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Gordon California dreamin’

Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon has had his way in California with three straight victories there. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)
Mike Harris Associated Press
Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon has had his way in California with three straight victories there. (Associated Press / The Spokesman-Review)

FONTANA, Calif. — Jeff Gordon will try to make it three straight California victories in today’s Pop Secret 500.

The four-time NASCAR champion has already won the April race at California Speedway and the June event on the road course at Sonoma in 2004.

Gordon, a native of Vallejo, Calif., has fared well in his home state since he joined NASCAR’s premier division full-time in 1993. In 20 combined starts at California Speedway and Infineon Raceway, he has seven wins, 13 top-fives and has led the most laps nine times.

“I love racing in California,” Gordon said. “Obviously, because of the success we’ve had in this state, but also because of the two areas where we race.

“Sonoma is close to where I grew up, so that gives me a chance to visit with friends. When we visit Fontana, this gives us the chance to visit the second-largest market in the country and the opportunity to bring more fans to NASCAR.”

For the first time since 1950, NASCAR’s top division is not visiting Darlington Raceway for the Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend. While it is a different venue on the opposite side of the country, Gordon hopes his tradition of strong performances on the holiday weekend continues.

Gordon has five wins and seven top-five finishes in the last nine Southern 500s, but he has also won three of eight races at the California track.

Old-timer

Kyle Petty isn’t surprised that 48-year-old Bill Elliott, now a part-time driver in NASCAR’s top series, is still competitive when he shows up for the occasional race.

“He’s not old and, even if he is old, he’s been resting for about three months,” Petty said after watching Elliott qualify third for today’srace, only his fifth Cup start of the season.

“He’s got plenty of rest on all of us, but he ain’t an old man. Believe me, when you’re out there driving against him, you think it’s (24-year-old rookie) Kasey Kahne driving that thing, not Bill Elliott.”

On the bubble

Ryan Newman is 10th in the Nextel Cup standings, right where he needs to be to qualify for NASCAR’s new Chase for the Cup, the 10-race championship playoff that will begin after next week’s race at Richmond.

But his hold on the last spot is tentative at best. Going into today’s race Newman is just five points behind eighth-place Kevin Harvick and only 45 in front of Jamie McMurray and Dale Jarrett, tied for 14th.

“We’re using a brand new car that’s never been tested,” said Newman, whose No. 12 Dodge will start today’s race 14th in the 43-car field. “I’m happy about that.

“It’s a pretty pivotal point in the season to do something like that but, obviously, we’ve done some homework. We’ve had a couple of new cars and haven’t won, but our last new one was the first race this year at Michigan and we won with that. We can’t stop looking at what’s behind us, but we’re starting to focus on what’s ahead of us.”

Spark plugs

Rookie Brian Vickers is the ninth different driver to start from the pole in the nine Cup events at California Speedway. … Chevrolet and Ford each have four victories on the California track, while the best finish for Dodge is third.