Gordon holding steady heading into Michigan race

BROOKLYN, Mich. (August 12, 2008) - Despite only two top-10 finishes in the last six races, Jeff Gordon has remained sixth in the driver standings and only lost three points during that stretch. With only four races remaining before the 12-driver field is set for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Gordon and Team DuPont are aware that better results are needed heading into Sunday’s 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Gordon moved into sixth following the Infineon race in June, and he held a 151-point cushion over 13th-place at that juncture. In the six races since, he has posted one top-five finish -- a fifth-place effort at Indianapolis Motor Speedway -- and two finishes of 29th or worse. Yet, the gap to 13th place now stands at 148 points. “I still can’t believe we’re sixth in points right now,” said Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet. “We know we need to be performing better, but I also think it’s a testament to this team that we haven’t run well, and we’re still in contention for a Chase spot. “At the end of the day, results speak louder than words. We need to post good finishes in the next four races to earn a Chase spot. And then it’s a whole new game.” Following race No. 26 at Richmond, the 12 drivers in the Chase will have their points reset to 5,000, and each win accrued this year will garner a 10-point bonus. Currently, Gordon trails leader Kyle Busch by 500 markers, but that deficit could drop to less than 100 following Richmond. “This DuPont team is capable of winning the championship this year -- thanks to the Chase structure,” Gordon said. “A lot can happen in 10 races, and we need to make sure we’re consistently running up front. “We have the tools necessary to do it, and a strong showing this weekend can put us on the right track.” In 31 starts at the two-mile track, Gordon has two wins, five pole positions, 15 top-five finishes and 20 top-10s. He is also one lap shy of 900 laps led for his career at the Michigan track. “I’ve always enjoyed racing here, and I hope it’s fun again on Sunday,” Gordon said. “We were decent in June, but we lost track position during one exchange of pit stops and were fighting traffic the rest of the race. “Staying in the lead group is a good way to stay out of traffic.”