Conversation: Jeff Gordon
Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
October 18, 2004
02:37 PM EDT (18:37 GMT)
CONCORD, N.C. -- Jeff Gordon is behind the wheel of a go-kart at NASCAR Speed Park, sandwiched between two other drivers speeding around a slick figure eight track.
And he's laughing.
The four-time NASCAR champion is reveling in the fact that he could school the leader at any moment. He pounds the rear bumper of the kart in front of him, yelling "This is what it feels like when Junior's behind you!" at the individual piloting it.
And best of all, he's raising money -- tons of it -- for the Hendrick Marrow Foundation. This is the fourth-annual Jeff Gordon Foundation go-kart fundraiser, and Gordon is in for a long day. It is 10:45 a.m. He's been racing for 45 minutes. Only four hours to go.
Just prior to taking the track, Gordon took several moments to hang out with NASCAR.COM's Marty Smith and MRN Radio's Danielle Frye to talk karting, Chasing and cursing.
Smith: Hey man, thanks for hanging out. First tell us what you've got going on here today.
Gordon: Well, I want to thank you guys for being a part of this and helping us spread the word. This is now our fourth go-karting event. It's been in Wilmington, N.C., the last three years, and we moved it up here to Charlotte and it's getting bigger.
We're going to raise more money by bringing it here to Charlotte, bring more attention to the (Jeff Gordon) Foundation, and, more importantly, to the Hendrick Marrow program, which is part of the Marrow Foundation.
We just really want to raise awareness to people that we need to go out and get type rating for a possible match with someone who needs a bone marrow transplant.
We're going to have a dinner this evening, and get more into that detail tonight. Today is all about having fun and racing go karts and raising a lot of money and doing it in a great way.
Frye: So you're here all day long?
Gordon: All day long. And I'm going to run in every race like I have in the past. I do this for a living, but today it's for fun. One of the things I enjoy most is driving go karts, and getting banged around by everybody ...
Frye: I was gonna say, do you get scared about the people you're racing against? You don't know much about them.
Gordon: I don't, and there have been years where some ringer comes in saying, 'My goal is to make sure I beat (Gordon),' like maybe it'll get their career going or something.
These carts are safe, and, again, it's fun. So I watch out for those, and I can't mention any names on the racetrack but it's kind of the same type situation -- you've got to watch out for them and take it a little bit easier around them.
Smith: I feel rather certain I know which name you're speaking of, but I'll keep that between us two. Now, you say (the karts) are safe, but last time I was here Elliott Sadler had his Race for Hope. I broke a kart. Elliott put me in the fence.
Gordon: Okay, great, so now I know who I have to watch out for. That was the name I was going to put in there.
Smith: Fair enough.
Frye: Moving on the Chase for the Nextel Cup, you've got to be pretty happy with where you're sitting in the points.
Gordon: "I know that in the past they docked guys points in the Busch Series. I don?t agree with the points. I really don?t." Credit: Autostock
Gordon: I am. We're what, 79 points out? We're third, and I don't feel like we've had a stellar race so far. I feel like Talladega was probably our best effort and we came home 19th. We know our restrictor plate programs have been good this year, but we're better at tracks like Martinsville.
Even though we struggled at Charlotte I feel like our Charlotte program is really strong. Kansas City was a disappointment.
I really thought we were going to be a lot better than that, and it just started behind on Friday when we didn't qualify well.
So tracks I see coming up, tracks we're testing at, I feel really good. And as strong as this team has been -- the chemistry's been there, the communication's been there, and the guys have just been really on top of their game -- whether we're having a tough day or whether we're having a great day, we just seem to be able to pull more out of it by the end of the day.
Smith: Tell us about Charlotte in May. You told me then it's the worst car you've ever had there.
Gordon: Yeah. We tried to do everything that day to try to fix that car and we couldn't find it. Then we went to Chicago and had the same thing happen. We took off at the beginning of the race and the car was great, then it just all the sudden went completely away where I couldn't even drive it.
We found that we had a jack bolt unscrew itself out of the left rear and that was one thing we sort of missed on in Charlotte trying to fix. Had we found it at Charlotte we probably could have recovered the way we did in Chicago. That was the same car, same situation, so we think that was what happened.
We came back here, tested Charlotte a couple weeks ago and the car was great. It felt very good, very comfortable, didn't give me any signs of what we had in the past. So let's keep our fingers crossed that that's what it was.
