Jeff Gordon Wins Rain-Shortened Pocono 500
Sunday June 10, 2007
Hats off to Steve Letarte today. Steve is the crew chief for Jeff Gordon's #24 Dupont Chevy. He made the perfect strategic calls today to put Jeff Gordon out front at the right time to claim the 2007 Pocono 500 win. Gordon was out of tires, brakes and fuel but he was in the lead when the rains came.
Gordon is having an amazing 2007 so far. All of the breaks are going his way. Is this the year that Jeff Gordon wins his fifth NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Championship? At this point in the season I wouldn't bet against him.
Comments
The Nascar/Hendrick conspiracy is alive and well after this one.
Grow up David if it were your guy you would be extremely happpy. I am not a Jeff fan but I am the number one Jimmie fan.
Conspiracy is alive and well only with people can’t think very well for themselves.
Nascar is a joke!! Robbie Gordon blows a tire, debris flies, caution comes out.Jeff Gordon has to pit and gets out of sequence.With 90 to 95 laps finished, Jimmy Johnson blows a tire, debris flies, NO caution!!! Why? It can’t be because Nascar didn’t want to stop because they were afraid it would rain. That puts the safety of every driver on the track at jeopardy. If one of the other drivers ran over the debris and wrecked, wouldn’t Nascar feel real stupid. Debris on the track is debris on the track, regardless of whether it’s going top rain. Maybe Nascar should consider instant replay. The NFL did because of inconsistency in officiating.
Hendrick wins again no mnatter the circumstances! That says it all!!!
Grow up . I didn’t say who I was pulling for. My man didn’t have the car today anyway, but Ryan Newman, Martin Truex, and Denny Hamlin sure did.
Well, I believe I am just about finished with Nascar. The yellow flag comes out at precisely the moment that Newman is making the pass on Gordon. This is not the first time Nascar has helped their poster boy to win. Nascar should only be the sanctioning body, not the promoter of the Hendrick team. Many, many fans are sick and tired of this obvious favoritism. I wonder why Nascar’s popularity is down? HMMMM…
Amen!!!
It is very clear to me that Hendricks motor sports this year more than any other year is being favored by Nascar officials. I have been a follower of this sport since 1996 & the last two years (nascar) has given breaks to the #24 car more than any other car out there. Joe Gibbs racing has been getting shafted pretty bad this year, more than any other race team out there. If there wasn,t a conspiracy theory out there. There should be one now. Nascars higher ranked officials are like the school principals. They have students they like and dislike. Too bad for; Gibbs, Roush, & waltrip racing. They are the BAD kids. Bad kids need love also.. Let’s get it together NASCAR. A bummed out fan. MK.
Conspiracy theory…too funny….hate the Hendrick drivers all you want. You just can’t admit that they are at the top of their game…get over it…
NASCAR had no choice but to throw the last caution when they did. They postponed it as long as they could, but Golden Boy was about to lose his lead. Newman was charging him and probably would have taken the lead in one more lap or less. If Golden Boy is to win the championship this year, and he will, it was time to end the race.
Why H–l!! I could be on top of my game too if I had Nascar backing me.
Conspiracy? Who knows? But doesn’t it seem a little strange that Dale Jr’s crew chief got caught for an infraction and Dale had points taken away. JJ’s crew chief has been caught several times and how many points have been taken away from JJ?
If one race team Hendricks Motorsports is this superior to all of the other teams common sence tell you they are doing something the other teams aren’t and it’s most likely against the rules, so why can’t all of these smart asses at nascar able to catch them, because they don’t want to!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Daisy Duke, I can possibly answer your question. several years ago I watched an interview with Gary Nelson (former NASCAR inspector) He claimed that EVERY CAR is illegal in some way in EVERY race. Now back some years ago Jimmy Spencer won a race and later found extremely illegal. NASCAR took the win away from him. There was such a negative fan reaction that NASCAR vowed to NEVER take a win away from anyone ever again. So what Im saying is that NASCAR doesn’t have to announce EVERY BODY who was found illegal, they just make public the ones they choose to.
Now as far as teams go, Mark Martin has proved that losing a few points (missing races) doesn’t have a real negative effect on the final numbers. So points speaking a team will chance losing some points to run illegal. Money speaking ANYONE would give up $100,000 to win $5 or $6 million (or more) So running illegal (and possibly winning) is well worth the risk.
