, will join the sport’s premier circuit full-time in 2016 after running a partial schedule of five races this season in the No. 25 Chevrolet. In making the step forward, Elliott, 19, will take over the Hendrick-owned No. 24 Chevrolet made famous by four-time champion Jeff Gordon, who announced last week that this will be his last full-time season in NASCAR’s top division.

Elliott said he was informed of his impending promotion to Sprint Cup by a phone call from Hendrick, shortly after Gordon made his intentions known to his team. As big a shock as news of Gordon’s decision was, Elliott said the piece of the story involving him was an even bigger surprise.

“That’s a phone call I was not expecting that day. That is for sure,” Elliott said. “I didn’t know anything about Jeff’s announcement until that morning and to have Mr. Hendrick tell me that he wanted me to be that person to go in and drive that car whenever Jeff got done was just an unbelievable phone call — one that I was not expecting and something that I couldn’t have dreamt happening.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sporting his new primary sponsor’s logo on his firesuit, but wanted to talk about his new crew chief, Greg Ives. It appears Earnhardt and Ives hit it off quickly.

“We’ve run things over in our mind about things to try and all that,” Earnhardt said. “We’re going to be fine and I think Greg will be beneficial to both Jimmie (Johnson) and I.”

It will be the first season in a long time that anyone other than Kenny Francis has been Kasey Kahne’s crew chief. In 2015, Francis moves on to other duties at Hendrick Motorsports and Keith Rodden takes over the reins. Kahne was confident that the turnaround in the No. 5 Chevrolet will be dramatic.

Gordon revealed that he had made up his mind to retire last summer, and only timed his announcement when he thought it was best. Car owner Rick Hendrick said he tried to get his star driver and had been trying for some time.

“You know I’m a pretty good car salesman, and I was very persuasive for awhile, but I ran out of good lines, I guess.”

Gordon apparently had been pondering this for several years, but came to his decision this year. When that decision was made and the announcement became public, Hendrick wasted no time in calling young Chase Elliott to place him in the No. 24 for 2016, a phone call that Elliott didn’t expect. It happened on the same day that Gordon made his announcement.

After the blockbuster news, the typical excitement for Jimmie Johnson was kind of lost in the dust. Johnson and Hendrick did pledge that the No. 48 would be back in the thick of things next year, but Hendrick did say what he thought would be a fitting end to an awesome career for Jeff Gordon.

Without blinking, Hendrick said, “Fourteen wins and a championship.” Now, THAT would be the way to go out.

January 30, 2015
For Jeff Gordon Fans, It’s Personal

As the tributes to Jeff Gordon continue to pour in, most recently from Darrell Waltrip’s pronouncement of Gordon as one of the ‘Greatest of All Time’ NASCAR drivers, some of the most poignant reactions to have been from long-time Jeff Gordon fans.

And for them, the news that Gordon will step out of the car after this season is simply personal.

“I followed him casually since he came into the sport so I’ve always been a fan, but I turned rabid ten or so years ago,” Linda Caracciola said. “Honestly it was a combination of things ‘Jeff’ that hooked me. Obviously he’s an incredibly talented racecar driver, but when I started listening to him in pre and post-race interviews, he really impressed me.”

He’s a class act,” Caracciola continued. “Then add to all of that what he does off the track philanthropically, he’s the total package.”

“And he’s not hard on the eyes either!”

Caracciola learned of her favorite driver’s news on Twitter. At first she thought it might be a joke or a rumor, but then she was simply stunned.

“I just sat there for a few minutes trying to process it,” Caracciola said. “I knew the day was coming, but I honestly didn’t expect it yet. I thought for sure he would race two more years and throw in his fire suit after the 2016 season.”

“The realization that I would only have this season to watch my driver race made me incredibly sad.”

“Now that the reality of it has sunk in, I’m still really sad that this will be his last season,” Caracciola continued. “Jeff is my driver. It’s not like stick and ball sports where you have your team. Players on that team come and go, but that’s still your team.”

“NASCAR is a different animal. When your driver retires, you can’t just randomly pick another driver and decide to be a fan. It’s a feeling you have to have, and for me, I don’t know if I’ll ever feel as passionate about another driver. I feel like I’ll be transitioning from a Jeff Gordon fan to just a NASCAR fan. At least for now…”

Like Caracciola, Jack Lewis, a NASCAR and Jeff Gordon fan since the age of four, is also struggling with his driver’s decision to step away from the sport.

“In 1993, my father went to Pocono Raceway while I stayed home,” Lewis said. “Naturally, I told him “buy me something” from the track, and he chose a Jeff Gordon flag to purchase for me. His reasoning was because his souvenir trailer was the most colorful of them all!”

“I first heard about Jeff’s announcement via an alert on my smartphone,” Lewis continued. “I was shopping and came to a dead stop after I read it–in shock, initially. It was something I knew was only a matter of time before it happened, but still, when you read something like that, you can’t help but be a little shocked.”

