Jeff Gordon Claims First Win at Homestead-Miami Speedway, 87th of Career

JEFF GORDON, NO. 24 DUPONT 20 YEARS CELEBRATORY CHEVROLET - WINNER
 
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO END THE SEASON IN VICTORY LANE?
 
"Oh my gosh, it means so much. This is for DUPONT right here. 20 years. That is a long time to be together with a sponsor. For them to commemorate that with this awesome paint scheme, this silver car means so much. I knew we had a great race car going into the race. At times I didn't think we had a winning car, but you know what, we played the strategy perfectly, and we had a really good car. It is just unbelievable to experience this. After last week, then to come here and battle like this and end up in Victory Lane, just unreal. Have to thank Drive To End Hunger, DUPONT, Pepsi, Quaker State, Chevrolet. This team is just awesome. I love Alan Gustafson (crew chief). This is a great way for us to end this season. I know it's about the championship, so turn it over to the champion."
 
YOU AND CLINT BOWYER BATTLED AT THE END. IS THIS REDEMPTION AFTER WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK?
 
"Can you believe that? There was one restart where I had Joey (Logano) and maybe Aric (Almirola) and Clint right there surrounding me. That thing is going to work itself out some way through racing. I felt terrible how I went about it, and I still regret the way I went about it. But, I can't take it back. But what we can do is look forward and race guys as hard and clean as we possibly can. This is a great way to get some positive things going because this year has been really up and down. It's awesome to be able to have my family here in Victory Lane. Have to thank Sprint, all the fans. What an amazing turnout this has been for this final race, and the championship battle. I've got to take my hat off to Jimmie Johnson and that team. They did an excellent job battling for the championship. I know they didn't win it, but you know what, they were up against somebody really incredible in Brad (Keselowski). They did an excellent job. Paul Wolfe and the guys. I have got to say congratulations to Roger Penske on his first championship. I know how much that means to Roger being in the sport as long as he has."
 
WHAT A SEASON IT'S BEEN. TO GIVE HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS IT'S FIRST WIN AND YOUR FIRST WIN AT HOMESTEAD-MIAMI SPEEDWAY IS GREAT. DESCRIBE HOW YOU FEEL
 
"This is just huge. Man, it's been an emotional week and a hard one; one of the hardest ones I've ever gone through just looking back on my decision. So, to come here and focus on trying to win this race on 20 years of DuPont, that's awesome to have them on the car here in Homestead with this silver commemorative paint scheme and for all that they've done. And this is half of my live that I've been at Hendrick Motorsports with DuPont. And I've got to thank Drive to End Hunger and Pepsi and Quaker State as well. But what an unbelievable week. There were so many ups and downs this week; and to be able to end in Victory Lane with just an awesome team effort was just awesome."
 
HOW MUCH DID THE TRACK CHANGE THROUGHOUT THE RACE GIVEN THAT WE STARTED UNDER HOT SUNNY CONDITIONS AND THEN FINISHED AT NIGHT?
 
"When we took off there, I was a little concerned. My car was really good in practice; especially in slick conditions on the long runs and we struggled a little bit there in traffic and then eventually the car really started coming to me and we started getting in some cleaner air and made some good adjustments and man, we were up there I think as good as the leaders. And then we had a little bobble on a pit stop and some other things that didn't go our way, but the fuel mileage did. Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) made a great call by coming in.  I don't know what happened to the No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson) and it was just us and the No. 15 (Clint Bowyer) and I got him in traffic and it was just adjustments there. The car was great and saved a little fuel and it felt amazing."
 
WHERE DOES THIS WIN STACK UP IN YOUR CAREER WINS?
 
"Well, this is huge. We won in Pocono and it was not the kind of way you want to win a race. This is the way you want to win a race, by just going to battle with them and having a good race car and playing it all out really smart. Having my family in Victory Lane means more to me than anything. It's something that (during) those 13 win seasons and all those things, I didn't have. So, this is just an amazing feeling to get my first win at Homestead as well as Rick Hendrick's first win at Homestead. And to do it with this 20th Anniversary DuPont car, especially after what happened last weekend, is incredible. I didn't think we'd be able to get to Victory Lane this weekend."

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