The Kid has Busch in his future

By DICK BRINSTER

AP Sports Writer

The biggest star in American auto racing will have no argument next year if he's called a Busch leaguer.

That's because Jeff Gordon - well on his way to a third Winston Cup championship in four seasons - plans to return to the roots of his NASCAR career.

No, Gordon isn't giving up his annual battle with Mark Martin and Dale Jarrett. He just wants to get a little more enjoyment out of the sport and give somebody the kind of break that once fueled his ride to superstardom.

"It's going to be very limited, about five races," he said of his plan to drive on the Busch Grand National circuit. "But we are not doing it just for me."

"We" are Gordon, his wife, Brooke, and his Winston Cup crew chief, Ray Evernham.

"Actually, Brooke and Ray are the owners," he said. "I'm just the driver."

Gordon chuckled when asked what would happen if his wife put on a headset like so many owners and advised, "Now, Jeff, slow down and save those tires."

"No," he said, "I think we'll let Ray call the shots."

That has worked well so far, the most recent demonstration being Gordon's 34th Winston Cup victory. It came last Sunday in the Pennsylvania 500, but only after Gordon survived a little jostling from Dale Earnhardt.

"I was a little upset at the time because I thought it wasn't worth it," Gordon said. "Luckily, Ray calmed me down a little bit on the radio, and I was on a mission after that."

His mission in Busch will be to drive in selected events.

The team will not compete in every event, but it will race some weeks with another driver replacing Gordon.

"We're doing it for some up-and-coming drivers," he said. "We want to get involved with young guys out there that maybe need a break."

Like the kind he got seven years ago when he was driving an unsponsored Busch car in a race he went on to win.

Among those watching was car owner Rick Hendrick. He turned to a companion and said it was too bad "that kid" had a contract.

"He doesn't," the companion said.

"He does now," Hendrick replied.

Gordon became rookie of the year on the Busch circuit, and two seasons later the driver Earnhardt would call "The Kid" duplicated that feat in Winston Cup. In 1995, he became the second-youngest champion in NASCAR's top division.

But it all began because somebody thought a young driver was worthy of a shot at the big time.

"That's one the things we want to do with this," the 26-year-old Gordon said. "And to tell you the truth, I've been wanting to get back in a Busch car for a while.

"They've got some really good drivers like Randy LaJoie and Dale Jr., and I'd kind of like to get out there and play with them."

How do they feel about that?

"I'm looking forward to Jeff Gordon racing in the Busch series," said Dale Earnhardt Jr., the points leader in his first season. "I learn a lot every time Winston Cup guys race with us, and there is not a question that Jeff is one of the most accomplished drivers out there."

LaJoie, the two-time and defending series champion, will be ready to dig in.

"This series is already super competitive," he said. "But with drivers like Jeff Gordon coming in, it'll just make all of us Busch guys work a little harder."

Martin, the top Winston Cup driver who crosses over to Busch, says the addition of Gordon won't make his task much more difficult.

"It'll be exciting," he said. "But I already have a tough bunch to beat out there."

He'll have one more in Gordon.

While the champion and the sport's top crew chief are busy pursuing another title, the task of preparing Gordon-Evernham Motorsports for its 1999 debut falls to Mrs. Gordon.

"She's setting it up, but we're not ready to make a formal announcement yet," Gordon said. "But we've got sponsors that are very interested."

What a surprise!

He said formation of the team should not be construed as the first step toward ownership of his own Winston Cup operation.

"We're very happy where we are," Gordon said. "We just want to have a little fun."

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