Posted on by Staff Report

Gray Gaulding will also get seat time for the team

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Daniel Hemric and James Buescher will headline the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series lineup for NTS Motorsports in 2015, the team announced Monday.

Hemric will drive the No. 14 Chevrolet Silverado and compete for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors as a full-time driver. Ryan McKinney will serve as his crew chief.

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Hemric has made three career starts in the Truck Series with his best finish, a 12th-place result, coming at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2014.

McKinney was the crew chief for the team’s No. 9 Truck last season and had four top-10 finishes atop the pit box in 2014.

The 2012 series champion, Buescher will be behind the wheel of the No. 31 Chevrolet Silverado for select events. The No. 31 will be a full-time truck, but the team did not announce how many races Buescher would run. When Buescher is behind the wheel, he will have sponsors GunBroker.com and Great Clips on board.

NASCAR.com contributor Chris Rice will be the crew chief of the No. 31 team, while also serving as NTS Motorsports’ competition director. Rice has one career win atop the pit box in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. He worked with Buescher in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for part of last season as the crew chief of the No. 99 team.

The organization will also field a part-time team in the form of the No. 20 Chevrolet Silverado. Gray Gaulding will run eight races and have sponsorship from Krispy Kreme, while Scott Lagasse Jr. will drive in two events. Gaulding, who turns 17 on Tuesday, ran nine events last season, scoring his first top-five finish in the series at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Gaulding will also pilot a full-time effort for the organization in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.

Lagasse Jr. will be behind the wheel for the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He will be supported by the Florida Department of Transportation’s Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow initiative in addition to Boy Scouts of America. Veteran crew chief Doug Howe, who has one win in the series, will be atop the box for both drivers.

Posted on by Staff Report

Helton remains top official at national series events, Dewar assumes more oversight of racing development, innovation

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NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France has named Mike Helton to the post of Vice Chairman of NASCAR, and NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, Brent Dewar, has been named to the NASCAR Board of Directors, effective immediately.

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Helton, NASCAR’s president since 2000, has served the company in various roles since 1994 and will remain a member of the board of directors. In his new role, Helton will continue to be the senior official at all national series events, overseeing competition. He will also work closely with France on long-term strategic planning and represent NASCAR in a wide range of rules to grow the sport.

"Mike Helton’s steady hand and decades of experience in every facet of our business have made him a close, trusted advisor to me and my family and his overall impact on NASCAR cannot be overstated," France said in a news release. "With a strong team ready to take on more day-to-day management responsibilities, I’m pleased to now have Mike in a role that will allow us to utilize his unique skills in advancing key priorities for the future of the industry."

Dewar, who joined NASCAR in December of 2013 as NASCAR’s Chief Operating Officer, will assume additional day-to-day operational responsibilities in racing development and innovation and work with NASCAR partners and stakeholders. Dewar’s long career in the automotive industry and as a consultant to global companies should serve him well in his new role.

"Adding someone as talented and experienced as Brent Dewar to our board will be highly beneficial to our company and the industry overall. Brent’s operational expertise already has made a big impact and his understanding of how our sport works from multiple perspectives will bring immediate value to how we operate and future initiatives," France said.

These latest moves are part of a long-term strategic plan spearheaded by France to strengthen his senior leadership team and broaden responsibility for key areas of the business.

In December 2013, NASCAR elevated Steve Phelps to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer and Steve O’Donnell to Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, giving both more direct oversight of key business areas. Both also moved from the company’s Daytona Beach headquarters to the Charlotte region to oversee operations at NASCAR Plaza in uptown Charlotte and the NASCAR Research and Development Center in Concord, respectively, as well as strengthen alignment and communication with key industry stakeholders based in the Carolinas.

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Sponsor will be back of No. 20 XFINITY Series Toyota for five races

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A familiar sponsor will be back on board with Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth’s No. 20 Toyota in the NASCAR XFINITY Series for the 2015 season.

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Reser’s Fine Foods will be the primary sponsor of Kenseth and the No. 20 Toyota for five XFINITY Series races in 2015, beginning with the second race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Feb. 28.

