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From Track Press Release
May 20, 2004
10:21 AM EDT (1421 GMT)
CONCORD, N.C. -- Jeff Gordon will earn his fourth victory in the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway, H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler predicted Wednesday.
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| Jeff Gordon holds the winner's trophy in 2001. Credit: ASP |
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Wheeler, president and general manager of the 1.5-mile speedway that has been the site of 19 of the 20 editions of NASCAR's Cup winners-only all-star race, is long known for his promotional flair.
He boasts the "Karnac-type" ability to choose winners of the race based on the fact that he's correctly predicted the event's winner nine times in the last 15 races, including last year when Jimmie Johnson took home the $1 million first place prize.
If Wheeler's prediction comes true, Gordon would be the first driver to win the event four times. Wheeler picked Gordon to win only once -- in 1995 -- out of his three victories
Wheeler began his picks in 1989 and selected the correct driver the first five years. In the last five years he's been correct twice, selecting Dale Earnhardt Jr. in his rookie season, 2000, and Johnson last year.
 | ALL-STAR CHALLENGE |  | Humpy Wheeler predicts this year's all-star winner
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"If ever there was a race that was made for a specific driver, it is the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge and Jeff Gordon," Wheeler said as he made his call. "He can drive a car smoothly with total reckless abandon (and) he can drive as deep or deeper into a corner than anybody out there.
"This year was the toughest to pick because of the extremely high level of competition on the intermediate tracks. Jeff Gordon is a nice, gentle person when he is outside the racecar, but when he sits down in the seat and tightens those belts it lets out a tiger.
"This is a combat style race and Jeff Gordon is a very good combat pilot."
Wheeler also indicated several recent changes in Gordon's life away from the racetrack played into his decision to pick the four-time NASCAR Cup champion.
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"I don't think the fire ever went out in Jeff Gordon, but he's made some changes in his life and I see the old Jeff Gordon again," Wheeler said. "Since his stepfather, John Bickford, has gone back to work for him as his manager, Jeff's won half the races he's entered.
"I don't think anyone fully appreciates the influence John has had on Jeff and his career. You've got to remember, Jeff Gordon is the first programmed racecar driver in the history of the sport.
"From the time Gordon was five years old, his stepfather guided his career step by step all the way to where it is today."
The unique, three-segment format of the Nextel All-Star Challenge often proves tough for many drivers but not, according to Wheeler, for Gordon, who has driven the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet for his entire 12-year Cup career.
"He adjusts to the chore at hand," Wheeler said. "If it's a 600-mile race, he's going to be there in the top-five with 100 miles to go. If it's a shootout like this race is, he'll put the gloves on."
Even though he may not fit the true definition, Wheeler tabbed defending race winner Johnson -- who also won the 2003 Coca-Cola 600 in his No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet on the following weekend at Lowe's -- as his dark horse selection.
"I picked Johnson last year and he won the thing," Wheeler said. "He has been doing very well on the intermediate tracks and he's in a zone. I look at how he ran at the other mile-and-a-half tracks and he'd done really well.
"He could very easily win it again."
Wheeler did go somewhat out on a limb, though, with one more selection.
"My dark, dark horse is Elliott Sadler," Wheeler said of the driver of the No. 38 M&M's Ford. "He did a great job winning at Texas and that's a very similar track."
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