Happy Monday everyone. Today In Nascar History Nov. 30, 1931: Dick Hutcherson, who won 14 Cup Series races in 103 starts, is born on this day. Hutcherson competed in the Cup series from 1964 to 1967. He finished second in points in 1965, his first full season, getting nine wins and 32 top-five finishes in 52 starts. In 1967, he finished third, starting 33 of 49 races. In all, he had 64 top-fives, 73 top-10s and 21 poles before retiring as a driver. Quote of the Year There's an unwritten rule in NASCAR: Thou shalt not take on Dale Earnhardt Jr. --Terry Blount/espn Countdown to Daytona 76 Comments from the Peanut Gallery From Chip Dear NASCAR Momma: It may be all but a dead issue but the whole Jeremy Mayfield thing appears to be in the news again. One thing seems abundantly clear - his driving days in NASCAR are over. And for this whole discovery thing - It was not his lawyers who started dragging family into the equation but Mayfield family was paraded around by NASCAR for all to see. Don't they say that turnabout is fair play. It becomes a very touchy issue and gets downright dirty once the lawyers get involved and I guess that puts it mildly. One suggestion to prevent further confusion over the whole drug testing issue would be to follow things like federal guidelines and independent testing in conjunction with the labs that NASCAR chooses. Much is made of other professional sports and the testing in their respective leagues but for the most part I think that their testing policies are superior to those in motorsports. There needs to be clarity in the policy so that everyone understands it. When others comment about other sports they usually take issue with the players because they have a union. I know that many do not favor a drivers union but there should be someone to stand for the drivers. No one driver has the money to stand a long drag out fight with the France family and everyone knows it. That is another of the reasons that NASCAR is not like any other sport. It may be a sport but when ruled with an iron fist and a my way or the highway mentality it resembles a monopoly more and more. The sad part of this whole thing is that no matter how this comes out Mayfield is done. A no name no talent person could get a sponsor easier than he could at this point and hereafter. The lawyers are in it big time now so is it all about the money now so discover away boys. Let the fur fly and sling the mud. Lets all wait and see how it all shakes out. I hope for some changes that make things better but that may be just a little too much wishful thinking on my part
And by the way - did or did not NASCAR announce that there were going to be no changes to the car next year - only to say in today's newsletter that there would be changes in the car for Daytona and Talladega. Flip flopping more than the 39 & 20 cars did with no apologies offered. Hmmmmmm Chip Bits and Pieces Carl Edwards Looks To Facebook Friends For Help By Greg Engle CupScene.com Editor
Carl Edwards became a proficient user of the social networking site Facebook in 2009 and this week turned to his Facebook fans for help: "My mother (Nancy Sterling) has lost her bracelet that has #99 and #60 charms to represent each win we've had in NASCAR," Edwards posted Tuesday. "You would be her hero if you find it. If you spot it anywhere (eBay?), it would mean a lot if you would post it here. Thanks!" Edwards later added: "Most likely lost in Columbia (his hometown in Missouri). 25 percent chance it was in Homestead (site of NASCAR's season-ending race last Sunday). Thank you. She will feel better that the word is out!" Victory Lap Returns: The Top 12 drivers of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will complete a Victory Lap along Las Vegas Boulevard, kicking off in front of M&M's World. The lap will take drivers north on Las Vegas Boulevard until they reach Spring Mountain Road. At Spring Mountain Road, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion will treat fans to a "Victory Lap Burn Out" before heading south with the other 11 drivers. During the lap all stock cars will take part in an authentic pit stop. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Victory Lap is scheduled for Thursday, December 3, 2009 from 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm. Donlavey to be honored with award: The Tim Sullivan Memorial of Excellence award for 2010, from the Motor Racing Heritage Association, goes to Junie Donlavey. Donlavey is noted for his many contributions for many decades as a car owner [#90 Ford most of the time, 45 years and 863 starts]. Donlavey also helped start many driver Sprint Cup careers, including Ricky Rudd, Bobby Hillin Jr, Jody Ridley, Ken Schrader, James Hylton, Ramo Stott and Robby Gordon. Ridley won the first Sprint Cup race [and only] for Donlavey in the 1981 Mason-Dixon 500 at Dover International Speedway. Donlavey is retired now and living where has always hailed from in Richmond, VA. The Motor Racing Heritage lifetime achievement award goes to Bob Coolidge, the vice president of the Living Legends of Auto Racing who has been involved in racing for many years. The Motor Racing Heritage Association thanks the Living Legends of Auto Racing for having the presentation of the awards, scheduled to be held at their charity auction on February 9, 2010 at the Indigo Golf Club in Daytona Beach, FL. Kyle Busch may run full Nationwide season in 2010? #18-Kyle Busch hasn't announced he'll defend his Nationwide Series championship next year, but Busch indicated over lunch earlier this week in Miami Beach there might be a scenario under which he would try for a second title. As it stands now, Busch intends to run all the Nationwide races that are companion events to Sprint Cup events in 2010. His schedule also may include a few stand-alone Nationwide events during off-weeks for Cup. "I think 24 to 27 (races) is what we're planning," Busch said. "The races haven't been quite all worked out yet." Whatever the final number, Busch has to run the bulk of the Nationwide schedule in his #18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to keep sponsors interested in the program. "We're going to do a combination next year where Kyle's going to run, (and) we're going to split that car up some," JGR president J.D. Gibbs said. "We love being on the Nationwide side, because it allows you to bring in young guys. Whether its crew guys, pit crews, driverswe've got (driver) Matt DiBenedetto next year for sure and one other young guy, and it gives them an opportunity." Busch also admitted that how well he starts the season may factor into whether he lobbies Gibbs to run the full Nationwide schedule. Eleven of the first 12 Nationwide races are companion events. The fifth race of the season, at Nashville, is scheduled for April 3, an open week for the Cup series. Asked whether there might be circumstances under which he would defend his title, Busch nodded. Gibbs shook his head emphatically, indicating, "No."
