Photo by Larry N. Souders / Jeff Gordon turns a lap during morning practice at Bristol.
By Rick Sheek (rsheek@starhq.com)
BRISTOL – Jeff Gordon, a five-time winner at Bristol Motor Speedway, approves of the current condition of the NASCAR circuit’s most challenging facility.
With the Car of Tomorrow, the multi-groove high banks have meant the level of racing has never been better at BMS. The four-time Food City 500 winner could use a boost right now.
Also a four-time champion of auto racing’s premier series, Gordon is on the outside looking in as far as the 12-car Chase for the Championship field. Just four stops into the Sprint Cup schedule, the circuit’s winningest active driver (sixth all-time, 79 victories) isn’t punching the panic button.
“I’m looking forward to Bristol this weekend, and having a week off,” Gordon said of the upcoming open date which precedes Martinsville. “I feel like we had a car capable of winning at California. We’ve had real good cars, but I don’t really feel like we’ve had the car to beat yet.
“To me, we’ve done our homework and as a team we’re doing good, but some other teams have stepped up.”
Gordon’s teammate Jimmie Johnson, the defending and two-time series champ, is slumped in similar doldrums. A year ago saw Johnson get off to a hot start, Gordon surge to a large lead atop the championship race, before Johnson came on late and captured the title.
“I feel like we’re doing what we need to be doing now, and we’re just going to keep trying to push it,” Gordon said. “We’re certainly not there. I feel real good about our race team.”
Now an elder stateman of the sport at just 36, Gordon is confident that elusive fifth championship is a possibility and that Hendrick Motorsports will bounce back. He is part-owner of Johnson’s car.
A recent test at Darlington, where he will return for more practice next week, has fueled optimism.
“I feel like we’ve had a few problems,” Gordon said. “I’m all about percentages and things like that. Last year we were so consistent, had so few problems. Those things weighed themselves out over time.
“I’m kind of happy to get these things out of the way early, because maybe that means we can get our streak where it needs to be towards the second half of the season – and get our speed where it needs to be. Which we’re just this close, this first half of the season.”
Gordon understands he and teammates Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears are marked men after this operation has owned the sport of late. That’s part of the equation, the way he views it, as other outfits are striving to catch up.
“When you’re a dominant team, everybody’s goal is to beat them,” Gordon said. “Whether it’s Roush, Gibbs, Childress or whoever it may be. I know that’s our goal every year. Right now that’s what we’re after.
“Our goal is we need to beat those guys. We’re just trying to be as competitive as we can.”
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