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close'We still have some work to do,' Jeff Gordon says
MIKE HARRIS
The Associated Press
Friday, Jun. 06, 2008
Last year, Jeff Gordon dominated the "regular season" in Cup - the 26 races that determine the 12 drivers eligible for the 10-race Chase for the championship.
Once the Chase began, Gordon's 312-point lead was wiped away and, in the end, he finished second to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson.
The four-time Cup champion won the June Pocono race last year, his fourth of six wins in 2007, and was well ahead in the points by then. So far this season, Gordon has no wins and goes into the Pocono race sixth in the standings. He insists he isn't worried.
"Our goal each year is to be in the Chase," Gordon said. "We've had an up-and-down season so far, but we've had a string of good finishes recently and we need to keep building on that.
"While we were focused on the championship battle last year, the competition was able to focus on 2008, and that allowed them to get ahead of us a little bit. But with the Chase, you can be a little off right now and still be a threat for the championship.
"We've run well at some races this year like Darlington and Dover, but we still have some work to do," Gordon added. "We just need to consistently run in the top five and keep making gains with 13 races remaining before the start of the Chase."
He also could use some wins, since the Chase drivers are seeded, with 10 extra points for each victory during the regular season.