The four-time series champ has three NHIS wins but slipped there last year.
By Associated Press
Published July 20, 2003
LOUDON, N.H. - Two disappointing performances at New Hampshire International Speedway last season made Jeff Gordon cross the track off his list of favorites.
But if Gordon wants to make a serious run at his fifth Winston Cup championship this season, disregarding the flat 1.058-mile track isn't in his best interest.
So his Hendrick Motorsports team tested at the track to figure out why the No.24 Chevrolet struggled here last year, and Gordon heads into today's New England 300 feeling good about his chances.
"We haven't been competitive the last couple of years and we used to really dominate this race track," Gordon said. "I feel like we're getting close to where we were at this track."
In 16 starts at NHIS, Gordon has three wins, 10 top 10s and 912 laps led. But last year he wasn't competitive and struggled to finishes of 29th and 14th.
But since he finds himself trailing series leader Matt Kenseth by 165 points in the standings, making a fifth title a real possibility, improving at New Hampshire is important.
Qualifying was rained out Friday and the field was set by points, so Kenseth and Gordon start next to each other on the front row. Dale Earnhardt Jr., 258 points out of the lead, starts third.
But Gordon isn't ready to say the championship is a three-man race.
"I like math, but I'm not a mathematician, so I don't know who is considered a threat or not a threat," Gordon said. "I would love to be able to say right now that it's a three-guy battle, but I think it's still too early. Some guys could still get on a roll and make up a lot of points."
NADEAU APPEARS: Blessed with a "hard head," a supportive wife and a team that refused to abandon him, injured Winston Cup driver Jerry Nadeau plans to take advantage of his "second chance" and return to the series.
"If I was any other person, I probably would have retired or done something else in life. But this is all I've ever done," Nadeau, 32, said during a news conference Friday at NHIS. "I've been given a second chance, and I'm excited and I'm willing to go through the hard road to get back."
Nadeau's appearance in Loudon for today's race is his first at a NASCAR track since May 2, when he was injured in a crash during practice at the Richmond International Raceway.
Nadeau suffered life-threatening head, lung, shoulder and rib injuries when the rear end of his car broke loose, spun and struck a concrete wall with the driver's side.
Nadeau's return to the No.01 Pontiac fielded by MB2 Motorsports is not imminent.
"Timetablewise, I think it's really a matter of time," said Nadeau, a native of Danbury, Conn. "I can't tell you it's going to happen next week or the week after. A doctor can't schedule or plan when you can come back. Once I feel good."
