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Sprint Cup
CUP: Gordon’s Ride Has Been One Of Sport’s Grandest
Atlanta victory puts Hendrick driver Jeff Gordon third on all-time Sprint Cup victory list…
Jeff Gordon celebrates his 85th career Sprint Cup win with a smoky burnout at Atlanta Motor Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)
Jeff Gordon moved into magical territory Tuesday by scoring his 85th career Sprint Cup victory.
Twenty years ago – halfway through his life at this point, Gordon was a 20-year-old looking very much like a 16-year-old, and he was standing beside then Charlotte Motor Speedway president Humpy Wheeler, whose task was to convince the gathered motorsports media that Gordon was something beyond just another new driver in NASCAR clothing.
He was something special.
“I’ve seen a lot of drivers in my 30-odd years in racing,” Wheeler said. “You have rare people come into a sport – like [Muhammad] Ali when he came into boxing, Arnold Palmer into golf, A.J. Foyt and Richard Petty in racing – guys that just come along once every quarter-century or decade or whatever. And Jeff Gordon may be the finest young racing talent in the world today.
“I think you’re going to hear a lot of noise from this guy. He’s a rare talent.”
Wheeler, one of the sport’s legendary promoters, wasn’t wearing his tub-thumping, banner-waving promoter’s uniform that day. He was being very serious about Gordon, and, as matters developed, it turned out to be one of many things Wheeler was solidly correct about over his long career.
Another important individual who had seen the early promise represented by Gordon was team owner Rick Hendrick, who watched Gordon manhandle a less-than-ideal race car around Atlanta Motor Speedway and was immediately taken by the young man’s talent.
Not long afterward, Gordon’s signature was on a Hendrick Motorsports contract. Turns out it was done in indelible ink.
Gordon has never left.
And the career he has fashioned has made reliable prophets of Wheeler and Hendrick.
He owns four Cup championships and is in line to seek another. He brought Hendrick his first championship (in 1995), starting a march that has seen the owner claim 10 titles.
He was instrumental in the signing of Jimmie Johnson by Hendrick, starting a partnership that has dominated championship runs for a half-decade.
He now has won more Cup races than anyone in history other than Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105). He is a lock for the NASCAR Hall of Fame (and quite a few others) as soon as he becomes eligible.
And he transformed the sport, bringing a different fan demographic – generally younger, generally more upscale – into racing while also proving the worth of younger drivers to team owners. He has crossed over into other forms of entertainment, hosting “Saturday Night Live” and making numerous appearances on other nationally televised shows.
But, mostly, he has raced. And raced well.
Ten of the key wins in Gordon’s 20-year career:
Career win No. 1. Coca-Cola 600, 1994, Charlotte Motor Speedway – After threatening in several events, and after a rookie season in which he banged up some cars but also won the Rookie of the Year title, Gordon scored his breakthrough win on an emotional night at one of the series’ landmark tracks. He cried in victory lane along with his girlfriend, Brooke, who later would become his wife and still later would become his ex-wife.
Career win No. 2. Brickyard 400, 1994, Indianapolis Motor Speedway – The first Sprint Cup race at Indy was hyped more than most in series history, and Gordon put an even bigger stamp on the day by taking the lead late and staying out front as thousands of fans cheered the former Indiana resident as his Chevrolet roared down the frontstretch. Late into that night, after all the interviews and celebrations, Gordon enjoyed a delivery-service pizza in his motel room near the track.
Career win No. 20. Daytona 500, 1997, Daytona International Speedway – Gordon proved himself in NASCAR’s biggest race, and he did so in a big way. He scored his first win in the 500, and he did so by driving deep to the inside in the first turn to pass leader Bill Elliott in the twilight laps. It was an outrageously dangerous pass, but Gordon made his car – and the win – stick. He became the race’s youngest winner.
Career win No. 28. Southern 500, Darlington Raceway – In one of the grandest finishes in the old track’s long history, Gordon traded sheet metal with Jeff Burton as they raced side-by-side over the closing miles. The victory earned Gordon the Winston Million that season.
Career win No. 43. Daytona 500, 1999, Daytona International Speedway – For those who had been startled by Gordon’s implausible pass to win the 1997 500, he had another. He blitzed past leader Rusty Wallace entering the first turn, deftly avoiding the car of Ricky Rudd, who was re-entering the track from pit road. It was a close call, but it worked.
Career win No. 50. DieHard 500, 2000, Talladega Superspeedway – In reaching the 50-win level faster than anyone else in NASCAR history, Gordon led the race’s final six laps and outran Richard Childress Racing teammates Mike Skinner and Dale Earnhardt Sr. to the finish. The margin of victory was .189 of a second.
Career win No. 77. Aaron’s 499, 2007, Talladega Superspeedway – Gordon reached a major landmark in his career by winning again at Talladega and surpassing the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s mark of 76 Sprint Cup victories.
Career win No. 80. UAW-Ford 500, 2007, Talladega Superspeedway – Gordon led only the final lap in taking the win on a day of typically frantic racing at Talladega.
Career win No. 83. Subway 500, 2011, Phoenix International Raceway – Gordon outran Kyle Busch to reach victory lane and end a 66-race winless streak that dated to April 2009. He tied Cale Yarborough on the all-time win list at 83.