Frye: Are there days you think, gosh, I wish I had the old points system because I could probably have a certain amount accumulated instead of where I'm at right now?
Gordon: "This has turned into a big sport, it?s family-oriented and it?s very professional and we need to keep it that way." Credit: Autostock
Gordon: Yeah, when Richmond was over. When we were leading the points. Any time you're leading the points you don't want to close the gap, don't want it to all the sudden be you and nine other guys you're having to battle with, and only be separated by 45 points between those guys.
So yeah, I'd definitely like the old points system at that point, but there's going to be one year when I'm battling for 10th or whatever and enjoy this points system. So we're just going to have to see how it unfolds. I still think we have a great shot at this championship, even though it's structured this way.
I think it's very entertaining. I think it's drawn a lot of attention, and I think it almost makes the championship that much harder to win, so when you do win it, you're going to appreciate it that much more.
Smith: Jeff, Kurt Busch and Dale Jr. are predominantly not that great at Charlotte, and you are. Is this a race you're focusing on to try to make up significant ground?
Gordon: I really think it is. You look at how well Jimmie (Johnson) ran here last time, and we have all those notes. We both tested here. He was testing a Busch car and we testing a Cup car, but I feel like this is great opportunity for us to really get that ball rolling, get the momentum back on our side.
Those guys have really, over the last four races, been the guys that have been up front the most, leading laps, and they've both won races. That's what we've got to do. We've got to start leading laps, really putting out strong efforts and winning races. And I think Charlotte's a great place for us to start doing that.
Frye: Do you fall into the theory that some of the guys in the top 10 are racing more conservatively or maybe even sandbagging a little bit?
Gordon: I think this is the time to pull it all out. I don't think you can sandbag. I do think consistency is important, but that doesn't mean you're not trying to win races, doesn't mean you're not trying to get points.
Like us, we're trying every weekend to get up there, we just haven't had that type of performance, or results. So we're relying on consistency and trying to put top 10s together and hoping we don't have that devastating finish, and that we can eventually start putting those wins together.
Some guys might have come out of the box a little bit more aggressive, taking bigger risks, and maybe that's paid off for them. But is it going to pay off for them over the whole 10-week stretch? We'll have to find out.
Smith: Jeff, we've seen all kinds of post-race fiascos this year, from Bottlegate to what happened with Dale Jr. We've not yet heard your opinion on NASCAR's decision. What are your thoughts on them taking 25 points away?
Gordon: "Kansas City was a disappointment. I really thought we were going to be a lot better than that, and it just started behind on Friday when we didn?t qualify well." Credit: Autostock
Gordon: I understand that there's definitely going to be some kind of penalty. I know that in the past they docked guys points in the Busch Series. I don't agree with the points. I really don't.
I think that should not take away from the effort that was happening on the racetrack. I do think that, what I feel like NASCAR's gotten themselves into is when we fine a guy it doesn't seem to affect them. It doesn't seem to stop it from happening. We want to stop these things from happening.
But that's because the fines are $10,000, $20,000. Make that fine $200,000, $250,000. I guarantee you 25 points is worth a lot of money to those guys at the end of the season. If they don't win this championship, it could be worth over $1 million, those 25 points.
So let's make the fine big and really get the attention. If we're going to do that, I think there are certain things that points need to be taken away on the racetrack with.
If it's altering your racecar or something like that, some kind of action you took on the racetrack, then maybe points should be taken away, but I don't necessarily agree with it for what happened.
Frye: Okay, be honest with us. How close have you come to exclaiming a dirty word like that in Victory Lane or after a race?
Gordon: I'm even concerned with radio conversation, because sometimes in the heat of the moment and the adrenaline's flowing I've said things I wish I hadn't said. But sometimes you can't help yourself.
Frye: You think you're just talking to your team.
Gordon: Yeah. And there are scanners and people are listening. So I'm concerned they're going to start even coming down on that. But in post-race interviews or victory celebrations, I don't know, I'm sure I've come close, but I'm usually pretty good in that situation.
I try to recognize who we're speaking to. But I'll be honest, I didn't know that word was worth 25 points. Neither did Rusty Wallace. I loved it. Rusty Wallace, in the driver's meeting last weekend was like, 'Are you going to give us a list of words we can't say?'
Frye: Doubt Mike Helton found that funny, did he?