CONSPIRACY THEORY or just plain OL’ LUCK (with HENDRICKS MOTORSPORTS) ??? I refuse to guess or even think about it! GO KASEY
Everyone knows that that the races were run over 3 months ago and Jeff Gordon won the Nextel Cup.
It was all filmed in a hanger in Area 51.
Smoke ‘em if you got ‘em!
I always come her to get a laugh!
All the drivers are getting richer and you are spending money on tickets and they laugh thier way to the bank and don’t really care what you say or do.
With out the bickering nascar racing
would be pretty boring.
hey 24forever, It’s a fact that the 48 team has been caught cheating. If the Hendricks team doesn’t play by a different set of rules than everyone else, why can’t you find anywhere that tells about JJ losing any points?
Hey Jesse I don’t spend any money on them. I watch it on TV for free.
I did not state that the 48 team did not cheat. It is a known and well documented fact that they did cheat and got caught and were punished for it. The reason Jr got a more severe punishment is because they messed with the COT, if Chad Knaus had messed with the COT, he would have received the same punishment at Jr.
Come on Nascar please tell me your drivers are more important then the rain ! I think Jimmies Team should protest as should the rest of the field.I like Jeff but not like this .
You people with all of your theories are crazy I guess NASCAR just should have let them run in the rain until Newman made the pass and then threw the caution. I predict Gordon will pass cale Yarborough this season Maybe even Waltrip There are a lot of tracks coming up that he runs well on such as Talledaga Daytona Watkins glen Indy and more and after all if the conspiracy continues he may even catch Petty before long
COnspiracy? I don’t really tink so, but I also don’t think all the drivers get treated the same by NASCAR, and in fairness they should. If Newman was passing my guy, (Nemechek) at that moment, they wouldn’t have thrown that caution right then, and I think it owuldn’t be a bad idea to come up with a concrete set of regulations on when or when not a caution is thrown for debris or anything else. I’m no fan of Hendrick, but I can’t take away from their success either merely because NASCAR is all screwed up lately. It’s almost like they are trying to destroy their own sport with the controversies and then the COT as well. Someone hihg up in the organization must be investing money into Formula One or something and wants to get more TV coverage for it. That F1 race today in Montreal was honestly much better than Pocono today, that is for sure.
I knew I should have not looked here. The stupid people are at it again. Get over it. No one is cheating and everyone knows it. Kids grow up please? Be good fans of Nascar or don’t post here. Good Nascar fans don’t drag on drivers. Some of you claim someone is cheating when they win, no matter who they are. Just because your favorite driver does not does not mean you have to cry. Get over it!!
Ok So let me get this straight….Jeff is about to get passed for the lead and Nascar figured out how to make it rain…WoW…Nascar can Control the weather..they must be really tight with God…Come on people,,Jeff was in the right place at the right time because of some good calls by his crew chief.It was raining so hard on the backstreach that the cars were showing rooster tails off there tires.It sucked it had to end but thats the way it is ..so Get over it…..
You know, I was about to starting about how dumb most of these comments are but most of you are too dumb to understand that. If JR. would have won, everything would be fine, everyone hates Jeff so when he catches a break everyone is pissed. Nobody thought they were fixing Nascar for him a few years ago when he didn’t even make the chase. Luck was on his side yesterday and if it were your driver you would not say a word. I hope JR comes to Hendrick next year, I want to see how you so called JR fans take when JR is teammates with Jeff and Jimmie, Hell you will probably turn you back on him, grow up and watch the race and quit crying because your man did not win, if you do not like it, turn the channel, it is that simple.
Nascar fixed the race again? You people who believe that are idiots, plain and simple. How is the weather in your world? Kinda cloudy and foggy?
I am not a Hendricks fan, but it is obvious they have their act together this year. Congrats to them. It has happened in past years with other drivers and teams where they are hitting on all cylinders.
Do you honestly think that a corperation that is trying to grow a customer base would create a situation where the same driver / team wins each week? How totally stupid is that train of thought?
If Nascar was truely “fixing” races to determine who would win, you would see a different winner each week. We would then all be on this forum claiming how great the sport is that there is a new winning driver each week and how competitive the races are.
Also, like Tyler20 referred to, Nascar, no matter how powerful they are, cannot make it rain. You really must not have been paying attention to the heavy rain on one part of the track. I guess Nascar could have paid off a local fire department to hid behind the shrubs and turn on their fire hoses on that part of the track at just the moment Newman was passing Gordon. Hey, here is something even more intriging to ponder. Maybe Bill France Jr. had a meeting with God and agreed that the rain needed to be turned on at that precise moment?
