Remember that in 1992
the final race of the season was essentially a battle between Davey Allison and Bill Elliott. It was only after Allison was
taken out in an accident and Alan Kulwicki risked running out of gas to lead one more lap than Elliot that he pulled ahead
in the points for the first time in the final event of the year. It was a move that won Kulwicki the Championship. It Ain’t Over Until It’s Over.
The motorheads out there
know about the myriad of things that can and do go wrong. Things like valve “keepers”, an inexpensive part about
the size of one’s little fingernail that essentially “keeps” the valves from dropping into the cylinder
with disastrous and final results. They only have to hold up to 9000 revolutions per minute lap after lap. True, Hendrick
motors are just about infallible, but they are exactly that—“just about”.
And then… Jeff
Gordon does co-own (with Rick Hendrick) Johnson’s team and hand picked the driver and the crew chief.
Some years back, I built
a stout small block Chevrolet engine for my brother’s Firebird. It utilized a high nickel racing block and Dart “Sportsman”
(circle track) cylinder heads, along with other goodies. After it was completed, the inevitable race with my tired and stock
1970 GTO occurred—a close race that was determined only at the top end by those free-flowing Dart heads. When it was
over, there was a sense of pride—that was MY motor that just outran me.
Gordon must have similar
bittersweet feelings of his own regarding the 48 Team.
And Mr. Gordon does have
one advantage—all he has to do is win. Put in the big camshaft, run the light connecting rods, and drive like he did
when he was twelve in a sprint car—on the edge.
Johnson may have the
Championship won, and if he does indeed pull it off it will be well deserved. To win four straight races—and maybe five—in
this day and age is unheard of, and he is outrunning the best in the business—Jeff Gordon.
2006 StockCar Review.