Gordon: No. He pretty much set it all straight for everybody, and we didn't ask any more questions, which he's very good at doing. But, I understand their side of things.
This has turned into a big sport, it's family-oriented and it's very professional and we need to keep it that way. And we don't need to say anything like that.
Of course, a lot of us during our every day lives may say that word and not think anything of it.
Smith: I would like follow up with this though: Would NASCAR not have gotten themselves in a bit of an issue? There's an obvious undercurrent in the garage that Junior gets favoritism.
Gordon: Yeah.
Smith: If they'd let this slide, considering that they'd set the precedent with Hornaday and Sauter, don't you think that undercurrent of favoritism would have been far worse?
Gordon: The way I look at it, they were in a no-win situation for sure. If they hadn't fined him, the media and so many people would have come down on them. If they did, then all the Junior fans are upset at them. They couldn't win in that situation.
Frye: Do you think guys in the top 10, as they go through inspection, your cars are more scrutinized?
Gordon: You know, I certainly would like to think that doesn't happen. But I do think, when you're winning races, when you're running up front and battling for the championship, it seems like there is a little bit more scrutiny.
But hey, okay, it's understandable. We joking say all the time, 'Okay, well, we can't get away with that.' And heck, sometimes maybe we feel like the 25 and the 5 might try something they could get away with that we can't because we're in a battle for a championship.
Whether that's true or not, I've never had any facts, any proof of that at all.
Smith: One more question, Jeff. You guys have had some engine issues over the past couple months. Is that resolved and have you figured out what was?
Frye: Because, obviously, you need horsepower at Charlotte and Atlanta.
Gordon: You need horsepower everywhere, and it's nice to have. The more you have the better the car works. But you've got to have reliability as well. I'd like to think, and (head engine builder) Randy Dorton and all those guys at the Hendrick engine shop would like to think we got it resolved.
Those guys are constantly testing engines at 500-plus miles and pushing the limits of the RPMs, and still trying to maintain or even improve the horsepower as we go through the rest of the season. We've been pretty good the last couple weeks with it.
I know Jimmie (Johnson) had some problems. We've had our problems, as well, but we feel like we got them resolved and just have to wait and see.
Marty Smith, NASCAR.COM
October 18, 2004
02:37 PM EDT (18:37 GMT)
CONCORD, N.C. -- Jeff Gordon is behind the wheel of a go-kart at NASCAR Speed Park, sandwiched between two other drivers speeding around a slick figure eight track.
And he's laughing.
The four-time NASCAR champion is reveling in the fact that he could school the leader at any moment. He pounds the rear bumper of the kart in front of him, yelling "This is what it feels like when Junior's behind you!" at the individual piloting it.
And best of all, he's raising money -- tons of it -- for the Hendrick Marrow Foundation. This is the fourth-annual Jeff Gordon Foundation go-kart fundraiser, and Gordon is in for a long day. It is 10:45 a.m. He's been racing for 45 minutes. Only four hours to go.
Just prior to taking the track, Gordon took several moments to hang out with NASCAR.COM's Marty Smith and MRN Radio's Danielle Frye to talk karting, Chasing and cursing.
Smith: Hey man, thanks for hanging out. First tell us what you've got going on here today.
Gordon: Well, I want to thank you guys for being a part of this and helping us spread the word. This is now our fourth go-karting event. It's been in Wilmington, N.C., the last three years, and we moved it up here to Charlotte and it's getting bigger.
We're going to raise more money by bringing it here to Charlotte, bring more attention to the (Jeff Gordon) Foundation, and, more importantly, to the Hendrick Marrow program, which is part of the Marrow Foundation.
We just really want to raise awareness to people that we need to go out and get type rating for a possible match with someone who needs a bone marrow transplant.
We're going to have a dinner this evening, and get more into that detail tonight. Today is all about having fun and racing go karts and raising a lot of money and doing it in a great way.
Frye: So you're here all day long?
Gordon: All day long. And I'm going to run in every race like I have in the past. I do this for a living, but today it's for fun. One of the things I enjoy most is driving go karts, and getting banged around by everybody ...
Frye: I was gonna say, do you get scared about the people you're racing against? You don't know much about them.
Gordon: I don't, and there have been years where some ringer comes in saying, 'My goal is to make sure I beat (Gordon),' like maybe it'll get their career going or something.