While both Caracciola and Lewis were saddened and shocked by their driver’s decision to step out of the car, both are very thankful for the memories and for the great Gordon moments that they have been able to experience.

“I have two favorite moments,” Caracciola said. “One has to be the first time I was at a race that he won. It was the June Pocono race in 2011. I cried… I’d watched him win for years but it was an amazing feeling to be there to see it in person.”

“The other, of course, was the first time I met him. He was exactly as I expected him to be.”

“There’s so many Jeff Gordon moments as a fan,” Lewis said. “Some of the best are his first Daytona 500 win in 1997, but the best had to be staying up until early Sunday morning in 2012 to watch Jeff come from multiple laps down to finish 2nd at Richmond and get into the Chase. Another that comes to mind was the Homestead win in 2012 after everything that happened the week before.”

While both Caracciola and Lewis wish that Gordon would reconsider and continue to race, they both want him to do whatever makes him happiest.

“I want to see him doing whatever it is that is going to make him feel happy and fulfilled,” Caracciola said. “I expect that he’ll continue to do great things and that he’ll make a positive impact doing whatever it is he decides to do.”

“After 2015, I would love to see Jeff do TV and still be very visible in the sport,” Lewis said. “I know that he’s mentioned he will still be at the track, so I am sure we will all see Jeff around the race track in years to come, just not behind the wheel.”

So, what would these two die-hard, personally attached Jeff Gordon fans say to their driver given the chance?

“If I could say one thing to Jeff, I would simply say ‘thanks’,” Lewis said. “Thanks for being such a great role model, thanks for paving the way for so many other drivers to make their way into NASCAR, thanks for giving back so much (with his foundation).”

“If it weren’t for Jeff Gordon, I’m not sure if I would even be a NASCAR fan,” Lewis continued. “It may not be much to just be a fan, but I feel like NASCAR plays such a role in my life (and Sundays throughout the year), and I have Jeff to thank for that.”

“If I could say one thing to Jeff, what would it be? Thank you,” Caracciola said. “Thank you for bringing us fans 23+ years of excitement on the track. Thank you for being a great ambassador for the sport that we love. Thank you for being the kind of person that young kids (and adults) can look up to.”

“And most of all, thank you for being Jeff Gordon.”

January 27, 2015
The Final Word – Greats do not always stay great though a few, like Jeff Gordon, leave as they arrived

Legends. Icons. Some athletes simply are the best, at least until Father Time is done with them. Few seem able to be able to step away while there might still be some gas in the tank. I get that. I mean, why quit before the curtain needs to fall?

Jeff Gordon appears to be one who is prepared to take his final bow while he is not just a legend in his sport, but also a contender. At the age of 43, Gordon has four championships to his credit, 92 victories and an amazing 320 Top Fives in 761 starts. Forty-Two percent of the time, Gordon has mattered in races run since finishing fifth in the 1993 Daytona 500. In 22 seasons to date, he has finished the year no worse than 14th and that was in 1993.

There are other legends in other sports who have provided incredible statistics. Wayne Gretzky once scored 92 goals in a National Hockey League season and 930 in his career when you include the 46 from his lone World Hockey Association campaign. The Great One had only nine in his final season as a 38 year old. Even the man Gretzky considers the best of the best, Gordie Howe, who scored 15 in his final season, and he was 52 years old.

The Great One was preceeded by simply The Greatest. As Cassius Clay, the boxer the world came to know as Muhammad Ali, was an Olympic gold medalist in 1960. In his prime, he was a heavyweight who fought with the speed of a middleweight. He won the title in 1964 in a shocking win over Sonny Liston. After a three year ban and four more years that included losses to Joe Frazier and Ken Norton, he shocked the world again by regaining the crown from George Foreman. After another epic battle with Frazier, he lost then regained the title in 1978 against Leon Spinks. He retired, but came back for two ill-fated bouts, being stopped by Larry Holmes in 1980 and losing in 10 rounds to Trevor Berbick a year later, at the age of 39, a phantom of his former self.

Babe Ruth is, was, and will forever be the face of baseball. A seven time World Series winner. A dozen home run titles, including 60 in 1927. When he hit more than 50 homers in both 1921 and 1922, his closest rival had hit 35 fewer. He hit 714 in his career, still ranked third best all-time. Ruth won a batting title, hit .342 in his career, and in 1916 even had the best ERA amongst all American League pitchers. That year he went 14 innings to win a World Series game on the mound. In his final season, at the age of 40, the Bambino lasted just 28 games. He hit six home runs (swatting 3 of them six days before he retired) and batting a mere .181.

Two hundred wins, 27 of them coming in the 1967 season alone. Seven NASCAR titles. An astounding 25 seasons ranked amongst the Top Ten. There is a reason Richard Petty is the King. By the time he was done, the tank was dry. Over his last five seasons, he was winless and failed to crack the Top Twenty each of those seasons. By the time his final season came around, at the age of 55, a trio of 15th place finishes were his best on the year. Petty’s final win was already eight seasons behind him.

