(By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service)
Posted: Friday,April 30th, 2010
RICHMOND, Va.—What may be good news for Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports has to be frightening to the rest of the NASCAR Sprint Cup garage.
Chad Knaus confirmed Friday at Richmond International Raceway that he has signed a five-year contract extension with owner Rick Hendrick that carries the same term as Johnson’s current contract—through 2015.
Consequently, the same combination that has won four straight Cup championships will remain intact.
Alan Gustafson, crew chief of Mark Martin’s No. 5 Chevrolet, announced a four-year extension to his contract with Hendrick 20 minutes before Knaus spoke to the media. In Gustafson’s case, however, the future isn’t as clear-cut.
FORT WORTH, TX - NOVEMBER 08: Chad Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, pushes the car into the garage after being involved in a crash with Sam Hornish Jr., driver of the #77 AAA Dodge, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 8, 2009 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Martin is scheduled to drive the No. 5 car through 2011, and his heir apparent is Kasey Kahne, who recently signed with Hendrick to drive the car starting in 2012. Hendrick is obligated to find a ride for Kahne in 2011 but has not announced specific plans. Nor has Hendrick said specifically that Gustafson will be Kahne’s crew chief.
There’s no such uncertainty with Knaus’ extension.
“My contract is with Hendrick Motorsports, but it’s very well known that I’m going to be with the No. 48 car,” Knaus said. “The No. 48 is where my heart and soul is; being spawned off the No. 24 car (of Jeff Gordon) and being raised in the environment of the No. 24, I think it’s a natural fit.
“So I’m really pleased to be working with Jimmie. I enjoy working with Jimmie and the whole Lowe’s team—and it’s going to stay.”
Though happy with the five-year extension, Knaus feels it may mark his last tenure as a crew chief.
“In five more years of crew chiefing, I’m pretty sure I’ll be about done by then,” Knaus said. “Crew chief years are about like dog years, so I’m thinking I’m about 97 years old.
So I don’t think I can go much more after that.”
Gustafson, whose contract takes him through 2014, says he expects to stay with the No. 5 Chevy, and he views Kahne as the ideal successor to Martin.
“I love Kasey,” Gustafson said. “I think he’s a great driver. I don’t know him all that well, but I love the way he races on the racetrack. I think he’s a great fit for our organization. I think he’s a great fit for the No. 5.
“I think he has the potential to go win a lot of championships and a lot of races. I think it would be a great opportunity to work with him. He can put Hendrick Motorsports and the No. 5 in a good position to carry on what Mark has helped us build.”
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