- Contract Status: Sponsor: 2008 [+ 2 yr option]; Driver: Lifetime
Races [6] that Nicorette is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Las Vegas - 3/2
Phoenix - 4/12
Chicago - 7/12
Richmond - 9/6
Atlanta - 10/26
Texas - 11/2
Races [?] that Pepsi is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Talladega - April 27
the rest TBA
- TWO Race Tracks Jeff Gordon has never won a CUP race at: There are TWO current race tracks the Sprint Cup Series runs on that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won at [a Sprint Cup race]:
Texas 0 for 14 with a best of 2nd in 2002
Homestead 0 for 8 with a best finish of 3rd 2004
Gordon has won at 22 [20 active] of 24 tracks he has raced on including two not on the circuit any longer, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham.
Gordon won at Phoenix in April to finally knock that track off the list in his 17th try there.(11-4-2007)
- Problems with #99 rear housing? #24-Jeff Gordon would like NASCAR to look into the way Roush Fenway Racing is adjusting the rear housing on Carl Edwards' #99 Ford to create a competitive advantage. Edwards has won three times on 1.5-mile tracks this season and was in position to win a fourth before having late engine problems. Many in the garage said during testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway earlier this week that the yaw created -- Edwards' car appears to be going sideways on the straightaway, creating more side force heading into the turns -- by turning the rear housing to the right gives Edwards a competitive advantage. " ... NASCAR knows it's happening," Gordon said on Friday at Darlington Raceway. "They are the ones that see the cars come through inspection. They see it. When cars can't even get on the scales because they're running sideways, it's something they need to address." Series director John Darby said there are no plans to further police the rear housing adjustment, noting NASCAR already has a rule restricting more than a quarter-inch change plus or minus. He added that Hendrick Motorsports, for which Gordon drives, was the first to experiment with the rear-housing adjustment on the new car and that Edwards' #99 team was one of the last. "They [complain] when we've got too many rules and then they want us to create more," Darby said of teams in general. "The process is so simple. There are limits on how far they can go."(full story at ESPN.com)(5-10-2008) Comment here
- Jeff Gordon celebrates 200 wishes granted: In 1995, a young driver named Jeff Gordon won his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. That same year, he also granted his first wish to a child with a life-threatening medical condition in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Now 13 years later, Gordon is still collecting wins and still bringing smiles to Make-A-Wish kids through his strong commitment to wish granting – he passed the 200-wish mark earlier this season. The Make-A-Wish Foundation will celebrate his efforts when Joshua, 15, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., meets Gordon at Phoenix International Raceway for his wish before Saturday's Subway Fresh Fit 500. Joshua will receive VIP treatment during the race weekend: In addition to his wish meeting Friday, he will take part in some of the pre-race activities with his favorite driver Saturday and then watch Gordon race for the checkered flag in the #24 car. Gordon will also present Joshua with special mementos of his wish. While he has fulfilled so many wishes, Gordon says that the number doesn't matter. He works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant kids' heartfelt wishes nearly every weekend during the race season because of the profound effect these kids have on his life. Those who would like to support these efforts may donate in honor of Gordon's 200-plus wishes by visiting The Jeff Gordon Foundation Web site at www.jeffgordonfoundation.org or the Make-A-Wish Foundation Web site at www.wish.org. The NASCAR Foundation is also recognizing Gordon's wish-granting commitment by designating proceeds from the online sale of NASCAR Day pins this weekend to help fulfill future wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Visit www.NASCAR.com/NASCARDay to learn more.(4-12-2008) Comment here
- Special Salute the troops scheme at LMS in May: Memorial Day Weekend is always thrilling for race fans at Lowe's Motor Speedway. This year, a special celebration of America's military personnel takes place with the Salute the Troops program. Dale Earnhardt Jr and Hendrick Motorsports join the celebration of America's heroes with a special National Guard paint scheme on the #88 Chevy. This special paint scheme features the Salute the Troops logo on the hood, as well as the lower side panels. Salute the Troops will be an on-track program based around strength, patriotism and philanthropy. By positioning this program around Memorial Day, Motorsports Authentics and the teams involved will look to celebrate and honor one of the greatest federal holidays for Americans all year long. The program calls for teams to carry the "Salute the Troops" insignia and/or showcase a special paint out featuring a branch of the United States military. The Salute the Troops program will be on track in May for the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. This program will celebrate the history and tradition of the military branches on this Memorial Day weekend. The pre-race show for Memorial Day will include a military demonstration for the fans and then followed by a concert for the troops. In support of this program, Motorsports Authentics will create a unique and collectible line of Salute the Troops merchandise. Motorsports Authentics will create a line of Salute the Troops die-cast and collectables that will raise money for military families. In addition, MA will work with corporate sponsors to raise money and awareness for the men and women of the armed forces.
Scheduled Participating Sprint Cup Drivers:
#88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Carrying the logo on hood and rear quarter panels
#24-Jeff Gordon - Carrying the logo on the decklid
#8-Mark Martin - Full military paint out with program logos
#21-Jon Wood - Full military paint out with program logos
#07-Clint Bowyer - Carrying the logo on the rear spoiler, along with Toast the Troops logo on the deck lid
Scheduled Participating Nationwide Seires Drivers:
#88-Brad Keselowski - Full military paint out
See the schemes on my #88 Team schemes page, #24 Team schemes page, #8 Team schemes page, #21 Team schemes page and #07 Team schemes page and on the Nationwide Series schemes Gallery.(4-8-2008)
- Only four drivers left: only four Sprint Cup drivers have ran all fifteen Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway including the race Sunday: #8-Mark Martin, #31-Jeff Burton, #24-Jeff Gordon and #43-Bobby Labonte. Martin and Burton have won at the track.(4-5-2008)
- Jeff Gordon featured in Men's Vogue: see the link on my Article Links page
- Jeff Gordon Featured on Cover of EA Sports NASCAR 09: Electronic Arts announced Jeff Gordon, legendary NASCAR driver of car #24, will be featured as the cover athlete for EA SPORTS NASCAR 09. NASCAR 09 is scheduled to ship in North America on June 10 and will offer an authentic, exhilarating stock car driving experience for racing fans of all ages. "It's exciting being on the cover of NASCAR 09," says Gordon. "The game is as real as it gets and it's been great being involved with it on this level. I look forward to helping gamers in NASCAR 09." Gordon's prestigious reputation aligns with the new NASCAR 09 career mode, "Sprint for the Cup." Gordon will bring the game to you as a
guide and a mentor to help you build your reputation to become the next Sprint Cup Series champion. With a completely rebuilt handling model, the game will be more accessible to newcomers while continuing to offer options that will challenge even the most experienced virtual driver. NASCAR 09 is an authentic NASCAR experience that will appeal to
every type of NASCAR enthusiast. Developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon, NASCAR 09 will be available for the Playstation 3 and Playstation 2 computer entertainment systems and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.(Electronic Arts PR)(3-13-2008)
- Nicorette scheme for the #24 at Las Vegas UPDATE: Jeff Gordon will run the special #24 DuPont Nicorette Chevy paint scheme for the first of six races in 2008 at Sunday's UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "It is rewarding to be involved with a sponsor such as Nicorette that focuses on making a difference in people's lives and helping people achieve better health by quitting smoking," said Gordon. "Nicorette continues to be an excellent partner and I look forward to a big weekend in the special DuPont Nicorette paint scheme at Las Vegas." The special paint scheme coincides with one of the most unique sponsorships in motorsports history with Nicorette helping race fans and crew members quit smoking through its QUIT Crew program. Nicorette's QUIT Crew program is currently helping over 300 NASCAR team members from 19 different racing organizations quit smoking through counseling, support, and the proper use of the smoking cessation products Nicorette, NicoDerm CQ and Commit. Quit smoking support is also available to NASCAR fans throughout race weekend at Nicorette's interactive Winner's Circle Exhibit located in the LVMS fan area. At the exhibit, Nicorette's certified smoking cessation coaches will be on hand to provide individuals with free, quit smoking counseling. For more information about Nicorette's racing program and on how to quit smoking, visit www.quit2winracing.com.(Lighthouse Marketing PR)(2-26-2008)
UPDATE: Gordon is scheduled to drive the #24 DuPont/Nicorette Chevy at Las Vegas, Phoenix [4/12], Chicago [7/12], Richmond [9/6], Atlanta [10/26] and Texas [11/2]. Nicorette also sponsors the Nicorette 300 Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 8. see an image of the scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page.(2-27-2008) Comment here
- Latest on the HMS engines: Jeff Andrews, head engine builder for Hendrick Motorsports, said that the team sent all its race engines back to the team's race shop Wednesday night after finding problems with the lifters. Andrews said the engines were being rebuilt and would return to the track Friday night. "Because of the wear we were seeing ... you end up with this debris in the engine,'' Andrews said. "You have to take [the engine] apart. Not only are you changing those parts, but you're taking apart and cleaning, washing everything and going back through it and fitting everything up again." Andrews said he saw no problems with the Hendrick engines after Thursday's first qualifying race.(Roanoke Times)(2-16-2008) Comment here
