A player/athlete who gets into a rhythm and performs at a high level is a wonder to behold.  The term that describes this best is called the “hot hand.”  David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox is baseball’s current edition.  Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers can claim the title to some degree.

NASCAR’s Jeff Gordon has experienced such a streak before and could very well do so again.  Winning a race always spins the attention toward the conversation of sustainability as the 24 bunch did in Martinsville on Sunday.  Gordon simply does not control his own destiny to become a 5-time champion.  If he falls just short of the mark, he can point to a pit road mistake in New Hampshire as his downfall.

Gordon is 27 points down to the co-leaders Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson.  Three straight maximum points efforts by Gordon are not enough to shove either of those two off the top.  The maximum points formula is first place (43) plus a bonus for the win (3), leading a lap (1) and leading the most laps (1), which equals 48.  The second place finisher gets 42 points plus additional bonuses for laps led.  Do your own calculations from there, but if either Kenseth or Johnson finish fourth or better in the next three races without leading a lap it doesn’t matter what anyone else does.

Could Gordon win out?  Sure he could.  However, he is not consistent over time at Texas Motor Speedway though he does have a win.  Kenseth has the record for the most laps led there plus two wins and Johnson has two wins there as well.

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