[tkj24]

Gordon insists Busch still part of Hendrick team
Associated Press, Updated 4 hours ago STORY TOOLS:

After Kyle Busch and his older brother Kurt tangled on track and exchanged some harsh words at NASCAR's all-star event in May, Jeff Gordon made it a point to make some time for his teammate, Kyle.

Gordon's still willing to give the 22-year-old driver, who's leaving Hendrick Motorsports at the end of the season to make room for Dale Earnhardt Jr., the benefit of the doubt. Even in the wake of Busch's accusations last Saturday that his teammates didn't work with him in the race he lost by inches at Daytona.
"I think he's got the utmost support from me," Gordon said Wednesday during a teleconference. "I showed him that before any of these moves happened. ... Throughout this whole thing, I've told him, 'Hey, I'm going to support you, race with you hard but be your teammate at the same time.'

"I plan on continuing to do that because it's in our best interest because that (No.) 5 team is such a solid team."


Teamwork is particularly important at Daytona, one of only two Nextel Cup tracks where NASCAR requires horsepower-sapping carburetor restrictor plates. Drivers need a partner to help them gain and keep momentum.

At the end of Saturday's Pepsi 400, Jamie McMurray's Roush Fenway Racing teammates helped push him to the win - by a bumper - over Busch. While Busch was racing on the low side of the banked oval, teammates Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears chose to stay in the high groove.

"I guess I'm on the outside looking in now," Busch said after the race. "I'm probably not going to be invited to the team meetings next week. I think bliss is over at Hendrick Motorsports for Kyle Busch. We're getting ready for 2008."

While recording his satellite radio show for this week, Johnson was asked about Busch's remarks.

"I mean, dude, we're racing, and he should know better than anyone that there's times that work and don't work. And he should also know and recognize that there's times where he doesn't necessarily do what other people want him to do, including his teammates, on the track," Johnson said. "So it is what it is. ... I mean he's not in a good situation with the fact that he's leaving. ... It would be hard to believe that things don't escalate as times goes on and it doesn't become more difficult for this whole teammate situation to exist."

But Gordon said everybody should cut Busch some slack for his outburst.

"I think that was a little bit of frustration," the four-time Cup champion said. "I think he had such a great car and a shot at winning that race, and I think that, if he was driving my car, he would understand that I didn't really have a great opportunity to get down there and help him as easy as it may have looked.

"My car just didn't work good all night on the bottom groove, so I had to stay up top, and there wasn't much I could do for him. And I will admit there were some times throughout the race where I felt like, you know, he could have helped me and I could have helped him, and it did not work out. That happens all the time in a restrictor plate race, whether it's with a teammate or other guys out there."

Busch also said Gordon, who finished fifth at Daytona, ignored him when he tried to talk with him after the race.

"After the race, I was doing an interview and he came by and kind of grabbed me by the shoulder and said 'Good race,' and I gave him a thumbs up," Gordon explained. "I'm not exactly sure where that came from on me blowing him off, but I'm obviously a huge supporter of that 5 team, what they're doing."

Gordon, who leads the points, noted chemistry is important for a team's success in any sport and, particularly, in racing.

"You don't want anything to really get in the way of that," he said. "If there's rivalries that are going too far within your own organization that start to disrupt the chemistry, then that can be bad.

"It's only in our best interests to work together and make the best of the situation," Gordon said. "I've got just to guess that in the heat of moment that Kyle said some things that maybe he wished he hadn't. But I love racing with him, and I look forward to working with him the rest of the year the best I can."

[Pepsi One]

"My car just didn't work good all night on the bottom groove, so I had to stay up top, and there wasn't much I could do for him. And I will admit there were some times throughout the race where I felt like, you know, he could have helped me and I could have helped him, and it did not work out. That happens all the time in a restrictor plate race, whether it's with a teammate or other guys out there."

The reasonable explanation!

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Pepsi One

"My car just didn't work good all night on the bottom groove, so I had to stay up top, and there wasn't much I could do for him. And I will admit there were some times throughout the race where I felt like, you know, he could have helped me and I could have helped him, and it did not work out. That happens all the time in a restrictor plate race, whether it's with a teammate or other guys out there."

The reasonable explanation!

It is in fact a reasonable explanation, BUT ...... when the situation exists where one team mate is leaving the company and another is seen as not helping when maybe he could have ... well that is where the wondering begins. I would suspect no less of a statement from any team member of any team. Obviously no team member is going to come out and say that they will no longer be of any help to the soon to be ex team mate.

I don't think I would have said anything different and I have to believe that most drivers in multi car teams would do the same and say the same. Lets be honest .... everyone is going to dance around this one.

