Joliet, Ill. – Matt Kenseth accused Jeff Gordon of spinning him out Sunday in retribution for an accident earlier in the season.
Gordon’s answer: So what if I did?
“I certainly didn’t mean to wreck him,” Gordon said. “But I didn’t mind moving him out of the way, either.”
A bang from Gordon’s bumper sent Kenseth spinning out of the lead with four laps to go in regulation during Sunday’s Nextel Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway, allowing Gordon to hold on in a two-lap overtime period to win his second race of the season and 75th of his career.
Kenseth, who dominated the second half of the race and appeared to be on his way to his third victory of the season when Gordon hit him, said Gordon did it on purpose to pay him back for a brush earlier this season.
“That wasn’t an accident,” Kenseth said.
Kenseth tangled with Gordon during the March 26 race at Bristol Motor Speedway, and Gordon shoved him in a physical confrontation after the race.
NASCAR officials fined Gordon $10,000 and put him on probation until Aug. 30. Kenseth figures Gordon just waited for that controversy to die down to exact his revenge.
“He is not going to do it next week or the week after,” Kenseth said. “He will wait. So I know it was intentional, but that is OK. Part of it is my fault – we got slow.”
Given the recent history between the drivers and Gordon’s hunger to race his way into NASCAR’s version of the playoffs, Gordon said Kenseth should have expected rough treatment.
“When it came down with five to go, he should have expected, if I could get to his bumper, there was going to be some action,” Gordon said. “One, because of what happened in Bristol – and I’m not saying I just was going to wreck him, but you better believe I was going to make life difficult on him. And then No. 2, just ’cause we’re hungry right now.”
Kenseth took the lead on lap 202 and held it for 62 laps. But a sudden surge from Gordon in the closing laps allowed him to catch Kenseth in Turn 2.
Gordon then tapped Kenseth’s rear bumper with his front bumper.
Second-place finisher Jeff Burton, a former teammate of Kenseth, initially declined comment because he didn’t see what happened.
But after wincing during a television replay, Burton said, “Matt’s a hard-nosed racer, and there’ll be retribution for that, I’m sure.”
With Sunday’s victory, Gordon climbed two spots to 10th in the standings. Kenseth finished 21st but remains second in the points standings to Jimmie Johnson.
Nextel Cup/glance
Keys to victory: Matt Kenseth took the lead on lap 202, but a sudden surge from Jeff Gordon in the closing laps allowed him to catch Kenseth before a bang from Gordon’s bumper sent Kenseth’s car spinning out of the lead with four laps to go in regulation. Gordon then prevailed in a two-lap overtime period.
What you might have missed: Polesitter Jeff Burton wasn’t able to get his first victory since 2001, as slight handling problems and an ignition box problem relegated him to a second-place finish after leading 60 laps early.
Back on track: Sunday, Lenox Industrial Tools 300, New Hampshire International Speedway, TNT/11:30 a.m.
