2008 Preseason No. 1: Jeff Gordon

No. 24 DuPont Chevy

2008 Spin
Jeff Gordon came as close as you could get to earning his fifth title in 2007 without actually winning it. In fact, under the old point system he’d have won it with two races left to spare. It’s the second such scenario Gordon’s been through in the Chase era, causing the type of disgust that makes recovery difficult. Or so you’d think.

“I think anytime you’re not the champion, you look the same way at the championship,” Gordon says. “You wish that was you. You wish you could perform better and pull off what they pulled off. To me, that’s motivation for next year.”

Motivation: That’s the key word here. And after Gordon lost the title in agonizing fashion to teammate Jimmie Johnson, it makes him all the more dangerous when the green drops at Daytona on Feb. 17th. For a team with unlimited resources, a chemistry between driver and crew chief that is close to unmatched, and a hungry, battle-hardened crew that knows what it takes to win the big prize, the element of motivation is what will keep the DuPont team on point through Homestead in November.

No longer the young hotshoe — having retired the “Super G” cape and boots for a more calculating style — Gordon is as smart as any driver on the circuit, and still as talented and driven. Having the best equipment helps; the Hendrick advantage in Car of Tomorrow development was evident from the start. Its four teams combined to win the first five CoT races and nine of the season’s 16. With a full slate of CoT events on tap for 2008, expect continued success, although not the flat-out dominance that defined 2007. Hendrick’s 18 victories were a rare and impressive feat, as one team winning half of the races in a season just doesn’t happen all that often.

With the pieces in place, the four-time champ must now focus on finishing strong. Gordon has won three times over the season’s last five events since 2002. In comparison, Johnson has eight such wins, accumulating 18 top-3 finishes over that same span to make the difference in their rivalry.

But it’s only a matter of time before Gordon gets over the hump. Matching last season’s six-win performance is well within reach, and in the third full season of the Steve Letarte reign as crew chief, the added motivation is there to make the Drive For Five complete — finally.

Opposing Crew Chiefs’ Take
“I don’t know if the ‘24’ team is as strong as the ‘48’ (Jimmie Johnson). I think the driver’s as good. The ‘24’ team probably took a few more chances, and that’s why they wound up the way they did. … Jeff’s really, really wanting it bad, as bad as he ever has. Stevie (Letarte) is a great crew chief. What the two top teams have in common is the level of seriousness. Gordon did his deal early in the Chase, got a lead, went into protection mode about Martinsville, and Jimmie (Johnson) was just taking chances, being aggressive as can be and getting away with. I don’t think Jeff thought he could do that.”

Fantasy Stall
Looking at Checkers: Pick a track or a style of track and Gordon has most likely won on it. He’s a safe play anywhere.
Pretty Solid Pick: Even as he ages, he’s not afraid to mix it up on the short tracks.
Good Sleeper Pick: Intermediate tracks have been a problem when stuck in traffic, but even then, he's rarely considered a sleeper.
Runs on Seven Cylinders: He’ll still contend on road courses, but he is getting more competition.
Insider Tip: You can’t go wrong with Gordon any week.

For more in-depth driver news and hard-hitting features, order your 2008 Athlon Sports Racing Annual here.