Checkered Countdown: Top-Five Sonoma Finishes

No.1 Robby Gordon loses the lead and the win while trying to block the lapped car of Kevin Harvick (2001).

A possible reason for what happened between Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon at Sonoma Raceway in 2003 is to be found in the race that had taken place two years earlier at the same track. After leading the previous 30 laps Gordon was cruising to the victory ahead of Tony Stewart when Harvick was forced to serve a 15-second penalty for speeding on pit road. The penalty put Harvick one lap down just behind the leader who instead of letting him pass and focus on Stewart decided to block any attack coming from the #29 car.

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The two started battling and this helped Stewart get closer and then even pass Gordon as he had left the preferred line to try to block a move made by Harvick in turn seven. Stewart won and this tactical mistake cost Gordon the first win of his career, a win that would come in the last race of that season at New Hampshire.