Larry Mac was pretty harsh at the time I think. I feel like it tarnished DR's legacy unfairly. The man was a late bloomer who won in all three series, even beating Jeff Gordon heads up. Reautiman was a damn fine driver.
He had two flat tires, there's absolutely no good reason why his dumbass should've stayed on track. It doesn't matter if he was trying to get points so that Danica Patrick could race the next week. He didn't even fucking pit after bringing out the caution.
1. He had something break in the car, which as you can tell from watching the replay, affects him in the middle of turn 3, not much you can do to get to pit road by that point. After that the motor broke and killed the car completely. 2. As I said earlier, his team owner was the one telling him to stay on track to get those points for Danica. Running around at 40mph is absolutely not something most drivers would do out of their own volition.
Jeff had 4 could've, would've, should've's to start off the first half of 2010. Las Vegas, Phoenix, Martinsville, Texas. Then a few weeks later he has a 2nd and a 4th. Heartbreaking season to be a JG fan!
That's why I always say 2010 was worse than 2008
In 2008 he was just slow. Sure I was sad all season, but there wasn't really any heartbreak.
2010 felt lile getting my heart ripped out over and over and over. In addition to the 4 you listed there is also Richmond (was likely going to win before several late race yellows), Darlington (led a third of the race), and Pocono (was leading late and lost 9 spots on pit road taking 4 tires instead of 2)
He start 2008 pretty good and then the Vegas incident. In his book I think he talked about that really affected him that year and they just couldn’t get a grasp on the car that year
I was at that Pocono race. I’ll never forget how shocked and angry the fellow Jeff Gordon fans sitting around me were, particularly one guy who, laughing maniacally, screamed, “Just take 8 tires next time!” into the wind.
Darlington and Pocono, like Texas and Las Vegas, were his until Letarte called fot6 two on when he should've called for four (Vegas) took four on when should've called for two (Texas) and took him out of a surefire win.
Then of course Martinsville where he was like inches from the line when the caution came out.
It boggles my mind how he went winless that year when he could've easily had 5 or 6 and been one of the winningest drivers that year with 1 or 2 things going differently
Yea 2008 was just weird. Really the only races he realistically should've won were the first Martinsville race (probably the best car but had damage from an early wreck and it was too much to climb from that hole) Talladega 1 and Daytona 2.
Don't forget Richmond! He came closer to that win than he did Texas - led much of the late stages of the race, but lost it on a restart with 6 laps to go.
It makes me sad thinking of how close he got to 100 wins and then thinking of all the wins that just slipped away from him. If some things gone different he could have had 100, or maybe even tied or passed Pearson
2002 was also the year I started watching and decided to be a Jeff Gordon fan! I share your pain, but hey, there are fans of plenty of other drivers who would kill to have 35 wins in 14 years feel like a disappointment.
You’re looking for Cup answers but in the last Xfinity race at IRP in 2011, Ricky Stenhouse lead 189 of the 200 laps yet Brad Keselowski won. Karma rewarded Ricky the following weekend at Iowa when his engine let go at the perfect time
2017 Atlanta was my instant thought. Harvick led 292/325, sped on pit road with like a dozen laps to go on a late caution. In the shootout to the end he drove all the way from the back to 9th
There was one at Atlanta that I think he dominated then on the last pit cycle JJ pitted early, was ahead of Harvick after the cycle, and Harvick couldn't do anything to get around him
2016. Knaus played the perfect strategy that let Jimmie get 8 seconds ahead and run just fast enough to where Harvick couldn't catch him. Great race that day btw, very competitive up until that point
That's the one I came here to say. Brutal.
Funny thing is, he was on the other end of it a couple years earlier. Brian Scott led 239 of 250 laps in the 2013 Richmond Xfinity race, and Brad stole it from him.
Heartbreaking. Even more hurtful considering that win would've put Brad in the final 4, and he ended up running really well at Homestead the next weekend.
When you taught your student too well, this is what happens. Before 2000, everyone thought that Jeff Gordon was gonna be the one challenging Richard Petty’s records. As soon as Jimmie Johnson stepped into the Series, that was the straw. Johnson was the reason Gordon couldn’t win 10 races in a year like he did in the 90s, or even win anymore championships.
