NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase - Hamlin, Johnson & Harvick Teams and Drivers Focus on Championship

          NASCAR fans, the value of “Team” has come to the forefront since last week’s Sprint Cup AAA Texas 500. Before Texas, with three races left in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship, Jimmie Johnson led Denny Hamlin by 14 points and Kevin Harvick by 38 points. After Texas, with Hamlin’s huge victory (a sweep for Hamlin at Texas Motor Speedway this year) he moved into first place in the Chase and leads Johnson by 33 points and Harvick by 59 points.

       Pit crew performance always plays a key factor, but last week its impact was center stage. While deviations in crew performance and errors sometimes happen, Jimmie Johnson’s pit crew struggle last week became the main event (along with the Gordon – Burton fist-a-cuffs and Kyle Busch’s gestures and comments) until the checkered flag dropped. Early in the race, after Johnson made his way to near the front of the pack, he pitted, but due to slow pit time Johnson fell back into the pack giving up valuable track position. If that wasn’t enough, the same thing happened on a subsequent pit stop.


       Then, the Gordon – Burton main event happened. In short, while on a caution lap, Burton crashed Gordon. With both cars stopped, a seething Gordon climbed out of his No. 24 and stomped towards Burton. Gordon pushed Burton and exchanged words as a fight ensued. Fortunately, NASCAR officials were on hand like referees in a hockey match to break up the scuffle. With Gordon out of the race, the No. 24 Gordon pit crew moved a few spots down pit road and the No. 48 Johnson pit crew was sent to the locker room for the remainder of the race (after making a stop to clean up the No. 24 pit). Gordon’s No. 24 crew finished the race for Johnson without a problem demonstrating, albeit in a unique way, the overall importance of team to achieving victory (Gordon and Johnson are both part of the Hendrick Motorsport Team). Gordon’s No. 24 crew will finish out the season in Johnson’s pit and Johnson’s crew will finish the season for Gordon.


       Now, back to Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing Team. Crew Chief Mike Ford, Scott Woods, Mike Hicks, Brandon Peagram, Nate Bolling, and the rest of the team have plenty to smile about. Not only did they reign last week, they have performed brilliantly throughout most of the season. In May, Hamlin’s team won the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Crew Challenge beating out Burton’s team in the finals. The FedEx Toyota Team also scored honors this year by winning the 2010 Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award for the second quarter of 2010. The Texas performance, brings Hamlin’s Team one step closer to the Chase Championship and the coveted annual Mechanix Wear MVPC Award. It also puts an exclamation mark on “Team” in a sport where drivers are often the only front page news.


       Finally, as the week progressed, barbs were exchanged between members of the Johnson crew and Hamlin crew in what appears to be a competitive spirit. Kevin Harvick and Team have been able to quietly sit back and focus on this weekend’s Phoenix race while noting that spirited jousting is fine. At the end of the day, however, results speak the loudest and some pre-race words may be tough to swallow. 


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