Most retire when the tank is empty, but not all. Ken Dryden was 31 when the Montreal Canadiens’ goaltender called it quits, winning top goaltending honors in five of his seven seasons. Dryden ended his career as a Stanley Cup champion, his sixth, to become a lawyer, author, and public servant.

Rocky Marciano was undefeated in 49 fights, 43 won by knockout, including the final seven that saw him leave the ring as World Heavyweight Champion. Marciano was thrice named by Ring magazine as fighter of the year, with his 1952 fight with Jersey Joe Walcott judged the best knockout ever. The Rock was just 32 when he hung them up.

Sandy Koufax played through pain, winning three Cy Young Awards, including one for his final season. In 11 seasons with the Dodgers, he won 165 games for a 65 percent winning percentage, striking out 9.3 batters for every nine innings played. One season he won both the Cy Young and was the National League’s Most Valuable Player. The arthritis that caused his early departure failed to stop him winning 27 games in his final turn. Koufax retired at the age of 30, not because he could no longer pitch but rather to avoid the threat of a permanent disability.

Which brings us back to Jeff Gordon. He will be 44 when he retires at the end of the 2015 season. His back hurts, and time will tell how much he has left in the tank, but odds are he will still be among the best on the track each week. Four wins in 2014 bodes well. Over the past four years, in his last 108 races, he has won 10, to go with 76 Top Tens. Gordon has been a Top Ten driver at the end of every season of his career, with the exceptions of 1993 (14th) and 2005 (11th), rating sixth best the past two.

It will be sad to see one of the greats leave his seat early. The good news is that he leaves on his terms, still at the top of his game. The great news is that a wife, daughter, and son get to see him a whole lot more and his fans have memorabilia that will never go out of style. Oh, yes, we also get to have one more season watching one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers in action as the drive for five remains alive.

January 27, 2015
A Jeff Gordon story – Sometimes the little things mean the most

A few times a year, I’m privileged to be able to go to a NASCAR race as part of the media. It’s a unique experience that allows me to be a small part of something that has an enormous impact on so many. What may surprise you is that it is often the little things that make it a special experience.

One of the most enjoyable aspects is the opportunity to meet people from all walks of life. During several conversations with one of the women who helped prepare our food at the media center she talked about being a lifelong NASCAR fan and proudly told me, “I’m a huge Dale Jr. fan but my Dad likes Kasey Kahne. Can you believe that?” The look on her face was priceless.

The young man who stood watch at the door to the media center told me how he begged a friend to switch assignments with him so that he could work the race at Darlington.

My favorite moment was shared with a photographer at Darlington Raceway who has been working the NASCAR circuit for over 30 years. I was surprised to hear he drove all the way from Canada to cover the Darlington race. He was accompanied by his daughter.

He began talking about how it was in the “old days’’ when drivers like David Pearson and Richard Petty would spend hours signing autographs for their fans. “I don’t know why,” he said “but they had such an appreciation for the fans, especially the kids. You don’t see that much anymore.”

But then he related a story about his daughter. She has been his constant companion since she was old enough to travel with him. “She grew up in NASCAR,” he told me.

When his daughter was a small girl, she had a Jeff Gordon Pepsi trading card and desperately wanted it autographed. When the opportunity arose, they approached Gordon who was surrounded by fans. It was beginning to rain but they were determined to wait. When Gordon saw the girl, he politely told the rest of the crowd; “children first.”

“Gordon took the card from her, placed it face down on his pants leg, covered it with his hand so it wouldn’t get wet and told us to follow him to his hauler. He signed the card and spent several minutes talking with my daughter and me.”

The photographer’s eyes were glistening as he looked at me and said, “Signing autographs, that’s business. But this, (he pantomimed covering up the card on his leg), this was from the heart.”

As the story unfolded, it reminded me that a driver’s legacy extends far beyond the racetrack. It shines as an example of why Gordon’s impact on the sport goes far beyond statistics. As he embarks on his final full time season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year, I can only imagine how many more lives he will touch.

January 22, 2015
Jeff Gordon to run final full-time NASCAR season in 2015

By HendrickMotorsports.com – Jan 22, 2015

CONCORD, N.C.– Jeff Gordon, the celebrated stock car champion whose crossover appeal helped take NASCAR into the mainstream, will compete in his 23rd and final full-time Sprint Cup Series season in 2015. He announced his decision this morning to the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team he has driven for since November 1992.

“As a race car driver, much of what I’ve done throughout my life has been based on following my instincts and trying to make good decisions,” Gordon said. “I thought long and hard about my future this past year and during the offseason, and I’ve decided 2015 will be the last time I compete for a championship. I won’t use the ‘R-word’ because I plan to stay extremely busy in the years ahead, and there’s always the possibility I’ll compete in selected events, although I currently have no plans to do that.