Career win No. 85. AdvoCare 500, 2011, Atlanta Motor Speedway – Gordon dominated Tuesday’s race, leading 100 of the first 190 laps and returning to the front late in the day, holding off teammate Jimmie Johnson for the landmark victory.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 29 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
Twenty years ago – halfway through his life at this point, Gordon was a 20-year-old looking very much like a 16-year-old, and he was standing beside then Charlotte Motor Speedway president Humpy Wheeler, whose task was to convince the gathered motorsports media that Gordon was something beyond just another new driver in NASCAR clothing.
He was something special.
“I’ve seen a lot of drivers in my 30-odd years in racing,” Wheeler said. “You have rare people come into a sport – like [Muhammad] Ali when he came into boxing, Arnold Palmer into golf, A.J. Foyt and Richard Petty in racing – guys that just come along once every quarter-century or decade or whatever. And Jeff Gordon may be the finest young racing talent in the world today.
“I think you’re going to hear a lot of noise from this guy. He’s a rare talent.”
Wheeler, one of the sport’s legendary promoters, wasn’t wearing his tub-thumping, banner-waving promoter’s uniform that day. He was being very serious about Gordon, and, as matters developed, it turned out to be one of many things Wheeler was solidly correct about over his long career.
Another important individual who had seen the early promise represented by Gordon was team owner Rick Hendrick, who watched Gordon manhandle a less-than-ideal race car around Atlanta Motor Speedway and was immediately taken by the young man’s talent.
Not long afterward, Gordon’s signature was on a Hendrick Motorsports contract. Turns out it was done in indelible ink.
Gordon has never left.
And the career he has fashioned has made reliable prophets of Wheeler and Hendrick.
He owns four Cup championships and is in line to seek another. He brought Hendrick his first championship (in 1995), starting a march that has seen the owner claim 10 titles.
He was instrumental in the signing of Jimmie Johnson by Hendrick, starting a partnership that has dominated championship runs for a half-decade.
He now has won more Cup races than anyone in history other than Richard Petty (200) and David Pearson (105). He is a lock for the NASCAR Hall of Fame (and quite a few others) as soon as he becomes eligible.
And he transformed the sport, bringing a different fan demographic – generally younger, generally more upscale – into racing while also proving the worth of younger drivers to team owners. He has crossed over into other forms of entertainment, hosting “Saturday Night Live” and making numerous appearances on other nationally televised shows.
But, mostly, he has raced. And raced well.
Ten of the key wins in Gordon’s 20-year career:
Career win No. 1. Coca-Cola 600, 1994, Charlotte Motor Speedway – After threatening in several events, and after a rookie season in which he banged up some cars but also won the Rookie of the Year title, Gordon scored his breakthrough win on an emotional night at one of the series’ landmark tracks. He cried in victory lane along with his girlfriend, Brooke, who later would become his wife and still later would become his ex-wife.
Career win No. 2. Brickyard 400, 1994, Indianapolis Motor Speedway – The first Sprint Cup race at Indy was hyped more than most in series history, and Gordon put an even bigger stamp on the day by taking the lead late and staying out front as thousands of fans cheered the former Indiana resident as his Chevrolet roared down the frontstretch. Late into that night, after all the interviews and celebrations, Gordon enjoyed a delivery-service pizza in his motel room near the track.
Career win No. 20. Daytona 500, 1997, Daytona International Speedway – Gordon proved himself in NASCAR’s biggest race, and he did so in a big way. He scored his first win in the 500, and he did so by driving deep to the inside in the first turn to pass leader Bill Elliott in the twilight laps. It was an outrageously dangerous pass, but Gordon made his car – and the win – stick. He became the race’s youngest winner.
Career win No. 28. Southern 500, Darlington Raceway – In one of the grandest finishes in the old track’s long history, Gordon traded sheet metal with Jeff Burton as they raced side-by-side over the closing miles. The victory earned Gordon the Winston Million that season.
Career win No. 43. Daytona 500, 1999, Daytona International Speedway – For those who had been startled by Gordon’s implausible pass to win the 1997 500, he had another. He blitzed past leader Rusty Wallace entering the first turn, deftly avoiding the car of Ricky Rudd, who was re-entering the track from pit road. It was a close call, but it worked.
Career win No. 50. DieHard 500, 2000, Talladega Superspeedway – In reaching the 50-win level faster than anyone else in NASCAR history, Gordon led the race’s final six laps and outran Richard Childress Racing teammates Mike Skinner and Dale Earnhardt Sr. to the finish. The margin of victory was .189 of a second.
Career win No. 77. Aaron’s 499, 2007, Talladega Superspeedway – Gordon reached a major landmark in his career by winning again at Talladega and surpassing the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s mark of 76 Sprint Cup victories.
Career win No. 80. UAW-Ford 500, 2007, Talladega Superspeedway – Gordon led only the final lap in taking the win on a day of typically frantic racing at Talladega.
Career win No. 83. Subway 500, 2011, Phoenix International Raceway – Gordon outran Kyle Busch to reach victory lane and end a 66-race winless streak that dated to April 2009. He tied Cale Yarborough on the all-time win list at 83.
Career win No. 85. AdvoCare 500, 2011, Atlanta Motor Speedway – Gordon dominated Tuesday’s race, leading 100 of the first 190 laps and returning to the front late in the day, holding off teammate Jimmie Johnson for the landmark victory.
Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 29 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.
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