Like a rubber ball...

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Steve Addington paid his dues. For more than 15 years, he worked as a Busch (now Nationwide) Series crew chief. Even when he moved up to NASCAR's top level, Addington's career was a struggle. Well liked and respected, he never seemed to get his due.

Then Addington and Kyle Busch hooked up. The cliché is working like a dog for decades, only to wake up one morning an overnight sensation.

When the younger Busch brother signed with Joe Gibbs Racing, Addington became his crew chief, which, at the time, seemed like a shaky proposition. Paired with J.J. Yeley in 2007, Addington couldn't produce more than 21st place in the point standings.

But then, along came Kyle. Cast aside at NASCAR's most prominent team, Hendrick Motorsports, Busch latched on at JGR, where the team's No. 18 had been slumping since Bobby Labonte's 2000 championship in that number.

For 26 magical weeks, the Sprint Cup regular season, Busch and Addington were the toast of NASCAR: eight victories, on top of the standings and favored to win it all.

Then Steve Addington's carriage turned into a pumpkin. In the Chase, Busch's average finish was 19.1. He finished 10th in the final standings after beginning the Chase first.

Is the pressure on Addington again? He smiled and said, "I don't think so."

Naturally, Addington, who is from Spartanburg, S.C., is quite the fan of Kyle Busch, who is from Las Vegas, Nev. Busch sort of added a lot of bright lights to Addington's career.

There's a certain kinship between Addington, 44, and Busch, 23. (Addington, by the way, may have been born in Spartanburg but it was on the Fourth of July.)

"He came in here with a lot to prove," said Addington of Busch. "He had to find out where he was, too, as a driver and as a person. You take losing a ride at Hendrick Motorsports. ... It's a pretty big deal for a 23-year-old kid to have questions, and have to answer questions, about where I am as a driver because I'm the odd man out here. He came in here and I think he saw the type of guys and the type of organization we have at Joe Gibbs Racing and felt comfortable. I think he was more comfortable here after that first test than he ever was there (at Hendrick)."

Now it's recovery time again. The Chase left a hangover.

"We were all disappointed coming away from the year without a championship after we saw the kind of year that we could have," said Addington. "Going into last year with a new driver coming in here, the team was unproven, as far as that group of guys working together.

"This year, I think we approach it as ‘championship or bust.' If you don't, you don't have any competitive fire in your stomach. We know what we're capable of doing if we give Kyle the cars that he needs and work well together."

A year ago, it would have been a disappointment to Addington if he hadn't kept his job. Now it's different.

"It's going to be a disappointment if we don't win a championship," he said, and the smile indicated that it was a good problem to have."

 You can reach Monte Dutton at mdutton@gastongazette.com.

Monte Dutton

Clinton, SC

To hear my crummy songs, go to myspace.com/hmdutton ... and check out montedutton.com.

"We should be careful to get out of an experience only the wisdom that is in it -- and stop there -- lest we be like the cat that sits down on a hot stove-lid. She will never sit down on a hot stove-lid again, and that is well; but also she will never sit down on a cold one any more." -- Mark Twain, author and humorist (1835-1910)

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