Might Gordon move from NASCAR to IndyCar?

What if Robby Gordon can't get a sponsor for 2011? An underreported story surrounds a different type of NASCAR race down the stretch: A battle for the 35th and final "locked in" spot in owner points. Whoever has it after Homestead earns an automatic bid to the first five events in 2011, perhaps making the difference between finding a sponsor in this economy and auctioning off a team this November.

Right now, owner/driver Gordon is holding onto the position but just barely after stepping back and letting a funded driver, rookie Kevin Conway, take over to keep his team in business. It's an off-track boost to the bank account, albeit one that's come with a long-term price. The freshman has run awful, failing to record a top-30 finish while the team's main competition, the No. 38 of Front Row Motorsports, has closed to within 25 points with six races left.

That could leave Gordon on the outside looking in next year, a fatal blow to one of the sport's vibrant, independent personalities who's been a staple on the Cup Series tour for well more than a decade. Instead, his best opportunities could now come in the open-wheel ranks, a telling sign of an underground momentum shift that's seeing ownership and driving jobs shift back into IndyCar. SportsIllustrated