(public).sospep.subjects ~ view article ~ 2013-02-14-ARTICLE-Preview-HendricksMotorsports

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<li>] ARTICLE by Pete Pistone @MRN -&nbsp;</li>
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<li><a href="http://www.motorracingnetwork.com/Race-Series/NASCAR-Sprint-Cup/News/Articles/2013/02/Team-Preview-Hendrick-Motorsports.aspx" target="_blank">Hendricks Motorsports Team Preview 2013</a></li>
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<li>] Rick Hendricks - Team Owner</li>
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<li>] although what would be his 11th championship eluded him, all 4 of his teams had wins and made the chase, after he correctly predicted that they would. The team also scored a milestone 200th career victory in 2012. Hendrick's predicts that they will all make the chase again this year.</li>
<li>] QUOTE&nbsp;"I'm still very proud of this team and the effort everyone put in," "It's a special year for us for what we did accomplish even though we weren't able to win the championship."</li>
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<li>] #5&nbsp;<a href="person?id=152#content" target="_blank">Kasey Kahne</a>, FINISHED 4th last season, returns with crew chief Kenny Francis</li>
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<li>] slow start to season but turned it around to finish season a career best 4th in points with 2 WINS, 19 top 10s, 4 poles</li>
<li>] KAHNE&nbsp;"As a team, our greatest accomplishment was battling back from a poor start and making the Chase," "I have to thank Kenny for his vision and his preparation of our race cars. He and I and a lot of guys on the 5 team have been a lot of different places in recent years, but we've stuck together and, through hard work, were able to have a great season."&nbsp;I&rsquo;ve been here a year now, and it&rsquo;s an unbelievable place, and everyone knows the opportunity Mr. H gives us, so we want to take full advantage of that,&ldquo;&rdquo;&nbsp;</li>
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<li>] #24&nbsp;<a href="person?id=114#content" target="_blank">Jeff Gordon</a>, FINISHED 10th last season, returns with crew chief&nbsp;Alan Gustafson</li>
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<li>]&nbsp;&nbsp;with 2 WINS, 18 top 10s, 2 poles</li>
<li>] GORDON - &nbsp;&ldquo;I know we wanted to race again the next week,&rdquo; said Gordon about the confidence in his team after winning the Homestead finale. &ldquo;I just never got a good feel for [the Car of Tomorrow]. It was better over the last couple years, but it just never fit me well. This new car &ndash; now that&rsquo;s a race car.&rdquo;&nbsp;&rdquo;</li>
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<li>] #48&nbsp;<a href="person?id=115#content" target="_blank">Jimmie Johnson</a>, FINISHED 3rd last year, returns with &nbsp;crew chief Chad Knaus</li>
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<li>]&nbsp;&nbsp;with 5 WINS, 24 top 10s, 4 poles, Johnson was in contention for a 6th championship until the las race at homestead where mechanical problems plagued him. ALSO scored Hendricks 200th career victory,</li>
<li>] JOHNSON -&nbsp;"I feel like through those five years there was some pressure on me that I didn&rsquo;t know existed until the streak ended,&rdquo; &ldquo;Starting the 2011 season, I was aware of that and kind of a clean sheet of paper. Time to start a new streak if I can or turn a page to what&rsquo;s next.&rdquo;&nbsp;"</li>
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<li>] #88&nbsp;<a href="person?id=116#content" target="_blank">Dale Earnhardt Jr</a>, FINISHED 12th last year, returns with crew chief Steve Letarte</li>
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<li>] with 1 WIN @&nbsp;Michigan&nbsp;(ending a long drought of 4 years), 20 top 10's, 1 pole - Jr had 1 of his best seasons in a long time ... UNTIL a late season injury(concussion) left him out of the car for 2 races, ultimately ending his chance at any kind of championship run.&nbsp;</li>
<li>] EARNHARDT JR -&nbsp;"I really enjoy being at the track and driving cars," he said. "It's been a good year, but this should be par for the course. It's been a good year, but we want to be a lot better than this. I'm not ready to stop trying to be better."&nbsp;"&nbsp;I can be confident going into next year with the confidence that we&rsquo;re going to put good cars on the track and enjoy the races,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;I think the first 10 races of the season are the most important as far as making the Chase. It&rsquo;s about putting down a good foundation.&nbsp;&ldquo;If you end up eighth or ninth or 10th (after 10 races), that&rsquo;s kind of where you wind up fighting all year long. That kind of mental battle wears on the teams and drivers that are in those positions. It&rsquo;s nice to get out there and get out front early and stay there.&rdquo;&nbsp;</li>
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