“I don’t foresee a day when I’ll ever step away from racing. I’m a fan of all forms of motor sports, but particularly NASCAR. We have a tremendous product, and I’m passionate about the business and its future success. As an equity owner in Hendrick Motorsports, I’m a partner with Rick (Hendrick) and will remain heavily involved with the company for many years to come. It means so much to have the chance to continue working with the owner who took a chance on me and the incredible team that’s stood behind me every step of the way.

“Racing has provided a tremendous amount of opportunity that’s been extraordinarily rewarding and fulfilling in my life. The work we’re doing with the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation will continue to be extremely important to me. Outside the race car, my passion is pediatric cancer research, and my efforts will remain focused there when I’m no longer driving.

“I’ll explore opportunities for the next phase of my career, but my primary focus now and throughout 2015 will be my performance in the No. 24 Chevrolet. I’m going to pour everything I have into this season and look forward to the challenge of competing for one last championship.

“To everyone at NASCAR, my teammates, sponsors, competitors, friends, family, members of the media and especially our incredible fans, all I can say is thank you.”

Gordon, 43, has earned four career Cup championships, 92 points-paying race wins and 77 pole positions, all for longtime car owner Rick Hendrick. He is third in all-time victories behind only NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105).

One of the most versatile drivers of his era in any auto racing discipline, Gordon’s résumé includes three Daytona 500 victories and a record five Brickyard 400 wins. He is the sport’s winningest road course driver with nine victories, stands alone as the all-time leader with 12 restrictor plate wins and has won at every track on the Sprint Cup circuit with the exception of Kentucky Speedway.

“There’s simply no way to quantify Jeff’s impact,” said Hendrick, who first noticed Gordon during a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 1992. “He’s one of the biggest sports stars of a generation, and his contributions to the success and growth of NASCAR are unsurpassed. There’s been no better ambassador for stock car racing and no greater representation of what a champion should be. I will never be able to properly express the respect and admiration I have for Jeff and how meaningful our relationship is to me. I’m so grateful for everything he’s done for our company and my family, and I look forward to many more years together as friends and business partners.”

Hendrick Motorsports will announce plans for its 2016 team alignment at a later date.

JEFF GORDON BIO BRIEF:

FULL NAME: Jeffery Michael Gordon

BIRTHDATE: Aug. 4, 1971

BIRTHPLACE: Vallejo, California

HOMETOWN: Pittsboro, Indiana

FAMILY: Wife Ingrid Vandebosch; daughter Ella Sofia (7); son Leo Benjamin (4)

Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001)

92 career Cup victories; third on the all-time list

77 career Cup pole positions; third on the all-time list

Three-time Daytona 500 winner (1997, 1999, 2005)

Five-time Brickyard 400 winner (1994, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2014)

Three-time champion of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (1995, 1997, 2001)

NASCAR record nine road course victories

NASCAR record 12 restrictor plate victories

1997 Winston Million winner and four-time Winston No Bull 5 winner

Seven-time winner at Darlington Raceway

CUP SERIES HIGHLIGHTS AND CAREER NOTES:

2014: Captured four victories, three pole positions, 14 top-five finishes and a series-leading 23 top-10s. Scored a NASCAR-record fifth Brickyard 400 win, tying Formula One driver Michael Schumacher for the most victories at Indianapolis. Posted series-best average finish (10.4) en route to a sixth-place finish in the point standings. Extended NASCAR record for most consecutive seasons with a pole (22). Starred in the viral video “Test Drive 2,” which has surpassed 17 million views on YouTube.

2013: Finished sixth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with one win (Martinsville), two poles, eight top-fives and 17 top-10s. Set NASCAR record for most consecutive seasons with a pole (21), breaking a tie with NASCAR Hall of Fame driver David Pearson. Starred in the viral video “Test Drive,” which has surpassed 43 million views on YouTube.

2012: Recorded two wins, two poles, 11 top-fives, 18 top-10s and finished 10th in the Chase. Scored first career Homestead-Miami victory and surpassed NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Darrell Waltrip for sixth in all-time career laps led (23,147). Recipient of the Heisman Humanitarian Award, established to recognize those in sports who give significantly to serve communities and improve the lives of others. Appeared as himself in an episode of the FOX animated television show “The Simpsons.” Returned to Rwanda for a second time in conjunction with the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation. Recipient of the NMPA Myers Brothers Award, which recognizes those who have made outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing.

2011: Began working with fourth full-time crew chief Alan Gustafson. Posted three wins, one pole, 13 top-fives and 18 top-10s en route to an eighth-place finish in the Chase. Moved to third in all-time wins after scoring his 85th career victory at Atlanta and claimed sole possession of third in all-time career poles (70). Voiced the character “Jeff Gorvette” in the animated film “Cars 2.” Traveled to Rwanda with the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, and visited the Democratic Republic of Congo in conjunction with the Clinton Global Initiative.

2010: Finished ninth in the Chase with one pole, 11 top-fives and 17 top-10s. Tied NASCAR Hall of Fame driver Cale Yarborough for third in all-time career poles (69) and remained sixth in all-time career wins (82), one behind Yarborough.

