They may work for the same employer, but the two could not possibly on more opposite ends of the range of human experience. For one- it’s the thrill of victory- the other, the agony of defeat. One is hailed as a genius, the other- derided as a strategic dunce.
You can’t get much higher than Chad Knaus right now. He’s the original (to steal a nickname former President Bush gave one of his staff) “Turd Blossom.” Give him a pile of crap, and he’ll grow a prize-winning rose garden. Thankfully, we’re not talking bovine excrement, we’re talking a four-time title winning Jimmie Johnson, with Knaus turning the spade.
Getting a break here and there can be chalked up to luck. NASCAR’s victory list has its share of one-race wonders, who happened to be in the right place at the right time. Jimmie Johnson is no such driver. Of his 49 career victories, there can only be a handful credited to “lucking up.”
Let’s not,however, forget that some define luck this way- that luck is where preparation meets opportunity. When you plan your work, and work your plan, you get lucky sometimes.
On the other end of the spectrum, there’s Steve Letarte. While Knaus called for four tires on the “48” Sunday, the crew chief for Jeff Gordon called for two. Maybe he thought he had enough good left in the old tires that weren’t changed. Maybe he was overly concerned about giving track position away. His driver says they thought more would be making two tire stops. Regardless, fans of the “24′” team were screaming across NASCAR nation as the racing public watched Johnson reel in Gordon as another victory got away for Johnson’s mentor and nemesis.
It makes it too easy to forget Letarte is one of NASCAR’s feel good stories. He started off sweeping floors at the shop of Hendrick Motorsports, then he steadily climbed the ladder to the exalted position of becoming crew chief for the four-time champion Gordon. It’s also too easy to forget that it was Letarte sitting atop the pit box when Gordon racked up six wins and darn near pulled off the “drive for five” in 2007.
So what’s going on? Is Knaus THAT much smarter? Well, it may just be possible that Letarte is smart, while Knaus may very well be the “evil” genius some think he is. Is Letarte getting outworked by Knaus? Let’s just say I don’t think the Hendrick garage allows for laziness, though Knaus’ drive may border on the maniacal, in the spirit of Red Vogt. At least that’s what some may have us believe.
I’m not here to defend or condemn Steve Letarte. Sometimes you get a perfectly good coach who never experiences a winning season, let alone a championship. The NFL had Marv Levy, the NBA has Jerry Sloan. For all the great teams and players he had, the fact that Atlanta’s Bobby Cox has only one World Series ring looks a bit suspicious.
The cries for change will become louder among Gordon fans. It’s hard to say what’s going on inside HMS, because the well-oiled machine won’t let it’s soft underbelly show. Because ANY crew chief not named Knaus will suffer by comparison, you have to wonder if a shake-up and a fresh start for all involved might not, at some point, be in order. On the other hand, it could be a case of “be careful what you ask for.”
This looks like one of those decisions best left to those who know all the facts. Regardless of how therapeutic it might seem to make Letarte the scapegoat, the fact is Rick Hendrick knows what’s best, Jeff Gordon will certainly have his own ideas as to whether or not his crew chief is truly costing him wins, and they will move accordingly.
What a position in which to be. Two men, working for two champions in the best racing organization in NASCAR. Yet, outside that common ground, two couldn’t be further apart in where they stand than if you put one in California and the other in Mozambique.
{ 17 comments }
Jim,
Great article! It was very obivous that Steve made a big mistake by not taking 4 tires. He has been to this rodeo before and should know better. Could he not see that (a) the 48 took 4 tires before the 24 even stopped? (b) there were only 11 cars on the lead lap at the time, and (c) copy what your closest opponent does on that given day, and (d) the 24 was like a rocketship! I felt bad for Jeff as he deserves better. Maybe Atlanta will be kinder to him.
Thanks!
@Steve…and here’s the thing to me, regarless of track position. Wouldn’t you agree Jeff had the better car? That if Gordon has the fresh tires to match Jimmie, he could have run him down? Even if he doesn’t, at least he gets second instead of third, though I will admit KH was strong too- as evidenced by how he came on at the end.
I love Jeff Gordon and really respect Steve LeTarte. However, I think Steve is becoming complacent. A couple years ago they could do no wrong, now things seem to have passed them by. Jeff stands by LeTarte, but that loyalty may be hurting the big picture. They need to put personal feelings aside & get down to business!
I also believe Chad Knaus is a genius crew chief, a la Ray Evernham.