"I'll talk him into it," Busch said.(Sporting News) Evernham Gordon Reunion At Hendrick Becoming A Real Possibility By Greg Engle CupScene.com Editor NASCAR Examiner
As Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus and the rest of the No. 48 team head to Las Vegas to continue the celebration of their record fourth consecutive championship, some of the attention turns to 2010 and the big question; who will be able to challenge them next season? That challenger may very well be the driver who is listed as his car owner and the only other active driver to share four titles, Jeff Gordon. And that challenge may be boosted with a reuniting of one of the most successful driver-crew chief combinations in NASCAR history, Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham. Evernham and Gordon were one of the most powerful pairings, the Johnson-Knaus if you will, of the 1990's. More than half of Gordon's 82 career wins, 47, came under Evernham's guidance, including three seasons of double-digit victories, 1996-98. The duo also won three championships in four seasons: 1995, 97 and 1998. In fact Gordon came close to upstaging Johnson, becoming the first driver with four consecutive titles, nearly taking the championship in 1996. The turning point came in the fall race at Charlotte when Terry Labonte, who was second in points, dominated and won while Gordon suffered engine woes that left him in 31st. Gordon watched a 111-point lead evaporate and when the season ended, Gordon lost the title to Labonte by 37 points.
Gordon and Evernham went on to win the title the following two years. At the end of 1999 though, Evernham decided to strike out on his own as a team owner. In their final season together, Gordon and Evernham won five races (Gordon had a total of seven victories that year, but two were after Evernham left in October, although the wins came in cars prepared by Evernham prior to his departure).
Gordon would go on to win another title (2001), and though he did win six races in 2007, there has only been one victory in the win column for the last two seasons.
Since he left Hendrick, Evernham enjoyed only moderate success with his own team. In 2007 Evernham gave up a majority share of Evernham Motorsports to George Gillett and the team became Gillett-Evernham Motorsports. Then in January of this year the team merged with Petty Enterprises becoming Richard Petty Motorsports.
After giving up majority ownership of the team, Evernham seemed to try and distance himself even to the point that there was even talk that he would perhaps step away from racing altogether. He eventually took on a role as an analyst for ESPN.
As Johnson and Knaus celebrate their fourth consecutive championship, many are talking about a 'dynasty'. It's the same talk that was heard in the latter half of the 1990's when Gordon and Evernham dominated NASCAR.
What it will take to challenge the Johnson-Knaus domination is a crew chief who has the same mindset of Chad Knaus; someone who is willing to push the envelope, learn all the aero nuances of NASCAR's latest generation of racecar and exploit them to gain every little bit of advantage they can. Knaus has been known to push the envelope to the very edge and on more than one occasion has crossed the line earning fines and suspensions from NASCAR.
During his time Evernham was also known for pushing the envelope, and on more than one occasion also drew the ire of NASCAR. In 1995, Evernham was fined $60,000 for an unapproved chassis part and in 1997 there was the famous 'T-Rex' Chevy that Gordon raced and won with, in the All-Star race. Shortly after NASCAR wrote rules that ensured the car would never race again.
Combine Gordon's lack of performance over the last two seasons with Evernham's desire to get back into racing and a reunion of the pair is certainly a real possibility.
When the 2009 season ended in Homestead, Evernham let it be known in several published reports that he would like to get back into day-to-day operations. He made no secret of the fact that he wants to give up his minority stake in Richard Petty Motorsports and be released from a non-compete clause he has in his contract with the organization. Evernham also revealed that while ESPN has offered a contract for next season, he has yet to sign it.
The pieces are falling into place and with Evernham's skill and Gordon's talent together again, Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus could have some real competition in 2010.
