When you’re hot, you’re hot. And Jeff Gordon is smokin’ at the halfway point of the 10-race Nextel Cup Chase.
He not only turned the fastest lap in practice, he turned it in qualifying, winning the 63rd pole of his career — the seventh this season.
And that usually means good things for the Nextel Cup points leader.
“Qualifying, I think, throughout my career, but especially this year, too, it seems to really contribute greatly to our success,” said Gordon, the four-time series champion. KansasCity.com
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If it comes down to the final laps this time at Martinsville Speedway, Jeff Gordon plans on being in front, not behind.
Gordon, after leading an abbreviated, 10-minute practice session between rain showers, earned his 63rd career pole position and seventh of the season on Friday, outrunning a bevy of Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup competitors for the top spot.
Gordon’s lap of 94.974 miles per hour (19.938 seconds) was a tick better than Martin Truex Jr., and the two will lead the field to the line for Sunday’s Subway 500. SportingNews
If Jeff Gordon keeps this up, he will one day walk off with the deed to Martinsville Speedway.
Gordon led an abbreviated practice session earlier in the day, then went on to take the pole for Sunday’s Subway 500, guaranteeing the active leader in victories on the. 526-mile paperclip the best pit spot and all sorts of momentum.
Gordon, whose lap of 19.938 seconds at 94.974 mph knocked fellow Chaser Martin Truex Jr. off the pole, is the acknowledged master of Martinsville, having won seven times in 29 starts.
That’s a lot of grandfather clocks, which the speedway presents to the winner. Ron Lemasters, NASCAR.COM
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