Jeff Gordon is running out of time to extend NASCAR's longest-running victory streak.

Not since 1993, his rookie year, has the four-time Cup champion failed to win at least two races in a season. But he heads into Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway winless in 39 races since October 2007.

Gordon sits a season-best fifth in the points standings, but with only Phoenix and Homestead, Fla., left on the schedule, the possibility of going an entire season without adding to his 81 career wins looms large.

"It certainly is not as big of a failure as sometimes we make out of it," he said last week at Texas, where he won the pole and finished second to Carl Edwards. "But obviously we want to win and it's been frustrating that we haven't achieved that."

Four consecutive top-10 finishes give Gordon hope his Hendrick Motorsports team at least is headed in the right direction.

"What I'm proud of is the fight this team has shown over the last 10 races," he said. "We've made a lot of improvements to the car and the points have shown for it. The win column hasn't yet shown for it, but we've still got (two races) to go."

Sitting ninth in the standings, 404 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart isn't going to win a third Cup title this year. But the Columbus, Ind., native is still raking in the hardware.

His Tony Stewart Racing team clinched the World of Outlaws sprint-car title last weekend with driver Donny Schatz and remains in the running for a pair of U.S. Auto Club championships.

Tracy Hines took a 39-point lead over Cole Whitt into Thursday night's Copper World Classic midget race at Phoenix International Raceway. Hines is looking for his first national title and the first in the midget division for Stewart, who has seven USAC titles overall. The season ends Nov. 27 with the 68th Turkey Night Grand Prix at Toyota Speedway in Irwindale, Calif.

Levi Jones is second in the USAC National Sprint Series standings heading into the final two races of the season tonight and Saturday at Manzanita Speedway, a half-mile dirt oval in Phoenix. Jones, the defending series champion, trails leader Jerry Coons by 89 points.

Sam Hornish Jr. has been the top-finishing rookie in each of the past four Sprint Cup races to take a four-point lead over Regan Smith in the Rookie of the Year standings. But it's small consolation to the three-time IndyCar Series champion.

While ignoring rumors he is considering a return to open-wheel racing, Hornish clearly is frustrated with the way his season has gone. He is 35th in the standings.

"We just need to keep working on our program," he said after placing 23rd at Texas. "I think it's getting better; it's just going to take time. Unfortunately, we don't have a whole lot of time (left this season)."

Sarah Fisher sounds as if she has closed the door on bringing Darren Manning into a ride-sharing position at Sarah Fisher Racing, the IndyCar Series team she owns.

Under consideration was a plan to have Fisher drive the IRL's oval-track events next season and Manning, who was recently released from A.J. Foyt Racing, pilot the car on street and road circuits.

"I really like Darren and I'd love to have him in our car," she said, "but right now there are other (options) out there."

Indianapolis native Stevie Reeves, spotter the past two years for Johnson, is a victim of layoffs at Hendrick Motorsports. Reeves, a former driver, said he already has been contacted by other teams. . . . NHRA team owner Don Schumacher announced Thursday the hiring of IHRA and Pro Mod racer Matt Hagan to drive a Funny Car in 2009. Veteran Gary Scelzi is leaving Brownsburg-based Schumacher Racing after the season finale Nov. 16 at Pomona, Calif. . . . Noblesville's Conor Daly, 16-year-old son of broadcaster and former racer Derek Daly, is back home after earning a prestigious win last weekend at Silverstone, England. He became the youngest winner of the Walter Hayes Trophy, named for a founder of the Formula Ford series. . . . Mike Meyer is the new chief mechanic at Guthrie Meyer Racing, a Brownsburg-based Indy Lights team co-owned by Jim Guthrie and Meyer's father, Butch. The great-grandson of three-time Indy 500 winner Louis Meyer won three championships and 25 races in four seasons as chief mechanic at Sam Schmidt Motorsports.