And NASCAR could be in for quite a show. What Happened to Roush Fenway Racing in 2009? By Jerry Bonkowski/autoracingdaily.com Word has it that Jack Roush is not a happy camper these days. I wouldn't be, either, if I had one of the preeminent organizations in Sprint Cup racing and am coming off a season that saw Roush's five-man mechanical band play some pretty sour notes. And now, due to NASCAR mandate, that quintet just became a quartet, as Jamie McMurray has been released – and subsequently signed with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing – leaving the Cat in the Hat with the four team-limit that NASCAR chairman Brian France insisted upon. Think about what happened to Roush Fenway Racing in 2009: * Carl Edwards, who led all Cup drivers with nine wins in 2008, failed to reach victory lane even once this past season. Sure, Cousin Carl made the Chase, but he finished a very disappointing 11th. * Matt Kenseth, who had made each of the first five Chases for the Sprint Cup, uncharacteristically missed it this season, even with winning the first two races of the year, including the Daytona 500. * Greg Biffle, who won the first two races of the 2008 Chase, barely made a peep in the 2009 Chase. Like Edwards, he was also shut out of victory lane in 2009. Still, he managed to finish seventh in this year's Chase, sandwiched between Tony Stewart and Juan Pablo Montoya. * David Ragan, once considered the brightest star on the Roush horizon, and who just missed making the Chase in 2008, virtually disintegrated in 2009, finishing 27th. Even McMurray, who is no longer with the organization, finished higher than Ragan in 22nd position. So, let's see: five drivers combined for just two entrants in the Chase and three wins total between all of them – two from Kenseth and one from the now-departed McMurray. Something is obviously wrong in Camp Jack and it'll be interesting to see what takes place during the off-season to try and fix what ails everyone within the organization. And Roush Fenway Racing's affiliation with Yates Racing and Hall of Fame Racing didn't seemingly have one iota of impact upon the sport, either. That, compared to Rick Hendrick, whose Hendrick Motorsports not only won its eighth overall Cup title and fourth in a row by Jimmie Johnson, but also saw three of its four drivers – Johnson, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon – finish 1-2-3 (the first time in NASCAR history that three drivers from the same organization have achieved such a feat). Oh yeah, and don't forget how Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman performed, both making the Chase and finishing sixth and ninth, respectively, driving primarily in almost all-Hendrick equipment. Mind you, I'm not picking on RFR solely. Virtually every other major organization had some type of fall-off in 2009. Richard Childress Racing, after having its three drivers finish fourth through sixth in 2008, expanded to four teams in 2009 yet failed to place even one driver in the Chase. Joe Gibbs Racing, after having all three of its drivers make the Chase in 2008 (even with a soon-to-be departing Tony Stewart), saw just one driver – Denny Hamlin – make it in 2009, as Kyle Busch failed to make the Chase and rookie Joey Logano wound up with a decent 20th-place showing in his first full season on the Cup level. Earnhardt Ganassi Racing saw Montoya have his best season ever, including making the Chase, although Martin Truex Jr. suffered terribly, enough to decide to leave the organization at season's end and to join Michael Waltrip Racing for the 2010 season. But no organization suffered the ignominy that RFR did – having such incredible resources and yet leaving the 2009 season with very little to be overly proud about. That's why I'm not going to be surprised if Roush makes some major changes within his organization in 2010. He's already moved Donnie Wingo into the crew chief position with Ragan, relegating Cup veteran Jimmy Fennig to a new role within the company. I wouldn't be surprised if Roush moves a few more bodies around, particularly in either the crew chief or car chief positions. For if there's one thing the Cat in the Hat won't stand for or tolerate, it's mediocrity in an organization that should be so much better. And if things still don't improve, don't be surprised if some of those four drivers that will make up the RFR contingent in 2010 may not be part of that same contingent in 2011. Danica to NASCAR? Fine, but the sport really needs a better Dale Jr.
