Continuing our countdown to the top seed in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, we encounter a strange occurrence.  Submitted for your approval...you are entering another dimension...you have just crossed over into The Twilight Zone!

#10: Jeff Gordon - Driver of the #24 Dupont Chevrolet

CAREER STATS:
Wins - 81 (6th all-time)
Top 5s - 243
Top 10s - 329
Avg. Finish - 12.4

CAREER AWARDS AND HONORS:
1993 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year
4-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001)
Listed as one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers
3-Time winner of NASCAR's All-Star Race

I've made it clear before that I never have been, and never will be a fan of Jeff Gordon.  However, that doesn't mean I don't respect what he's accomplished in his storied 16-year career in NASCAR's top division.  Gordon was a part of history in the Cup Series from day 1.  His Winston Cup debut was the 1992 Hooters 500.  This was the site of what proved to be the closest points battle in Cup Series history until the first year of the Chase in 2004.  The 1992 Hooters 500 was also Richard Petty's final farewell.  This has led many to say that it was like passing the torch, and looking back at what Gordon has done, it's hard to not believe that.

Gordon's first race ended early, but his 2nd race, the 1993 Daytona 500, saw Gordon in contention to win the race with just a handful of laps remaining.  He would finish 4th, a rookie record, which stood for 11 years until Scott Wimmer finished 3rd in 2004.  He won the ROTY award in 1993, and came close to victory, but no cigar.  Finally, Jeff Gordon won for the first time on NASCAR's longest night in the 1994 Coca-Cola 600, an emotional win that left Gordon in tears in victory lane.  He went on to win the inaugural Brickyard 400 in Indy later that year.

1995 was the year the firestorm began, and Gordon has never looked back since.  He won 3 championships in 4 years, and added a 4th in 2001, becoming only the 3rd driver in NASCAR history to win 4 titles.  If anyone who has followed NASCAR for a while can't name the other 2 drivers, turn in your NASCAR fan card right now.  He of course is part of an elite group, joining only Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty.  Last year at Phoenix, Gordon became the first driver to win from the pole at the track, and also tied Earnhardt on the all-time wins list with 76.  Gordon went on to win 5 more races last year for a career total (to this point) of 81.  He now sits 6th on NASCAR's all-time wins list.  He only needs to win 4 more races to climb to 3rd on that list, something which he will do.

Gordon lost out on his "Drive for Five" last year to teammate Jimmie Johnson.  Here's where we begin to enter The Twilight Zone.  He won for the 6th time in 2007 at Charlotte last October, but shockingly, the #24 has been AWOL from victory lane since!  Through 26 races in 2008, Gordon has 9 top 5s and 12 top 10s, but has not won a race yet.  Also adding to the strange story is the fact that Gordon nearly missed the Chase this year, and didn't have an inch of breathing room until this past weekend in Richmond.  Even during the year he missed the Chase in 2005, he still started out strong by winning the Daytona 500 and 2 other races before Memorial Day.  So what's been the problem for the #24 crew in 2008?  Inquiring minds want to know why NASCAR's winningest active driver has been so uncharacteristically inconsistent this year, and why at times it appeared the team was struggling and would not even make it into the Top 12.  This team needs a win, but it doesn't look very promising.

My Prediction: Gordon will not win the title this year.  For you #24 fans out there, I'm sorry to say I don't think he'll win a race before the end of the year either.  He's been too inconsistent all year, and has struggled at some of his best tracks.  Gordon will have a decent showing in the Chase, but it will be good for no higher than 6th.

Keep it tuned to The Blitzburgh Pit Stop all this week for more NASCAR Spotlights.  Next up is #9 Greg Biffle.

Until then, I'm your NASCAR VP saying "you are now leaving the Twilight Zone, we now return you to our regularly scheduled craziness that is FanIQ."

BK over and out