Monday, October 01, 2001
NASCAR: Gordon wins, pads series lead
Inaugural Kansas race marred by wrecks
The Associated Press
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — After two years of rebuilding his team and his confidence, the dominating Jeff Gordon is back.
The three-time Winston Cup champion solidified his points lead Sunday with his series-leading sixth victory of the season, pulling away from rookie Ryan Newman to win the crash-filled Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Gordon had to survive a wild 267-lap event on the 1.5-mile tri-oval that saw 12 caution flags and an 11-minute red flag stoppage before earning the 58th win of his career and his third in a first-time event.
Newman, who passed series runner-up Ricky Rudd for second place five laps from the end, wound up trailing Gordon's No. 24 Chevrolet to the finish line by about five car-lengths.
“The secret is a team led by Robbie Loomis,” said Gordon, praising the crew chief who replaced his former mentor Ray Evernham after the 1999 season. “They put an incredible car under us.
“This team is really good at new tracks, getting a lot of information and adapting quickly to a new environment. That's what has gotten us here battling for another championship and winning races.”
Gordon, who won his titles in 1995, 1997 and 1998, has also won inaugural races in Indianapolis in 1994 and Fontana, Calif., in 1997.
Rudd held off Rusty Wallace and Sterling Marlin in a three-wide battle for third at the finish. After gaining 130 points on Gordon in the last two races, Rudd slipped 10 back and now trails by 222 with eight races remaining.
The fourth-place finish was a big disappointment to Wallace, who led a race-high 118 laps but had to come back from 17th in the late going after being penalized for speeding off of pit road.
With cool temperatures — highs in the low 70s — and a new track, the race was punctuated by crashes. The only reported injury was to Dale Jarrett, who collided with Bobby Labonte and slammed into the concrete wall on lap 247.
The 1999 series champion was transported by helicopter to nearby Kansas University Medical Center for examination and observation after briefly losing consciousness in the crash. He was awake and alert and walked to the ambulance with help from safety workers after being removed from the car.
After blown engines took out contenders Bill Elliott and Johnny Benson, it appeared Wallace and Gordon were going to battle to the finish as they ran 1-2 late in the race.
Wallace ran into trouble, though, after Dale Earnhardt Jr., winner of last Sunday's race in Dover, Del., blew a tire and smashed into the turn two wall on lap 229, bringing out the ninth caution flag.
All of the lead lap cars made their final pit stop for gas and Wallace was caught speeding as he tried to get past Mark Martin at the end of pit road after making his stop.
“We had a good car, a top-two or top-three car, all day long,” Gordon said. “I hate that for Rusty. It was a tough break for him, but I also think we had something for him there at the end.”
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NASCAR: Gordon wins, pads series lead
