There's Your Karma, Ripe As Peaches

I don't get the teammates thing in NASCAR. Do they help each other in races by blocking other cars or causing wrecks or something?

NASCAR allows a car owner to have up to four drivers on his team. Rick Hendrick is the owner of Hendrick Motorsports, which currently has Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson (arguably the best two drivers in the sport right now), Kyle Busch, and Casey Mears. From Hendrick's perspective, he would want his drivers to finish 1,2,3,4 because he makes more money that way and there is also an owner's championship. The drivers, on the other hand, and their individual teams just want to win for themselves for the most part. However, the teams do share information on what is doing well on what track as far as setups go, etc. They help build their cars, and they all use the same Hendrick engines and Hendrick technology. They try to develop an overall "team strategy," while maintaining their individual team's goal: winning. There may be some blocking for teammates going on, but it is fairly unusual. Most of that kind of thing is just drafting, where you would get in with your teammate nose to tail because you are faster together than apart because of aerodynamics.

Bottom line is, next year if Gordon and Earnhardt are racing for the win, they are going to race hard, but not hard enough to wreck each other (i.e. slamming into each other) because the big bossman will not be happy. But other than having the same car owner, that is usually where the attachment stops.

One other thing ... Jeff Gordon currently owns half of that Kyle Busch car ... so will he be half owner of Earnhardt's car, too? We will see tomorrow at the press conference.

I think I may have misspoke on the last part. Gordon is definitely part owner of Johnson's car, and I thought of Busch's car, too. But that might be incorrect.

"Rule 1. Jeff Gordon is the devil.
Rule 1a. ... and a big gay."

Yep, that's all I've ever been told as well. What makes these people hate the guy so much. Doesn't seem like he's any more of an asshole than any of the rest.

You always hate the guy on top. It's only natural.

How in the hell are JR fans gonna handle being united with Gordon???? This is unbelievable!

Why is this a big deal? Weren't Dale Sr and Gordon friends?

Where's Denny Green when you need him? Hendrick is about to become the king of 2008. It's time to crown their ass!

If you can't figure it out Spanish, I think it's time to hand in the keys to your Ford F-150.

If he can't win here, he needs to find a new line of work.

does Budweiser go with him??

I don't understand how any of this works. Why wouldn't he get to race in the same number and why don't the sponsors go with him? Do certain numbers belong to each teams?

The numbers are owned by the individual teams. If Hendrick wants to keep Junior in the #8, they will have to pay DEI a lot of money. Otherwise, Earnhardt will be in the #5 that Kyle Busch drives right now. The sponsors are under contract with the teams as well. Bud is under contract with DEI for at least another year after this one. My guess is that they will break the contract with DEI, agree to a settlement on damages, and Bud will go to Hendrick with Junior. Earnhardt IS Budweiser in the NASCAR world. And you don't piss away that kind of brand identification.

so what happens to all the dudes that had Earnhardt's #8 tattooed onto their backs, legs and arms? :)