Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Johnson hopes to ‘bolt’ from pack

Friday, Oct. 4, 2002 | 9:09 a.m.

Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at bh@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4089.

Jimmie Johnson's place in NASCAR history could hinge on a pair of inexpensive suspension bolts.

Johnson, who is attempting to become the first rookie to win the Winston Cup championship, leads Mark Martin by 11 points and Tony Stewart by 36 with seven races remaining. His lead, however, would be greater had it not been for a rules infraction by his Hendrick Motorsports team at the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July.

Johnson was penalized 25 points in the driver standings after a post-race inspection revealed unapproved mounting bolts in the car's trailing arms. In addition to Johnson's penalty, crew chief Chad Knaus was fined $25,000 and team owner Jeff Gordon was penalized 25 owners points.

Embroiled in the closest points race in Winston Cup history, Johnson said this week that his team in not dwelling on the penalty or its possible implications.

"We try not to think about it," Johnson said. "There's nothing we can do about it; we lost some points there. There are other points (we lost) where I've made rookie mistakes that have cost us more than 25 points, (such as) racing (Jimmy) Spencer at Richmond and sliding through my pit stall at Lowe's (Motor Speedway).

"There are a lot of things you can reflect back on. We're going to try not to think about those 25 (points) from Daytona and hope they won't come into play."

Johnson, who already has written his name into the NASCAR record book by becoming the first rookie driver to lead the Winston Cup standings, said his inexperience in this case might work to his advantage.

"I think since we don't know any better, it keeps us from thinking about past experiences and how close we were and how we possibly lost it," Johnson said. "There's a lot to that negative energy that can haunt your team and consume your life.

"That's a great advantage that we have right now: We don't know any better. We have not been in this position (so) we don't have any past history of fear to fall back on. All we have is a positive outlook in trying to do something that's never been done before."

Track officials installed about 3,000 feet of the energy-absorbing Steel and Foam Energy Reduction barrier on the inside wall from the exit of Turn 4 to the entrance to Turn 1. The barrier cannot be installed on the outside walls until the system is adapted to the track's 33-degree banking.

Tim Fedewa will replace Todd Bodine in the No. 92 Herzog Jackson Motorsports Busch Series Chevrolet for the Oct. 12 race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Bodine left Herzog Jackson Motorsports, co-owned by Hall of Fame baseball player Reggie Jackson, to concentrate on his Winston Cup ride with Haas-Carter Motorsports.

"This is Orleans Racing's home and we won (our) last (Winton West) race (at LVMS, in 2001) and we want to be able to pull a double," Gaughan said. "We want to try to win both races; we feel like we have the equipment to do it."

The Las Vegas 350 NCTS race is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. and the Orleans 150 Winston West race will be held Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Hamilton, who was unable to stand on both feet until last December, turned 40 laps in the 155-mph range on the 1-mile oval.

"I felt comfortable in the car but I'd have to make some adjustments on the pedals to make it comfortable for me because my (right) foot went a little numb in the heel," Hamilton said. "The right foot is where they did the majority of the reconstruction. Basically, they rebuilt my heel. With the vibrations and stuff in the car, it went a little numb.

"I didn't go that many laps, but I know I can do it. It felt good -- it felt real good."

Hamilton said he is not yet ready to race but did not rule out a return to the IRL.

Luyendyk, who finished second in the Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series, said he would return to the developmental series in 2003 but said it was possible he would run in "two or three" IRL races next season.