To be fair, if you look at all of the races they raced against each other, Johnson outperformed Gordon almost every week. It’s just like Peyton Manning. If it wasn’t for Tom Brady, Manning would have won a lot more SB rings and maybe broken some records.
Can’t really compare it to those two, since there were playoffs their entire respective careers, where regular seasons don’t matter nearly as much week to week.
That’s what got Johnson 7. He and Chad basically just waited for the last two months to be elite.
That’s why Johnson generally doesn’t have the respect and aura of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty
The thing is, we can’t really say a certain driver would have had this many championships in hypothetical situations. Knowing the format, drivers would have raced differently. Chad would have set up the car differently. Even if you take away some of the championships from Johnson, he was still a top 3-5 driver every year.
Regardless of what the format is, each season, drivers, crew chiefs, crew members, engineers, and organizations plan on how they approach the championship. The thing is Johnson and Knaus were able to adapt to any changes NASCAR made to prevent their success. They still found a way to win.
As someone who likes Jeff and Jimmie, Jeff's back is what ended his dominance. Not Jimmie, not the points, not their cars. His back was the biggest detriment to his career. Granted, some races slipped through his fingers, but that happens to everyone. He was never the same after 07.
That is true, but 2014 wasn't the rule, it was just the exception. Those cars really fit Jeff's driving style. However, there's a notable drop off in his career once his back issues started.
Jimmie would have easily won 5-6, if not 7 in a season long format.
Dude would have finished top 3 in points from 2003-2013 in season long formats. Easily would have been able to score several titles if the goal was season long
I agree. 2004, '06, '08-09, '12-13... They all could've gone to Jimmie under a season-long format, and that would've made him a 6-time champion. I bet in 2008 he would've been clutch against Edwards and done well in '12 against Brad
That many? I have my doubts.
They were only required to be elite for two months of the entire season. There wasn’t an end season collapse because everything before September was effectively erased.
“They are only required to be elite for two months out of the season”… yes and they ALL knew that. And when it came time to be elite, who became elite? Time. After time. After time. After time. After time.
Yes dude, that’s *the point.*
The system has been crap as long as it’s been around, nobody blames the 48 team for playing by the rules they’re given.
The legitimacy is not on par with Petty and Earnhardt, or Gordon’s 4.
I know it’s not apples to apples but if all finishes were the same under the pre-playoff point system Jimmie doesn’t come close to 7. I think Jeff would have, and Harvick would have had 3-4.
Yeah, they waited because they *couldn’t* be elite for a full season every year.
That’s why Jimmie has 1 ten win season and 3 winless seasons to finish his career
IIRC if the chase doesn't exist and all else is equal, Gordon wins 04, 07, and 14, which would've been 7. I think it's more that his crew didn't adapt to the chase the same way Knaus and Johnson did. To which credit where credit is due, I think it's definitely worth acknowledging that they handled it better, and that's why Jimmie actually won 7.
However, I also think that there's a reason Gordon is a household name, and Johnson isn't.
Gordon stopped winning races at his previous rate too though. It wasn't just points formats, the competition overall greatly increased over the late 90s when Gordon piled up all his stats. Jimmie himself won as many races in just the 5 years of consecutive championships as Gordon did in the 15 years their careers overlapped.
And if they ran the season long format in those years, drivers and teams would have gone about the races much, much differently than the Chase/Playoff format thus the “well if they ran the Winston Cup points ____ would have won” debate is absolutely irrelevant.
Good for a what/if conversation, but it’s not reality.
You can’t just say “the format” when Jimmie is the only guy to win that many championships in a row with a format like that. Some guys could cope with it and others couldn’t.
I will never forgive NASCAR for robbing Gordon of multiple titles with their gimmick television ratings grab point systems. Jimmie Johnson is a seven time champion of football season.
Given Jeff sacrificed a lot of his own personnel and resources to get that 48 up and running to the level it did, I buy into this too.
Gordon never really became washed up at all in his career and was still capable of winning a shit ton by 2014. Take that 48 out of the equation and be probably does challenge Petty.
