TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Hendrick Motorsports will start one-two-three Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, with Jeff Gordon leading the way from the pole position.
“This team has just done an amazing job this year on restrictor-plate tracks," Gordon said. "I’ve had some of the fastest restrictor-plate cars this year because of their hard work. When we’ve gotten the opportunity to qualify we have been on the pole each time. That is not an easy thing to do and they have pulled that off. So, yeah, this is a great way to get us started."
To Gordon's point, his qualifying effort on Saturday marked a clean sweep of the pole positions in this year's two Talladega Superspeedway races.
With Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking home the win in that first Talladega race with Jimmie Johnson right behind him in second, Gordon said it once again points to all the hard work back at Hendrick Motorsports headquarters.
"It’s just part of our culture," Gordon said. "It was that way before I came to Hendrick Motorsports, really being fast on restrictor plates or the superspeedways. I think it’s just not only the attention to detail with the cars, but in the engine department as well. Our engines showed a lot of strength (Saturday) as well as just the effort that everyone at Hendrick Motorsports puts in."
When it comes to Sunday, with Gordon starting first, Kasey Kahne second, Johnson third and Earnhardt fifth, the teammates hope they can work together to find success.
"That would certainly be nice. I think we all understand what’s at stake and what our goal and our mission is and how we can work together to better our chances," Gordon said. "We know what Junior has to do. We know what we have to do. And we’ve got four excellent race cars and race teams that can definitely work together and help to make that happen. But, you can’t control everything out there. And we’ll just get the green and go racing."
The qualifying effort has Kahne feeling positive about the organization's race day.
"I think Dale is going to be really good -- he was the guy to beat the first race here," he said. "Jeff is obviously really fast and so is Jimmie.
"So, it should be a good day for Hendrick Motorsports.”