Race report

NASCAR Cup Watkins Glen

Power issues plague polesitter at the Glen

Jeff Gordon is sidelined after 50 laps into the Cheez-It 355

Lee Spencer

Edited: Aug 10, 2014, 7:14 PM

Copy link

Share on Viber

Add as a preferred source

Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Polesitter Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet and crew chief Alan Gustafson

Polesitter Jeff Gordon, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske Ford

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Polesitter Jeff Gordon completed just 50 laps in the Cheez-It at the Glen before power issues plagued the No. 24 Chevy.

Gordon led 29 laps before his car stopped on the track.

“Engine died,” Gordon said. “Nothing is lit up. I’ve done everything.”

The team switched batteries and ignition boxes but could not refire the car before the race returned to green on Lap 54.

Gordon entered the race with a 17-point lead over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. He joins follow Chase to the Sprint Cup contenders Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch, who both had issues throughout the race.

Keselowski endured brake issues earlier in the race and came into the garage during the caution for the No. 24 to repair the problem.

“We had something in the brakes that broke," Keselowski said. "The team is trying to fix it. At Watkins Glen you can’t run without brakes. We nursed it around as best we could and had the yellow flag period to work on it and we came in to start working on it but it took longer than we had hoped and we were sitting in the garage here when that horrible accident happened.

"We will have to hang out here until the red flag is rescinded so we can finish up repairs on the Miller Lite Ford Fusion and get back out there.”

Kyle Busch ran off the course on Lap 23, carried his fuel can out of the pits and then experienced a flat tire four laps later. Busch returned to the race on Lap 46 20 laps off the pace.

We want your opinion!

What would you like to see on Motorsport.com?

Take our 5 minute survey.

- The Motorsport.com Team

Read and post comments

Share Or Save This Story

Copy link

Share on Viber

Previous article Tony Stewart will not race today

Next article Lack of patience proves costly at The Glen

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

View More & Comment

Latest news

Audi hands F3 runner-up Freddie Slater F1 practice debut

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

United States GP

12 min

Audi hands F3 runner-up Freddie Slater F1 practice debut

On this day: Fernando Alonso wins the world title, Michael Schumacher retires from F1

Formula 1

F1 Formula 1

Brazilian GP

1 h

On this day: Fernando Alonso wins the world title, Michael Schumacher retires from F1

Raul Fernandez still compromised after Indonesia finger injury: “I’m not at 100%”

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Australian GP

2 h

Raul Fernandez still compromised after Indonesia finger injury: “I’m not at 100%”

MotoGP can’t simply copy F1’s Drive to Survive success – Chase Carey

MotoGP

MGP MotoGP

Australian GP

3 h

MotoGP can’t simply copy F1’s Drive to Survive success – Chase Carey

Subscribe and access Motorsport.com with your ad-blocker.

From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Still, we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker.

You have 2 options:

Become a subscriber.
Disable your adblocker.

Subscribe now Already subscribed? Sign in here

Already disabled your adblocker?
Reload page

Manage Alerts