Pocono is one of my least favorite tracks. Just too big and nothing remarkable about it outside the beautiful scenery surrounding it. Yesterdays race was probably the most interesting at that track. Yeah like all of you I have my theories, I question the lack of a yellow flag when JJ’s tire went down and I do feel that the yellow flag that ended the race was thrown at a suspiciously convenient time for Jeff Gordon. This is racing, it is fun I love the controversy. Those of you who want us to post only nice messages about NASCAR and the race should go back to never never land.
Some of you people are really ignorant. Noone said Nascar could control the weather. If you even took the time to watch the race, you would have seen JJ blow a tire and a caution should have come out. Nascar let the race continue until rain stopped it some 5 or 10 laps later, which concidently happened to be past the halfway point of the race.JJ’s tire blew before the halfway point of the race. Nascar didn’t want to stop it until they got the halfway point so if weather did get bad, it would be official.
I think all you CRYBABBIES need to be FIXED ! Rock on Mark Martin, your the real deal !If there were a FIX in, it would be to help Toyota, who really needs NASCAR’s help !
Yep, if the caution would have came out just AFTER Newman passed Gordon, then there would be different whinners on here today.
Let’s talk about something different….
How did everyone like Kyle in the booth? I thought he added a good fresh perspective.
I agree with some of you these comments are funny. People calling others Ignorant but their comments are just as ignorant if not worse. The only thing NASCAR did they did not throw a yellow for JJ tire. The ONLY reason they did not because if they did they would have another rain delay, and maybe reschedule it until today, which means be less $$$ for them. If they got to the half waypoint then it rains they did not have to start the race again, and they could go home. NASCAR done this a lot, remember they started a race on YELLOW when they knew rain was coming in a few miles out so they get laps in case it would rain again and if it did rain they maybe lucky enough to be at the half way point and call it? Makes me wonder if your kids write these for you. Then I stopped to think surly most of you have kids older than third graders.
Why was kyle in the booth anyway?
Kyle Petty is a commentator for TNT. For the summer, I guess?
I like the Pocono “roval” track. That race yesterday was pitiful, though. They should have delayed it until today.
A win under caution is NOT racing, IMO.
If rain wasn’t coming would there be a caution maybe,its not the 1st time things didn’t go the way you wanted,Other times it did ….Newman said that he new the trac was wet and he tryed to pass Gordon be driving harder toward the wet spot than HE SHOULD HAVE but wanted to try for that spot ,WHY because he new the race was over!
REMENBER WHEN Gordon had the best car @ Richmond and Jef Burton reck his car the wheel was falling of the car but he was IN FRONT SOMEHOW and he drove the car around on caution 6 Laps for the win ,WHY BECAUSE THE RAIN WAS COMING ( ALREADY THERE)
They could put street tires and windshield wipers on the cars and run in the rain, but the NASCAR ladies don’t like their hair to get wet. Their makeup runs and the beer gets watered down. Why does NFL play in the rain? Real fans love to take their shirts off in 20 degree weather..
Also IF the caution flag was throne when JJ tire blew WHO would have won Same resault every body NEEDED to pit for gas ONLY VARITBLE WAS maybe not to half way and had to run it today however what would 235 more laps done
I think they should’ve called the caution for Johnsons tire blow(hehelol) just as they did for R.Gordon’s tire blow early in the race ,but 95 laps were completed and wanted to get half way to call it! the race was on TNT for the first time so I finaly got to watch it in Hi Def (no fox hi def in my area
) believe me there was more debrise flying with 48 then 7 ’s tire unbelievable Nascar for putting the fans and drivers at risk to get half way to call a race we could all be watching a good race today (Mon.)if they did the right thing!!
I can’t understand it. IF all of you Gordon haters believe the tripe you write then why don’t you just turn off the TV? Regardless of what he does, if he wins, then you think it’s a fixed race. IF he loses, you’re happy so why don’t you start watching golf or something else.
I’m a Jeff fan and I like to see him win, but having him win because the race was called off sucks.
Watching the replays, I understand why NASCAR wanted to get past the half point mark. The weather would not hold out for much longer. If they had cancelled the race completely like some people wish they had, then this board would be full of bit*hing about the fact that the race was re-scheduled again.
Not every one will be happy with every race, that’s life!
There should have been a YELLOW flag for JJ tire blow. The race should have been rescheduled for today. Period!
