UPDATED: 2/14/03
Hey! Welcome to the Busch Series and Winston Cup Page....Read up on how Jeff did during his Short Busch Series Career and how incredible he is on the Winston Cup circuit.
After Jeff had graduated High School, John Bickford wanted to help his stepson further develope his racing career by going to the Buck Baker Driving School in Rockingham, NC.
It was a very strange setup. Now that Gordon was making a National name for himself on the Sprint circuit, ESPN went to the school to shoot a special on young Gordon. In exchange for the publicity, the school allowed him to attend for free.
With Baker's teachings Jeff got his first feel of a stock car and fell in love with it. (Before he attended his dream was to race open-wheel cars. ) A year later he had reached the Busch Grand National Series.
Right away Bill Davis signed young Jeff to drive his #1 Ford. Sponsored by Outback Steakhouse, then Carolina Ford Dealers and finally Baby Ruth.
In 1992, Gordon fast showed what he had by racking up 5 top-five finishes and took Rookie of the Year. The following year he took 11 poles and showed all he was ready to run and compete against the big boys.
During Jeff's incredible 92' season, Rick Hendrick watch him win a race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. After seeing his poise and what some called recklessness - Mr. Hendrick signed Jeff to race for Hendrick Motorsports. This as well as ended a working relationship with Bill Davis, it also marked the start of an amazing WC ride.
Even though his Winston Cup adventure started in 92' - he started his career with the last race of the season at Atlanta Motor Speedway which he failed to finish.
His 1993 Rookie year was without a doubt incredible. Despite being in a learning process - Jeff was figuring things out quickly. Gordon ended the season with two 2nd place finishes, 7 top-five finishes, and Rookie of the Year Award. Can you imagine he was only 22 years old.
After his rookie season, Jeff had to prove to all that he was the deal and not some phase, but of course he was up to the challenge.
Gordon got his first Winston Cup win at the Cocoa-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Exactly the same race he'd finished 2nd at the year prior.
His 2nd win was all that more special for him since it came in front of his hometown. Jeff went on to beat Ernie Irvan for the win at the Inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
JG had left as a midget circuit runner, and returned as a Winston Cup driver.
At the end of Jeff's second full WC season he had finished 8th in the points standings and earned more then $1 million dollars. However, the very best was yet to come.
In 1995, he got of to an amazing start by winning 3 out of the first 6 races, and coming out on top by beating out Dale Earnhardt by 34 points to take the Winston Cup Championship. You know what happned after that? He silenced all his critics by showing that he could hold his own, go up against NASCAR's best and best them.
The 1996 season wasn't the best for young Gordon. Despite winning 10 races, he ran into a few set backs such as a cut tire at the Brickyard 400 and a wreck at Talladega. Of course this didn't put Gordon down any.
He came back on top and shining the next year when he became the youngest driver to win the Daytona 500. He also went on to win the Winston Million by winning 3 out 4 crown jewel WC races. "The Kid" also went on to win 10 races that season to propel him to his second Winston Cup Championship. Just 14 points over Dale Jarrett.
1998 was ever more of an amazing season for JG. He blew away the field by winning a total of 13 races and clenching his 3rd Winston Cup Championshp in 4 years. He won by 364 points over Mark Martin. He had also won the No Bull 5 and left with $6 million dollars in purse that year. Let's not forget it made Jeff the big star that year as well.
All wasn't fun and games for the 1999 season. Everything seemed to go down him for the #24 DuPont team. It all started when 5 members of the famous "Rainbow Warriors team" left to go join their rival Robert Yates Racing to be on DJ's team.
To follow up with that Ray Everham gave up his position to pursue his own Racing team. This broke up a winning team.
Even though Ray was gone and now team Manager Brian Whitsell took over as Crew Chief at the time Jeff went on to win 2 races and limped his way into 6th place for points at the end of the season. It gave JG a dose of reality, but he never forgot the importance of being part of a team. Quoting him here when he descirbed racing as, "A total team sport".
Coming into the 2000 season Jeff called it, "a rebuilding year". And it was for the DuPont team. As time progressed, they found their footing. Despite finishing his worst in points by ending in 9th, there was some upsides to the 2000 season.
He reached the 50 career win place, signed a life time agreement with Hendrick Motorsports and signed a deal with main sponsor DuPont that will last through 2006.
