Having a horrible year. 22nd in points.

Just a bad year and he will bounce back? Or is he nearing the end of being a contender for the championship?

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

He has had a strong car most races this year but something breaks or he gets caught up in a wreck almost every single race.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Doubt there is a drastic equipment difference, only by choice as per setup. the guy is going to be 41 this year, relatively new wife and kid, I know I would be losing the fire and passion.

i dont think hes losin his mojo. he doesnt act like it. hes certainly not cashing it in anyway...

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the world will always the world. your entire existence is defined by your response.

17th in points.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Just a bad year. Dale Jr. getting his setups, as Hendrick changed their garage to JJ/Jr. and Gordon/Kahne. That is from JJ/Gordon and Jr./Kahne.

I don't think Gordon has lost his ability to drive at top level. Just been unlucky and having a down year. Last years runner-up Edwards is on the outside of the Chase right now too. Gordon needs to make up about 30 points and win a race or two in the remaining 8 races. He can do it, but Newman and Kahne both have wins and ahead of Gordon in the standings.

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CSFMB: Home of the small minded

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I know that Jeff Gordon's longtime crew chief this year is now in the same position with fellow Hendrick driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. That would be Steve LaTarte, but I'm not sure why JG's had a down year to this point.

True story.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Gordon should have 3 wins this year. He had the best car in those 3 races & his team couldn't close the deal. All drivers have a down year every now & then. He'll be back. New Hampshire has been a good track for Jeff, with an average finish in the last 5 races here of 8th place.

The parts & equipment is identical for all Hendrick drivers, with the variable being the crew.

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CSFMB 2014 Nascar Pick 'em Champion

We don’t have a trillion-dollar debt because we haven’t taxed enough; we have a trillion-dollar debt because we spend too much. — Ronald Reagan

There's a decline in Nascar when a driver get older?

He's not 65, or something like that, where age might effect his driving. The guy's not out there running laps around the track. Why would it matter if he is 41?

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Reflexes and having to stop to pee every 100 laps.

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Mark Martin, who now splits time with Michael Waltrip in the #55 Aaron's Dream Machine TOYOTA is in his mid 50s. There's been talk about Mark retiring for quite sometime, but he still finds a way to compete. I don't think retirement is in Jeff Gordon's immediate future.

Tony Stewart is older than Jeff Gordon. I don't think Smoke is slowing down.

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You know me like that.

Other than Mark Martin a few years ago, I haven't heard the "r" word involving any NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. Bill Elliott, Terry Labonte, no one...

I don't think its an issue of his body being older but his mind being older and wiser. Its hard to go balls to the wall when you have 2 kids at home and a hundred million in the bank. Its not that he is being super conservative or mailing it in but it has to make a difference.

He also seems to have had crew chief issues since the rainbow warriors broke up. Never underestimate the importance of that position and the relationship between them and the driver. Ol 5 time would be lucky to be 1 time without knaus.

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That's my purse! I don't know you!

Smoke still seems very driven to succeed.

I don't sense that when I hear Gordon these days. He just seems content with his past success and cruising along.

I think that has way more to do with it than age.

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"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Gordon has back problems that have affected him in the past. Even the younger drivers in the best of physical conditioning doesn't equate to the best driver. Tony Stewart is fat(yeah I said it!) and won the championship last year.

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CSFMB: Home of the small minded

Smoke is indeed a few months older than Gordon, and proves that age alone is not the determining factor for NASCAR drivers. Gordon has competed well this year, and probably had the car to win a couple of races or more. He has led more laps than Tony. So much of winning on that level is the "luck" of positioning yourself at the right place at the right time. I'm sure that "cheating" has an effect as well, again to keep a driver in that right place. I've always figured that the rule bending might well let a guy lead the most laps, but won't guarantee a win. I see that on the local dirt tracks- the guy with $20k in a motor can pass anybody with $5k or less, but he can't always finish first. Racing happens. Is Smoke the same age and driven harder to win- sure, he wanted to prove he could own his own team and win a championship. Does he still trail the 24 in wins and champs, you betcha, by almost 40 races and one title.

I was certainly not saying 24 is washed up or should retire. I only said that I would be less likely to take undue chances, maybe even those chances he has taken before and that are required to win races, at 41 (if only I were 41 again), with his resume and life status. Of course, that may be my only limiting factor, as I clearly am better looking, have a greater personality, can drive better and have a prettier wife than Jeff Gordon. So there, M-f'ers.

Smoke just has more fire than Jeff (pun intended).

I do think you can chalk it up to a "down year." The Carl Edwards comparison is perfect.

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@audioidkid