STEVEN COLE SMITH/autoweek.com
The buzz persists: NASCAR needs IndyCar driver Danica Patrick, and rumors suggest she may try out a car with fenders as early as the ARCA test at Daytona International Speedway in a few weeks. Really, though, is it that important? NASCAR already has a Danica Patrick: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Consider the similarities: Both had lackluster seasons. Danica, though she finished fifth in points, led just 26 laps all year, and had one podium finish, third place at Indianapolis. Junior actually had a less-than-lackluster season, finishing 25th in points--while his three teammates finished first, second and third. He had two top-five finishes. Yet both remain, resoundingly, the most popular driver in their respective series. Danica and Junior need only to show up to be cheered and sell T-shirts. At the season-ender at Homestead-Miami, the crowd went wild when Junior passed the pace car and sped away from the field. He was the "lucky dog," and was getting a lap back during a caution. But just the sight of the 88 car streaking past the field was enough cause for applause. Of course, this was a crowd looking for something to applaud. NASCAR has indoctrinated us to believe that the Chase for the Championship is profoundly important. When it isn't, and the season winds down to a non-event like it did this year, NASCAR learns what that old saying, "Live by the sword, die by the sword," really means. This is not to say Danica--the real Danica--wouldn't be an asset to NASCAR, because she would: It would give the sport two heroes without a portfolio of recent on-track success to cheer, instead of one. Certainly the money must be appealing: For winning the Long Beach Grand Prix, arguably the IRL's second most important race, IndyCar.com says Dario Franchitti won $35,000. Not far away NASCAR was racing at Phoenix, where Tony Raines started-and-parked to a last-place finish and earned--I say "earned," because it doesn't sound quite as absurd as "won"--$65,496. Indeed, Junior's season earnings in prize money alone was more than $4 million. Danica would be playing to a much larger fan base in NASCAR, which equates, according to the France Theory of Economics, to many more T-shirts sold. Of course, she would be working harder, trying to qualify for 36 races instead of just showing up for 17 races in the IRL, where every driver with a legal car and a measurable pulse is welcome on the starting grid. And the first time she crashes, and stomps her feet and waves her finger in Tony Stewart's face, we'd have to start calling her "Nine-finger Patrick." So, basically, she would be a novelty in NASCAR, a great-looking mascot in a bikini uniform for her GoDaddy.com photo layouts. I love novelties, which is why I used to pay attention to professional wrestling and own a Larry the Cable Guy CD. But that's the problem with novelties--after a while, they are no longer, well, novel. What NASCAR needs is a fast, steady Dale Earnhardt Jr. I submit that we can pretty well establish that when the four-car Hendrick team has 48 top-five finishes, and only two are Junior's, we have a problem. When Kyle Busch can win in three NASCAR series, with three different crew chiefs, we can't say "lack of chemistry" is why Junior is losing. And just calling it "bad luck"--now you're just looking for excuses. This is my prescription for a better 2010: Junior needs to race. Everywhere, everything. He, not Danica, should show up at ARCA practice in Daytona in December. He needs to do some truck races, some Nationwide races, even some Grand-Am races. He should run next weekend's Snowball Derby late-model race in Florida. Kyle Busch will be there, why not Junior? And if indeed crew chief Lance McGrew is the coach that's going to rally this team (Memo to Lance: As soon as you fix Junior, please turn your attention to the economy, Afghanistan and Tiger Woods' marriage) and make this work, he needs to be there with Dale, on the plane, on the radio, in the pits, at dinner, until they are able to go to a Burger King and he knows exactly what Junior wants on his Whopper without asking. Junior needs to get his swagger back. He used to go to race tracks thinking he could win. Now he shows up and wonders how he'll lose--bad qualifying? Mid-pack crash? Slow pit stop? Junior's office is behind the wheel of a race car. He needs to spend more time in the office. Lots more. Maybe then we'll see the old Junior again--the one that made his father so proud.
His Fans Are Not Exactly Fanatical By Jonathan Ingram | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com Greetings from the Monday Morning Crew Chief: In a very unofficial nationwide survey, I recently tried to find some Jimmie Johnson fans. I checked out bars and honkytonks in Atlanta. I talked to the neighbors. I called those I knew to be NASCAR fans on the East Coast and the West Coast. Nada. A recent survey by Taylor, a well-known public relations firm, turned up similar results. Five drivers – including all three of Johnson's teammates at Hendrick Motorsports! – were considered more popular and Johnson's name wasn't even mentioned. All this seems strange to me, because Johnson himself said during his stretch drive to an unprecedented fourth-straight Sprint Cup championship that his fan base was growing. It seems odd, too, that when Cale Yarborough won three straight titles in the 1970's, people hailed the man from Timmonsville, S.C. as a very worthy hero. Way back when, while writing for the newspaper in Durham, N.C., I compared Yarborough and team owner Junior Johnson to Stengel's Yankees, Auerbach's Celtics and Lombardi's Packers. In general, there were huzzahs all around for Yarborough from the grandstands, press box and garage. After my own recent informal survey, I now realize the problem. Jimmie's fans are like Jimmie. They may love winning, but they're unassuming and humble, like a good next-door neighbor. They're also aware that Johnson tends to get some of the blame for all that is perceived to be wrong with NASCAR. This may make Johnson's fans doubly shy compared to those of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch – the five drivers mentioned in the Taylor survey. Entering this season, Johnson wasn't even considered