Jeff Gordon: "We want to win (at Phoenix) because we've never won here before and it would be a huge benefit for us to get some momentum back and get up on top and get back in Victory Lane." Credit: Autostock

Gordon staying course in effort to win at Phoenix

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Despite the gear problems that led to a 34th-place finish last weekend at Atlanta -- and the fact that Phoenix International Raceway is one of just four tracks where he has yet to win -- Jeff Gordon says his team hasn't changed its routine a bit this weekend.

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"I wish I could say that we knew what we could do differently," Gordon said. "We come to the racetrack on Friday to qualify the best we can and practice as good as we can in our race practice and on Sunday, drop the green and run good."

The first task was handled well, as Gordon qualified eighth for Sunday's Checker Auto Parts 500.

The four-time NASCAR champion could use a strong finish, as his Atlanta woes dropped him to third in the Nextel Cup standings, 72 points behind leader Kurt Busch, who qualified 28th.

Still, Gordon was hesitant to call Sunday's race a "must-win."

Jeff Gordon Credit: Autostock

"I don't know if we have to win, but we do if these other guys are going to finish in the top 10," Gordon said. "We want to win here because we've never won here before and it would be a huge benefit for us to get some momentum back and get up on top and get back in Victory Lane."

To that end, Gordon tested at PIR and was happy with the results.

"I'm really looking forward to getting into race conditions," Gordon said. "We just need to pay attention to detail and try to be really methodical on how we break down every segment of the corner and make sure that when we get out there that we know we've given it everything we've got."

But in the big picture, Gordon says his fate in the Chase isn't just his to determine.

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"It only matters where the other guys finish," he said. "You get all you can get and then it just matters where the other guys finish.

"When the pressure is as intense as it is for the championship these days, I think it's the way you have to do it to mentally stay in the game."

Despite some livable finishes in the past few weeks, it's been tough for Gordon. He was involved in an early wreck in Charlotte a few weeks back and came all the way back to finish second.

He posted his worst Martinsville qualifying effort in 10 years a couple of weeks back and finished ninth.

And then there was Atlanta.

"It's just been difficult. It's just been frustrating. We know we're better than this," Gordon said. "We never know what goes on. We've been fighting loose, loose, and loose.

"Maybe if we do anything different, we might start off a little bit tighter and try to back off from that."