Robby Gordon Mailbag: Staying the course

Robby, now that you are near the top 10 in points, do you change your game plan for racing or do you just keep doing what you have been all year? Also, after driving an Indy car, does a stock car feel slow and awkward to drive? I imagine there is a huge difference in the feel of the cars.

--Rick Walston

	Robby Gordon

We don't change our game plan much. Obviously, we're pushing hard each weekend. Richard [Childress] has taught me that if the Cingular car isn't going to win the race, take the best finish we can in that car. That's not always the most fun but it helped us get into the top 10 in points a couple of weeks ago. The next few tracks are good ones for us and hopefully we can get back into the top 10. A stock car definitely doesn't feel slow and awkward. Just because we go a little slower in the Winston Cup car doesn't mean it feels awkward. The Winston Cup cars make more horsepower and have smaller tires. But you're on the ragged edge all day in a Winston Cup car.

Robby, have you ever thought of doing the Bathurst 1000 or more possibly the Bathurst 24-hour race? The Bathurst track has been a real "boogy" track for drivers from the U.S. You have considerable road racing skills in a variety of cars, so you could be the only U.S. driver who excels there.

--Robert Ryan

I did consider doing the Bathurst 1000 a couple of years ago and I think I would have loved it. It never came to fruition with a team that can win, though. Those seats are taken early. Hopefully, I can do it in the future.

Robby, I've been a fan of yours ever since you raced in the Mickey Thompson Series. Have followed your career ever since and you have gradually proven that you are a top driver in each series you have driven in. You're proving the critics wrong and I'm sure your success in the 31 will continue. The question is which drivers are you closest with in the Winston Cup Series, as far as conversing or just hanging out outside the track?

--Fernando

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I actually get along really well with Jimmy Spencer . We've got a relationship that was built through his son and Jimmy drives for Jimmy Smith , one of my good friends. I also hang out with Casey Mears , Jimmie Johnson , Greg Biffle and other racers. I think in Winston Cup, it's important to have friends but it's also important to be able to race the guys each week because it's so competitive.

First of all, congratulations on a great season so far! You've got a pretty cool looking car and have run some kick-butt paint schemes; I was wondering if you have a die cast collection of all the different cars you've ever driven? If so, what scale do you collect and do you display them at your house, RCR or are they in a closet waiting for the "race room" to be built?

--Julie Zimmerman

Actually, I do have a die cast collection of most of the cars and their special paint schemes I've ever driven. I collect them in a variety of sizes and display them at my home, my race shop and in my motor home at the race track.

Watching the race at Dover, I heard Richard tell you not to drive in the corners so hard, that's where they were beating you. How hard is it to try and change what you are doing with two guys right on your bumper? Also, did you test at any of the road courses? I'm really looking forward to watching the 31 there!

--Randall Turner

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It's not exactly easy to change the line you're driving when you've got guys clinging to the back of the Cingular bumper. Sometimes they can get right behind you and take the air off the back of your car and make you very loose. But you've got to do what you've got to do and just learn to adjust. Yes, we did test before we went to Sonoma. We tested at Virginia International Raceway, a road course, a couple of times. I guess it paid off when we pulled into Victory Lane! Also, we're going to test at Watkins Glen International later this month and hopefully improve our road course package even more.

Robby Gordon drives the No. 31 Cingular Wireless Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Before arriving in NASCAR's top division, Gordon enjoyed success in the CART Series and off-road racing. Throughout the 2003 Winston Cup season, Gordon will answer questions from SI.com users in a weekly Mailbag.