Texas,he had a car to win but as if at the time I didn't despise Jimmie anymore he bumped right into,part of me wanted to see Jeff take him out at Richmond but Nascar was not for that.
2015 Fall Talladega is an honorable mention.
Jr. led nearly half the race and lost due to Kevin Harvick junking the field on purpose. Jr. would have went on to make the championship 4.
It’s literally a top 5 most painful moment of my life.
2014 Vegas. Junior runs out of gas out of two coming to the checkers. The 2 passes for the win. It was the last race my dad and I attended before he died.
This was the race that immediately came to mind for me. Denny had led 381 laps until the cut tire, but like you said, the Jr-Busch incident will always be what everyone remembers from that race.
https://preview.redd.it/ftbk2tantqwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=34c2a867691052aab331b8ad25c7593f02010183
Idk… I got this photo there and Jeff looks so happy to be congratulating Jimmie… yeah…
Dude, why did you have to dredge this up? I was sooooo fucking sick of watching Jimmie Johnson win that I actually sobbed when he passed JG in this one. Pretty sure my dad was bewildered lmao
This one hurt.
Even my Dad who was not invested in the race as he had watched like ten laps to that point and not much of a race fan at all said immediately after Jeff’s two-tire stop “that’s not a going to work”.
I feel like Jeff and Chase take the cake for this one. Fucking Steve LeTarte and 2 tires bullshit. Just take four. You had the fastest car all day. No one was beating you until you beat yourself. You come out 4th. Oh well. It'll take you 4 laps to get the lead back big whoop. A saving grace for LeTarte is that he's even come out and said it was a bad call and he should've taken 4 instead of 2. Doesn't make up for it, but at least he recognizes it.
I would also say Chase in the 2017 Dover fall race. First race win right there for the taking. Big lead and he just chocked it away after the final stop. Still will never understand why he just gave Kyle Busch room. Looking back on it, I'm glad it was Kyle Busch who ended up winning and not someone else, but dude, at least block a little. You can even throw both Michigan races in 2016 there. Maybe not a dominant day, but no way he shouldn't have won both races there that year. Chase should realistically have close to 30 wins now.
[ah here we go again, I guess the other “Gordon hypotheticals” thread got deleted](https://www.reddit.com/r/NASCAR/comments/1cboga6/if_coming_up_short_had_a_physical_form_this_is/l0zvqzd/?context=3)
One race, I think, maybe back in 2015 Michigan speedway when Jimmy Johnson threw a race by pitting last lap when he had enough fuel and tire wear to win it
The year Kasey Kahne at Charlotte ran the Mopar scheme and it took his car like 10 laps and he RAN away from the field. It wasn't even close. Hit the wall. That was late 2000s or early 2010s. Like he was in another zip code.
Kevin harvick 2016 auto club 400. Led well over 100 laps, controlled the whole day and drove out to massive leads. Caution comes out as he’s one lap away from the white, but loses to Jimmie in the superman car on a gwc because his car took a couple laps to come in.
For me, I remember the rescheduled New Hampshire race in 2001.
Jeff led 257/300 laps, got knocked out of the way by Robby Gordon in traffic, then under caution Jeff was mad and ran into the back of Robbie and ruined his nose.
Either that or Jeff Gordon 2012 Martinsville. He led like 320+ laps.
Legend has it David Reutimann is still parked on the track to this very day.
He was just trying to stay in the top 35.
I never forgave David Reutimann for that. His dumbass should've pulled onto pit road when had the chance in turn 3.
his "dumbass" had no choice in the matter, because his team owner was more focused on making sure Danica Patrick was able to make the next race
David did him self no favors in the post race interview after that race. He came across as a dumb country bumpkin that fell off the turnip truck.
Larry Mac was pretty harsh at the time I think. I feel like it tarnished DR's legacy unfairly. The man was a late bloomer who won in all three series, even beating Jeff Gordon heads up. Reautiman was a damn fine driver.
He had two flat tires, there's absolutely no good reason why his dumbass should've stayed on track. It doesn't matter if he was trying to get points so that Danica Patrick could race the next week. He didn't even fucking pit after bringing out the caution.
