On almost every Sunday afternoon, from February until November, I get to do what I love best: race around an oval track (or, in a few cases, on a road course) at speeds of more than 150 miles per hour.

And I've been fortunate enough to have success in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, one of the most competitive forms of motorsports in the world, with the DuPont/Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 team. In 1993, we were able to achieve Rookie-of-the-Year status — which wasn't easy with competitors like Kenny Wallace and Bobby Labonte, who moved up from the Busch Series that same year. Then we went on to win championships in 1995, 1997 and 1998, and finished second in 1996.

As I said, I get to do the fun part: drive the car, trade paint with Dale Earnhardt, and maybe do a “donut” on the way to the winner's circle. But everyone connected with NASCAR racing knows that my job is no more important than the dozens of others involved in putting that car on the track. Success in Winston Cup racing, like almost every other enterprise, depends on a total team effort.

The most visible members of our team are in the pit crew — seven guys who scramble over the wall on each pit stop and get me back on the track in an amazingly short time. Talk about teamwork! They're like a well-oiled machine.

But the really critical work occurs long before the car arrives at the track. It starts at the shop and continues at the team's body and paint shop at Hendrick Motorsports in Harrisburg, N.C. I have the greatest respect and admiration for our painters, body men and mechanics. For each event during the long race season, these guys prepare two cars — the primary race car plus a backup. With crew chief Robbie Loomis overseeing all aspects of the operation, everyone in the shop follows a routine aimed at producing optimum results in minimum time. In the paint shop, that time is usually two days — Tuesday and Wednesday of race week. To strip, prime, paint and decal two cars within 48 hours requires skilled painters and reliable, fast-working paint systems.

And of course the mechanical department is working at the same feverish pace and under the same deadline pressure.

When the season is over, there still isn't any downtime for the guys in our shops. Even before the 2000 Winston Cup season ends on November 19, the Hendrick painters and mechanics have started preparing approximately 13 No. 24 cars for next season.

Because I drive for DuPont, which is “The Official Finish of NASCAR,” I've attended NACE several times and appeared at many events at auto dealerships and jobber stores. I've been privileged to meet many people in the auto repair industry and I've found that, like our team, they're hard working and dedicated to doing their jobs better. It's my impression that “continuous improvement” has become a reality in the auto repair business. Even as an outside observer, during the eight years I've been around the industry I've noticed many improvements — everything from better safety procedures to super-productive products and genuine concern for the environment. And I see that spirit of teamwork everywhere.

And remember what the team in teamwork stands for — Together Everyone Achieves More. We have a sign in our shop with that saying on it and we live by it to get us through a 10-month race schedule — and then some.

Success is not possible without teamwork.

Race champion Jeff Gordon is the driver of Hendrick Motorsports/DuPont Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo, No. 24. Gordon's Winston Cup career highlights include 52 career wins and 32 career poles. (At the time this went to print, Gordon had three wins and two poles with seven races remaining in 2000.) He finished the 1999 season with seven victories, becoming the first driver to win the most races for five straight years. In 1995, Gordon became the youngest Winston Cup Series champion in NASCAR's modern era in only his third year on the tour.

RATE THIS ARTICLE What do you think of this article? Your input will help AutoInc. develop additional articles on this subject. Share your thoughts! Your name Your e-mail address

MOST ACCESSED ARTICLES Fuel Injection Service, Not Just Cleaning The Art of Extraction EGR Systems: Operation and Diagnosis Proactive Target Marketing:_Rethinking Your Business Strategy Engine Performance: HO2S Diagnostics MOST E-MAILED ARTICLES Developing Employee Potential How Critical Thinking Can Help Your Business How to Diagnose the Ford Glow Plug What to Look for When Shopping for the Right Shop Management Software Putting a Price Tag on Complaints

AutoInc. Web Site | ASA Web Site | Congress Makes Changes at NHTSA | Service vs. Fix | Good Workflow Strategies, Scheduling | NACE 2000 Special Section | Your Shop Is Busy, But Is It Making Money? | Uniforms Enhance Professional Image | Guest Editorial | Tech to Tech | Tech Tips | Shop Profile | Net Worth | Stat Corner | Chairman's Message