Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

2005 Season Final Points Standing 11th After First 26 Races 12th Earnings $7,930,830 Starts 36 Poles 2 Wins 4 Top 5 8 6-10 6 Laps Led 581 Lead Lap Finishes 22 Bonus Points 80 Races Led 15

2005 Performance Below is the ranking of the team on each type of track along with the driver's best finish. Track Type Ranking Flat Tracks 4th Best Finish 3rd, Phoenix Intermediate Tracks 23rd Best Finish 2nd, Atlanta, Darlington Plate Tracks 3rd Best Finish 1st, Daytona, Talladega Road Courses 20th Best Finish 14th, Watkins Glen Short Tracks 7th Best Finish 1st, Martinsville (2)

It's likely the team will rebound this season, as men like Gordon and Rick Hendrick are not the complacent sort. What must be remedied is the team's performance on the 1.5-mile tracks. The DuPont Chevy has significant aerodynamic problems with its intermediate program. The car runs well out front in clean air, but once stuck in the pack it cannot race its way out. Some serious note-sharing with teammate Jimmie Johnson appears to be in order. With the majority of the races run at these venues, it is imperative that Gordon's performance improve if he hopes to return to championship form.

On the bright side, the team's results improved markedly with Steve Letarte calling the shots atop the pit box. Expect this bunch to contend for wins on the short, plate and road courses. However, there is too much ground to make up to expect a Nextel Cup.

From the Richmond event in May to Lowe's in October, Gordon's average finish was 23.3, and he fell from second in points to 17th. The losing became so bad that Robbie Loomis, crew chief since 2000, resigned his post and turned the reins over to Steve Letarte, a first-time pit boss. The change occurred after the fall Richmond event and results were somewhat slow in coming. The DuPont team's average finish was 27.2 in the first five races under Letarte. However, results ultimately came in the form of a Martinsville win and three additional top 10s.

• The Good: The win at Martinsville last fall with Steve Letarte was a sweet victory for a team that fell apart in the second half of the season. The trophy validated the crew chief change.

• The Bad: Gordon brushed the wall with very little visible damage at the May Richmond race and parked the car. Trick suspension? We think so. Looks like the trick backfired.

• The Ugly: Gordon's free fall from Richmond in May to Lowe's in October. When the bleeding finally stopped, a crew chief was out of a job and the team had fallen from second to 17th in the point standings.