Not A Happy Camper
The 1,100 mile odyssey, a really fast track, and the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 from Texas Motor Speedway.
Memorial Day Double Duty .........
Three Winston Cup drivers were slated to attempt the one day 1100 mile racing odyssey during the Memorial Day weekend. Last season Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot sponsored Joe Gibbs Racings' Pontiac, pulled off the feat by finishing in 4th position in both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Stewart had to start from the back of the field for the Coca-Cola 600 due to the fact that he missed the pre-race drivers meeting because of the restrictive time frame in traveling to Charlotte from Indianapolis after the Indy 500.
This season Stewart has decided to pass on the racing odyssey business in order to concentrate on his bid for the 2002 Winston Cup Championship. Apparently, Stewarts second place finish in the championship points' standings last season fueled his desire to end up as the top dog this year. After racing Bristol this spring in six of the 36 races on this seasons' schedule, Stewart was in the 12th drivers' points' position. He has a long row to hoe if he expects to sit at the head table in the Waldorf Astoria ballroom next December, and he had better win at least five or six of the 30 remaining races.
The next driver on the list who had desires of doing double duty was John Andretti; driver of the No. 43 Cheerios sponsored Petty Enterprises Dodge. Andretti, like Stewart, has always embraced the dream of winning the prestigious Indy 500. Petty Enterprises says no. The Pettys want Andretti's concentration aimed solely toward the success of the No. 43 Cheerios team. They feel that their sponsor, Cheerios, and the team members who strive to get the No. 43 car in the winners circle deserve nothing less. Andretti is under contract to drive for Petty Enterprises, and as much as he dislikes the inability to follow his dream, he is tied to his obligation.
All reports seem to indicate that Robbie Gordon, driver of the No. 31 Cingular Wireless sponsored Richard Childress Racing's Chevrolet, is on track to attempt the double duty feat. Gordon has attempted the feat before, and probably had the clause inserted into his contract when he signed on with RCR. One year, either 1996 or 1997 when he was driving for Felix Sabatas, he was injured in the Indy 500 and was unable to race in Winston Cup until the following fall. I was saw that race, and couldn't figure out what the problem was with Gordon. He had wrecked his Indy car and was sitting along the track in the infield area. Come to find out, there was a bad fire that isn't visible to the naked eye. The fuel used in Indy cars doesn't show flames when it burns. If I remember right, Gordon suffered first and second degree burns on his right leg. When he came back to drive the Winston Cup car for Sabatas, his performance was less than stellar and he lost his job. Losing his driver for a good share of the season had left a bad taste in Sabatas's mouth.
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