Not once in my comments have I said that the Hendricks team was bad. In fact, they are very good.I just think Nascar fans deserve a more consistent role from Nascar.
OK, for all of you who argue the Hendrick favoritism does not exist: Why doesn’t Nascar address this issue? After all, they know many fans are starting to question their integrity. It just seems to me if Nascar was entirely clean on this issue, they would have made an attempt to appease the many dissatisfied fans out there. I would just like to see a level playing field for all the teams.
You all think Jeff is a whiner…look at all you cry babies!! It’s about time Jeffrey makes a come back..in memory of DALE~SR!!!
So David, NASCAR should appease the fans at the expense of a race team. There are many Gordon and Hendrick fans. Myself being one of them. I don’t like anyone winning a race under rain circumstances. Every driver should earn the win down to the last lap. I thought Denny Hamlin’s whining was bad yesterday. Some of you people got him beat by a mile!
David, Maybe here is a reason that NASCAR does not address the issue with the Hendricks and NASCAR. Maybe they feel no matter what team that is winning some people going to cry favoritism, conspiracy, etc. Either that, they like to read the id**ts comments on here making a fool for themselves.
Well, Jeff has won a lot in the past, so why is this year some people not understanding? He is a winner and last year he was questioned why he was not winning. Geee they turned it around. I doubt Nascar would come here to see this, that may be why they don’t address it. You think? It sure seems Newman was smarter than some that posted here. He would not do it, so who are you say he should? He did not want to reck his car. IF the race had been rescheduled then some people would complain cause they have to work and can’t see it.
I’ve always been a Gordon fan but since he’s cheating so bad I’m gonna have to go with DEI. I guess it’s gonna have to be Truex though because Jr sure is stinking up the track.
As I stated in an earlier post, I am finished with Nascar. I actually switched channels during the race yesterday and found something more entertaining. It just seems to me all the outcomes are pretty well scripted. A certain team seems to catch all the breaks (and not coincidentally) and until this situation is resolved, Nascar’s popularity will continue to decline.
Allen, you are absolutely correct. If Nascar’s integrity was still intact,the fanbase would still be there.
Leanna-Hendricks – what is the point of your post?
motorcrossed- what is the point of Allen, David’s post? I’m sure they don’t know.
Leanna has it right. Allen the griper and Motocrossed the confused. If you gripers want to review some brazen favoritism, go back and watch some tapes of #3 getting away with murder, especially between 1994 and 2001.
jeff go back and watch years before that, and watch the favoritism with alot of drivers not only #3. Even #45 had his time. Oh, i’m sorry he’s suppose to be the king, for shame on me
I am a new fan of Nascar and I have a question. I have been reading the posts about the pros and cons of a Nascar/Hendrick (or is it Hendricks)conspiracy. It appears to me the Hendrick (or Hendricks) team is being favored in some manner, but I am just a new fan to the sport. What do I know? My question is this. Why does it appear to a new fan who doesn’t know much about the sport anyway, that this Hendrick (or Hendricks) team is receiving help from Nascar?
For those who think Jeff Gordon is Nascar’s poster boy think again. Despite never having won a championship and only having a few successful years under his belt, Dale Earnhart Jr. is Nascar’s poster boy. As far as Nascar calling or not callilng yellow’s to help specific drivers, get real people. The fact of the matter is that only one driver can win and there will be fans of 42 other drivers that will be disappointed every race, and depending on your view point things may seem that way, but get real, the sport is far to chaotic to do anything to favor a driver. Besides Nascar favors money, that comes from sponsers, not drivers.
What are ya’ll smokin’?
Wow, I didn’t know I was going to be ridiculed just for stating an opinion based on my observations. Thanks a lot Leanna.
Mick — Leanna is full of it. True NASCAR fans want their driver to win. Period. They won’t hold back raggin’ on a buddy’s favorite driver. Gordon didn’t “win” Pocono, his crew chief did. Having opposing opinions doesn’t make someone stupid or in need of growing up. Mick, don’t let the condescending, cheap shot comments here turn you off of NASCAR. McCormick’s info here is great. You’ll learn a lot. Get to a live race if you haven’t already. Cheers!
Cravenfor#9 Gordon crew chief won the race? Your Point? If you not notice for the past 10-15 years whenever they started to get these Engineers for crew chiefs the Crew Chiefs won many of races for the drivers.
