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Jeff Gordon said a year ago that if he won a fifth NASCAR championship in 2014, hed call it quits on his illustrious career. Antonio Brown Youth Jersey.He fell just short of another title, but acknowledged Thursday he never would have done it anyway.Instead, this year, his 23rd in NASCARs elite Cup series, will be his last. He made the decision midway through last year, when he was invigorated by his on-track performance and a very strong title shot.When Gordon finally steps out of the famed and sometimes feared No. 24 Chevrolet, hell close the books on one of the most successful careers in auto racing history. He goes into this final season with 92 wins, trailing only Hall of Fame drivers Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105).He won all the big races, collected four championships in just seven years and had 58 victories before his 30th birthday. The 43-year-old driver also has three Daytona 500 victories and a record five Brickyard 400 wins.But there are many who believe Gordon would have broken the record of seven championships shared by Petty and the late Dale Earnhardt if not for NASCARs adoption of the Chase for the championship format in 2004. He went down to the wire in the title race that year, lost an epic battle to teammate Jimmie Johnson in 2007 and was denied a shot at the winner-take-all finale last season by just one point.Coming so close but falling short a year ago stung tremendously, and Gordon said Thursday in an interview with The Associated Press that it spilled over to pit road at Texas, where he and his crew brawled with Brad Keselowski and his crew.I knew it was going to be my final year. And to be that close, and to have one of the best years of your career and a championship right there within reach — it was tough to handle, he said. I think that contributed to my reaction to what happened at Texas. How upset I was on the track, with the incident, it wasnt just this new Chase format that creates more intensity, I was looking slightly ahead at what could be my final year.Gordon said last season, a four-win campaign in which he led the point standings for much of the year, only fueled him to go out on top this year.Im motivated by that. As good as we ran last year, I dont see any reason why we cant do that one more time, he said.Here are some other interesting things Gordon told AP about his career:___ON DALE EARNHARDT: Gordon had an early rivalry with the blue-collar Earnhardt, who ribbed the Wonder Boy when he first broke into NASCAR. They had a rivalry on the track, but an appreciation for one another off it that developed into a friendship.Gordon said he was reminded of some of his early days with Earnhardt this week in a discussion with one of the late champions confidants.I was always so confused as to why he and I spent the amount of time together at the track that we did, Gordon said. I never understood it, and this person told me, Well, he had so much respect for you. I thought, Thats funny. Why would he have respect for me? I was just some punk kid.But I had tremendous respect for him and looked up to him. And even though we had our run-ins on the race track, and our fans were complete opposites, there definitely was a common respect there.Gordon credits Earnhardt for showing him what he could accomplish through NASCAR, both with on-track success and off-track opportunities.ON HIS CAREER HIGHLIGHT: Of his 92 wins and four championships, Gordon believes his victory in the inaugural race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was the best moment of his career.Although he was born in California, he moved as a young driver to Indiana for more racing opportunities, and the relocation gave him a profound respect for Indianapolis. But he was never able to move up the ladder in Indy cars, and instead made a move to NASCAR that initially shut the door on his chances to race at the Brickyard.But when NASCAR made its debut there in 1994, he finally got his chance.Driving into that race track as a kid, picking up Valvoline oil, watching Indy cars there ... I hate that I was never there in an Indy car, he said. But to go there and do that in a stock car in their inaugural race was amazing.He believes to this day that the Brickyard win propelled him into superstar status.All the things that I could dream of, if I could have scripted what it was like to be a professional race car driver, that would be it, he said. To have that moment transcend you, and maybe even your sport to another level to where you become a household name — all of a sudden your face is on billboards and you are signing autographs and getting your picture taken and people are recognizing you and you are making more money than you ever knew you could possibly make and you are part of a team that you are going to every race with a shot at winning — that, to me, that all changed after that day.ON WHAT HELL MISS MOST: Gordon didnt use the word retire because he doesnt want to rule out racing again.He said hell remain with Hendrick Motorsports in a role that hasnt been revealed yet, but was confident the weekly competition will be a tough void to fill.Im going to miss going out there and getting behind the wheel of the car and knowing that your input, verbally as well as physically, it makes a difference, he said. Its about experiencing what its like to pull into victory lane at Daytona, or Indianapolis, or winning a championship. Thats just an amazing feeling.Even though you lose a lot more than you win, its those moments of being proud of what role you played in it. Thats going to be tough to fulfil. Unless Im in a competitive environment, I am going to