Hendrick team ably fills voids created by tragedy

Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005 | 9:32 a.m.

Despite losing several key members of his Hendrick Motorsports team in a plane crash last October, Jeff Gordon said he is confident that the organization is in a position to have him contend for the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup championship.

Among the 10 who died in the Oct. 24 crash near Martinsville Speedway were team president John Hendrick, general manager Jeff Turner, engine builder Randy Dorton and team owner Rick Hendrick's son, Ricky, who was the owner of Kyle Busch's NASCAR Busch Series car last season.

Rick Hendrick largely has promoted from within the organization to fill the vacancies on the team, although Gordon said the individuals never could be replaced.

"Rick Hendrick is amazing when it comes to adversity and things like that and we're very fortunate to have great people that have worked alongside of them or with them for many years and we're fortunate that those people have stepped up ... and replaced people that have been doing a job for many, many years," Gordon said.

"I'm really proud of how that transition has gone and I'm extremely proud of my team. We're in a great place right now and it's hard to imagine that we'd be in this position and feel as good as we do about our program this year with everything that happened last year."

Because the tragedy occurred during a stretch of five races in five weeks, Gordon said he and many of those in the Hendrick Motorsports family didn't have a chance to grieve until after the Nov. 21 season finales in Homestead, Fla.

"The off-season certainly has been interesting for us because I think we were just numb through those last few races with everything that happened and we just knew that we had to get in there and race," Gordon said. "Because races were every single weekend, you almost didn't have much time to really mourn and think about what had gone on (because) we were just still in shock.

"Once the off-season hit, it sunk into a lot of people and the reality of it and the sadness of it -- but then also the reality of the fact that we lost key people to our organization that had to be (replaced)."

Gordon, a four-time Cup champion, won five races in 2004 and finished third in the Nextel Cup standings -- only 16 points behind champion Kurt Busch and 8 behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson.

"We gave it everything we had and we ended up third," Gordon said of the 2004 season. "I'd like to see us just continue to be in that position and hope that momentum is on our side and the team really elevates our level of competence and performance when it really comes time -- and that's those last 10 (races)."

RUSTY EYES GAUGHAN: Rusty Wallace said he would like to have Brendan Gaughan, a Las Vegas native, drive a few races this season in Wallace's NASCAR Busch Series car.

Wallace and Gaughan were teammates last season when Gaughan drove the No. 77 Dodge for Penske-Jasper Racing. Gaughan left the team after the 2004 season and was replaced by rookie Travis Kvapil.

"I think Brendan's a great driver; I think he's got a ton of talent," Wallace said. "I've got some races that I've got to get filled in for my Busch car yet and I plan on calling Brendan and ask him to do it -- I've got that much confidence in him."

So far, Wallace, Jamie McMurray, Jeremy Mayfield and Bill Elliott will split driving time in Wallace's No. 64 Dodge.

BUSCH ON TAP: NASCAR testing at LVMS continued today with about 18 Busch Series drivers, including 2004 champion Martin Truex Jr., beginning a two-day test at the 1.5-mile speedway.

Today's and Thursday's sessions run from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. and the LVMS grandstand is open to the public at no charge.

Most of the Nextel Cup Series drivers who tested in Las Vegas on Monday and Tuesday are at California Speedway in Fontana today and Thursday. It will be the final test session for most teams prior to the season-opening Daytona 500.