- Hendrick museum closes for renovations: The Hendrick Motorsports museum, located on the team's racing complex in Concord, has been temporarily closed to the public while it undergoes a full renovation. The redesigned facility will reopen in time for NASCAR's annual visit to Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. Hendrick Motorsports is located one mile from the race track. Also undergoing a facelift is Hendrick Motorsports' team store, which will reopen in a temporary location on Jan. 28. The store will operate under its regular business hours in the race shop of drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson until construction on the new facility is completed. Other areas of the Hendrick Motorsports complex, including the team race shops, will remain open to the public during the museum renovation.(HMS Site)(1-25-2008) Comment here
- Report rates value of NASCAR sponsorships: Miller Brewing Co. is getting a high rate of return on its sponsorship of driver #2-Kurt Busch, at least when it comes to broadcasters and Busch himself mentioning one of his sponsors on the air, according to research released by SportsBusiness Journal. Busch ranked second among NASCAR drivers for on-air audio mentions of Busch and a sponsor, reflecting a monetary value for the media exposure of about $3.64 million. That was the conclusion of a recent report that captured and assessed the more than 96,000 sponsor impressions through NASCAR's 37-race Nextel Cup Series schedule, including the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Nearly 400 sponsors were tracked, analyzing primary and secondary car and driver partners, all race venue signage, and the myriad graphics and audio mentions from the races' TV broadcasts. As far as audio mentions, Busch ranked second in NASCAR with 124 "detections" equating to 10 minutes and 20 seconds of air time. Jeff Gordon, driving the #24 Du Pont Chevy, ranked the highest with 178 detections, equaling 14 minutes and 50 seconds of air time valued at $5.07 million. Busch didn't rank among the top five when both audio and video detections were evaluated. Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, driving the #48 Lowe's Chevy, was the top driver with 7,845 detections valued at $55.98 million. Among the beer brands, Miller Lite lost out to main rival Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.'s Budweiser brand, an official sponsor of NASCAR. Miller Lite had 2,099 detections valued at $18.48 million, compared with Budweiser's 3,024 detections valued at $45.54 million.(Milwaukee Business Journal)(12-12-2007)
- #44 crew chief heads to #24 a car chief: Jason Burdett has left Michael Waltrip Racing, where he served as crew chief for driver #44-Dale Jarrett, to become the car chief for Hendrick Motorsports' #24-Jeff Gordon, a Hendrick spokesman confirmed Wednesday. Burdett worked on the Gordon and Jimmie Johnson teams at Hendrick from 2000-2002 before joining Robert Yates Racing as the car chief for Jarrett. He joined MWR in May 2007 to replace Matt Borland as Jarrett's crew chief for the first-year Nextel Cup team. Burdett replaces Jeff Meendering, who has taken over as crew chief for Petty Enterprises' #43-Bobby Labonte. A replacement for Burdett at MWR has not been named.(SceneDaily.com)(11-28-2007)
- New crew chief for Labonte in 2008? UPDATE: Hearing that #24-Jeff Gordon's car chief [not crew chief], Jeff Meendering, will be Bobby Labonte's new crew chief of the #43 Cheerios/Petty Enterprises Dodge in 2008, replacing current #43 crew chief, Doug Randolph, will leave after the season and head to the #15 DEI team of Paul Menard.(11-9-2007)
UPDATE: The car chief for Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevy says he will wait until after the season to decide whether he will leave Hendrick Motorsports to pursue opportunities as a crew chief. Jeff Meendering, who joined Hendrick in 1994 and has been part of the #24 team since 2000, said several teams are interested in acquiring his services, but he said he hasn't decided whether he will accept one of those positions. One of those teams is Petty Enterprises and its #43 car, which has an opening after crew chief Doug Randolph was hired by Dale Earnhardt Inc. An Internet rumor said Meendering had already decided to join Petty as a crew chief next season. "I've talked to them," Meendering said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "That's one of the options that's out there. I'm just trying to get through the season. I'm not committing to anything yet. I'm just looking at my options. I'm not saying I'm going to be doing anything different than [working at Hendrick] this year."(SceneDaily.com)(11-9-2007)
- Gordon going for top-10 record: #24-Jeff Gordon goes into the Phoenix race with 28 top-10 finishes this season - which ties his career best in 1998. Since the schedule was reduced by NASCAR in 1972, Dale Jarrett holds the season record with 29 top-10 finishes during his 1999 championship run.(AP)(11-9-2007)
- Gordon gets new ride: #24-Jeff Gordon has a new ride, and it was made right in Oregon. Gordon ordered a luxury RV from Marathon Coach in Coburg, which is near Eugene. The $2 million dollar vehicle was custom designed for Gordon and his family. The bus is headed for Florida, where the family's driver will learn the ins and outs of the rig.
You can expect to see the RV on the infield of races starting next season.(katu.com)(11-1-2007)
- Hendrick Motorsports Atlanta COT Test Plans: Although Casey Mears and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will test with their 2008 teams at Atlanta, they will not drive cars branded with their 2008 numbers. Mears, who will drive the #5 Chevy next season, will run his customary # 25 National Guard/GMAC paint scheme during the two-day session. Earnhardt, who is slated for the #88 Chevy in 2008, will test a #5 car at Atlanta. To commemorate his first laps with Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt will sport a "throwback" #5 All-Star Racing Chevy during next week's Atlanta test. Earnhardt's Impala SS will feature a red and white paint scheme identical to the first car campaigned by team owner Rick Hendrick in Cup-level competition. Then known as "All-Star Racing," Hendrick Motorsports fielded the car with driver Geoff Bodine in 1984. The #24 and #48 teams of Hendrick Motorsports will not attend next week's Atlanta test.(Hendrick PR)(10-27-2007)
- Couple More Years before Gordon Decides on Possible Retirement: If you're a Jeff Gordon fan, mark your 2009 calendar as a watershed moment in the icon's NASCAR career, as he said Friday at Martinsville that it's very likely that might be when he makes a decision on what the closing phase of his career will be. "I think that there truly is no number [he's set as a deadline to retire]. All I can tell you is that 2010 is when our contracts are ending and probably 2009 is a year that's going to have a lot of decision-making for me. Those contracts might be up in 2010 but they all want to talk about them in 2009. "So to me that's going to be a big year. We'll just see where I'm at, how things are going, how fatherhood is going -- how much tuition is for kindergarten [laughing]. I don't know. This year I'm just having a blast and enjoying life and racing like I never have so [quitting] hasn't even been a thought."(NASCAR.com)(10-20-2007)
- Former 49ers Owner Almost Bought Hendrick in 2004 UPDATE no: Former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo told Sports Business Journal recently that he almost became a NASCAR owner in 2004. "We would have bought a NASCAR team if Reggie White hadn't died," DeBartolo said of the former NFL player. "The week he passed away we were going to sign the agreement with Hendrick Motorsports. After that, I just couldn't do it. I loved Reggie too much."(Roanoke Times)(10-14-2007)
AND and from a July article - Dale Earnhardt Inc. president Max Siegel told ESPN.com on Wednesday [in July] that three years ago he was prepared to partner with NFL Hall of Famers Reggie White and Ronnie Lott, as well as former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartalo Jr., in purchasing MB2 Motorsports, which at the time fielded the #01 and #10 Chevrolets. The papers were drawn. All that was left was the official closing, which was slated for Jan. 15, 2005. But when White died suddenly on Dec. 26, 2004, and the deal died with him. Siegel said he and White originally had planned to partner with Rick Hendrick on a NASCAR Busch Series operation. Then the Hendrick Motorsports plane crash in October 2004 halted that initiative. A couple of months had passed, and Siegel said Hendrick contacted him about the program. Hendrick explained that in order for him to be involved, White and Siegel had to purchase a team with an existing Hendrick partnership. Enter MB2, whose engines were supplied by Hendrick. At the time, Valvoline was part-owner of MB2, as well. All the pieces were in place, then White passed away.(ESPN.com)(10-14-2007)
UPDATE 2: At the time in question, Mr. DeBartolo and Mr. White were in discussions with the former MB2 Motorsports team, and our involvement was limited solely to a potential technical support relationship. Hendrick Motorsports is not, and has never been, for sale.(HMS)(10-16-2007)
- Hass Racing Quiet about 2008 Drivers: When it comes to who'll be in what Haas CNC Racing cars in 2008, nobody seems to know much of anything. Joe Custer, the team's general manager, plays his cards close to the vest. Very, very close. Johnny Sauter, driver of the organization's #70 entry, says that he doesn't have a clue what he'll be doing next year, but adds that he's been given permission to look elsewhere. Jeff Green, who steers its #66 Chevy, refuses altogether to comment on the situation. With Scott Riggs already signed for next year and two Haas cars available, there's considerable speculation as to which one he'll drive and whether it'll be Green or Sauter who's left out of the mix. Then again, names other than Riggs' [including Mayfield and Stremme] have been mentioned as joining the operation. If that happens, Green and Sauter would most likely both be gone. According to Custer, neither driver has a decided advantage at this stage of the game.(NASCAR.com)(10-14-2007)
More Stremme Buzz in the Garage: Hearing from many sources that #40 David Stremme is now the leading candidate for at least four teams. Options include third and fourth car situations (GEM?, Penske?, MWR?, Ganassi?) and Haas Racing where Johnny Sauter is expected to be replaced.(10-14-2007)
- Jeff Gordon wins at Charlotte: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a green-white-checker shootout for his 6th win of the season and 81st career win, by holding off #07-Bowyer at the checkered flag. Gordon has four top-5 finishes in the first 5 chase races. The finish was set up after #12-Newman spun while leading with 6 laps to go. #07-Bowyer was second, followed by #5-Busch, #31-Burton, #99-Edwards, #22-Blaney, #20-Stewart, #9-Kahne, #40-Stremme, and #55-Waltrip.
