Jeff Gordon: "We didn't gain a lot of points today, but we didn't lose a lot and
we could've." Credit: CIA Stock PhotoGordon defies logic with runner-up finishBy
Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
October 17, 2004
01:17 AM EDT (05:17 GMT)
window.onerror=function(){clickURL=document.location.href;return true;}
if(!self.clickURL) clickURL=parent.location.href;





CONCORD, N.C. -- Typical racing logic asserts it shouldn't have happened this
way. Typical racing logic says Jeff Gordon should have limped home several laps
down with a mangled racecar.
UAW-GM Quality 500
• Unofficial Results• Unofficial StandingsVictory Lane
Jimmie Johnson completes the season sweep at Lowe'sDisappointing
Kahne's dominating performance ends up in the wallNowhere to go
J.Gordon spins and gets tagged by Rusty WallaceSpin cycle
Vickers' night ends early has he tags the wallNear disaster
Busch, Gordon involved in a wreck on Lap 1

When a guy wrecks on the first lap, has to pit more than once to repair the
resulting sheet metal damage, then spins again and gets plowed by another
competitor, what are the chances he'll even finish on the lead lap, much less
contend for a decent finish and nearly win?

"I'd never have guessed we'd have been sitting here," Gordon said. "That was an
amazing comeback. I'd have bet a million dollars we wouldn't be sitting here."

Gordon's evening began terribly. With the rest of the field, he was coursing
into Turn 1 on the very first lap when Scott Riggs missed a shift in the No. 10
Chevrolet, injuring his engine. The field stacked up behind Riggs, collecting
Gordon.

The DuPont Chevrolet suffered cosmetic damage, forcing Gordon to pit more than
once to correct it. He restarted 35th, still on the lead lap, but struggled with
a loose-handling racecar until he eventually spun out exiting Turn 4 on Lap 75
while running in 30th position.

As he spun into the low groove, Rusty Wallace's Dodge plowed into his left rear
quarter panel.

"I came off (Turn) 4 and locked up the brakes trying to stay off the wall,"
Gordon said. "Everything seemed to be okay, and right there at the end, boom! I
thought 'Okay, that's it. Our night is over.'"

Not so. He was a lap down, but continued to surge through the field to 16th
position when the caution flew on lap 210 for debris. Gordon was the "Lucky
Dog," the first car a lap down, meaning he was back on the lead lap.
Credit: Autostock
Fifty-eight laps later, the dominant Kasey Kahne blew a right front tire and hit
the wall, ending his night and giving hope to the other frontrunners. Gordon
continued to work his way through the field. With 22 to go Jimmy Spencer got
together with Brendan Gaughan and collected championship chasers Mark Martin and
Ryan Newman.

Both were ahead of Gordon. Gordon came out third on the ensuing pit stop, behind
Joe Nemechek, who took two tires, and teammate Jimmie Johnson. He hounded
Johnson for several laps before Johnson pulled away to victory.

Gordon finished second, which was fine by him and his car owner.

"It was an unbelievable night for (Gordon's) team," car owner Rick Hendrick
said. "With all the spins and wrecks and adversity. To see that car come back,
that's a championship effort by that crowd."

Gordon concurred.
CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP
• Inside the Chase• Superstore: Chase driver gear• Official Standings•
Expanded access to the Chase on TrackPass

"This is unbelievable," he said. "That's why this team is so incredible. That's
the first 1-2 (finish) me and Jimmie have had where we really had to battle. It
was just an incredible effort. We didn't gain a lot of points today, but we
didn't lose a lot and we could've."

As it stands, Gordon remains third in the Chase for the Nextel Cup standings, 74
points behind leader Kurt Busch. He trails second place Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 24
points heading to Martinsville, one of his best tracks.

"That's what we really accomplished here today," Gordon said. "When that race
was over my guys had the biggest smiles on their faces. They couldn't have been
happier.

"This is a huge confidence booster. We've been down the past few weeks. Things
have been going our way. We needed a top five, we needed to get up there and
battle like that.

"Doing it like we did today was even better for us. Taking that momentum into
Martinsville, that shot in the arm will do a lot for us going into next
weekend."



andygibbsmileaneverlastingsmile@yahoogroups.com
brothersgibbrule@yahoogroups.com
ALL STRESSED OUT AND NO ONE TO CHOKE!!











































[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]