Playoff system brings Gordon a personal Chase

LOUDON, N.H. -- When he first heard of the idea for the Chase playoff system more than six years ago, Jeff Gordon's initial reaction was skepticism. When NASCAR chairman Brian France confirmed to him that the change in the championship format was indeed coming, his emotion turned to worry.

"I was like, 'Oh my gosh,' " Gordon said at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, site of Sunday's Chase opener. "At that point, I wasn't thinking whether it was good for the sport or not, I was just purely being selfish and thinking, how's it going to work for us?"

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Final practice speeds

Pos.	Driver	Speed
1.	Jamie McMurray	131.071
2.	Jeff Gordon	130.541
3.	Jimmie Johnson	130.510
4.	Tony Stewart	130.345
5.	Juan Montoya	130.211

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Now, as the Chase prepares to open its seventh edition, he's still asking himself that question. Gordon comes to the Granite State seeded eighth among the 12 eligible drivers, 60 points behind leader Denny Hamlin, and without a race victory since his most recent triumph at Texas in April of 2009. More notably, he's still pursuing that first title under the current playoff system, a fact that for the four-time NASCAR champion turns every stretch run into a very personal chase.

"It's a real big challenge," said Gordon, who came closest to a Chase title in 2007, when he built a 312-point regular-season lead before losing to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson by 77. "I think it's more difficult. Certainly for me, I feel like it's more difficult to win it this way than any other way. I like that challenge. That's just the way our sport is going to be from now on. So we have to figure out how to win it under that format."

Gordon's early, personal concerns about the playoff system have proven to be valid. In his four previous championship efforts, his hallmark was an ability to wear down opponents during the course of the full schedule. With the exception of his dominant, 13-victory campaign of 1998 -- where he was good everywhere -- he never dispatched opponents with only a strong finishing kick, even in his best years. And when he looked at the final 10 races of the proposed playoff, he saw a number of race tracks -- like Phoenix, Texas, and Homestead -- that weren't his best.

Since the Chase was implemented, Gordon has placed an emphasis on improvement at those final 10 tracks. There's been some progress, as his 2009 victory at Texas -- where he had been 0-for-16 -- attests. In 2007, he broke through at Phoenix after 16 previous winless efforts in the desert. There's also been some advancement at New Hampshire, where he's finished inside the top five in five of his past eight starts, even though he hasn't won at the Magic Mile since 1998.

Saturday, though, was a positive sign. After being well down the sheet in the weekend's first two practices and qualifying in the17th position, the No. 24 team evidently hit on something in Saturday's final session. Gordon posted the second-fastest speed of the afternoon, turning a fast lap of 130.541 mph that trailed only practice leader Jamie McMurray. Gordon paced a parade of Chase drivers in final practice, followed by Johnson in third, Tony Stewart in fourth, Clint Bowyer in sixth and Hamlin in seventh. The slowest of the 12 Chase drivers was Matt Kenseth, in 30th.

Final practice also brought one driver change, with Camping World Truck Series regular Aric Almirola filling in for Red Bull driver Scott Speed in the No. 82 car. A team spokesperson said Speed woke up Saturday morning feeling nauseous, and went to the infield care center to receive intravenous fluids. He is expected to be back in the vehicle for Sunday's race.

For Gordon, though, final practice only brought another small building block in his effort to get better on Chase tracks.

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"We've had to work really, really hard at being better at those 10 tracks," he said. "So we've put a lot more effort into it, because to me that's really the most important thing now about the season. It's not really anything other than those 10 tracks. You want to go to other tracks and try to run well and try to get the bonus points and win the races, but what you really want is to build your program up so in those final 10 races, at those 10 tracks, you're awesome. So I don't like that it comes down to that, but that's the way it is."

And that's the way it will have to be if Gordon wants to win another championship. It's been nine years now since his most recent title in 2001. Gordon fully realizes that's a long time ago, and that he's getting older. Those facts would certainly make the experience of winning another crown all the more sweeter if it ever comes to fruition. But Gordon would consider that a first title, and not a fifth.

"Well, it's not a fifth championship. I know that's what the stats and the records would show, but it's really a first championship because with the points change, to me the history is different. I don't compare these championships even if I wanted, to what I won before. It's equally or more prestigious today. That's the part that makes you want to go out there and get it. This is the sport we're in. This is what we live for. And there's nothing sweeter, nothing more difficult than to win the championship," Gordon said.

"I think we've got a really strong team this year. We've shown that all year long. And we've got to step it up in these final 10 and to hoist that trophy really, to me, would just be the ultimate. To be at this point in my career, knowing how long it's been since we've won a championship and a race, that's how you appreciate those moments more than you ever have before. So I can't even describe the words what it would mean to win this championship. But I don't compare it to the other ones."