Second Thoughts

Jeff Gordon grinds gears of Bad Brad

Jeff Gordon looks on in the garage area before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice auto race, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.
Jeff Gordon looks on in the garage area before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice auto race, Saturday, Nov. 21, 2015, at Homestead-Miami Speedway in Homestead, Fla.

Brad Keselowski wasn't happy with former driver turned broadcaster Jeff Gordon after Monday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway.

photo

AP

Brad Keselowski, center, celebrates in Victory Lane with team owner Roger Penske, left, after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway Sunday, Oct. 19, 2014, in Talladega, Ala.

According to the Charlotte Observer, Keselowski fired shots at Gordon after Monday's Axalta 400 for Gordon's comments concerning Keselowski's penalty history during the race, which Kurt Busch won at Pocono Raceway.

Keselowski was penalized early in the race for improper body modification after a Fox Sports 1 camera caught one of his crew members slamming into the side of the No. 2 Ford.

Gordon explained to viewers that such a tactic would give a car additional sideforce and make it faster. Later in the broadcast, Gordon compared the move by Keselowski's crew member with a similar incident during Keselowski's Las Vegas victory in March.

While FS1 aired footage of a No. 2 team member ramming into the side at Vegas, Gordon erroneously said Keselowski incurred the same penalty in that race. In fact, Keselowski was penalized for speeding.

Told that FS1 had compared the two incidents Monday, Keselowski said: "That's because Jeff Gordon's in the booth. They need to get some people in the booth that aren't inbred to the sport and own teams and have internal knowledge because that's pretty crappy. But it is what it is."

Gordon took to Twitter to own up to his "mistake" in comparing the two incidents. But, Gordon added, "NASCAR called car down pit road to fix issue not me."

Keselowski isn't sure whether Gordon should be in the broadcast booth, believing he can't be impartial. Gordon remains part-owner of Jimmie Johnson's team with Hendrick Motorsports.

"It's not that I don't like Jeff Gordon in the booth," Keselowski said. "It's just that you need to have people in the booth that don't own teams or don't have commercial interest to the sport because they say things that are very -- biased would be the word."

Gordon's response on Twitter: "I will admit I am biased in the booth ... to anyone making it interesting and exciting for all the #NASCARONFOX viewers!"

The NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit is at Michigan on Sunday.

Hometown boy

David Freese still has love for his hometown of St. Louis.

The Pittsburgh Pirates third baseman and former St. Louis Cardinal asked Pirates Manager Clint Hurdle if he could wear a St. Louis Blues jersey on the team's flight to Denver on Thursday. The Pirates are playing the Colorado Rockies in a makeup of a game rained out.

Hurdle is having his team wear Pittsburgh Penguins jerseys on the flight, in honor of the team's Stanley Cup Final appearance. The Penguins lead the San Jose Sharks 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, with Game 5 on Thursday and the Penguins having a chance to win the Stanley Cup at home.

"I asked if I could wear a Blues jersey, and I got the look," Freese told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Freese and the Pirates compromised. He will wear teammate Gerrit Cole's Ian Cole jersey on the flight. Ian Cole is a former St. Louis Blue.

"Next best thing," Freese said.

Running in Hockeytown

The Detroit Red Wings are planning a running race with the finish line at center ice in Joe Louis Arena.

The Sept. 10 "Hockeytown 5K Run/Walk" is part of events to mark the team's final season at the arena. The course includes the Detroit RiverWalk. Registration for the race starts at $50, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the Detroit Red Wings Foundation.

The team says current and former Red Wings will be along the course and inside the arena to help cheer on participants. After the race, the Red Wings will host the "5K Festival" inside Joe Louis Arena, which includes a chance for fans to tour the locker room.

The Red Wings are moving to a new arena that's being built in Detroit.

SPORTS QUIZ

David Freese was the 2011 World Series MVP for the St. Louis Cardinals. What team did the Cardinals beat in the World Series?

ANSWER

The Texas Rangers.

Sports on 06/08/2016

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