NASCAR Cup Series

'It's equal': Gordon cools off on tech center quip

Published Oct. 15, 2009 10:27 p.m. ET

foxsports

When Jeff Gordon was asked for the thousandth time why Jimmie Johnson outraces him even though the equipment comes out of the same race shop, it's no surprise he offered a flip answer.

"Ask the tech center," Gordon said at California Speedway. "I don't know. I have no idea."

The tech center reference stemmed from NASCAR discovering that the tolerances on the measurements of Johnson's winning Dover car were close.

On Thursday, Gordon admitted the response came from a bit of annoyance. He insists that the teams "see everything on paper and talk about sharing notes and information," so there are no excuses on the racetrack.

"It's equal — it comes down to the team and the people," Gordon added. "You have to give respect to those guys for what they've been able to accomplish."

Although NASCAR hasn't taken the No. 24 Chevrolet to the tech center, Gordon said he wouldn't mind — if it was for the right reasons.

"They took our car when we won earlier in the year at Texas," Gordon said. "If they want to take our car, I'll be more than happy for them to take my car but I want them to take it because they won."

When a reporter asked Gordon if NASCAR was playing mind games with the organization, Gordon answered, "Hmmm, I don't know. With the 5 and the 48? I don't know. I don't know what they're doing. They're making it clear, I think."