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NOT ABLE TO HOLD IT DOWN THERE.
PROBABLY TOO LOOSE AND THE TIRES
HAVE TOO MUCH ON THEM TO MAKE
THAT ROOM.
GORDON STILL FIGHTING HIS CAR
THERE.
>> AND WE'RE TALKING A LOT ABOUT
JEFF, BUT JIMMIE HAS GOT TO BE
DOING A LOT OF FIGHTING OF HIS
OWN INSIDE THAT CAR.
>> YEAH.
>> AND AS MUCH AS HE'S HAVING TO
FIGHT RIGHT NOW, IT'S A LOT LESS
THAN HE DID THE FIRST OF THE
RACE WHEN HE ABOUT WRECKED EVERY
OTHER LAP.
>> THAT'S BEN JOHNSON'S STRONG
SPOT IT SEEMS LIKE TODAY.
>> SIX LAPSE TO GO.
.
>> AND TO THE BOTTOM.
CAN HE MAKE IT STICK?
>> WE'VE SEEN JIMMIE IN THIS
POSITION.
LOOK HOW SIDEWAYS RIGHT THERE.
WOW.
>> THAT'S DRIVING BY BOTH OF
THESE GUYS.
>> THAT'S WHY THERE'S NINE
CHAMPIONSHIPS BETWEEN THESE TWO.
>> ABLE TO TAKE A LOOSE RACE
CAR, WORN OUT TIRES RIGHT NOW
BATTLING FOR THE WIN HERE.
>> TWO OF THE SPORT'S BEST AND
THE ATLANTA TRACK AT ITS BEST
USING EVERY INCH OF THIS WIDE
RACETRACK TO FIND THE GRIP THEY
NEED TO GET TO THE FRONT.
>> AND THERE'S SOME TRAFFIC
AHEAD OF THIS GROUP.
QUITE A FEW CARS AHEAD.
LOOKS LIKE THEY'LL CATCH THEM,
TOO.
>> FIVE LAPS TO GO.
WHOA, GORDON REALLY SIDEWAYS
RIGHT THERE.
>> AND JIMMIE FIGHTING RIGHT UP
TO HIS BACK BUMPER.
>> YOU CAN SEE JIMMIE JUST WALK
THE CAR ALL THE WAY UP THE
TRACK.
>> DID WE TALK EARLIER ABOUT
ANOTHER FANTASTIC FINISH HERE IN
ATLANTA?
>> YES, SIR.
>> GOT HIM LOOSE RIGHT THERE.
>> CORNER OUTSIDE, RIGHT NEXT TO
YOU OUTSIDE.
24 ON LANE.
>> FOUR TO GO.
GORDON DRIVES IT IN TO STAY SIDE
BY SIDE.
>> JIMMIE IS GETTING A LITTLE
LOOSE.
BOTH OF THEM WIGGLING UP OFF THE
CORNER.
WOW.
>> CLEAR, YOU'RE CLEAR.
>> THAT'S GOOD STUFF.
>> THEY'RE COMING TO THREE TO
GO.
I'M TELLING YOU, THIS IS A
DOGFIGHT.
>> JOHNSON GOING TO TRY TO GET A
RUN ON THE HIGH SIDE.
>> HE'S LOOKING FOR IT HERE.
>> THAT'S NOT WHAT GORDON NEEDS.
>> THREE LAPS TO GO.
>> SMITH GIVES WAY, THE LAP CAR.
JOHNSON DIVES AGAIN FOR THE LOW
SIDE.
>> BOTH OF THEM JUST USING ALL
THE TRACK.
>> WHAT'S THE WIGGLE GOING TO BE
THAT COSTS GORDON THE WIN OR
JOHNSON THE CHANCE TO MAKE A RUN
AT HIM?
LOST SOME TIME THERE.
>> HE SAID I'VE GOT TO TRY
SOMETHING.
THAT'S WHERE HE MADE UP A LOT OF
HIS TIME.
>> TWO TO GO.
>> LOOKS LIKE THEY MAY NOT CATCH
THIS TRAFFIC BEFORE THE END OF
THE RACE.
>> IT'S PROBABLY STILL EFFECTING
THEIR CAR.
JOHNSON GETS A BIG RUN OFF OF
TWO.
>> COMING TO THE WHITE FLAG.