the favorite by many despite winning three straight titles. Carl Edwards, he of nine victories in 2008, was nominated to take the championship mantle. Didn't happen, but like the fan base of Dale Earnhardt Jr. I doubt Edwards is losing fans during his winless campaign. I also doubt Johnson is losing fans during his winning streak. So it again comes back to the idea that Johnson's fans are less boisterous, don't have his decals on their personal vehicles as often as Earnhardt Jr. and don't boo the opposition, whether it's Gordon or Kyle Busch. Judging by the responses to Monday Morning Crew Chief, Johnson's fans tend not to respond to the comments section and instead send a private e-mail whenever they have praise for Jimmie. One e-mail I received was typical. It recounted the first time the sender had ever seen Johnson race and why Johnson has remained at the top of this fan's list of favorite drivers. In the survey by the Taylor firm, which addressed the question of how sponsors can best use their presence in NASCAR, it was pointed out that different demographic segments have different responses to drivers. Those under the age of 24 find Kyle Busch most popular. But he doesn't beat Earnhardt Jr., Gordon, Martin or Stewart when all the survey votes are counted, especially among older fans. To coin a phrase, Johnson's fans might be likened to the Middle Majority. His fans are somewhere in the middle, not so old, not too young. They show up and they wear the colors but without the same missionary zeal of those from the days of Gordon versus Dale Earnhardt Sr. Or Tony Stewart versus the world. Or the current era of Kyle Busch versus the older generation – and anybody else who gets in between him and victory lane. So what does this all mean? The last thing the 2009 season needs is another hacking, dicing and filleting of the perceived problems of NASCAR via a big "think piece". So this is not it. Back in the day when he was still driving and winning, writers used to gather around Richard Petty to take up the subject of the state of the sport. "The King" while puffing on one of his slender cigars, would sum it up with some of his usual country wisdom as the smoke curled into the air but the idea became clear. The imparted wisdom often became the general consensus because most of the writers who followed stock car racing from week to week were from the Southeast, there was no television and the unhinged opinions that go with it, most of the fans came from a similar background, the sport was not quite yet major league, but Richard Petty damn sure was. It's a more diverse sport these days with more opinions in the garage, media center (which has replaced the press box) and grandstands. Despite all this, I bet every fan who showed up at Homestead with a camera took a picture or two of Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's Chevy. They then went home and saved the photos for posterity – but probably bragged more about being at an historic season finale than having a photo of Jimmie Johnson's car. — Stats of the Week: This info comes from a forum and a contributor who goes by the handle of amalycke. I couldn't help but admire this person's diligence, a sure sign the end is not nigh for NASCAR. During the 2009 Sprint Cup season, the driver who drove the cars with the most different numbers was David Gilliland (in part because he twice drove different cars for TRG Motorsports and Robby Gordon Motorsports). In all, Gilliland drove seven cars with different numbers. The crew chief who worked with the most different teams in the Sprint Cup was Doug Richert, who had four different stops. The car owner with the most different drivers – I guess this means he wins the wheeler dealer award – was none other than James Finch, who had eight wheelmen. The only stat missing was which driver competed under the most different sponsorships or paint schemes over the course of the season. Another interesting stat would be this one. Given the rather loose reins exercised by NASCAR on the number of cars per team, which team had the most entries, i.e. chassis and engines, in any one race. — Quote of the Week: Englishman Steve Hallam, who moved to Michael Waltrip Racing this year from the 2008 world championship Formula One team of McLaren, has recently finished a long and fruitful first season in NASCAR. His job as director of race car engineering for MWR, said Hallam, had its early moments of confusion. "My first impressions were at the Bud Shootout in Daytona. I had a crib sheet to explain to me, that I would refer to on a daily basis, that whole three weeks of Speed Weeks. The process of taking part in the Daytona 500 is a very drawn out affair. It's a traditional process. I would think that in 2010 I should enjoy it. In 2009 I didn't know what was coming at me from which direction." — Tech Talk: It's no secret why some teams have been more dominant in the Car of Tomorrow. Those in front have learned how to use the bump stops and shocks to get better compliance from both front tires in the corners. Before the COT, teams just put the cars on the deck with aerodynamics, no longer possible with the front end spoiler, which forces teams to keep the cars at a minimum ride height or risk breaking the all-important spoiler. As always, weight transfer and rate of weight transfer all enter into the equation of getting the COT's through the corners, not just the abnormally high center of gravity, as well as coil-bound springs and anti-roll bars in addition to the shocks, bump stops and Goodyear's tires. NASCAR officials have found everything from Super Balls cut in half to purpose-built plastic pieces used as "stoppers" in the pursuit of front-end handling in the corners. All teams keep a large box of shims on their trucks to adjust their shocks by the tiniest of increments. Whatever you do, don't ask crew chiefs to share info on shocks or bump stops. Some teams have entire crews of engineers working in this area. From the looks of things at a hotly contested Homestead race, including the performance of some Fords, Toyotas and the Chevys of Richard Childress Racing, more teams have figured out that equation. Should make things interesting in 2010. See ya! …At the races. Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson will both 'Drive for Five' in 2010
