Robby Gordon is one of racing's busiest drivers, but he's never busier than on the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. That's when Gordon's making a habit out of attempting to race 1,100 miles, competing first in the Indianapolis 500 and then flying to Charlotte for a 600-mile Nextel Cup race. It's an exhausting challenge, but I believe a driver can someday do the double and place in the top five in both races.

No stranger to this test
Gordon, 35, undertakes this double dip for the third consecutive year.

He'll start 18th at Indy, but since he won't arrive in time for the NASCAR drivers' meeting, he'll be forced to take a penalty and begin the Cup race 43rd, last in the field.

Last year the California native qualified third at the Brickyard, but finished 22nd.

At Charlotte, he started 38th and wound up 17th.

Gordon's best results in the double came in 2002, when he came home eighth at Indianapolis and 16th at Charlotte.

Tony Stewart and John Andretti are the only other drivers to attempt this feat and Stewart holds the benchmark for success when in 2001 he just missed out on a pair of top-five results, finishing sixth at Indy and third at Charlotte.

None of the three who have taken shots at this laborious motor sports daily double has ever won one of the races.

Gordon will be making his 10th Indy 500 start and he almost won the race in 1999 when he led laps 171-198, but wound up fourth.

Anyone who runs the double knows a win in either of the events would be success enough, but I never see a day on which a driver sweeps the open wheel-stock car doubleheader.

In my opinion, that's just too much mentally for anyone to conquer.

Enduring physical strain
Gordon says his physical shape for this double surpasses that of the others he's run.

He says he's lost 15-20 pounds since January, showing he's clearly learned from experience.

In 2002, Gordon wasn't at his best in the Cup race as he battled stomach cramps. He blamed his troubles on not taking fluids intravenously on the approximately one-hour flight from Indianapolis to Charlotte.

Gordon, who has a doctor with him during the day, now realizes he has to replace the body fluids he loses in the first race so he's not hurting for the nightcap. This year, he will be hooked up to an IV on the flight between races.

He knows he has to avoid the threat of dehydration, especially if it is a humid night in Charlotte. Gordon's other obstacle will maintaining his stamina.

Dealing with differences in cars
There are some clear-cut differences between open-wheel cars and stock cars.

At about 1,500 pounds, the Indy car weighs less than half as much as a 3,400-pound Nextel Cup car.

Even though the stock car is twice as heavy, the open-wheel car pulls more gravity force because its wider tires stick better to the track.

So when a driver is taking a corner at the Brickyard doing 200 mph he can certainly feel the pull on his body.

It's the same kind of thing that keeps you glued to your seat when riding a roller-coaster.

Experiencing this for 500 miles at Indy is physically draining.

Doubling up for right reasons
During my NASCAR career, I never had an inclination to attempt the double, so I can only imagine how great one's desire must be to tackle such a physically and mentally challenging test.

Gordon, Stewart and Andretti are driven by the desire to prove that they can not only be competitive in both races, but they can win either or both of them.

They earn respect when they attempt the double.

But if in the future any driver attempts the double as purely a publicity stunt to benefit his career, I would have a problem with that.

Their NASCAR sponsor is footing the bill for them to give their best effort in the Cup races and if they have no real passion or desire to win the Indy 500, they have no business entering it.

They should keep their focus where it belongs -- and that's in Nextel Cup racing.

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