Race Results on my Charlotte Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Charlotte page.
Race Rundown: see my Charlotte Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(10-13-2007)
- Jeff Gordon wins Talladega last lap pass: #24-Jeff Gordon won the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in a four lap shootout and last lap pass to win his 5th race of the season, 6th win at Talladega, 12th restrictor plate win [most all time] and 80th career win [6th all-time, 3 behind Cale Yarborough]. Gordon spent most of the day hanging around the rear of the field all day with teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson, Gordon was 34th at lap 100; 36th at 120; 36th at 140; 17th at 160; 9th at 180 and won. Johnson was 32nd at lap 100; 31st at 120; 31st at 140; 25th at 160; 15th at 180 and finished 2nd. Johnson finished 2nd, followed by #22-Blaney [best of season, ties career best at Darlington in March 2003], #11-Hamlin, #12-Newman, #25-Mears, #2-Busch, #20-Stewart, #96-Raines [1st top 10 of season, 3rd of career] and #41-Sorenson.
Inspection: #41-Sorenson's car was found to be too low in the front and the car will be evaluated bt NASCAR with any penalties to be announced Tuesday.
Race Results on my Talladega Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Talladega page
Race Rundown: see my Talladega Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(10-7-2007)
- Fan designs Jeff Gordon's Talladega scheme: Deborah Chastain of Thomasville, GA, will be leading the cheers for the #24 DuPont/Pepsi Chevy on October 7 when Jeff Gordon races in the paint scheme she designed. Earlier this year, Jeff Gordon, together with Pepsi, handed creative control over to the fans by asking consumers to create their
own paint-out design for the car that Gordon will race in the UAW-Ford 500. NASCAR artist Sam Bass narrowed down the submissions to five finalists, allowing Jeff Gordon to ultimately choose the winning design. Deborah and a guest will receive VIP passes to the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, scoring some one-on-one time with Jeff Gordon
before the race. For more information, go to www.pepsiracing.com.(Pepsi-Cola North America PR), see an image of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(10-2-2007)
- Gordon Says Penalties Get Teams' Attention: When NASCAR slapped the #24 and #48 Hendrick Motorsports teams with 100-point penalties for illegal aerodynamic modifications back in June at Infineon Raceway, the message was received loud and clear, according to Jeff Gordon. "I will be honest with you, right now, if we don't run as good as some other guys, it is because we are being conservative. We aren't pushing the limits because we know what the outcome can be," Gordon said at Kansas Speedway, site of Sunday's LifeLock 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race. "We are making sure we go through inspection, we meet all the cold templates and every other thing that they have on the new car. We are doing everything we can to make sure that is the case going in to the race and that is the case coming out of the race. We might falter, too, but we are playing more on the conservative side, we might give up a few positions on the race track because of that, but we have been hit with it and we learned our lesson." Gordon said he thought that other teams would be erring to the side of caution, too, after seeing #99-Carl Edwards and the Roush Fenway Racing team spanked with a 25-point fine for being too in post-race inspection last Sunday at Dover. "We are playing it conservative, I would think that is going to be case with the #99 (Edwards) now," Gordon said.(SPEEDtv.com)(9-30-2007)
- Drivers Don't Like Villeneuve Debuting at Talladega: #24-Jeff Gordon thinks it's a big mistake for former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve to attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next week at Talladega Superspeedway. "I love Jacques, but that's not the right decision to make," Gordon said Friday. "I didn't think it was the right decision last year for David Gilliland, either. Nothing against their talent or anything else, but that race in the Chase? Why? If you want to run a race, go to Atlanta or another 1.5-mile oval." Gordon said he was surprised NASCAR gave it approval for Villeneuve to debut on the giant 2.6-mile oval. The Oct. 7 event is the first restrictor-plate race in the Car of Tomorrow.(ESPN.com)
AND: #5- Kyle Busch was shocked to learn that former Formula 1 and CART champion Jacques Villeneuve will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next weekend at Talladega. "He's doing what? Holy cow, that's not good," Busch said when asked for his reaction to Villeneuve racing at Talladega. "You've got to start somewhere but the Cup Series at Talladega definitely isn't the place to start."(SPEEDtv.com)(9-29-2007)
- Special Schemes for #24 at Talladega & Atlanta: #24-Jeff Gordon is scheduled to run a DuPont/Pepsi special COT paint scheme in the October 7, 2007 race at Talladega Superspeedway. The paint scheme was designed by a fan and sports a two-tone blue and white paint scheme with the Pepsi logo on the hood. Gordon is also scheduled to run a special DuPont/Nicorette paint scheme for the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta in Oct with yellow and orange flames on the hood and side panels of this red car, while the Nicorette Cinnamon Surge logo rests atop the hood. See images of the schemes on the #24 Team Schemes page.(9-25-2007)
- Gordon cares with bears an on QVC tonight: The Jeff Gordon Foundation is launching the 2007 Collectible Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital Bear on QVC, with a $10 donation from every bear purchased to benefit the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital in Concord, N.C. Gordon, a four-time Cup champion, is scheduled to appear on QVC's "For Race Fans Only" live from Dover International Speedway, Friday, September 21st. The show airs from 8:00 to 10:00pm/et.(9-21-2007)
- New Jeff Gordon commercial: A Sprint Nextel commercial that debuts this month will feature #24-Jeff Gordon as a father and a husband, marking the first time since his wife gave birth that an ad refers to the NASCAR driver's new family. "Behind the Legend," a 30-second spot that will air on ABC, ESPN and Speed during Nextel Cup broadcasts and other NASCAR programming, depicts Gordon in the middle of a promotion when his cell phone rings. It's his real-life wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, on the other end, telling Gordon that she needs diapers for baby Ella, who was born June 20. Gordon promises to comply and then continues with the promotion when the phone rings again. This time, Vandebosch tells Gordon with much greater urgency that she needs diapers -- now. The spot closes with Sprint Nextel promotional offers that are tied to the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Vandebosch's voice is used in the ad, but she does not appear. The spot was created by Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, San Francisco. It's timed to run throughout the Chase, which began on Sunday at New Hampshire and runs through the season finale at Homestead-Miami in November. Sprint Nextel chose Gordon because he's a four-time champion and he led the Nextel Cup points standings at the end of NASCAR's regular season. "Jeff asked Ingrid if she wanted to do the ad," said John Bickford, Gordon's stepfather and manager of Jeff Gordon Inc. "She makes her own decisions, and she said that she'd do it." The original script called for a female voice-over to be used in the spot, but Gordon insisted that Vandebosch's voice be used instead.(Sporting News/SportsBusiness Journal)(9-18-2007)
- 500th start for Jeff Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon will become the youngest active driver to reach 500 career starts this weekend when he takes the green flag in the SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. This career milestone will be downplayed, however, because this weekend’s event also marks the first race in the ‘Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup.’(Performance PR Plus)(9-12-2007)
- Chevy Continues Partnership with Hendrick Motorsports: Chevrolet, the winningest nameplate in NASCAR, will continue its partnership with championship team Hendrick Motorsports in NASCAR competition in 2008 and beyond. In 23 years (1984-2006) of NASCAR competition, Hendrick Motorsports has garnered six Nextel Cup Series (formerly Winston Cup) championships, three Craftsman Truck Series titles and one Busch Series crown, making it one of stock-car racing's premier organizations. Rick Hendrick is the only team owner in NASCAR's modern era to earn more than 150 Cup Series victories and is currently at 160 Cup wins - all of them coming in Chevrolets. Hendrick Motorsports' win at the first "Car
of Tomorrow" race at Bristol earlier this year also earned Chevrolet its first Impala SS win and Chevy's 600th win in NASCAR Cup competition. The four full-time NASCAR Cup teams of Hendrick Motorsports slated to run in 2008 include four-time champion Jeff Gordon in the #24 DuPont Chevy; Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Lowe's Chevy; Casey Mears in the #5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevy; and new addition Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has only driven Chevrolets in his NASCAR career.(GM Racing PR)(9-7-2007)
