nuckles down, he could have a really good finish to the year,

LONG POND, Pa. -- Jeff Gordon wouldnt speculate on whether he would continue driving the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 car after this week at Pocono Raceway, but he said he feels good enough to continue racing if needed.Gordon views his role as a substitute driver as a temporary one, but just how temporary is still to be determined. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is missing his third consecutive race battling balance and nausea likely form concussions, and the four-time Cup champion is in his second week coming out of retirement as a substitute.I will be here as long as they need me, Gordon said Friday after practice at Pocono Raceway. I say that very loosely. ... Will it be more? I dont know, but Im just thankful that the team believes in me and that gives me confidence in myself.Turning 45 next week, Gordon battled back issues throughout the latter stages of his career, which had appeared to end after the 2015 season with 93 wins in 797 starts. He said he certainly felt it Monday and Tuesday after a 13th-place finish at Indianapolis.I fought threw it the last few years, said Gordon, an equity owner in Hendrick who feels the time in the car can help him in his new advisory role. I can fight through it longer if I have to. I prefer not to. I am looking at this as a very temporary thing. ... I wish Dale a speedy recovery. Id like him to be back in the car.But at the same time if hes not, I feel like each time Im in the car Ill be more confident and comfortable to get better results.Gordon would make his 800th start next week -- if he races -- at Watkins Glen. The series then has a week off before races Bristol, Michigan, Darlington and Richmond close out the regular season before the 10-week Chase, and Gordon refused to speculate on whether the schedule will impact the decision on Earnhardts return.Thats a question for Dale and a podcast, Gordon said.On The Dale Jr. Download podcast on his internet radio network, Earnhardt said Monday that he would see doctors soon and have another update this Monday.There are certain things that you can race through, but one of the things that you cannot race through is concussion-like symptoms, Earnhardt said. The balance deal is a critical part of being able to drive a race car. This process is going to take a little bit longer. ... Im not going to go against that [doctors] advice no matter what. I cant play around at this age. And with my history, I definitely dont need to get cute.Earnhardts team is still eligible for the owners title through points (and any future wins) earned by substitute drivers. Gordon said that could play a role on who gets behind the wheel if Earnhardt cant return. He said there is no pressure from HMS on Earnhardt to return before he feels comfortable returning.I wouldnt be here in Pocono if I wasnt committed to being there for Hendrick and this team in any way that would need me, Gordon said. There is a balance in trying to make this transition. ... Theres the side of who is the best person to be in the car to get the most points and then there is the sponsorship side of it as well.So far, from what Rick [Hendrick] is telling me, that seems to be me.Gordon has talked with Earnhardt, who has done his best to stay as engaged as possible.He likes to FaceTime, Gordon said. It seems like he is always on the treadmill every time I see him or talk to him. But hes just real interested in what were up to and hows it going and things were working on.Earnhardt, on the podcast Monday, said he misses the interaction with his team.I miss the people more than the driving, to be honest with you, Earnhardt said. The friendships and the relationships that you have at the race track are more valuable, to me, than anything. Max Muncy Jersey . Oyama had six birdies and two bogeys at Kintetsu Kashikojima in the event also sanctioned by the Japan LPGA Tour. "I have been having this neck ache thats been affecting my golf recently," Oyama said. Chris Taylor Dodgers Jersey . 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Lleyton Hewitt is backing Nick Kyrgios to be pushing for world top-10 status when Australia begin their quest for Davis Cup glory in 2017.With Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic teaming for the first time since 2013, Australia secured their place in the elite 16-nation World Group for next year with an emphatic 3-0 playoff win over Slovakia in Sydney.Sam Groth and John Peers sealed the tie with doubles success on Saturday before Sundays reverse singles dead rubbers were washed out.Champions 28 times but not since 2003, Australia will now anxiously await Thursdays draw in London to learn who they play in the first round next March.Likely to narrowly miss a seeding, the Hewitt-captained Australians are hoping to avoid a horror away tie against a Swiss outfit potentially led by grand slam giants Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka.If were unseeded and we play one of the top eight nations, Id be looking at the possibility of around six of those being home ties and two of them being away ties, Hewitt said.With that said, though, a lot of those ties are going to be brutally tough.Belgium, runners-up to Great Britain last year, loom as another tough away prospect, while Hewitt is rightfully also wary of drawing Serbia and world No.1 Novak Djokovic or Britain with an inspired Andy Murray.But we feel quietly confident no matter who we come up against, whether its home or away, Hewitt said.If we can have oour full strength - and hopefully fit - team, were going to be a good shot.dddddddddddd.And an even better shot with Kyrgios once again spearheading the team and inside the top 10 for the first time.I think hell be thereabouts, Hewitt said.He doesnt have that many points to defend for the rest of the year.He played well in Shanghai last year but the end of the year he didnt play that many events so hes got a good opportunity in the next couple of months.But sometimes its hard to get up for as well because theres no grand slam kind of at the end of it.But if he knuckles down, he could have a really good finish to the year, which sort of springboards into the Hopman Cup and Aussie Open for him.Australia havent had two Davis Cup players in the worlds top 20 since Hewitt and then-Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis teamed with Todd Woodbridge and Wayne Arthurs to win the trophy 13 years ago.But with Tomic in the top 20 for much of this year before slipping to No.21 for this tie, Hewitt is confident Australia can go deep in 2017.If we can have our two main guys (with) one pushing close to the top 10, the other 15 to 20, it its certainly a pretty strong team on paper, said the first-year skipper.Especially if we get to choose what surface to play on as well. 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