Sports: R. Gordon to make a double try

R. Gordon to make a double try

By JOANNE KORTH, Times Staff Writer

Robby Gordon hopes the third time will be the charm.

Gordon will attempt for the third time to race 1,100 miles in one day, competing May 26 in the Indianapolis 500 in the afternoon and the Coca-Cola 600 in the evening at Lowe's Motor Speedway near Charlotte.

"I'm really pumped up about the chance to run the double again and hopefully win both races," said Gordon, 33, who has tried twice but never completed the feat. "I've been competitive in the Indy 500 every year and have come within a lap of winning it. We've just let a few slip away from us."

Gordon, a former open-wheel driver, will race at Indy for Winston Cup owner Richard Childress and Indy Racing League regular John Menard. Gordon has four top-six finishes in seven Indy starts and led with two laps to go in 1999 but ran out of fuel.

So far, only Tony Stewart in 2001 has completed the open-wheel/stock-car double. In 1997, rain postponed the Indy 500 to Monday, and in 2000, Gordon missed the start of the 600 because the 500 was delayed by rain.

Stewart announced Monday he will not try the double this year. "Running Indy again is something I've put a lot of thought into, but ... the long-term goal of winning the Winston Cup championship won out," he said.

Gordon will drive a Chevrolet-powered Dallara at Indy for Team Menard. If all goes well, he will take a helicopter to a nearby private airport for the short flight to North Carolina.

MENDING FENDERS: Dale Earnhardt had a few angry words for Gordon after they tangled on pit road after the Bristol race, calling Gordon a "moving chicane" and saying there was a reason it took him four tries to get into Winston Cup. A week later, Earnhardt feels badly.

"I have no ill-will toward Robby," Earnhardt said. "My comments were right after I jumped out of the car and it was mainly to get a laugh from the (television) audience. I'm sure he doesn't take what I said to heart, although it was a low blow, wasn't it?"

MORE JUNIOR: Earnhardt is featured in the April 8 double-issue of People magazine. It is his third appearance since being named among "The Sexiest Men of 2000."

CRYING TIME AGAIN: Ford teams were unhappy with NASCAR's decision last week to add a quarter-inch to their rear spoilers for the restrictor-plate race April 21 at Talladega.

"They took that quarter-inch for a reason at Daytona, because Fords couldn't keep up," said Robbie Reiser, crew chief for Matt Kenseth's No. 17 Ford. "Nothing has changed, and now they're adding it back. It doesn't make sense to me."

SPEEDY RATE OF RETURN?: Fanz Enterprises is forming a fan-owned Winston Cup team, giving NASCAR fans an opportunity to own stock in a multicar team intended to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

The company is offering a maximum of 2.5-million shares of common stock at $10 per share with a minimum of 25 shares.

"Our goal is to give auto racing fans a stake in the growth and excitement of Winston Cup racing," said J. Roe Hitchcock, chief executive officer and founder of Fanz.

All funds generated by the stock offering will be deposited in an interest-bearing escrow account. When the goal of 1-million shares is reached, Fanz will accept the proceeds from the escrow and begin acquiring key assets and hiring personnel. NASCAR, which approves owners, said a fan-owned team would not violate its guidelines.

For information and a prospectus, go to www.fanzenterprises.com, or call toll-free (888) 444-8233.

MILESTONE START: Four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon is scheduled to make his 300th start at Texas. Gordon, who debuted in the final race of 1992, is the only driver to make his first 300 starts consecutively.

-- Information from other news organizations was used in this report.