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Busch says JGR Nationwide team can overcome setbacks

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Article Rating: 3.7
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Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images

Rusty Jarrett / Getty Images

Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs (left) speaks with driver Kyle Busch prior to a NASCAR Sprint Cup race earlier this season.

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BRISTOL, Tenn. – Kyle Busch says his Joe Gibbs Racing teams have enough depth to continue racing at a competitive level in the Nationwide Series despite suspensions for seven team members from its two-car operation.
 
NASCAR suspended the seven after the No. 18 and No. 20 cars were found to have magnetic spacers underneath the gas pedal during chassis dynamometer testing following the race Saturday at Michigan International Speedway. The intent was to keep the engines from providing maximum horsepower.
 
JGR crew chiefs Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff, car chiefs Dorian Thorsen and Richard Bray, engine tuners Dan Bajek and Michael Johnson and crew member Toby Bigelow were all suspended indefinitely in addition to $50,000 fines to the crew chiefs and 150-point penalties to the teams and drivers Tony Stewart and Joey Logano.

The organization has tabbed two former Cup crew chiefs – Wally Brown and Doug Hewitt – to lead its two teams.
 
Busch wasn’t a driver last week but will feel the impact when he drives for those teams.
 
“It’s devastating, of course, to miss Dave Rogers and Jason Ratcliff at the race track, but we’ve got to go on, and we’ve got to live without them,” Busch said following his victory Wednesday in the Craftsman Truck Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. “Joe Gibbs Racing is a tough enough organization that has got a lot of depth where we can do that. We’re going to work to try to make sure we come out here with the best race cars.
 
“They’re still going to be at the shop putting together some race cars and doing all the work that they need to do to keep the stuff up to par. We’re just going to have different guys here at the race track to crew-chief during the race. There’s plenty of guys who have been on set-up plates that know how to change slugs, know how to change springs, that know how to do all of that stuff during practice.”
 
The JGR teams have won 14 of the 25 races this year in the Nationwide Series, and the No. 20 teams leads the owner standings by 168 points even after the 150-point penalty.
 
“I don’t think you’re going to see much change out of the Nationwide effort,” Busch said. “I’ve requested that [Cup crew chief Steve] Addington come over and kind of be a consultant. He’ll be there a little bit during practice and to make race calls on top of the box.”
 
Busch will be paired with Hewitt, while Logano will be paired with Brown.
 
“While the circumstances are far from ideal, I’m looking forward to Bristol and getting to work with Joey Logano in this weekend’s Nationwide Series race,” said Brown, a former Cup crew chief for Carl Edwards before going to JGR to oversee its research and development team. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Joey throughout the past couple of years on the JGR Sprint Cup test team, and I’ve obviously been impressed with his natural talent and ability to give excellent feedback on the handling of his race car.
 
“It’s a really unfortunate situation, but we are going to work hard in order to run up front and be in contention to win like this team has all year long.”
 
Hewitt is no stranger to the Nationwide Series, where he was a crew chief for Coy Gibbs and J.J. Yeley after working on the Cup side at Bahari Racing.
 
“It’s been a while since I’ve been in the crew-chief role, but I really look forward to working with Kyle Busch this weekend at Bristol,” Hewitt said. “Any crew chief would jump at the opportunity to work with a driver as talented as Kyle, and I’m no different.”

Average Rating: 3.7

Comments

17 responses to "Busch says JGR Nationwide team can overcome setbacks"
  1. 1
    Robyn MacMillan said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 7:18 AM

    Kyle is probably thanking his lucky stars he was not driving one of those cars when this happened!

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  2. 2
    anonymous said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 8:49 AM

    Why does KB need Steve Addington to come over as a consultant? That doesnt show much faith in his new interim crew chief. Give the new guy a chance. Apparently he's ready or else he wouldn't have been promoted to crew chief.

