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Nearly every article written about Jeff Gordon during Daytona Speedweeks focused on his
chances of capturing a fifth NASCAR series championship. As a Jeff Gordon fan, it was exactly what I wanted to read.
However, as a realist, I know he is running out of time.
"I don't have a whole lot of years left in me," Gordon said at Daytona. His opportunities for that elusive title are dwindling.
Gordon finished third in the standings last year after falling behind early in the Chase for the Championship. He
moved up the standings later in the Chase with a string of consistent top-10 efforts. But there was something missing from
Gordon's arsenal in the Chase: WINS... plural.
Despite what some believe, it's hardly rocket science when it comes to decoding how Jimmie Johnson has captured four
consecutive NASCAR championships. Johnson has won 12 out of 40 races in the Chase over the last four years.
Yes, consistency is definitely a major key to any championship season. However, the Chase format favors wins over top-fives.
To dethrone Johnson in the Chase, Gordon has to win -- and win often. He also has to maintain
the kind of consistency that saw him lead the NASCAR series in top-10 finishes in 2009.
Gordon felt his team peaked too early a year ago. "Our goal this year is to continue to get better as the season goes on
and show our strengths not only for winning races, but for the championship," Gordon said.
Gordon's four championship seasons all have a common thread: multiple visits to Victory Lane.
In 1995, he scored 7 wins and 17 top-fives. In 1997, he had 10 wins and 22 top-fives. In 1998, he had 13 wins and 26
top-fives. In 2001, he scored 6 wins and 18 top-fives. The game changed in 2003 when Matt Kenseth
won the title with just one victory. Since his last title, Gordon has two seasons with more than four wins (2004 and 2007).
It's a moot point, but without the Chase format, Gordon would likely have his fifth title, and maybe even a sixth
title.
There's no sense in wondering what might have been because NASCAR changed how drivers race for a championship.
The Sprint Cup title based on the Chase format is one of the few accolades absent from Gordon's career
resume. "The goal is to go out there and compete for a championship," Gordon said. "We know we've got to win more races
this year if we're going to win a championship." The first 26 races are merely the prelude to the main event. Jimmie
Johnson and Chad Knaus have mastered the format by using those 26 races as a pre-season ramp-up to the Chase.
The Chase is about going for the victories when the opportunity presents itself. Success relies on
what Johnson refers to as "max points days," where he leads the most laps and wins the race. Those are the days that win
Chase titles. And it's those days that Gordon needs when the leaves begin falling from the trees.
Jeff Gordon will be 39 years old in August. He's light years from the Wonder Boy era. Nearly all of his competitors during
the title seasons are no longer on the track. By the time the Chase begins, he'll be a father of two children. It's only
natural to wonder how much longer Gordon intends to compete at the highest level of stock car racing.
I don't think Gordon will be an active driver into his early 50's like Mark Martin. Back issues in 2009
hindered him early in the season, and also in the mid-stages after a grinding crash at Watkins Glen.
What's obvious is that time waits for nobody. The mentality that made him a four-time
champion is what will propel him to a Chase title. It's about making that last ditch move for a victory by completing
that daring pass on the apron instead of easing into a conservative top-10 finish. In the end, it's not about the chase.
It's only about the wins.
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