In a season that looked like nothing good was going to happen for this organization. Gillett Evernham Motorsports (GEM) has pulled off quite an amazing turnaround.

Back in May Kasey Kahne was the highest ranked of the three drivers, he was in 14th. Elliott Sadler was 28th, and rookie of the year contender Patrick Carpentier was outside the Top-35, in the 41st position.

GEM has seen a lot of progress since NASCAR’s visit to Charlotte, North Carolina. Kahne has won three times (one came in a non-points race) and presented a runner up finish. Sadler has three Top-10 finishes to his credit, and the rookie took the pole for last week’s race at New Hampshire.

Things seem to be looking up for each of the three teams. What is the x-factor? They say it’s the cars.

"We're still building new cars and feel very confident about the next few races that we are going to with our Dodges," Sadler says. "I've got a good feeling about this Gillett Evernham race team. We just need to put it all together."

Sadler articulates that the car as a whole has made life way easier. He feels that he is in a better position to contend in races than he was before the Charlotte turnaround.

"We've made them a little bit lighter, a little faster," Sadler says. "They're real comfortable to drive. Any time that you can get your car more comfortable, the drivers are going to drive them faster and look better on the race track. We've come a long way in this car of tomorrow from last year. I think all the hard work is paying off. Kasey and I are very happy with our cars and setups each and every week, not only on Friday, but Sunday too. I think that we are more competitive and better in traffic. It doesn't matter if it's a big track or small track, we're starting to figure out what this car wants, and it definitely has shown each and every week. Now we just have to put together a whole uneventful race and try to get some luck on our side."

Leading the charge, Kahne and Francis have communicated and worked well together. They do not lack in confidence for one another, and that will generate wonders if the chemistry will continue. Kahne believes that the chemistry was needing some repairs up until the All-Star race. After that, they turned the jets on and took off.

"We've been good ever since," he says. "We just hit on a few setup things that have helped a lot. And our team morale and my communication to the team have been really good. There are just a lot of little things that I think really got going once we started winning. We haven't been bad, and we've been close all year. So it's been good. We've had good race cars."

The No. 9 and No. 19 have been undistinguishable, according to Sadler. He also says that everyone in the teams (including themselves) between the two have been communicating optimally.

"The 9 (of Kahne) and 19 are pretty much identical each and every week," he says, comparing the two teams. "We almost have the attitude of one team, two drivers. Even though we're separated by a lot of (driver) points, if the 19 can hit on one little thing to help the 9 car, it's going to help those guys with their Chase run. As good as they've been, if they can hit on one little thing to help us, it's going to help us improve on our position as well. We're working very well together. Kasey and I are communicating really good together.

"(Sadler team director) Rodney and Kenny (Francis) are communicating good together. It's just been real fun here the last few months."

Even the rookie has seen some light. Carpentier, for the first time in his career, usurped the pole position last week ant New Hampshire. He is thrilled to be part of the organization. Carpentier says that the team as a whole has stepped up and executed their job to the best of their abilities.

"We tested all winter, tested really hard, and Kasey and Elliott did a lot of things to the car, and it's teamwork," he said. "Ray has organized the team and put some people in place, and with Mr. Gillett buying the team and focusing on the sponsorship side of it and having some guys on the technical side of it, everybody kind of does his job more. ... For Ray to do everything with sponsors and this and that, the sport has grown too much to do that, and now Ray comes in and helps and gives me some tips and different things.

"And Kasey and Elliott really work together well. These guys, as soon as I find something on the car that's good I give it to them. But I'll be honest with you, more often it's them that's giving it to me for now. But in the future we hope to give them some more. ... This year it's really truly starting to be a three-car team, and they're really working for the guys, and we'll get meetings together and everything. The team is just coming together. It's been fun to watch. I mean, I came in at the right time last year. Everybody struggled, and they picked me up, and the team is coming back up. I'm really fortunate."