Jimmie Johnson loses the points lead for the first time since Las Vegas, while Jeff Gordon loses two more positions in the standings. Credit: Autostock

Mechanical issues prove costly for Hendrick

Gordon still behind; Johnson loses points lead

SONOMA, Calif. -- Faulty transmission linkages Sunday cost Jeff Gordon a shot at his fifth victory at Infineon Raceway, and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson the Nextel Cup Series' point lead.

Flat tires led to Brian Vickers' 34th-place finish, while Kyle Busch also had a linkage issue that relegated him to 40th.

Gordon and Johnson's cars had transmissions from Mid Valley Engineering for the Dodge/Save Mart 350, while the cars for Busch and Vickers had different units, Gordon's crew chief Robbie Loomis said.

	Jeff Gordon Credit: Autostock
	Results Dodge/Save Mart 350 Pos. Driver Make 1. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 2. Ricky Rudd Ford 3. Kurt Busch Ford 4. Rusty Wallace Dodge 5. Dale Jarrett Ford Complete results, click here Driver standings, click here

Gordon, who led the first 32 laps of the race on the 1.99-mile road course, was stricken by linkage problems that limited the available gears in his transmission. He said he noticed it right after Tony Stewart passed him at lap 33.

"I went up into Turn 2 and I went to go to second gear and it wouldn't go," Gordon said. "It just stuck and it was stuck in third or fourth gear. I rode around and luckily we caught a caution (and) fixed it."

Gordon was a threat to finish in the top 20 when his car had all four gears, but he ended up 33rd after he was stricken for what Loomis said was the third time.

"The internal parts in the transmissions were fine," Loomis said. "We tested these transmissions at (Virginia International Raceway) and used them at Pocono without a problem.

"But every problem we had today was with the linkages and that shouldn't happen -- these things should be worked out by now."

Gordon expressed a desire to return to the old transmissions.

"Probably the last time I ever run that transmission," Gordon said. "We've won a lot of races with old faithful, you know, so I guess that's what we'll go back to.

"I guess it doesn't do us any good if we're faster if we don't make it to the end."

Johnson also said it was no consolation that more than one Hendrick car had transmission trouble.

	Jimmie Johnson Credit: Autostock
	Victory LaneStewart celebrates his Dodge/Save Mart 350 win at Infineon Final lapsTony Stewart and Ricky Rudd battle for the checkered flag Gears are gone?Jeff Gordon has transmission issues at Sonoma Junior wrecks earlyDale Jr. touches Mike Bliss and hits the wall hard Sign up for TrackPass now and earn Fan Miles BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

"It's all the same train, plus some other guys that were running the same brand had some problems, too," Johnson said. "We just won't use it again."

It was the fifth time in the last six races that Gordon has finished worse than 30th, and it knocked him to 14th in the standings -- his worst position this season.

"We've just got to make sure it doesn't happen again and it's very frustrating," Gordon said. "I'm getting to the point where I don't care about points -- I don't even care about the championship.

"All I care about is getting our stuff going and getting ourselves to be in these races where we can put ourselves in contention to win.

"Right now we've got a lot of other things to get straight before we can even think about a championship."

For Johnson, who has led the standings for 13 weeks, his troubles resulted in even worse consequences.

Johnson finished a lap down in 36th -- only his second finish this season worse than 20th -- and he fell into second in the standings, 22 points behind Greg Biffle, who finished 14th Sunday.

The results had him speaking in short sentences.

"We'll just keep going," Johnson said. "Got to keep your eye on the ball. It's a long, long season."

Gordon, 414 points behind Biffle, faces a more dire situation, as he must put himself into the Chase within the next 10 races.

"I haven't looked at the points, I don't have a clue and don't care right now," Gordon said. "I just want to get out of here, go to the next one and put this one behind us.

"It doesn't matter how big of a hole we put ourselves in -- it only matters what we do at the next race and how we can learn from what has happened and move on."

Gordon was so low after the race he found no consolation in going to Daytona next weekend, where he won the season-opening Daytona 500.

"No comfort," Gordon said. "Right now it doesn't matter where we go. There are no guarantees in this business, so it doesn't matter where you go.

"I'm looking forward to going there because I know we've got a good car and a good team and I know that we can win -- but I also know that we've got to avoid the big one."