WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- Jeff Gordon hemmed and hawed Sunday evening about his preference for the Centurion Boats at The Glen trophy versus his need and desire for 10 more bonus points that a victory would have earned him.

But in the end, points -- specifically bonus points awarded for victories earned in the first 26 races of the season -- won out.

"The bonus points," Gordon said in his first response to the question -- the briefest offering he made while fielding every request after keeping a mob of media waiting some 45 minutes after the checkered flag.

The wait occurred while Gordon absorbed the disappointment created by taking a car that he and his Hendrick Motorsports team had lost the handle on during Saturday's practice at Watkins Glen International, only to redevelop it into a dominant car that led 51 of 90 laps Sunday.

It all went away when, under heavy pressure from Tony Stewart going into Turn 1 with just less than two laps to go, Gordon wheel-hopped his No. 24 Chevrolet and spun from the lead back to ninth (watch video).

A champion's class was exhibited when Gordon first told his crew over the radio after the checkered flag, "I'm sorry -- you did an awesome job and you deserved that win. The driver gave it away," and then when he met the media (watch video).

"Am I all right?" Gordon said, provoking laughter from the throng when he said "I didn't hit anything" -- though he was only barely smiling. "And I didn't need oxygen. I don't want to say what I needed."

He kept insisting he wanted his bonus points, not the regular garden variety markers. With his recovery to ninth, Gordon clinched a spot in the 12-man Chase, but he brushed it off.

"We gave up 20 [points] because I didn't get the 10 that would have kept [Stewart] from getting the 10," he said laughing, but then he stared and flared when his addition was questioned. "Are you not doing the same math that I'm doing? Had I won, I would have gained 10 [points] so I would have been 20 ahead of him more than I now am. So, to me, those are important.

"I hate to act coy like that but I'm sorry -- we're in a different position than other guys are. For us, we're just looking at things different. [Qualifying for the Chase] is not even an issue for us right now, it's about trying to win races and get bonus points and get ourselves ready for that Chase. It's an interesting battle back there for 10th, 11th and 12th, and I know that's a story -- but it's not our story."

For Gordon, it's the bonus points that won the best-two-out-of-three falls wrestling match on Sunday -- but since Gordon had spun away his opportunity for victory in WGI's tricky 90-degree Turn 1, his preferences were moot.

After Gordon spun, Stewart raced away to score his third victory in the last four races this season as he continued to position himself for a strong run at the Chase.

With the win Stewart also tied Gordon with four Glen victories, including three of the last four years, and Gordon made no mistake about the fact he thinks Stewart might be his biggest competition for Gordon's fifth Cup championship. (Continued)