On the one hand, there’s Ricky Craven. On the other finger…er…hand, there’s Robby Gordon.

Craven went into Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway knowing it could very well be his final Nextel Cup race.

Craven, a Maine native, has been replaced in the No. 32 Chevrolets by Bobby Hamilton Jr. But car owner Cal Wells gave Craven a farewell ride at Loudon because this track means so much to him and because Craven means so much to fans in New England.

Craven finished a lap down in 17th, but virtually every newspaper within 100 miles, including the venerable Boston Globe, wrote about his potential swan song.

And then there’s Robby Gordon.

Gordon got hit by Greg Biffle on Lap 17 and slid into the wall. “I will get him,” Gordon promised over his radio, the first dumb thing he did on a long list to follow.

On Lap 65, he did get Biffle.

But Gordon didn’t notice that Jeremy Mayfield was beside Biffle, nor did he piece together the fact that if he knocked Biffle up the track he’d wreck Mayfield, one of the Chase for the Championship contenders. He also didn’t know Biffle would come back down the track and get hit by Tony Stewart, another title contender who also would have his day ruined.

All Gordon saw was Biffle — and the chance to get even.

Anyway, after the race ended, reporters went to get Gordon’s side, but Gordon says he chose not to stop to talk because all he could say was “I’m sorry.”

Instead, his only recordable “comment” was an obscene gesture Gordon says he meant for one specific reporter who said something Gordon thought was inappropriate.

All Craven did was to go out and drive a very solid race. He then got out of the car and thanked the fans for their support and his former team for the one last ride.

Craven showed class.

And what Gordon showed was two letters short of that.