Much has been made of
the difference between driver and car. Does the driver make the car or does the car make the driver? Which is more
important, the driver or the car. The question may have more relevance in the old days, but today the problem lies in
the question not the answer. In actuality both driver and car are important, but to properly answer the question, other
factors are much more important to consider. These other factors could be discussed in many forms but for this purpose
we will call them the 3 C’s of NASCAR racing. The 3 C’s consist of communication,
cooperation and chemistry.
Communication is the
basis for everything that goes on within a team. Essentially a driver must be able to communicate what he needs and wants
in a car and the crew chief must be able to receive this information. Then the crew chief must be able to translate this
information to the team. The team includes the car builders, engine builders, mechanics, pit crew etc. Any breakdown
in this communication means something is lost as it is returned back to the driver in the form of changes to the car.
Cooperation deals with
the aspect of multi-car teams. Some teams share information freely and actually build cars together. Other
teams are less willing to share. When cooperation exists between cars, drivers and crew chiefs, learning what it takes
to go fast over long periods of time is great. When information is hoarded and cooperation is low, teams are left to
figure things out on their own and progress is slowed.
Chemistry is the last
but quite possibly the most important. Some people try to get along better with some than others. This is hard to
measure and define, but each one of us knows of people that we just naturally get along with while others are just more difficult.
By way of example, let’s
look at direct teams, drivers and crew chiefs to support these ideas. First of all, consider the drivers from the perspective
of their importance to the team. There are many drivers who are given the right equipment and can win on any given weekend. Any
driver who has won a championship has shown his talent over a long period of time and is always a threat to win a race. This
would include Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch. But let’s consider drivers who
have gotten on great runs and won many races in a given season or over stretches of time. This would include Kasey Kahne,
Ryan Newman, and Kyle Busch. Consider new drivers whose careers and wins are just beginning, like Clint Bowyer, and Martin
Truex Jr. The list goes on and on, but if driver talent alone were the issue, or even the most important, how can one
week a driver win then the next week finish in the back of the pack.
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Let us now consider teams
that illustrate the 3 C’s. Maybe the example of all time, showing the importance of chemistry and communication
was the driver crew chief combination of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Larry McReynolds. Here were two of the best at the respective
positions. Both had been champions away from each other but when combined it just didn’t work. Something was
missing in their ability to get their cars where they needed to be. Neither forgot all that they had learned through
their years of success, but there was something in their chemistry that didn’t jell.
Maybe the best example
of Chemistry that did work was Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham. Before they got together neither had been a NASCAR
champ. They were a young fledgling team trying to break through. And before it was over their ability to communicate and their
chemistry, set a mark for championships and races won that will be hard to duplicate.
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Quite possibly the best
example of cooperation amongst teams is the Hendrick Motorsports teams of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in particular. They
build cars side-by-side in the same building. They have more people working jointly on their cars together than they
do have people that work only on one or the other. Often times driving style can impact this issue. What one driver likes
in a car may not suit his teammate and this makes it difficult to cooperate and share information. An example where cooperation
did not appear to be evident was with the Penske teams of Rusty Wallace and Ryan Newman. For what ever reason, the level
of cooperation between these two teams appeared to be quite low.
The bottom line is, the
greatest driver is not likely to overcome a bad car and the least talented driver is not as likely to win consistently. But
when communication, cooperation, and chemistry are developed, the likelihood of success is much greater.
2006 StockCar Review.
