Gordon Seeks Fast Finish to Chase for Winston Title

Jeff Gordon would love to bury the talk about his lack of killer instinct as the Winston Cup season nears its end.

In the last three years, as the 27-year-old driver has won two championships and finished second to teammate Terry Labonte in the other, the months of October and November have been a wasteland for Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports team.

They have stumbled and faltered each year, barely hanging on for the titles in 1995 and 1997, and losing the lead in the final weeks of the Labonte’s 1996 championship season.

Today, Gordon can put a definite end to his reputation as a late-season fade-out--seemingly his Achilles’ heel--with a strong performance in the Dura-Lube/Kmart 500 on the one-mile oval at Phoenix International Raceway.

Gordon has a virtual lock on the $2-million championship, leading Mark Martin by 358 points after winning Oct. 17 in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway.

If Gordon can add 12 points to his lead Sunday, he will clinch the title.

Even if the leader stumbles again, all he needs to do is finish 32nd or better in each of the remaining races to hold on to the title.

*

Mike Bliss grabbed the lead 54 laps from the end and raced away to victory in the GM Goodwrench/ACDelco 300 NASCAR Craftsman Truck race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Bliss, driving a Ford 150 truck, passed Jay Sauter for the lead on the 133rd of 186 laps on the one-mile oval, then beat runner-up Greg Biffle to the finish.

Ron Hornaday finished third, retaking the hotly contested series points lead from Jack Sprague, who wound up 13th.