Robby Gordon goes the distance for 'The Double'

CONCORD, N.C. -- Robby Gordon endured one of the great feats in all of motorsports on Sunday when he completed what affectionately has become known as "The Double."

	Robby Gordon

One day, two races, 1,100 miles.

Gordon drove the No. 31 Cingular Dallara in the Indianapolis 500 during the day, then flew back to Lowe's Motor Speedway to compete in the Coca-Cola Racing Family 600 at night. NASCAR.com went along for the ride in order to document this incredible day of racing and to provide an hour-by-hour, lap-by-lap account of Gordon's amazing day.

The following is a timeline of the day's events, beginning in the morning at Indianapolis and ending back in Charlotte with the completion of the Coca-Cola Racing Family 600.

Wake-up call

5:00 a.m. CT: The traditional "bomb" goes off to signify that the gates are open at the Brickyard for fans. Gordon, who spent the night in his motorcoach inside the track, is startled from his sleep.

He hears people moving around outside. He gets up, puts wads of toilet paper in his ears to keep the noise out and slumbers back into a deep sleep.

8:15 a.m.: Gordon wakes up for the day and says later that it was the best sleep he's had in the last month.

He showers and eats breakfast while waiting for a busload of people who flew in from Charlotte on a plane he chartered. On board are his family, friends and some fans who paid to be witnesses to Gordon's day, which includes tickets to both the 500 and 600.

9:15 a.m.: The group arrives from the airport and is greeted by Gordon on the back deck of the hotel's restaurant. While everyone is gathering, Gordon looks rested yet focused. He addresses the group: "Thanks everyone for coming today, I really appreciate it. Last night, I can honestly say was the best night of rest I have had this whole month. It looks like it's going to be a great day for the race with this great weather.

"We do have a slight concern today with the cars because of tire wear. We made some runs the other day and found we could go about 20 laps before we started experiencing tire wear. We can go about 33 laps on fuel runs before we have to pit.

"The secret to this race is to be around near the end. Once the cars start to get moving all over the track, the air gets dirty and effects our down force. All we need to do is survive the first 100 miles."

Gordon then takes questions and someone inquires about the time window he has to get back to Charlotte, and what he's going to do if he wins the Indy 500.

"I talked to Richard (Childress, car owner) about that. He said he didn't want to take anything away if we won this race. But, did you see where we were in Happy Hour yesterday (17th) in the Cup car?

"We have to go back. I feel stronger about the 600 than I do the 500."

Another fan asks if NASCAR honored his request about attending the drivers meeting via teleconference.

"No, (laughing) they said I have to start in the back. But, the good thing is I get to start back there with my good buddy Kurt Busch. I had him in a headlock yesterday and I was giving him noogies until he apologized for spinning me in The Winston."

9:30 a.m.: The group departs for the track as Gordon drives his Cingular golf cart to garage area to begin preparing for the Indianapolis 500.

9:35 a.m.: Gordon visits the Cingular Wireless hospitality tent to meet some fans, answer questions and sign autographs.

10:00 a.m.: Gordon relaxes and talks with Childress and owner John Menard

10:30 a.m.: Makes his way toward the 33-car starting grid.

10:33 a.m.: Driver introduction via video clips on the big screens located around The Brickyard. The drivers then gather for the traditional pre-race photo on the Yard of Bricks at start/finish line.

10:45 a.m.: Gordon climbs into his car.

Indy 500

10:52 a.m.: Mari Hulman George utters the most famous words in racing, "Lady and gentleman, start your engines!" The crowd of 400,000 goes wild as the roar of the engines resonates off the grandstands.

11:00 a.m. Green flag! It's a peculiar start as most of field starts single file. Gordon is silent on the radio as he rolls off in his 11th-place position.

Gordon started 11th in the Indy 500. Credit: AP

Lap 3: Gordon comes on the radio, "Car feels good." He's moved up to ninth.

Lap 8: "Car has too much aero push in it right now."

Lap 11: "The car has a real bad push now." The crew discusses fixing the down force when he comes in to pit next time.

