STARS WANT TO RESTORE THEIR SHINE: GETTING BACK TO TITLE FORM GORDON, EARNHARDT JR. FOCUSING ON CHAMPIONSHIP RUN.Byline: Jeff Gluck Staff Writer It was impossible to predict for one. You could almost see it coming for the other. And for Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is a professional American race car driver. He was born in Vallejo, California, raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, and currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. and Dale Earnhardt This article is about the elder Dale Earnhardt. For his son, see Dale Earnhardt, Jr.. For the racing team he founded, see Dale Earnhardt, Inc.. Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Jr., missing the Chase for the Cup last year drew the same thought: entirely unacceptable. So NASCAR's two biggest stars, the ones with two completely different fan bases, made sure they shared an identical goal in the offseason: Get back to championship contender form. ``We're going to come into the Chase being top three in points,'' Earnhardt said. ``We'll have six or seven wins this season, if not more. If we lose the championship, it won't be by much.'' Gordon hasn't directly said it, but there's little doubt he thinks the same way about his own team. So does the racing media, which recently tabbed Gordon as the favorite to win the Nextel Cup The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is NASCAR's top racing series. It was formerly known as the Strictly Stock Series (1949), Grand National Series (1950-1971), and the Winston Cup Series (1972-2003). . Earnhardt was picked to finish sixth. That shows some of the disparity between Gordon, who has won four series championships, and Earnhardt, whose highest finish in the season standings is third. Accordingly, it was much easier for fans and media to write off Gordon's 2005 campaign and 11th-place finish as a fluke, something he'll be able to brush off and regain his past form. But there were whispers by some that Earnhardt was overrated Overrated was a Horde World of Warcraft guild, based on the US Black Dragonflight Realm. On November 2 2006, the majority of the guild members were indefinitely banned from the game for use of (or directly benefiting from) a third-party "wall-hack", used to bypass content , causing the 31-year-old driver to bristle bristle 1. the thick strong animal fibers collected at commercial abattoirs for use in brushes. 2. the sharp serrated awns of grass and some cereal seeds that confer a capacity to penetrate normal skin and mucosa and to cause ulcerative stomatitis, grass seed abscess and the like. . Those comments have only spurred NASCAR's most popular driver to try to prove the doubters wrong. ``I want to get off on a fast start because I want to prove not only just to the fans, but to everybody that this team is strong,'' said Earnhardt, who was 19th in points last season. ``I look at my race cars, and they're better looking than I've ever seen.'' Here's why both drivers can be optimistic: Since each switched crew chiefs toward the end of last season (Earnhardt was reunited with cousin Tony Eury Jr.; 26-year-old Steve Letarte Steve Letarte (born May 14, 1979 in Portland, Maine) is the crew chief for Jeff Gordon in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. He first began as crew chief when he took over the job of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet from Robbie Loomis in September 2005. took over for Gordon), both have shown signs of improvement. Earnhardt had two top-10 finishes in the final four races. Gordon won in October at Martinsville, Va., and closed with three top-fives and another top-10 in the past five events. ``We certainly should be contending for race wins on a fairly consistent basis, and we should be up and battling in that championship in some way throughout the year,'' Gordon said. ``That doesn't mean it's going to happen every year. ``But when it's not happening, when we're not living up to our full potential, that's what motivates us.'' Two superstars, each with a shot at redemption and, they hope, a chance at a championship. And if there are any setbacks, they'll be scrutinized more closely than ever. CAPTION(S): 11 photos, box Photo: (1 -- 2) Two of NASCAR's superstars - Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon - missed the Chase for the Championship last season. Photos by Getty Images (3) TONY STEWART For other persons named Tony Stewart, see Tony Stewart (disambiguation). Anthony Wayne "Tony" Stewart (born May 20, 1971) is an auto racing driver who was born in Columbus, Indiana. He has won championships in sprint cars, Indy cars, and stock cars. (4) GREG BIFFLE Gregory Jack Biffle (born December 23, 1969 in Vancouver, Washington) is a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver. He now lives in Mooresville, North Carolina. He has also left a lasting impression as the "Most electrifying Craftsman Truck Series driver of the late 90s". (5) CARL EDWARDS Carl Michael Edwards, II (born August 15, 1979) is a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and Busch Series driver for Roush Fenway Racing. In the NEXTEL Cup Series, Edwards drives the No.99 Ford Fusion that is primarily sponsored by Office Depot, NASCAR's Official Office Products Partner. (6) MARK MARTIN (7) JIMMIE JOHNSON (8) RYAN NEWMAN (9) MATT KENSETH (10) JEREMY MAYFIELD (11) KURT BUSCH Box: THAT WAS THEN ... |
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