by Mary Jo Buchanan/speedwaymedia.com Both Jimmie Johnson and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon will be competing for the same thing in 2010, the chance to "Drive for Five." While Gordon will be attempting the feat after eight years of trying, Johnson will be competing for an historic fifth championship in a row. There is no question that both drivers are incredibly talented and able to achieve this quest. Gordon, the mentor, "discovered" Johnson and recommended that Hendrick Motorsports hire the young driver, giving him the chance to develop his historic championship run. "I was confident in Hendrick Motorsports and I did see something in Jimmie that I thought could be special," Gordon said of his teammate. "I had no idea he was going to take off and do what he's done." The two drivers and teammates have much in common, including their winning ways. Johnson's most recent achievement with his fourth championship put him in the same company as his teammate Gordon, as well as Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, as the only drivers in NASCAR history to win more than three titles. Both Johnson and Gordon also have another common denominator, that of great respect for their team owner Rick Hendrick. The two drivers strive to make Hendrick proud, this season doing so by bringing home a 1-2-3 in the championship points standings, with Johnson leading the way, Mark Martin in second and Jeff Gordon hanging onto the third spot. "I grew up and all I knew was racing and cars and working on cars," Hendrick said. You didn't get paid to do it. You did it because you loved it. So to be able to look back and see what we've been able to accomplish, I've just been really fortunate being around a lot of great people." Hendrick counts Johnson and Gordon as two of those "great people" in his life. In fact, he treats them both like favored sons, in the tradition of Hendrick Motorsports' family atmosphere. But the first-favored "son" Gordon has now been surpassed by the "younger son" Johnson as far as his most recent championship achievements. While Gordon has only won championships in the "old" car and under the former points system, Johnson has won in both the "old" and current cars and has mastered the new points system, especially the Chase races where he excels. Although dedication to winning, as well as to the team and boss "Mr. H", are common to both Johnson and Gordon as they "drive for five", there are also distinct differences between the two drivers and teammates as well. Johnson and Gordon are most certainly at different stages in their lives, as well as their careers. Gordon, at age 38 years, has a few more life experiences under his belt than Johnson, at age 35 years. While the two drivers are married, both to models, Gordon has a young daughter, Ella Sofia and with wife Ingrid has become a devoted family man. Johnson, on the other hand, remains childless and denies any plans to start a family soon with wife Chandra. Gordon has also sustained a few more hard hits in his racing career than Johnson has, especially in the last few years, with a wicked crash this season at Watkins Glen. Because of these recent wrecks, Gordon has been plagued with back problems, while Johnson seems in the prime of health in contrast. One of the other major differences between these two drivers as they "drive for five" next year is simply the way they both approach the Chase format. Gordon's record shows that while he can make it into the Chase, the tracks within the Chase itself do not favor his driving style or record. Johnson, on the other hand, seems to start the season slowly, doing well enough to get into the Chase. And then in the final races, he seems to truly turn it up a notch, excelling at the tracks in the Chase which do indeed favor his particular driving style and record. The drivers also have two very different crew chiefs, the focused and intense Chad Knaus for Johnson and the more laid-back Steve Letarte for Gordon. Although both crew chiefs are incredibly, Knaus more than Letarte seems to have that extraordinary ability to not only come back from adversity during a tough race, but also to make his driver's car better and better throughout each race. Which driver will be the one to complete their "Drive for Five" attempt in the 2010 season? Each driver seems to have a slightly different take on their chances. "I don't know if we'll win another championship," Johnson said. "I'd love to win more championships and more races than anybody has done, but I'm just not sure how realistic that is.'' "I want to be No. 1," Gordon said. "My team wants to be number one. We've got to try to figure out how to get that." In spite of their similarities and differences, both Johnson and Gordon seem driven to achieve that fifth championship and win the "Drive for Five" competition. And there is one person who believes in both of their chances. "I don't know how good these two guys can get,'' Hendrick said. "I really don't. But they're two of the best I've ever worked with and the best I've ever seen, at a time when this sport is probably more competitive than it has been at any time that I've been racing." NASCAR's France will consider making changes By: ERNIE SAXTON/The Intelligencer It seems that Brian France has changed his mind. Throughout the year when France was asked about changes in the NASCAR sprint car, he has pretty much said, or at least I understood him to say, that NASCAR brass was happy with the car and there were no changes planned. "There were probably some things that we could consider, but there were no unanimous - boy if you did this, it would improve that," France said. "What we vetted out (from those meetings) was that we will take a look at some of the things in the offseason as you would expect us to. There are a couple of things that we will be looking at. "If we changed things too much, too fast along the way, we will never get everybody comfortable with what they had." NASCAR brass, including France, seems to feel that most of the drivers are pretty much comfortable with the car and don't need a lot of help. "We will look at some things in the offseason going into Daytona to see if we can make the car and the racing