Some of NASCAR’s biggest and toughest teams
took center stage today as day 3 of the annual NASCAR Nextel
Cup Media Tour organized by Lowe’s Motor Speedway unfolded
in Charlotte.
Roush Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and Joe
Gibbs Racing all unveiled their 2007 team lineups during the
day, a day capped by the annual dinner visit to Penske
Racing South.
After a breakfast session outlining some of the changes due
this year in the Craftsman Truck series, the assembled
reporters headed a bit north of the Speedway to hear Jack
Roush and his squad talk about how they plan to return to
prominence this year. In 2006 Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards
struggled all season, and Jamie McMurray never really
reached contender status. This time around, both drivers
plan to use juggled crew lineups and renewed dedication to
try to join Matt Kenseth in the expanded Chase for the Cup
at the end of the season. Roush’s fifth Cup team will look
the same on the outside, but the AAA-backed 6 car will see
the biggest change of all, as Mark Martin has taken his
helmet bag to Ginn Racing’s Army Chevrolet team.
Mark won’t be far away, though. Roush revealed that a deal’s
been cut to bring Martin back to run a few Busch Series
events this season, and that Mark is willing to run some
Truck races for Roush this year as well. Martin’s old Sunday
seat will be filled, at least for now, by 21 year old rookie
David Ragan, a second-generation Cup competitor. Whether
Ragan can cope with the expectations remains to be seen, and
Roush has a capable relief pitcher in the bullpen in former
Truck champ Travis Kvapil, currently slated to wheel Jack’s
F-150s in the NCTS.
But the bulk of the session was devoted to Roush’s
discussion of the state of NASCAR racing. This year, in
contrast to last January’s Media Tour stop here, Jack says
he’s content with the Car of Tomorrow (which probably should
be rechristened the Car of Today, since its racing debut is
just a couple of months away). Roush, who in the past has
rarely hesitated to criticize the sanctioning body, now
believes NASCAR is on the right path with the COT. He feels
new race car “will be safer, with no ill effect on the
racing”. Roush says the new, more tightly-controlled chassis
and bodywork will be “easier to police”, and will further
close the gap between the more advanced, multi-car teams and
the new single-car squads, keeping the playing field more
level.
Roush’s toughest words were reserved for Toyota, getting set
for its Cup competition debut in a couple of weeks at
Daytona. Roush has long voiced concerns about the impact of
Toyota’s arrival in the Cup series. He’s one of those who
alleges that the growing carmaker will spend considerably
more than other manufacturers to win, and that Toyota will
also be able to provide its teams with a real technical
advantage thanks to the company’s favorable financial
picture.
The defending Cup champions at Hendrick Motorsports welcomed
us at lunchtime, and there were visible changes inside the
Museum building where reporters traditionally gather. For
the first time in many years Terry Labonte was nowhere in
evidence, having settled into retirement. And Rick
Hendrick’s bunch has gotten considerably younger, a solid
strategic move. On the podium with the team owner were
4-time Nextel Cup champ Jeff Gordon, now the team’s elder
statesman, and the new champ, Johnson, now second on the
team in tenure. Kyle Busch assumes a veteran’s role as well,
with the team’s rookie stripe going to Casey Mears, who
takes over the 25 car.
Rick Hendrick, as gracious a man in racing as there is,
appears to be in peak form despite having endured more
tragedy in the past few years than most of us can ever
imagine. Rick spoke about how the challenge to excel in
NASCAR racing gets tougher each passing year, while assuring
the team’s fans his group will battle hard to maintain their
supremacy. Hendrick Motorsports’ next Cup victory with be
their 150th, a record of excellence largely unmatched in
NASCAR’s modern era.
The afternoon continued with a session featuring Joe Gibbs
Racing’s three Cup teams, two Busch Series efforts, and
their slate of young development drivers, featuring former
USAR Pro Cup standout Joey Logano. Clearly Gibbs and his
son, company president JD Gibbs, are anticipating another
title run by two-time Nextel Cup champ Tony Stewart. Stewart
looks fit coming off his strong victory in a midget at the
Chili Bowl a few weeks back. The Gibbs crew also expects
Denny Hamlin’s FedEx team to continue its rise to
prominence, but it appears the pressure’s beginning to mount
on JJ Yeley.
Yeley took over the Interstate Batteries
ride when Bobby Labonte moved to Petty Enterprises going
into 2005. Yeley’s as good an oval racer as I’ve ever seen.
He’s shown flashes, but has yet to take the 18 car to
victory. I’d suspect Competition Director Jimmy Makar will
push Yeley’s team to improve enough to become a title
contender this season. If they can’t, changes may well come
to the 18 team.
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