He took off at the beginning of the 2001 season going on to win the Winston all-star race after being involved in a multi-car wreck and jumping into his backup car to blow away competition.
2001 was an incredible year for Gordon by clenching his 4th WC Championship. Now we all sit back and watch to see if he can grab his 5th of the 2002 season.
Jeff Gordon is disliked by many for the main fact that he's so good on the track and has acheived so much. Darrell Waltrip said about Gordon, "Fans always hate to see the new guys come in and best their heroes. When that happens, they usually respond in various ways, some of which you don't like."
2002 was an up and down season for Jeff. He ended his no winning streak when he did a bump and run on Rusty Wallace to take the checkered flag at Bristol. Then he went on to win for the 2nd race in a row at Darlington. Gordon ended the season in 4th place with team mate Jimmie Johonson coming in at 5th. To say the least though it was slow season, he ended it positive.
Being a famous Winston Cup driver; the fame and fortune are the furthest from Jeff's mind. Unlike a lot of other high salaried athletes, Jeff has a remarkable sense of responsability that extends beyond his family.
He is extremely active in charity work. Mainly through the Jeff Gordon Foundation; a charity that focuses on Children's charities such as "Make-A-Wish Foundation", "The Marrow Foundation" and "The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society". Jeff auctions offs race items of his on the Foundation's website and donats a large portion of his winnings to those charities.
Let's not forget that Jeff's faith is a big part of his life. It was more due to Brooke's faith.
Due to everything that his happening in Jeff Gordon's life there is no doubt that he is still the same caring guy everyone has gotten to know in some way or another.
Though he admitted earlier that yes the divorce was a small distraction for him, no worries about this that it isn't a distraction. He is more focused this year then last year and will definately be a contender for the 2003 Championship.
With the Gordon divorce so much in the media right now, I'm sure it would be much appreciated if even his fans would not ask him about it and keep it to racing. Sure Brooke is being really bad about all this but Jeff nor anyone else in the racing business doesn't need to be bothered by something - that someone so badly wants just to probably get more money.
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
1977-1978
| First Race was at the Capitol Quarter Midget Track in Rio Linda, CA |
| Won the Western States Championship in his class |
| Won the Fast Time Award |
| Won 35 main events |
| Set the fast time every time out during qualifying |
| Captures 5 track records |
1979:
| Moved to the National Circuit |
| Won First Grand National Championship |
| Won 52 events & 8 track records |
| Won the Pacific Northwest Indoor Championships |
| Drives the Stanley Car |
1980:
| Wins 50 Fast times in 50 races |
| 46 total race wins |
| Wins Second Grand National Title |
| Champion Light A class California Monza Series |
1981-1982:
| Won 3 California State Monza Championships |
| Won Third Grand National Championship |
1984:
| Light A Champion at the Winter Indoor |
1985:
|
Pro Debut Sprint Cars Car #16 Stanley |
1986:
| Drove the Osborne Sprint Car |
| Drove Sprint cars in New Zealand & Australia |
1987:
| Competed in Speed weeks in New Zealand & Australia |
| In such races as 1986-87 America's Cup Sprint Car Classic at Claremont Speedway, Perth Australia |
| August 4, 1987: Jeff is granted drivers license for the USAC circuit and becomes the youngest driver ever |
| World of Outlaws - made the cut 4 out of 5 times |
1988:
| Last year in World of Outlaws |
| Finishes season at Eldora in the Kings Royal....Drives car #6G |
1989:
| At age 17, Graduated from Tri West High School, Pittsboro IN & Raced at Bloomington, IN Speedway on the same night |
|
USAC Midget Rookie of the Year Sponsored by Diet Pepsi |
| Wins Prestigous "Night Before the 500" Race at Indianapolis |
1990:
| Youngest Driver Ever to win USAC Midget Series National Championship |
| Back to Back victory at the Prestigous "Night Before 500 Race" |
| Season Totals in 21 races: 9 wins & 10 poles |
| Career in USAC over 4 years - 22 victories, 55 top fives, 66 top tens, 21 fast times |
|
