Jeff Gordon scored his second straight third-place finish, but he dropped a spot in the standings. Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Sunoco Pit Move of the Week: Darlington

As shocking as it sounds, it's quite simple -- Jeff Gordon's slow pit stop on Lap 337 of the Southern 500 cost him 15 points.

Gordon had the Southern 500 won -- he led the most laps and was leading heading into the final round of stops with just 30 laps to go. Gordon's plan was to take four tires, keep the lead, and get his sixth Southern 500 victory.

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But an air hose got in the way. After his tire changers had finished with the right side of the car, the air hose got stuck under his Chevrolet, costing him several seconds in the pits.

Gordon exited pit road in sixth. Even though he had fresh tires, he had no chance to catch Jimmie Johnson, who had restarted third after a quick stop.

Gordon got 175 points for finishing third, which included the five-point bonus for leading the most laps. In the past two weeks, he's led 255 laps, but he does not have a win to show for it.

"Mistakes happen. I've made them," Gordon said. "Everybody makes them. But right now at this time in the game in this championship, that cost us a lot. We've got some work to make up in Homestead."

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Gordon is only 21 points behind leader Kurt Busch, but the pit stop enabled Jimmie Johnson to move into second in the standings.

Johnson has won four of the past five races, and the last thing Gordon wanted to do was have to do is go to Homestead and beat his teammate head-to-head for the title.

"He (Jimmie) has been so good these last 10 races and all year long really," said Gordon. "They deserve to be a part of this championship and I'm happy to be a part of that.

"I'm just disgusted right now with the fact that we've kind of ruined our chances."