"I’m excited to work with Reser’s again this year," Kenseth said in a release provided by the team. "It has been a lot of fun representing their deli salad and baked side dish brands over the past few seasons, and I’m happy to know that we’ll be working together again. We were able to grab them a big win along the way, but I’d like to add to that total for them this year."

In addition to the XFINITY Series race at Atlanta, Reser’s will be the primary sponsor for the following races:

• March 14 at Phoenix International Raceway
• May 30 at Dover International Speedway
• Sept. 19 at Chicagoland Speedway
• Oct. 17 at Kansas Speedway

Posted on by Zack Albert

RCR driver aims for consistency, communication, Daytona 500 upset

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There was no such thing as a stay-cation for Ty Dillon this offseason. Between his December wedding to longtime girlfriend Haley Carey, spending the holidays with family and a Hawaii honeymoon, Dillon estimated his hither-and-yon wintertime schedule kept him away from home for a month.

His next sojourn? A trip to Daytona with several points to prove.

Dillon’s busy time off will lead to an even busier driving schedule in 2015, which will mark his second full season in what is now the NASCAR XFINITY Series. But the 22-year-old driver is also blending in a partial schedule in NASCAR’s other two national tours, including his biggest Sprint Cup challenge to date — a debut in the Great American Race, the Daytona 500 on Feb. 22 (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

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Dillon readily acknowledges the crapshoot nature of the season-opening event, but hopes that translates to a better shot for a relative newcomer to NASCAR’s top division.

"I think my odds are good," Dillon said during Richard Childress Racing’s portion of last month’s Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom. "I think everybody dreams of just having that opportunity to be in the 500, and I’ve finally got my chance. I love superspeedway racing, and I’m going to do whatever I can."

But beyond the sunny shores of Florida, Dillon has long-term improvement in his full-time series in mind. Though Dillon wound up fifth in the final XFINITY Series points, his first full year working with crew chief Danny Stockman Jr. and first complete season in the RCR No. 3 Camaro, he was outshone by the 1-2 result in the standings by JR Motorsports teammates Chase Elliott, the rookie champion, and Regan Smith.

Back home and focused on his at-track duties, Dillon said he believes 2015 won’t be a repeat of the previous season, when he went until mid-July without a top-five effort.

"Danny and I have really been really been working hard with our team and making sure we do take that next step and make sure we don’t start like last year," Dillon said. "We all felt like we started a couple steps behind from where Chase Elliott and the JR Motorsports cars were. We want to be those guys this year. We want them to be a couple steps behind us. The way things are going, I feel like we’re going to have an opportunity to do that."

Developing communication — which should also serve Dillon well as a newlywed — will likely be key to helping the Childress team make gains. Stockman worked with Austin Dillon for two seasons, leading him to a series championship in 2013 before shifting over to turn the wrenches on his brother’s efforts in the famed No. 3.

Austin Dillon’s more vocal, outward personality — Ty Dillon referred to him as the "crowd-pleaser" of the two; Stockman called him a "show-stopper" — made for a vastly different driver-crew chief dynamic. The younger, and more reserved, Dillon’s feedback and driving style took an adjustment period before things began to click.

"We don’t talk about a whole lot. We like to show it on the race track," Stockman said. "The first half of the season last year, that was tough between both of us. I worked with Ty before, but it takes a little bit for us both to open up. Halfway through the season, we’re opened up and I’m understanding him and he’s understanding me, and that’s a big part of success, knowing what your driver needs. They’re both totally different. Austin’s one person, and he’s another.

"Like I was telling somebody earlier, Ty’s not all about the frills. He just kind of wants to lay back; he’s not necessarily enthused about being on TV, the interviews or all that stuff. He just wants to drive a race car. Austin likes being on top, being known and all that. It takes some time to figure that out."

Once things coalesced, a landmark victory at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway followed, but the sought-after consistency that Dillon needed to unseat Elliott for the XFINITY crown wasn’t quite there. Finding a steady hand over the rigors of a 33-race season remains the primary concern heading into 2015.

