Gordon snaps 47-race winless drought with victory at Texas

[madinmaryland]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/racing/04/05/texas.nascar.ap/index.html

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) -- Jeff Gordon had gone so long without winning a race, he picked up a new trick or two watching other drivers celebrate.

No, not a backflip a la Carl Edwards.

After the obligatory burnout on the frontstretch for his first victory ever at Texas, one that ended his career-high 47-race winless drought in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Gordon pulled up to the start-finish line and got the checkered flag to take on a long-awaited victory lap.

"It was the coolest. It was like winning for the very first time," Gordon said. "Things have changed since I won a race ... That's the first time I've ever carried a checkered flag in NASCAR. I used to do that in quarter-midgets when I was 8."

Then, after doing another burnout on the backstretch, Gordon finally got to drive into Victory Lane at Texas, where winners get cowboy hats and fire six-shooters into the air.

"This is a huge relief, but also very exciting," Gordon said. "If we can win at Texas, I feel like we can win anywhere."

..snip

[RT Atlanta]

1. Good for Jeff

It's funny to me that he's now one of the grizzled veterans of the series.

There was a time in the mid/late 80s through about '95, when I didnt need a program to tell you the driver by their car # and sponsor (note: this met Jeff Foxworthy's defintion of a "redneck"). Now I dont recognize anyone.

[greenbriar]

2. I was so happy

Like me some Jeffrey Gordon um hum