- Jeff Gordon to run Nicorette scheme at Richmond: Jeff Gordon will run the special #24 DuPont/Nicorette Chevy paint scheme for the third time this season at Saturday's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Gordon drove the DuPont/Nicorette paint scheme at Las Vegas and Chicago earlier this year and will run the special paint scheme again at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 28. The special paint scheme coincides with one of the most unique sponsorships in Motorsports history with Nicorette helping race fans and crew members quit smoking through its QUIT Crew program. Nicorette's QUIT Crew program is currently helping over 280 NASCAR team members from 16 different racing organizations quit smoking through counseling, support, and the proper use of the smoking cessation products Nicorette, NicoDerm CQ and Commit. Quit smoking support is also available to NASCAR fans throughout race weekend at Nicorette's interactive Winner's Circle Exhibit located in the RIR fan area. At the exhibit, Nicorette's certified smoking cessation coaches will be on hand to provide individuals with free, quit smoking counseling. For more information about Nicorette's racing program and on how to quit
smoking, visit www.quit2winracing.com.(Lighthouse Marketing/Nicorette Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #24 Team Scheme page.(9-6-2007)
- Special paint for Jeff Gordon at Calif: Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet will carry the familiar “fire and flames”design in this weekend’s 500-mile race but will feature the premier waterborne basecoat from DuPont Refinish. DuPont Cromax Pro not only complies with strict California VOC regulations, but also helps increase productivity through faster drying times and better hiding. Its “Catch the Wave” product slogan will be featured on Gordon’s Monte Carlo SS and firesuit.(Performance PR Plus), the scheme also ran at California in Feb., see images of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(8-30-2007)
- Gordon not appearing on 'Apprentice': A spokesman for Jeff Gordon said the NASCAR driver has not been signed to appear on the upcoming season of Donald Trump's "The Apprentice," denying a report in the New York Post. The paper's gossip site, Page Six, wrote that Trump had signed numerous stars for the NBC show, including Gordon, Pete Rose, George Foreman, Jim Cramer, Carmen Electra, Joan Rivers, Naomi Judd, Kimora Lee Simmons and Tony Hawk. But Jim Dowd, a Trump spokesman, wrote in an e-mail to the Free Press that "none of those names are confirmed or signed." Wrote Dowd: "What ran in the (report) was speculation at this stage and not confirmed by NBC or by the producers."
Jon Edwards, a spokesman for Gordon, said Gordon "has not agreed to participate." "They contacted me with very little specifics, and I explained that I highly doubt that Jeff would be able to participate because taping coincides with the 'Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup,' " Edwards wrote in an e-mail. "I asked for more information before I reviewed with Jeff, and I have received nothing."(Detroit Free Press)(8-22-2007)
- Letarte returns as #24 crew chief after 6 week suspension: This week's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway marks the return of crew chief Steve Letarte for Jeff Gordon, but the #24 team has not missed a beat in his six-race absence. In those six races, Gordon posted top-10 finishes in each of them - including four top-fives - and accumulated more points than any other driver, increasing his lead in the point standings by 173. "Jeff Meendering did a tremendous job filling in for Steve, but it'll be great to have Steve back," Gordon said. "I've been impressed with Steve's ability to call a race, and he has given me great cars this year."(Performance PR Plus)(8-16-2007)
- Hendrick re-signs with GM: Hendrick Motorsports has verbally agreed to a five-year contract with General Motors, keeping HMS in Chevrolets through 2012. "We're done," team owner Rick Hendrick said after Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Watkins Glen International. "We haven't signed it, but we've verbally agreed." GM is in the last year of all of its contracts with teams in the Nextel Cup series. Re-signing HMS was key, particularly with speculation that Joe Gibbs Racing may be leaving for Toyota. Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc., GM's other top teams, remain in negotiations but are expected to re-sign. Two of the top three owners in Chevrolet expect Joe Gibbs Racing to move to Toyota in 2008. "I'd say they're gone," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, who has agreed to a five-year deal with General Motors. Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress said there are enough signs to believe that JGR will make the jump, which he says will take Toyota to another level. "It's pretty well written in stone," he said on Sunday at Watkins Glen International. Childress is so convinced JGR will bolt that he questions whether the organization should be included in Thursday's key partners' meeting at GM's headquarters in Detroit. "No, I wouldn't feel comfortable with them there," he said. "If the [other Chevrolet] teams have a feeling they're going to be there, we're not going to discuss openly with them in a room things we normally would discuss openly. You're sitting there working on stuff for next year and you don't want them to take that and help out the competition."(ESPN.com)(8-13-2007)
- Gordon Close to Clinching Chase Spot: If [#24-Jeff] Gordon simply starts the next five races, he will clinch a spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, NASCAR’s championship round that begins next month in New Hampshire.(SPEEDtv.com)(8-6-2007)
- Underdog to Partner with The Jeff Gordon Foundation on 2007 Fantasy Car: “Have No Fear”, the canine hero from the Walt Disney Pictures’ upcoming comedy “Underdog” helps “evil get licked” but still finds time to pose on the hood of The Jeff Gordon Foundation #24 car. The 2007 Foundation Fantasy Car was unveiled today at the Foundation’s annual Bowling Tournament with the help from former patients at the Riley Hospital for Children. The limited edition die-cast features Underdog prominently flying across the hood with the words “One Nation Under Dog....” Underdog also appears on the sides of the car -- scaling a building -- and on the back deck lid where he handsomely sits upon his trademark U beside the words “Have No Fear”. Also showcased is the official Jeff Gordon Foundation logo on each rear quarter panel and on the rear bumper. The Foundation began issuing these special collectibles in 2001, with proceeds benefiting children with chronic and life-threatening diseases. For more information visit www.jeffgordonfoundation.org.(PR)(7-29-2007)
- Drivers Have Different Plans for Off Week: The last open weekend on the Nextel Cup schedule until Thanksgiving means different things to different drivers as they gear up for a stretch of 17 races without a break starting July 29 in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.
Jeff Gordon is going to pack up his family car for a short road trip with wife Ingrid and month-old daughter Ella Sofia. Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra are flying to Europe. Kyle Petty is getting on a motorcycle to join his annual charity ride. Elliott Sadler is heading to the golf course. And several drivers will be driving, either in a Busch Series race in suburban St. Louis or, in Tony Stewart's case, at a time and place still to be determined.(Indianapolis Star)(7-17-2007)
- Jeff Gordon, ‘Talladega Nights’ Win ESPY Awards Via on-line voting by sports fans, Jeff Gordon won the “Best Driver” Award Wednesday night at the 15th Annual ESPY Awards held in the Kodak Theatre. Gordon bested his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick, IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr., Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti and NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher. “Winning an ESPY is an honor,” Gordon said. “It’s one of the most prestigious awards in sports. It’s a credit to how the No. 24 DuPont team performed over the last year. Hopefully we can continue to have success through the end of this season and be in contention for next year’s award as well.”
In addition, “Talladega Nights,” the popular comedy starring Will Farrell, gave NASCAR its second victory of the night by winning in the “Best Sports Movie” category. Other films in the category were “We Are Marshall,” “Pride,” and “Invincible.” Jimmie Johnson was nominated in the “Best Championship Performance” category. That award went to Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. Kevin Harvick was also part of another nomination for NASCAR, as this year’s Daytona 500 – in which Harvick edged Mark Martin by 0.02-seconds – was nominated in the “Best Finish” category. That award was won by last September’s 11-10 Los Angeles Dodgers victory over the San Diego Padres; the Dodgers had four consecutive home runs in the ninth inning to tie the game 9-9, then had another homer in the 10th inning to win. Wednesday night’s ceremonies were hosted by comedian/talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and NBA star LeBron James. The show will be broadcast on Sunday at 9pm/et, on ESPN more info on the ESPY's page.(NASCAR PR)(7-12-2007)
- Jeff Gordon to run Nicorette scheme at Chicago: #24-Jeff Gordon will run a special #24 DuPont Nicorette Chevy paint scheme at this weekend's USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway . The special paint scheme coincides with one of the most unique sponsorships in motorsports history with Nicorette helping race fans and crew members quit smoking through its QUIT Crew program.
