Kasey Kahne, left, and crew chief Tommy Baldwin have struggled to get a handle on the Dodge Charger this year. Credit: Autostock

Shop Talk with ... Tommy Baldwin

Tommy Baldwin knows all about the roller-coaster existence of a Nextel Cup Series crew chief. After all, he's experienced his share of highs and lows in just the past nine months.

As the crew chief for the No. 9 Dodge team of Kasey Kahne, Baldwin visited Victory Lane with his driver at Richmond in May and has endured a disappointing season for most of the other 33 races his team has run this season.

Before a practice session Saturday at Texas, Baldwin discussed this weekend's race at Phoenix, his disappointment on how the 2005 season has shaken out and where he stands on his hometown sports teams.

	KASEY KAHNE •   Driver Page •   2005 Statistics •   Superstore: Kahne gear Inside the Numbers Kasay Kahne's Cup stats Year W T5 T10 2004 0 13 14 2005 1 5 8 Totals 1 18 22

Q: So what does it take to be successful at a track like Phoenix?

Baldwin: Definitely, Phoenix is a lot more handling than aerodynamics there. You've got to have a really good-handling race car. You've got to qualify well and stay up front. If you're going good, you can pass really well there, but if you're just decent, it's hard to pass. The emphasis is on getting a really good handling race car that gets off the corner good off the bottom so you can get under people.

Q: There's been a lot of talk about the Car of Tomorrow after the test last week [at Atlanta]. What are your initial thoughts about it?

Baldwin: I don't really know. I don't know much about it, so it's hard for me to say anything. From the information we've got, there's some stuff positive and some stuff negative. I think NASCAR's got a lot more work to do in order to make it right for the future.

Q: As far as your season this year, how would you characterize it? You got a win at Richmond, but you've struggled at a lot of tracks, too.

Baldwin: Ah, man. It's been horrible. We just can't string along anything -- any consistency. It's been a difficult year, a real up-and-down roller coaster. One week, you leave the racetrack thinking you've got it all figured out, next week you don't.

This sport's really humbling. It just took a couple of rule changes and a couple of changes and things around the tires to take us from a contending team every week last year to a struggling team this year. It's been amazing.

Q: How much of that is caused by the change to the Charger and the aerodynamic changes NASCAR made at the beginning of the season?

Baldwin: I think it all adds up. I think it just all hit us at once and caught us a little off-guard.

Q: You've crew chiefed for a lot of different types of drivers, from Jimmy Spencer to Ward Burton to Kasey Kahne. Is there something you've learned from other drivers that has helped you deal better with Kahne?

Baldwin: The thing I had is a lot of experience with some veteran racecar drivers and that kind of helped me with Kasey a little bit, keeping him calm. Just dealing with him. His natural talent is, by far, the best I've worked with. That overrode the veteran part of the other racers. It's been quite the experience. We've had a lot of fun.

Q: Speaking of Ward Burton, have you spoken to him lately?

Baldwin: No, I haven't, actually. I saw him at the Martinsville race in April, but that's the last time I said hello to him.

Q: Does it surprise you that he's not out here racing?

Baldwin: I just think he got to the point that if he's not gonna get anything really good to drive, there's no sense for him to drive at all, ya know? I'm sure his interest is still there, but I don't think he'll drive any junk anymore.

Q: You're from Bellport, N.Y., right?

Baldwin: Yup

Q: That's Long Island, right?

Baldwin: Yeah!

Q: Yankees or Mets?

Baldwin: Yankees. Yankees.

Q: Giants or Jets?

Baldwin: Giiiiiannnnts.

Q: Rangers or Islanders?

Baldwin: Uhhh, I could go either way on that one.