With two starts, Robby Gordon stands 40th in points. Credit: Darrell Ingham/Getty Images

Engine struggles have Gordon in early hole

Team plans to stick with Menard Engineering engines

Despite engine issues in two starts in the Nextel Cup Series this season -- including two outright failures -- Robby Gordon Motorsports plans to stick with Menard Engineering power.

After losing engines in successive races at California Speedway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway and finishing 35th and 39th on account, Gordon's team is languishing in 41st in the owners' standings heading to Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend.

In two more events, 2005 owner points will be used to determine the top 35 positions that are locked into the starting field each week. Gordon still believes that's an attainable goal with Menard power, especially this weekend since the engine in his No. 7 Chevrolet will contain race proven components.

Robby Gordon Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images

"You know, Menard is working very hard on the engine development program," Gordon said. "It's the first attempt at the Nextel Cup.

"At this point, we're starting to live by the old racer's line: 'in order to finish first, you must first finish.' Having the engine failures that we are is beyond frustrating, and that goes for everyone involved."

Gordon started the season in a hole when his primary engine for the Daytona 500 was confiscated in pre-event technical inspection. Gordon ultimately failed to make the Daytona 500 despite finishing in seventh position in his Gatorade Duel qualifying race, and he received a $50,000 fine for the infraction.

He also wrote that off to Menard's inexperience with NASCAR engines, which are built in a facility in Indianapolis where the exclusive engines for the IRL support series, the Infiniti Pro Series, are built.

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"I think the intake manifold that Menard had on the car was a NASCAR-approved manifold -- but unfortunately, it was outdated," Gordon said. "The guy doing the intake head work obviously didn't know that manifold was outdated.

"It did have a NASCAR stamp on it that it was approved, but I believe it was outdated two years ago."

Gordon finished sixth in Daytona's Busch race with a Menard engine, but since then his team's been caught in a vortex of failures.

His Mexico City Busch venture was plagued by two engine failures, one before the race and one in it that relegated him to a 40th place finish.

Then, Gordon qualified 25th and 27th at California and Las Vegas before blowing up while running competitively in the races.

"Every week we think we diagnose the problem, but so far we obviously haven't," Gordon said. "If there is any good news in all of this, it would be that our engine failures are consistently coming from the same spot in the engine.

"If the problems were different every week, we would be really lost, but if the engine shop can continue to chase the problem in one spot, they will eventually get it."

Gordon said he's going to remain loyal to John Menard, who has fielded cars for Gordon previously in the Indianapolis 500 and is a long-time associate.

"The guys from Menards have recruited some expert help in the area of our issues, and while I'm frustrated, I also remain confident that when things start going right, we will be in the best possible situation," Gordon said. "I'm pretty excited about the restrictor plate program (so) I think come June, they will have their engine program up to speed and very competitive with other engine manufacturers -- Hendrick, RCR, DEI, Joe Gibbs Racing -- that race Chevrolets."

Until then, Gordon might have to keep his fingers crossed.

"The next few weeks are going to be critical for our new program," Gordon said. "Atlanta is tough on an engine, so we're going to have to get things right this weekend if we want to be around for the finish.

"Then we run a couple of short tracks (Bristol and Martinsville), and that should take a little pressure off the engine guys and allow them to get the big horsepower stuff back on track for Texas and beyond."

Gordon has high hopes since he's been running at the finish in all nine of his races at Atlanta -- one of only two drivers with more than three starts to finish all of his races there.

Gordon won his first career Cup pole position at Atlanta in 1997, but it was on the previous configuration of the racetrack.