Gordon ‘Going for Broke’ at Homestead

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (Nov. 17, 2004) – With five drivers in contention for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship entering this Sunday's event at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Jeff Gordon is concerned with only one of those teams. His own. Gordon, who trails points leader Kurt Busch by 21 and teammate Jimmie Johnson by three entering the season finale, knows a win is his best shot at a fifth championship. "This is one race for the championship, and we'll have a ‘go-for-broke’ attitude," Gordon said. "We have nothing to lose. We'll give it everything we've got and hope to come out on top. "We have to win." There are numerous scenarios, but a victory by the No. 24 DuPont team eliminates all but one competitor. The difference between first and second-place points is at least five, so Gordon would overtake his teammate with a victory. Unofficially, a finish of sixth or worse by Busch under this scenario would give Gordon the championship. "We are going to need some help this weekend, but I don't want to win a championship with somebody having bad luck," Gordon said. "I want to out-race them." In five starts at the 1.5-mile Florida speedway, Gordon has four top-10s and an 11.0 average finish. Although he won a NASCAR Busch Series event here in 2000, Homestead-Miami is one of only four tracks where Gordon has yet to visit Victory Lane in a NEXTEL Cup event. "I don't think this championship could come down to a better place or better track than Homestead," Gordon said. "The fans are going to see side-by-side racing to decide this championship. I don't think you could ask for a better end to the season or a better end to the championship." Gordon appeared to have a shot at victory on Sunday at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway before finishing third. "I was disappointed that we didn't get the win," Gordon said. "We had a shot at winning the race, and you don't get that opportunity too many times. I'm still mad about it. "I'll probably still be mad this weekend, and I'm looking forward to it."