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"I tell you, he just turned 20 today but you would think he's a 20-year veteran," Sospenzo said. "You've got to thank his parents for bringing him up right because he really is a good kid."
The race will be only Vickers' second start in Winston Cup -- and his first in the car that he'll drive full time next season. Sospenzo showed his allegiance to friend Joe Nemechek, whom Vickers replaced, but was shaking his head over his budding star.
"We're not doing anything any different -- we've got the same equipment -- he (Vickers) just brings a lot of youth and enthusiasm and it definitely makes a big difference," Sospenzo said, "but Joe did a good job in qualifying (eighth). He's up there pretty good and that's great for him."
Sospenzo, who has two victories as a crew chief, with Jeremy Mayfield, has enjoyed his short tenure of less than a week with Vickers, the first young driver he's worked with as a crew chief.
"We're loving it," Sospenzo said. "We tested at Phoenix Tuesday and Wednesday with Jeff (Gordon) and the kid (Vickers) has got a lot of talent -- and nerve, Sospenzo said.
Ryan Newman, who won the Bud Pole Friday night, ran one car before Vickers did. After doing a couple interviews, Newman walked to Vickers' car and stuck out his hand, not to shake the youngster's, but to test him.
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| Brian Vickers Credit: Autostock |
"I said, 'Put your hand out -- I want to see if it's still shaking,'" Newman said. "He either had less time to think about shaking or he wasn't shaking as bad as I was."
Sospenzo wished he could say the same.
"Man, I was shaking watching him," Sospenzo said.
Sospenzo stressed that the primary goal for Vickers this season was to win the Busch Series championship, which he came to Atlanta leading but left on Saturday in fifth, 49 points behind leader David Green.
"We're excited but we're just trying to be low key and get a little experience in Winston Cup -- primarily running 500-mile races," Sospenzo said. "That's mostly what we're trying to do for him."
Elliott mum again on Saturday
Georgia favorite Bill Elliott has not scored a top-10 finish in his last six races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but he qualified fifth for Sunday's race.
But one thing Elliott has had nothing to say about this weekend is his future plans, which are thought to be cutting back to a very limited schedule of races in 2004.
He did admit something involving more than himself and team owner Ray Evernham was in the works.
"If I had something to say, then I'd tell you, but there's really no reason to," Elliott said. "It wouldn't be fair for me to do that to everyone involved right now.
"Like I've said before, I don't have all the answers (but) when we do, then we'll be able to say something."
Tires the key in Aaron's 312
One thing Saturday's Aaron's 312 Busch Series proved, other than when he's hooked up, Greg Biffle is tough to beat, was that on Atlanta Motor Speedway in November 2003, tires do count at the end of a race.
Biffle, who won the race in the No. 7 Kleenex Chevrolet, said more than likely a late caution would bring cars to pit road en masse.
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"Not unless there's 20 or more cars on the lead lap," Biffle said. It's the breaking point of who's coming in. If the top-10 doesn't come in, they won't but if there's only three or four (that stay out) they're sitting ducks.
"I believe everybody would come, though, even with 10 or 12 laps left as long as the tires have 20 laps or more on them."
Biffle's Winston Cup teammate Matt Kenseth said he craved that scenario.
"The older the track gets the more (the tires) fall off -- today showed 'em you need to have four and that's a good thing," Kenseth said. "When you do (change tires) usually the fastest car wins."
Kenseth stays quiet in practice
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| Matt Kenseth Credit: Autostock |
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Kenseth, the Winston Cup point leader who took a provisional starting position to line up for Sunday's race for the third time in the last five events, ran only seven laps in Saturday's Happy Hour practice.
"We ran quite a bit in the first practice and we were happy with the car and the lap times," Kenseth said. "We have almost the same set-up as in the Busch car and that car was driving perfect.
"Atlanta historically has been hard on engines, especially ours (Roush Racing) it seems like. It (his car) wasn't fast on the sheet but it was comfortable and I thought it was a good place to start tomorrow."
Kenseth has finished in the top-10 in his last three races at Atlanta, which also gave him cause for calm.
Sadler: 'It's just been hard'
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| Elliott Sadler Credit: Autostock |
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Elliott Sadler has had a hard time explaining away one of the most disappointing seasons in Winston Cup 2003, but his latest stretch of seven races, in which he has only one top-10 and four DNFs thanks to accidents, epitomizes the campaign that's left his M&M's Ford in 23rd in the standings.
"It's been hard, probably the hardest stuff I've ever been through in a race car as far as mentally is concerned," Sadler said. "It's not that we're wrecking ourselves every week, it's just stupid stuff happening -- we're getting into other people's situations, and it's just been hard.
"The hardest part about being in a slump or the bad luck that we've been in has been showing up at the shop on Mondays or Tuesdays and looking at all those guys in the face, and you don't know what to say to them.
"That's probably the toughest part of being in a slump or the bad-luck situation that we've been in the last month is when I have to face my guys during the week and try to explain to them, 'Hey, we were running good, we just got caught up in somebody else's stuff.'
"Sometimes that's just not good enough."
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