Jeff Gordon Season Quotations

I really don't care where we end up in points now. It's all about getting ourselves in position to get things turned around so we can go into next season and challenge for the championship.

Dale was the master at these types of races. I'd love to get the win, but not because of any statistic or record. Statistics are great when it's all said and done, but during the season you really don't care about them or where you might rank on a list.

I don't know if we had to go win a championship in February, if that was the final event, that we'd be ready for that. But I really believe just in the last 10 races of last year, what I saw in Steve was unbelievable, and that really has me excited about getting this season started.

I think anybody that feels like we've slipped on the restrictor-plate tracks hasn't seen restrictor-plate racing for the last couple of years. I mean, I think that no matter what our seasons are like, what's happening with our team, we always seem to be pretty steady at restrictor-plate tracks.

My goal every year is to win the championship and when you don't do it ? or even make the Chase, as was the case last year ? it leaves you feeling a little empty. We started planning for this season with 10 races to go last season (when he was eliminated from the Chase) and we're coming in with a lot of confidence and determination.

We've had a lot going on this week and it's been a tough season for us. But we've already run good here.the car was great today, we missed it by just that slight amount. But for us right now being on that front row is great.

I'm pleased. I guess this is what I was expecting of us at this point in the season where we were a better team. We had better race cars. Not necessarily the cars being better, but the setups relating to how I like to drive, the comfort and feel. I think it's given me more confidence. It's building confidence in the team.

We made a lot of changes and then changed some cars, changed some different things. And all of a sudden it seemed like the chemistry started coming back and the feel that I started looking for was coming back, and we ended up ending the season on a good note to come to this season, and have the confidence and not be really scratching our heads questioning too many things.

The season has gone in cycles. Guys that ran really strong at the beginning of the year maybe haven't run as strong in the middle. There's no reason that cycle can't come to us as well, and I'm sure that there are teams out there that would prefer not to find out if that cycle comes our way.