NASCAR WCUP: Robby Gordon and company return to action at the Brickyard 400
1 August 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
Mooresville, North Carolina What happened to those
guys at Team Gordon? Must have disbanded. Or maybe they moved to a new
series. Isnt Robby going to drive for another team? I think I read that
on the internet, or did I hear it on television? The man Robby Gordon,
hes
everywhere. Dont we all wish we had that kind of energy? He could drive
two cars at once if given a chance!Regardless of what you might hear outside Team Gordons fences, inside those fences the team has done nothing but continue to diligently prepare for a full slate of racing in August. Neither Team Gordon nor Robby Gordon has raced since the Sears Point event June 24 where they finished ninth in their Menards/CD2/Duracell Ford Taurus. It will be exactly 39 days since that finish when Robby takes to Indys 2.5-mile oval for the second time this season. Gordons return to Indy completes the "Brickyard Double," a feat he can accomplish by capping his run in the Indianapolis 500, where he placed 6th on May 28th, with a start in NASCARs version of the race, the Brickyard 400. He would be the only driver to race in both events this year.
Gordons brief hiatus from the Winston Cup circuit this past month was part of the teams plan to pick and choose races that will best prepare them for the future. The immediate plan for the month of August calls for Gordon to run all four races beginning with Indy. Watkins Glen, Michigan, and Bristol round out the month. A limited schedule will again kick in for September, October and November.
"Its been a long month without any racing," said Gordon. "Itll be good to get back on the track, hopefully to perform well and also erase some of the rumors going around. Just so everyone knows, Team Gordon is alive and kicking. Weve just chosen to be quiet lately and focus on internal issues to make our team better.
"For example, this last week and a half weve spent two days in the wind tunnel with our Brickyard cars. We followed that up with a good test at Indy last Tuesday and figured of all the teams that went testing over the last month, we were right in the middle. If we can stay there or maybe pick up a little in qualifying, well be very happy. Oh, and yes, we have motors. No jokes about us bringing the Flintstones car to Indy without floorboards. That was actually a pretty good one though! Have to give credit where its due."
Gordon understands that taking a month away from the track can be tough to make up for in actual track experience, but feels confident the team is making the right steps to become better.
"The way July worked out schedule-wise, there were really only two races and we didnt plan on attending those. The time off has been almost too long," admitted Gordon. "In the meantime though, weve had a lot of time to sort out some issues in our racing program and improve the little things that bite you. Weve been practicing pitstops twice a day, building chassis in our fab shop and getting organized so we can hit the last half of the year hard. I know there were a lot of people that thought we had fallen off the face of the earth, but were still here and were definitely ready to go racing again."
Text provided by Kinnon Marshall
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