Post by dalejrfan on Sept 16, 2005 12:47:54 GMT -5
As disappointed as he is to miss out on the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship, four-time NASCAR champ Jeff Gordon still has some goals for the last 10 races of 2005.
Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are the highest-profile drivers to miss out on the 10-man, 10-race Chase, but Gordon and his many fans were probably the most disappointed because he went into the race last Saturday night at Richmond with a chance to make it into the playoff-style format.
An ill-handling car and a collision with the wall ended Gordon's hopes, though, leaving him 12th in the standings in a season that has been, to say the least, disappointing.
"I don't really care where we end up in the standings, we just need to get prepared for next year," said Gordon, who fell out of contention after winning the season-opening Daytona 500 and two more of the first nine races before his struggles began. "We need to get things turned around so that we don't put ourselves in the same situation (in 2006).
"This season has been disappointing, but I look forward to the challenge of getting things turned around and battling for wins the remainder of the season. We want to get some momentum on our side and carry it over to next year."
Gordon pointed out that he and his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team have been in a similar situation in the past and bounced back strong.
With 10 races to go in the 2000 season, Gordon had no realistic shot at the championship. The team responded with one win and nine top 10s to close out the year, and carried that momentum to its fourth championship the following season.
Gordon also pointed out that the late Dale Earnhardt, who captured seven championships, experienced similar pendulum swings. After back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991, Earnhardt slipped to 12th in the standings in 1992. He then won his last two titles the next two years.
"This is a very competitive sport, and things aren't going to go your way every year," Gordon said. "But we are capable of so much more, and we'll use these next 10 races to try to get back to that level."
Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway, the first race of the Chase, would be a good place for Gordon to get things turned around, although he finished 25th there in July.
In 21 starts at NHIS, Gordon has three wins, nine top fives and 12 top 10s. He has led the most laps on six occasions for a total of 1,067, 462 more than his closest competitor.
"New Hampshire has been a good track for us in the past," Gordon said. "We ran well here in July and were battling for a top-five finish before suffering brake problems late in the race. You can certainly look back at that race and say ‘what if.'
"But we've had a number of races this year where we could say that. We've also had some races where we just didn't perform. I want to be battling for a championship next year. Preparation for that begins this weekend."
Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are the highest-profile drivers to miss out on the 10-man, 10-race Chase, but Gordon and his many fans were probably the most disappointed because he went into the race last Saturday night at Richmond with a chance to make it into the playoff-style format.
An ill-handling car and a collision with the wall ended Gordon's hopes, though, leaving him 12th in the standings in a season that has been, to say the least, disappointing.
"I don't really care where we end up in the standings, we just need to get prepared for next year," said Gordon, who fell out of contention after winning the season-opening Daytona 500 and two more of the first nine races before his struggles began. "We need to get things turned around so that we don't put ourselves in the same situation (in 2006).
"This season has been disappointing, but I look forward to the challenge of getting things turned around and battling for wins the remainder of the season. We want to get some momentum on our side and carry it over to next year."
Gordon pointed out that he and his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team have been in a similar situation in the past and bounced back strong.
With 10 races to go in the 2000 season, Gordon had no realistic shot at the championship. The team responded with one win and nine top 10s to close out the year, and carried that momentum to its fourth championship the following season.
Gordon also pointed out that the late Dale Earnhardt, who captured seven championships, experienced similar pendulum swings. After back-to-back titles in 1990 and 1991, Earnhardt slipped to 12th in the standings in 1992. He then won his last two titles the next two years.
"This is a very competitive sport, and things aren't going to go your way every year," Gordon said. "But we are capable of so much more, and we'll use these next 10 races to try to get back to that level."
Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway, the first race of the Chase, would be a good place for Gordon to get things turned around, although he finished 25th there in July.
In 21 starts at NHIS, Gordon has three wins, nine top fives and 12 top 10s. He has led the most laps on six occasions for a total of 1,067, 462 more than his closest competitor.
"New Hampshire has been a good track for us in the past," Gordon said. "We ran well here in July and were battling for a top-five finish before suffering brake problems late in the race. You can certainly look back at that race and say ‘what if.'
"But we've had a number of races this year where we could say that. We've also had some races where we just didn't perform. I want to be battling for a championship next year. Preparation for that begins this weekend."