Glenville native Todd Peck will be among the 40 drivers battling to capture the checkered flag on Saturday during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Lilly Diabetes 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Advertisement
It will mark Gordon’s 798th career Sprint Cup start in a career that he believed would come to an end past year at least in a full-time capacity.
Without a doubt, it has been neat seeing Gordon back on the track the last two days, albeit in the No. 88 auto usually driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. while Earnhardt recovers from a concussion.
Gordon knew Earnhardt had missed last week’s race at New Hampshire with concussion-like symptoms, with journeyman driver Alex Bowman filling in.
For substitute driver Jeff Gordon, practice didn’t make ideal on Friday afternoon. “The fans past year who may have missed the chance to see Jeff run, there you go, he’s going to come back and run a few races and fill in”.
Stewart also acknowledged that he’s more prepared for this race than he’s ever been.
“(My doctors) can give me a lot of exercises that retrain my brain to handle what I need to handle – it’s just going to take a lot of patience”, Earnhardt said in a podcast, according to ABC News.
Gordon is the only five-time Brickyard victor and can become the first driver to ever win six times at Indy. “I feel real good about where we are at as a team, and the balance of the vehicle in race trim to be able to move up through the field”.
Busch led all but one lap to win the Xfinity race for the second straight year.
Harvick, who drives for Stewart-Haas Racing, and Kyle Larson, who drives for Chip Ganassi Racing, both stopped and changed tires.
“You never like having a curveball”, Hendrick said.
Hendrick said he has discussed a contract extension beyond next season but would rather see Earnhardt focus on getting healthy right now.
“We’re determined to work in every area from the engine to the chassis and aero and everything”. “I think realistically, he’ll be top 10”.
“I think the only thing I can say at the end of the day, and everybody always says the same thing, is that you just wish you had spent one more day with him, instead of going off and doing your own thing”.
“Definitely want to win here myself, too, so it would be pretty cool”. “All I can I can tell you is that I’ve done everything I could possibly do over the last three days to get ready for this race the best way that I can”.
After claiming two poles Saturday afternoon, Busch returned to the track and led all but one lap to capture his second straight NASCAR Xfinity Series victory at the track by 0.415 seconds over hard-charging Kevin Harvick.
Advertisement
WHO’S IN/WHO’S OUT: Gordon easily made it in despite having only one day in the No. 88 vehicle. In 2012, NASCAR inexplicably moved the race from IRP over to the big track, where it has consistently produced little to nothing of substance in the five races since.
