LAT PHOTOGRAPHICNASCAR driver Jeff Gordon is taking a fact-finding trip to Africa this week.
By AL PEARCE on 7/17/2011
Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon will spend his last free weekend on a goodwill, fact-finding trip to the Congo. He was scheduled to leave New Hampshire shortly after the Lenox 301 to join a group (including Ashley Judd) put together by the Clinton Global Initiative. The group will visit a refugee camp in the Congo, then Gordon will make a private trip to Rwanda in December.
“My expectations are to see some jaw-dropping, eye-opening experiences that will change my life forever,” Gordon said. “Hopefully, we can do some good things to change that in the future. The government has a tough enough time controlling and keeping things safe [in the Congo], so there's definitely a little bit of fear. But it's a very valuable trip, important to what our cause is about. If we're really going to stand behind our work, how can we do it without getting in there [in the Congo] and truly understanding it?”
Gordon supports several charities, including his own foundation that supports children's hospitals and addresses hunger issues. During his race weekend in New Hampshire, he visited a food bank and made a $10,000 donation.
Points after New Hampshire
Carl Edwards, who led the Sprint Cup standings much of the season before losing it three weeks ago, regained the lead on Sunday at Loudon, N.H. His 13th-place finish combined with Kyle Busch's wreck-related 36th took Edwards from four behind to seven ahead.
Five-time champion Jimmie Johnson jumped from fifth to second, Kurt Busch moved from fourth to third, Kevin Harvick fell from third to fourth, and Kyle Busch fell from first to fifth.
Ryan Newman's win didn't appreciably shake up the Chase for the Championship situation. Newman was among the top 10 in points, so winning simply gave him wild card “mulligan” unless he slips out of the top 10. David Ragan moved from 15th in points to 13th and remains the highest-ranked winner outside the top 10.
The 12-driver Chase field will include the top-10 drivers in points, regardless of their performance record, after the Sept. 10 race at Richmond. The 11th and 12th drivers will be the highest-ranked winners between 11th and 20th in points.
Jacques in the house
Jacques Villeneuve was walking around on Saturday and Sunday, trolling for something to get him back in NASCAR. The 1997 Formula One World Champion ran a few Camping World Truck Series races in 2007 for Bill Davis and a few Nationwide and Cup races between 2008 and last year. He finished third for owner Roger Penske in the June 25 Nationwide Series race at Road America and will drive for Penske in the Aug. 20 Nationwide race in his hometown of Montreal.
After that, his options are limited.
“This isn't far from home and Montreal is coming up, so I came in yesterday [Saturday] to see the Penske guys and chat and catch up,” he said. “Montreal is the next big thing for me, then I'm hoping to have some more races toward the end of the year. Of course I'd like to do the whole year and not get stuck in [just] the road-course thing.
“I'd rather have a good Nationwide ride than a poor Cup ride, but, of course, I'd rather have a good Cup ride. Right now, I don't know which is more possible. I work well with Penske and get along with those people, but there's no vacant seat over there. You never know what will happen, but it doesn't seem possible that there's anything there.”
Sprint offers $3 million prize
Sprint and NASCAR have unveiled a program offering drivers five chances to qualify for a $3 million bonus that may be paid after the Labor Day weekend race near Atlanta. Drivers who win the mid-summer races at Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen, Michigan and Bristol become eligible for the Sprint Summer Showdown bonus.
If the winner of any of those races also wins the Advocare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, he'll get a $1 million bonus from Sprint. In addition, his favorite charity will get $1 million and one of his fans will get $1 million.
Fans become eligible by picking the winner of each preliminary race. After each race, one fan will be randomly chosen from among those who correctly picked the winner. The fans will be Sprint's guests in Atlanta, where the $3 million bonus will be distributed if an eligible driver wins the 500.
Coming up
Sprint Cup teams are idle next weekend, the last of their three breaks this year before opening a 17-weekend grind to the Nov. 20 season finale at Homestead, Fla. The Nationwide and Camping World teams have a Friday-Saturday double-header at Nashville, Tenn.
NASCAR's top three series are in the Indianapolis area the weekend of July 29-31. The Truck Series teams race at Lucas Oil Raceway on Friday night, July 29, and the Nationwide teams are there on Saturday night, July 30. The Sprint Cup teams are at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon, July 31, for the Brickyard 400.
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