But even as the focus sharpens on his XFINITY campaign, Dillon is set to branch out to gain as much seat time as possible this year. Besides his Daytona 500 ride, Dillon is also confirmed to race in June at Pocono Raceway with the hopes of adding more Sprint cup events for an estimated five- to six-race schedule. He’ll also get behind the wheel for three Camping World Truck Series events with GMS Racing this season.

So long as the team chemistry and extra effort at RCR’s Welcome, North Carolina, headquarters continue to grow, Dillon said he believes his development will follow.

"With the passion and intensity that we share, we’ve been digging hard and we work together almost every day," Dillon said of his pairing with Stockman. "Whether it’s me coming up with ideas or his ideas in bringing our team together, we want to take that next step and we want to dominate this year."

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Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s new crew chief puts No. 88 team in best possible position

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he had one specific request of Steve Letarte when the two were discussing his crew chief’s replacement for the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team.
 
"I said ‘One of the things you’re responsible for is putting me in a better situation than I’m in right now,’" Earnhardt Jr. said during this year’s annual Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom.
 
"I said, ‘I want to get better at this position that you’re in. I don’t want to do a lateral move; I don’t want to drop down and wait on the guy to develop. … I need you to comb the sport and tell me, give me some names of some guys that can make us better."
 
The name at the top of the list, Earnhardt said, was Greg Ives.

MORE: Junior’s pit crew for the No. 88 team named

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A former engineer at HMS, Ives was putting the finishing touches on his second season at JR Motorsports, eventually helping guide Sunoco Rookie of the Year Chase Elliott to the NASCAR XFINITY (then Nationwide) Series title.
 
The year before he had been teamed with JRM driver Regan Smith — Smith won twice and finished third in points.
 
For 2015, he will be back in the Sprint Cup Series, this time as crew chief for Earnhardt.
 
Letarte is headed off to NBC Sports’ broadcast booth where he will serve as one of the network’s analysts for its NASCAR coverage. He leaves after leading Earnhardt to his best season, if not his best points finish, in a decade.

RELATED: Letarte weighs in on Chase format in Year 2
 
That Ives is meticulous in his role as crew chief didn’t surprise Earnhardt Jr. — he’d seen it firsthand at JRM.
 
"He’s a real detail guy," Earnhardt said. "I asked him about the Daytona car, some of the things he’s working on, and he ran down this list of about 50 things. They are the most particular, peculiar, tiny things that he is concerned with and when you ask him something, he is going to give you the full rundown."
 
Nothing escapes the eye of Ives, it seems. Even a show car used for a recent photo shoot produced a list of nearly 25 items Ives wanted changed.
 
"You know that’s going to be a positive going into the relationship, that he’s that particular," Earnhardt said. "You want a guy who is a perfectionist. There are crew chiefs out there that don’t cover every single base — maybe he’ll learn over time that he can’t cover every single base, (that) he just doesn’t have the time in the day, but this offseason … he’s had time to comb the shop from corner to corner and work on every little detail he sees where we can improve.
 
"He is thorough and that’s going to make a huge difference in how we are prepared each weekend and getting our cars out on the race track and being fast."
 
Ives, a team engineer for Jimmie Johnson when the HMS driver was busy stacking up championships, downplays his work ethic and detail-oriented approach.
 
"That’s the way I’m wired," Ives said. "If I look at something and it doesn’t look right, I’m representing Hendrick Motorsports, the 88 team and (sponsor) Nationwide, that’s my job — to be 100 percent perfect at all times.
 
"Not because that’s required by anybody else other than myself. That’s that mindset … if you have it and you surround yourself with people with it, they’re going to be the same way."

MORE: Primary sponsor reveals races that its paint scheme will run on the No. 88 car
 
Having come though the Hendrick system, there should be no problem making sure everyone is on the same page. Many of the folks are those he has worked alongside in the past. Car chief Travis Mack makes the move from JRM over to the No. 88 team, and Kevin Meendering has served as Earnhardt’s lead engineer for the last four seasons.
 
That he’ll be paired with the sport’s most popular driver won’t affect how he does his job, Ives said.
 
