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Kenny Bruce: Guarantees no longer exist for Gordon

By Kenny Bruce - Assistant Managing Editor

Saturday, September 06, 2008

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COMMENTARY

For 14 consecutive seasons, from 1994 through 2007, winning NASCAR Cup races seemed as if it came almost too easy for Jeff Gordon.
 
As the years clicked off, so did the victories, each season seeing two or more checkered flags fall his way.
 
And when the 2007 season came to a close, the Hendrick Motorsports driver had no reason to believe such success would not continue. His 81 career wins were sixth on NASCAR’s all-time list, and No. 1 among active drivers. His four championships exceeded all but two others who had come before him.

He was hot – winning six races in ’07. He was on a roll – finishing second to teammate Jimmie Johnson in the Chase For The Sprint Cup. The “drive for 5,” it seemed, was alive and well.

And then ...

And then along came Kyle Busch. And Carl Edwards. And Johnson. And the wins disappeared.

Suddenly, Gordon went from starring in the lead role to that of a stand-in.

There have been no more checkered flags for the 37-year-old California native, not since last year’s win in the fall race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. That’s a fruitless run of 30 starts. It’s not his longest winless streak (he went 41 races before finally getting career win No. 1 back in 1994), but it’s got to be one of his most disheartening.

Gordon’s not alone in his misery. At least four other drivers looking to qualify for this year’s Chase have failed to win a race this year, including two-time champion Tony Stewart.
 
No Hendrick team has been dominant this year, although Johnson’s group has recently seemed to come into its own. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been steady, if unspectacular. And Casey Mears hasn’t lived up to expectations.

Yet Gordon’s shortcomings have by far been the most glaring.

“It’s been frustrating,” team owner Rick Hendrick admitted after last week’s Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway, a race won by Johnson. “They are working awful hard. They are testing.

“The car is just ... it’s a fine edge and what works for one driver doesn’t work for the other driver. You have to tune the car to the driver.”
 
Thus far, that tuning hasn’t resulted in winning races. Of late, it’s rarely been close. Through the season’s first 25 races, Gordon’s managed an average finishing position of 15th. In his last 12 starts, he has twice as many finishes (eight) outside the top 10 as inside (four).

It’s not uncommon to hear Gordon and crew chief Steve Letarte talk about “making the car better” during the course of a race. But for the most part, better hasn’t been nearly enough.

Hendrick hopes the upcoming races will prove to be kind to his most successful team, but acknowledges that the struggles have been most evident on the 1.5-mile layouts. That five of the final 10 races will be held on such tracks doesn’t bode well.

“We’ve had unbelievable things happen, [such as] breaking suspension pieces, but we just haven’t been as good, nowhere near as good, as he was last year, and we’ve just struggled,” Hendrick said.

Gordon needs a win to keep his streak alive; he needs consistency if he hopes to mount a serious run at the title.

But for perhaps the first time in his career, consistency is something Gordon hasn’t been able to count on.

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Comments

7 responses to "Kenny Bruce: Guarantees no longer exist for Gordon"
  1. 1
    keisler bobby said:
    Sep 6, 2008 at 7:24 AM

    I am a Gordon fan and I really wish the media would quit asking and writing about Jeff retiring...it's like your over the hill boy time to quit.

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  2. 2
    linda smythers said:
    Sep 6, 2008 at 8:26 AM

    i am not a gordon fan but let the man race winning isnt everything

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  3. 3
    chris welch said:
    Sep 6, 2008 at 9:35 AM

    jeff gordon is the best driver out there. but today, it is all about the car and he doesnt have what he needs. steve letarte may need to be moved.

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  4. 4
    George Rice said:
    Sep 6, 2008 at 10:01 AM

    Now more than ever rscers, fsns, sponsors, snd owners know how hsrd it is to win. Dale Jr. went almost two years. After gettng into a Rick Hendrick car he won the bud shootou and 18 races later a cup win at Michigan. Lets dump the COT car and put the Drivers back in the win factor.

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  5. 5
    Ross A Peot said:
    Sep 6, 2008 at 1:21 PM

    It amazes me. A writer from Sporting News had Jeff written off for the Chase early in the year. What guarantees are you talking about? I'm not sure putting Jeff Gordon in a questionable catagory is good reporting.

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  6. 6
    77 F said:
    Sep 8, 2008 at 7:59 AM

    Geesh Kenny Bruce! I know it's a commentary but...As you started to point out other drivers such as Tony Stewart (same age 37) having similar trouble. Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick. About 1/2 of the chase field of 12 drivers is winless. Other than the 18, 99, & 48 no other teams appears to be as consistent right now. So don't put the ole horse out of it's misery just yet. Thanks! :)

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  7. 7
    said:
    Sep 8, 2008 at 2:10 PM

    So true.... Jeff Gordon was running great at the beginning of the race and AGAIN!!!! Steve Letarte adjusted him right out of the race...... Didn't get him back until the end when it was too late..... Time to change crew chiefs... And... Jeff's pit crew is not as fast as Jimmy's... Every stop he lost spots.... something else Letarte should be addressing but is not..... Don't think there's any hope this year for JEFF....

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