Gordon - 'Slump' talk a reflection of his 2001 success

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- If this is a slump, Jeff Gordon will take it. So would most of the other drivers on NASCAR's Winston Cup circuit.

Since winning the Protection One 400 last Sept. 30 at Kansas Speedway, the defending Cup champion hasn't won in 19 races. That's the longest drought of a career, now in its 10th year, that has seen Gordon win four Cup titles and more than $47 million.

But he's still in sixth place, only 25 points out of a tie for third -- and not doing too badly as a first-year owner, either.

"You talk about Jeff being in a 'slump'," said John Andretti, who is 35th in the standings headed into a rare two-week break in the Winston Cup schedule. "There are a lot of guys who would like to be in Jeff's 'slump'."

Gordon, who came to Kansas City, Kan., with Andretti and Jimmy Spencer to test tires for Goodyear on Tuesday and Wednesday, said Wednesday that his six-win championship season in 2001 fueled fans' expectations of similar success this year.

"We did a lot of great things last year," he said. "Coming into this season, we kind of expected to keep on rolling, but this sport will humble you in a hurry."

Gordon wouldn't use the word "slump" to describe his season in the No. 24 Chevrolet so far. He has six Top 10 finishes -- two in the top five -- in 11 races, including a second-place finish on April 8 in the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

None of his top 10 finishes has come after a start on the inside front, though. Gordon won the poles for the Food City 500 and Virginia 500 but finished 31st and 23rd, respectively.

"I recognize how competitive the sport is," he said. "You'll go along at times and win races and say, 'How the heck did we do that? We didn't do anything different.' Then you'll go along and not win races and say, 'We aren't doing anything different; why aren't we winning?"'

Gordon announced on March 16 that his wife, Brooke, had filed for divorce -- but since then, he has refused to blame the upheaval in his personal life for his failure to win on the track.

The encouraging thing, he said Wednesday, is that he has been in contention in a number of races.

"Daytona, we had a shot at winning. We had great cars at Darlington ... and Martinsville and got caught up in wrecks, running first or second," he said. "Those are tough to take, but at the same time I'd rather get caught in something like that running up front battling for a win, than running at the back of the pack and struggling."

Elsewhere

NADEAU OUT: Jerry Nadeau, part of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, has been released from his contract. Team president John Hendrick didn't name a replacement driver, but Joe Nemechek is expected to step into the Number 25 Chevrolet on an interim basis. Nemechek has been out of a permanent job since Haas-Carter Motorsports closed shop earlier this season following sponsor problems.

FISHER SIGNS: Sarah Fisher, the third woman to drive in the Indianapolis 500, found a car for this year's race, signing with Dreyer & Reinbold Racing. Fisher will drive the No. 23 car in the May 26 event and her primary sponsor will be Allegra, Dennis Reinbold said. The first qualifying day for the Indy 500 is Saturday.

HORNADAY FINDS RIDE: Ron Hornaday has replaced the fired Lyndon Amick in Carroll Racing's No. 26 Busch Series car.

Hornaday, the two-time Craftsman Truck Series champion, began the year without a full-time ride after being dropped by A.J. Foyt's Winston Cup team.

-- From staff, wire reports