These carts are safe, and, again, it's fun. So I watch out for those, and I can't mention any names on the racetrack but it's kind of the same type situation -- you've got to watch out for them and take it a little bit easier around them.
Smith: I feel rather certain I know which name you're speaking of, but I'll keep that between us two. Now, you say (the karts) are safe, but last time I was here Elliott Sadler had his Race for Hope. I broke a kart. Elliott put me in the fence.
Gordon: Okay, great, so now I know who I have to watch out for. That was the name I was going to put in there.
Smith: Fair enough.
Frye: Moving on the Chase for the Nextel Cup, you've got to be pretty happy with where you're sitting in the points.
Gordon: "I know that in the past they docked guys points in the Busch Series. I don?t agree with the points. I really don?t." Credit: Autostock
Gordon: I am. We're what, 79 points out? We're third, and I don't feel like we've had a stellar race so far. I feel like Talladega was probably our best effort and we came home 19th. We know our restrictor plate programs have been good this year, but we're better at tracks like Martinsville.
Even though we struggled at Charlotte I feel like our Charlotte program is really strong. Kansas City was a disappointment.
I really thought we were going to be a lot better than that, and it just started behind on Friday when we didn't qualify well.
So tracks I see coming up, tracks we're testing at, I feel really good. And as strong as this team has been -- the chemistry's been there, the communication's been there, and the guys have just been really on top of their game -- whether we're having a tough day or whether we're having a great day, we just seem to be able to pull more out of it by the end of the day.
Smith: Tell us about Charlotte in May. You told me then it's the worst car you've ever had there.
Gordon: Yeah. We tried to do everything that day to try to fix that car and we couldn't find it. Then we went to Chicago and had the same thing happen. We took off at the beginning of the race and the car was great, then it just all the sudden went completely away where I couldn't even drive it.
We found that we had a jack bolt unscrew itself out of the left rear and that was one thing we sort of missed on in Charlotte trying to fix. Had we found it at Charlotte we probably could have recovered the way we did in Chicago. That was the same car, same situation, so we think that was what happened.
We came back here, tested Charlotte a couple weeks ago and the car was great. It felt very good, very comfortable, didn't give me any signs of what we had in the past. So let's keep our fingers crossed that that's what it was.
Frye: Are there days you think, gosh, I wish I had the old points system because I could probably have a certain amount accumulated instead of where I'm at right now?
Gordon: "This has turned into a big sport, it?s family-oriented and it?s very professional and we need to keep it that way." Credit: Autostock
Gordon: Yeah, when Richmond was over. When we were leading the points. Any time you're leading the points you don't want to close the gap, don't want it to all the sudden be you and nine other guys you're having to battle with, and only be separated by 45 points between those guys.
So yeah, I'd definitely like the old points system at that point, but there's going to be one year when I'm battling for 10th or whatever and enjoy this points system. So we're just going to have to see how it unfolds. I still think we have a great shot at this championship, even though it's structured this way.
I think it's very entertaining. I think it's drawn a lot of attention, and I think it almost makes the championship that much harder to win, so when you do win it, you're going to appreciate it that much more.
Smith: Jeff, Kurt Busch and Dale Jr. are predominantly not that great at Charlotte, and you are. Is this a race you're focusing on to try to make up significant ground?
Gordon: I really think it is. You look at how well Jimmie (Johnson) ran here last time, and we have all those notes. We both tested here. He was testing a Busch car and we testing a Cup car, but I feel like this is great opportunity for us to really get that ball rolling, get the momentum back on our side.
Those guys have really, over the last four races, been the guys that have been up front the most, leading laps, and they've both won races. That's what we've got to do. We've got to start leading laps, really putting out strong efforts and winning races. And I think Charlotte's a great place for us to start doing that.
Frye: Do you fall into the theory that some of the guys in the top 10 are racing more conservatively or maybe even sandbagging a little bit?
Gordon: I think this is the time to pull it all out. I don't think you can sandbag. I do think consistency is important, but that doesn't mean you're not trying to win races, doesn't mean you're not trying to get points.
Like us, we're trying every weekend to get up there, we just haven't had that type of performance, or results. So we're relying on consistency and trying to put top 10s together and hoping we don't have that devastating finish, and that we can eventually start putting those wins together.
Some guys might have come out of the box a little bit more aggressive, taking bigger risks, and maybe that's paid off for them. But is it going to pay off for them over the whole 10-week stretch? We'll have to find out.
