Avondale, Ariz. ? Phoenix International Raceway brings out the fiery side of Jeff Gordon.

The generally easygoing Gordon loves winning, and he takes it almost as a personal insult when a track keeps denying him a victory.

Going into Sunday’s Checker Auto Parts 500, the one-mile Phoenix oval is one of only four active tracks where the four-time Winston Cup champion and owner of 64 career victories has yet to take a checkered flag.

He also has failed to reach Victory Circle at Texas Motor Speedway, Chicagoland Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“We’ve had solid finishes at each of these tracks,” Gordon said. “That isn’t good enough, though. Our team is capable of winning at each and every track.”

Gordon goes into the 34th of 36 races this season riding the momentum of six straight top-five finishes, including victories in the last two races.

The much-needed streak comes after a stretch filled with bad luck that saw a frustrated Gordon finish no better than 19th in seven of 10 events and virtually eliminate himself from championship contention.

“These past two weeks have really given our team the needed confidence to take on these tracks where we know we can win but haven’t,” Gordon said. “With only three races left, I think we have some more left in us before it’s all over this year.”

Gordon’s Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 team even saved one of its limited in-season tests for Phoenix.

“We learned a lot that will help us this weekend,” he said.

Gordon has run well at Phoenix over the years, recording four top-fives and eight top-10s in 10 races here. And he came close to a win last year, leading 16 laps and finishing third behind winner Matt Kenseth and runner-up Rusty Wallace.

Besides another win that would keep the momentum going, Gordon has his sights set on catching second-place Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the season standings.

Gordon is fifth, just 38 points behind Earnhardt, who trails runaway series leader Kenseth by 258 points.

This year’s championship remains a mathematical possibility, but Gordon isn’t spending a lot of time thinking about the unlikely chance of catching Kenseth.

“Our main focus has been second in points,” Gordon said. “We’ve made big gains toward that.”