SO FAR GORDON HAS BEEN ABLE TO
HOLD HIM OFF.
CAN HE DO IT FOR ANOTHER LAP AND
A QUARTER?
JOHNSON HAS GOTTEN A BIG RUN OFF
TURN FOUR SEVERAL TIMES ON
GORDON BUT NOT BEEN ABLE TO
FINISH THE PASS.
HE SLIDES THIS TIME.
>> BY THREE, WHITE FLAG.
>> LAST LAP.
GORDON GAINING SOME GROUND.
CAN HE HANG ON?
>> JIMMIE JOHNSON IS SIDEWAYS AS
HE WENT TO THE GAS HARD.
LOOK AT HIM.
>> SLIDING OFF THE CORNER.
HALF A LAP TO GO.
THERE IS LAP TRAFFIC AHEAD.
WE'VE HAD FANTASTIC FINISHES IN
ATLANTA.
WILL THIS BE ANOTHER
SIDE-BY-SIDE RUN TO THE
CHECKERS?
IT'S GOING TO BE A SIDEWAYS RUN
TO THE CHECKERS.
JOHNSON TRIES TO GET THERE,
CAN'T GET IT DONE.
CAREER WIN NUMBER 85, JEFF
GORDON THIRD ON NASCAR'S
ALL-TIME WIN LIST.
>> WOW.
THAT'S SOME DRIVING RIGHT THERE.
>> WHAT A FINISH.
>> ALL THIS GOING
HE SPUN THE TIRES TO THE
START/FINISH LINE.
JUKE SEE HIM SMILING.
THAT HAD TO BE A LOT OF FUN.
>> AND JIMMIE JOHNSON GETTING A
DRINK HERE.
JIMMIE, I SEE YOUR HANDS
TREMBLING A LITTLE BIT.
WAS IT AS EXCITING BEHIND THE
WHEEL AS IT WAS FOR US WATCHING?
I'M SO GLAD I GREW UP RACING IN
THE DIRT.
IF I DIDN'T GROW UP RACING
AROUND ALL THOSE DESERTS AND ALL
THOSE STADIUM TRACKS, I THINK I
WOULD HAVE SPUN OUT FOUR OR FIVE
TIMES THERE AT THE END.
A GREAT EFFORT FOR THIS TEAM.
WE STARTED OFF THE RACE REALLY
BAD.
MADE SOME GREAT ADJUSTMENTS ON
PIT ROW AND THE CAR CAME TO
LIFE.
WE GOT OURSELVES UP THERE IN THE
MIX AND HAD A LITTLE BIT MORE
SPEED ON JEFF OVER THE LONG HAUL
BUT I JUST COULDN'T GET MY
IMPALA PAST HIS.
ONE OF THOSE DEALS.
THANKFUL THAT THE FANS STUCK
AROUND AND THE ONES THAT WATCHED
AT HOME.
WE'LL GO ON TO THE NEXT ONE.
>> JIMMIE, IT'S NOT TOO OFTEN WE
SEE TWO DRIVERS BATTLING AS HARD
AS YOU WERE FOR SO MANY LAPSE.
WHAT IS IT LIKE WHEN YOU'RE
FOLLOWING HIM?
WHAT WAS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND
AS HE'S JUMPING AROUND TRYING TO
BLOCK WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO RUN?
>> WELL, WE WERE KIND OF A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER IN THE RUN
BEFORE WE WERE RACING EACH
OTHER, AND HE RAN ME DOWN AND I
GOT A GOOD FEEL FOR WHERE HE WAS
FAST AND I FELT LIKE I MAY HAVE
DRIVEN THE TIRES OFF THE CAR
TRYING TO GET A BIG LEAD.
WHEN JEFF TOOK OFF, I JUST TOOK
MY TIME AND HOPED HE WOULD RUN
THE TIRES OFF HIS CAR AND I
WOULD CATCH HIM.
TO IT KIND OF WORKED OUT BUT I
THANK AGAIN DuPONT, PEPSI, ALL
OF OUR SPONSORS.
WE'RE JUST SO THANKFUL AND WHAT
AN INCREDIBLE DAY.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD SEE
IT, I KNOW YOU HAD YOUR HANDS
FULL, BUT ON THE FINAL LAP OF
THE RACE JIMMIE WAS JUST AS
SIDEWAYS AS YOU WERE TRYING TO
HANG ON AND GET A RUN AT YOU.
