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Thursday, 08 May 2008 19:00 |
 By: Jay W. Pennell
Sprint Cup Correspondent
HardcoreRaceFans.com
The competition needs to look out. Jeff Gordon took part in March’s Goodyear tire test at the newly repaved Darlington Raceway, and he likes what he sees. This can only mean one thing for the other forty-two drivers in the field; Gordon will be the man to beat come Saturday night.
“I\'m really excited about the race this weekend,” the four-time Cup Series champion explained. “The track is smooth and super fast, but it\'s the same Darlington. They did a fantastic job. The track is unreal, and I had a blast during the test. The bumps aren\'t there and you\'re going much faster, but you run the same line you always have and the track has the same characteristics.”
Gordon currently leads all active drivers in wins at the famous 1.366 egg-shaped oval. He is the defending race champion and in 27 starts at Darlington, he has seven wins – including five Southern 500 victories – three poles, 15 top-fives and 18 top-10\'s.
“I\'ve always enjoyed racing here and I\'ve had some memorable moments,” Gordon said. “Like winning my first Southern 500 or battling Jeff Burton on the last lap with a million-dollar bonus on the line for our team. Last year was pretty memorable too.”
After rain postponed last year’s event, Gordon took his DuPont Chevrolet to the front. With about 100 laps remaining in the race, the water temperature started to climb and steam began pour out of the over flow.
“I thought we were done,” Gordon explained. “My crew chief, Steve Letarte, made a great call to stay on the track while others pitted late in the race and that allowed me to run in clean air. We were fortunate to pull into Victory Lane with steam pouring out of the overflow vent. I didn\'t think we\'d make it to end of the race.”
With Gordon’s track record at the track ‘Too Tough To Tame’ and his confidence following the Goodyear tire test, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has the chance to turn his season around. Currently thirteenth in the series standings, Gordon heads to a track he knows how to win at looks to be a threat.
“The Darlington we all love is still here,” Gordon said, and that means bad news for the competition. ![](\"/images/stories/hcrflogo.jpg\")
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