"(The spotlight) follows him, not me," he said. "My focus is not who is driving my car but how they perform when they do it.
 
"If you can take only the good, the praise … and you can’t take the bad then you better get out of this position. I’ve been criticized; I’ve been praised. The way I attack my daily work doesn’t change. I wake up in the morning (and) do the same thing — try to attack the day and make it the best day yet."
 
While the lines of communication might be a bit fuzzy early on due to the lack of testing, Earnhardt said he’s more than willing to do his part to speed up the process. And his experience with Letarte helped prepare him for just such a situation.
 
"Trust me … I’m going to be a professional and be positive, do everything that I can to make it as easy as possible on Greg," he said. "I learned that with Steve, how to be a better driver and more of an asset. … I think the cars will have the speed. So I’m excited."

Posted on by Nascar

Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidate to replace Whitt in No. 26 Toyota

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jeb Burton had hoped to work his way up the NASCAR ladder and eventually land a ride in the Sprint Cup Series.
 
But even the 22-year-old didn’t expect the opportunity to arrive this soon.
 
BK Racing officially announced the hiring of Burton to a three-year contract on Monday to drive the organization’s No. 26 Toyota in the Sprint Cup Series.
 
"It’s mixed emotions," Burton said during Monday’s press conference at the NASCAR Hall of Fame. "Just making sure that I’m ready for it. I feel like I am.
 
"It’s a great opportunity for me to prove myself, to show people that I can do it, and to carry that role off the race track as well."

RELATED: See which drivers are on the move for 2015

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Burton, the son of former Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, has completed two full seasons in the Camping World Truck Series, winning at Texas Motor Speedway in 2013 and finishing fifth in points that year with Turner Scott Motorsports. He finished eighth in points last season while running for ThorSport Racing.
 
He has two career XFINITY Series starts, with a best result of eighth at Kentucky.
 
It’s the second time that Burton has landed a ride shortly before the season has begun. After the loss of sponsorship at Turner Scott left him without plans for ’14, the ThorSport ride materialized. When that ride wasn’t continued for ’15, Burton was once again looking for employment.
 
"I didn’t have a ride," he said. "This is a great opportunity to get to where I want to be. That’s why we’re doing it. We’ve got a great plan in place with people and equipment to make things better at BK Racing. It’s been a bumpy (career) for them … just like mine."
 
The off-season defection of Cole Whitt and Alex Bowman opened the door for Burton, as well as fellow driver J.J. Yeley, who will pilot the team’s No. 23 Toyota. Yeley made nine starts for the organization last year.
 
Whitt, 31st in points last season with BKR, has moved on to Front Row Motorsports while Bowman (35th) has joined Tommy Baldwin Racing for ’15.
 
Johnny Sauter will join Burton and Yeley at BKR when the season gets underway later this month at Daytona International Speedway in the team’s No. 83 entry, although additional starts for the NCWTS regular haven’t been announced.
 
Selected starts for XFINITY Series driver Matt DiBenedetto are planned, according to team officials.
 
Patrick Donahue will serve as crew chief for Burton, while Joe Williams will be paired with Yeley. Competition director Doug Richert will be crew chief for Sauter at Daytona.
 
"It’s a lot (to bite off)," Donahue said of Burton’s quick ascension. "But you can either do this or you can’t and he’s proven he has talent. I certainly think he deserves an opportunity.
 
"But until you get out there Saturday afternoon at Daytona and they’re shoving you down into Turn 1 three-wide, then you’re going to find out what he’s made of. I think he’s aware of that. We’ll deal with it accordingly.
 
"Is he going to make mistakes? Yes. Is the team going to make mistakes? Yes. But the race team wants to build with him and build around him for the future. … Hopefully it’s someone we can have for a few years and get some continuity."
 
Sponsorship is expected to be provided by Dr. Pepper, Maxim Magazine, Dustless Blasting, Schluter Systems, Lumilor, and the alternative rock group 311.
 
The 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season officially kicks off Sunday, Feb. 22 with the running of the 57th annual Daytona 500 (FOX, 1 p.m. ET).
 
