THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 22, 1995 TAG: 9501220256
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Former NASCAR driver Cecil Gordon, who had been with Dale Earnhardt's team for nine years, says his abrupt departure to become the crew chief of the Travis Carter-owned Ford driven by Jimmy Spencer was prompted by a desire for a new challenge.
``Really it was kind of a sudden decision,'' he said from the Carter shops in Hamptonville, N.C. ``I hadn't really been planning on making any kind of change. But when the opportunity came up, I took a good look and weighed all the aspects and the things I wanted to do in the future. And I just elected to give this one an attempt.''
Gordon, 53, who was a gear specialist and mechanic for Richard Childress Racing, started work for Carter on Jan. 16.
``I tell you what, I've really got a lot of high hopes,'' he said. ``It's a young team, but with Jimmy's talent, I feel like we're going to have an awful good season.''
Gordon said he left Childress and Earnhardt on good terms.
``I enjoyed all the years I worked there and it's always good to be with a team like them,'' he said. ``But sometimes you have to do other things in life. I got to the point in my life where I was ready to take on another challenge.''
SHEPHERD'S AWARD: Morgan Shepherd, driver of the Wood Brothers Ford, was among 47 sports people, including Steve Young, Joe Paterno and Florence Griffith-Joyner, who were honored with a ``Timmie Award'' on Saturday night by the Washington Touchdown Club.
The award is given to sports people for outstanding charity work in their communities. The only other NASCAR driver to receive the award is Richard Petty.
Shepherd was recognized for giving his time and support to various charities for the underprivileged and handicapped in North Carolina and southern Virginia.
Shepherd is one of the most active drivers when it comes to community service. Among other activities, he has a Christmas program in which he visits people in their homes, chatting with invalids and delivering toys to children.
BUSY RICHMOND: The Daytona 500 is still four weeks away, but Winston Cup teams are already looking past it, judging from the testing schedule at Richmond International Raceway.
Bill Elliott and Hendrick Motorsports (Terry Labonte, Ken Schrader and Jeff Gordon) have reserved the track for Monday and Tuesday, while Michael Waltrip, Lake Speed, Steve Kinser and Robert Pressley have booked the track for Jan. 30-31, track spokesman Sean Sawyer said. Rusty Wallace is scheduled to arrive Jan. 31 for three days, while Junie Donlavey, who fields Mike Wallace's Fords, has secured Feb. 21-23. by CNB