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From foe to friend, for Junior, in the number 12 car. I doubt he will give zero bars to the driver of the 12 car again.
Jeff Gordon: Giving an inch on last lap at Daytona and Talladega easier said than done
By SceneDaily Staff
Thursday, July 09, 2009
Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon has one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Chicagoland Speedway.
LaDon George
NASCAR Scene
JOLIET, Ill. – Jeff Gordon chalks up the last-lap wrecks involving leaders at the Sprint Cup Series’ two most recent restrictor-plate races to one thing: Drivers don’t think clearly when going for the win on the last lap.
“As a race-car driver, I think that that’s the one thing that separates us from the average person,” Gordon said Thursday at Chicagoland Speedway, site of Saturday night’s LifeLock.com 400. “You become so hungry for that victory in that moment and you don’t really think rationally. You don’t think, ‘Well, I’m going to put a block here and then I’m going to do it once and then if that doesn’t work, I’m just going to give it up.’”
Gordon addressed the issue of last-lap accidents after contact between frontrunners Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch last Saturday at Daytona sent Busch crashing hard and collecting several others on the final lap. The wreck started when Busch moved up to block the charging Stewart and Stewart’s car hooked the right rear quarter panel of Busch’s machine.
There was also a late wreck among leaders at Talladega in the spring when Carl Edwards’ car went airborne and into the catch fence after contact with Brad Keselowski in the trioval on the last lap.
Like at Daytona, that accident started when the leader tried to block the second-place driver’s attempt to pass while racing toward the checkered flag. The wreck at Talladega occurred close to the yellow line that drivers are not allowed to race under. The wreck at Daytona occurred well above the yellow line.
“Is the yellow-line rule a good thing? It probably is,” said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. “We’d be driving through the grass if we weren’t doing that and that’s not a good thing either. I think that some responsibility lies upon us competitors to make some better judgment calls when it comes down to that finish.
“I mean, these are not air bags that we’re driving around there. These are fast, expensive race cars and you’ve got to think a little bit about that when you’re closing in on the finish, especially at these restrictor-plate tracks.”
Gordon just hopes the lessons of the last two restrictor-plate races will be remembered when the series returns to Talladega in the fall – but he can’t guarantee that they will.
“I know how blind and stubborn I’m going to be if I’m in that situation,” the four-time champion said. “I’m hoping that some of those other situations come into the back of my mind and help me make a little bit better choice. I’ve kind of got some things up my sleeve if I get in that position that I think might help me win the race and not be in the fence.”
Does Gordon think that others might also be able to think more clearly going forward at Daytona and Talladega?
“Oh, I’m not saying I’m going to think clearly,” he said. “I’m hoping. There’s been plenty of cases where I haven’t. We’re race-car drivers, we’re not necessarily going to be thinking clearly on the white-flag lap at Daytona and Talladega.”
Mentioned Drivers: Jeff Gordon
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6248 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -184 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -192 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -239 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -279 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | -312 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -340 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | -402 |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | -414 |
| 10 | Carl Edwards | -437 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | -448 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -556 |
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8 responses to "Jeff Gordon: Giving an inch on last lap at Daytona and Talladega easier said than done". Post a Comment.
Carol-88-fan said:
Jul 10, 2009 at 2:01 PMTo Jeff Fans, If you have Schwans frozen foods in your area, they are doing a promotion with Jeffs foundation. They are selling gallon ice cream tins with Jeff on them. 1 in every 1000 is personally autographed. A percentage of each sale goes to the childrens hospitals his foundation helps. Mine wasn't personally autographed, but the ice cream is great and it goes to a great cause.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportCarol-88-fan said:
Jul 10, 2009 at 2:01 PMTo Jeff Fans, If you have Schwans frozen foods in your area, they are doing a promotion with Jeffs foundation. They are selling gallon ice cream tins with Jeff on them. 1 in every 1000 is personally autographed. A percentage of each sale goes to the childrens hospitals his foundation helps. Mine wasn't personally autographed, but the ice cream is great and it goes to a great cause.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportnascarnutsheeler said:
Jul 10, 2009 at 4:58 PMSpoken well Jeff
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Jul 10, 2009 at 4:59 PMsounds like biff
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» Confirm Abuse Reporttzcz said:
Jul 10, 2009 at 5:09 PMWell, said, Jeff, both from a rational point as well as a realistic point. "We should do... but we don't always do..." I also appreciate your genuine honesty, that you don't always do what's right or best. I hope and pray that if you're ever in that situation (I would prefer that you would always be way out in front in every race) you would think sensibly about the much bigger picture - including your wife and family. May God bless and keep you and all the other drivers as well. P.S. The ice cream and tin are fantastic. Thanks!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportmanzytrophygirl said:
Jul 10, 2009 at 7:19 PMWell spoken, Jeff...you are a great driver!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportminkee2 said:
Jul 10, 2009 at 7:21 PMGreat mature comment, Jeff. Sounds more like Jeff Burton than Gordon.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportWerner said:
Jul 11, 2009 at 11:02 AMlike football it's a game of inches...miss it by 1" and a win turns into a wreck...
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