"It’s totally different," Burton, who will be competing for Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors, said of the move. "The pressure, there’s more practice time, more media obligations, everything.
 
"I’m soaking it all in and I look forward to getting to Daytona and making the 500."

Posted on by Staff Report

Get full lineup of NASCAR programming for the week

RELATED: See the full Speedweeks schedule

All times ET

Monday, February 9
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Gridiron Challenge (re-air), NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Tuesday, February 10
11 a.m., Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge: Daytona International Speedway (re-air), FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., NASCAR Gridiron Challenge (re-air), NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
8 p.m., The Day: Daytona Primetime (re-air), FOX Sports 2
8 p.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 1 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
8:30 p.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 2 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
9 p.m., 2014 Daytona 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 2
9 p.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 3 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
9:30 p.m., NASCAR America: Celebrate the States 4 (re-air), NBC Sports Network
10 p.m., NASCAR Gridiron Challenge (re-air), NBC Sports Network
10:30 p.m., The 10: Daytona Moments (re-air), FOX Sports 2
11 p.m., 2014 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 2
11 p.m., The List: Greatest Finishes (re-air), NBC Sports Network
11:30 p.m., The List: Memorable Moments (re-air), NBC Sports Network
Midnight, 100,000 Cameras: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race (re-air), FOX Sports 2
12:30 a.m., The 10: Wildest Throwdowns (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1 a.m., The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Wednesday, February 11
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Thursday, February 12
9 a.m.-1 p.m., DAYTONA 500 Media Day, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
5 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: DAYTONA 500 Media Day, FOX Sports 1
7 p.m., NASCAR 2015: A New Era (re-air), FOX Sports 1
8 p.m., The Day: Daytona Primetime (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: DAYTONA 500 Media Day (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1 a.m., NASCAR 2015: A New Era (re-air), FOX Sports 2
3 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: DAYTONA 500 Media Day (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 a.m., NASCAR 2015: A New Era (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Friday, February 13
10 a.m., The Day: Daytona Primetime (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: DAYTONA 500 Media Day (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice: Sprint Unlimited, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice: Sprint Unlimited, FOX Sports 1
7:30 p.m., A Perfect Storm: The 1979 DAYTONA 500, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., 1979 DAYTONA 500, FOX Sports 1
3 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice: Sprint Unlimited (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Final Practice: Sprint Unlimited (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5 a.m., The Day: Daytona Primetime (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Saturday, February 14
10 a.m., 1979 DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
10:30 a.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice: DAYTONA 500, FOX Sports 1
12:30 p.m., Empty Cup: Quest for the 1992 NASCAR Championship (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1 p.m., 1979 DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 2
1:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice: DAYTONA 500, FOX Sports 2
3 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice: DAYTONA 500 (Simulcast), FOX Sports 1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR Race Day, FOX Sports 1
8 p.m., Sprint Unlimited, FOX
11 p.m., NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 2
11:30 p.m., The 10: Daytona Moments (re-air), FOX Sports 2

Sunday, February 15
9:30 a.m., A Perfect Storm: The 1979 DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
11 a.m., NASCAR Race Hub: Weekend Edition, FOX Sports 1
1 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX
9 p.m., NASCAR DAYTONA 500 Pole Day, FOX Sports 1
10 p.m., A Perfect Storm: The 1979 DAYTONA 500 (re-air), FOX Sports 1
3 a.m., Sprint Unlimited (re-air), FOX Sports 1
4:30 a.m., NASCAR DAYTONA 500 Pole Day (re-air), FOX Sports 1
5:30 a.m., FOX Sports 1 on 1: Kevin Harvick (re-air), FOX Sports 1

Posted on by Nascar

The No. 24 crew chief views Gordon’s final Cup season as ‘a great opportunity’

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MORE: Full coverage of Gordon’s final full-time season | Hints at return of famous scheme

There may be wins and there most certainly will be losses, and each will be magnified by the significance of the situation.

Jeff Gordon’s career as a full-time driver in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series has reached Turn 4 and will soon be headed for the checkered flag.

