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Thursday, 6th March 2008

“It was a really hard hit – probably the hardest I've ever hit a wall,” - Jeff Gordon.

After suffering a frightening crash at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last Sunday and posting his second DNF in three starts this season, a good finish is something Jeff Gordon desperately wants in the Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend.

Gordon made hard contact with the inside retaining wall on the backstretch with less than five laps to go at LVMS, and admits that the accident shook him up somewhat.

“It was a really hard hit – probably the hardest I've ever hit a wall,” he said, “It took me a while to catch my breath and get out of the car.

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“I looked down and saw where the transmission was, but it was no longer there. I was sore on Monday, but I'm feeling better each day, and that's a testament to the fast, safe cars that are built by the DuPont team and everyone at Hendrick Motorsports.

“We've had competitive cars at each race this year, but we just don't have the finishes to show for it. Hopefully, we'll rebound with another strong performance – coupled with a great finish – this weekend.”

After testing at Phoenix International Raceway on Monday and Tuesday, Gordon will head to the Georgia track where he already has four wins. However, this will be the first time that NASCAR's Car of Tomorrow will have raced in Atlanta, although Gordon says he does not expect that to alter the traditional excitement that the circuit provides.

“I don't think it matters what vehicles we race,” he said, “This track just seems to provide great side-by-side racing through the corners, and there have been a lot of close finishes.

“I really liked the old circuit design but, after the change, I found out the design wasn't the reason I liked racing there. It's the pavement that makes this place so much fun.

“I guess it's like a fine wine. The pavement – much like a great wine – gets better when it has aged. It really wears the tyres out, and we can run low, middle, high and everywhere in between in the wide corners. It really gives us the opportunity to find a line that works best for the car.”

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