Nicorette's QUIT Crew program is currently helping over 200 NASCAR team members from 11 different race teams quit smoking through counseling, support, and the proper use of the smoking cessation products Nicorette, NicoDerm CQ and Commit. Quit smoking support is also available to NASCAR fans throughout race weekend at Nicorette's interactive Winner's Circle Exhibit located in Chicagoland Speedway's fan area. At the exhibit, Nicorette's certified smoking cessation coaches will be on hand to provide individuals with free, quit smoking counseling. For more information about Nicorette's racing program and on how to quit smoking, visit www.quit2winracing.com.(Lighthouse Marketing PR), see an image of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(7-12-2007)
- Jeff Gordon to host "Regis and Kelly": Jeff Gordon is scheduled to make his 10th appearance as co-host on the popular daytime talk show “Live with Regis and Kelly” on Monday, July 9. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy will fill in for host Regis Philbin. “Live with Regis and Kelly” is in its 19th year of national syndication and continues to wake up millions of Americans each day. “Live with Regis and Kelly” is executive produced by Michael Gelman and distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Produced by WABC-TV in New York, “Live with Regis and Kelly” airs in over 200 markets across the country. Check local listings for time and channel.(Performance PR Plus)(7-6-2007)
- Hendrick Motorsports Wants Crew Chiefs back ASAP: Doug Duchardt, Hendrick Motorsports vice president of development, says the team didn't appeal NASCAR's penalties this week for two basic reasons: First, the teams of #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson want their crew chiefs back in time to have momentum when the Chase For The Nextel Cup begins, and second, the group now understands what NASCAR views as the lack of a gray area on the car of tomorrow more clearly. Duchardt said the team considered both of these concepts when it decided not to appeal the penalties. "As we went through this, some things came more clear to us as far as what NASCAR's tolerance on their data was - it wasn't as clear to us before last Friday as it is now," Duchardt said Friday at New Hampshire. The primary reason, though, is the teams want to get this over with and get the regular crew chiefs back in place in time to develop some momentum heading into the Chase For The Nextel Cup.(SceneDaily.com)(6-30-2007)
- Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal penalties to #24/#48, interim crew chiefs named: Car owner Rick Hendrick confirmed today that the sanctions levied by NASCAR on Tuesday against the #24 and #48 Nextel Cup Series teams will not be appealed by Hendrick Motorsports. "The penalties are excessive," Hendrick reiterated. "But we're not going to put time and resources into issuing an appeal. Instead, we will direct that energy into our internal processes to make sure we have full confidence that our cars will meet standards when presented for inspection each week. We've said from the beginning that this would be a learning process (with the Car of Tomorrow) and there would be a lot of give and take between NASCAR and the teams to figure it out. That doesn't seem to be the case now, and I don't think it's the right direction to go."
#24 car chief Jeff Meendering and #48 car chief Ron Malec have been named interim crew chiefs for their respective teams beginning with Sunday's Nextel Cup event at New Hampshire International Speedway. "In Jeff and Ron, we have two guys who know their teams inside and out," Hendrick said. "They both have been here a long time, they both know the pressures involved and they both have the full support of our entire organization. We don't expect to miss a beat."
Meendering, 30, began his Hendrick Motorsports career in October 1994 sweeping floors in the chassis shop as a 16-year-old high-school junior. He has since won 10 NASCAR championships as a member of the organization. From Grand Rapids, Mich., Meendering joined the #24 team in 2000 under crew chief Robbie Loomis, working as a setup specialist and mechanic before being promoted to car chief in September 2005.
A Franklin, Wis., native, Malec has a long history with driver Jimmie Johnson. The pair met more than a decade ago when Johnson was racing off-road trucks, and they later became roommates when both were involved in the American Speed Association. Malec and Johnson each moved to North Carolina in 1999 and again worked alongside one another in the NASCAR Busch Series before joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2001 as original members of the #48 team. Malec has been car chief for Johnson's entire Nextel Cup career.
The 32-year-old Malec, also the rear-tire carrier for the #48 team, will be supported on race day by veteran crew chief Lance McGrew. McGrew won the 2003 Busch Series championship and has posted victories in each of NASCAR's top three divisions. He is also familiar with Johnson after working as his Busch Series crew chief this season. Crew chiefs Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus will resume at-track duties for their respective teams at the Aug. 19 Nextel Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-28-2007)
- Crew Chief Letarte statement on Penalties and Interim Crew Chief: "It's been a great season so far and we have a really strong, championship-caliber team in place. The penalties are unfortunate and severe, but we'll put the situation behind us and focus on winning a fifth championship for the #24 team. Jeff [Meendering] is my go-to guy. We have similar backgrounds and we've both been here (with Hendrick Motorsports) a long time. This is a tough pill to swallow for me, but he'll do a great job leading the team and keeping things moving in a positive direction. We'll rally and Jeff will get more support from the organization than you can imagine."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-28-2007)
- #24, #48 Teams Penalized For Infractions At Infineon Raceway: NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to the #24 and #48 Hendrick Motorsports teams that compete in the Nextel Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions found this past weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Both cars – the #24 driven by Jeff Gordon and the #48 driven by Jimmie Johnson – were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); 20-2.1E (parts or components of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that have been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted); and 20-2H (fenders may not be cut or altered except for wheel or tire clearance which must be approved by the Series Director) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. The violations were found during the initial inspection process last Friday. As a result, Gordon and Johnson have each been penalized 100 driver championship points. Their respective crew chiefs – Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus – have each been fined $100,000, suspended for the next six Nextel Cup Series events until Aug. 15, 2007 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2007. In addition, Rick Hendrick, owner of the #24, has been penalized 100 car owner championship points as has Gordon, who is the owner of the #48.(NASCAR PR)(6-26-2007)
- Hendrick Motorsports Responds to Penalties: Car owner Rick Hendrick responded to NASCAR sanctions announced today involving the #24 and #48 Nextel Cup Series teams of Hendrick Motorsports. "We are disappointed in NASCAR's decision and feel the penalties are excessive," Hendrick said. "Right now, all of our options are being evaluated, including our personnel situation and a possible appeal to the National Stock Car Racing Commission. We'll take some time to decide on a direction and make an announcement regarding our plans for New Hampshire later in the week."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-26-2007)
- Gordon hits 300...top-10's: #24-Jeff Gordon scored the 300th [and 301 at Sonoma) top-10 finish of his Nextel Cup career in Michigan on June 17, 2007. With 489 starts in the Cup series, the finish puts him in line with other legends of the sport in collecting 300 top-10's in fewer than 500 starts. Richard Petty accomplished the task in 1969 in his 439th career start; David Pearson picked up his 300th top-10 in 1976 in his 449th start; Dale Earnhardt's 300th came in 1994 in his 463rd start; Darrell Waltrip scored #300 in 1989 in his 470th start, while Bobby Allison accomplished the feat in 1980 in his 475th start. With competition as close as it is today, it remains to be seen whether another driver can get to 300 top-10's in fewer than 500 career starts. The most likely candidates would be Tony Stewart who has 179 top-10's in 300 races, and Jimmie Johnson who has accumulated 120 top-10 finishes in 199 races.(Gordonline.com)(6-26-2007)
- Jeff Gordon documentary to debut on TNT: A documentary-style feature on #24-Jeff Gordon is set to debut on TNT and then be available as a DVD. The program, "24 x 24: Wide Open with Jeff Gordon," will debut on TNT July 7 with an extended version DVD set to be released July 10. The documentary explores the life of Gordon, both on and off the track. It includes interviews with motorsports and entertainment personalities as well as Gordon's family and friends. Gordon allowed cameras to follow him for 24 hours to film the project. Independent film entertainment studio Lionsgate is distributing the work, which was produced by Wide Open Entertainment in association with Pepsi Entertainment. Pepsi Racing, DuPont Motorsports and Nicorette Racing sponsored the film.(SceneDaily.com)(6-26-2007)
- Hendrick preparing for crew chief suspensions: It looks like Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte are about to become teachers, in a hurry. Sources told me [captainthunderracing.com] late Monday, that the two Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs and their crews will be working franticly to prepare for the possible suspensions stemming from the Infineon race. At last weekends road race in California, both teams race cars failed inspection and their drivers, #24 Jeff Gordon and #48 Jimmie Johnson, where forced to start from the back of the field. Over the next few days, the two crew chiefs will be working overtime with their crews and their new replacements [it doesn't say who they are] to prepare themselves for the possible passing of the baton this weekend in New Hampshire. Sources said Knaus is prepared to assist Letarte with preparations and the two are reviewing Knaus's notes from last year to get a strong handle on how to handle their potential impending absences from the race track. They are preparing to work the operation much the way they did last season when Knaus was suspended following a cheating infraction at the season opening Daytona 500. Johnson won the race in Knause's absence with fill in crew chief Darian Grubb sitting on the pit box in place of Knaus. Grubb parlayed that gig in to a full time gig as crew chief for the #25 of Casey Mears. When Knaus was suspended last year, they communicated via laptop and cell phone by housing Knaus in a hotel close to the track. Sources told me they will prepare much as they did last year and they will be sure to be ready for the worst. And, if they don't get suspended, they will be even better prepared for this weeks race in New Hampshire. Whoever replaces Knaus and Letarte has some big shoes to fill, and they better be prepared to be there for a while. Sources say the penalty could equal the one NASCAR handed out to Tony Eury Jr. just a few weeks ago.(captainthunderracing.com)(6-25-2007)
- #24 and #48 pulled from practice, qualifying after failing inspection MORE: NASCAR officials announced that #24-Jeff Gordon [points leader] and #48- Jimmie Johnson [3rd in points] will not be allowed to practice or qualify Friday after their cars failed the initial morning inspection at Infineon Raceway. The front fenders on both the #24 Chevy of Gordon and the #48 Chevy of Johnson had front fenders that were too wide. The cars did not fit the template for a Car of Tomorrow entry. Both drivers will have to start at the rear of the field for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 300 event on the 2-mile Infineon road course. Gordon, the season points leader, won at Infineon one year ago. His five victories at Sonoma are the most among active drivers. "Both teams have the opportunity to repair their primary cars and resubmit them for inspection," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said. "If they pass that inspection, they'll be allowed to practice on Saturday." Neither crew chief -- Steve Letarte for Gordon and Chad Knaus for Johnson -- has been suspended for this race. But additional penalties are likely for both drivers and crew chiefs next week. NASCAR officials have warned all teams that any violations involving the COT would results in severe punishment. The #8 Chevy team of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. was penalized 100 points and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 when a pre-qualifying inspection at Darlington showed the brackets on the rear wing were modified out of regulation.(ESPN.com)(6-22-2007)
UPDATE: "I don't necessarily say they bent the rules," [Team Owner Rick] Hendrick said after a lengthy team meeting inside of Jeff Gordon's hauler. "They thought they were working inside of an area they thought they could. The fenders on the car are sitting out there in front of God and everybody. If you're going to try to do something to gain an advantage you wouldn't do it and roll it through inspection."