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Among those along for that final ride will be crew chief Alan Gustafson, Florida-bred and a product of the deeply talented Hendrick Motorsports organization.

"Yeah, I think if we let them get away, that’s going to be tough," Gustafson said of the final opportunity to compete for wins with the four-time champion. "That’s definitely going to be tough.

"There are a lot of races that I can think of in my career that you can sit there and say, ‘That was ours; we just gave it away.’ If we do that, it’s going to be tough to swallow."

But if the losses sting any worse because of the circumstances, then the victories will no doubt be that much more memorable.

"When we succeed it’s going to be sweet and I so want to do that, because … he deserves to go out on top," Gustafson said. "We want to win for us, for the 24 team, for each other. But there is that significance there that Jeff’s career needs to end on a real high note."

Gustafson, 39, has worked with some of the best drivers the sport of stock car racing has to offer.

When Kyle Busch won for the first time in the series, at Auto Club Speedway in 2005, it was Gustafson that was atop the pit box.

Four years later, when the seemingly ageless Mark Martin cranked out five wins and finished second in points at the age of 50, it was with Gustafson in his corner.

MORE: Gustafson among crew chiefs to weigh in on new lug nut rule

And for the past four seasons Gustafson has been in Gordon’s ear, picking his driver’s brain while witnessing firsthand the re-emergence of a legendary driving career.

Between 2008 and ’10, Gordon managed only a single victory.

Paired with Gustafson the following year, Gordon has since won 10 times, including four this past season while making a strong push for a fifth series title. Among his ’14 victories was a record fifth win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The opportunity to work with Gordon was something Gustafson said he never imagined would happen. But a crew chief shakeup following the 2010 season opened the door, and Gustafson has never looked back.

"I can remember watching him and Mark battle; I was a huge fan of both of them," Gustafson said. "To be able to win races and work with both of those guys is an amazing thing."

Gordon’s talent is undeniable, his success there for all to see — his career win total in the Sprint Cup Series stands at 92 heading into the ’15 season, third best in the history of the series. And only three other drivers — Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, have won more championships.

MORE: Chad Knaus says he wanted to be Gordon’s crew chief

"Jeff, he’s the greatest of all time in my opinion," Gustafson said. "To be able to work beside him and learn from him and have all the experiences has been just unbelievable. I think he’s an amazing driver."

Beginning in 2016, the familiar No. 24 will have another driver behind the wheel as 2014 XFINITY Series champion Chase Elliott makes the move up to full-time competition in Sprint Cup. "He’s got it together," Gustafson said of the youngster. "I can’t wait to get going with him.

"I’ve been fortunate to work with a lot of good drivers and I enjoy that relationship; I enjoy the personalities and learning from everybody integrating into the team, just making it go."

But until then, there’s one last go-round with Gordon.

"I can’t wait to get to Daytona; I’m ready to go, ready to race, ready to do it," he said.

"To me, it’s not like a ‘boo-hoo’ thing. It’s a great opportunity."

Posted on by

Hendrick Motorsports driver looks ahead with new crew chief Keith Rodden

Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live | Vote: Ultimate Daytona Challenge

Kasey Kahne wasn’t happy with his 2014 performance on the track.

" … I wanted to be better," Kahne said of last year during Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom. "I wanted to do better and when I didn’t at times, things crossed my mind like ‘Man, what’s my problem? Can I not figure this out?’"

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The driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet had glimmers of stardom sprinkled throughout the year. He won a thriller in August at Atlanta Motor Speedway, which qualified him to compete in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He also nabbed top-10 finishes at 11 races, including the prestigious event at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (sixth).

But when compared with his previous multi-win runs in the Sprint Cup Series, Kahne’s season was considered otherwise subpar.

In walks Keith Rodden, the new No. 5 team crew chief with arms full of knowledge, leadership and confidence in his driver.

"I feel like Kasey’s a great driver at every track," Rodden said. "We just need to put it all together, get everyone on the team pointed the same direction and get going."

And Rodden isn’t a stranger to the team. Despite Kahne’s longtime kinship with former crew chief Kenny Francis — who moved into a vehicle technical director position for Hendrick Motorsports at the end of 2014 — the Kahne-Rodden duo has been strong for years.

