Jeff Gordon finishes third in standings with sixth-place finish that 'wasn't real pretty'
By SceneDaily Staff
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon finished sixth in Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway to hang on to third in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup standings.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
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Mark Martin finds no frustration in finishing second to teammate Jimmie Johnson
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - Hendrick Motorsports' Jeff Gordon admitted that it's tough to compete against teammate Jimmie Johnson season after season for championships. But when it came down to it, he enjoyed watching the driver make history Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
He also enjoyed making a little history of his own, as Gordon helped Hendrick grab the top three positions in the standings, a feat never before accomplished in NASCAR Cup racing history. Johnson matched Gordon's title tally of four, but Gordon didn't win his championships in consecutive seasons.
Gordon laughed that hitting the mark of locking down the top three spots in the standings meant a lot to team owner Rick Hendrick - who had been texting Gordon about the potential throughout the week. Gordon held off Penske Racing's Kurt Busch in the championship standings to take the third spot, behind four-time champion Johnson and runner-up Mark Martin.
After Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Ford 400, Gordon seemed a little in awe of all the record-setting going on this season. Also the co-owner of Johnson's No. 48 team, Gordon admitted that he'd seen the 34-year-old driver hit a mark that Gordon thought was out of reach at this level.
"I really never thought I would see in my career or in my lifetime somebody win four in a row so I think it's absolutely extraordinary what they've accomplished and to be right side by side with him in a race shop in our meetings and just all the time, really, as a team and see it happening right in front of your eyes makes it even more extraordinary," Gordon said. "… It's just a lot of hard work and effort, a great organization, a great team with a great driver."
He laughed about the additional pressure he felt to keep Hendrick in the position of netting the top three points finishers, but seemed at peace with the season in which he won one race and earned 25 top-10 finishes.
"Right now we're just going to enjoy this moment being one, two, three and those guys winning four in a row and go into [the] offseason with something to smile about and a lot of work left ahead of us," Gordon said.
Gordon said that his car was good early in the race, but that when the sun went down, "we just really struggled.
"[The car was] real loose and we tried to fix it and all we did was make the middle [of the corners] tight. But we finished sixth, finished third in the points. We did what we had to do. It wasn't real pretty."
Still, while he found the positives in the night, Gordon is clearly hungering for more.
"I'm happy that we're one, two, three but I want to be No. 1," he said. "Our team wants to be No. 1. We've got to try to figure out how to get back."
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24 responses to "Jeff Gordon finishes third in standings with sixth-place finish that 'wasn't real pretty'". Post a Comment.
Robby said:
Nov 22, 2009 at 9:15 PM3rd is better than 25th. Letart isnt as bad as alot of people claim he is. No one can stop Chad at this point, I see them winning 12 straight championships
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» Confirm Abuse Reportnascar5776 said:
Nov 22, 2009 at 9:42 PMNo, Letart isn't a bad crew chief, but he's not what Gordon needs. There's a disconnect somewhere between the two. They have been together long enough that they should be "clicking" by now but they clearly are not. Steve has worked with the "new" car long enough that he should have it figured out. Especially sharing a shop with Knauz and the 48 bunch. Must be one of those "chemistry" things. Something just isn't quite right there. Maybe Mr. H needs to hire Everham back now that we know he wants to get back into the competition side of things. Yes, he and Jeff had their falling out years ago. Maybe they'd now be mature enough to realize what they accomplished and can both "man up" and work together once again.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportsweetthings88 said:
Nov 22, 2009 at 9:43 PMOH NO!!!! ROBBY LETS HOPE NOT. THERE WON'T BE ANY PEOPLES GOING TO THE RACES OR WATCHING. I KNOW ROBBY. LET JIMMIE MISS IT IN 2010 AND PICK IT BACK UP IN 2011.LET JEFF GORDON OR DALE JR. OR HELL EVEN MARK MARTIN WIN CHAMPIONSHIP IN 2010. DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A PLAN?
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJenna48fan said:
Nov 22, 2009 at 11:04 PMCry Baby
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» Confirm Abuse Reportnascarfan247 said:
Nov 22, 2009 at 11:19 PM12 lets hope not 4 all we can handle lol.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportRobby said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 1:03 AMI no #3 I'd love to see Mark get one he's been so close so many times over the years, he really deserves one championship before he retires, Johnson's still got plenty of time left to win more, give someone else a shot I say. Best way to do that is change the chase points award system and swap a few races in the chase, add another short track and a road course and then it might make things even out so it keeps the points race tight.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportBILLFAN50 said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 9:12 AMHe may get his 5th next year,but how many will be in the stands to watch...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportSpacemaker24 said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 4:08 PMNow that Ray Evernham has said that he wants to return to a team once he's detached from his RPM contracts it will be interesting to see if he comes back to HMS. I don't see him being a CC anymore but definitely some sort of team manager.
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» Confirm Abuse Report48addict said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 4:14 PMI agree that five in a row would be very bad for Nascar. Now that history has been made let's hope for an exciting and close year next year. Congratulations to Jimmie!!! I was one of the doubters that this could happen and am very relieved it is over. Jimmie has solidified his position as one of the greatest drivers ever.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportgojeffgo said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 4:35 PMI want you in the #1 spot too Jeff!!Let Jr, JJ and Twinkletoes be #2,3,4 next year!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportocgrandad said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 4:36 PMJeff, you're #3 in the record book but #1 in class and #1 in my book !
