THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, November 12, 1995 TAG: 9511120254
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BOB ZELLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON, GA. LENGTH: Medium: 76 lines
No questions about today.
That was the rule as Jeff Gordon reluctantly agreed to meet the press Saturday, on the eve of the NAPA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The Winston Cup championship would be determined in only 30 hours, and Gordon's car owner, Rick Hendrick, had gone to great lengths to make sure the worst could not happen.
But the 24-year-old Gordon still didn't want to jinx himself by talking too soon. He could still blow it. If he finished last in the 42-car field and Dale Earnhardt won the race and led the most laps, Earnhardt would steal the title.
But Hendrick came to Atlanta with two extra entries on top of his three regular teams. He put Jack Sprague in one of them and Jimmy Horton in the other.
Sprague didn't qualify, but Horton did. So If something happens to Gordon early, and he stands a chance to finish 42nd, Hendrick has another car that will finish 42nd first.
But even that process did not go easily, particularly for crew chief Ray Evernham. Horton, who is a close friend of Evernham's, banged himself up so badly in a vicious crash in Saturday's ARCA race that he had to be replaced by Jeff Purvis.
Obviously, Purvis will not run a single lap more than Gordon.
Once Gordon agreed to talk to the press at all, the ban on questions about today didn't last long, particularly after writer Jim McLaurin of the Columbia (S.C.) State asked: ``Without asking about tomorrow, can you tell us why you don't want us to ask about tomorrow?''
``You guys are good,'' Gordon replied. And then he explained that he didn't want to talk about it because he could still blow it.
``I don't care if it's one position,'' he said. ``There's still a small percent of a chance it can happen. It's reality. It's life. It's been too good of a year to let that happen, but I don't want to talk about it until it's all over.''
``We're going out there to try to win, but we're going to have championship on our mind when the green flag drops until we know it's in our hands.''
The perception may be different in the grandstands, but there are a lot of folks in the garage who have had it up to here with Gordon. There is professional jealousy involved, along with the attitude that a NASCAR driver should have to toil for years before reaching the championship level.
But Gordon seems to have the knack for remaining blissfully ignorant of any backbiting.
``The way I see it, that's a great problem to have,'' Gordon said. ``I'd rather have that problem than the alternative and that would be not winning. .
``People say Jeff's got the best car, the best crew chief, the best engines. Yeah. So what? That's our goal.
``I'm sorry if it was handed to me a little too soon, but that's the way it happened. I've been very, very blessed. I don't have all the answers to all the questions, but I'm just living my life.''
``Do I think my success has come too soon? No, because I'm in the shoes of the success. I've had to learn a lot of things very quickly and I make mistakes sometimes and I learn from those mistakes.''
After today's race, Gordon's life will take a turn toward relaxation.
``Hawaii,'' he said. ``I'm leaving Monday morning. I'm gone for 10 days. That will be a great place - sitting on the beach, soaking up the sun and thinking about this whole year. It hasn't sunk in yet. It's all come so quick.''
``We're looking forward to taking that time off so we can be prepared when we get back,'' he said. ``Things are going to be a lot different from now on.'' ILLUSTRATION: ASSOCIATED PRESS photo
Jeff Gordon signs an autograph for a fan at Atlanta Motor Speedway
on Saturday.
by CNB