Gordon Talks Strategy For Sunday's Race

Gordon knows how to win at `Dega

With 41 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts and six wins, Jeff Gordon has as much experience as anyone at Talladega Superspeedway. And yet, even Gordon admitted today that he has only a vague idea of how he will approach Sunday’s race.

Currently fourth in the championship standings, 36 behind leader Matt Kenseth, Gordon pointed to Sunday’s race as a possible difference-maker for himself and his team.

“We recognize where we are in the points and that this could be a turning point for us,” said Gordon. “We need to come out of here with a solid finish and make up some of the points that we’re behind right now. This is a track that we can do it. It can happen anywhere, but this is certainly one where anything can happen.”

The four-time series champion said the only certainty Sunday “is to keep out of that Big One and keep out of trouble the best possible way you can.”

Asked about a specific plan of attack, however, Gordon said, “I don’t expect anybody to help us, and I don’t go into it planning to help anybody. If that materializes throughout the race -- and I think it’s something that can help me -- then absolutely I’ll do it. But at this moment, I can’t say that I’ve discussed working with anybody or anybody working with me.

Gordon said the days of passing 30 cars in the final few laps may be gone, saying “there are so many cars and drivers that could win here. The cars are so equal with the type of drafting we have. The last time we were here, I was wide-open pushing the guy ahead of me, and somebody was pushing me from behind. We were three-wide, but we weren’t going anywhere.

“You certainly can’t expect us, with 10 or 20 laps to go, to just drive our way to the front. You’ve got to be real careful about trying to hang in the back. While it might keep you out of trouble, it also can get you a lap down. You might be right in the middle of the Big One if it happens in the final laps, so I absolutely feel like track position is still going to be important in the closing laps of this race.

“We’re going to do everything we can to go out there and (get) the best finish,” he said. “Sometimes, that means we’re going to be real aggressive. Sometimes, that means we’re going to be real conservative. But to say that we have an exact plan at this moment -- or to say that plan might not change when they drop the green -- I just can’t say that, because I’m not really sure.

“We have nothing to lose,” said Gordon. “We’re sitting fourth in points. We came into (the Chase) 13^th. We’re in a great position and everything is a bonus from here on out. We’re not on eggshells like some of the guys that are ahead of us in points and have everything to lose.

“At the end of the day, somebody’s going to win this race,” concluded Gordon. “And there’s no reason why we can’t win it just as easily as anybody else.”