NASCAR Cup

Chicagoland: Jeff Gordon preview

GORDON'S FOCUS ON CHICAGOLAND, NOT RECENT STRUGGLES July 5, 2005 - JOLIET, Ill. - "When you have momentum on your side, it usually keeps going in that direction." Jeff Gordon made that comment last year at Chicagoland Speedway after posting his ...

Published: Jul 7, 2005, 1:14 PM

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GORDON'S FOCUS ON CHICAGOLAND, NOT RECENT STRUGGLES

July 5, 2005 - JOLIET, Ill. - "When you have momentum on your side, it usually keeps going in that direction."

Jeff Gordon made that comment last year at Chicagoland Speedway after posting his fourth consecutive pole position. The driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, who was also in the midst of a two-race win streak, was explaining his recent run of success.

"But it's no different when the momentum is going in the opposite direction," Gordon added. "It's hard to get it back."

That best describes what the four-time champion is experiencing at this point of the 2005 season as the series is set to visit the Chicago market this weekend for the USG Sheetrock 400. Although Gordon has three victories this year, he has posted five finishes of 30th or worse in the last seven races and now sits 13th in the point standings.

"We can't get caught up in what's happened the past six or eight weeks," Gordon said. "We just need to focus on the next race, something I think this team does well."

"Whether we've won two in a row or had two DNF's in a row, this DuPont team is good at putting the past race behind us and focusing on the next one."

"And it helps that I have a very short memory."

Although Chicagoland is one of four tracks on the schedule where Gordon has yet to visit Victory Lane, his 6.75 average finish ranks first among drivers who have competed in all four NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races held here. He has started on the pole once, has posted three top-fives and has completed every lap.

"It sure would be great to win at a track where we haven't won," Gordon said. "But it doesn't matter where we win because I want to win everywhere."

"The only reason we focus on that statistic is because there aren't many tracks where we haven't won. That's cool and a neat statistic, but one that's not a high priority."

"We put a high priority on going into each race trying to win."

-hm-

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