Young: Gordon is No. 1 in points, says his life is in balance

So when did Jeff Gordon turn 37? You look up one day and notice the Boy Wonder is no longer a boy at all.

Just think, he’s more than twice as old as Joey Logano.

Really, what happened to the last decade? Wasn’t it just yesterday that Gordon was on the brink of rewriting the NASCAR record books. Though no one will catch Richard Petty’s 200 wins, Gordon was well on his way to breaking the 100-win mark and was a serious threat to catch and possibly surpass the King and Dale Earnhardt’s seven cup titles.

However, the past 12 months have been unkind to the four-time champion, at least on the track. He has a 44-race winless streak and is coming off a season in which he rarely contended for race wins. Instead of fielding questions about winning races and championships, Gordon has spent the past few months trying to explain his sudden dropoff.

Remember, although teammate Jimmie Johnson won the 2007 title, it was Gordon who dominated most of the season with six wins and 21 top-five finishes. Most expected the two to battle it out again last year, but, mysteriously, the 24 never got in the fight.

Look at the standings today, though, and you’ll see the familiar Gordon name at the top. Though he still hasn’t dominated any races, he’s running up front more. Many people blamed crew chief Steve Letarte for the ’08 disaster, though Gordon has defended him at every turn.

Johnson, whose tremendous success is tied into his work with crew chief Chad Knaus, sees a different working relationship between driver and crew chief this year.

“Those two have always believed in one another and knew that they just needed to work through their cars and sort out what Jeff needed,” he said. “From being an insider, I’m happy to see them getting the results and running like they are, because they’ve been working very hard to be in this position and have dealt with some outside pressure.”

That pressure, Gordon insists, has lessened since his team has rarely been mentioned as a title contender this year. Though some would view it as a slap in the face, Gordon both understands it and uses it to his advantage.

“I kind of like being in this position,” he said. “In my experiences, you’re either the guy everybody’s shooting for or your’re under the radar. If you’re the guy under the radar and nobody’s talking about you, it gives you the chance to refocus and not have that kind of pressure on you. The expectations get set lower and you can focus on just doing your job. This year we’re going to be able to do that.”

Gordon was criticized last year for, of all things, spending too much time with his family. With newborn daughter Ella and wife Ingrid needing more of his time, Gordon found himself torn between working the insane hours he had always worked and trying to be a good husband and father. He admits the added responsibility of having a child did affect his driving.

“I’ve taken a long look at what my schedule is and how it affects my life,” he said. “I definitely feel a lot more comfortable with it (this year). Last season we kind of went back and forth with it. There were several times when I was up all night with Ella, and those times definitely affected me on Sunday. We’ve gotten that balanced out, and she sleeps all night.”

NASCAR’s new no-testing policy may have meant more for Gordon than any other driver. The reduced workload in the offseason allowed him to concentrate on his family and gave him the rest he needed.

“This sport is tough and grueling,” he said. “Up until last year, with testing so much and all the things you’re doing for the sponsor, you never stopped. It can all wear you down. This offseason, without the testing, has been one of the best I’ve ever had. There hasn’t been an offseason in the past. I was able to slow down and get a new perspective on things.”

Gordon insists he has a perfect balance in his life right now and a peace of mind that will allow him to pay more attention to his race team and its needs. If he and Letarte can rediscover the magic they had in 2007, Gordon may indeed turn back the clock.