Ending long winless streak could open the floodgates

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Look out, folks.

After breaking a 47-race winless streak at Texas his last time out, Jeff Gordon hungers for more. And history shows that when it's feeding time, he often is able to pig out at the expense of all others in the Cup Series.

After taking last weekend off to celebrate Easter, the Sprint Cup Series returns to action at Phoenix International Raceway and Gordon likes his chances in Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500 (8 p.m. ET, FOX).

Why not?

In 2002, he snapped a 31-race winless streak by winning at Bristol -- and followed that up by winning at Darlington the very next week. The next year, he ended a 22-race drought by winning at Martinsville -- and followed that up by also winning the very next race at Atlanta.

Then, in 2007, he went to none other than PIR having failed to reach Victory Lane in 25 races. He won to tie Dale Earnhardt for sixth on the all-time victory list, and then captured the very next race at Talladega, as well, to pass Earnhardt.

"I think it's just an indication of what confidence can do," Gordon said. "When you win a race, the whole team just gains confidence and momentum and takes that into the next race -- or the next several races."

Gordon was having a fine season even before winning at Texas -- one of only two tracks on the current circuit where he had never previously won (the other being Homestead). He was leading in the point standings and had finished sixth or better in five consecutive races even before putting it all together to reach Victory Lane in the Lone Star State.

"That was a huge win for us at Texas in so many ways," Gordon said. "I was trying to explain to [crew chief] Steve [Letarte] and the whole team just how big that win was. It was a track we had never won at before; we had gone a long while without a win. With being where we were this season, with as strong as our team has been and leading in the points, it just couldn't have been a bigger win for us. (Continued)