better than it is now," said France. "That is absolutely our goal. That is always our goal. "Absent to having passes every three seconds and photo finishes every race, which we would prefer and we would love to see that. If we don't achieve that, we're going to keep pushing forward and looking at ways to achieve somewhere between the great racing that we have now and utopia." It was surprising that France thought the recent race at Talladega Superspeedway was exciting. He is in the minority with that thinking. Fans have filled motorsports Web sites with complaints about the single-file racing that seemed to be consistent throughout the day at Talladega. Drivers blamed it on NASCAR's race-day ruling not allowing bump drafting in the turns. France did not indicate what the changes would be in the NASCAR Sprint Cup cars, and in fact did not seem absolutely sure there would be changes. During his visit to the media center at Homestead Miami Speedway, where NASCAR was closing out the season in their three major divisions, France also talked about the economy and its impact on racing. "We don't feel that 2010 looks, from just a pure economy standpoint from what we're hearing from our fans, an awful lot better," the NASCAR CEO said. In the good news department, France said, "Clearly the sponsorship market (the lifeblood of motorsports) is tougher than it has been in my memory. And I don't anticipate that getting better, although I will tell you that we are starting to get inquiries and our New York group and the teams which do the selling in the sport are starting to feel the ice thawing on that. "There are companies; I think you will see some during the offseason, which are very close to joining us at one level or another. That doesn't mean it will be all perfect from a sponsorship standpoint." France does feel that sponsorship will improve. He also indicated that NASCAR would be looking at the format of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship. With Jimmie Johnson winning the title for the fourth straight year, there are many that feel a change is needed. However, he pointed out that NASCAR will look at the format and make any changes, if necessary. There are those, including this writer, that feel the Chase format should be abandoned and the title based on the 36 point races that make up the full Sprint Cup season. And France touched on the ongoing legal issues with racer Jeremy Mayfield. As many know, Mayfield, a veteran NASCAR racer, was suspended by NASCAR when their testing found that he had he had been taking methamphetamines. "We believe the right decisions were made to make an already tough (drug) policy even more tough," said France. "We have to do that with the circumstances that go on in the country today and sports in general. The fact that we have a 200-mile-an-hour race car, we think it was very imperative that we improve our policy, which we did." A recent survey of the various sports organizations showed that NASCAR got high grades for their drug policy. Mayfield's career as a NASCAR racer is pretty much over. Earlier this month, an auction was scheduled to take place at Mayfield's property apparently for him to raise funds to be able to cover his legal fees and living expenses. It will be interesting to see what NASCAR has to offer when it kicks off its season in Daytona Beach, Fla., with racing for their Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Series racers. Dale Jr., Harvick among biggest disappointments of 2009 Matt Myftiu/beyondthetrack.com Every year in NASCAR, there are winners and there are losers.
Often the losers will be the drivers we all expected to do well, because it's inevitable that someone is going to step up their game each year, leaving a usual competitor on the sidelines.
In 2009, there were several drivers who failed to live up to their potential, and are hoping for major improvements in 2010.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The stat line isn't pretty here, and there's no sugarcoating how badly this season went for the sport's biggest star. 25th in points, 2 top-5s and 5 top-10s. He is racing on the best team in NASCAR and his three teammates finished 1,2,3 in the points. There is no conceivable reason that Jr. should have such a bad season, and I hope for both his sake and NASCAR's sake that he snaps out of it and he doesn't have a repeat performance in 2010. Dale Jr. winning and competing for wins is good for the sport, but he hasn't done much of it in the past few years.
Whether it was getting caught in wrecks, his car being ill-prepared, or the driver making the mistakes on the track, the #88 team did not come close to meeting expectations this year. They've already switched the crew chief, so now it's all on the driver. No buts about it, Dale Jr. is going to have to perform in 2010, as he has no excuse left for doing poorly.
David Ragan
I had high hopes for David Ragan this year, after he made a strong run last year and almost made the Chase. This year, he was just plain dreadful, finishing 27th in points with 0 top-5s and just 2 top-10s. This was the biggest one-season drop-off I've seen in a long time, as a young driver on his way up in the sport seems to have taken a step back. I am at a loss when trying to explain this massive slip. Clearly, Ragan has some talent, which he showed last year, but something just isn't right at the #6 team. You almost forgot Ragan was on the track most weeks, he was running so badly. Jack Roush had better hope this team improves in 2010, because Roush needs a solid young rising star like Ragan on his team and doing well.
Kevin Harvick/RCR
All 3 or Richard Childress Racing's drivers made the Chase in 2008. In 2009, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears AND Jeff Burton all missed. Some of the teams, particularly Burton, looked better at year's end, but it didn't matter by that point. With a great history full of championships, this team should be doing better than it is. It's clear the 4th car was too much to handle, and the team wasn't anywhere near competing with the Hendrick standard. The team members' points finishes (15th, 17th, 19th and 21st) show that. Childress needs to make whatever adjustments are necessary this offseason to get back on track.
