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| 2005 Season |
| Final Points Standing | 11th
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| After First 26 Races | 12th
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| Earnings | $7,930,830
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| Starts | 36
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| Poles | 2
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| Wins | 4
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| Top 5 | 8
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| 6-10 | 6
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| Laps Led | 581
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| Lead Lap Finishes | 22
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| Bonus Points | 80
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| Races Led | 15 |
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| 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
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| Best Finish | 3rd, Phoenix
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| Intermediate Tracks | 23rd
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| Best Finish | 2nd, Atlanta, Darlington
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| Plate Tracks | 3rd |
| Best Finish | 1st, Daytona, Talladega
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| Road Courses | 20th
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| Best Finish | 14th, Watkins Glen
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| Short Tracks | 7th
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| Best Finish | 1st, Martinsville (2) |
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2006 Spin
For the first time since 1993, Jeff Gordon did not finish in the top 10 in the Winston/Nextel Cup point standings. Where exactly the wheels came off is somewhat of a mystery. The DuPont team started the season hot, winning three of the first nine races and racking up five top 10s in the series' first 10 events.
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.
2006 Recap
Jeff Gordon's season was off to an electric start with his third Daytona 500 crown. That win was followed by two more in the season's first nine events. After a second-place run at Darlington, The DuPont crew found itself second in the point standings and in play for a fifth Cup title. Then came “The Slump.”
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.
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