2009: Finished third in the Chase with one win, one pole, 16 top-fives and a series-high 25 top-10s. Scored first career Texas victory. Appeared in an episode of the long-running children’s television series “Sesame Street.”

2008: Finished seventh in the Chase with four poles, 13 top-fives and 19 top-10s. Scored first career Texas pole. Became first NASCAR driver to surpass $100 million in career prize winnings.

2007: Finished second in the Chase with six wins, seven poles, 21 top-fives and 30 top-10s—a single-season record for most top-10s in NASCAR’s modern era (1972-present). Scored first career Phoenix victory and set all-time record for most career restrictor plate wins (12). Moved to sixth all-time in career wins (81) and fourth all-time in career poles (63).

2006: Finished sixth in the Chase with two victories, two poles, 14 top-fives and 18 top-10s. Scored first career Chicagoland victory and extended own record for most road course victories (9) with fifth career win at Sonoma.

2005: Posted four wins, two poles, eight top-fives, 14 top-10s and finished 11th in the point standings. Achieved third career Daytona 500 victory, fourth win at Talladega and sixth and seventh victories at Martinsville, marking the second time in three years he swept both events at the short track. Ran first race with third full-time crew chief Steve Letarte at New Hampshire on Sept. 18. Appeared as himself in the film “Herbie: Fully Loaded.”

2004: Five wins, six poles, 16 top-fives and 25 top-10s. Finished third in the inaugural Chase, marking 11 consecutive top-10 point finishes. Led standings after 26th race before top-10 points were reset. Became the first stock car driver to capture four victories at Indianapolis and only the fourth driver in history to win there four times. Won back-to-back races for the 19th and 20th times in his career.

2003: Three wins, four poles, 15 top-fives, 20 top-10s and a series-leading 1,639 laps led. Won both events at Martinsville to complete a season sweep at the track. Finished fourth in the point standings. Became the only auto racing driver in the show’s history to host NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.”

2002: Recorded three victories, three poles, 13 top-fives and 20 top-10s. At Darlington, won 60th career race. Recorded 300th career start and became first NASCAR driver to surpass $50 million in career prize winnings.

2001: Achieved a fourth career championship to become at the time only the third driver to win more than three titles. Led the series in several statistical categories: wins (6), poles (6), top-fives (18), top-10s (24), races led (25) and laps led (2,320). Became the first driver to eclipse $10 million in single-season prize winnings. Won both the all-star event and the Brickyard 400.

2000: Began working with second full-time crew chief Robbie Loomis. Earned three wins, three poles, 11 top-fives and 22 top-10s. Became the youngest driver in history to achieve 50 career wins. Won Talladega, Richmond and Sonoma. Win at Sonoma marked sixth straight road course victory, a series record. Finished ninth in points.

1999: Finished the season with seven victories to become the first driver in history to win the most races for five straight years. Also won the most poles (7) and led the most laps (1,319). Finished the season sixth in points with 18 top-fives and 21 top-10s. Ran final race with original crew chief Ray Evernham at Dover on Sept. 26. Appeared on the cover of Fortune magazine. Established the Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation, which supports pediatric cancer research, treatment and patient support programs. Became an equity owner in Hendrick Motorsports after signing a lifetime contract to drive for the team.

1998: Won third series championship with 13 victories, seven poles, 26 top-fives and 28 top-10s. Became first driver to win the Brickyard 400 twice. Won the Winston No Bull Five twice. Tied two modern-era records with 13 wins in one season and four wins in a row. Named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers.

1997: Won second series championship with 10 victories, one pole, 22 top-fives and 23 top-10s. Became youngest driver to win the Daytona 500 in a Hendrick Motorsports 1-2-3 finish. Second driver ever to win the Winston Million.

1996: Led the series in wins (10), poles (5) and laps led (2,314). Also recorded 21 top-fives and 24 top-10s. Finished second in championship points, only 37 behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Terry Labonte.

1995: At 24, became youngest Cup champion in NASCAR’s modern era in only third full season in the series. Recorded seven victories, eight poles (personal record), 23 top-10 finishes and 2,610 laps led.

1994: Won twice, including first career victory at Charlotte and the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. Achieved seven top-fives and 14 top-10s.

1993: Earned series Rookie of the Year to become the first driver ever to win top rookie honors in NASCAR’s two top divisions (XFINITY Series Rookie of the Year in 1991). Became first rookie in 30 years to win a 125-mile qualifying race at Daytona.

1992: Signed contract with Hendrick Motorsports and made first career series start on Nov. 15 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, finishing 31st under the guidance of crew chief Evernham. The race also marked the final NASCAR event for seven-time series champion Richard Petty.

