Gordon Hopes to Make History at Brickyard

INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 6, 2005) – How does Jeff Gordon hope to celebrate his birthday? With a fifth win at the Brickyard. Gordon, who turned 34 on Aug. 4, has a chance to become the first five-time winner in the 95-year history of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway if he wins this Sunday’s NASCAR NEXTEL Cup event. Last year, the four-time Cup champion led 124 laps en route to his fourth victory, tying him with four-time Indy 500 winners A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. In June, Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher added his name to the list when he notched his fourth United States Grand Prix victory. “To get number four last year was a great feat for this DuPont team,” Gordon said. “It was one of the most exciting victories I’ve ever had. “I grew up in nearby Pittsboro watching the Indy 500, and I recognize the difference between that race, the Brickyard 400 and the USGP. “It’s great to be compared to and mentioned in the same sentence as A.J., Unser, Mears and Schumacher, but it’s three different types of races under different circumstances.” Gordon, who recently tested at the historic speedway, is currently 15th in the NEXTEL Cup driver standings, 541 out of the lead. With six races remaining before the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup begins, he will need to gain five positions or be within 400 points of the lead to have a shot at a fifth championship. “Everywhere we’ve tested this year we’ve run well,” Gordon said. “Right now, we’re looking at a stretch of races where we have to perform well to get into the top 10, and Indianapolis is one of those races. “Winning a big race like this can definitely help the morale of the team and build some momentum.” Along with his four wins, Gordon also tops the Brickyard 400 statistics in poles (3), top- fives (7) and laps led (433). He has finished sixth or better in nine of the 11 NASCAR events held at Indy. “It’s an important race for us, and it’s one we’d love to win,” Gordon said. “For me and my team, this is one of the races we look forward to all year long. “Winning a fifth one would be overwhelming.”