Enters the Busch Grand National Series Competes in 3 Busch races for Car Owner Hugh Connery in the #67 Pontiac Outback Steakhouse Car |
1991:
| Youngest Driver Ever to Win the USAC Silver Crown Division National Championship With victories at the Copper Classic in Phoenix & the Hulman 100 @ Indianapolis during the Indianapolis 500 weekend |
| Joins car owner Bill Davis and starts competing in the Busch Grand National Division for a full season |
| drove the #1 Carolina Ford Car |
| 3 second place finishes - 1 third place finish |
| Five top 5 finishes - 10 top 10 finishes |
| 1 pole and 2 outside poles |
| Finished 11th in Points |
| Wins BGN Rookie of the Year |
| Total winnings $111,608 |
1992:
|
drove the #1 Baby Ruth Ford Crew Chief: Ray Evernham |
| Sets BGN record for single race money winnings @Charlotte - earning $113,844 |
| Sets BGN record for season total winnings of $349,000 |
| Sets BGN record for poles in a single season with 11 - breaking the record held by Sam Ard since 1983 |
| 1st BGN win came at Atlanta after starting from the pole |
| Won 1st Pole in Winston Cup at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October |
| Finished 4th in Points |
| First career Winston Cup start at Atlanta & Richard Petty's final race |
1993:
| GINS WINSTON CUP CAREER drove the #24 Dupont Automotive Chevy Lumina for Hendrick Motorsports |
| Winston Cup Rookie of the Year |
| First driver ever to win top Rookie honors in both Cup & BGN Divisions |
| First rookie in 30 years to win 125 mile qualifying race at Daytona (in just his 2nd career WC start) |
| Finished 14th in points |
1994:
| Wins Busch Clash |
| Wins Winston Select |
| Wins Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway |
| Wins the Inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis |
| Won more money than any other NASCAR driver $1,607,010 |
| Finished 8th in Points |
| 7 top 5 finishes and 14 top 10 finishes |
| Finished 14th in points |
1995:
| youngest Winston Cup Champion in the modern era |
| Wins all 3 segments of the Winston Select |
| First year to compete in IROC Series - finished 4th |
| 7 victories, 8 poles, 23 top 10 finishes |
| 2610 laps led |
| $4,347,343 in overall winnings |
1996:
| Wins True Value Man of the Year Award |
| Wins ESPY for Best Driver |
| 10 Victories, 5 Poles, 2313 laps led |
| Overall winnings $2,484,518 |
| Finished 2nd in the points |
| Finished 10th in IROC Series |
1997:
| Won his 2nd Winston Cup Championshhp |
| Youngest driver to win the Daytona 500 |
| Wins 3rd Winston Select |
| Second driver to win the Winston Million |
| Finished 6th in IROC Series |
| NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated's Man of the Year |
| Driver of the Year Award |
| 10 victories, 1 Pole |
| 22 top 5 finishes and 23 top 10 finishes |
| Only driver in history to exceed $4 million earnings |
1998:
| Goes on to win his 3rd Winston Cup Championship |
| First driver to win the Brickyard 400 twice |
| Won the Winston No Bull Five - twice |
| Awarded Future Legend Award at NASCAR's Night in Hollywood |
| Wins ESPY for Best Driver |
| Ties Richard Petty's Modern Era Record of 13 wins in a season |
| Finished 3rd in IROC Series |
| 13 wins and 4 wins in a row |
| Won a record $6,175,867 in regular season earnings |
| Over $9 million in overall earnings |
| 13 victories, 7 Poles, 26 top five finishes & 28 top 10 finishes |
1999:
| Youngest driver to win Daytona 500 twice |
| First driver to win the most races for 5 straight years |
| Wins ESPY for Best Driver |
| Finished 5th in IROC Series |
| 7 victories, 7 Poles, led 1,320 laps |
| Finished 6th in the points |
2000:
| Youngest driver to achieve 50 career wins (Occurs at Talladega) |
| Set record for 6 straight road course wins |
| 3 victories, 3 Poles, 11 top 5 and 21 top 10 finishes |
| Finished 9th in the Points |
| Finished 6th in IROC Series |
2001:
| clenches his 4th Winston Cup Championship |
| Wins True Value Man of the Year Award |
| Won both The Winston and the Brickyard 400 for a third time |
| First driver to win $10 million in a single season |
| 6 Victories, 6 Poles, 18 top 5 and 24 top ten finishes |
| 2032 laps led and 25 Races led |
2002:
| 300th Career Start |
| 60th career win occurs at Darlington |
| 3 victories, 3 poles, 13 top 5 and 20 top 10 finishes |
| Finishes 4th in Points |
| Victory in Race of Champions in Gran Canaria, Spain |
YOU ARE VISITOR:
© JG Alley 1999-2009