Updated: November 8, 2009, 11:57 PM ET

Gordon closes in on teammate Johnson

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By Adam Amick / Special contributor
ESPNDallas.com

FORT WORTH, Texas -- After landing the pole for the Dickies 500, Jeff Gordon would motor through most Sunday's race in the high teens and low 20s in the running order before recovering to finish 13th at Texas Motor Speedway.

Gordon closed to within 112 points of teammate and points leader Jimmie Johnson as the Phoenix race looms.

Johnson will try again: The complexion of the Chase for the Sprint Cup changed only three laps into the Dickies 500.

Johnson lost control coming out of Turn 2 and his No. 48 car hit the wall, causing damage to the front and rear. He would spend extensive time in the garage area as the crew re-built the car in an attempt to return to the race.

When Johnson rolled back onto the track, he would be 112 laps in arrears.

Johnson, who finished 38th Sunday, needs to score 88 points more than Mark Martin at Phoenix next weekend to lock up an unprecedented fourth-straight Sprint Cup title. Otherwise, the Chase will move to the finale at Homestead-Miami in two weeks.

Briefly:

  • Brad Keselowski finished 35th in his first start for Roger Penske in the No. 12 Dodge after being caught up in a wreck that ruined the day for Carl Edwards and Juan Pablo Montoya.

  • A.J. Allmendinger was 10th for Richard Petty Motorsports as the team begins the transition from Dodge to Ford for 2010. Allmendinger's number 44 car was in Petty blue with the red stripe from nose to tail -- reminiscent of the 1980's scheme Petty drove.

  • Space Shuttle Endeavour pilot Doug Hurley drove one of the Chevy Camaro Pace Cars out of the back of a U.S. Army CH-47 helicopter prior to the start of the race.

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