Have a FaceBook, Twitter, or other social networking account?

Link them to your fanatic account!

Add An Account

TAKE ME TO...
NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
CUP: Sunday Pocono Notebook
Jeff Gordon was pleased to come home fourth in Sunday’s Pocono 500...
Tom Jensen  |  Posted June 07, 2009   Long Pond, PA
Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Dupont Chevrolet makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway. (Photo: John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

HAPPY ENDING Jeff Gordon wasn’t really that happy with his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet Impala SS for most of the Pocono Raceway weekend. He and crew chief Steve Letarte struggled to get a grip at the 2.5-mile track during practice on Saturday, and during much of the second half of the Pocono 500 it wasn’t that good, either.

Despite the early struggles, though Gordon topped off for gas shortly after the last caution flag flew on Lap 159. And while many of his competitors had to make late-race gas stops, Gordon was able to stay on the track steadily advance, finishing a solid fourth in the Pocono 500. It was Gordon’s seventh top-five finish in 14 starts this season, a battle at that. And that gave Gordon a measure of satisfaction.

But the use of double-file restarts for the first time nearly scuttled a good run for the No. 24 squad. “It started out good. The car felt good,” said Gordon. “I don't know why … but during the double-file restarts the aerodynamics were totally different and I was just out of control and lost a bunch of spots. Wasn't too thrilled about that. It made our day tough. It wasn't just the double-file restarts, we've got to figure out what we need here at Pocono for that.”

Gordon credited crew chief Steve Letarte with the pit strategy that salvaged the day. “It actually worked to our favor to play that out because we came in late and fueled up and made it all the way to the end and finished fourth. Pretty amazing day for the DuPont Chevrolet."

GASSED OUT Three-time defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson was one of several drivers bitten by fuel mileage late at Pocono Raceway. Very late, in fact, as Johnson ran out of gas in Turn 2 on the last lap of the Pocono 500, dropping him from third to seventh in the final results.

“At the end we were just playing a fuel game,” said Johnson. “And I didn't play it well enough. I had to run too hard at the start of that run to stay ahead of the No. 33 (Clint Bowyer) and to try to stay ahead of the No. 9 (Kasey Kahne) and I just used up too much gas and I ran out coming into the Tunnel Turn.”

Despite losing four spots on the last lap, Johnson held onto third place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings.

GASSED OUT, PART DEUX While Roush Fenway Racing’s Carl Edwards, managed to nurse his fuel mileage enough to finish second in Sunday’s Pocono 500, his teammates Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth weren’t so lucky, finishing 11th and 16th, respectively. And they were none too happy about it.

“We had a great car, but when we don’t need to have good fuel mileage, we’ve got good fuel mileage, and when we need it, we don’t,” said Biffle, who had to pit late in the race to have enough gas to go the distance. “And, that’s what it came down to today: fuel mileage.”

“We ran third all day and finished 16th,” said a disgusted Kenseth, who was in the same boat as Biffle. “I don’t know what else to say about it.”


Page 1 of 2
Prev
12
Next
tom_jensen's avatar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jensen

MORE BY THIS AUTHOR
Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | FAQ | Terms of Use | NEW Privacy Policy | Ad Choices | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | National Geographic | IGN | AskMen
The Motor Sports Authority, SPEED and associated logos are registered trademarks of Speed Channel Inc.
All Rights Reserved © Speed Channel, Inc. 2012

All external links will open in a new browser window. SPEED.com does not endorse external sites.