January 22, 2015
The Least Successful Sprint Cup Driver of 2014 is…

For some, 2014 was a damn good year. Kevin Harvick won five and the title. Brad Keselowski led the way with six victories, with Joey Logano also a five-time victor. The Hendrick power trio of Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson all had four apiece, as all six listed here with 20 or more Top Tens while winning 28 of the 36 events. Unfortunately, this is not about those who did well.

There were those who put on the fire suits, got to be among the big boys, but when it came time to go they might have been best suited to go down the road instead of the track. Instead of being competitors, they were lucky to be participants, saddled in entries that had no hope of being anywhere near the front. However, this is all about misery, no bright spots allowed. To be eligible as our least successful driver one would have had to have attempted to qualify in at least 15 races and average a finish of 30th or worst.

That means no Danica Patrick to be found here. Even failing to qualify twice and finishing outside the Top 40 four times could not get Landon Cassill included, thanks to a fourth place finish at Talladega in the fall. In fact, even a single Top Ten excludes one from inclusion, and so we take Travis Kvapil and Michael McDowell out of the mix.

Ryan Truex was a contender to be the top pretender. It went sour fast in B.K. Racing’s No. 83 Toyota when he failed to qualify at Daytona. In fact, in attempting to make 26 of the first 27 races of the season, they missed three, finished 20th at the second Pocono race, with 30th in a Martinsville race the next best. After seven times outside the Top 40, they parted company after Chicago. Still, not bad enough for us.

The car was not parked, as J.J. Yeley was blessed to take it over. He already had some adventures driving the No. 44 Chevy of Johnathan Cohen. They withdrew four times, failed to qualify for four more, and were in the bottom 10 the other six. Three with Frank Stoddard left him outside the Top 30 every time, and in nine outings driving the illustrious No. 83 Yeley did manage to finish 29th once. Still, bad but not bad enough.

Joe Nemechek attempted the first dozen Cup races of 2014. Driving mostly for Jay Robinson in the No. 66 Toyota, but also for himself, he missed four of them, was 40th or worse in three, with a 31st in Kansas the best of the bunch. Later in the year, he came up empty at both Daytona and Talladega, with a 30th at Watkins Glen by far his best outcome in his final nine attempts. Still, not futile enough.

I am not sure what motivates a professional driver to take a ride that most likely will not be successful, despite his best efforts. A love for the sport, a willingness to help an outfit get started, an opportunity to pick up a few bucks with minimal effort, or all of the above. Randy Humphrey, a former partner of Phil Parsons and then Mark Smith, formed his own operation a year ago, hiring veteran crew chief Peter Sospenzo on the box and Dave Blaney behind the wheel.

They went to the track in hopes of getting their No. 77 Ford into Daytona, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Bristol to open the season. Each time the car was back in the trailer when the green flag waved. In fact, they withdrew before qualifying at Daytona, did the same at Fontana and Martinsville, though they made the race at Texas, finishing 41st, before winding up dead last at Darlington.

That proved to be better than the results at Richmond, Talladega, Kansas, and Charlotte, when they were left heading down the road a day or two early. Thirty-third at Dover was the high water mark for the car, as they followed up that effort coming in dead last at Pocono. I am not sure what they paid to sponsor the entry at Daytona but Plinker Arms, a firearm production company, might have better advertised their product by using it to put this entry out of its misery. Such are the trails and tribulations of starting up a new team.

After all that excitement, Blaney moved over to Tommy Baldwin’s No. 37 Chevy, where he was 26th at the second run at Pocono, 33rd at Michigan, then concluded his Cup campaign last at Bristol. When the season was over, he had four withdrawals prior to qualifying and seven failed qualifying attempts, to go with three finishes of dead last in seven attempts. Combined with results of 26th, 33rd (twice), and 41st in the other four, Dave Blaney is our least successful Cup driver of 2014.

While the 52-year-old Blaney has no plans to run Cup in 2015, he will be keeping busy racing dirt this season and working with his 21-year-old son Ryan. The kid will race some Cup this year with the Wood Brothers and hopes to add to his two victory total in the Xfinity Series with Team Penske. Maybe the least successful Cup driver of 2014, but arguably its most successful father. I think Dave Blaney might be more than content with that distinction.

January 9, 2015
Hot 20 – The Elimination Format was Good, but an Actual Five Race Post-Season Even Better

Over the course of the season, Jeff Gordon was the top driver of 2014. However, NASCAR has not determined its champion using the results of the entire campaign for more than a decade. They want excitement, drama, unpredictability. They want what the other big boy sports have, and when they waved the flag to start the season finale, four drivers had an even shot to claim the prize. Unfortunately, 39 we knew who would not, also were out there.

Regular season and then the playoffs. That is what you get with the NFL, MLB, NBA, and the NHL. You play to entertain and to position yourself into earning a shot at the championship. Since 2004, NASCAR has also done this, except for allowing the non-contenders to remain out on the field of play getting in the way of those who matter.