>> WHEN I SAW HIM GET REAL LOOSE
OFF FOUR COMING TO TAKE THE
WHITE, I COULD BREATHE A LITTLE
SIGH OF RELIEF BECAUSE, YOU
KNOW, I COULD FIND OF MAINTAIN
DOWN THERE IN THREE AND FOUR.
I JUST GOT SO, SO LOOSE, AND HE
WAS A LITTLE -- ROLLING A LITTLE
BIT BETTER THAN ME THROUGH THE
MIDDLE IN ONE AND TWO.
I COULD MAINTAIN THE OUTSIDE BUT
ALL HE HAD TO DO WAS GET TO MY
INSIDE OFF TWO AND WE WOULD --
IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD TO BEAT
HIM BACK TO THE LINE BECAUSE WE
JUST LOST SO MUCH GRIP THERE.
SO GAVE ME A LITTLE BREATHING
ROOM AND I WAS ABLE TO BE SMOOTH
AND EASY WITH IT THROUGH ONE AND
TWO, TRY TO KEEP IT DRIVING AS
STRAIGHT AS I COULD WHICH WASN'T
EASY AND THEN I JUST BABY IT
THROUGH THREE AND FOUR.
YOU KNOW, HE HAD ONE OR TWO
SHOTS AT ME THAT I REALLY
THOUGHT WE WERE DONE.
I MEAN, I GOT SO LOOSE, BUT ONCE
HE GOT TO ME AND WE WERE ABLE TO
MAINTAIN AND ACTUALLY PULL OUT A
COUPLE TIMES, I SAID, OKAY, WE
HAVE TO FIGHT HIM TO THE
CHECKERED FLAG.
>> THERE ARE THOSE CLOSE TO YOU
SAYING THEY HAVE NOT SEEN YOU
THIS CONFIDENCE AND AGGRESSIVE
TWINS 2001.
ARE YOU FEELING THIS IS THE YEAR
FOR FIVE?
>> I THINK THIS IS TURNING OUT
TO BE A GREAT YEAR, JERRY.
ALAN GUSTAFSON, LEE, TOM, TOM,
ALL OUR ENGINEERS, ALL THE GUYS
THAT WORK SO HARD, THE AWESOME
PIT CREW, MAN, THOSE LAST TWO
STOPS WERE JUST MONEY, AND WE'RE
HAVING A LOT OF FUN RIGHT NOW.
WHEN YOU CAN DRIVE A RACE CAR
THAT DRIVES LIKE THAT ONE, IT
MAKES ME LOOK LIKE A HERO, BUT
THEY'RE THE HERO IN MY MIND.
>> BY THE WAY, RICHARD PETTY,
DAVID PEARSON, AND JEFF GORDON,
THIRD ALL-TIME IN WINS IN NASCAR
HISTORY NOW.
>> JERRY, I TOTALLY FORGOT ABOUT
THAT.
I GOT SO EXCITED ABOUT THE WIN.
AND JOHN EDWARDS DIDN'T DO HIS
JOB BACK THERE TELLING ME I WON
85.
I CAN'T DO ANYTHING WITHOUT HIM.
I HAVE SO SAY HI TO INGRID AND
ELLA.
ELLA, I HOPE YOU HAD A GOOD DAY
AT SCHOOL, IT WAS HER FIRST DAY.
I CAN'T WAIT TO GET HOME AND SEE
YOU GUYS.
85, WOW, THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
I MEAN, I'M JUST BLOWN AWAY THE
KIND OF DAY WE HAD, THE KIND OF
YEAR WE'RE HAVING.
I MEAN, I JUST FEEL REJUVENATED
IN SUCH A BIG WAY BECAUSE OF
THIS RACE
BEST THAT HE VERY MUCH DESERVES
TO BE IN THE COMPANY OF.
IT'S BEEN QUITE A TRIP AND QUITE
A CAREER TO WITNESS FOR THAT
MAN, JEFF GORDON.
>> FIRST TIME I SAW JEFF WAS AT
AN OPEN TEST AT CHARLOTTE MOTOR
SPEEDWAY.
HE HADN'T DRIVEN IN NASCAR YET.
