WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. (AP) -- Robby Gordon was doing everything he could to preserve fuel, and his timing was perfect because those in pursuit of him were in the same predicament.
"I backed up 20 car-lengths for each corner," Gordon said after stretching his fuel over the final 39 laps to complete a sweep of this year's NASCAR road-course races with a victory Sunday at Watkins Glen International.
That was not only an effort to save gas. He wanted to be ready in case he was forced to run harder over the final few laps.
"I didn't want to use up the brakes or the tires in case Jeff Gordon or one of those guys got to us at the end of the race," he explained. "So we had plenty in reserve."
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