ingham , ▁Richmond , ▁Dar ling ton ▁and ▁North ▁Wil kes bor o ▁in ▁that ▁times pan . ▁He ▁won ▁his ▁fifth ▁pole ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁at ▁Charlotte , ▁but ▁after ▁the ▁race , ▁NAS C AR ▁officials ▁found ▁un appro ved ▁wheel ▁hub s ▁on ▁his ▁car , ▁and ▁f ined ▁the ▁team ▁$ 6 0 , 0 0 0 ▁while ▁placing ▁Ray ▁E vern ham ▁on ▁prob ation ▁in def initely . ▁Gordon ▁later ▁won ▁four ▁more ▁pol es ▁during ▁the ▁season ▁( D over , ▁Michigan , ▁Indian apolis , ▁Mart ins ville ) ▁while ▁winning ▁races ▁at ▁Day ton a , ▁New ▁Ham pshire , ▁Dar ling ton ▁and ▁D over . ▁The ▁results ▁during ▁the ▁season ▁gave ▁him ▁a ▁ 3 0 0 - point ▁lead ▁over ▁D ale ▁E arn hardt ▁en ▁route ▁to ▁the ▁title . ▁The ▁team ' s ▁consist ency ▁was ▁much ▁better ▁as ▁well , ▁having ▁had ▁three ▁D NF ' s ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁compared ▁to ▁ 2 1 ▁in ▁his ▁previous ▁two ▁seasons ▁combined . ▁ ▁Gordon ' s ▁title ▁defense ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 6 ▁featured ▁ten ▁wins ▁at ▁Richmond , ▁Dar ling ton ▁( s we eping ▁the ▁races ), ▁Br istol , ▁D over ▁( win ning ▁both ▁races ), ▁Po cono , ▁T alla de ga , ▁Mart ins ville , ▁and ▁North ▁Wil kes bor o ▁( win ning ▁the ▁final ▁official ▁NAS C AR ▁race ▁at ▁the ▁track ). ▁He