NASCAR WCUP: Gordon focusing on team entering Pocono

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

July 25, 2001

POCONO, Pa. - While the NASCAR Winston Cup championship looks to be a three-man battle, Jeff Gordon is only concerned about one team – his own.

Gordon, driver of the DuPont Chevrolet, is currently tied with Dale Jarrett atop the point standings with Ricky Rudd a close second as the series visits Pocono Raceway for the Pennsylvania 500 on Sunday. In 19 races this season, Gordon has three victories, 12 top-five's, 14 top-10's and has led 15 races for a total of 1,402 laps.

Last month at Pocono, Gordon led a race-high 86 laps but finished second to Rudd with Jarrett third. Last week at New Hampshire International Speedway, Gordon once again led the most laps but finished second, this time to Jarrett with Rudd third.

"Dale and Ricky have been running great but we can't be concerned with what they're doing," Gordon said. "I've learned in the past that you don't focus on what the other teams are doing. You focus on your own program and your own team.

"If you do everything you're capable of, that's usually what brings home a championship."

Adapting to Pocono was tough at first for Gordon. In his rookie year, he finished 28th and 37th. Since then he has finished outside of the top-10 only twice. Both times he encountered problems after leading.

"Pocono is a difficult track and it took a couple of races for me to get used to it," Gordon said. "I worked hard on learning the line and the team worked hard to get better setups."

In 17 events at the 2.5-mile speedway, Gordon has captured three wins, two poles, nine top-five's and 13 top-10's. He has led the most laps four times including last month when he finished second to Rudd.

"We had a great car and did everything possible to win the race," Gordon said. "But you can't control when the cautions come out and when they don't.

"But you can control how well the team is prepared each week."

Text provided by Jon Edwards

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