<body><script type="text/javascript" src="http://hb.lycos.com/hb.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://ratings.lycos.com/ratings/lycosRating.js.php"></script>
<script type="text/javascript"><!--//--><![CDATA[//><!--
var cm_role = "live";
var cm_host = "tripod.lycos.com";
var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded";
var tripod_member_name = "tideride2";
var tripod_member_page = "tideride2/gordon/press/notes8234.htm";
var tripod_ratings_hash = "1216413501:c7b32367ab849e286712dda32c86f53c";
var lycos_ad_category = {"dmoz":"sports\/motorsports","ontarget":"&CAT=sports%20and%20recreation&L2CAT=auto%20racing","find_what":"now cars"};
var lycos_ad_remote_addr = "38.103.63.16";
var lycos_ad_www_server = "www.tripod.lycos.com";
var lycos_ad_track_small = "http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_smallframe.gif?rand=459570";
var lycos_ad_track_served = "http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_adserved.gif?rand=459570";
//--><!]]></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-start.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-middle.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/ad/code-end.js"></script>
<noscript>
<img src="http://members.tripod.com/adm/img/common/ot_noscript.gif?rand=459570" alt="" width="1" height="1" />
<!-- BEGIN STANDARD TAG - 728 x 90 - Lycos - Tripod Fallthrough - DO NOT MODIFY -->
<iframe frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no" width="728" height="90" src="http://ad.yieldmanager.com/st?ad_type=iframe&ad_size=728x90§ion=209094"></iframe>
<!-- END TAG -->
</noscript>
Tina Gordon Notes, Quotes: Food City 250
08-23-04
by Richard N. (Chip) Williams, Jay Robinson Racing
This weekend Tina Gordon and the #39 Yahoo! Ford team head the .533-mile Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway, for Friday night’s NASCAR Busch Series’ Food City 250.
The 33-year-old driver is a native of Cedar Bluff, Ala., and driver of the Yahoo!-sponsored Ford fielded by Jay Robinson Racing of Charlotte, N.C. Robinson is the first car owner in major league motorsports to have fielded full-time rides for different female drivers, the other being Tammy Jo Kirk the second half of last season. Gordon comes to the Yahoo! Ford team from the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, but also brings strong experience credentials from the weekly short tracks of Alabama, the same tracks that spawned racing legends such as Davey Allison, and helped build legends such as Bobby and Donnie Allison, Red Farmer and Neil Bonnett.
Microtel Inn and Suites, which has received the J.D. Power & Associates award for highest guest satisfaction the past two years, and, Vassarette, a top of the line lingerie manufacturer, have joined Jay Robinson Racing as associate sponsors on the #39 Yahoo! Ford.
Jay Robinson Racing, in its fourth season of operation, is one of the fastest-growing teams in NASCAR. Robinson, a Charlotte, N.C., native who is a successful businessman, founded the team as a high-value endeavor that offers high-end equipment and efforts, while proving to be one of the most cost-efficient teams in the sport. Robinson fields two sponsored cars fulltime on the Busch Series: the #39 Yahoo! Ford and the #49 Advil Ford, and runs a third car in many Busch Series events.
The thoughts of Yahoo! Ford driver Tina Gordon heading into Bristol:
“Finally I get to race a track I’ve seen before. Since joining Jay Robinson Racing in early July, Daytona weekend to be exact, every track we’ve raced at since has been my first time at that specific track. But, I’ve raced Bristol before… and loved every minute of it.
“In 1999 and again in 2000, I raced in the NASCAR All-Pro Series at Bristol. In ’99 we blew an engine during qualifying, and in 2000 we blew up before we made it to halfway through the race. So, I have limited experience at Bristol, but I’ll take it. A little experience at a track is better than what I’ve had at most of these tracks recently… that being zero.
“Obviously, I haven’t turned as many laps at Bristol as most of these drivers, but the little time I’ve spent on it, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed racing there. I would say other than my home track Talladega, Bristol would be my favorite. It’s a tough little track and physically it will wear you out. You can really feel the ‘Gs’ in the corners. It feels like a big hand is trying to push you through the floorboard of your car.
“You have to have a lot of car control when you come to Bristol. As much rubbing that goes on there, it’s a good chance you’re going to be on the edge of losing it several times throughout the race. You’re going through the corners so fast already it feels like you’re on the ragged edge anyway. Then, you get someone closing in behind you giving you a nudge. It doesn’t take much to move someone out of the way or send them into the wall. It’s exciting racing though. To be running that close to one another for 250 laps at the ‘World’s Fastest Half Mile’, under the lights… it’s going to be a lot of fun.
“Bristol’s going to be a great challenge for me and this race team. We continue to make progress, and I can’t stress how important it’s been to have Jay, Mark, and Derrike there to help me along on some of these tracks I have very little experience at. They’ve been extremely helpful throughout. It’ll definitely help having two teammates at a track like Bristol. Hopefully all three of us will have a great run at Bristol and I’ll be able to bring this Yahoo! Ford home with a great finish.”
