Chasing wins becomes name of the game as Cup drivers prepare for Texas showdown
By Rea White - Associate Editor
Thursday, November 05, 2009
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers drive out of the garage area at Texas Motor Speedway in April.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon brings an interesting perspective to this weekend's NASCAR Sprint Cup Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedwaty.
Gordon won the Cup race at the 1.5-mile track earlier this season, his first victory at the track, but he says that he can't simply count on what he used in that win working once more. The sport simply changes too quickly for that. So Gordon and his Steve Letarte-led team know that they need to bring an improved car to the race.
“To get another win …, we’ll need to take another step forward," Gordon said. "If we showed up this weekend with the same setup we used in April, we’d run 15th. That’s just the way the sport is. Everybody is constantly learning, and the competition is constantly getting better and quicker.”
So goes the modern era of NASCAR Cup racing.
This weekend at Texas, many more teams will be able to focus on just trying to win the race. After all, only a limited number of competitors still have a real shot at the 2009 Cup title. With Hendrick's Jimmie Johnson carrying a 184-point lead over teammate Mark Martin into the race, and Gordon another eight points back, things have spread out quite a bit in recent races.
With only three races to go, teams know what it will take to have any chance to make up ground on Johnson - or to find more success this season.
"We're in a big hole," Martin's crew chief, Alan Gustafson, said. "The deficit is getting bigger, and the opportunities we have to make it up are getting smaller. That's not good. Two of the last three weeks have really cost us. It is what it is. We have to fight as hard as we can.
"There are still some good things to race for even if it's not the championship. We need to find as much motivation as we can to do the best we can."
It's the same motivation most of the teams share.
For lots of teams – both those inside the Chase For The Sprint Cup and those outside of it - this season now comes down to chasing wins.
A victory, especially one that comes this late in the year, can spark a team’s offseason and provide a little more momentum, a bit of a confidence boost, in those few months between seasons.
It can also help make it easier to accept whatever other disappointments have marked this year.
“It’s not the situation we had hoped for as far as the big picture goes this time around, but there’s still a lot on the line and much to try to accomplish,” said Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch, who is sixth in the standings and 312 points behind Johnson.
“We were hoping to be up there battling it out for the championship, but with only three races remaining this season and being at such a deficit, we’re heading into Texas focused on trying to win races before the year is over. We realistically can climb several spots in the standings during the final weeks, but the big emphasis will be placed on doing what it takes to add to our race win column for the season.”
Popular News
-
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS: Which Sprint Cup star will snap his long winless streak first?
Comments (188) -
For Dale Earnhardt Jr., life as an Earnhardt is not easy, especially when you're not winning
Comments (139) -
Jeff Owens: Should RCR’s black No. 3 return to NASCAR’s Cup series?
Comments (120) -
Hendrick Motorsports’ Mark Martin more prepared mentally and physically for 2010
Comments (105) -
Dale Earnhardt Inc. plans for Jeffrey Earnhardt still in flux
Comments (96)
Recent Headlines
-
SEASON PREVIEW: Mike Skinner optimistic about 2010 prospects
Comments (1) -
SEASON PREVIEW: Camping World Truck Series top-20 rankings
Comments (3) -
Josh Wise to drive in Nationwide Series for Specialty Racing
Comments (2) -
HBO’s ‘24/7 Jimmie Johnson’ documentary series expected to shift into high gear tonight
Comments (26) -
SEASON PREVIEW: Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards hungry to regain place among Sprint Cup’s elite
Comments (14)
Poll PositionView All
After qualifying and the Budweiser Shootout, who is the favorite to win the Daytona 500?
Promotions
-
Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.
-
Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the NASCAR Racing Experience.
Comments
6 responses to "Chasing wins becomes name of the game as Cup drivers prepare for Texas showdown". Post a Comment.
minkee2 said:
Nov 5, 2009 at 3:54 PMDo all you can for the rest of the season, Mark. Then win the championship next year. Jimmie only needs to set the record of 4-in-a-row to make Hendrick, the #48 team, and we JJ supporters happy!
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Reportnovara48 said:
Nov 5, 2009 at 3:56 PMEveryone wanted a premium put on winning, well now the 48 team is putting that premium on winning if you want to have a shot at his tital. Funny though, now most of those same people that cried for the premium to be put on winning are the same ones now crying to have something done so the 48 can not dominate the sport anymore. Ok, so you wanted a premium put on winning, the 48 team provides that premium, and now you want something done to slow them down? Hmmmmmmmmmmmm.............interesting.....
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportSheilaLovesNASCAR said:
Nov 5, 2009 at 4:40 PMJimmy is going to win the championship EVERY year as long as there is a chase. He just plain knows how to do it. I'd like to see if he could win a "real" championship under the old rules, where there were 36 races and points were not reset. Jimmy was 5th in 2002 when the chase did not exist. And 2nd the next year. In the chase, he was 2nd, 5th and 3 championships. Do we really need to have Jimmy win every year? The only ones who like the chase are Brian, the media, and JJ fans. I say give the fans what they want and let the drivers race 36 races to determine who will be the champion. Give extra points (say 25) for winning, and let them race. No one wants to watch the last 10 races if Jimmy is going to run away with the title.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Nov 5, 2009 at 9:34 PMyou go sheila,tell the dummies of nascar
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Reportoldfilmless said:
Nov 5, 2009 at 10:16 PM#3... what makes you think if NASCAR went back to the old points method the 48 team would suddenly flop? Your logic is flawed. They race the first part of the year just to get IN the chase but are preparing all along. Once they are in, they put their plan in place and kick it up a notch.
Report as AbuseIf NASCAR suddenly went back to the old system, what makes you think the 48 team would not adjust, and start points racing from day one?
Should have, would have, could have.... you can't compare apples to oranges. The 48 has won with old cars, both cars then the new car... they simply adjust to what is handed to them and win.
Funny thing... I wonder if this many people complained when King Petty won all the races and dominated the season. People forget under the old system your chance of a run away season is even greater. Maybe if Jimmie changed his name to "Jimmie Johnson JR" people would be happy.
Yeah, "JJJ wins another one" does have a certain ring to it.
Report Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportAndi said:
Nov 5, 2009 at 10:58 PMNot every JJ fan likes the chase, just to let you know. I think the chase needs a face lift, to be honest with ya. And some of you folks are forgetting that JJ hasn't won every chase that there is. He didn't win it in 2004, or 2005. Just since 2006. Also many drivers had said in '04, that it was just a matter of time before that 48 team gets a championship and once they get their first, the rest of us better watch out. To those who complain about the 48 being so dominate, they really need to step it up, and I honestly haven't seen ANYBODY step up. Its like they all faulted and the 48 is ready to pounce on that. If they really stand a chance of catching the 48, it needs to be the other way around. But I have NOT seen that this year. And that really helps the 48. The other guys need to step it up if they want to catch that 48.
Report as AbuseReport Abuse
This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse Report