How can hendrick be behind in the COT when they were dominant last year?

Question

How can hendrick be behind in the COT when they were dominant last year?

Answer 1

Last year, they drove both cars all season.  This year, its the COT only.  Hendrick had the old car pretty much dialed in all season, didn't spend too much energy on the COT, this year it is just biting them in the butt, but I think they will eventually come back out on top again.  As much as I love the Hendrick drivers, it is nice to see other teams do well, and not just one team dominate all the time.  Next season should get really interesting!! :-)

Answer 2

The other teams have caught up more than Hendricks slipping.

Answer 3

i think jimmie johnson said it best that he feels that part of their problem this year was caused by their total focus on the chase last year.  remember when everyone went to test the COT at atlanta during the chase last year, with drivers in cars with their new teams (junior in his new hms ride and busch in his new jgr car)?  johnson and gordon didn't participate as they wanted to remain focused on the chase and the tracks they still had to run.

while hms focused on the chase tracks, other teams, once they were "out of contention" were able to spend more time in "catchup" mode to hms, doing things like testing on intermediate tracks, where the car wasn't run last year. hms dominated with the COT on the tracks they ran last year, so they know they can do it again - they've been testing new things at those tracks. the intermediate tracks, however, they've been playing "catchup" this year.

also, i firmly believe that much of what you've seen so far from hms - the #48 team in particular - is knaus and letarte trying some things out they might not otherwise try - testing for the chase if you will. if they tried something new and it worked, great - more data for the "chase book." if it didn't work, chad and steve letarte would often pull some totally unconventional strategy out of the bag and manage to still pull out at least a top 15 finish.  for all the "weeping and gnashing of teeth" about how bad hms is doing this year, their top three drivers sit 2nd, 5th and 6th in the points. and we all saw how good the #48 was on an intermediate track last saturday night.

they've been playing that "focus on the chase" strategy all year. they learned that "most wins" before the chase starts doesn't mean anything realistically once the chase begins (ask jeff gordon).  they are focused, and ready to go. here's hoping kyle, carl, matt, da biff, and the others have their "a" game on once they hit loudon.

Answer 4

to me it dosent matter I hate the COT its stinkin up the whole show I've never fallen asleep so much in my life while watching a race

Answer 5

HENDRICK HASN'T GOTTEN ANY WORSE , EVERYONE ELSE HAS JUST CAUGHT UP TO THEM

Answer 6

they aren't behind

Answer 7

I dont know....alls i know is J.Gordon better step it up...

What's ironic is, Kyle Busch HATES the C.O.T. he said it was a p.o.s last year.

Answer 8

Honestly I think he was slacking because he was so good last year.  He wont be slacking this off season.

Answer 9

It,s called Toyota Money   Toyota dose not accept loosing and will spend  what it takes to develop what is needed  Since the COT makes all cars basally identical and removes the driver expertise, the small adjustment they find in R&D by spending millions becomes very  big advantage

Answer 10

i don't think its it that they are behind i think everyone else just found something.  is been hendrick, roush or gibbs that have been the best in the last 10 -15 years. they will be back up there

Answer 11

they're not behind the others caught up

Answer 12

Last year the 24 and 48 didn't care what they were driving. They needed to win. While the rest of the field really just drove around since none of them really had a chance at the championship, they were thinking about next year and their plans. Meanwhile Hendrick is focusing on the 2007 year and what they need to do. They didn't get "behind". They just weren't as prepared as the oher teams.

Answer 13

It can be summed as such: Mark Cronquist of Joe Gibbs Racing...he is the best engine builder in the business.

Answer 14

They spent too much time last year concentrating on the old car and did not do enough development with the new car. They dominated last year in the COT races because KB drove for them. He just seems to mesh better with the new car than the old one.

Also a lot of things hang on luck. If you look also Dale Jr is #2 in the points so it is not like Hendrick is doing bad just after dominating last year because a lot of that domination came from luck and gutsy gambles which went the right way. They could just as easily have been the wrong move.

Answer 15

In racing you need a good driver, a good car and that thing called luck.  So far Hendrick just can't get all three together.  Hopefully soon.

Answer 16

Some years you've got it, other's you don't. I expect they'll be back in contenetion next year (they've got 4 great drivers, J. Gordon, J. Johnson, D. Jr., and M. Martin)

And yes, also Kyle Busch is going crazy on the track.

Answer 17

It seems to me like they were so far ahead last year, that maybe that confidence caused them to relax their guard. They didn't count on the other teams stepping up their game in the off season as much as they did. It seems they were almost caught off guard.

Answer 18

It goes in cycles.  Gibbs (Kyle Busch) is good this year.  Last year it was Hendrick with Johnson and Gordon.  A few years ago Roush had 5 cars in the chase.

James - Kyle didnt do anything except wreck cars until this year.  He won more races this year than the rest of his career combined.