Post by dalejrfan on Jun 11, 2005 4:07:42 GMT -5
Jeff Gordon is trying to shake off a horrible run of three races without a finish, and hopes a strong showing at Pocono Raceway will get him going in the right direction.
With three victories on the mountaintop, where an extremely wide racing surface greatly reduces the chances for crashes, Gordon would seem to be in the right spot. But his advantage might be diminished on the 2.5-mile triangle.
NASCAR has a new single-gear rule that precludes shifting at certain events - including Sunday's Pocono 500.
"When I began racing here in 1993, we shifted into overdrive on the frontstretch and downshifted as we headed into turn one," Gordon said. "A few years later, we found a great combination that also allowed us to shift on the straightaway between turn one and the tunnel turn."
He said the new rule will present "some unique challenges."
"Pocono has always been about compromise," Gordon said. "With the three differing corners, if you made an adjustment to handle better at one end, it might hurt you in another corner. But our focus was always to get the car to handle well off turn three to carry momentum down the long frontstretch.
"Since we won't be shifting, the drop in rpm level because of the gear rule will be most noticeable off that corner. Carrying momentum off that corner will be crucial."
Gordon finished 39th last week at Dover International Speedway, then threatened to crash out Tony Stewart, who spun him out early in the MBNA 400.
In addition to his victories here, Gordon has two poles, 12 top-fives and 17 top-10s in 24 career starts. He also has led a record 841 laps here.
Gordon fell out of the top 10 in Nextel Cup points with his dreadful Dover result. The four-time series champion placed 39th and 30th the two weeks prior due to crashes.
With three victories on the mountaintop, where an extremely wide racing surface greatly reduces the chances for crashes, Gordon would seem to be in the right spot. But his advantage might be diminished on the 2.5-mile triangle.
NASCAR has a new single-gear rule that precludes shifting at certain events - including Sunday's Pocono 500.
"When I began racing here in 1993, we shifted into overdrive on the frontstretch and downshifted as we headed into turn one," Gordon said. "A few years later, we found a great combination that also allowed us to shift on the straightaway between turn one and the tunnel turn."
He said the new rule will present "some unique challenges."
"Pocono has always been about compromise," Gordon said. "With the three differing corners, if you made an adjustment to handle better at one end, it might hurt you in another corner. But our focus was always to get the car to handle well off turn three to carry momentum down the long frontstretch.
"Since we won't be shifting, the drop in rpm level because of the gear rule will be most noticeable off that corner. Carrying momentum off that corner will be crucial."
Gordon finished 39th last week at Dover International Speedway, then threatened to crash out Tony Stewart, who spun him out early in the MBNA 400.
In addition to his victories here, Gordon has two poles, 12 top-fives and 17 top-10s in 24 career starts. He also has led a record 841 laps here.
Gordon fell out of the top 10 in Nextel Cup points with his dreadful Dover result. The four-time series champion placed 39th and 30th the two weeks prior due to crashes.