Smith: Jeff, we've seen all kinds of post-race fiascos this year, from Bottlegate to what happened with Dale Jr. We've not yet heard your opinion on NASCAR's decision. What are your thoughts on them taking 25 points away?
Gordon: "Kansas City was a disappointment. I really thought we were going to be a lot better than that, and it just started behind on Friday when we didn?t qualify well." Credit: Autostock
Gordon: I understand that there's definitely going to be some kind of penalty. I know that in the past they docked guys points in the Busch Series. I don't agree with the points. I really don't.
I think that should not take away from the effort that was happening on the racetrack. I do think that, what I feel like NASCAR's gotten themselves into is when we fine a guy it doesn't seem to affect them. It doesn't seem to stop it from happening. We want to stop these things from happening.
But that's because the fines are $10,000, $20,000. Make that fine $200,000, $250,000. I guarantee you 25 points is worth a lot of money to those guys at the end of the season. If they don't win this championship, it could be worth over $1 million, those 25 points.
So let's make the fine big and really get the attention. If we're going to do that, I think there are certain things that points need to be taken away on the racetrack with.
If it's altering your racecar or something like that, some kind of action you took on the racetrack, then maybe points should be taken away, but I don't necessarily agree with it for what happened.
Frye: Okay, be honest with us. How close have you come to exclaiming a dirty word like that in Victory Lane or after a race?
Gordon: I'm even concerned with radio conversation, because sometimes in the heat of the moment and the adrenaline's flowing I've said things I wish I hadn't said. But sometimes you can't help yourself.
Frye: You think you're just talking to your team.
Gordon: Yeah. And there are scanners and people are listening. So I'm concerned they're going to start even coming down on that. But in post-race interviews or victory celebrations, I don't know, I'm sure I've come close, but I'm usually pretty good in that situation.
I try to recognize who we're speaking to. But I'll be honest, I didn't know that word was worth 25 points. Neither did Rusty Wallace. I loved it. Rusty Wallace, in the driver's meeting last weekend was like, 'Are you going to give us a list of words we can't say?'
Frye: Doubt Mike Helton found that funny, did he?
Gordon: No. He pretty much set it all straight for everybody, and we didn't ask any more questions, which he's very good at doing. But, I understand their side of things.
This has turned into a big sport, it's family-oriented and it's very professional and we need to keep it that way. And we don't need to say anything like that.
Of course, a lot of us during our every day lives may say that word and not think anything of it.
Smith: I would like follow up with this though: Would NASCAR not have gotten themselves in a bit of an issue? There's an obvious undercurrent in the garage that Junior gets favoritism.
Gordon: Yeah.
Smith: If they'd let this slide, considering that they'd set the precedent with Hornaday and Sauter, don't you think that undercurrent of favoritism would have been far worse?
Gordon: The way I look at it, they were in a no-win situation for sure. If they hadn't fined him, the media and so many people would have come down on them. If they did, then all the Junior fans are upset at them. They couldn't win in that situation.
Frye: Do you think guys in the top 10, as they go through inspection, your cars are more scrutinized?
Gordon: You know, I certainly would like to think that doesn't happen. But I do think, when you're winning races, when you're running up front and battling for the championship, it seems like there is a little bit more scrutiny.
But hey, okay, it's understandable. We joking say all the time, 'Okay, well, we can't get away with that.' And heck, sometimes maybe we feel like the 25 and the 5 might try something they could get away with that we can't because we're in a battle for a championship.
Whether that's true or not, I've never had any facts, any proof of that at all.
Smith: One more question, Jeff. You guys have had some engine issues over the past couple months. Is that resolved and have you figured out what was?
Frye: Because, obviously, you need horsepower at Charlotte and Atlanta.
Gordon: You need horsepower everywhere, and it's nice to have. The more you have the better the car works. But you've got to have reliability as well. I'd like to think, and (head engine builder) Randy Dorton and all those guys at the Hendrick engine shop would like to think we got it resolved.
Those guys are constantly testing engines at 500-plus miles and pushing the limits of the RPMs, and still trying to maintain or even improve the horsepower as we go through the rest of the season. We've been pretty good the last couple weeks with it.
I know Jimmie (Johnson) had some problems. We've had our problems, as well, but we feel like we got them resolved and just have to wait and see.