NASCAR Cup

More bad luck for Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon can't seem to catch a break. The bottom seems to have fallen out, just when team 24 thought things were looking up after a seventh place finish in Daytona. But nothing seemed to go right at Chicago for the four time Cup series ...

Published: Jul 12, 2005, 3:31 AM

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Jeff Gordon can't seem to catch a break. The bottom seems to have fallen out, just when team 24 thought things were looking up after a seventh place finish in Daytona. But nothing seemed to go right at Chicago for the four time Cup series champion.

Gordon's car wouldn't handle. He had several tire issues. And to add the icing to the cake, he wrecked with 17 to go. All-in-all it was a disheartening run for the No. 24 Hendrick Chevy that saw their Chase hopes slip further from their grasp.

"Mike Bliss had a lot to do with that one," Gordon said of the late race wreck. "There was nowhere I could go. I don't know what's going on. We've been struggling really bad. It's very frustrating.

"When we get up to the front, hopefully that kind of stuff won't happen."

Gordon has had eight runs this season where he has finished 30th or worse - something uncharacteristic for the 24 team. Mechanical failures and accidents have plagued this team all year after coming out of the box so bright by winning the Daytona 500.

There have been some rays of sunshine this season - he has won three times. But the ras of bad results has mired Gordon 15th in points; 502 behind leader and teammate Jimmie Johnson. Clearly, with teammates Johnson, Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers running so strongly something is amiss with the No. 24 camp.

If they are to make the Chase, and that is a big 'if' at this point, someone has got to stop the hemorrhaging before Gordon slips too far behind to make up any ground. With the No. 8 DEI Chevy of Earnhardt suddenly pulling himself out of the fire, it shows it can be done.

But the No. 24 team needs to get on it. With just eight races left to the Chase cutoff they have to get their program together and start running in the top ten every week to make the 400 point cut-off.

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