"It’s been a long time since I’ve changed crew chiefs," Kahne said of the staffing change. "This is only the third one I’ve had in the Sprint Cup Series. So that’s going to be a big change for us.

"But as far as myself and Keith … first time we worked together was in 2004 and that’s before myself and Kenny worked together. And we’ve had a long relationship together — Communication has been really solid between us over the years and we’re friends."

Rodden served as a team engineer for Kahne from 2004 until 2013, when he left to pursue a crew chief position with Jamie McMurray at Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.

"It’s been a lot of fun being back in the 5/24 shop, back with all the guys I used to work with," Rodden said. "Everyone’s welcomed me back with open arms and we’ve really hit the ground running getting ready for the season."

With Rodden back on his side, Kahne believes his team will be steered in the right direction.

"Keith, he’s a motivator, he’s a team guy, he pushes you," Kahne said. "He asks for everything you’ve got and if you make a mistake, you’re going to know it. … We’re going to figure out why and what it was, make it better and go from there.

"He’s also going to go after what he wants and what he needs and that’s something that a crew chief needs to have at HMS to be competitive."

Rodden’s appointment was not the only change made in the offseason. During the few months of downtime on the NASCAR schedule, Kahne has worked on bettering another area of his No. 5 crew — the ever-forgotten aspect of camaraderie.

"The thing that I feel that I can help with — and I can be a part of — is just being part of the team and being part of the group," Kahne said. "We have a strong group of guys, and I don’t think we’ve been a strong enough team to compete like some of the other ones.

"That’s something that we worked on during the offseason and we’ll carry on through the regular season as well. Being together, knowing each other better, working hard for each other. … We hold each other responsible, work hard and when we make mistakes, we make gains at the same time."

During the offseason, the squad has convened several times off the track to build a brotherhood needed for cohesiveness on the asphalt. It’s a door that hasn’t been touched much — and one that the soft-spoken driver felt he and his team needed to crack open.

Because for Kahne, trust and accountability with his pit crew becomes even more important during the swift 12 seconds of a NASCAR pit stop.

"There’s so much that goes on in the pit stops and everything happens so quickly that the smallest mistake you lose two or three spots," Kahne said. "That cost you 30 minutes on the racetrack to get back to where you need to be … (the pit crew’s) role is a big role and (Rodden) knows that."

With that understanding, Kahne believes his old pal Rodden will be just the guy to lead his team to Victory Lane in 2015.

"Oh man, I’m ready to get started," Kahne said with a smile. "I want to get started and see where we stack up. I feel like Keith’s going to do a really nice job with the cars and the team and the guys."

And what he added later alludes to his confidence in his No. 5 team — and himself.

"It’s racing — I love it and know I can do it," Kahne said. "If we put the right situation together, we’re going to win a lot of races still."

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NBC Sports analysts give thoughts on 2014 Chase, what we’ll see in 2015

Play: NASCAR Fantasy Live | Related: Burton, Letarte explain Jeff Gordon’s major decision

By now, it’s safe to say that last season’s revamped Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the drama surrounding its race action immediately left us speechless, but eventually kept us talking.

With NBC Sports’ NASCAR tenure set to resume this season after nine years away from the sport, its all-star crew of Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett, Steve Letarte and Kyle Petty gave their thoughts last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour presented by Technocom on the new format — what they enjoyed and what we’re bound to see in 2015.

According to these NASCAR heavyweights, it sounds like we’re going to see even more intense action than last year, as hard as that is to imagine.

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Jeff Burton, 21-time Sprint Cup Series winner

"I’ve always believed that I was giving 100 percent. That no matter where I was in points, no matter what was going on, that I brought everything that I could bring. This points structure made you bring more. And it made the teams find a way to be better. And I think in our sport, that’s what this is all about. It’s about being better. You’re good in April? Hey, that’s great. But if you’re not good enough in August and September, it ain’t good enough.

