Four-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon is enjoying the race package at Darlington ahead of the Bojangles’ Southern 500.
On a weekend when NASCAR is celebrating the days of old with retro-themed throwbacks to the 1970’s, Gordon is more focused on breaking into Victory Lane for his first win of the year and securing a spot in the Chase for the Championship.
Gordon has seven wins at the historic ‘Lady in Black’ with the last one coming in 2007.
Through much of the season (or the last several) Gordon is one of many drivers who have wanted a change to the overall race package brought to the track – this weekend Gordon gets his wish.
The 44-year-old is in favor of the new package and is even bringing back memories of the racing in the early years of his career.
“It’s much better, there’s no doubt about it. It’s much better,” said Gordon.
“I still can’t help but reminisce about my earlier years here with a more abrasive track and a tire that just had tremendous grip for about one and a half laps, and then tremendous fall-off. We still don’t have that.
“This tire is pretty hard in comparison to that. And I don’t think you’re really going to be worrying about wearing tires out this weekend. But there is some fall-off. There’s no doubt the grip is down. So, trying to find the balance of the cars seems to be pretty tricky. The cars are freer in, tighter in the middle, and free let off, which is kind of like of what we fought at Kentucky. But, I liked it there and so far I’m enjoying it here.”
On weekend full of memories, maybe Jeff Gordon can have a throwback of his own and give the fans a lasting one.
Image: Jared C. Tilton/NASCAR via Getty Images
