Wednesday, April 30, 2003 | 9:54 a.m.
Brian Hilderbrand covers motor sports for the Las Vegas Sun. His motor sports notebook appears Friday. He can be reached at [email protected] or (702) 259-4089.
Robby Gordon and Michael Andretti set aside their differences long before Andretti hired Gordon last week to drive for injured Dario Franchitti in next month's Indianapolis 500.
According to various reports, Andretti has held a grudge against Gordon since the two mixed it up during and after the CART Cleveland Grand Prix in 1995. One rumor circulating last weekend said that Andretti hired Gordon with the stipulation that he not have to talk with Gordon next month at Indy.
Not true, Gordon said.
"We race cars for the moment and when you get out of the car, you're heated for that moment but when it's all over, it's over. You can't dwell on it forever," Gordon, who now drives full-time in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, said Tuesday.
"Michael actually told one of his partners over there at Andretti Green (Racing), he said, 'This is going to prove that I'm a pretty good team owner because I'm willing to hire a guy that I've had feuds with in the past but I know the guy's competitive.' I give him a lot of credit for that."
Gordon said the media blew out of proportion any bad blood that may have existed between the two drivers following the on-track incident in Cleveland.
"We bumped tires after the race was over," Gordon said. "He did give me a flat tire during the race and you know what, people do this all the time in Winston Cup but when it's Michael Andretti or Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Robby Gordon, it seems to get a lot more blown out of proportion.
"You see it happen week in and week out. Guys get mad, they go yell at each other in the garage ... it's not really that big of a deal. This is the point I was trying to make: Michael obviously is a very good businessman, he's done very well over the years, and I'm proud that he could hire me as a driver even after us having feuds in the past."
As for a cone of silence being erected between the two at Indy, Gordon laid that rumor to rest, as well.
"We've had numerous telephone conversations over the last 10 days, where I've had conversations with Michael directly and I see zero problem whatsoever with Michael Andretti and myself," Gordon said.
Gordon said he and Andretti have been working on the deal for him to drive one of three Andretti Green Racing cars at Indy since team co-owner Andretti learned that Franchitti would not be able to race in May because of fractures in his back.
"I really thankful because for a while here, I didn't think I was going to get a real strong effort," Gordon said. "There were some opportunities to do it but nothing with a caliber of team like a Michael Andretti and Kim Green-run team. Andretti Green has a good history there at the Speedway; Paul Tracy almost won the race there last year for them.
"I feel like Michael and those guys have given me a good opportunity to show up at the Speedway and be real competitive."
This will mark the fourth time Gordon has attempted to run both the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Winston Cup races on the same day. Gordon most recently competed the double duty last year, finishing eighth at Indy and 16th in the NASCAR race at Lowe's Motor Speedway that night.
Andretti has announced that he will retire from driving after this year's Indy 500.
John was quoted by Ben Blake of speedtv.com as saying, "I'll be there (at Indy) that Wednesday, and I'll qualify the car, because (Gordon) will be in the hospital by then."
Gordon was not amused by the comment.
"I saw what John said and ... all I want to say to that is I would never wish for one of my fellow competitors to get hurt so I can get the ride," Gordon said.
Andretti has competed in seven Indy 500s and in 1994 became the first drive to compete in both the 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.
archive
