Jeff Gordon has led 255 of the last 679 laps run in the Nextel Cup Series -- with no wins to show for it. Credit: Autostock

Botched pit stop costs Gordon shot at win

DARLINGTON, S.C. -- Jeff Gordon was in no mood to talk about points.

Didn't matter than he closed to within 21 points of Kurt Busch -- 21 measly points between Gordon and his fifth championship.

That didn't matter immediately after Sunday's Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. All that mattered was Gordon had a chance at winning his sixth Southern 500, an excellent chance, in fact.

Gordon is winless since his victory at The Brickyard. Credit: Autostock

Gordon led three times for 155 laps, the most of any driver. With 36 laps to go, Gordon was in command, easily holding the top spot ahead of teammate Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin.

But one botched pit stop, one small mistake, kept him from winning.

And for a guy like Gordon, that stings.

"Right now, I'm just mad because we didn't win," Gordon said. "We should've won that race. I'm just mad about it. I'm entitled to that, and I'm going to be mad for a while. I hope that we can go to Homestead and rebound."

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Gordon did a decent job of rebounding Sunday, clawing from seventh with 37 laps to go to finish third. Gordon even passed Busch in the closing laps, helping him gain precious some points.

But that didn't matter. There weren't many smiles in the No. 24 camp after the race.

Southern 500 Videos Busch banged up Kurt Busch, in need of a pit stop, is saved as the caution flies Waltrip wrecks Todd Bodine gets loose and Michael Waltrip slams into him Hard hit Dale Jarrett gets loose and hits the wall hard on Lap 195 Blown engine Ryan Newman's engine expires on Lap 331 Final laps Jimmie Johnson beats Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon to the checkers Victory Lane Jimmie Johnson celebrates his 2004 Darlington sweep

Now, all Gordon and his team can do is attack Homestead-Miami Speedway, site of the season-ending Ford 400.

"We can only do one thing, and that's go out there and win," Gordon said. "There's nothing (else) you can do. There's the experience of, yeah, making sure you're there at the finish.

"But we've all got to come together and work together and not make mistakes - and that's me and everybody. I've made 'em this year, and it's cost us some points.

"We made one tonight at a crucial moment that cost us a lot of points."

Had the mistake not happened and Gordon won the race, he would've scored 15 more points and would've trailed Busch by six. Doesn't sound like much, but Gordon knows how critical each point is at the end of the season.

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Early in Sunday's race, Gordon was hardly counting points. He was simply worried about hanging on to a loose car, fading outside the top 15.

He and crew chief Robbie Loomis made some "big adjustments," Gordon said, and the car started working better.

"I was really proud of the guys and what they accomplished because we fell way back, and then worked our way back on those long runs," Gordon said. "And then with some great pit stops, (we) came out first. We were in control and had the car."

But ...

"They said the car dropped on the air hose," Gordon said.

Southern 500 Unofficial Results Unofficial Standings Lap by Lap

Gordon had the lead when Ryan Newman blew an engine to bring out the race's seventh caution on Lap 331. But after a slow pit stop, Gordon restarted seventh.

Ouch.

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"I know we all make mistakes," Gordon said. "It's just this late in the game, those types of mistakes can cost you a championship and even throw a championship away."

The crew made up a couple spots under the last yellow, but because two cars didn't pit, Gordon remained in seventh.

"We didn't have the car there behind those guys," Gordon said. "We needed a really long run for the tires to go off. It was pretty dicey, that's for sure. Made for a great race, anyway."

Not that he cared, even after passing four cars in the final 18 laps.

"As good as Jimmie runs and Kurt runs and Mark (Martin) runs, we have to get a win. We really do," Gordon said. "That's why I'm so disappointed with tonight's finish because I felt like we had that opportunity to go to Homestead and have the confidence and momentum and everything going our way.

"It was still a good finish for us, but not what I felt we were capable of. Next week is one race ... go for broke."