Over the last several years, Robby Gordon has been this guy more than anyone else this side of Tony Stewart, and maybe my former neighbor, with the penchant for mullets and 1980s heavy metal band t-shirts.
Sunday, Robby did it again.
At New Hampshire, again.
Remember, this was the track where Gordon picked up his first career win after punting Jeff Gordon, creating a controversial rivalry between NASCAR’s two unrelated Gordons.
But this time, NASCAR’s second Gordon really screwed up.
After some contact with Greg Biffle that sent Gordon for a loop, Gordon got on his radio and said he was going to retaliate for what he thought was an intentional action on Biffle’s part.
This was Gordon’s first “what the @#$% moment.”
If we have learned anything over the last several years from Kurt Busch in the 2002 Winston and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at the 2004 spring Bristol race, it is that you never, ever express your intention to wreck or wreck somebody on the NASCAR-monitored radio or to a reporter. Busch drew a fine in 2002 for admitting that he intentionally spun — who was it? Oh yeah, it was Robby Gordon.
The second moment for Gordon came when he actually carried out his threat to retaliate, putting the front bumper of his Chevy squarely into the rear bumper of Biffle’s Ford, sending the 16 car spinning across the track.
It was about that time that Gordon’s career — not race, or season, but career — took a decidedly southward turn.
Biffle’s careening Ford collected Jeremy Mayfield and Tony Stewart after Gordon easily skated through the mayhem.
Mayfield and Stewart, of course, are chase contenders who basically have had their championship hopes dashed by the guy running 22nd in the 2004 points standings.
For his efforts, NASCAR held Gordon for two laps and prevented him from being the “lucky dog” to get the laps back.
Wait, it gets better — or worse — if you are Robby Gordon. Post-race, he may or may not have pushed a reporter. He definitely gave a one-finger salute to a reporter who pressed him with some comments that Gordon deemed inappropriate.
He later apologized for the incident, saying that it was a bad day that just kept getting worse after having a car he felt could win the race.
Under normal circumstances, this is the behavior that we somewhat expect from Robby Gordon, but at this stage in his career, this is not the kind of publicity that will land him a top-notch ride for 2005 after he catches the long–rumored, seemingly inevitable ax from Richard Childress Racing.
Gordon’s contract with RCR expires at the end of this season and has not been renewed for the future. Both sides are dodging giving any direct answers on the future of the 31 team. Gordon has three career Cup victories, all coming since joining RCR in 2001, but after sweeping the road course races in 2003 has yet to pick up a victory in 2004.
Because of this latest incident, there is much speculation that Gordon may be out of his ride before the end of the season, possibly being replaced by Dave Blaney or Ricky Craven.
Gordon has insinuated that if need be he will create and drive for his own Nextel Cup team next year.
He has run a fairly successful part-time Busch Series program this year, but struggled several years ago in his attempt as an owner/driver in NASCAR’s top series.
I can’t imagine that this type of on-and-off track behavior will help Gordon attract a sponsor if he does intend to field his own car next year.
Sponsors, as well as owners and NASCAR don’t like guys that leave followers of the sport wondering “what the @#$% was that guy thinking?!?”
Andy Cagle can be reached at acaglenc@earthlink.net.
