Jeff Gordon will start second Sunday at NHIS. Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Happy with change, Gordon qualifies second

LOUDON, N.H. -- For all he's been through this year, Jeff Gordon looks extremely relaxed heading into Sunday's Sylvania 300.

He's smiling. He's joking with his crew members. The frown he's worn all summer has vanished.

Gordon likes changesJeff Gordon on the No. 24 team's crew chief change Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

Perhaps Gordon is smiling because he's been in this situation before, and it worked out well. In 1999, longtime crew chief Ray Evernham left with seven races to go in the season, and Gordon jump-started his year by winning the next two races.

There is strong evidence pointing to another renaissance. Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet was immediately fast when it unloaded Friday, and that continued Saturday when Gordon qualified second.

Gordon's lap of 131.076 mph was barely eclipsed by Tony Stewart, who won the pole with a speed of 131.143 mph.

"Even though we got knocked off, it wasn't by much," Gordon said. "They are pretty happy. That was definitely a nice way to get it all started."

	Steve Letarte will call the shots for the No. 24 on race days. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Jeff Gordon at NHIS Year Start Finish 2005 21 25 2004 1 7   24 2 2003 7 19   2 24 2002 21 14   11 29 2001 1 15   1 2 2000 18 6   8 5 1999 19 5   1 3 1998 1 1   2 3 1997 13 1   29 23 1996 16 34 1995 21 1 1994 2 39 1993 3 7 Avg. 10.6 12.6

The fine qualifying lap was nothing new. He's qualified well all year, but his car is perpetually been balky on race day. As a result, he didn't make the Chase for the Nextel Cup, and he hasn't had a top-five finish since May.

This week, Hendrick named Steve Letarte, 26, to be Gordon's crew chief upon the departure of Robbie Loomis, who is returning to Petty Enterprises for 2006. Gordon and Letarte have been together for nearly 10 years, with Letarte rising from anonymous tire specialist to car chief for the four-time Cup champion.

"I have known Stevie for a long time," said Gordon. "He is usually the guy who tells me what we just put into the car. He relays that information.

"Now, I am talking directly to Steve. It is different and fun. I remember [in 1999] it was a similar situation. It was Martinsville, a track we know very well. We built some momentum."

Everyone knows that Gordon needs some momentum. Gordon had a good car at Loudon in July, but a late brake problem doomed him to a 25th-place finish.

Gordon used to be the man to beat when the series hit Loudon's flat one-miler, but he hasn't won here since 1998. Still, he's happy to be here.

"I think we are at a track that we are all comfortable with," said Gordon. "We have a pretty good base here, and we ran well here last time and that allows us to just massage on it.

"This is a great place for us to get started, you don't want your first week with a new crew chief to go someplace you really struggle."