Gordon Looking To Fill Lone Hole In Resume

Ten races at 10 different tracks, all to determine the 16 drivers who will battle for one prize – the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

These next 10 races will test each driver’s versatility. A wide array awaits: 1.5 milers like this Saturday night’s race at Kentucky; a restrictor plate track (Daytona); a triangle (Pocono); a road course (Watkins Glen); a short track (Bristol); one of the most historic sporting venues in the world (Indianapolis) – and more.

First up, Kentucky. And much of the chatter will center around four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, who is comfortably in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup discussion thanks to his win at Kansas Speedway.

There are 23 race tracks on the current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule; Jeff Gordon has a win – or eight – at 22 of them. His only hole is Kentucky Speedway, and it’s an understandable one.

The series has raced there just three times, all won by different winners. Gordon has fared fairly well in those three events, collecting three top 10s, including a fifth-place finish in 2012.

If he were to win on Saturday night, he’d be the first driver in NASCAR history to win at every track on the active schedule. For the record, Gordon’s win list includes Rockingham, which hosted its last NASCAR Sprint Cup race in 2004.

“Kentucky is a very challenging track that is tough to win on,” Gordon said. “The transitions are tricky – it’s pretty flat from the back straightaway into to Turn 3 plus there’s a huge bump going in there.

“Winning at all the tracks would be something that I would be very proud of. But it seems every time we get close to accomplishing that goal, another track is added! … But I think winning at all the tracks would be a pretty awesome feat.”