[jks812]

I don't think any team member is going to help another one that's leaving either. Especially under the conditions that Kyle is leaving. Gordon did run the high groove quite a bit that race. But he also ran the bottom groove quite a bit too. The thing about HotPass is it shows the car of the driver you pick. I watched Jeff alot that day.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by jks812

I don't think any team member is going to help another one that's leaving either. Especially under the conditions that Kyle is leaving. Gordon did run the high groove quite a bit that race. But he also ran the bottom groove quite a bit too. The thing about HotPass is it shows the car of the driver you pick. I watched Jeff alot that day.

So did Jeff pass up opportunities to help Kyle ... from your perspective ?

[Pepsi One]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

It is in fact a reasonable explanation, BUT ...... when the situation exists where one team mate is leaving the company and another is seen as not helping when maybe he could have ... well that is where the wondering begins. I would suspect no less of a statement from any team member of any team. Obviously no team member is going to come out and say that they will no longer be of any help to the soon to be ex team mate.

I don't think I would have said anything different and I have to believe that most drivers in multi car teams would do the same and say the same. Lets be honest .... everyone is going to dance around this one.

Gordon spent 90% of the day on the high side, so it backs up what he says!

[jks812]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

So did Jeff pass up opportunities to help Kyle ... from your perspective ?

I didn't really notice any of the team mates helping each other to much. But I don't think he passed up to many opportunities.

[jks812]

"I knew when I lost my drafting partner and my teammates Casey Mears and Jimmie Johnson, I knew we were in trouble," said Gordon, omitting reference to Busch as a teammate.


Maybe Kyle's right after all.

[King43STP]

Originally Posted by jks812

I don't think any team member is going to help another one that's leaving either. Especially under the conditions that Kyle is leaving. Gordon did run the high groove quite a bit that race. But he also ran the bottom groove quite a bit too. The thing about HotPass is it shows the car of the driver you pick. I watched Jeff alot that day.

What is the difference between Kyle's condition and Brian's? IMHO there's a big difference, Brian went and signed with Red Bull before he left Hendricks, Kyle is being pushed out before he can find a ride. As for Gordon, he said the same thing about Brian last year.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by King43STP

What is the difference between Kyle's condition and Brian's? IMHO there's a big difference, Brian went and signed with Red Bull before he left Hendricks, Kyle is being pushed out before he can find a ride. As for Gordon, he said the same thing about Brian last year.

I agree, he is being pushed out, just so they can get Jr. I think it's wrong. And yes Gordon did say the same thing about Vickers, even as he wasn't allowed at team meetings and all, they were still saying he was part of the team.

[Mike24]

Originally Posted by jks812

I agree, he is being pushed out, just so they can get Jr. I think it's wrong. And yes Gordon did say the same thing about Vickers, even as he wasn't allowed at team meetings and all, they were still saying he was part of the team.

But Kyle IS allowed at team meetings. So yes, he is still apart of the team as much as the 24, 48, and 25 teams are.

[Pepsi One]

Originally Posted by jks812

I agree, he is being pushed out, just so they can get Jr. I think it's wrong. And yes Gordon did say the same thing about Vickers, even as he wasn't allowed at team meetings and all, they were still saying he was part of the team.

In this case a wrong does make a right, let me see, keep a talented yet whiney and unpopular driver, or bring in the most popular driver in Nascar! Smart Buisness if you ask me, but you didn't!

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Pepsi One

In this case a wrong does make a right, let me see, keep a talented yet whiney and unpopular driver, or bring in the most popular driver in Nascar! Smart Buisness if you ask me, but you didn't!

Fact still remains that when a driver is leaving the All mighty Hendrick organization he gets the shaft from his so-called teammates. The difference this time is Busch was the one to say something before the rest of the Hendrick drivers could. Vickers didn't get that luxury.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by Pepsi One

In this case a wrong does make a right, let me see, keep a talented yet whiney and unpopular driver, or bring in the most popular driver in Nascar! Smart Buisness if you ask me, but you didn't!

Talented but whiney drivers still win races. Being most popular don't win races.

[meat]

Kyle is just a punk little kid who wants to be in the limelight, but guess what...he has no personality. He's just boring and blah, and frankly, unattractive. Put them all together and they spell no popularity in NASCAR, no matter how well he races.

I don't see Jr. boohooing over not getting support from team members at DEI now that he's leaving. Jr. can drive like crap, and reporters still follow him around.

Somebody needs to school that little boy and teach him a lesson on what it takes to be a popular driver in NASCAR.