DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Jeff Gordon experienced what he considered one of the hardest hits of his racing career Sunday at Darlington Raceway.
Gordon plowed headfirst into Andy Hillenburg's spun out car just 28 laps into Sunday's Carolina Dodge Dealers 400.
Gordon hit the No. 80 of Andy Hillenburg on Lap 28.
Hillenburg was running well off the pace, and had already been lapped when Tony Stewart tapped him entering Turn 2 on Lap 28. Hillenburg spun, and came to rest sideways in the track's high racing lane, and was stationed there as Gordon entered the corner.
Gordon's spotter advised him to go low, but Elliott Sadler occupied that groove. Forced high with no alternative, Gordon experienced the hardest head-on collision of his career.
"I'm OK. I'm gonna be pretty sore tomorrow," said Gordon, a six-time Darlington winner who finished 41st Sunday. "I haven't taken a hit like that, possibly ever, and certainly not a head-on shot."
Though sore, Gordon escaped virtually unscathed.
"The HANS device did its job, thankfully. The belts did their job," Gordon said. "It's just unfortunate. I don't know what happened with Andy getting spun, but I'll tell you what, there's a bunch of cars out there than don't belong. They're way off the pace and in the way."
Non-competitive "field-fillers" have been a hot topic all year. Often, these under-funded teams are forced to park early after being deemed incapable of reaching the required speed.
Gordon's criticism wasn't aimed at Hillenburg, rather the fact that slow cars are allowed to compete in the first place.
"As long as they're allowed to go out there and run those speeds, then by all means they should. It's not against them," Gordon said. "There are cars out there that aren't up to the speed they need to be (in order) to be in this series."
Many believe NASCAR is bound contractually with their television partners to field 43 cars, but sanctioning body vice president George Pyne has denied that in recent weeks.
Gordon says he'd much rather see quality over quantity.
"It's been an issue. I think you've got to be up to a certain speed," Gordon said. "This is the Nextel Cup Series, man. This is the best of the best, and we don't need to have cars out there just making a qualifying attempt and making the race.
"Everyone's caught up on this 43 cars. I don't care if there's 43 cars. I don't know if the people in the stands really care if it's 43 cars. I think we need cars out there that are competitive, that (are) out there competing for positions. Not just riding around."
Hillenburg admitted he wasn't up to par Sunday
"We've just got to go back and make our car faster to be able to keep up with these guys," Hillenburg said. "This is a big-boys league and the toughest racing there ever was, and ever will be. We've got to go back and build us a little bit faster car and be the faster car instead of the slower car.
"I feel bad for Jeff and all his fans. I was sideways on the racetrack. Jeff just didn't have anywhere to go. I feel bad for that, but we'll be back, and we'll be back with a faster car."
Gordon said his day could have ended even earlier.
"We about had several wrecks before that, and I came on the radio and asked if NASCAR could take some guys off the track, not just because they're slow, but because they're in the way," Gordon said.
"This is a narrow, tight racetrack. It's hard enough just to race guys at speed. That was a heavy hit."
, you forgot HMS