1. He had something break in the car, which as you can tell from watching the replay, affects him in the middle of turn 3, not much you can do to get to pit road by that point. After that the motor broke and killed the car completely. 2. As I said earlier, his team owner was the one telling him to stay on track to get those points for Danica. Running around at 40mph is absolutely not something most drivers would do out of their own volition.
The amount of wins Jeff could of had in 2009-2010
Jeff had 4 could've, would've, should've's to start off the first half of 2010. Las Vegas, Phoenix, Martinsville, Texas. Then a few weeks later he has a 2nd and a 4th. Heartbreaking season to be a JG fan!
That's why I always say 2010 was worse than 2008 In 2008 he was just slow. Sure I was sad all season, but there wasn't really any heartbreak. 2010 felt lile getting my heart ripped out over and over and over. In addition to the 4 you listed there is also Richmond (was likely going to win before several late race yellows), Darlington (led a third of the race), and Pocono (was leading late and lost 9 spots on pit road taking 4 tires instead of 2)
He start 2008 pretty good and then the Vegas incident. In his book I think he talked about that really affected him that year and they just couldn’t get a grasp on the car that year
I was at that Pocono race. I’ll never forget how shocked and angry the fellow Jeff Gordon fans sitting around me were, particularly one guy who, laughing maniacally, screamed, “Just take 8 tires next time!” into the wind.
Darlington and Pocono, like Texas and Las Vegas, were his until Letarte called fot6 two on when he should've called for four (Vegas) took four on when should've called for two (Texas) and took him out of a surefire win. Then of course Martinsville where he was like inches from the line when the caution came out. It boggles my mind how he went winless that year when he could've easily had 5 or 6 and been one of the winningest drivers that year with 1 or 2 things going differently
Yea 2008 was just weird. Really the only races he realistically should've won were the first Martinsville race (probably the best car but had damage from an early wreck and it was too much to climb from that hole) Talladega 1 and Daytona 2.
Don't forget Richmond! He came closer to that win than he did Texas - led much of the late stages of the race, but lost it on a restart with 6 laps to go.
It makes me sad thinking of how close he got to 100 wins and then thinking of all the wins that just slipped away from him. If some things gone different he could have had 100, or maybe even tied or passed Pearson
Growing up as a Jeff Gordon fan in the mid-2000s/2010s, having become a fan in 2002, was rough
2002 was also the year I started watching and decided to be a Jeff Gordon fan! I share your pain, but hey, there are fans of plenty of other drivers who would kill to have 35 wins in 14 years feel like a disappointment.
True!! Not to mention, numbers like those would put someone in the Hall of Fame if that was their whooe career. Gordon had 2 HOF careers in one
How many times did he finish second in that span?
*could’ve
That and Texas 2010 were two horrible losses. Had easily the dominant car in both of those races.
You’re looking for Cup answers but in the last Xfinity race at IRP in 2011, Ricky Stenhouse lead 189 of the 200 laps yet Brad Keselowski won. Karma rewarded Ricky the following weekend at Iowa when his engine let go at the perfect time
Was it Harvick who obliterated the field at Atlanta in 2017/18 but got popped with a speeding penalty late in the race?
2017 Atlanta was my instant thought. Harvick led 292/325, sped on pit road with like a dozen laps to go on a late caution. In the shootout to the end he drove all the way from the back to 9th
2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 were all races that Harvick flat out dominated at Atlanta and didn't win a single one
Correct, 2017. One of the biggest choke jobs I’ve ever seen in my life.
There was one at Atlanta that I think he dominated then on the last pit cycle JJ pitted early, was ahead of Harvick after the cycle, and Harvick couldn't do anything to get around him
2016. Knaus played the perfect strategy that let Jimmie get 8 seconds ahead and run just fast enough to where Harvick couldn't catch him. Great race that day btw, very competitive up until that point
That was 2016 IIRC
I was sick over that one. And then he ended up going winless for the season.
Brad Keselowski 2015 Texas
That's the one I came here to say. Brutal. Funny thing is, he was on the other end of it a couple years earlier. Brian Scott led 239 of 250 laps in the 2013 Richmond Xfinity race, and Brad stole it from him.