Roush Fenway Racing
David Ragan wasn't alone in his struggles at Roush. Matt Kenseth won the first two races, then fell off the map. Greg Biffle didn't win all year, and neither did Edwards, who won 9 times in 2008. While Rick Hendrick's team took a step forward in 2009, Jack Roush's team took a big step back. The Roushketeers need to figure out what is ailing their teams (the drivers are pretty solid, so maybe some crew/garage staff shuffling might help), and get their cars up to snuff so they can get going in the right direction in 2010. White Flag A NASCAR BLOG BY Rea White Here's hoping that NASCAR fans embraces Jimmie Johnson Let's hope that the fans, all NASCAR fans, embrace Jimmie Johnson's record-setting run as he celebrates in Las Vegas this week. Certainly watching your favorite driver fail to run as well as Johnson is disappointing, but whether you are a fan of Johnson and his Chad Knaus-led Hendrick Motorsports or not, this is history in the making. How many fans of today say they wish they could have seen Richard Petty in his heyday? Well, you're watching Johnson in his. And whether you're a fan of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon or anyone else, perhaps this is the chance to take a moment to marvel at just what Johnson has accomplished. In just seven years of full-time competition, Johnson has earned 47 Cup wins. He has 180 top-10 finishes in 290 starts and has amassed 23 pole positions. He has an average starting position of 11.0 and an average finishing position of 11.7. He has never finished outside of the top 10 in the standings and has finished outside the top-five only once. So even though fans of all other drivers have watched their favorites finish in his shadow over the last four years, this isn't the time for renewing rivalries. Hopefully, if only for a few days this week, fans of all drivers can take just a moment and appreciate what Johnson has accomplished as he prepares to celebrate that title once more. Kurt Busch: 4th in standings, 1st in class to end another successful season The 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule concluded with the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The dust has settled from the end of another hard-fought racing season and I've now had a few days to reflect on what went down out there. I have to be very proud of our Miller Lite Dodge Team. The "Blue Deuce" out of the Penske Racing stable had a great year and we can all hold our heads up high during the brief offseason before we crank them back up again. The bottom line is that we finished first in our class. It's very understandable and appropriate to make that statement. The teams that finished in front of us -– Jimmie Johnson, who did win his fourth consecutive Cup title as I've been predicting for months now; runner-up Mark Martin and third-place Jeff Gordon -– all three of those teams are part of the Hendrick Motorsports operation. Rick Hendrick has put together a racing dynasty and I applaud him and all of his drivers and employees. Those guys are on top of their game right now and are indeed in a class of their own. We thought we had a shot at spoiling their one-two-three finish in the points and for a brief time during Sunday's race, we had taken the third spot from Jeff. I'll touch more on that later. With the three Hendrick teams finishing in front of us, we still were able to finish ahead of their fourth team and their "farm teams" they have going with the Stewart-Haas Racing teams of Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman. Also, with so many teams running with support from Chevrolet, Toyota or Ford, it was really neat to carry the Dodge banner and finish right up there with those Chevy powerhouse teams. When I think back about the final race, it still hurts a little because it was another case of missed opportunity. We had a really strong car at the end of the race, but our decision to get only two tires instead of four just eliminated any chance we had of winning it. We were leading on the restart, but slid back to fifth really fast with the other guys getting four fresh Goodyears. Jeff wound up finishing 27 points in front of us to take the third spot in the standings. He finished sixth in the race and didn't lead any laps to get any bonus points. If we'd taken on four tires and led some more laps on the way to winning it, we could have finished ahead of Jeff and broken up that Hendrick juggernaut up front. It was a sad time after the race as it was the last time that Pat Tryson would be leading our team. I think that really worked to soften the blow from the two-tire versus four-tire situation. Pat came down to where we were parked on pit road with the other top-five finishers. We enjoyed a final hand shake and bear hug to put a fitting end to our chapter of racing together. We really did have a helluva good run together, making the Chase for two of the three seasons that he was with us. This year was particularly impressive, with the two wins, 10 top-five finishes and 21 top-10s. The fact that we continued to get stronger on all the tracks leaves me with a good feeling when I think about the future. We hope to be able to make it official as to who our new crew chief will be in the next couple of weeks. We'll have a new team leader and a new teammate in Brad Keselowski for the 2010 season. The three Penske Racing teams will be trying to work harder than ever together in catching up to the Hendrick guys. Before I sign off here for the year, there were a couple of points that I felt like I needed to make. First off, sports fans should really take note of Jimmie Johnson's accomplishments. He made history this season and is the only driver to ever win four consecutive championships. I know how hard it was for my team to win just one in 2004. When you stop and think that this dude has done that for four straight seasons, that "wow" factor should really kick in and you realize that you are witnessing greatness. Jimmie and I had a few run-ins this season, but that didn't tarnish my respect for what he was able to accomplish. I made it a point to drop by his big celebration party in South Beach in the wee hours of Monday morning to personally tell him congratulations. Next, I wanted to thank the sports department staff here at the Chicago Tribune for allowing me to contribute this weekly blog. This was a great experience for me personally and it meant so much to be part of such an illustrious group of athletes who contribute. Hopefully it hasn't been that big of a chore for those guys in editing what I have sent in. -Editor's note: Nope, no chore at all. Glad to have you. Finally, I want to thank you -– the readers, supporters and fans out there -– for helping make Chicago one of the greatest sports cities in the world. Your pride and passion is second to none and I will always be thrilled to count myself as one of the biggest and most loyal Chicago sports fans there is. Here's to a Happy Holiday Season!
Well, that's all for today. Until the next time, I remain,
Your Nascar Momma Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"
"Don't come here and grumble about going too fast. Get the hell out of the race car if you've got feathers on your legs or butt. Put a kerosene rag around your ankles so the ants won't climb up there and eat that candy ass." -Dale Earnhardt - 1998 | 
