Jeff Gordon Wins The 5 Hour Energy 400 At Kansas Speedway

May 10, 2014; Kansas City, KS, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Jeff Gordon celebrates with champaign in victory lane after winning the 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Almost 20 years to the date after he won his first Winston Cup Race, 42 year-old Jeff Gordon won number 89 Saturday night at Kansas Speedway. Gordon had a rocket all night at The 5 Hour Energy 400 but had to hold off pole-sitter, Kevin Harvick down the stretch to notch his first win of the season, and extend his slim Sprint Cup points lead to 15.

Kevin Harvick started on the pole and led 119 of the 267 laps, but in the end, it was Jeff Gordon who wanted this race, and a trip to victory lane.

Gordon came into Kansas with a three-point lead in the Cup standings, but needed the win to guarantee a spot in the NASCAR playoff at the end of the season.

Gordon only led 9 laps, but he led the one when they dropped the checkered flag, and that’s the only one that counts. He rolled off 13th.

"”I’m just so proud of (the 24 team). They have been giving me the best race cars all year long,” Gordon said. ”I have been having so much fun. I’m going to be 43 this year and I feel like I’m 25 again. That is the way they make me feel.””This is so sweet,” he said. ”What a huge weight lifted off this team’s shoulders. We needed to get to Victory Lane.”"

Jeff Gordon made his first appearance on The Winston Cup circuit in the 1992 Hooters 500 at The Atlanta Motor Speedway. A race that is still one of the most historical in NASCAR lore, and won his first race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May of 1994 at the Coca Cola 600.

With 89 wins on the Cup circuit, Jeff is third on the all-time wins list behind the King, Richard Petty(200), and David Pearson(105). The closest active driver is his Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson who has 66 all-time wins.

It was a Hendricks Motorsport/Stewart Haas Racing domination night in Kansas. Kevin Harvick finished 2nd, with Kasey Kahne coming in third. Dale Earnhardt Jr finished 5th with Danica Patrick 9th, and 2013 Sprint Cup champ. Jimmie Johnson came in 9th.

Roger Penske driver, Joey Logano, who rolled off second got another top ten finish coming in 5th and Carl Edwards, driving for Roush Fenway brought the Aflac Ford home 6th.

Clint Bowyer had a tough night at his home track in his 300th Sprint Cup start. After a spin mid-race, he finished down three laps in 23rd place, exactly where he started.

Bowyer, driving the 5 Hour Energy Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing was representing the title sponsor for the race, and his mother waved the Green Flag that started the race, to honor Mother’s Day.