| |  | | CIA Stock Photo | The Hendrick Motorsports driver clearly has a lot of memories about the track that will host Saturday night's Dodge Challenger 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race. | | | | WILL IT HAPPEN? | Jeff Gordon looking for eighth win at Darlington Raceway | |
| | By SceneDaily Staff No active driver has more victories at famed Darlington Raceway than Jeff Gordon, and only David Pearson and Dale Earnhardt have won more races at the 1.366-mile track.
So the Hendrick Motorsports driver clearly has a lot of memories about the track that will host Saturday night's Dodge Challenger 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
“I’ve always enjoyed racing here, and I’ve had some memorable moments,” Gordon said. “Like winning my first Southern 500 or battling Jeff Burton on the last lap with a million-dollar bonus on the line for our team.
“Last year was pretty memorable, too.”
Last year’s event was postponed by rain until Mother’s Day, and Gordon’s mother and sister were in attendance. So was his wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, who was pregnant with their daughter at the time.
“… That was her last race of traveling before giving birth to Ella,” Gordon said. “My mom and my sister were there, and my sister – in all these years – had never been to victory lane for one of my wins.”
But this victory wouldn’t come easily. Gordon didn’t necessarily have the fastest car that day, but solid pit strategy helped him get the lead. Still, there were obstacles to overcome.
“With about 100 laps to go, the water temperature on the DuPont Chevrolet skyrocketed, and I thought we were done,” Gordon said. “My crew chief, Steve Letarte, made a great call to stay on the track while others pitted late in the race, and that allowed me to run in clean air.
“We were fortunate to pull into victory lane with steam pouring out of the overflow vent. I didn’t think we’d make it to the end of the race, and I guess neither did my stepfather, John Bickford.
“John, my mom, sister and nephew were already halfway home.”
They missed his seventh victory at Darlington, and he’ll go for No. 8 this weekend. That would put him one behind Earnhardt and two behind Pearson on the track’s all-time win list.
The track has been repaved since last year, but Gordon said “the Darlington we all love is still here.”
“I’m really excited about the race this weekend,” the four-time Cup champion said. “The track is smooth and super fast, but it’s the same Darlington. They did a fantastic job.
“The track is unreal, and I had a blast during the test. The bumps aren’t there, and you’re going much faster, but you run the same line you always Have, and the track has the same characteristics.”
| | Posted May 07, 2008 , 8:40 pm EST
Last Updated May 08, 2008 , 11:17 pm EST | | | | | | |
