Gordon expects close ties with Stewart

Haas CNC have been racing with Hendrick machinery and will continue to run both chassis and engines from the leading Sprint Cup outfit next season when they become Stewart Haas Racing after double champion Stewart became a part-owner.

Gordon said his Hendrick team have worked closely with Haas in the past, including recent tests where they have shared information between the Haas and Hendrick crew chiefs while testing JR Motorsports driver Brad Keselowski.

"We offer them the ability to share some technology," Gordon said. "We feel like it's a smart move for us at Hendrick Motorsports because they've shown the commitment.

"If there is something that they can go out and do that we can learn from, and we can offer something up and learn from them, of course engines and cars we've been doing that with them for many years.

"So it's not the same as a teammate relationship, but it's not too far from it. But it's really about how they want to utilise that relationship.

"If they really want to push hard and open their books up to what they're doing, then it's going to make it a lot easier for us to do the same, especially if we're seeing results."

However Gordon expects Stewart to struggle initially behind the wheel at his new team, relative to his current level of competitiveness. Gordon revealed that he once had the chance to be an owner beside his former crew chief Ray Evernham when he was about to start his own team.

"I think that competition-wise they're going to struggle compared to where Tony's at with Gibbs for a little while but with his fight and determination I believe that anything is possible there," Gordon said.

"It's very rare, very, very rare. You know I was in a situation where Ray Evernham was being offered up to start a whole new team with Dodge and I went to Rick Hendrick and said 'here's what's happening: I don't want to go anywhere, I want to be right here but I'm being offered ownership and I certainly would like to see if there is an opportunity here' and the rest is history. It's just not talked about as much."

Although in a different manner to Stewart's deal with Haas, Gordon is also an owner in the Sprint Cup series. The four-times champion is listed as the owner of the No.48 Hendrick Motorsports car driven by his teammate Jimmie Johnson.