They aren't in great shape yet, but they certainly put themselves in position to compete.Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon finished 1-2 Sunday at Kansas Speedway, showing a rebound for both teams after less-than-desirable results in the first two races of the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship format. For Stewart, it was his fourth win of the season and drew him within 67 points of the Chase lead while Gordon trimmed a spot and 19 points off of his own Chase deficit.
For both, it also marked the first time either had gained ground on Chase leader Mark Martin in three races.
Stewart's win vaulted some confidence back into the No. 14 team at a time when they especially needed it. After leading the points into the final regular-season race at Richmond, Stewart watched as not only did his significant point lead get wiped from the slate, but also his team saw uncharacteristic struggles and finishes.
It appeared the wheels had started to fall off at the least opportune time.
Life didn't get a whole lot better when the Chase started at Loudon. A missed component of the team's pre-race checklist allowed an axle cap to come loose. In-race repairs dropped Stewart to the back before he rallied to a 14th-place finish. The Chase damage was deep, though, as he sat 74 points back of Martin after just one race.
Then, last week at Dover, Stewart's bumper unintentionally sent Joey Logano into his crazy rollover wreck. The contact put a hole in the front end of Stewart's Chevrolet that required an unscheduled pit stop. He rebounded to a ninth-place finish, but dropped to 106 points out of contention.
"At the end of the day, no matter what the circumstance was that got us behind, we were able to rebound from it," Stewart said after Sunday's win. "The outcomes (in the first two races) weren't what we wanted but it just shows this team doesn't have quit in them."
His crew chief, Darian Grubb, agreed, but said the approach to each race weekend hasn't changed thanks to the team's Chase deficit."We still approach every race the same," Grubb said. "We're going for wins every week. We know we have to win to win the Chase for the championship. Today was just a good example of how hard you have to fight."
Such a fight is something that Gordon, who still faces a sizable but manageable deficit to teammate Mark Martin, knows will last throughout the Chase.
"You don't expect to go from where we were in points all the way up to first," said Gordon. "You're kind of hoping for the best that you made a big jump.
"That's what happens when you get off to the start like we did at New Hampshire, when you finish 15th and all the guys you're racing in the championship finish ahead of you, even a day like today isn't going to put you in the top 2 or 3."
Gordon did move up a spot in the standings to 7th, but he's certainly got a tough road ahead of him if he wants to be in contention for the postseason hardware. Perfection, he thinks, will be the name of the game.
"We've got to capitalize on the tracks that are good for us," said Gordon. "We got a little bit behind at New Hampshire. We have to make that our worst finish in the Chase."
Certainly, he's not counting himself out of the championship race.
"Even though the Hendrick cars started off strong the first two races and we were strong today, that doesn't mean this thing is over," Gordon said. "There's a lot of racing left to go."
Latest NASCAR Images
KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 04: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 National Guard / AMP Energy Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods at the Kansas Speedway on October 4, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Getty Images
KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane with the trophy after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods at the Kansas Speedway on October 4, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Tony Stewart
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KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 04: Actress January Jones greets Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods at the Kansas Speedway on October 4, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** January Jones;Jeff Gordon
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KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 04: Crew chief Darian Grubb (C) of the #14 Office Depot / Old Spice Chevrolet has ice dumped on him by his crew members in victory lane as they celebrate driver Tony Stewart's (R), victory in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods at the Kansas Speedway on October 4, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Darian Grubb;Tony Stewart
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Greg Biffle leaves the pit area during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Price Chopper 400 auto race, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Biffle finished in third place. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
AP
Tony Stewart, right, looks to pass Greg Biffle during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Price Chopper 400 auto race, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Stewart won the race and Biffle finished in third place. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
AP
Pit crew members work on Tony Stewart's car during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Price Chopper 400 auto race, Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kan. Stewart won the race. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
AP
KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods at the Kansas Speedway on October 4, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Tony Stewart
Getty Images for NASCAR
KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 04: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods at the Kansas Speedway on October 4, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Tony Stewart
Getty Images for NASCAR
KANSAS CITY, KS - OCTOBER 04: Actress January Jones is seen on the stage prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods at the Kansas Speedway on October 4, 2009 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** January Jones
Getty Images for NASCAR
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-05-2009 @ 7:25AM
obamaizamarxist said...