Lap 30: While running ninth, Gordon was headed down pit road when the caution comes out for Greg Ray's crash. Gordon rolls through pit road and heads back out on the track. However, getting caught on pit road when the yellow comes out is costly -- Gordon exits in 15th-place.

Lap 34: Gordon pits and takes on four tires, fuel and makes slight adjustments to the car.

Lap 37: Race restarts with Gordon in 12th. He moves to 10th two laps later.

Lap 40: Gordon calls into his crew and says that the car has a vibration.

Lap 46: While trying to pass a car, Gordon calls in again. "Car doesn't have enough power. But the good news is that vibration is gone."

Lap 66: Pits and takes on four tires and fuel in 12 seconds.

A near miss

Lap 81: As Gordon is pitting under caution disaster nearly strikes. A fire breaks out in his pit area during the refueling process. It's believed to have been started by a slight backfire with fuel on the ground. The fire causes a small explosion that sends the pit box into a brief moment of chaos. The crew hurries out with foam to extinguish the fire in the pit box and on the car.

Gordon waits a few seconds to make sure the car isn't still on fire and then returns to the track with foam still on the car. The caution stays out for a few laps while his crew cleans up the pit box. The entire crew escapes without injuries or burns. That's the good news. The bad news is that Gordon's main fuel tank in the pit box is now contaminated and useless to refuel the car. He drives on in 12th place as the crew wonders where they can get extra fuel.

Fire breaks out in Gordon's pit box. Credit: AP

Lap 95: The problem is finally solved. The Cingular crew moves its equipment down to the pit box of Greg Ray, who is out of the race. They will use his main fuel tank to finish the race.

Lap 100: Halfway through the race Gordon is running 11th.

Lap 105: If it comes down to a time issue for Gordon to get back to Charlotte in time for the 600, Robby McGehee is standing by to take over.

Lap 125: Gordon runs fifth as the field cycles through pit stops under green.

Lap 128: Pits car, takes on four tires and fuel. Returns to track in the 13th position.

Lap 140: Gordon is running eighth, six seconds behind the seventh-place car of Helio Castroneves.

Lap 160: Running 14th after pit stops, Gordon is quiet on the radio as he returns to the track.

Lap 170: Has moved up to 11th, but is seven second behind 10th.

Lap 180: Gordon takes over the 10th position with 20 laps to go. Complaining on the radio that, "Nobody will flippin' work with me, dammit. I have the power, they just won't work with me to go forward and move up."

Lap 190: Now in ninth place and charging, Gordon tries to work around the eighth-place car.

Lap 198: A wreck in Turn 2 brings out the caution, Gordon moves into eighth. The race ends under caution with Castroneves winning his second Indy 500 in a row under a small cloud of controversy. Paul Tracy passes Castroneves for the lead, but it is ruled that he did so after the yellow came out. Castroneves, on the verge of running out of fuel, takes the checkers.

Lap: 200: Gordon brings the No. 31 Cingular across the Yard of Bricks in eighth position.

500 down, 600 to go

2:08 p.m.: Robby exits the car and gives a quick interview while walking.

"I honestly thought we would be a lot stronger today. But, I'm very proud of everyone at Cingular Wireless and Team Menard for coming together and working everything so well. It's been a lot of fun and I feel great. I got a little sweaty, but not too bad.

About the fire in the pits: "I didn't know what the deal was going to be there. My guys know how to overcome, they've been doing this for a long time. We didn't lose too much and climbed back up as best we could. Track position was key and the pit fire ruined it. We were in the fifth position when it happened and it was really, really hard to pass all day long."

2:12 p.m.: Gordon jumps on a golf cart and speeds off to helicopter waiting just behind Turn 2. Five minutes later -- with the helicopter rotors already turning - Gordon, Richard Childress and others jump on for a quick flight to the airport.

2:15 p.m.: The helicopter lands at the airport and the group jumps on to the waiting RCR jet that departs 10 minutes later for the one-hour flight to Concord (N.C.) Airport.