NASCAR officials said the front right fenders on both cars were flared out beyond the wheel well to create an advantage. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, called it a blatant attempt to circumvent the rules. Based on what happened to crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. when NASCAR discovered alterations to the rear-wing bracket at Darlington, the ensuing penalty will be substantial. Eury was suspended for six races and fined $100,000, and Earnhardt was docked 100 championship points. Hendrick, anticipating that or worse, already is pleading his case to NASCAR. "We'll have to see what the penalty is, but I don't think the penalty fits the crime in this case when you're talking about the top of a fender or the side of a fender," he said. "I don't see it as a situation where you had a certified part and it's been altered or anything like that." Hendrick said Gordon and Johnson already have been punished enough -- they're being forced to start at the rear of the field. The only driver to win at Infineon from the back was Ernie Irvan, who started at the rear after jumping the start in 1992. We want to play by the rules. I don't enjoy this. The guys don't enjoy this. I'm sure NASCAR doesn't enjoy this. This is a big penalty not being able to qualify and get a good starting spot and good pit spot," he said. "We're just hoping for a good finish. If these two cars finish in the top 10 tomorrow I'll be happy."(ESPN.com)(6-24-2007)
- Jeff & Ingrid proudly announce the birth of their daughter: Earlier today, Jeff Gordon and Ingrid Vandebosch welcomed a new daughter into the world. Ella Sofia Gordon was born at 9:09 a.m., weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and was 20 inches long. “It’s been an absolutely incredible experience,” Gordon said. “Ingrid came through amazingly and we’re both really happy and overjoyed. We can’t wait to get home and start our lives together as a family.” The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will travel to Northern California later this week and is scheduled to participate in all on-track activities at Infineon Raceway, site of this weekend’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race.(JeffGordon.com)(6-20-2007)
- Jeff Gordon's timeline this weekend during Baby Watch: #24-Jeff Gordon officially is on a baby watch. Doctors have told the Nextel Cup points leader that his daughter, whose due date is June 29, could come at any time. That has forced the four-time Cup champion to come up with several contingency plans for this weekend's road course race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.
Should the baby be born on Wednesday, Gordon will take a day and a half off before flying to Sonoma for Friday's qualifying.
Should she be born on Friday he will return home immediately, let Mark Martin qualify the car and then likely return for the race on Sunday.
Should she be born on Saturday, he'll likely turn the car over to Martin, who is on standby as he takes a break in his part-time schedule with Ginn Racing, for the rest of the weekend.
And should she be born on Sunday during the race, he'll fly home immediately afterward. "There's not a lot I can do about that, but I hope that doesn't happen," Gordon said last weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Unlike any other driver chasing a spot in the top 12, Gordon can afford to take a weekend off. He has a 264-point lead over second-place #11-Denny Hamlin in the standings. He also has four wins, which will give him an important 40 bonus points once the championship chase begins. The first pictures of the baby will be released on Gordon's Web site, www.jeffgordon.com, within a few hours of the birth. Gordon wants to avoid this becoming a big media event, like the births of other celebrity children.(ESPN.com)(6-20-2007)
- Gordon Knew Hendrick was Negotiating with Earnhardt: #24-Jeff Gordon was in on the secret all along. Privately he listened to team owner Rick Hendrick agonize over the arduous, closed-door maneuvering to sign #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Rick was going back and forth, back and forth," Gordon said. "He was like, 'Man, I would love to do this,' and at the same time, 'I don't know how I'm going to do it.' And, 'Should we do it?' " Gordon didn't waver. "I was very supportive of it from the beginning," he said, sitting in the lounge of his team transporter during preparations for the Citizens Bank 400. "Because I've been at Hendrick for 15 years and I have equity in the company, I probably got let into it a little bit sooner," Gordon said. "I actually told Rick, 'Don't give me too many details because I know I'm going to get asked.' But I knew they were in talks."(Orlando Sentinel)(6-18-2007)
- Chevy unveils paint schemes to commemorate 50 Years of the '57 Chevy: One of the most recognizable cars in American motoring history reaches a notable milestone this year, a milestone which NASCAR, Chevy and Motorsports Authentics proudly celebrate. The 1957 Chevrolet, a car which turns 50 years old this year, will be commemorated at August 19’s 3M Performance 400 Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway by at least 11 Team Chevy drivers. Unveiled by Jimmie Johnson at MIS today, a Monte Carlo SS race car featuring decals with cues from the iconic 1957 design is similar to the ones Johnson and other Team Chevy drivers will race during the August event. On August 18, ’57 Chevys along with many other historic vehicles will hit the streets during Metro Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise. That same weekend, Team Chevy Nextel Cup Series drivers #4-Ward Burton, #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #14-Sterling Marlin, #01-Mark Martin, #15-Paul Menard, #96-Tony Raines, #1-Martin Truex, Jr., #78-Kenny Wallace and #18-J.J. Yeley will take to the track at MIS with their cars wearing special ’57 Chevy paint schemes. To commemorate this special event, Motorsports Authentics will replicate their cars with die-cast models and offer apparel and novelty items related to the event.(GM Racing PR), see an image of the #48 Scheme on my #48 Team Schemes page.(6-16-2007)
- Jeff Gordon's plane safe: Rumors that an airplane carrying a NASCAR driver went down in Pennsylvania this morning [Monday] are not true. The air control tower at Fort Indiantown Gap [PA] heard a "Mayday" from an aircraft in trouble at 8:15 this morning. But Federal Aviation Administration officials told the state emergency operations center that there are no airplanes down in Pennsylvania this morning. FAA officials said the search for the downed aircraft has moved to Delaware and Virginia. The Wilmington News Journal reports in an online news item that a search today in Kent County, Del., turned up no downed plane. The rumor, which apparently started in northeastern Pennsylvania, said the aircraft was believed to belong to NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon. However, John Edwards, Gordon's press spokesman, said Gordon's airplane is sitting safely in its hanger.(Patriot News)(6-12-2007)
- Jeff Gordon wins at Pocono: #24-Jeff Gordon won the rain-shortened Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway Sunday evening. The race was called on lap 106 after a 35 minute red flag when NASCAR determined that the track could not be dried before it got too dark to race. Rain plagued the area most of the day. Intermittent showers delayed the start of the race about more than 2 ½ hours. Gordon used pit strategy to take the lead on lap 98 and was in the right place when the rain hit. The win is Gordon's 4th of 2007 and 79th of his career. Pole sitter, #12-Newman finished 2nd and nearly took the lead from Gordon just before the final caution came out. #1-Truex, Jr. finished 3rd, followed by #25-Mears, #20-Stewart, #11-Hamlin, #01-Martin, #5-Busch, #17-Kenseth, and #07-Bowyer. There were 4 cautions for 10 laps and 8 drivers led the race with 15 lead changes.