Poster child definition–anybody that doesn’t like a driver, they must be a poster child, or cheating or what ever they can come up with in their minds (oh how I remember the egg commercial) Poster child? I think Mickey Waltrip is NASCAR poster child, Reason? So much of a poster child they fix his car so he cannot race with all of those bullies on the track so he won’t get hurt!! How’s that for a conspiracy, just as dumb as the rest that goes on here.
mick, If you get your feelings hurt that easy, I wouldn’t come on here, there are bunch of posters comes on here, and they have no idea what their talking about they just read others and it sounds good to them, and then they down others, go figure.
Nascar turned into a circus act and the clowns are on here talking about cheating, conspiracies, and favoritism.
I am from NYC and only recently “discovered” Nascar. After enjoying it so much, I am already bored since it is so clear that Nascar favors Gordon. Boring and cheap.
If the curent rumor is true about JR. is going to Hendrick’s motors, what will all his fans, that now swear that NASCAR cheats by letting Hendricks cars win whine about? I think Jr. has a lot of class, just can’t understand his fans.
that is one of the smartest comments I read on here.Bless you vacaville
Willy don’t take much to please youdoes it? Either that you are the one who wrote it in the first place. Nothing special, nothing that hasn’t been said before.
What ever guys that can’t think. Yeah Jr. may go to Hendricks. It is all over on the internet. Hendricks fans do not boo Jr. and just think what they will do now?? Ha ha Jr. is a good driver and he likes Hendricks too. This makes me happy and called my daughter who loves Jr.
I think everybody has a point. I’m a huge Jeff Gordon fan and after Pocono I’m beginning to suspect NASCAR to be behind Hendrick(Jeff Gordon in particular). I thought maybe he was just getting lucky breaks and I still think that. I don’t think NASCAR was behind every win. At Phoenix he was on pit road and there was a wreck so the caution came out. There’s no getting around that one. I don’t see NASCAR showing favoritism to Gordon EXCEPT Pocono. I only say that because the caution came out as soon as he was about to lose the lead. I think they should have called a caution for J.J. because of safety but it wouldn’t have changed anything except maybe give Gordon a better shot. He had just pitted and would just stay out again and go to the finish. With lapped cars he woulda had a better shot. I think NASCAR is gonna have to make some calls against him to earn respect. and i think they should. Like I said, I’m a hardcore Gordon fan but I don’t want Nascar to make stupid calls to jepordise the sport. NASCAR, do whatever it takes to keep your sport alive. if you want to make people buy more Gordon stuff so you can make money then treat him like everybody else. Or else you’re doing the oppsite
Please read the article by Beau Estes at NASCAR.com. It covers Gordon’s Pocono win and the conspiracy theory. Very good reading, IMO. He makes good points to dismiss the theory. As for Jr. going to Hendrick … if it means #5 is kaput, I’m all for it!!
It should be funny to see how many of those who have accused HMS of cheating now change there mind just because Jr. is going over to that team.
Well to all who think that nascar shows favorites, we will see what you think in 2008. Jr is going to Hendricks so now thay will really dominate.
just me, guess it hasn’t crossed your li**le mind that the hendricks have stuff together this year, just like other teams have in the past. Amazing when reading these comments on how the kids thinking come back second time around.
Favorites, don’t all people and companies have their favorites? If you don’t think so, maybe you need to get out of your fantasy world. Even the company you work for has their favorites. Wise up if a company have a customer that spends $1000 a month and a another spends $100.000 who do you think going be the favorite? Real business world here. Hendricks right now have the best drivers, equipment, and their act together better than the others, like it or not they bring in the viewers more to the media. It’s just dallors and cents.
Hey the most important thing is! NO ONE WAS HURT,OR KILLED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!So get over all BS, and enjoy the race….
EVERYONE THAT IS COMPLAINING OF NASCAR CHEATING OR FAVORING NEEDS TO FREAKING GROW-UP….YOUR ALL A BUNCH OF SORE LOSERS AND CRY-BABIES……LEARN TO DEAL WITH YOUR ISSUES AND GO ON WITH LIFE….LOSERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GO 24 AND 48!!!!!!!!!
My, my CICI is having a tantrum, and then tells everyone who has an opinion to grow up. Strange behavior huh?
No matter what Nascar calls, it needs to be called!!!! There’re not trying to help anybody!!!!! Any fan would know that!!!
i wanna tell you somthing.i’m a 20 fan but t.stewart winning the daytona speedwaay/pepsi 400?and ledding mabye ALL the laps?you got to be kidding me.i was also looking for a hendrik car to win the race.