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CUP: Gordon Reigns In Pocono Mess
Written by:
Tom Jensen
06/09/2007 - 07:00 PM
Long Pond, Pa.
Gordon's under-cover celebration widened his championshp lead. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR) » More Photos
Jeff Gordon proved the old adage that sometimes it's better to be lucky than good with an improbable victory Sunday night in a controversial, rain-shortened Pocono 500. Of course, to give Gordon his just due, he also proved that if you aren't damn good to begin with, luck won't help you all that much anyway.
Gordon, the four-time NASCAR Nextel Cup champion, was literally only seconds away from seeing his Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet passed by Ryan Newman on Lap 105 of a scheduled 200 circuits at Pocono Raceway Sunday. Fighting worn-out tires and bad brakes, Gordon had a margin of 2.239 seconds over Newman at Lap 100 evaporate to next to nothing when he got divine intervention of sorts on Lap 106.
That's when heavy rains started in the tunnel turn. Just as Newman's Penske Racing Dodge pulled alongside Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, the caution flew. The race was red-flagged half a lap later, and although most of the track was dry with the showers localized on the back of the track, an earlier 2 ½ hour rain delay meant darkness was nearing, so NASCAR declared the race over, much to the disgust of some fans in the Pocono grandstands.
"What a great way to finish this day out," said Gordon, who won his 78th career Cup race. "I didn't think we weren't even going to get on the track. Then
Hamlin had the speed to win again at Pocono, but not the tactics. (Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR) » More Photos
For the record, Gordon earned his fourth victory of 2007, tying him with Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson, as NASCAR's top team now has 10 victories in just 14 starts, the others scored at Bristol by Kyle Busch and Charlotte by Casey Mears.
Finishing behind Gordon and Newman were Martin Truex, Jr. in a Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevy, Mears and two-time series champion Tony Stewart, just ahead of his teammate, the luckless Denny Hamlin.
As had happened earlier this season at Bristol, Martinsville, Phoenix and Darlington, the Gibbs cars were clearly the class of the field, but couldn't seal the deal. This time it wasn't a case of broken parts or botched pit stops or NASCAR-mandated penalties, it was a case of strategy.
Hamlin, the two-time defending Pocono race winner, led 49 laps, or nearly half the race. But pit strategy ultimately decided the outcome. The race's third caution flew for debris on Lap 65, with Newman at the time leading Hamlin and Stewart. Under yellow, most of the leaders pitted, but six cars stayed out, including Gordon and Mears who took over the top two spots but were now out of pit sequence with the leaders.
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