Tony has only led 360 laps all year, and yet he has 4 wins. This guy is money..
Reply
10-11-2009 @ 10:14AM
dudemalls52 said...
http://www.bbcloth.com
fr ee sh i pp ing
(jordan shoes) $32
(air max) $34
++++
wow
10-05-2009 @ 11:29AM
bonypix said...
Tony is one of the folks I would like to see win the Chase. Montoya and Kahne are also tops for me.
Reply
10-05-2009 @ 4:10PM
heyjoe said...
The old guy Mark Martin is going to win it all,
Reply
10-05-2009 @ 11:13PM
illsell4u said...
http://www.nascar.com/2009/news/headlines/cup/10/04/post.race.jjohnson.mmartin.inspection.kansas/index.html
I wonder what this is all about? Nascar confiscates the 48 and the 5 once again to check for tolerances. You have to wonder, is this because they think there is a problem? Or is it because they want to show everyone that they are not cutting Hendricks guys any slack? I can't wait to see the results.
mbl
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 1:17AM
xxxsexyveronica said...
I always thought that after races R&D inspection were random picks. How is that martin and johnson get caught in 2 weeks in a row?And even stewart call surprises me but i'll guess it's because he won the races.Usually all cars get inspected before and after the race but hardly ever happens the same two go to the R&D center 2weeks in a row.
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 8:39AM
Kim said...
Yup, Mike. As usual all the Hendrick haters and detractors scream the loudest about favortism and NASCAR is clearly making a point by once again inspecting the number 48 & 5 team's cars. Why not look at Gordon's? His car came in second. Johnson and Martin only had top ten finishes. Why not look at Stewart's and or Biffle's for that matter? Talk about two cars making amazing comebacks from the depths of dispair since the Chase started. Yet, they aren't being scrutinized, only Johnson & Martin. I call "bullshit" on this one!
Kim
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 8:42AM
Kim said...
Yup, Mike. As usual all the Hendrick haters and detractors scream the loudest about favortism and NASCAR is clearly making a point by once again inspecting the number 48 & 5 team's cars. Why not look at Gordon's? His car came in second. Johnson and Martin only had top ten finishes. Why not look at Stewart's and or Biffle's for that matter? Talk about two cars making amazing comebacks from the depths of dispair since the Chase started. Yet, they aren't being scrutinized, only Johnson & Martin. I call "bulls*&%" on this one!
Kim
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 12:58PM
Geoffrey Miller said...
Hey everyone,
I wrote a little about why NASCAR took the No. 48 & No. 5 back to the Research & Development center in today's Notes & Quotes. Basically, NASCAR is just enforcing their right as a sanctioning body to make sure the cars are in line. There was nothing found at Kansas to make them believe there would be a problem, but NASCAR did state before the race that they would probably take both cars back to the R&D center a few more times this season just to make sure. Rick Hendrick was even quoted as saying that he thought it was "fair" and that he understood NASCAR's desire to keep checking the cars.
Most of the time, I like question NASCAR's calls, but this one seems fair. Both the No. 48 and No. 5 were impossibly close to being out of line that NASCAR wants to make sure that 1) they are staying in bounds and 2) sending a message to the garage area that going out of tolerance is not acceptable.
Thanks for reading.
-G
10-06-2009 @ 12:44PM
illsell4u said...
Kim, they did take Stewart's car and Kurt Busch's as well. I believe the article stated they usually take the winner and ONE random car. They gave no reason for why they took the 48 and the 5 for closer inspection. My guess is that they suspect something that the typical post race inspection does not reveal.
mbl
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 3:57PM
illsell4u said...
Thanks for the info Geoffrey. Sounds like Nascar is telling them that they are so close to the line maybe they need to back up a little bit.
mbl
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 7:07PM
illsell4u said...
They passed.
http://news.aol.com/article/hendrick-cars-pass-2nd-inspection/706298?icid=sphere_newsaol_inpage
Gee, if they are not cheating maybe they really are just better. Hendricks drivers, count on 'em.
Reply
10-06-2009 @ 8:25PM
nzcr 14check in..... said...
mike, the article reveals JJ & MM inspec. results but says nothing about TS & KB results.I'll take they passed too since no hot story is out.
Just 1 more negative response to the HMS HATERS AND CONSPIRACY THEORISTS, LOL.
works for me...and 1 more defferent nzcr 14 email customizing, lol.