▁la ps . ▁Despite ▁the ▁four ▁wins , ▁Gordon ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁comp ete ▁for ▁the ▁championship ▁after ▁being ▁elimin ated ▁from ▁Ch ase ▁cont ention ▁in ▁the ▁pen ult imate ▁race ▁at ▁Phoenix . ▁Gordon ▁won ▁the ▁pole ▁for ▁the ▁final ▁race ▁at ▁Hom est ead , ▁and ▁led ▁a ▁race - high ▁ 1 6 1 ▁la ps , ▁but ▁the ▁decision ▁to ▁pit ▁with ▁ 1 3 ▁la ps ▁to ▁go ▁re leg ated ▁him ▁to ▁ 2 4 th , ▁and ▁he ▁finished ▁ 1 0 th . ▁The ▁finish ▁marked ▁his ▁ 4 5 4 th ▁top - ten , ▁sur pass ing ▁Mark ▁Martin ▁for ▁second ▁in ▁all - time ▁top ▁tens , ▁behind ▁Richard ▁Pet ty ' s ▁ 7 1 2 . ▁ ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Gordon ▁announced ▁that ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁would ▁be ▁his ▁last ▁season ▁as ▁a ▁full - time ▁driver , ▁but ▁did ▁not ▁rule ▁out ▁ret irement ▁entirely . ▁On ▁January ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁Gordon ▁stated ▁he ▁does ▁not ▁plan ▁to ▁run ▁any ▁more ▁Day ton a ▁ 5 0 0 s ▁after ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁He ▁started ▁the ▁season ▁by ▁winning ▁the ▁pole ▁for ▁his ▁final ▁Day ton a ▁ 5 0 0 , ▁but ▁crash ed ▁on ▁the ▁final ▁lap , ▁finishing ▁ 3 3 rd . ▁Gordon ▁won ▁two ▁additional ▁pol es ▁by ▁swe eping ▁the ▁T