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» Confirm Abuse Reportkcysr said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 5:01 PM3rd string player on a first rate Hendrick motorsports team. Now he gets his championship record tied by a man with the same car and finishes behind a 50 year old teammate.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportedblake38 said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 5:06 PMl you can tell late in races steve la, hasent got clue listen to the radio and you can feel it
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» Confirm Abuse Reportgojeffgo said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 7:47 PMthat worries me to about Steve. Sure wish Evernham would just give him pointers.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportcalmcbr said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 8:16 PMGordon has won with 2 different chiefs. He missed a 3-peat in 1996 by less than 20 pts and #5 by less than 20 pts in 2004. No, LeTart is no a bad chief but good is barely enough He cannot assimilate data in the manner needed to achieve the set up on the generic car. If LeTart was as loyal to Jeff ss Jeff has been to him he would step aside and ask Everham to steer The 24 team for Gordon's few remaining years. Gordon/Everham VS Johnson/Knaus! Who would not pay to see those race??
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» Confirm Abuse Reportcalmcbr said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 8:33 PMIn a Scene Daily article a few months back, Everham in answer to the question if he would ever crew another race team, replied he would always be Gordon's crew chief. Followed that statement up by saying it would take Gordon & LeTart to get him back in the garage? It had the tone of somebody waiting to be asked...
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» Confirm Abuse ReportRobby said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 9:48 PMEvernham sounds like a good choice but so doesn't Pop's for Jr. But lets face it neither have experience with the COT and it could take them awhile to figure it out. But it sure would be fun to see them go at it again...
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» Confirm Abuse Reportannmyers said:
Nov 23, 2009 at 10:32 PMThis 24 fan is rootin' for Ray. Come on, Ray, Jeff needs you. You could figure out what to do with the car by the tone of Jeff's voice. You could see his face in the garage and know what was wrong. I've been listening to Jeff's channel for several weeks. I may not know beans about being a crew chief but right now I could do as good as Stevie. I like Stevie and he's been a faithful HMS employee. But there is definitely something missing. I keep feeling like Stevie doesn't have a clue and he's guessing. He's just throwing stuff at the car and hoping it works. This can't continue if Jeff is going to contend for the Cup. Sometimes you just have to admit something isn't working and change it. Stevie is too close to Knaus. He's got to know that whatever the 48 is doing isn't going to work for Jeff. They don't drive the same because they didn't come up in the same stuff. Maybe Stevie would be more comfortable as the car chief again and we can get Ray back. I love that idea of Jeff & Ray vs. Jimmie & Chad. Hot dog!!! Come on, Jeff and Ray, make this work. It makes me salivate just thinking about it.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbonjg24 said:
Nov 24, 2009 at 1:19 AMExactly what would it take to convince Ray he is
Report as Abusedesperately needed in HMS and Jeff in particular.
Surely he hasn't forgotten everything he knew back then...and I could see him figuring out the
COT in no time at all. I didn't know Ray and Jeff had a falling out a few years ago. I was
under the impression Ray just wanted to try out
his hand being an owner. Now it is time for him to reconsider....and do what he really does
best!!!! The two of them were unbeatable. It
could happen again. YES???
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» Confirm Abuse Reportxbrownsx said:
Nov 24, 2009 at 2:35 AMRay Evernham did a great job in getting DODGE back into NASCAR. Richard Petty Motorsports will be a major disappointment in 2010 with this lame Ford - Yates "merger". However, that's not Ray's fault.
Report as AbuseI think Ray returning to Hendrick and working with Jeff Gordon is just what the #24 team needs to win a Championship.
It probably will never happen (Ray coming back) but I think if Rick Hendrick asked Ray to return, meant it, gave Ray what he needs - I think Ray would do it.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjbbigrod said:
Nov 24, 2009 at 2:37 AM2010: Go Mark, Go CARL!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportcalmcbr said:
Nov 24, 2009 at 11:43 AMIn response to BONJ24: I have never heard a single remark made by Everham, or anyone else that a falling out had happened? I heard Everham make statements to the contrary. Extolling the virtues of Gordon and promising all that Jeff would win more chamionships which he did manage to get one with Loomis. (almost 2)
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJrNation_Idiots said:
Nov 24, 2009 at 12:49 PMLooks like Chevelle is hiding. He wants a CC change for his driver, he just won't admit it after all the ish he talks on everyone else's driver...
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» Confirm Abuse Reporttrtruckin said:
Nov 24, 2009 at 2:11 PMPost #2. There was no falling out between Jeff and Chad! Chad made the decision to move strictly for business reasons. To start up a new Dodge program. That completed he sold it. Can't blame Ray for doing a business that should leave him pretty well off for most of his life. I do share the sentiments with those of you who would like to see Jeff and Ray together again, but I really have to wonder if it would work. Rays been away a long time, this car is completely different from what he know's and Jeff is a little older and not quite the risk taker he use to be. He's still a great driver and his record shows that, but I'm not sure if he was completely honest if that 110% desire is still there.
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