Turning the tables - Gordon returns to No. 1 spot

HAMPTON, Ga. -- It was only a year ago that Jeff Gordon finished ninth in the Winston Cup standings -- the worst showing since he was a rookie.

While attending NASCAR's season-ending banquet with crew chief Robbie Loomis, the quest began for another championship.

"Me and Robbie were sitting at that No. 9 table in New York," Gordon recalled. "The speaker was blowing us out. We couldn't hear each other talk. We made a promise to each other that we would not be sitting at that table the next year."

Mr. Gordon, your table is ready. And this year, it's No. 1.

Gordon wrapped up his fourth Winston Cup championship Sunday with a sixth-place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway, joining Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt as the only drivers to win that many titles.

Petty and Earnhardt went on to capture seven championships apiece, a standard that is well within reach for Gordon.

Ahead of the pace

He just turned 30 in August and has been racing in Winston Cup for only nine seasons. By comparison, Petty was 35 when he captured his fourth title, while Earnhardt was 39.

"When you see Jeff Gordon at 30 years old, how mature he is in the car, and you see the chemistry of this team, I think we're going to win a lot of championships," car owner Rick Hendrick said. "I'd like to say we're going to win seven or eight championships. That's certainly our goal."

Hendrick still remembers the first time he saw Gordon behind the wheel.

"I couldn't get out of my head how he drove that Busch car," Hendrick said. "He was extremely talented and extremely brave that day. Well, brave or stupid, I'm not sure which."

Gordon made his Winston Cup debut at Atlanta in the season-ending race of 1992. No one noticed the 21-year-old kid, not with Petty racing for the final time.

As it turned out, on the day The King faded into retirement, Hendrick unveiled the driver who would supplant The Intimidator as the sport's dominant figure.

In 1995, Gordon won the first of his championships, holding off Earnhardt by a mere 34 points. That would be the man in black's best run at a record-breaking eighth title before racing took his life.

Earnhardt was killed in February at the season-opening Daytona 500. Nine months later, Gordon paused to remember the driver who taught him so much about winning.

"I got to see firsthand what it's like to battle for a championship," Gordon said. "He was so good at knowing when to go for the win and when to bring that thing home to get some points. Some guys have that special knack. He could look at the big picture."

Credit given grudgingly

Clearly, Gordon has that special knack, though it's like pulling teeth to get his rivals to admit it.

Just listen to Sterling Marlin, who is 14 years older and hasn't come close to winning his first championship.

"Jeff is a great driver, but he stepped right into one of the top rides when he came in," Marlin said. "He had Ray Evernham with him. When you surround yourself with good people (and) ... you get good equipment, you can go."

Bobby Labonte, last year's Winston Cup champion and the winner of Sunday's NAPA 500, was more gracious than Marlin. Still, the conversation turned to Gordon spending his whole career with a first-rate team.

"He started off with good equipment. There's nothing wrong with that," Labonte said. "He realizes he's where he's at because of that. He could been on one side of the fence saying it was all him."

Still, it's funny how no one says Earnhardt won all those championships because he had a strong team. The conversation usually centered on The Intimidator's fearless, aggressive, never-give-an-inch style of racing.

Gordon has all the same attributes, but perhaps it gets lost because he comes across as such a goody two-shoes away from the car.

Or maybe his competitors are just jealous.

"I feel very fortunate and very blessed, but I'll tell you, there's not anybody out there who's not trying to put themselves with a great team," Gordon said. "They say I have a great team and a great situation? Yeah, I sure do. I'm proud of it."