▁Mart ins ville ▁in ▁the ▁Adv ance ▁Auto ▁Part s ▁ 5 0 0 ▁and ▁at ▁T alla de ga . ▁However , ▁incons ist ency ▁would ▁pl ague ▁him ▁throughout ▁the ▁year . ▁Despite ▁having ▁ 1 4 ▁top ▁tens , ▁he ▁failed ▁to ▁finish ▁nine ▁times . ▁A ▁late ▁season ▁charge ▁put ▁him ▁in ▁position ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁Ch ase , ▁but ▁in ▁the ▁last ▁race ▁before ▁the ▁Ch ase ▁at ▁Richmond , ▁Gordon ▁made ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁turn ▁ 2 ▁wall ▁and ▁failed ▁to ▁qual ify ▁for ▁the ▁Ch ase . ▁Lo om is ▁left ▁the ▁team ▁on ▁September ▁ 1 4 , ▁and ▁Steve ▁Let arte , ▁Gordon ' s ▁car ▁chief , ▁took ▁over ▁for ▁the ▁Ch ase - open ing ▁race ▁at ▁L oud on . ▁Gordon ▁eventually ▁won ▁at ▁Mart ins ville ▁in ▁the ▁Sub way ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁It ▁was ▁Gordon ' s ▁first ▁time ▁outside ▁the ▁top ▁ten ▁in ▁the ▁point ▁stand ings ▁since ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁Gordon ▁also ▁finished ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁career - low ▁eight ▁top - five ▁finish es . ▁ ▁Gordon ▁only ▁recorded ▁two ▁wins ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁at ▁Inf ine on ▁and ▁Ch ic ag ol and , ▁while ▁also ▁recording ▁only ▁two ▁pol es ▁at ▁D over ▁and ▁Phoenix ' s ▁second ▁dates . ▁The ▁next ▁year , ▁his ▁performance ▁improved ▁greatly , ▁winning ▁six ▁races ▁and ▁seven ▁pol es . ▁Gordon ' s ▁first ▁win ▁of