yearn for that.ON HIS FINAL SEASON: Gordon didnt want to be a driver who goes out with a sappy farewell tour in which he receives parting gifts from every track. But he had to announce his decision, and it made for a very emotional day filled with tears that he insisted were out of happiness.Still, he acknowledges theres some uneasiness about life outside the No. 24.Of course Im nervous. I dont know what its going to be like when I take that last lap, he said.But, for now, hes focused on one final season.Im pumped up and excited about this year and keeping the momentum from last year and go out on top, he said. Markus Wheaton Jersey . When a few shots broke through that defensive front, Jonathan Quick was there. The Kings won the Stanley Cup two years ago with that basic formula, and they can see it clicking again as they close in on another playoff run. Shaun Suisham Steelers Jersey . Algeria enters the match riding a wave of unexpected confidence after pummeling South Korea, 4-2, in Porto Alegre on Sunday. The Desert Foxes opened the scoring after 26 minutes as Carl Medjani sent a long ball over the top to the feet of striker Islam Slimani, who did well to split two South Korean defenders and touch it past goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong.Winnipeg Jets 5 Colorado Avalanche 4 (OT) (Jets 32-30-9, Home 17-14-6) – The game was the final in the five-game season series between the two teams, with every game being decided by one goal, four of them needing extra time. The win moved the Jets to within four points of Phoenix (Coyotes home to Florida Thursday) and two points of ninth-place Dallas (Dallas in Philadelphia Thursday). Jets next play Saturday at home to Carolina (TSN 1290), before heading out of a five-game road trip that starts in Dallas Monday (TSN Jets, TSN 1290). The Jets started the day with news that Dustin Byfuglien would miss the game with a lower-body injury, and in warm-up had Zach Bogosian go down with an upper-body injury, forcing Paul Postma who was to be a healthy scratch to scramble and get dressed in time for the opening period. Despite no warm up Postma recorded his first two points of the season. Eric Tangradi went on the Olli Jokinen-Blake Wheeler line in place of Byfuglien and scored his third of the year. The Avs scored the opening goal 20 seconds in, Ryan OReilly putting one in off the skate of Bryan Little. But 2:55 later that line got the goal back, Andrew Ladd with his 20th from Little and Jacob Trouba. Eric Tangradi put the Jets in front banging home a goal-mouth pass from Wheeler, with Jokinen also drawing an assist. But on a delayed penalty against the Jets, Gabe Landeskog beat Al Montoya off a rebound to send the teams to the dressing rooms tied 2-2. Shots were 12-8 Colorado. Evander Kane with his 16th put the Jets in front, scoring off a great redirect pass from Devin Setoguchi. Postma picked up his first point of the season on the goal. But the Avs again tied the game, with Nick Holden scoring with 31 seconds left in the period. Jets outshot the Avs 11-5 in the second but only managed one past Reto Berra, making his Avalanche debut, but it was the third time this season Berra has faced the Jets, the previous meetings coming when he was with the Calgary Flames. It was much the same in the third, with the Jets getting a power play goal from Ladd to again take the lead. Wheeler and Toby Enstrom drew assists. For Ladd it was his 21st of the seasoon and franchise-leading 67th as a Jet. Cameron Heyward Youth Jersey. For Enstrom it was his 200th NHL assist. But yet again the Avs came back. Cody McLeod with his third of the year on a two-on-one break made it 4-4 and that is the way regulation ended. Shots in the third were 8-7 Avs. So with each team assured a point, it was off to overtime. For the Jets it was the sixth time in the last 12 games they have gone to extra time. Wheeler ended it with his 24th of the year, assists to Postma and Enstrom. Wheeler outwaited Berra and had room after Berra anticipated a pass and left the side of the net open. It was Wheelers second overtime winner this season, both against Colorado. In five games against the Avs Wheeler has gone 5-5-10. He also has a franchise-leading 164 points as a Jet, and is now 1-7-8 in the last four games, 2-13-15 in the last 15 games, 9-19-28 in the last 27 games. Enstrom is now 1-5-6 in his last four games. Final shots were 27 apiece. It was the Jets 39th one-goal game of the season. Jets are 4-4-4 in the last 12. Trouba for the 14th time this season led the Jets in ice time at 24:17, while for the second straight game Ladd led in shots on goal with six. Jokinen and Little each took 23 face-offs, Jokinen winning 12, Little 11. It was a season high in ice time for Tangradi at 17:07, and also for Eric ODell at 15:39. He has been over 15 minutes in each of his last three games. Jets are now 13-7-4 under Paul Maurice with 11 games remaining, four at home. Post-game Maurice talked about not being able to hold the lead. "It didnt feel like that over the course of the game, it wasnt a matter of getting the lead, sit back and let them come. Being able to control yourself mentally with the magnitude of the game, that when one goes in on you being able to bounce back. "You saw it in our captain, who gave up a goal on their first shift and thats their assignment," continued Maurice. "And then the next shift go out and come back and score. That leadership is important on the bench and that tone was set early." Maurice said he expects Bogosian in the lineup Saturday and there is also a chance Byfuglien, Jim Slater and Ondrej Pavelec may be ready for Saturday as well. wholesale nfl jerseys cheap jerseys from china ' ' '