Jeff Gordon will not have another back procedure, says training is paying off
INDIANAPOLIS – Jeff Gordon says he will not have another facet-block procedure on his ailing back.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver underwent the procedure, where an anti-inflammatory is injected into his back, in mid-May and talked in June about doing it again. The procedure is designed to be both therapeutic and diagnostic.
“I didn’t think the procedure really made any impact, so I talked to my doctors and we made the decision that right now we’re not going to do anything,” Gordon said Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “I don’t like to stick needles in my back, to be honest with you. I don’t want to do anything like that or surgery or anything else.
“I’ve been getting through the races fine and haven’t had any issues for a while and I think it’s because of the training. I think that’s paying off more than anything else.”
The four-time Cup champion said having the week off didn’t make much of a difference as to how he is feeling this weekend. He says that isn’t bad considering that IMS is a smooth track that isn’t bruising on the body.
“Certain tracks really irritate it more than others,” Gordon said. “I could have a month off and go to Bristol, and the only thing is the training is going to benefit me. That’s the biggest thing – from the beginning of the year, the things that I’ve been doing to get in better shape are starting to pay off.
“The true test will be when we go back to Bristol. But this track isn’t [a problem].”