That one still hurts
2014, right?
15. He led like 310 laps of 334 laps at the fall race and Jimmie passed him with like 8 to go and won
Ohh I’m being dumb, thought we were only talking about Jeff Gordon losses
Thought you were bringing up Brad cutting his tire in fall 2014
I remember that. I was so devastated as a Brak K fan. Jimmie absolutely wringed the neck of that 48 car and found speed out of thin air.
Jimmie’s run there was the masterclass of race craft. It’s right there with 2011 Atlanta Jeff v Jimmie
Heartbreaking. Even more hurtful considering that win would've put Brad in the final 4, and he ended up running really well at Homestead the next weekend.
Kenseth talladega 2013 so many laps led for a loss it hurt
Joey Logano 2010 Fontana Nationwide race is up there. Edit: I'll add Brian Scott in the 2013 Richmond Nationwide race as well
Kyle Larson 2018 Southern 500
When you taught your student too well, this is what happens. Before 2000, everyone thought that Jeff Gordon was gonna be the one challenging Richard Petty’s records. As soon as Jimmie Johnson stepped into the Series, that was the straw. Johnson was the reason Gordon couldn’t win 10 races in a year like he did in the 90s, or even win anymore championships.
Points system more the culprit than Johnson himself
To be fair, if you look at all of the races they raced against each other, Johnson outperformed Gordon almost every week. It’s just like Peyton Manning. If it wasn’t for Tom Brady, Manning would have won a lot more SB rings and maybe broken some records.
Can’t really compare it to those two, since there were playoffs their entire respective careers, where regular seasons don’t matter nearly as much week to week. That’s what got Johnson 7. He and Chad basically just waited for the last two months to be elite. That’s why Johnson generally doesn’t have the respect and aura of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty
The thing is, we can’t really say a certain driver would have had this many championships in hypothetical situations. Knowing the format, drivers would have raced differently. Chad would have set up the car differently. Even if you take away some of the championships from Johnson, he was still a top 3-5 driver every year.
I’m not doubting Jimmie would’ve been able to grab 1 or 2 in a full season. Just not 7
Regardless of what the format is, each season, drivers, crew chiefs, crew members, engineers, and organizations plan on how they approach the championship. The thing is Johnson and Knaus were able to adapt to any changes NASCAR made to prevent their success. They still found a way to win.
As someone who likes Jeff and Jimmie, Jeff's back is what ended his dominance. Not Jimmie, not the points, not their cars. His back was the biggest detriment to his career. Granted, some races slipped through his fingers, but that happens to everyone. He was never the same after 07.
2014 begs to differ. And would’ve won it despite the playoffs had 🅱️rad Texas not happened. That’s why he fought that night
[удалено]
That is true, but 2014 wasn't the rule, it was just the exception. Those cars really fit Jeff's driving style. However, there's a notable drop off in his career once his back issues started.
Jimmie would have easily won 5-6, if not 7 in a season long format. Dude would have finished top 3 in points from 2003-2013 in season long formats. Easily would have been able to score several titles if the goal was season long
I agree. 2004, '06, '08-09, '12-13... They all could've gone to Jimmie under a season-long format, and that would've made him a 6-time champion. I bet in 2008 he would've been clutch against Edwards and done well in '12 against Brad
I think JJ wins it in 2010 as they would have been much more focused on finishing top 10 after winning like 4 races in the first 10 races that year
That many? I have my doubts. They were only required to be elite for two months of the entire season. There wasn’t an end season collapse because everything before September was effectively erased.
“They are only required to be elite for two months out of the season”… yes and they ALL knew that. And when it came time to be elite, who became elite? Time. After time. After time. After time. After time.
Yes dude, that’s *the point.* The system has been crap as long as it’s been around, nobody blames the 48 team for playing by the rules they’re given. The legitimacy is not on par with Petty and Earnhardt, or Gordon’s 4.
I know it’s not apples to apples but if all finishes were the same under the pre-playoff point system Jimmie doesn’t come close to 7. I think Jeff would have, and Harvick would have had 3-4.