What if NASCAR had a real playoff? It has been brought up that the season is too long, that there needs to be a reduction in the schedule. Realistically, there is no way anyone is going to say adios to the big dollars that comes with putting on a 36 event schedule, not including the extras at Daytona in February and Charlotte in May. However, NASCAR could shorten its regular season to 31 races, as it was in some seasons in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, for its 43 car fields. Then they could reduce it to the top 20 drivers and teams over the course of a five-race championship playoff, resetting the points to zero for the post-season, and allowing the best of the best to settle it among themselves.

The point system would remain the same, other than instead of “win and you are in,” winners are given credit for their victory with 25 bonus points, instead of the three they are presently given. In that way, a race winner would claim as much as 70 points, compared to the 43 for the runner-up. During the playoffs, points would range from one to 20, with the winner’s bonus reduced to three points in recognition of the smaller field and the impact of a win over the shorter “season.” So, in the playoffs, a race win could earn up to 25 points, compared to the runner-up’s 20. Yes, a driver sweeping the first four races of the playoff would have enough to win the title before they run Homestead but, let’s be honest, if they were that dominant they should win it.

The playoff teams would be expanded from 16 to 20, with those not making the cut sent home, their season over. Considering there are really no more than 25 quality entries in any given race, all we would be doing is exchanging quantity for quality, with Charlotte being the final race of the regular season.

Using 2014 as a guide for illustrative purposes, neither A.J. Allmendinger or Aric Almirola would make the playoffs as, despite each picking up a win, neither would have made it on points in our Top 20. Along with the other 14 Chasers from this season we would have included Austin Dillon, Brian Vickers, Clint Bowyer, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson and Paul Menard. A pretty fair exchange.

TALLADEGA

Twenty drivers hit the track all even as the opening round of the playoff Chase begins on the super speedway in Alabama. Kyle Busch once again got snake bit come go time when he gets caught up in a crash that left him dead last. Of course, those cars that got him in reality would have been home watching television under this format. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski responded from the less than loving embraces Denny Hamlin wanted to put on him at Charlotte, and Matt Kenseth did, by claiming 24 points in winning at Talladega. Kenseth, ironically enough, pushed Bad Brad to the front and finished just behind him on the track.

1 Brad Keselowski 24 Pts
2 Matt Kenseth 20
3 Ryan Newman 18
4 Clint Bowyer 18
5 Kevin Harvick 16
6 Kurt Busch 16
7 Joey Logano 14
8 Kasey Kahne 14
9 Austin Dillon 12
10 Denny Hamlin 11
11 Kyle Larson 11
12 Jimmie Johnson 9
13 Brian Vickers 9
14 Carl Edwards 8
15 Greg Biffle 7
16 Jeff Gordon 6
17 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 5
18 Jamie McMurray 4
19 Paul Menard 2
20 Kyle Busch 1

MARTINSVILLE

Keselowski takes his four point lead over Kenseth to Martinsville, where more than a few need to come up big to make amends for the previous week. After finishing 17th at Talladega, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was among them. In winning, he added 24 points to the five he picked up the previous week, but he remained deep in the standings. Kenseth, Bowyer, Ryan Newman and Joey Logano all had a second strong playoff result, Keselowski was 16th to drop like a stone, as Jimmie Johnson slipped well out of contention with yet another less than stellar result.

1 Matt Kenseth 37 Pts
2 Ryan Newman 36
3 Clint Bowyer 34
4 Joey Logano 32
6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 29
5 Brad Keselowski 29
8 Jeff Gordon 26
7 Denny Hamlin 26
9 Austin Dillon 24
11 Kurt Busch 19
10 Kevin Harvick 19
12 Greg Biffle 18
13 Kyle Larson 17
15 Carl Edwards 16
14 Brian Vickers 16
16 Kasey Kahne 15
18 Kyle Busch 14
17 Jamie McMurray 14
19 Jimmie Johnson 13
20 Paul Menard 12

TEXAS

Kenseth heads into the Lone Star State a point ahead of Newman, with Bowyer three away. When it came time to fire off the six guns, Gordon was seeking his own version of High Noon after Keselowski’s bid to take the lead left him with a cut tire and a good day that went for nought. To make matters worse, his rival returned atop the leader board. Johnson’s win at least moved him back into territory where he might yet see light at the end of the long tunnel he is trying to emerge from.

1 Brad Keselowski 48 Pts
2 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 44
3 Ryan Newman 44
4 Matt Kenseth 42
5 Joey Logano 42
6 Kevin Harvick 39
7 Denny Hamlin 38
8 Jimmie Johnson 38
9 Clint Bowyer 37
10 Kurt Busch 33
11 Kyle Larson 31
12 Kyle Busch 31
13 Jamie McMurray 30
14 Jeff Gordon 29
15 Austin Dillon 29
16 Carl Edwards 28
17 Greg Biffle 27
18 Brian Vickers 23
19 Paul Menard 18
20 Kasey Kahne 16

PHOENIX

After the events at Texas, Keselowski takes a four point lead over both Earnhardt and Newman heading out to the desert, with Gordon’s dreams pretty much shattered by that torn tire. Kevin Harvick came up with a race most can only dream about, absolutely dominating most laps and pretty much all of the re-starts to win. He now sits just behind Keselowski, who finished fourth behind Gordon and Kenseth. Bowyer was dead last on this day, taking him from contender to pretender, while Johnson erased even a glimmer of good tidings by finishing 19th.

