It really looks like Jeffy's got all his ducks in a row. He'll be hard to beat once the Chase gets going.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Gordon earns 3M Performance 400 pole
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Associated Press
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Qualifying has provided Jeff Gordon with some real surprises this season.
The four-time NASCAR champion had another one Friday, winning his series-leading sixth pole of 2007 after having to wait for all the rest of the cars entered in the 3M Performance 400 to make their qualifying runs.
"Wow! Wow!" Gordon said into his radio after crew chief Steve Letarte, back at the track after a six-race suspension, told him he had just won another pole.
"We were decent in practice, but we didn't get the best lap," Gordon said. "But, obviously, we communicated well on the adjustments we needed. It just didn't feel like a pole-winning lap.
"Obviously, I've got to thank this team and welcome back Steve Letarte. Man, that's awesome. We've got good chemistry and I think that late draw really, really played out for us," he said.
Greg Biffle, who went out just ahead of Gordon in the 48-car qualifying line, posted a lap of 188.684 mph, knocking Kasey Kahne (188.516) off the top spot. Gordon then went out and raised the top speed to 189.026.
"I probably could have got into [turns] three and four a little bit better, and that was the difference," said Biffle, who didn't even have time to celebrate before Gordon knocked him off the top spot. "But the thing is, we've got a great car for this weekend and that's what we're excited about."
Gordon had to wait for just over two hours after drawing the last spot in the qualifying line. But the current Nextel Cup points leader said that waiting -- as frustrating as it can be -- can also be an advantage.
"The biggest thing is you get the opportunity to watch everybody, listen to what they have to say on their radios and talk with your teammates to find out what they think about their qualifying runs," he explained. "I knew I had to pick up about six-tenths [of a second] from what we ran in practice and I could hardly believe we got it.
"We've had a few surprises this year in qualifying, but this is probably the biggest," he said.
Asked if having Letarte back made the difference, Gordon said, "I think that Steve just brings a little something special. He's the guy who's gotten us into the situation, leading the points, winning four races and qualified for the Chase."
Bobby Labonte, working with new crew chief Doug Rudolph, was a solid fourth at 188.132, followed by Elliott Sadler at 188.024, Kyle Busch at 187.882 and reigning Cup champion Johnson at 187.877.
Rounding out the top 10 were series runner-up Denny Hamlin at 187.373, Clint Bowyer at 187.344 and Mark Martin at 187.246.
Among the other big names, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 40th at 184.398, while Tony Stewart, winner of three of the last four Cup events, was 35th at 184.800.
Michael Waltrip, making a Cup race for only the sixth time in 23 tries this season, was a surprising 11th at 187.042. He was followed by rookie teammate David Reutimann at 186.848. Dale Jarrett, the third Michael Waltrip Racing driver, failed to qualify for Sunday's 43-car field.
Friday, August 17, 2007
Gordon earns 3M Performance 400 pole
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Associated Press
BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Qualifying has provided Jeff Gordon with some real surprises this season.
The four-time NASCAR champion had another one Friday, winning his series-leading sixth pole of 2007 after having to wait for all the rest of the cars entered in the 3M Performance 400 to make their qualifying runs.
"Wow! Wow!" Gordon said into his radio after crew chief Steve Letarte, back at the track after a six-race suspension, told him he had just won another pole.
"We were decent in practice, but we didn't get the best lap," Gordon said. "But, obviously, we communicated well on the adjustments we needed. It just didn't feel like a pole-winning lap.
"Obviously, I've got to thank this team and welcome back Steve Letarte. Man, that's awesome. We've got good chemistry and I think that late draw really, really played out for us," he said.
Greg Biffle, who went out just ahead of Gordon in the 48-car qualifying line, posted a lap of 188.684 mph, knocking Kasey Kahne (188.516) off the top spot. Gordon then went out and raised the top speed to 189.026.
"I probably could have got into [turns] three and four a little bit better, and that was the difference," said Biffle, who didn't even have time to celebrate before Gordon knocked him off the top spot. "But the thing is, we've got a great car for this weekend and that's what we're excited about."
Gordon had to wait for just over two hours after drawing the last spot in the qualifying line. But the current Nextel Cup points leader said that waiting -- as frustrating as it can be -- can also be an advantage.
"The biggest thing is you get the opportunity to watch everybody, listen to what they have to say on their radios and talk with your teammates to find out what they think about their qualifying runs," he explained. "I knew I had to pick up about six-tenths [of a second] from what we ran in practice and I could hardly believe we got it.
"We've had a few surprises this year in qualifying, but this is probably the biggest," he said.
Asked if having Letarte back made the difference, Gordon said, "I think that Steve just brings a little something special. He's the guy who's gotten us into the situation, leading the points, winning four races and qualified for the Chase."
Bobby Labonte, working with new crew chief Doug Rudolph, was a solid fourth at 188.132, followed by Elliott Sadler at 188.024, Kyle Busch at 187.882 and reigning Cup champion Johnson at 187.877.
Rounding out the top 10 were series runner-up Denny Hamlin at 187.373, Clint Bowyer at 187.344 and Mark Martin at 187.246.
Among the other big names, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was 40th at 184.398, while Tony Stewart, winner of three of the last four Cup events, was 35th at 184.800.
Michael Waltrip, making a Cup race for only the sixth time in 23 tries this season, was a surprising 11th at 187.042. He was followed by rookie teammate David Reutimann at 186.848. Dale Jarrett, the third Michael Waltrip Racing driver, failed to qualify for Sunday's 43-car field.