Monday, May 26, 2014

Why would Jeff Gordon need to prove his toughness to anyone?


    Jeff Gordon has won four Sprint Cup Series championships and 89 races yet after Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gordon said one of the reasons he felt he needed to complete all 600 miles even with an ailing back was to earn some more respect from his team in regards to his toughness.

   The question seems a little absurd given Gordon's accomplishments, even if he doesn't win quite as much as he did 10 years ago.

   Jimmie Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus - who once worked on Gordon's team - offered a good explanation as to what Gordon was referring.

   "I was listening to that question before. I completely understand because as a crew guy sometimes you think that the drivers, they have it pretty easy. They fly around in big, fancy jets, they show up at 3 p.m., race, go home, show up again on Friday, do it Saturday, Sunday," he said.

   "I think what Jeff was trying to say is he understands what his team does, what they go through to build the race cars, how this pit crew is there at 7 every morning to practice pit stops, start working out, what they go through setting up the pits when it's 120 degrees outside and waiting five hours to start. He gets that.

   "I think that's what he was trying to say. He was trying to prove to his guys that he was going to do his just work every day."

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