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NASCAR should do all it can to thank Jeff Gordon

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Updated Jan 11, 2009 11:32 AM ET
     
 
NASCAR owes Jeff Gordon a bonus or at least a really big favor. A really, really big one. Why? Because Gordon recently conceded that the development of NASCAR's new race car might have been a brilliant move. That's a far cry from the typical comments about the car that made its Sprint Cup debut in 2007. Most drivers — Gordon included — were far from pleased with the way the car performed during its first full Cup season last year. Kyle Busch basically said the car "sucked" after its March 2007 debut at Bristol — and he won that race. And the comfort level with the new car seems to have improved only slightly since then. Though the competition on the track has improved over the past year, drivers and teams have been generally disappointed with the way the car has handled and performed. It is still too hard to turn and too hard to adjust and the majority of competitors admit that they just haven't quite figured it out yet at most tracks. The complaints were so bitter in the first half of 2008 that NASCAR officials called a closed-door meeting at Michigan in June to tell drivers to just shut up and give the car some more time.

Gordon, in particular, couldn't have been happy with the new car last year, given the fact that he went winless for the first time since 1993. So what gives? Why the sudden change of heart by the four-time champion and one of the sport's biggest stars? Despite the difficulty he and many other drivers are still having adjusting to the bigger, boxier model, Gordon says the switch could turn out to be a stroke of genius, particularly with three of NASCAR's four car manufacturers suddenly struggling. Ford, General Motors and Dodge are all facing financial difficulties and looking for government support. They have each cut back at least some of their NASCAR support, and for the first time in years, there seems to be a distinct possibility that one or more could wind up pulling out of the sport. In the past, that could have been a serious blow for the sport. But the arrival of NASCAR's new car might soften that blow significantly. "I really credit NASCAR right now, because right now we have a series that can operate without the manufacturers," Gordon said in a recent interview with the NASCAR Wire Service. "We don't want to, but they could. This sport could survive without 'em." Over the past five years, NASCAR basically eliminated most of the distinct elements that differentiate a Ford from a Chevy, making all models basically the same except for the manufacturer decals. So in essence, Carl Edwards' Ford isn't much different from Jimmie Johnson's Chevrolet or Kyle Busch's Toyota. That means that, except for some engine technology, everyone's Sprint Cup car is essentially the same. That was NASCAR's plan all along, hopefully making the cars so equal that they improve competition on the track. Now the move could end up being the sport's saving grace should the automakers' struggles continue, forcing them to cut back or end their NASCAR support. Given the new car's importance to the future of the sport, it's time for all of NASCAR's drivers and teams to fully embrace the new car and do their best to make it perform. Stop the whining and complaining and get on board with it and work to make the best out of a challenging situation. And NASCAR should do its part to make sure that the drivers and teams have everything they need to perform and make the new car raceable. If it needs to tweak the rules to make the car more adjustable, do it. If it needs to create some open test sessions once the pressure of the tough economy lifts, do it. Everyone needs to do their part to make sure the Car of Tomorrow is indeed the car of the future, one that can produce the type of exciting racing we've seen in the past.

Jeff Owens is a writer for NASCAR Scene, which is published weekly, 50 weeks per year. Visit www.scenedaily.com for more information.

Tagged: Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson

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