Jeff Gordon captured the first knockout race in the new Chase for NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship Sunday at Dover International Speedway.
It’s Gordon’s fifth career win at Dover, but first since 2001, which is also the last year the four time series champ won a title.
He didn’t need to win to be one of the 12 drivers to advance to the second round of the new championship elimination format, but Gordon says that doesn’t mean the victory is without meaning.
"I think for us it gives us confidence and even more momentum to say ‘OK, we’re in the heat of the battle and these are the crucial moments of this season when it matters most. What are we capable of when that pressure is on like that?’ [A win] to me says a lot about what kind of team we are and our chances are moving forward," said Gordon.
Gordon fended off 2012 Sprint Cup champ Brad Keselowski to take the checkered flag Sunday. He sees that another good sign.
"We battled with one of the top teams in the sport- the 2 car [Brad Keselowski] and we came out on top. I think that gives us confidence in what we’re doing," said Gordon.
But he quickly added success on Dover's one mile concrete oval doesn't carry over to the tracks they'll tackle in round two of the Chase
"This is a unique track. This is not Kansas. This is not Charlotte. So we are happy with what we did today, but I don’t think it necessarily gives us an edge," said Gordon.
Among those barely avoiding elimination was Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne, who finished 20th to earn the 12th and final spot in the second round by just two points.
The four drivers eliminated following yesterday’s race on the Monster Mile are AJ Allmendinger, Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola.
NASCAR returns to the Monster Mile next spring, May 29-31.