Gordon is greeted by a crew member at LMS. Credit: AP

4:22 p.m. ET: RCR jet lands at Concord. Taking into account the new time zone, Gordon has a little more than 90 minutes before the start of the Coca-Cola Racing Family 600. While in flight, Gordon changes uniforms and eats a turkey sandwich, drinks plenty of water and continues drinking energy drinks.

4:26 p.m.: Another helicopter takes off from Concord Airport headed for Lowe's Motor Speedway. Gordon, feeling good, says he's ready to go for another 600 miles.

4:32 p.m.: The helicopter lands on a grassy infield between the grandstands and pit road at LMS. Gordon exits the craft to a cheering crowd and waves to acknowledge them.

5:00 p.m.: Gordon makes it to the driver introductions for Coca-Cola Racing Family 600. He takes a ride around the 1.5-mile speedway as the crowd cheers and waves while Gordon makes his way around the track.

5:10 p.m.: Gordon heads to No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet to strap in and get ready for the 600-mile race ahead of him.

Race No. 2

5:37 p.m.: For the second time today, Gordon hears the words, "Gentleman, start your engines!" The engines of 43 stock cars are fired up and the crowd of 180,000 responds with a wild cheer.

5:40 p.m.: Gordon talks with crew chief Gil Martin about strategy. "Just take your time, Robby. We have a great car and we're here with you through the night. Tighten up those belts and get ready to race."

Credit: AP

Gordon qualified 13th but is forced to start at rear of field because he missed the drivers meeting.

5:45 p.m.: The green flag is waved and the second leg of Gordon's racing odyssey begins.

Lap 27: Gordon tells the crew, "The car is running great but is a little loose." The team uses a caution pit stop to take on fuel-only in order to gain track position. Gordon comes out fourth for the restart.

Lap 70: After another caution pit stop for a Jeremy Mayfield spin, Gordon returns to action in 11th. "Car is good guy but I'm still having a slight push. If you guys can get me some energy drinks, I would appreciate it very much."

Lap 102: The caution comes out again and Gordon comes in 18th for four tires and fuel.

Lap 133: It's now 7:22 p.m. and Gordon complains of a cramp under his left rib. He asks the RCR doctor, who has been with him all day, "What should I do?"

Childress comes on radio and says, "Robby, we are with you all the way. Don't push it."

Gordon: "Okay, it just hurts, that's all. I don't want it to get worse." Gordon has now run almost 700 miles.

Lap 150: The caution comes out and Gordon gets padding put under his right side to firm up his rib area. The crew also gives him energy drinks and Goody's Headache Powder.

Lap 192: Gordon falls to 15th-place and says, "I need a caution real bad." The car is extremely loose.

Lap 200: Halfway through the 600 and Gordon is now running 23rd. Four positions behind him is the race leader, Jimmie Johnson, threatening to put him a lap down.

Lap 210: Gil Martin tells Gordon he has to make it another 10 laps before he can pit. Martin urges him to "Hang on and hang in there, everything is fine."

Lap 219: Gordon is on the verge of becoming a lap down as leader Jimmie Johnson bears down on him.

Lap 220: Johnson passes by on the outside, putting Gordon a lap down.

Growing tired

Lap 222: Gordon heads toward pit road but misjudges the entrance and has to circle around again. He has now raced over 830 miles.

Lap 223: Gordon pits to take on four tires, fuel and says, "I'm better now, I just am having a real bad headache." He returns to track in 30th.

Lap 225: Leaders begin green-flag pitstops. Two laps later, Gordon says, "Guys, car is still real loose."

Lap 244: Gordon pleads with his crew chief, "Gil, I can't drive it --- I'm gonna wreck." The loose car is worrying Gordon as he's running 24th and is still one lap down.

Lap 256: A caution comes out for Mayfield hitting wall. Gordon comes in and says, "I can't get the pad situated behind my back." Martin encourages Gordon "Not to go out on me now."

Lap 259: "It's really hot inside this car. I'm okay, I'm just dying of heat and my eyes are watering really bad." Gordon sounds alert as he talks with his crew under waiting for a caution restart.

