Jeff Gordon heads to the Talladega Superspeedway for this weekend's Aaron's 499 searching for his third consecutive victory at the 2.66-mile restrictor plate oval and if his rivals are thinking that his recent slump in form means they can stop worrying about the threat of Gordon's #24 Hendrick Chevrolet, a quick look at the Talladega history books will make them think again.
If the fact that Gordon did the Talladega double in 2007 isn't enough to worry the rest of the field the manner in which he completed the sweep definitely should.
In last year's Aaron's 499 Gordon started from the pole and led a race-high 71 laps en route to victory. He was running in the top 15 for 161 of the 192 laps with an average running position of seventh.
When the series returned to the track in the autumn, it was during the “Chase for the Cup” with the debut of the “Car of Tomorrow” (CoT) on a restrictor- plate track. Gordon started 34th, spent only 45 of the 188 laps in the top 15 and had an average running position of 28th during the event. He led only one lap – the final one.
“We didn't want to lay back during the autumn race, but there were a lot of unknowns with the new car at the track,” said Gordon, who will drive a specially painted #24 DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet Impala this weekend. “Our qualifying position played the biggest part in determining our strategy. Starting so far back, we thought it would be best to play it safe and work our way into contention near the end of the race.
“As uneventful as it was in back, I was concerned every single moment of every single lap. I was concerned that we would wreck amongst ourselves. I was wondering if we were going to lose the draft.”
While the plan worked, it went against the “racer” in Gordon.
“I've never had to do that before, and it was difficult to get into that mindset,” said Gordon, who has six wins, 13 top-fives and 16 top-10's in 30 starts at the Alabama track. “We talked about it before the race and I said, ‘I can't do it.' It was tough because I don't like riding around in back. I want to be up front, battling for the lead and leading laps from the drop of the green flag.”
