Gordon Wins at Darlington

Jeff Gordon had just enough gas and just enough car to win Sunday’s TranSouth Financial 400 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C.

Gordon, the defending Winston Cup champion, dueled throughout the latter part of the 293-lap race with current series leader Dale Jarrett, who lost his shot at the victory when he tagged the fourth-turn wall nine laps from the end.

It was the second consecutive Darlington victory for Gordon, who has finishes of first, third and first after starting the season with disastrous runs of 42nd and 40th.

Gordon led six times for 189 laps. But Jarrett, who started the season with a victory in the Daytona 500 and has led the points since, began closing on the leader in the final 50 laps and took the lead 15 laps from the end of the 293-lap race.

But Jarrett came up on the slower car of Dave Marcis as they drove off turn four on lap 285 and found himself squeezed into the wall, bouncing off the concrete as he slipped past Marcis and giving Gordon the chance to pass him and lead the rest of the way.

Gordon, who won $97,310, averaged 124.793 mph. He crossed the finish line 1.4-seconds--about five car lengths--ahead of runner-up Bobby Labonte.

Ricky Craven matched his career best finish with a third.