Who's gonna beat 'em?
Hendrick team again exudes air of COT invincibility
Posted: Monday May 7, 2007 2:21AM; Updated: Monday May 7, 2007 2:35AM
Hendrick's Jimmie Johnson led for 104 laps of Sunday's race in Richmond -- including the all-important final one.
Chris Trotman/Getty Images
Despite Hendrick Motorsports' early domination of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series this year, Jimmie Johnson, who won his fourth race of the year, is the first one to say that "things change."
After his victory -- the seventh for his Hendrick team and fourth in the Car of Tomorrow races -- the 2006 series champion pointed out that another team, formerly Roush Racing, seemed to have everything locked up in 2004.
"You think back to Roush and what they did ... and then times change and it's tough to stay on top," Johnson said. "I think, one, we're motivated because we're afraid times will change and think we'll get caught behind..."
Even though Rick Hendrick has a large automotive business and other interests to keep him occupied, his daily influence is felt, strongly, by all of his employees.
As Johnson continued, "Rick really has been driving that and us working together and us doing all these things. I think that is a large part of it. You just can't wave a magic wand over it and get it working. All 560 employees have to buy into it and drivers and crew chiefs probably lead the brigade."
The teams' cars pulled off a 1-2-4 finish, and the Hendrick brigade seemed to surround, if not exhaust its rivals.
Third-place Denny Hamlin, hoping for an emotional win in his home state of Virginia, was kind of lonely, and very disappointed, out on the track. "It's tough. I'm looking in my front windshield, and I see all the Hendrick cars and me. And then there's some sprinkled behind me."
It's not that he, his teammate Tony Stewart, and others are rolling over and playing dead. Hamlin called it being in the right place at the right time. In racing, that's leading the last tap.
Hamlin and Stewart have almost one-third of laps run this year, but, have no victories to show for it. "We're as good as they are; we're better at times and we're worse at times. They've got all the wins because they haven't made any mistakes. I've made mistakes, my pit crew has made mistakes. Tony's guys have been in contention to win races. It's just they put themselves in a position to win at the end of the races where nine times out of 10, I'm having to battle back from something."
Hamlin had the car to beat at the previous Car of Tomorrow (COT) race. He was leading at Phoenix early on, but, a pit speed-lane violation put him to the back of the field. He battled back to a third-place result behind Stewart. Only the win went to another Hendrick driver, Jeff Gordon. That's how the season has been going for all of Hendrick Motorsports rivals. Although Kurt Busch in the Penske Racing Dodge has been running stronger, there have not been wins by Dodge, Ford or the debuting Toyota teams.
It still remains to be seen, as the season progresses, if others can catch up with their cars of tomorrow. Johnson's reaction to the dominance? "In some ways. I am surprised that we've been able to win as many races as we have."
He might be the only person who is; on the other hand, things change, only we won't know it until it happens.
Key Moment On Lap 253
Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick actually led for 106 laps until a crash occurred in the pit area.
There was a miscommunication with his crew, who were trying to get him back on the track ahead of Kurt Busch, as he pulled out and rammed into David Ragan, who was also trying to get into his pits. A lengthy pit stop to repair the damage resulted in Harvick dropping from first-place contention.
Big Surprises
Jeff Burton, who was running second in the standings to Jeff Gordon, left the rain-delayed race with a rare DNF (did not finish) ... and a rarer Richard Childress Racing engine problem.
"I broke the engine. I don't know why I broke the engine. We were only turning like 3,800 rpms here with this car. It just ate itself up," he explained. Burton dropped to fifth in the points, as a result.
Hot Numbers
Johnson's fourth victory of the year was his 27th career win. He led 104 laps.
Hendrick team again exudes air of COT invincibility
Posted: Monday May 7, 2007 2:21AM; Updated: Monday May 7, 2007 2:35AM
Hendrick's Jimmie Johnson led for 104 laps of Sunday's race in Richmond -- including the all-important final one.
Chris Trotman/Getty Images
Despite Hendrick Motorsports' early domination of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series this year, Jimmie Johnson, who won his fourth race of the year, is the first one to say that "things change."
After his victory -- the seventh for his Hendrick team and fourth in the Car of Tomorrow races -- the 2006 series champion pointed out that another team, formerly Roush Racing, seemed to have everything locked up in 2004.
"You think back to Roush and what they did ... and then times change and it's tough to stay on top," Johnson said. "I think, one, we're motivated because we're afraid times will change and think we'll get caught behind..."
Even though Rick Hendrick has a large automotive business and other interests to keep him occupied, his daily influence is felt, strongly, by all of his employees.
As Johnson continued, "Rick really has been driving that and us working together and us doing all these things. I think that is a large part of it. You just can't wave a magic wand over it and get it working. All 560 employees have to buy into it and drivers and crew chiefs probably lead the brigade."
The teams' cars pulled off a 1-2-4 finish, and the Hendrick brigade seemed to surround, if not exhaust its rivals.
Third-place Denny Hamlin, hoping for an emotional win in his home state of Virginia, was kind of lonely, and very disappointed, out on the track. "It's tough. I'm looking in my front windshield, and I see all the Hendrick cars and me. And then there's some sprinkled behind me."
It's not that he, his teammate Tony Stewart, and others are rolling over and playing dead. Hamlin called it being in the right place at the right time. In racing, that's leading the last tap.
Hamlin and Stewart have almost one-third of laps run this year, but, have no victories to show for it. "We're as good as they are; we're better at times and we're worse at times. They've got all the wins because they haven't made any mistakes. I've made mistakes, my pit crew has made mistakes. Tony's guys have been in contention to win races. It's just they put themselves in a position to win at the end of the races where nine times out of 10, I'm having to battle back from something."
Hamlin had the car to beat at the previous Car of Tomorrow (COT) race. He was leading at Phoenix early on, but, a pit speed-lane violation put him to the back of the field. He battled back to a third-place result behind Stewart. Only the win went to another Hendrick driver, Jeff Gordon. That's how the season has been going for all of Hendrick Motorsports rivals. Although Kurt Busch in the Penske Racing Dodge has been running stronger, there have not been wins by Dodge, Ford or the debuting Toyota teams.
It still remains to be seen, as the season progresses, if others can catch up with their cars of tomorrow. Johnson's reaction to the dominance? "In some ways. I am surprised that we've been able to win as many races as we have."
He might be the only person who is; on the other hand, things change, only we won't know it until it happens.
Key Moment On Lap 253
Daytona 500 winner Kevin Harvick actually led for 106 laps until a crash occurred in the pit area.
There was a miscommunication with his crew, who were trying to get him back on the track ahead of Kurt Busch, as he pulled out and rammed into David Ragan, who was also trying to get into his pits. A lengthy pit stop to repair the damage resulted in Harvick dropping from first-place contention.
Big Surprises
Jeff Burton, who was running second in the standings to Jeff Gordon, left the rain-delayed race with a rare DNF (did not finish) ... and a rarer Richard Childress Racing engine problem.
"I broke the engine. I don't know why I broke the engine. We were only turning like 3,800 rpms here with this car. It just ate itself up," he explained. Burton dropped to fifth in the points, as a result.
Hot Numbers
Johnson's fourth victory of the year was his 27th career win. He led 104 laps.
