Gordon doesn't regret using Menard engines

Robby Gordon said he doesn't regret his decision to use engines built by John Menard this season, even though it has drastically hurt him in his bid to field his own race team.

Robby Gordon also missed the Daytona 500 in February. Credit: Autostock

Gordon failed to qualify for Sunday's race at Bristol, the second of five races he'll miss this year. Although he got in on speed in the other three, his motors failed in all of them and he has yet to finish a race.

Menard is a highly regarded open-wheel engine builder, but this is his first foray into full-time NASCAR motor construction.

"John Menard can buy NASCAR and all of Roger Penske's teams and still have money in the bank," Gordon said. "He'll get this figured out."

Gordon said he has 100 percent faith in Menard, who has been a longtime supporter of Gordon's racing endeavors. He said that the engine failure two weeks ago in Atlanta was unrelated to the first two blowups this season, and the team had a strong test session at Texas with no motor problems.

"This is the best program for us. We knew there were going to be early bumps in the road," Gordon said. "But for the long-term, the Menard engines will work out just fine for us."