R. Gordon Mailbag: Experience paying off

Robby, since this is your second season with Richard Childress Racing, what benefits are you experiencing as a result of the consistency with the team, NASCAR, tracks, etc.?

-- Nathan, San Francisco

ROBBY GORDON  •  Driver Page  •  2003 Season Stats  •  Insider's View  •  Video Highlights  •  Driver vs. Driver

The Cingular Wireless team and all the other Chevrolet teams are dealing with a different package now and having to re-learn our car. Everything will be a lot easier the second time we go to these tracks this year. But I've been able to build on my past relationship with my crew chief Kevin Hamlin and the Cingular team and pick up where we left off last year. The communication is a lot easier the second time around. The key is to benefit from what you learned last time and not make the same mistakes again.

Do you think there will ever be NASCAR racing in Canada? Last year, a few drivers came up here and drove, and it was a blast. There are huge race fans in Canada.

-- Sharon Jessup, Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

I definitely think we would race in Canada if a facility were built. I see no reason not to. Canada would be easier to travel to than Japan was a few years ago. We had to pack up all our stuff and ship it over to Japan, whereas the haulers could drive to Canada. We go to the wind tunnel in Canada occasionally and the haulers drive the cars there. I've raced in Canada couple of times, and Toronto and Montreal wouldn't be all that far away, especially since most teams are based on the East Coast. I'd like to see it happen one day.

Who did you admire as drivers early in your racing career and why?

-- Dan Treto, Escondido, Calif.

I really looked up to Rick Mears because he raced off-road cars and went from off-road racing to Indy cars, which was a series I was following at the time. He won the Indy 500 four times and won a lot of other races. He was always professional and courteous to all people.

Considering that CART is in desperate need of American drivers, would you ever consider returning to CART?

-- Jaynie, Old Forge, Pa.

I'm very happy driving in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and don't think I'll ever go back.

Since open wheel racing now seems to have virtually all its strongest drivers and teams in one league, the IRL, is the lure for you to go back there stronger than it was a year or two ago?

-- Mark Founds, Greensboro, N.C.

My focus is full-time on NASCAR and the only thing outside NASCAR I want to run is the Indianapolis 500. Of course, there is the Baja 1000 after our season ends, though.

Robby Gordon drives the No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Before arriving in NASCAR's top division, Gordon enjoyed success in the CART Series and off-road racing.

Throughout the 2003 Winston Cup season, Gordon will answer questions from SI.com users in a weekly Mailbag.