Gordon sidelined after Busch clash.

The Nextel Cup race at Pocono on Sunday ran without Robby Gordon, who was suspended by NASCAR after an incident in the inaugural Busch Series race in Montreal on Saturday night.

Although he flew to Pocono for the Cup race, Gordon had to watch as PJ Jones took the wheel of his #7 MAPEI/Menards Ford, steering it to 37th place, having been on the receiving end of NASCAR's big stick for punting Marcos Ambrose out of the lead of the NAPA Auto Parts 200 in Montreal and then going on to celebrate victory despite being black-flagged for his part in the incident.

Ambrose appeared on course for a possible maiden NASCAR win but was bumped out of the way by Gordon on a restart, several cars crashing behind them as a result. The Australian has earlier hit Gordon as the caution came out, spinning the series veteran, and there was then some discussion as to where Gordon should resume in the line.

"Once the caution came out on lap 72 the field was frozen," a NASCAR statement later explained, "Once the field is frozen, all cars must maintain cautious pace in order to be scored.

"At the time that the field was frozen, the #59 was in the lead. The #55 did not maintain cautious pace and, by NASCAR rule, cars not maintaining cautious pace are scored only when they blend back into the continuous line. The #55, based on our scoring, was ordered to blend back in behind the #33 [and] in front of the #7.

"The tower ordered the #55 multiple times to get in to position. The directive was acknowledged by the crew chief of the #55, and the crew chief also communicated the order to the driver of the #55. The driver ignored NASCAR's directive.

"He was warned that he would be black-flagged if he did not comply. Once the #55 crossed the start-finish line, he was posted per the NASCAR rule book and, at that time, the directive to display the black flag was given.

"After contact with the #59 on lap 73, NASCAR took emergency action per the rule book Section 12-2, thus parking the #55, which was also ignored. The black flag with the white cross was displayed to the #55 when it crossed the start-finish line on lap 74. The #55 finished the race in the 18th position."

Despite his lowly position in the classification, Gordon went on to join winner Kevin Harvick on the slow-down lap celebrations, increasing NASCAR's ire.

"At the last timing mark, I was either first or I was second, and I would have been cool with that decision," he said, "I wasn't cool with being put all the way behind the #33. Riding around under caution, they said I was first and, then, a lap later, they said I was second. On the lap coming to the green, they said I was behind the #33 and that's the part I just didn't understand. With the black flag, the old rule was you had three laps to obey, so I was going to ride out the last two laps and talk about it after the race."

Additional action could be levied against Gordon this week, but he expects to be in both the Busch and Cup races at Watkins Glen this weekend.