Race Results on my Pocono Race Results/Awards page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Pocono page
Race Rundown: see my Pocono Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(6-10-2007)
- Martin to sub for Jeff Gordon when baby arrives? If #24-Jeff Gordon is forced to miss a race to attend the birth of his daughter, series veteran Mark Martin will man the #24 DuPont Chevy, multiple sources within the Hendrick Motorsports organization told ESPN.com Wednesday. Martin on Wednesday afternoon will be fitted for a racing seat in preparation for the substitute role, sources said, and plans to begin stand-by duty for Gordon at Infineon Raceway next month. Hendrick Motorsports officials chose not to comment, saying rather that Gordon would address the matter Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, site of this weekend's Coca-Cola 600. Sources said Gordon personally sought out Martin to stand in for him, and after clearing the idea with Ginn Racing officials, Martin gladly accepted. Gordon's wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, is due the week of the June 24 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. Martin will fly to Sonoma, during a weekend when he is slated to be idle from racing. If Gordon doesn't require his services, Martin will remain on hand to coach Regan Smith in the #01 US Army Chevy [Ginn Racing]. According to NASCAR officials, Martin could get in the #24 without practicing in the car, so long as Nextel Cup director John Darby gives his blessing. Given Martin's veteran experience, that would seem to be all but a foregone conclusion.
If baby Gordon arrives a week early, sources said Martin will turn the #01 Chevrolet over to Smith at Michigan Speedway and drive the #24 for Gordon. Likewise, in the event the baby is a week late, Martin would sub for Gordon at New Hampshire. Gordon hasn't missed a race in his Cup Series career, a span of 484 consecutive races. The last race run without Gordon in the field was the 28th race of the 1992 season, at Phoenix International Raceway.(ESPN.com)(5-23-2007)
- Special scheme for Jeff Gordon at All-Star race: During the Nextel All-Star Challenge, the #24 car will carry the familiar the “fire and flames” design but with the primary colors reversed. DuPont Performance Alliance will also be showcased on the Chevy Monte Carlo SS. “This is an exciting race for the fans but an exciting race for the teams and drivers, as well,” said Gordon. “It’s run under the lights with a lot of different paint schemes. There’s just a different feel about this race. “You have to take chances to win this race, but you also have to be smart about when and where you take those chances.”(Performance Plus/Dupont Racing PR)(5-16-2007)
- Jeff Gordon wins at Darlington: #24-Jeff Gordon won the rain delayed Dodge Avenger 500 at Darlington Raceway for his 3rd win of 2007, 7th wins at Darlington and 78th of his career. The race was scheduled to run Saturday night, but was rained out and run Sunday, May 13th, the 2nd race in a row that was delay a day by rain [last week it was Richmond]. Gordon's engine was steaming and overheating for many laps. #11-Hamlin finished 2nd and was coming fast, but a poor pitstop late in the race cost Hamlin a shot to win, Hamlin led the most laps with 179 of 367. #48-Johnson finished 3rd, the rest of the top-10 were: #12-Newman, #99-Edwards, #20-Stewart, #17-Kenseth, #8-Earnhardt Jr., #07-Bowyer and #31-Burton. #22-Blaney was the highest finishing Toyota at 32nd. Jeff Gordon's points lead increases to 231 over Johnson. Hendrick Motorsports now has 8 wins in the 11 races this season and has won all five COT races. There were 10 cautions for 44 laps and 10 drivers lead the race with 21 lead changes.
Race Results on my Darlington Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Darlington page
Race Rundown: see my Darlington Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(5-13-2007)
- Dale Jr. leans toward Hendrick? UPDATE denied: The efforts to sign #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a NASCAR driving contract for 2008 and beyond has reached a critical point, and the top two teams on Earnhardt’s list are the Chevrolet teams owned by Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick, according to men familiar with the negotiations. Earnhardt today is leaning toward a deal with Hendrick [NOTE: where would Earnhardt go? HMS has four Cup teams and all three drivers signed for a couple more years, unless some sort of deal with Haas CNC Racing or Ginn Racing would be worked out], largely because of Hendrick’s very strong engine program, sources here said yesterday. Earnhardt and veteran crew chief Tony Eury Jr., his cousin and close confidante as well as the man who has led him to many of his 17 Cup victories, have talked with both the Hendrick and Childress camps in recent weeks about the positives and negatives each team owner would have to offer, sources said yesterday. And Eury will have a major voice in the decision, because Earnhardt’s primary goal now, at age 32, is to win a championship.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-9-2007)
UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports General Manager Marshall Carlson told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that his team is fully stocked with drivers for 2008 and beyond, and that he has not spoken with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., about the possibility of joining the Hendrick stable.(Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway)(5-9-2007)
- Jeff Gordon's Team Takes Pit Crew Challenge Honors in Richmond: Jeff Gordon's over-the-wall crew earned its first win of the season in the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by spending the least amount of time on pit road during Sunday's rain-delayed Nextel Cup event. The #24 crew spent 201.593 seconds on Richmond International Raceway's pit lane, and lifted its team to a fourth-place finish in the Jim Stewart 400 presented by Crown Royal. Checkers/Rally's will award an $11,000 prize to Gordon's crew for winning the weekly competition. The #24 crew, out of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, includes: Jeff Cook (jackman), Mike "Tiny" Houston (front-tire carrier), Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Gilman (rear-tire changer), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth-man). The crew chief is Steve Letarte. After ten Nextel Cup races, Mark Martin's/Regan Smith's #01 pit crew leads in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings with four wins. Denny Hamlin's #11 crew is second with two victories. An additional $111,150 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule. To win the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally's is in its third season as title sponsor for the pit crew challenge. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(5-8-2007)
- Gordon to carry special banner at RIR: Jeff Gordon will proudly carry a special banner with cops.KEVLAR.com on the rear TV panel of the #24 DuPont car during this week's Crown Royal 400 race at the Richmond International Raceway. DuPont has created the cops.KEVLAR.com Web site and a companion toll-free number, 1.877.COP.9606, to help raise awareness for the future National Law Enforcement Museum and encourage contributions to the Museum's fundraising campaign. Jeff will also show his support for the law enforcement community and the Museum through a public service announcement that will be highlighted throughout the race weekend. During the pre-race activities on Saturday, DuPont will present a check for $250,000 to the National Law Enforcement Museum fund.(Ogilvy PR)(5-4-2007)
- Jeff Gordon Trades in Stock Car for Wine, Gourmet Foods in Sonoma: #24-Jeff Gordon traded in his stock car for a cutting board and chef's coat on Sunday at Infineon Raceway. Gordon, a native of Vallejo, participated in a Wine Country Luncheon to help promote the upcoming Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 22-24, at Infineon Raceway. Gordon, who won Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Phoenix, teamed with renowned Bay Area chef Victor Scargle to prepare a gourmet meal at the raceway for Northern California media members. Gordon and Scargle teamed up to prepare poached Alaskan halibut and grilled Bigeye Tuna for more than 50 media members at the luncheon. Gordon helped with the seasoning, tasting and a number of other elements. He admitted that his wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, is more of the chef at home. The lunch was paired with wines from the Jeff Gordon Collection, which is produced at August Briggs Winery in Calistoga, and Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma. Gordon served his 2005 Chardonnay with the halibut, while Ravenswood served a Zinfandel with the tuna. Ravenswood will be the sponsor of the raceway's pole-day qualifying on Friday, June 22. Prior to the luncheon, Gordon took part in a Mini Baby Shower, hosted by raceway president and general manager Steve Page. Gordon and his wife, Ingrid, are expecting their first child, a girl, in late June or early July. Gordon will return to the Sonoma Valley for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 22-24. For ticket information to the Toyota/Save Mart 350, call 800-870-RACE or visit www.infineonraceway.com.(Infineon Raceway PR)(2-23-2007)
- Jeff Gordon wins at Phoenix: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Subway Fresh Fit 500k at Phoenix International Raceway for his first win of 2007 and his first win since Chicago last year. It was also his 76th career win which moved him into a tie with Dale Earnhardt, Sr. for sixth in all time wins. On the cool down lap Gordon flew a #3 flag from his car. In addition, it was the first time a driver had ever won from the pole in a race a Phoenix. #20-Stewart finish second after having a dominating car through most of the second half of the race. #11-Hamlin fought back from an early race speeding penalty to finish third. The remainder of the top ten were #48-Johnson, #17-Kenseth, #66-Green, #5-Busch, #43-Labonte, #70-Sauter, and #29-Harvick. Jeff Gordon expanded his points lead to 74 over #31-Jeff Burton, who finished 13th. #01-Mark Martin, who was competing in his first car of tomorrow race, finished 12th and moved back into 10th in the point standings. There were 6 cautions for 34 laps and 7 leaders with 12 lead changes.