SOME OF THE PRESS BUDDIES OF
MINE AND I WERE JOKING AROUND
AND WE SAW THIS KID LOOKED LIKE
HE WAS IN JUNIOR HIGH.
YOU KNOW, THE LITTLE HAIRLINE
MUSTACHE.
>> HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS 15
YEARS OLD WITH THIS LITTLE
MUSTACHE TRYING TO LOOK OLDER.
>> I SAID WHO IS THAT?
THEY SAID THAT'S THAT HOT KID
FROM INDIANAPOLIS.
THAT'S JEFF GORDON.
>> HE WAS EVERYTHING DALE
EARNHARDT WASN'T.
THE PEOPLE THAT REALLY LOVED
DALE HATED JEFF, AND THE PEOPLE
THAT REALLY LOVED JEFF HATED
DALE BECAUSE HONESTLY FROM A
PERSONALITY STANDPOINT WHEN YOU
LOOKED AT THEM FROM THE OUTSIDE,
THEY WERE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.
YOU WERE EITHER A 3 FAN OR A 24
FAN BUT YOU COULDN'T BE BOTH.
>> IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY
JEFF GORDON IS NOT A
PARTICULARLY LIKED DRIVER.
>> EVERYBODY WAS FROM GEORGIA,
HERE HE COMES FROM CALIFORNIA,
BEEN RUNNING OPEN WHEEL CARS,
VERY, VERY WELL-SPOKEN, VERY
POLISHED, JUST A DIFFERENT KIND
OF ATTITUDE.
>> AS A FAN OF HIS GROWING UP, I
WAS STOKED TO SEE HIM WIN ALL
THOSE RACES AND HAPPY TO SEE HIM
BLAZE A TRAIL FOR THOSE WHO
DIDN'T GROW UP IN THE SOUTH.
>> ANOTHER MARK IS PUT IN THE
RECORD BOOKS.
POP THE CHAMPAGNE, JEFF GORDON.
>> WHAT A WIN FOR JEFF GORDON.
>> A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE
RUNNING TODAY ARE SATISFIED JUST
TO BE IN THE RACE, YOU KNOW.
JEFF IS ONE THAT LIKES TO WIN,
YOU KNOW, AND HE DOES ALL HE CAN
TO WIN.
>> IF SOMEONE DIDN'T WRECK HIM,
HE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE TO HAVE
EQUAL EQUIPMENT TO WIN BECAUSE
HE HAD THE DRIVING TALENT.
HE WAS FUN TO WATCH.
GOT A LITTLE MONOTONOUS WRITING
ABOUT HIM WINNING THOUGH.
>> HERE COMES JEFF GORDON TO
TAKE THE CHKERED FLAG.
WE'LL REMEMBER THE NAME, JEFF
GORDON, WINNER OF THE INAUGURAL
SPRINT CAR 400.
>> THE CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO JEFF
GORDON.
>> THIS WILL BE THE FIRST
MODERN-DAY GUY TO GO AGAINST THE
PREVIOUS GENERATION.
EVERY SPORT ALWAYS SAYS COULD
THE OLDER GUYS DO IT TODAY?
AND COULD THESE GUYS DO IT THEN?
WHO KNOWS, YOU KNOW.
WHO KNOWS.
>> I THINK JEFF GORDON, HE'S
HUGE.
BACK THEN THEY RACED A LOT MORE.
IF YOU RACE MORE YOU'RE GOING TO
GET MORE WINS.
>> JEFF GOT HIS 85 IN FAR FEWER
RACES THAN RICHARD AND DAVID
RAN.
>> I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY
FROM ANYTHING THAT RICHARD HAS
ACCOMPLISHED, BUT AT THE SAME
TIME I THINK WHAT JEFF HAS DONE
IS VERY, VERY AMAZING.
>> YOU CAN'T GO TO JEFF GORDON
AND COMPARE HIM TO RICHARD PETTY
OR DAVID PEARSON BECAUSE THEY
WERE IN DIFFERENT TIMES.
YOU COMPARE PEOPLE TO THEIR TIME
WITH THE PEOPLE THEY RUN
AGAINST.
>> AT THE END OF THE DAY, HE'S
GOING TO PUT HIMSELF IN THE SAME
PLACE AS THE BIG NMES OF OUR
SPORT.
>> JEFF WILL BE NUMBER THREE AND
THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD DEAL WHEN