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PHILADELPHIA (AP ) -- Jimmie Johnson walked onto a stage where some of his biggest fans got to ask questions of the four-time defending NASCAR champion.

One of the easiest suddenly seemed like the thorniest after the last two weeks: "Who's your favorite driver?"

Johnson smiled and said: "Jeff Gordon."

The crowd laughed at his response. That's one way to diffuse talk of a bubbling feud between the Hendrick Motorsports teammates.

Behind the scenes at Hendrick, the four-time Cup champions needed a second straight week of talks after curt words followed incidents on the track. Johnson said on Thursday team owner Rick Hendrick told him and Gordon not to let their bubbling feud start "breaking apart the organization."

 

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Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Sprint Cup, Danica Patrick

CONCORD, N.C. -- Not so long ago, NASCAR preseason interview opportunities used to consist of a few local Florida writers who roamed the Daytona International Speedway garages during winter test days and joined the drivers for lunch and informal chats in the back of a team trailer.

It has since morphed into the current "Media Tour" which boasts three busloads of journalists from as far away as Germany -- representing outlets from USA Today to the tiny newspaper in Johnson City, Tenn.

Bloggers and broadcasters also gathered this week at a hotel a half-mile from Charlotte Motor Speedway, where formal question-and-answer periods are held in grand ballrooms. The highlight of each day is a trip to one of the race team's shops or a local landmark like Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Whiskey River nightclub or the NASCAR Hall of Fame, which is under construction in downtown Charlotte. On Tuesday, Roush Fenway Racing drivers gave reporters e-ticket rides in Mustangs around the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course.

The season-ending banquet was just five weeks ago and already the drivers and team owners are in full 2010 mode.

 

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by FanHouse Newswire

Filed under: Tony Stewart, Stewart-Haas Racing

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) -- Tony Stewart is off to such a strong first season as a team owner, he's already open to expansion.

The Sprint Cup Series points leader said Friday he'd consider adding a third team to Stewart-Haas Racing next year if the right combination was available. Although he promised his team not to expand too quickly, their success so far this season has made him consider his options.

"I wanted to make sure we had two cars that were competitive and had a chance to win a championship," he said Friday at Infineon Raceway. "I'm proud of the fact that I think we're at that point. So if the right situation came along, we would entertain it."

Tony Stewart Open to Adding 3rd Team originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 19 Jun 2009 21:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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