RICHMOND, Va. - Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 National Guard-sponsored Military Intelligence NASCAR racecar, finished 12th on Sept. 11 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway.
Gordon started the Air Guard 400, a 400-lap event, in the 22nd position, and reported early to his National Guard Military Intelligence team that he was battling a loose-handling Chevrolet. When the first caution came out on Lap 57, crew chief Steve Letarte called Gordon in to the pits for several adjustments -- air pressure, track bar and wedge -- as well as four tires and fuel.
By Lap 80, Gordon was running 23rd.
The adjustments slightly improved the No. 24 handling, but Gordon reported that the car just wouldn’t turn. Gordon’s team took advantage of a caution on Lap 147 to make a pit stop for four tires and fuel, as well as air pressure and track bar adjustments.
At the restart on Lap 153, Gordon was running 19th and one lap down.
“It was unbelievable,” said Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 National Guard-sponsored NASCAR racecar, “when the green flag dropped, we all went backwards, because it was just mayhem in the middle of the field.
“I really thought that even starting where we started, that once we got going green, that we were going to drive up through the field, at least to the top 10 or 15.”
Gordon received the Lucky Dog when the race’s third caution came out on Lap 227. Before the third caution flag had come out, Gordon was clocking lap times that were comparable to drivers in the top five. Gordon also reported that the previous adjustments had significantly improved the No. 24 racecar’s handling, so during this caution period, Letarte called Gordon in for four tires, fuel and air pressure and track bar adjustments.
When the race resumed on Lap 241, Gordon was 18th.
While battling handling issues, Gordon steadily worked his way through the field. With 19 laps to go, Gordon moved up to the 12th-place position, which is where he remained when the checkered flag waved at Lap 400.
“We needed to make some big adjustments,” said Gordon. “We made those adjustments and by the end of the race, we actually had a very fast race car.”
“That was very promising, and [it] feels good that we ended things on a good note driving forward, but at the same time, you know, it was frustrating that we didn't qualify better than we did.”
Gordon enters the first Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race next weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in eighth-place.