NSCS: Martinsville master Gordon goes for ninth win at Virginia short track

By:
On:
In: NASCAR Cup Series News

Jeff Gordon has the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field exactly where he wants it.

Gritting his way into NASCAR’s playoffs without a win, Gordon has picked up momentum by notching three consecutive top 10s in the Contender Round to advance to the eight-driver Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

Now, Gordon gets to carry that momentum to the place where his eight wins are tied for the track record among active drivers – Martinsville Speedway. If he visits Victory Lane in Sunday’s Goody’s Headache Relief 500 (1:15 p.m. ET on NBCSN) at the oval affectionately referred to as “The Paperclip,” Gordon will automatically advance to the four-driver Championship Round race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“We’re carrying a lot of confidence and momentum and pride right now knowing that we’ve had to grind it out just to get ourselves in the Chase,” Gordon said. “That grind and that fight that we have in us is what we’ve been putting out there these last six weeks that has gotten us to this round and now we get to continue that fight and grind, but we get to do it at some tracks we have a legitimate shot at competing for wins.”

Martinsville has been Gordon’s playground over his 23 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. In 45 starts at the .526-mile track, he boasts 28 top fives and 36 top 10s in addition to his eight wins. His 6.7 average finish and 6.681 average running position are both series bests at Martinsville.

“I also know that it is the one track if I could put any track on the schedule to give ourselves the opportunity to win at right now, I would pick Martinsville,” Gordon said.

The four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion sounds confident about entering the Eliminator Round with little fanfare.

“I think the way we’re performing right now, and I look at the tracks we have coming up, yeah, I feel good about (our chances to win a championship),” Gordon said. “We’re still under the radar, and still, I don’t think anyone expects that to happen.

“And we like it that way.”

NASCAR Wire Service
Latest posts by NASCAR Wire Service (see all)
Post Views: 46