"The idea that you have to improve throughout the whole year — that if you win a race, you’re in — but points still matter. I think all of that is really cool. I would hate it if points didn’t matter. I know that everybody wanted the guy that won the most races and the right races to be the champion, but points should still matter. It’s always been a big part of this sport and it still currently is today. So the fact that points matter, the fact that winning covers up all other mistakes and the fact that you have to be right at the right time; that’s what a crunch moment is all about.

"As a fan of all kinds of sports, the reason I like the Super Bowl is because if you don’t win, you lose. You go home. … And that’s the mentality that has been brought to in racing today. You have to win. Or you have to compete at an exceptionally high level or you’re not going to win a championship; you’re not going to get done what you need to get done. I like the fact that it’s made it harder for the teams, it’s made it more intense for the teams. The more intense and the more stressful it is for the competitors, the more fun it is to watch. And this points structure has been without a doubt all those things."

Dale Jarrett, NASCAR Hall of Famer

"Jeff put it better than I think I’ve ever heard it put it before. Everything that he’s saying there, he was spot-on with that. I think if you look back over the years, no matter how long we’ve been around this, whenever you have made things more difficult for the drivers, it’s more entertaining for the fans and I think that’s exactly what this did.

"Last year at (Media Tour), we heard a lot of drivers … say ‘Look, I race as hard as I can every week, I can’t do anymore to try to win than what I do.’ I understand that. I know the mentality. We’ve been there. We’ve done that. But, I think it proved out that if there is something different, just as Jeff was pointing out, you have to dig down and find another way to make yourself a part of that.

"Kyle Busch said something (last week) about his issue at Talladega and what happened to him. That was very unfortunate, because he had done everything right to get himself moved on. He said, ‘You know, if I’d got the job done a week before, and won that race, Talladega wouldn’t have mattered.’ So they’ve got a different mentality.

"There’s no perfect system out there, because everybody is not going to agree with it, but my gosh, we came pretty close. That was as exciting a 10-race schedule as I’ve ever seen in this sport."


Steve Letarte, 15-time Sprint Cup Series-winning crew chief

"I think that’s going to be one of the biggest stories, is how are teams going to adapt? I was only able to take part in one (season) of this new Chase format and I know we learned a lot. It was a great season with a little bit of a letdown in the second round, but there were a lot of teams that have that same feeling. It’s going to be an interesting take on ‘How can I approach these 10 races differently? Is there a different way that maybe my team should’ve moved through? What crew chiefs are going to have a different approach? What drivers are going to put different weights on different race tracks?’

"You have to be at Homestead. I think that’s what’s unique about this playoff style. No matter how good of a year you’ve had, if you slip up, you can overcome with a win, but that’s the only way you’re going to overcome. And these short, three-race segments you really have to win or have a great three races to move forward. I think we saw some big hitters, some championship favorites last year get knocked out as the playoffs went on and I think that’s a big difference from in the years past where you maybe always had a chance. This year, your chances, your book can be closed. Your year can be over. And then we go to Homestead and I don’t think we could’ve asked for a better race at Homestead last year. I don’t think that’s going to be a rarity.

"I think when it’s all on the line, the four teams that have a chance are probably always going to find that next level to step up and put on a great race."

Kyle Petty, eight-time Sprint Cup Series winner

"Being at the race track and being down there with it. … Dale’s been in a championship chase, I was with my father (Richard Petty) in the late 70s and you get down and it’s two guys working for a championship and the intensity in those two teams was always overwhelming. When The King and Darrell (Waltrip) went at it, man, it was crazy that year. I didn’t know what was going to happen that year and I was just a kid. But the intensity went to a different place and Darrell and The King went to a different place, as far as what they did on the race track and how they performed on the race track. Great drivers and great teams always find a way to step up.

"What we saw in the Chase was a lot of teams find that ability to step up. Step up in that first round; step up in that second round. The intensity just got greater and greater and greater. To be a part of that and to be able to try to convey to the race fans at home exactly what Dale Jr. was feeling or Steve Letarte felt sitting on that pit box last year or what Dale Jarrett felt in the car when he was racing for the championship going into that last race and the butterflies and how he felt. I think that’s what this Chase brings and that’s what we can bring."