Jeff Gordon: "I'm still as passionate and as excited as ever" - MotorSportsTalk

The running joke in 2013 for Jeff Gordon was, of course, his 11th-hour addition to the 2013 NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup as a 13th driver on Friday the 13th of September.

In 2014, he hopes the narrative shifts to where his performance level doesn’t require an unprecedented act from NASCAR to get him into the championship-deciding 10-race stretch.

Gordon appears refreshed and rejuvenated after an offseason that included a trip to France with his family, and still motivated by the desire to return to championship-winning form. He expanded on all this in an interview with NASCAR.com.

Put simply, though, he still feels he’s got as much vigor and strength to go to the track, run hard and run competitively.

“When I get to the track, I’m still as passionate and as excited, if not more so, than I’ve ever been,” he said.

Gordon said he and the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team, led by crew chief Alan Gustafson, need to eliminate the slow starts. Last year he had only two top-10 finishes in the first 10 races, as well as two-sub-30th place results. In 2012, there were only two top-10s in 11 races, with four finishes of 33rd or worse.

Simply speaking, more consistency early in the year will place him in a better position of not needing to play catch-up when the summer stretch starts and the push to the Chase begins.

Gordon has three Daytona 500 victories (1997, 1999, 2005) and seeks to add a fourth next month.

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The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.