Despite leading for only two laps, Jeff Gordon had a strong car before a flat tire deflated his chances. Credit: Autostock

Long road ahead

Tire trouble costs Gordon chance to make up ground in Chase

WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Jeremy Mayfield made it into the Chase last season by gaining five spots in the points standings in the final race before the cutoff.

Mayfield was able to pull it off because he won at Richmond and led the most laps. That is a scenario Jeff Gordon is looking to avoid in the next month.

Tony Stewart crosses the finish line at Watkins Glen. Credit: Autostock

Unofficial Results Sirius at the Glen Pos. Driver Make 1. Tony Stewart Chevrolet 2. Robby Gordon Chevrolet 3. Boris Said Chevrolet 4. Scott Pruett Dodge 5. Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Complete results, click here Unofficial standings, click here Victory LaneTony Stewart celebrates a dominant day at the Glen Final LapsStewart survives a green-white-checker finish to win DeflatedGordon's Chase hopes take a hit with a flat tire at the Glen Heavy contactJeff Burton and P.J. Jones take hard hits at the Glen Early troubleSaid, Jarrett and Newman have problems early Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

With Tony Stewart seemingly winning everything in sight these days, Gordon knows he can't bank on reeling off a couple of victories between now and the Chase cutoff.

Gordon needs to rack up some top-fives. He easily had a top-five car at the Sirius at The Glen, but bad luck found him again.

Gordon probably didn't have the car to beat Tony Stewart, but that needed top-five finish disappeared when he cut a tire on Lap 46.

"I went down into the corner and the car just went straight," Gordon said. "I thought that I had just picked up some rubber on the tire, I went through a couple of turns and it did the same thing. I had to come in."

Gordon fell all the way back to the rear of the field, but he wound up 14th after a late rally that saw him pick up 10 spots in the last 15 laps. The finish was no consolation to Gordon, who hasn't had a top-five finish in 12 races.

A Chase for the Nextel Cup spot is still very much in the picture for Gordon, who -- by passing Kevin Harvick on the final lap -- leapfrogged Harvick to move into 13th.

Even so, Gordon knows his road to a playoff spot could have been much easier.

"We can't seem to get things to go our way," Gordon said. "I don't want to go into Richmond having to win the race. That is a lot to ask for."

Equally maddening for Gordon is the fact that Jamie McMurray and Elliott Sadler both finished just ahead of him. All three are fighting for a playoff spot, and Gordon expected to make up major ground at The Glen, where he has four victories.

"The guys I am racing in points were right in front of me [in the last laps]," Gordon said. "I had them all right in front of me and that is extremely frustrating. We're not living up to our full potential. We should have been top-two or -three today."

Gordon was shut out of the top 10 on the road courses for only the second time since his rookie season. He was 33rd at Sonoma this year.