Lap 260: Childress says to Gordon, "Robby, Kevin Lepage is here and standing by if you need him to jump in." Gordon: "Ten-four, I'll let you know." Gordon has now raced over seven hours and almost 900 miles.

Lap 264: It's now 8:46 p.m. and Gordon comes in to top off the fuel. He returns to the track 26th. The crew gives him a banana to eat under the caution.

Lap 289: Gordon has picked up four spots and asks his crew, "C'mon, a little help from the No. 25 here, huh?" referring to Joe Nemechek, who Gordon thinks is slowing him down. Nemechek is currently three laps down.

Lap 290: Gordon's spotter says he's talking to them now and that Ricky Rudd -- who's running fifth -- wants to get around Gordon.

Lap 295: "Gil, the car is too tight now."

Lap 308: It's now 9:18 p.m. and Gordon is running 22nd and is still one-lap down to the leaders. Air temperature is 77 degrees. Gordon isn't saying much, just listening to his spotter as the laps tick down on his 1,100 mile day of circular motion.

Lap 331: Gordon: "I'm a little bit tight, Gil." Martin acknowledges that as Gordon says, "We could use a caution right here, huh?" as he sees Kurt Busch on pit road getting service. Martin tells Gordon to pit in two laps.

Lap 333: Gordon takes four tires and fuel and makes a slight adjustment in air pressure to fight the car being tight. Sixty-five laps to go to complete The Double.

Lap 347: Gordon asks his spotter to go to the No. 48 (Johnson) for some help if there's a caution. The spotter says he will talk to them.

Second wind

Lap 350: It's 9:42 p.m. Gordon is now two laps down in 21st position. Other than a request to his spotter, Gordon has been quiet for about 20 laps.

Lap 360: Hut Stricklin spins in front of Gordon as his spotter tells him "Go low, stay low!" Gordon avoids the spinning car and passes Johnson. He's excited because he thinks he's on the lead lap again.

"There we go boys, we got that caution we needed," Gordon says before Martin interrupts him with the bad news. "Robby, that only puts us one lap down now."

"What? How'd we go two laps down there? Man, I thought we were only one lap down," he said dejectedly. "Okay, well, let's put four new tires on here and see if we can free it up a little bit."

Gordon pulls down pit road and takes four tires.

Lap 361: Gordon seems to have found his second wind, "Guys, I feel pretty good right now. I'm not going to do anything risky here to get my lap back. If I have to do that, I'm going to bring it in rather than do that."

Childress: "Robby, you've done a great job here tonight, so far. Let's just see what we can get out of this."

Homestretch

Lap 390: It's now 10:06 p.m. and Gordon hasn't said anything in 29 laps. Martin lets him know where he's at (18th) and that he has clear traffic all around him.

Lap 400: Gordon finishes 16th, one lap down, as Mark Martin crosses takes the checkers. As Gordon pulls the orange and black No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet off the track, he revs the engine as he passes Childress walking toward the hauler.

10:20 p.m.: Drenched in sweat, face red and visibly tired, Gordon exits his ride. As he climbs out, he says he has a cramp in his right leg. He makes it out of the car, gingerly walks to the back of his hauler and falls flat on his back.

10:22 p.m.: As medics work on him and apply cold packs to his unzipped fire suit, he drinks ice water while accepting high-fives and handshakes from his crew.

10:30 p.m.: He sits up to do some interviews. Michael Waltrip comes over to congratulate Gordon on his day. Gordon then stands up and does some more interviews.

10:40 p.m.: Gordon thanks everyone for coming over to talk to him, says that he's tired, takes his girlfriend Jessica's hand and walks to the back of the hauler to change.

10:50: Gordon leaves the track with one thing on his mind…sleep.

In the span of less than 12 hours, Gordon has driven speeds in excess of 220 mph while completing 500 miles in the state of Indiana. He finished eighth. He then flew in three different aircrafts, covered 575 miles by air and landed in North Carolina. He then climbed into another race car to drive 180 mph for another 588.5 miles to finish 16th.

One man, one day…one courageous effort.