1 Brad Keselowski 65 Pts
2 Kevin Harvick 64
3 Matt Kenseth 60
4 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 58
5 Joey Logano 58
6 Ryan Newman 55
7 Denny Hamlin 55
8 Jeff Gordon 48
9 Kurt Busch 47
10 Kyle Larson 41
11 Jimmie Johnson 40
12 Jamie McMurray 39
13 Greg Biffle 39
14 Clint Bowyer 38
15 Carl Edwards 36
16 Kyle Busch 35
17 Austin Dillon 32
18 Brian Vickers 30
19 Paul Menard 23
20 Kasey Kahne 22

HOMESTEAD

Heading for Miami and the final showdown, 10 drivers remain mathematically alive with seven still with a legitimate shot at the title. Kenseth and Harvick, in fact, could claim it with a victory, no matter what Keselowski did. That is just what Happy Harvick did, leaving Keselowski’s third place result at Homestead just not good enough. A five race playoff, only 20 cars on the track and, in this scenario, the same Sprint Cup champion as provided by the elimination series.

1 Kevin Harvick 88 Pts
2 Brad Keselowski 83
3 Matt Kenseth 75
4 Ryan Newman 74
5 Denny Hamlin 70
6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 65
7 Joey Logano 64
8 Jeff Gordon 61
9 Kurt Busch 58
10 Jamie McMurray 55
11 Jimmie Johnson 52
12 Clint Bowyer 51
13 Kyle Larson 49
14 Paul Menard 40
15 Greg Biffle 40
16 Carl Edwards 39
17 Kyle Busch 37
18 Austin Dillon 36
19 Brian Vickers 35
20 Kasey Kahne 31

November 20, 2014
The New Chase Format – What Do You Think?

The 2014 NASCAR season is officially over with the notable exception of the Championship Banquet. What kind of year was it? With the multitudes on talk radio praising the new format for determining a champion, what does the rest of NASCAR Nation think? This reporter has a “wait and see” attitude on the format, but that comes later.

The season saw some of the hardest racing we’ve seen in some time. For the first time in ages, we saw some real competition between brands and teams. Hendrick Motorsports did not dominate the sport because it had company with Team Penske. If you will notice, just like in olden times, it was Chevrolet versus Ford. HMS came through with 13 wins, most in the season, as usual. Team Penske was second with 11 wins; Stewart-Haas Racing had six, two each for Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush Fenway Racing, and one each for Richard Petty Motorsports and JTG Daugherty Racing. That left the score at 20 wins for Chevrolet, 14 for Ford, and two lonely wins for Toyota. It’s almost strange that the final four to go for the championship kind of looked like that with Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman representing Chevrolet, Joey Logano representing Ford and Denny Hamlin representing Toyota. Good competition among brands is always good for NASCAR.

The new format had its detractors, though. Fans of certain drivers and even the drivers themselves were critical when the favored driver didn’t make the cut. The loudest were Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, Jimmie Johnson fans and Jeff Gordon fans. Even Gordon got into the act by proposing changes to the format that would have put him in the Final Four. Apparently Gordon forgot that his failure to pass Earnhardt at Martinsville just might have had something to do with that one-point deficit.

Tempers flared and we had a couple of pretty good post-race skirmishes. Out came the hatred for Brad Keselowski. Fans will boo him and maybe they will leave Kyle Busch alone for awhile. Drivers say they don’t like his attitude. Having been around this sport for a long time, I wonder if this young bunch could even fathom the fallout from drivers like Dale Earnhardt Sr., Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough or Bobby Allison. They raced like Keselowski, but boys will be boys. I doubt it’s a long time before anyone hits anyone in a melee with a closed fist again. Of course when the team owner pays your fine we may see more of these post-race antics.

After all of this, I say leave it alone for next year. The first attempt had its moments and it seemed to get fans fired up about something. My opinion from the start has been a true champion is exemplary over the entire season. It’s one of the main reasons that I don’t watch the baseball playoffs or the NFL playoffs. How about the Super Bowl? I haven’t watched it in years. Sometimes teams who have done nothing get hot for the playoffs. When they end up in the World Series or the Super Bowl, I lose interest, but for some strange reason since two of the Final Four had won nine races during the season, it held my interest. I’m sure it won’t always be that way, but I’m willing to see what happens next year.

In the end, it came down to who made the least mistakes. Logano and Hamlin lost because their teams let them down. Newman was just overmatched all season and that left Harvick. Sort of like those baseball and football playoffs, but with a worthy team winning. I hate the Chase and I don’t like this format, but the people have spoken and we will see what happens in 2015.

November 20, 2014