Post by jkelly57 on Jun 25, 2006 22:31:09 GMT -6
Inside Dish: Gordon returns to vintage form ~ Lee Spencer, SportingNews.com
Posted: June 25, 2006
The No. 24 looked like it was driven by the Jeff Gordon of old as he broke his 19-race winless streak by scoring his 74th career victory and his fifth win at Infineon Raceway. Though he has spent 12 of 16 races in the top 10 in points, Gordon's team has been inconsistent. He has five top fives and three DNFs. Sunday's win vaulted Gordon to eighth in points, only 48 behind sixth-place Jeff Burton. With the tour rolling into Daytona this weekend, Gordon has a solid chance to improve his position. He has six wins there, including three in the Pepsi 400. . . .
Brian Vickers will be one of two drivers for the Red Bull Toyota team next season. The company hopes to sign another young driver. What's the backup plan? Bringing Bill Elliott in to run the first season. Elliott, who will race at Chicago, New Hampshire, California and Homestead for Michael Waltrip Racing in a Chevrolet and Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas for Red Bull (probably in a Dodge, but that's not certain) later this season, says the right deal could bring him out of partial retirement. . . .
Troy Aikman says he and Hall of Fame Racing partner Roger Staubach will be happy if the No. 96 team finishes in the top 25 in owners points this season. Certainly, the team received a shot in the arm with Terry Labonte's tremendous third-place finish at Sonoma last Sunday, which boosted it to 27th in owners points. Aikman says expanding to two cars is in the plans but that the right people would have to be available before making that move. . . .
Team owner Gene Haas was released on $10 million bail last Friday after being arrested earlier in the week on federal tax fraud charges. Haas CNC Racing marketing director Carl Cline says Haas' situation will not affect the racing operation, which includes Jeff Green in the Nextel Cup Series and Johnny Sauter in the Busch Series, or the construction of a proposed wind tunnel in Concord, N.C. Haas CNC Racing will attempt to put both drivers in the field this weekend in the Cup race at Daytona. . . .
Several Cup team owners have expressed interest in David Gilliland, who won his first career Busch race June 17 at Kentucky. He made his Nextel Cup debut at Sonoma last weekend and finished 32nd. Chevrolet also has taken notice. The factory will offer Gilliland support for his Clay Andrews Racing Monte Carlo and gave the team wind tunnel time in July. . . .
How will NASCAR develop the Car of Tomorrow to make it builder-friendly? NASCAR will recruit former team fabricators who are familiar with the challenges of constructing stock cars, including former Dale Earnhardt Inc. fabricator Andy Johnson. The final production of templates has been delayed while the sanctioning body tweaks the back end of the car to improve aero balance.
Posted: June 25, 2006
The No. 24 looked like it was driven by the Jeff Gordon of old as he broke his 19-race winless streak by scoring his 74th career victory and his fifth win at Infineon Raceway. Though he has spent 12 of 16 races in the top 10 in points, Gordon's team has been inconsistent. He has five top fives and three DNFs. Sunday's win vaulted Gordon to eighth in points, only 48 behind sixth-place Jeff Burton. With the tour rolling into Daytona this weekend, Gordon has a solid chance to improve his position. He has six wins there, including three in the Pepsi 400. . . .
Brian Vickers will be one of two drivers for the Red Bull Toyota team next season. The company hopes to sign another young driver. What's the backup plan? Bringing Bill Elliott in to run the first season. Elliott, who will race at Chicago, New Hampshire, California and Homestead for Michael Waltrip Racing in a Chevrolet and Charlotte, Atlanta and Texas for Red Bull (probably in a Dodge, but that's not certain) later this season, says the right deal could bring him out of partial retirement. . . .
Troy Aikman says he and Hall of Fame Racing partner Roger Staubach will be happy if the No. 96 team finishes in the top 25 in owners points this season. Certainly, the team received a shot in the arm with Terry Labonte's tremendous third-place finish at Sonoma last Sunday, which boosted it to 27th in owners points. Aikman says expanding to two cars is in the plans but that the right people would have to be available before making that move. . . .
Team owner Gene Haas was released on $10 million bail last Friday after being arrested earlier in the week on federal tax fraud charges. Haas CNC Racing marketing director Carl Cline says Haas' situation will not affect the racing operation, which includes Jeff Green in the Nextel Cup Series and Johnny Sauter in the Busch Series, or the construction of a proposed wind tunnel in Concord, N.C. Haas CNC Racing will attempt to put both drivers in the field this weekend in the Cup race at Daytona. . . .
Several Cup team owners have expressed interest in David Gilliland, who won his first career Busch race June 17 at Kentucky. He made his Nextel Cup debut at Sonoma last weekend and finished 32nd. Chevrolet also has taken notice. The factory will offer Gilliland support for his Clay Andrews Racing Monte Carlo and gave the team wind tunnel time in July. . . .
How will NASCAR develop the Car of Tomorrow to make it builder-friendly? NASCAR will recruit former team fabricators who are familiar with the challenges of constructing stock cars, including former Dale Earnhardt Inc. fabricator Andy Johnson. The final production of templates has been delayed while the sanctioning body tweaks the back end of the car to improve aero balance.