Gordon seeking a victory in final start at racetrack

LONG POND, Pa. - In the final season of his trailblazing career, there was another tribute this weekend for the retiring Jeff Gordon: Pocono Raceway painted "GORDON" in white at the start/finish line in honor of the winningest driver in track history.

The cheers have touched Gordon, and the appreciation has made a driver with steel-eyed focus take note of his effect on the sport.

"It started with some of the things the tracks were doing and some of the things the fans were doing during the races on Lap 24 and things like that, which are very, very cool," Gordon said.

But the biggest goodbye Gordon would love to see is the zero in the win column that would force him to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup on points.

He is 11th in the standings and a near lock to make the 16-driver field. But Gordon, with six wins at Pocono and a 10th-place starting position in Sunday's Windows 10 400, is ready to spark Hendrick Motorsports toward a late-summer revival.

Gordon and Hendrick teammate Kasey Kahne are both winless. Jimmie Johnson has four victories and Dale Earnhardt Jr. two, though the entire garage has played catch-up of late to Joe Gibbs Racing. Kyle Busch has won three straight Cup races, and JGR had poles for each of them.

Kyle Busch made a triumphant return to the Camping World Truck Series, pulling away on the final laps Saturday to win. Busch had just enough fuel in an overtime finish to hold off fellow Cup driver Kevin Harvick.

Tyler Reddick took the series points lead from Matt Crafton, who connected with Brad Keselowski and finished 28th.