Race Results on my Phoenix Race Results/Awards Page.
Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Phoenix page
Race Rundown: see my Phoenix Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(4-21-2007)
- Hendrick going for 200th NASCAR win: Car owner Rick Hendrick now has 199 combined NASCAR victories: 151 at the Nextel Cup level, 23 in the Busch Series and 25 in the Craftsman Truck Series. The total includes a 1983 Busch Series win by the late Dale Earnhardt at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a car co-owned by Hendrick and Robert Gee.(HMS PR)(3-22-2007)
- Jeff Gordon to run military scheme at Coke 600: Memorial Day Weekend is always thrilling for race fans at Lowe's Motor Speedway [Coca-Cola 600]. This year, a special celebration of America's military personnel takes place with the American Heroes Program! In honor of the American Heroes Program, #24-Jeff Gordon and DuPont have created a commemorative paint scheme featuring the Department of Defense. Gordon's #24-Chevy includes shades of blue with the Department of Defense seal dominating the hood, see an image of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(3-5-2007)
- Different paint for the #24 at California: Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevy will carry the familiar "fire and flames" design in this weekend's Auto Club 500 at California Speedway on Sunday, but will feature a new waterborne paint from DuPont Refinish. DuPont Cromax Pro, which is being introduced in preparation for strict California emissions regulations, and their "Catch the Wave" product slogan will be featured on Gordon's Chevy and firesuit.(Performance PR Plus)(2-21-2007)
- More on Gordon's Infraction: -#24-Jeff Gordon didn't sleep well on Thursday night. Not necessarily because his car failed inspection following the second of two 150-mile qualifying races, but because he was worried people might think his team deliberately cheated. That's understandable in a week in which five crew chiefs and one vice president for competition have been suspended since Tuesday. "That's what's bothered me the most," Gordon said. "It's what kept me up all night. People are going to think we did something to circumvent the rules." NASCAR determined that a parts failure resulted in the rear quarter panel of Gordon's #24 Chevrolet being too low. Because it was deemed unintentional and gave Gordon no competitive advantage, the penalty was light. Gordon was forced to move from the second to last row -- 42nd [his worst previous start in the 500 was 39th in 2004] in the 43-car field -- for Sunday's Daytona 500. "It's easy if you just say the car was low," said Gordon, a three-time Daytona 500 champion. "But the car wasn't low on the racetrack. That's why the penalty is what it is. If NASCAR felt like it was any more than that we'd be in the same position as those other guys. I wouldn't have a crew chief right now. We'd have our points fined and a monetary fine." Gordon had reason to be concerned others would question his team's motives. #31-Jeff Burton of Richard Childress Racing was so concerned that he went to the NASCAR hauler to see what part was confiscated. "It's my opinion what happened to the 24 is just a screwup," Burton said. "The part was beat up pretty badly. It wasn't machined to work that way. It was seen by me as an honest mistake. From what I've seen, it wasn't a performance advantage. I think the punishment met the crime." Gordon said it will be a challenge going from the back to the front, but not one he can't overcome. "We're going to have to have a real good handling race car and also a fast race car," Gordon said before Friday's practice. "We're going to take not too much speed out of that car and really get the car to handling." Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition, said no further penalties would be levied against Gordon's team.(ESPN.com)(2-17-2007)
- Post Inspection Problem with #24? UPDATE #24 fails inspection: SPEED's Victory Lane show is reporting NASCAR is looking hard at the #24-Jeff Gordon car that won the 2nd Gatorade Duel 150 race, supposedly something with the templates.
MORE: SPEED updated their report, it seems the #24 may be too low, could be something with a shock mount, NASCAR's John Darby has been under the rear of the car a few times, still no announcement about it.
UPDATE: News came late in the day that Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevy failed a post-race inspection. The quarter panels were too low. Instead of starting the Daytona 500 on the second row, Gordon will start 42nd. That's his punishment. His victory will stand. NASCAR officials said the problem probably was unintentional. It was the fourth qualifying race win of Gordon's career and his second in a row.(ESPN.com)
AND: #24-Jeff Gordon will start 42nd in Sunday's Daytona 500 after failing post-race inspection following the second of Thursday's two 150-mile qualifying races. Because the infraction -- the rear panel was almost an inch low -- was not considered intentional to create a competitive advantage Gordon will be allowed to keep his victory in the race. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition, said no further penalties would be levied against Gordon's team. It was the third straight day NASCAR's governing body passed out penalties at Daytona International Speedway. Gordon was unaware of the issue until informed during his post-race interview. "That would really suck," he said. Pemberton said the shock fastener and spacers used to hold the rear shocks that are installed during pre-race preparation for restrictor plate races were misaligned. He said it likely was a mistake made by the mechanic. "We felt it was unintentional," Pemberton said. "Actually, it was unsafe. We felt it was a part failure and unintentionally done."(ESPN.com)(2-15-2006)
- Gordon wins the second Gatorade Duel 150 with a last lap pass of #2-Kurt Busch. #13-Nemechek and #09-Wallace raced their way into the Daytona 500. #14-Marlin and #00-Reutimann made the race via their qualifying speed. This is, of course, unofficial. See my Gatorade Duel 150's Results page.(2-15-2007)
- Baby Girl on the way, Gordon not thinking retirement: With a new baby [girl] on the way in July, #24-Jeff Gordon isn’t making noises about retiring. Far from it. Gordon has insisted all winter that he’s more fired up than ever this year, though his teammate Jimmie Johnson said he wouldn’t be shocked if Gordon retires from driving within the next five years. “A five-year window? I wouldn't be surprised,” Johnson said Thursday during Media Day at Daytona. “This is the start of his 16th year. So in 20 years, I think 20 years of doing anything you're probably looking for a change. So I wouldn't be shocked with that.” Johnson added that Gordon hasn’t made any such pronouncements about the future. As for Gordon, he laughed. "I hope there's a Jeff Gordon sitting in victory lane with a five-year-old daughter in his arms is what I'm hoping for."(SpeedTV.com)(2-9-2007)
- New Driver for Hendrick Motorsports? Landon Cassill UPDATE: The Gazette [of Cedar Rapids Iowa] is reporting: Landon Cassill, a 17-year-old senior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School, has signed a contract to drive for NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports, he told The Gazette today [1/2/2007]. Cassill joins a powerhouse race team that includes Nextel Cup champions #48-Jimmie Johnson and #24-Jeff Gordon, as well as #5-Kyle Busch [and #25-Casey Mears]. "I feel really, really honored to be part of this organization," Cassill said. "I'm honored to be in such an elite group." it says to "See more of this story in Wednesday's Gazette."(The Gazette)
AND Landon will move to North Carolina in March to begin working full time for Hendrick Motorsports.(kcrg.com), of note: Cassill can't drive in the NASCAR Cup, Busch or Truck series until he is 18 [July 7th] and since Hendrick Motorsports has four team in Nextel Cup [the limit], it won't be a full-time Nextel Cup ride, look for this to be a development program of some sort [ARCA, Trucks, Busch], also Cassill was part of the GM Racing Development Driver Evaluation program and made it to the final stages.(1-3-2007)
MORE: Landon Cassill — most recently an ASA racer who surged from 30th to fourth in the October race at Iowa Speedway — will graduate high school in February and journey to Hendrick headquarters March 1, his father said. Roger Cassill said Landon has already tested cars for Hendrick, and his future role with the team will include more of that while he’s groomed as a developmental driver. Cassill said his son may test Gordon’s “Car of Tomorrow” next week. “Hendrick was really good about coming in and saying they think he’s got the talent and they are more interested in developing him rather than making a bunch of promises,” Cassill said. “If he’s not ready he’s not going to race. As soon as he’s ready, he’s going to race.”(Des Moines Register)(1-3-2007)
UPDATE: Cassill will take part in two tests - one this month - while continuing to build a base of knowledge and experience.
Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex said Cassill is the only driver with the organization other than defending Cup champion Johnson, four-time series champ Gordon, Busch and Mears. Cassill's progress toward a possible behind-the-wheel NASCAR career will be measured in baby steps. "Right now we're solely focused on seat time," Essex said.(Des Moines Register)(1-5-2007)
