Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway could very well make or break the season of two underrated drivers who are teammates by virtually all definitions of the word.
Marcos Ambrose, who drives for JTG-Daugherty Racing, essentially a satellite of Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR), and David Reutimann, who won his first Cup race for MWR last month at Lowe's Motor Speedway, are two humble and subdued drivers making a lot of noise on the track this year. But the road course in Sonoma, Calif., could mean totally different things to the duo.
Gordon started 13th on Sunday and for the first time in a long time in 2008, he actually was a steady figure in the Top-10 and didn't fade over the course of the race, instead moving up steadily as the race wore on. Simply, it was a close resemblance of the No. 24 team of the 2007 season that was clicking on all eight cylinders.
In post-race interviews, Gordon cited a couple of factors for the decent performance:
"That's the thing about a great team. When one team member is down other guys rally and pick up the pace and that's what they did with me today. I'm very thankful for that. We had some pit practice this week not to mention the test in Charlotte. I think all of it paid off even though I'm sick it all paid off. Great top-five effort."
As for the pit practice comment, Gordon actually showed up this week with the pit crew last week -- likely at the Hendrick shop -- for practice as a whole, instead of having someone fill in as a driver.
Kevin Harvick was on a mission during the closing laps of Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 350k at Infineon Raceway. Simply, the Richard Childress Racing driver wanted to gain as many spots as possible before the checkers waved.
With that in mind, Harvick was passing David Gilliland coming in to turn 7 and forgot about the brake pedal -- until it was too late. Watch below at 0:45.
The casualties from the move included Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray and Ron Fellows. Harvick spun as well. Somehow, Gilliland and Jeff Gordon managed to squeak by.
After the Sprint Cup race in Sonoma, Gordon was leading the points and had won four times and started on the pole six times in 2007.
A year later, Gordon finds himself sixth in points and without a win.
Needless to say, the frustration is starting to catch up to Gordon.
"It's been an up-and-down year, and you know, we've been able to pull these top-fives out like this and not have great cars, and we're just working way, way, too hard for these types of finishes," said Gordon.
Working too hard is the understatement. Gordon was simply out to lunch for the first half of the race Sunday at Infineon Raceway and with limited adjustments, smart moves to get track position, and some late race crashes, Gordon was able to score a third place finish.
There truly hasn't been a race all season long that Gordon has had a dominant race car like he did several times in 2007. From his horrible outing at Texas to squeezing out a Top-5 finish at Charlotte thanks to a fuel mileage run, the No. 24 roller coaster hasn't been a fun ride.
Note to all NASCAR FanHousers: Thanks for sticking around this week despite the lack of new material. The real job took precedence this week for me. I promise -- the NASCAR FanHouse will get the treatment it deserves from here on out. I hope you'll be along for the ride. -GM
Each and every year, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers face a host of road course "ringers" -- drivers who do the lefts and rights for a living -- in the two road course events that the series runs.
Friday afternoon at Infineon Raceway in California, the Sprint Cup drivers seemed to still get the best of the "pros".
The highest driver who falls into the "ringer" category is Marcos Ambrose in 7th, though Ambrose is a regular driver in the Nationwide Series. Robby Gordon in 8th could be considered a ringer, but he does run the entire Sprint Cup schedule despite being noted for his road course and off-road driving skills.
Boris Said qualified in 14th while Ron Fellows was the next highest in 22nd. Scott Pruett and Max Papis went 27th and 28th consecutively and Brian Simo wound up 43rd. Brandon Ash failed to qualify.
No race winner at Infineon Raceway has ever started deeper than 13th in the field, but Juan Pablo Montoya changed that today.
After a disappointing qualifying run, Montoya climbed his way from 32nd and got to the front when it mattered. He called his first Nextel Cup win the "biggest thing he's ever done," but he's still not satisfied:
"To get our first win in our first year is huge. We know we're a little behind at some of the ovals, and we still need to work hard, but I think this is a big boost for everybody working in the shop."
At least he's got some bragging rights, now. Montoya joins Mario Andretti and Dan Gurney as the only drivers to win in Formula One, IndyCar and NASCAR Nextel Cup.
And he did it without wrecking anyone despite making a driver or two nervous along the way, like Dale Earnhardt Jr. who said as much on his in-car radio when the Comobian was on his tail. I suspect Montoya's Busch road course win was fresh on his mind.
Montoya's win was the first of the season for his owner, Chip Ganassi Racing, and his manufacturer. The Dodge win is also the first COT win by a non-Chevrolet.
The Chevys of Richard Childress Racing all stretched fuel mileage and Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer claim 2nd through fourth respectively.
Jamie McMurray starts on the pole today. That's only happened twice before in his five-year Nextel Cup career, the last time at the 2005 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on July 24, 2005. He finished 11th. His first Bud Pole Award came at Homestead in 2004 where he finished 9th.
Robby Gordon will start 2nd in the Toyota/SaveMart 350. Last time he started that high in the field was here in 2003. He won. He owes TGOM a thank you. Because he was excluded from the power rankings, he has a shot at repeating.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. starts 3rd. Previously, his best start at Infineon Raceway came in 2005, which didn't work out too well for him. He started 10th, finished 42nd.
Is Jimmie Johnson's crew chief a cheater? Or an innovator that got busted bending the rules too far?
I consider him the latter ... and I'm not alone. In fact, I'm in good company. Last season after Chad Knaus got caught with his rear window up, he was lauded for his innovation by his peers.
This weekend, the defending Nextel Cup champion's chief says they were just doing what everyone else is trying to do:
"What you try to do with any racecar is to make the car as efficient as possible. There was an area there that we thought we might be able to find some more front downforce, like what everybody wants to do, and we went into that area. It's what NASCAR seems ... is not the area they want us to go. We thought we could. Obviously we can't."
Some see a cheater ... I see a crew chief taking advantage of every gray area available to him to put his driver out front on a consistent basis ... What say you?
Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway could very well make or break the season of two underrated drivers who are teammates by virtually all definitions of the word.
Jeff Gordon was 
A year ago, 
Each and every year, NASCAR 
No race winner at Infineon Raceway has ever started deeper than 13th in the field, but Juan Pablo Montoya changed that today.
Jamie McMurray starts on the pole today. That's only happened twice before in his five-year Nextel Cup career, the last time at the 2005 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway on July 24, 2005. He finished 11th. His first Bud Pole Award came at Homestead in 2004 where he finished 9th.
Is Jimmie Johnson's crew chief a 
