Jeff Gordon won the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, scoring his 75th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 455th career start.
Gordon remained seventh on NASCARs all-time winners list, but is now just one victory behind sixth-place Dale Earnhardt.
This is Gordons 51st victory on a superspeedway but first victory on a non-restrictor plate superspeedway since Indianapolis in August 2004. It also is his first victory on a 1.5-mile track since Atlanta in October 2003.
Gordon scored his second victory in 2006. He also won at Infineon Raceway.
This was Gordons first victory and his fourth top-10 finish in six races at Chicagoland – all top fives.
Gordon has posted victories at all but three of the current NASCAR NEXTEL Cup tracks (Homestead, Phoenix and Texas).
Gordon scored his eighth top-10 finish in 18 races this season, including three of the last four races.
Gordon climbed from 12th to 10th in the point standings and is now 47 points ahead of 11th-place Greg Biffle.
Gordon led four times for 20 laps including the final seven laps.
This was team owner Rick Hendricks 145th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory. Hendrick has scored five victories in 2006. It is Hendricks first victory at Chicagoland Speedway.
Hendrick Motorsports has won at least one race each season 1986-2006, 21 consecutive years.
Notebook Items
Matt Kenseth led the most laps for the second time in 2006. He also led the most laps at Las Vegas.
Jeff Burton (second) scored his 11th top-10 finish in 2006. It is his 12th straight top-15 finish extending a streak that began at Texas in April. It marked his second top-10 finish in six races at Chicagoland Speedway.
Kyle Busch (third) scored his ninth top-10 finish in 2006. It was his first top-10 finish in two races at Chicagoland. Busch remained eighth in the point standings and is now 93 points ahead of 11th-place Greg Biffle.
Kevin Harvick (fourth) scored his ninth top-10 finish in 2006. This was his fourth top-10 in six races at Chicagoland Speedway. Harvick extended a 30-race streak of running at the finish that began at California last September, the longest current streak.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (fifth) scored his eighth top-10 finish in 2006 and his third top-10 finish in six races at Chicagoland.
Jimmie Johnson (sixth) posted his 14th top-10 finish in 2006, the most of all drivers. He remained first in the point standings and is now 51 points ahead of second-place Matt Kenseth. Johnson has been ranked among the top 10 for 87 consecutive races. Johnson moved into sole possession of eighth in consecutive races in the top-10 since the point system was established in 1975.
Reed Sorenson (seventh), Clint Bowyer (ninth) and J.J. Yeley (10th) all posted top-10 finishes, the first time in 2006 that three rookies finished in the top-10.
Kurt Busch (eighth) scored his seventh top-10 finish in 2006. It was his fifth straight top-10 finish extending a streak that began at Pocono. It marked his fourth top-10 finish in six races at Chicagoland Speedway.
At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 18 races this season.
Ryan Newman finished 36th at Chicagoland Speedway ending a streak of five straight top-15 finishes.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(7-9-2006)
