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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Report scores and results to 425-339-3470 or 1-866-6-SCORES (Call after 4:30 p.m.) E-mail information including items for Tuesday's Communities Sports Roundup and Thursday's Outdoor Calendar, to sports@heraldnet.com Kevin Brown, Sports Editor kbrown@heraldnet.com   Published: Saturday, August 16, 2008 NASCAR notes: Coleman ready for Cup debut Also items on Elliott Sadler and Jeff Gordon By Mike Harris Associated Press BROOKLYN, Mich. -- If Brad Coleman could get away with it, he would wear his new NASCAR Sprint Cup uniform a whole lot more. "It's a good-looking suit," the proud 20-year-old racer said Saturday, just over 24 hours before he was to make his Cup debut in the No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing Toyota. "I want to wear it all the time, but I don't want to look like an idiot." Coleman, who has 43 starts since 2006 in the Nationwide Series, is replacing veteran J.J. Yeley, fired last week. Coleman is 16th in the Nationwide points with two top-10s, driving for Baker Curb Racing. A year ago, Coleman drove part-time for Joe Gibbs Racing and had three top-fives, including a runner-up finish at Kentucky, and five top-10s in 15 races. Sunday will be a pretty heady moment in Coleman's young life. But he knows a lot is expected of him, beginning with the 3M Performance 400. "There's always pressure on a driver to perform," Coleman said. "I don't want to go out there and make any mistakes. I don't want to look like an idiot. My biggest goal is to just be smooth and gain as much respect as I can. "It's not really that big a difference. I mean, the Nationwide Series is big-time motor sports. There's 31 races a year, but you can tell the difference when you're in the Cup series." The biggest pressure moment of the week is already behind him. Coleman, driving a car outside the top 35 in owner points, had to qualify for the 43-car field. He was 43rd of the 44 drivers entered. "I really didn't realize how nerve-racking qualifying would be until I came down to do it," Coleman said. "When I got in the car and started to go around, I could feel the nerves. After I made the lap and they told me I was in, I was just really excited. "My No. 1 goal was to make the race, and my No. 2 goal is to get as many laps as I can without any incident." Coleman said the Cup veterans have given him a nice greeting. "It's been good," he said. "A lot of these guys I've raced on the Nationwide Series, but now I've got to go out and gain their respect on a whole new level." COMPLAINT DEPARTMENT: Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon is winless and an undistinguished sixth so far this season, and crew chief Steve Letarte has drawn the brunt of the criticism from Gordon's fans. "We focus on everything, from how internal communication is, how people are doing their jobs," Gordon said. "If making a change was going to fix it then there might have been changes. But that's not the issue. "I think Steve Letarte is doing an awesome job. ... It's just been one of those years. I believe in what we have. There's areas where we're looking to getting stronger and better. The fans have to just be patient, and I remind everybody of what we did last year." A year ago, Gordon won six races, ran away with the regular season and wound up second to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson in the Chase for the championship. "We were an awesome race team last year, had one of the best years that I've ever had," Gordon said. "And Steve was the guy that was guiding that ship, so I believe 100 percent in him. "Your confidence gets down and a lot of things happen. Performances aren't always there and it's the toughest thing to rebound from that, and that's kind of the situation we're in right now. We're working really hard. We tested this week in Kentucky and we just continue to work hard at it." WIN FOR THE KIDS: Elliott Sadler, starting third on Sunday, has a lot of reasons he'd like to win the race. First, the last of his three Cup victories came almost four years ago — September 2004 in California when Sadler was driving for Robert Yates. Beyond that, though, Stanley Tools and Ace Hardware Foundation will donate $1 million to the Children's Miracle Network if Sadler's No. 19 Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge wins the race. "It's an unbelievable incentive," Sadler said. "We went to the Sparrow Hospital in Lansing (Mich. on Thursday) and met some amazing kids who gave us that much more incentive to win the race." SPARK PLUGS: Twelve-year-old Austin Irwin will act as grand marshal Sunday, thanks to race sponsor 3M and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Irwin suffers from Wilm's Tumor, a type of cancer. His wish was to come to a NASCAR race and meet some drivers. ... Mark Martin will make a record 72nd Michigan start Sunday on a track where he has eight race wins, including four in Cup, two in Nationwide, one in IROC and one in ARCA. ... Sixty-two of 78 Cup races at MIS have been won from a top-10 starting spot. Tony Stewart's victory from 28th in 2001 was the farthest a driver has come for a win.

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