    Report as Abuse
  3. 3
    Worm Dirt said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 9:03 AM

    When will they learn??? You wouldn't walk up to a rabid crazed snarling dog with red eyes and blood dripping from its teeth and kneel down and start poking it with a stick would you??? So...... why?!?! Why on earth would anyone want to give the DEVIL himself, Kyle Busch, any MORE motivation to DOMINATE??? Oh well.... When he wins the Busch race on Saturday night, i think he should back his car into victory lane in reverse..... just to make it easier for all the HATERS to line up and kiss his a@#!!!!!!!!

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  4. 4
    anonymous said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 10:18 AM

    I'll have some of whatever you are smoking today because you sure don't make much sense.

    Report as Abuse
  5. 5
    otis gleason said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 10:30 AM

    ANONYMOUS SHOW UP IN VICTORY LANE YOU CAN HAVE THE FIRST KISS,WORM DIRT YOU ARE RIGHT ON, WITH THE HANDICAP NASCAR PUT ON KYLE HE NEEDS ADDINGTON TO BE THERE TO HELP THE NEW CREW CHIEF UNDERSTAND HIS WAY OF GETTING IT DONE.

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  6. 6
    Kim Palmer said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 11:01 AM

    Addington is just another "tool" in the big Gibbs box. Why not use any option/tool that you have, and are paying for, to obtain the goal. Hells bells we all have asked for help at one time or another. Nothing wrong with that.

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  7. 7
    anonymous said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 11:16 AM

    Otis,you must be misunderstood. I was not criticizing KB, don't jump to such a paranoid conclusion. I was merely asking why he needs his Cup crew chief during the Nationwide race when he hasn't needed him there all year. I'm just saying it's not giving the new guy much credit. By the way Otis, you can have the kiss from Kyle, I'm not in to kissing guys a** or lips.

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  8. 8
    beth emerson said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 11:28 AM

    I figure he asked so maybe they can do some cheating on the cup side for Kyle. Thats not to say they already havent just not gotten caught yet. The Kid is a spoiled brat and I feel sorry for his family.

    Report as Abuse
  9. 9
    EM Racing said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 11:44 AM

    Tell me if I am wrong but doesn't NASCAR take the winning car for post race inspection. As many times as the 18 car has won this season, that if they were cheating they would have been caught. Rowdy Busch gets it done, that is the bottom line.

    Report as Abuse
  10. 10
    Charles OBrien said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 12:35 PM

    Gibbs is a strong organization and should not falter from the mistakes of a few. All they will do is reload and come at you again. They are a role model for the industry.

    Report as Abuse
  11. 11
    lee littlejohn said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 1:00 PM

    WHAT KYLE BUSH MEANS IS...WE CAN OVER COME OUR LONG TIME CHEATING...WE WILL JUST FIND ANOTHER WAY....

    Report as Abuse
  12. 12
    Michelle Trice said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 1:26 PM

    Gee..I wonder what you Kyle Haters would be saying if it was Dale Jr.'s car that was caught cheating, which wouldn't be a surprise since Hendrick's is pretty good at it. It is true that the winning car gets inspected so therefore apparently he is actually a hell of a driver.

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  13. 13
    Doug Webster said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 1:51 PM

    Schrub wants Addington there because he is the cheaters Guru. Schurb can not win without a cheaters consultant. One season does not a champion make!

    Report as Abuse
  14. 14
    beth emerson said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 2:44 PM

    Dale jrs team has gotten caught before. you need to pay better attention.But Hendricks guys have never messed with the dyno on the cars. JGR are cheats finally they got caught. Busch has talent but he has nothing else going for him. One good season does not make a great driver.

    Report as Abuse
  15. 15
    Robert Wingert said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 7:11 PM

    Dale Jr's car was not caught cheating. Your point?

    Report as Abuse
  16. 16
    wade mcginnis said:
    Aug 21, 2008 at 7:26 PM

    they should check out the cry baby's kyle's car.

    Report as Abuse
  17. 17
    beth emerson said:
    Aug 22, 2008 at 5:28 AM

    Wingert. I guess Eury Jr got suspended for nothing. Guess that was my imagation when he was gone for 6 weeks. Cheating is cheating no matter how you look at it. For your imformation I have been a fan of Jrs for years as well as his dad. I have been watching and going to races for over 20 years.Get your facts straight.

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