Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnsonwent at each other as though they were on a little dirt track, not a high-banked speedway.
Imagine the possibilities when they’re competing for a championship.
Over the last 10 laps of a rain-delayed race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, these two guys were sliding all over the track, yanking the wheel this way and that to keep from smashing into the wall, throwing caution to the wind as they raced for the checkered flag.
It was downright thrilling, the sort of white-knuckle racing that showed this sport at its very best. And at the end, it was Gordon crossing the line first Tuesday, his one-time protege about a half-second behind.
Wow!
“When you’re battling a guy as talented as Jimmie is and that team, as good as they are, definitely, it’s going to be significant,” Gordon said. “That’s the kind of race team we have right now. We’ve not been able to battle with those guys like we’ve been able to do this year.
“And that,” he added, “is what’s got me extremely excited.”
Everyone should be.
While there will be 10 other drivers in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, the thought of two teammates—Johnson, the defending five-time champion, dueling with Gordon, a four-time champion who’s won more Cup races than everyone but Richard Petty and David Pearson—is quite tantalizing.