Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: The wait is over: Childress picks Robby Gordon

Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001 | 9:41 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at bh@lasvegassun.com or 259-4089.

So much for drama.

Since firing Mike Skinner earlier this summer, Richard Childress has been telling the media that he wouldn't announce until mid-November who would drive his No. 31 NASCAR Winston Cup Chevrolet in 2002.

Shortly after watching Robby Gordon post a seventh-place finish in Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, Childress said what the media has been speculating for months: Gordon will pilot the No. 31 Childress entry next season.

"He did a great job for us all day," Childress said of Gordon. "He's what I expected and he's going to do a hell of a job next year."

Gordon has made 10 starts in the No. 31 Chevy this season and Sunday's race was his first top-10 finish on an oval since taking over for Skinner. Gordon subbed for Skinner at Sears Point Raceway, a road course, and finished second.

Childress said the 32-year-old Gordon reminds him of the late Tim Richmond, who, like Gordon, also raced open-wheel cars early in his career before switching to stock cars.

"To me, watching (Gordon) with his talent and ability, he reminds me a lot about Tim Richmond," Childress said. "That's what I saw in him.

"We've helped him, we kept him calmed down. We told him just to be smooth. We're going to approach this thing different from (how) he has ever approached it."

Childress said Gordon has matured as a result of his previous stints in the Winston Cup Series. Gordon drove for Felix Sabates in 1997, for himself in 200 and started this season with Morgan-McClure Motorsports in the No. 4 Chevy before being released after five races.

"For one thing, he's older than he was when he was here before and he listens," Childress said. "I have got a lot of respect for him as a race driver and he has a lot of respect got Childress Racing and we're going to get there."

Fittipaldi, who drives for Newman/Haas Racing in the CART FedEx Championship Series, is being provided a Chevrolet by Innovative Motorsports for the Busch race and will be a teammate of Kenny Wallace.

"This is very exciting for me and I hope to be well received by those in NASCAR," Fittipaldi said. "I have long admired their racing and welcome an opportunity to be a part of it."

Fittipaldi is the nephew of former Formula One and CART champion Emerson Fittipaldi. He has two career victories in CART and is 14th in points going into the season finale Sunday at California Speedway.

Wallace and Fittipaldi were scheduled to test today at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Gaughan will join Kyle Busch as full-time competitors in the Truck Series next season. Both are Las Vegas natives.

Gaughan will drive the No. 62 NAPA Auto Parts Dodge prepared by Las Vegas-based Orleans Racing while Busch will pilot Roush Racing's No. 99 Eldon Office Products Ford.