Historical clue formulations

• Narrow the gap with, competitively — 2025-06-01
• Come closer to catching — 2015-09-27
• Start to catch up to — 2015-01-06
• Narrow the gap with — 2007-01-07
• Begin to catch up with — 2001-05-23
• Get closer to, in a race — 1998-03-25
• Get closer to — 1996-05-25