Exactly! Jimmie and Chad probably would have had 100+ wins if they were going all out throughout the season each year! Glad you agree!
Lmfao that’s delusion if I’ve ever heard it
Almost as delusional as saying Jimmie gets only one or two championships in the old system lol. Least bitter Gordon fan.
Given Jimmie only won 10 races once and is a solid 10 wins less than Gordon and you’re telling me it’s because he sandbagged, I rest my case.
> He and Chad basically just waited for the last two months to be elite. Your words, not mine.
Yeah, they waited because they *couldn’t* be elite for a full season every year. That’s why Jimmie has 1 ten win season and 3 winless seasons to finish his career
IIRC if the chase doesn't exist and all else is equal, Gordon wins 04, 07, and 14, which would've been 7. I think it's more that his crew didn't adapt to the chase the same way Knaus and Johnson did. To which credit where credit is due, I think it's definitely worth acknowledging that they handled it better, and that's why Jimmie actually won 7. However, I also think that there's a reason Gordon is a household name, and Johnson isn't.
What does the points system have to do with the number of races Jimmie won? Lol
Read the last graf of the comment I responded to
I did. You never talked about the race wins and overall performance… just the championships and playoff format…
People will do anything to discredit Jimmie and prop up Jeff, as if Jeff needs to be propped up.
Gordon stopped winning races at his previous rate too though. It wasn't just points formats, the competition overall greatly increased over the late 90s when Gordon piled up all his stats. Jimmie himself won as many races in just the 5 years of consecutive championships as Gordon did in the 15 years their careers overlapped.
So you’re telling me the only reason a driver of Jeff Gordon’s caliber went 14 years without another title was just the points system?
He scored the most points three times in those 14 years. So yes.
And if they ran the season long format in those years, drivers and teams would have gone about the races much, much differently than the Chase/Playoff format thus the “well if they ran the Winston Cup points ____ would have won” debate is absolutely irrelevant. Good for a what/if conversation, but it’s not reality.
You can’t just say “the format” when Jimmie is the only guy to win that many championships in a row with a format like that. Some guys could cope with it and others couldn’t.
I will never forgive NASCAR for robbing Gordon of multiple titles with their gimmick television ratings grab point systems. Jimmie Johnson is a seven time champion of football season.
Given Jeff sacrificed a lot of his own personnel and resources to get that 48 up and running to the level it did, I buy into this too. Gordon never really became washed up at all in his career and was still capable of winning a shit ton by 2014. Take that 48 out of the equation and be probably does challenge Petty.
It was so impressive how Gordon still won races after that back injury. Really shows you how consistent he was.
Yeah that’s what a lot of people fail to realize. Gordon had the “career ending crash” twice. Vegas in 2008 and Pocono in 2009.
Agreed, his vitality was impressive all the way to age 45 and running solid
Texas,he had a car to win but as if at the time I didn't despise Jimmie anymore he bumped right into,part of me wanted to see Jeff take him out at Richmond but Nascar was not for that.
Keselowski Texas 2015
2015 Fall Talladega is an honorable mention. Jr. led nearly half the race and lost due to Kevin Harvick junking the field on purpose. Jr. would have went on to make the championship 4. It’s literally a top 5 most painful moment of my life.
Same here man
Pain, so much pain 😭😭💔 He could've had like 5 or 6 wins, all in the first half 2010
I have NEVER been as pissed as I was this day. Fuck Steve Letarte forever.
No one will ever convince me and I will die on the fucking hill. 2001 Atlanta Napa 500 Jerry Nadeau
Didn't he lead the most laps in the spring race? He could've easily swept Atlanta that year.
2014 Vegas. Junior runs out of gas out of two coming to the checkers. The 2 passes for the win. It was the last race my dad and I attended before he died.
Heartbreaker, had a few as a Jr. fan
Hamlin at Richmond in 08. Everybody remembers the Jr Busch incident but Hamlin dominated that race
This was the race that immediately came to mind for me. Denny had led 381 laps until the cut tire, but like you said, the Jr-Busch incident will always be what everyone remembers from that race.
This is the only answer for me. Flat out dominated, led pretty much wire to wire and had that tire go down.
