Don’t remind Jeff Gordon that he is 40 years-old. After a thrilling battle with Jimmie Johnson for the victory at the rain delayed Atlanta Motor Speedway 500 he was amped up like a 20-year old.
“I’m just blown away at the kind of day we had and the kind of year that we’re having. I just feel rejuvenated in such a big way,” Gordon said.
Not only was it his third win of the year, and more importantly it was his 85th career Cup victory placing him third on the NASCAR all-time win list.
Most importantly he beat the strongest driver in recent NASCAR history, five-time Champion Jimmie Johnson, in a wild sliding 10-lap battle for that checkered flag.
The race had been postponed from Sunday night due to remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, then red flagged for a persistent mist on Tuesday afternoon.
Gordon dominated through halfway, but, had some problems until he retook the lead with about 35 laps to go.
Meanwhile Johnson was exactly giving up.
“We used it up there in the end and I was slipping and sliding. The track really changed a lot after that rain delay," Gordon said.
"Our car was real, real tight and we had to free it up. I tell you what, that was a lot of fun racing with him (Johnson). I was slipping and he was slipping. The throttle control was very tough there at the end. There were a couple of moments where I really thought he got us,” Gordon added.
A smiling but drained Johnson said: “I am grateful that I got to grow up racing off-road trucks and buggies because I was dead sideways those last probably 10 or 15 laps there trying to get by him. Just great hard racing."
"The run before I took off and I think burned my tires off the cars and he caught me and passed me and went on. So that run I tried not to run my tires off at the beginning. I was slowly catching him, but getting by him was a different thing. He was really strong all day long so I have him a ton of credit and his team.”
Tony Stewart came from deep in the field to finish third restoring some pride in the two-time Cup champion. “We battled a lot of adversity to get back up there,” said Stewart.
Coming up on Saturday night is the Richmond round which will determine the 12 drivers who will contend for the Sprint Cup title.
“I’m just blown away at the kind of day we had and the kind of year that we’re having. I just feel rejuvenated in such a big way,” Gordon said.
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| Jeff Gordon leading Jimmie Johnson. (Photo: Getty Images/NASCAR) |
Not only was it his third win of the year, and more importantly it was his 85th career Cup victory placing him third on the NASCAR all-time win list.
Most importantly he beat the strongest driver in recent NASCAR history, five-time Champion Jimmie Johnson, in a wild sliding 10-lap battle for that checkered flag.
The race had been postponed from Sunday night due to remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, then red flagged for a persistent mist on Tuesday afternoon.
Gordon dominated through halfway, but, had some problems until he retook the lead with about 35 laps to go.
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| Jeff Gordon (Photo: Getty Images/NASCAR) |
Meanwhile Johnson was exactly giving up.
“We used it up there in the end and I was slipping and sliding. The track really changed a lot after that rain delay," Gordon said.
"Our car was real, real tight and we had to free it up. I tell you what, that was a lot of fun racing with him (Johnson). I was slipping and he was slipping. The throttle control was very tough there at the end. There were a couple of moments where I really thought he got us,” Gordon added.
A smiling but drained Johnson said: “I am grateful that I got to grow up racing off-road trucks and buggies because I was dead sideways those last probably 10 or 15 laps there trying to get by him. Just great hard racing."
"The run before I took off and I think burned my tires off the cars and he caught me and passed me and went on. So that run I tried not to run my tires off at the beginning. I was slowly catching him, but getting by him was a different thing. He was really strong all day long so I have him a ton of credit and his team.”
Tony Stewart came from deep in the field to finish third restoring some pride in the two-time Cup champion. “We battled a lot of adversity to get back up there,” said Stewart.
Coming up on Saturday night is the Richmond round which will determine the 12 drivers who will contend for the Sprint Cup title.
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| Jeff Gordon (Photo: Getty Images/NASCAR) |