Jim – Yes, I do believe Jeff had the better car, or at least an equal car to the 48. Jeff worked hard all day and one bad decision by Steve blew the whole day! Anyone could see that Jeff was totally devastated when he went to congratulate Jimmy in victory lane. At least he had the “class” to do that! What is wrong for making Steve face that fact he’s screw up quite a few times and say it’s time for a change? If I were Jeff, a change may be just whats needed for a spark! These types of bad decisions cannot continue. The 48 bunch must “be silently loving this”!
Thanks!
@Michele. I think that’s where Rick Hendrick must come in if they deem Letarte’s decision making to be a problem. I wonder if they may think that the idea of making a change in-season would be a disaster for the team. Hmmm- you know Ray Evernham is available. Makes you think, doesn’t it.
@Steve. Yeah, for all those who think that Jeff is whiney and selfish I present his post-race behavior here. You know that had to hurt, and frankly, I feel bad for Letarte. I just don’t get the decision because it seemed so clear cut. AND, unfortunately, this is not the first time something like this has happened.
Jeff Gordon is now 1 for 80. That tells me Letarte is not capable of calling a race. They are not team mates of the 48 bunch. Latarte is nothing more than Knaus’s stooge.
Author, I have been thinking about Ray being available. Ray is still one of the greatest minds in NASCAR history. He is also the man that gave Knaus is start. I don’t believe that you can’t go home again. So Ray, come on home!
It’s a pity…because if I look over Jeff’s races in the past couple of years, they have pretty much always been a four tire team. That has cost them wins, because they could never make up the track position. The one day they go for two tires, it bites them…sad.
they are giving steve more time than they did loomis and at least he won a championship for jeff….i hate to say it but jeff is not a leader or he would have gotten rid of steve a long time ago….look how long did it take kyle b. to get rid of his crew chief….he is more of a leader than jeff is…jeff for some strange reason thinks steve can do no wrong and he always blames it on something else……jeff needs R.E. if he ever wants to see #5
OK – We all agree to let Steve go and hire someone new! Now Rick, was that so hard? Let’s see what the new crew chief does this weekend at a track that we all know Jeff has and can win at. (That’s just me dreaming)
I actually think that Ray would come back to help Jeff, if he could. There is still a small ownership contract with Yates/Gillett/RPM thats holiding that one up. I believe Mr. Gillett does not want to ever see Ray leading a team that could help beat any of George’s teams. This Gillett guy is a pure business man, not a racer and thats what’s holding up Ray helping Jeff.
Ray is on Twitter often ‘tweeting’ about wanting to rid himself of these legal matters and get back to what he loves. I don’t think he has anything to do with RPM, GEM or whatever they call themselves these days. I seem to remember him cleaning out his office and his trophies.
Michele – The “legal matters” means the contract and the “love” is returning to running a top notch race team. Ray has nothing to do with RPM/GEM whatsover, other than the ball & chain legal ties. Me thinks the announcement by Jeff this week to race another 5 to 6 years signals Ray that the doors wide open. What a great way to end two great careers! By the way, I just watched Steve on Nascar Now and he basically said it’s tough making these calls! What the heck, this guy’s gotta go! Is that not a crew chief’s job? Jeff will never be a champion with this guy.
knaus said’’steve letarte is doing a fantasic job and he did make the right call” , what a bunch of b.s. he said , they all stick together at hendrick , that will be jeff’s downfall if he expects to win #5 , of course he could always fire ”jimmie”,lol
Chad and Jimmie have a ton of confidence in each other Chad gives him the best car possible and tells Jimmie to go for it. Steve and Jeff don’t not have that or he would of gave him 4 tires and said go for it. They all know with equal cars Jimmie will beat him everytime so they tried to beat him on pit strategy get a big lead on the restart and let the aeropush do the rest. But any fool knows with 50 miles left on your last pitstop you take 4 because you will be faster and in most races you get a yellow to close the gap even though it did not happen this time and Jeff could have overruled the decision so it is as much his fault as Steve’s.
Bottom line, 4 tires and put it in the hands of a driver who has kicked most everyone’s butt all day long. What caused a shift in confidence all of a sudden? Probably more LeFarce’s confidence than Gordon’s.
As some of you may know and some don’t. Chad and Steve Co-Manage the 24-48 shop at Hendricks. Both cars are built by people who pit for both teams and most don’t know who is getting what car until it is painted for them.
The thing about both teams that makes them competitive is the way they set up the cars on the weekend of the race and the decisions they make at the race.
Other than that back at the shop it is back to Management of the shop with Steve and Chad.
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