Penske names Todd Gordon as crew chief

Jacques Villeneuve driver of the #22 Discount Tire Dodge, speaks with crew chief Todd Gordon (L), in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Nationwide Series NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

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Penske Racing is still conducting its search for a driver of its No. 22 car, but it now has a crew chief to replace the departed Steve Addington.

Todd Gordon, who guided Penske’s full-time Nationwide team to six wins in 2011, will be crew chief of the No. 22 Cup car in 2012.

Penske hopes to have similar success with Gordon as it did in promoting Paul Wolfe last year. Wolfe won the Nationwide Series title in 2010 with driver Brad Keselowski and then guided Keselowski to a fifth-place finish in Cup points in 2011.

“Our first priority is always to look within the walls of Penske Racing when making personnel decisions," said team owner Roger Penske in a news release. “We want to reward success. The path we are taking with Todd mirrors what we did with Paul Wolfe. … We think Todd can get the job done in the same manner."

Penske still needs to decide on a driver of the No. 22 car. David Ragan is among the candidates who has talked with Penske, but a decision might not come until next week.

For now, Gordon will just concentrate on getting cars ready. He replaces Addington, who went to Stewart-Haas Racing to be crew chief for 2011 Cup champion Tony Stewart.

“I can’t thank Roger and everyone at Penske Racing enough for this vote of confidence," said Gordon, whose team was fifth in the Nationwide owner standings in 2011. “It’s an honor to step into a race-winning team. We have a lot of work ahead of us, but this is an organization full of talented people that know how to get the job done." Scenedaily.com