stealing the show
Heading into Phoenix this weekend, the competition will have to focus on beating the Hendrick Motorsports organization. Mr. Hendrick’s cars have won the last four events held at the track and are coming off back-to-back wins for the organization at Martinsville and Texas.
The man holding the trophy at Phoenix for the past three races has been defending series champion Jimmie Johnson. The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet discovered something on the track in the Arizona desert.
Looking for his fourth consecutive victory on the track, Johnson will be a sure factor. At this event last year, the three-time defending champion led 120 laps en route to his victory, while he simply dominated the event that same year leading 217 of the 313 laps.
For Jeff Gordon, Phoenix played host to one of his most memorable wins. Earning victory during the 2007 Subway Fresh Fit 500, Gordon tied the late Dale Earnhardt on the all-time wins list with 76. Last weekend in Texas, the four-time Cup champion increased that number and broke his winless streak. Now with 82 wins, Gordon can tie Cale Yarborough for fifth on the all-time wins list with a win this weekend.
“I have accomplished more than I ever thought I would in this sport,” Gordon explained. “Being in the same neighborhood as some of NASCAR’s all-time greats just blows my mind.”
In addition to being one win away from tying Yarborough, Gordon is only two wins behind Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip, who are tied for third on the all-time wins list.
“I’m sure they had the same feeling winning a race,” Gordon continued. “Once you’ve accomplished that, you want to win again.”
These two drivers are some of the best to grace the sport of NASCAR. Love them or hate them, the fact is they know how to get the job done and they get it done week after week. The pair now sit atop the points standings, with Gordon leading Johnson by 162 points. Both teams have shown in the past that they are prone to hitting a hot streak, so the competition had better watch out this weekend as Hendrick’s teammates once again try to steal the show.