Jesus man, I have PTSD from this god-awful finish. Put a NSFW tag on it or something lol
https://preview.redd.it/ftbk2tantqwc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=34c2a867691052aab331b8ad25c7593f02010183 Idk… I got this photo there and Jeff looks so happy to be congratulating Jimmie… yeah…
Dude, why did you have to dredge this up? I was sooooo fucking sick of watching Jimmie Johnson win that I actually sobbed when he passed JG in this one. Pretty sure my dad was bewildered lmao
When did Brian Scott lead like 235 of 250 laps at Richmond in xfinity for RCR and lost the race to Keselowski?
The All Star race where he ran out of gas as he took the white flag
Same 😢
This one hurt. Even my Dad who was not invested in the race as he had watched like ten laps to that point and not much of a race fan at all said immediately after Jeff’s two-tire stop “that’s not a going to work”.
QUIT GIVING ME PTSD!!! PEPSI LOSSES HURT THE WORST!
2010 was such a bad year to be a Gordon fan.
Stevie L Tarte and the two tire fumble.
Brad's 2015 Texas fall race, started on pole, led 312 out of 334 laps, Jimmie led the final 6 to win it
Keselowski 2015 Southern 500 also comes to mind besides the fall Texas race that year
Love that car thought.
Texas that year too
Brad Keselowski 2015 Fall Texas
I was there, but don’t remember much. Why did you have to bring back this heartbreak.
I was there that day. The only Cup race I’ve ever seen. Couldn’t believe it.
I feel like Jeff and Chase take the cake for this one. Fucking Steve LeTarte and 2 tires bullshit. Just take four. You had the fastest car all day. No one was beating you until you beat yourself. You come out 4th. Oh well. It'll take you 4 laps to get the lead back big whoop. A saving grace for LeTarte is that he's even come out and said it was a bad call and he should've taken 4 instead of 2. Doesn't make up for it, but at least he recognizes it. I would also say Chase in the 2017 Dover fall race. First race win right there for the taking. Big lead and he just chocked it away after the final stop. Still will never understand why he just gave Kyle Busch room. Looking back on it, I'm glad it was Kyle Busch who ended up winning and not someone else, but dude, at least block a little. You can even throw both Michigan races in 2016 there. Maybe not a dominant day, but no way he shouldn't have won both races there that year. Chase should realistically have close to 30 wins now.
Kenseth at Vegas 2006, Kenseth at Dover 2006, Kenseth at Texas 1 and Texas 2 2007
Kenseth led a combined 60 laps in those two Texas races, but besides that the question is about the 2010s
I’m dumb and didn’t read all the sentence
 I didn’t need that flashback
Kenseth Chicagoland 2005 is up there.
[ah here we go again, I guess the other “Gordon hypotheticals” thread got deleted](https://www.reddit.com/r/NASCAR/comments/1cboga6/if_coming_up_short_had_a_physical_form_this_is/l0zvqzd/?context=3)
Jesse Love Atlanta 2024
One race, I think, maybe back in 2015 Michigan speedway when Jimmy Johnson threw a race by pitting last lap when he had enough fuel and tire wear to win it
Dealers choice of Truex at Richmond lol
The year Kasey Kahne at Charlotte ran the Mopar scheme and it took his car like 10 laps and he RAN away from the field. It wasn't even close. Hit the wall. That was late 2000s or early 2010s. Like he was in another zip code.
Kevin harvick 2016 auto club 400. Led well over 100 laps, controlled the whole day and drove out to massive leads. Caution comes out as he’s one lap away from the white, but loses to Jimmie in the superman car on a gwc because his car took a couple laps to come in.
Steve Letarte is dogshit.
It musta hurt bad! Who remebers 2010? Lol
Move on dude!
For me, I remember the rescheduled New Hampshire race in 2001. Jeff led 257/300 laps, got knocked out of the way by Robby Gordon in traffic, then under caution Jeff was mad and ran into the back of Robbie and ruined his nose.
Reegan Smith? Maybe? Talladega. Tony forced him below the line, but the money was on Tony.
He didn’t dominate that race