Jeff Gordon wound up a disappointing 21st after leading at Watkins Glen. Credit: Autostock

Bad luck befalls heavily favored Gordons

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- You wouldn't have many takers for a bet had you given them the field -- minus Jeff and Robby Gordon.

But you would have made a bundle.

SIRIUS AT THE GLEN •   Results •   Standings VIDEO Race Rewind Watch the short version of the Sirius at the Glen! Gears Are Gone Jeff Gordon has transmission failures on Lap 82 Happy Hour Rusty, Robby Gordon get their cars dialed in

The two Gordons were heavy favorites in Sunday's Sirius at the Glen at Watkins Glen International. And with good reason, for Robby was the defending champion and fastest in Happy Hour, while Jeff is a four-time winner at the Glen and was fastest in Saturday's first practice. Plus, Jeff dominated the first Nextel Cup road race earlier this year at Infineon Raceway.

They combined to lead 25 laps, too, but by the time the checkered flag waved, neither driver was near the top 10.

The culprit? Balky transmissions. Maybe you would have made more money betting on the two Gordons have transmission trouble than you would have on neither won of them winning.

Robby Gordon led twice for 12 laps but lost first and second gear in the second half of the race and faded to 16th.

Jeff Gordon led twice for 13 laps but lost first, second and third gear with 31 laps to go and finished 21st.

"We just broke a transmission," Jeff Gordon said. "Went to go up from second to third, went into gear, and it just fell to pieces. I heard a lot of rattling around. I put it in fourth gear. I tried second gear. There was nothing there. I just rode around in fourth gear all day.

"It's a disappointment, obviously. We looked like we were going to finish third. I would have loved to have finished third."

After winning both road course races in 2003, Robby Gordon found disappointment at both in 2004. Credit: Autostock

Had he finished third behind Tony Stewart and Ron Fellows, Gordon would have taken over the points lead because Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson also had transmission troubles.

As it was, Gordon pulled within 40 points of Johnson with four races remaining before the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Perhaps more importantly, the bad finish marked the first time in seven races Gordon hasn't been in the top five at the end of a race.

"We were trying new things," Gordon said. "Maybe we shouldn't have risked it that much. We felt like right now it's a road course. There isn't a road course in those last 10 races. We're almost testing today for next year. It was a call we made as a team to try it. It didn't work out for me or Jimmie. That's disappointing. Other than that it was a good day."

Robby Gordon looked like he was going to have a good day, too, before the transmission started to fail. After pitting for fuel with 34 laps to go, Gordon was in position to move into the top five. His car seemed to be on par with Stewart, Fellows and Jeff Gordon, but the gears weren't there.

"I broke first gear around lap 50," Robby Gordon said. "I broke second gear around lap 70. I only had third and fourth gear for the rest of the race. This was a fourth-place car, not a winner." Well, neither Gordon was a winner Sunday. And that was a surprise.