2012 Races [22] that Drive to End Hunger / AARP is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Daytona, Bud Shootout, 2/18
Daytona - 2/26
Phoenix - 3/4
Bristol - 3/18, with Chase Card Services
Auto Club - 3/25
Martinsville - 4/1
Kansas - 4/22
Darlington - 5/12, Charlotte 1 Million
Charlotte - 5/27, with Chase Card Services
Infineon - 6/24
Kentucky - 6/30
Indianapolis - 7/29, with Chase Card Services
Pocono - 8/5
Watkins Glen - 8/12
Michigan - 8/19
Bristol - 8/25
Richmond - 9/8, with Chase Card Services
New Hampshire - 9/23
Dover - 9/30, with Chase Card Services
Talladega - 10/7
Charlotte - 10/13
Texas - 11/4

2012 Races [13] that DuPont is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Las Vegas - 3/11
Texas - 4/14
Richmond - 4/28
Talladega - 5/6
Dover - 6/3
Pocono - 6/10
Michigan - 6/17
New Hampshire - 7/15
Atlanta - 9/2
Chicago - 9/16

2012 Races [2] that Pepsi Max is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Daytona - 7/7
Martinsville - 10/28

2012 Races with unknown sponsor:
Charlotte, All-Star Race, 5/19

There is only two current race tracks that the Sprint Cup Series runs on that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won a Sprint Cup race at:
Homestead 0 for 13 with a best finish of 3rd in 2004
Kentucky 0 for 1 with a best finish of 10th in 2011
Gordon has won at 23 [21 active] of 24 tracks he has raced on including two not on the circuit any longer, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham.(11-20-2011)

Jeff Gordon vs. Dale Earnhardt Comparison: Atlanta 1992 - Daytona 2001, 258 races:
Gordon vs. Earnhardt
Wins: 52, 23
Top 5's: 129, 101
Top 10's: 166, 160
Ave Finish: 11.8, 10.8
Championships: 3, 2

Gordon and crew chiefs wins / championships:
Crew chief; Wins; Titles
Ray Evernham; 47; 3
Robbie Loomis; 23; 1
Steve Letarte; 10; 0
Alan Gustafson; 3; 0
Brian Whitesell; 2; 0
Total; 85, 4
(11-20-2011)

Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest May 25th: Hendrick Motorsports will host a fan appreciation day on Friday, May 25 during Charlotte Motor Speedway race weeks. The Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest will be held at the team's Concord facility and feature an array of family-friendly activities, including scheduled appearances by NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Free and open to the public, the Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest will run from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. ET.
In addition to driver appearances, the Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest will feature activities for children, interactive sponsor displays, food vendors and a stage with live music and question-and-answer sessions. The Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs and teams will be on hand for autographs and athletic demonstrations.
Throughout the event, the Hendrick Motorsports Museum and Team Store will offer merchandise discounts and feature special displays. Fans will be invited to visit the race shops of Kahne, Gordon, Johnson and Earnhardt, who are scheduled to take questions and be available for autograph sessions.
Autograph session wristbands will be distributed at 11 a.m. the day of the event on a first come, first served basis. A maximum number of 225 wristbands will be available for each driver (one autographed item per wristband; one wristband per person).
Fan Fest parking will not be available on the Hendrick Motorsports campus. Free parking will be at Lot Z off Bruton Smith Boulevard in Concord, courtesy of Charlotte Motor Speedway. Shuttles will offer roundtrip transportation to Hendrick Motorsports from Lot Z beginning at 9 a.m.
More Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest information -- including maps, parking directions, schedules, autograph session details and additional event announcements -- will be available at www.HendrickMotorsports.com/FanFest and via social media.(HMS)(5-12-2012)

Contract Status: Driver: Lifetime/2014; Primary Sponsors: 2010; Crew Chief: 2014

Hendrick Motorsports 200th Cup Win: With Jimmie Johnson's win Saturday night in the #48 Lowe's Kobalt Tools Chevy at Darlington Raceway, Hendrick Motorsports recorded its 200th points-paying victory in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition, marking a major milestone for the organization and car owner Rick Hendrick.
STAT LEADER: When it comes to NASCAR's modern era (1972-present), Hendrick Motorsports leads all Sprint Cup teams in wins (200), top-five finishes (818), top-10s (1,352) and pole positions (181). Hendrick is NASCAR's all-time leader in poles and top-10s, while ranking behind only Petty Enterprises in Cup wins. The Petty team recorded 268 Cup victories in more than half a century of competition. Hendrick Motorsports' first season was 1984.
MILESTONE WINS: Hendrick Motorsports' first win came April 29, 1984, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway with Geoff Bodine at the wheel. Jeff Gordon notched the team's 50th on March 24, 1996, at Darlington Raceway and its 100th on June 10, 2001, at Michigan International Speedway. Jimmie Johnson scored the 150th Cup win for Hendrick Motorsports on March 11, 2007, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
FIRST-TIME WINNERS: Eight drivers recorded their first career Cup wins while driving for car owner Rick Hendrick: Bodine, Kyle Busch, Gordon, Johnson, Casey Mears, Jerry Nadeau, Ken Schrader and Brian Vickers. Gordon and Johnson have raced for Hendrick for their entire Cup careers.
DRIVERS AND TRACKS: Since being founded in 1984, Hendrick Motorsports has sent 15 Cup drivers to Victory Lane at 25 different racetracks (see full lists below). The organization has scored double-digit Cup wins at nine tracks, including a team record 18 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. Hendrick has won at four inactive Cup racetracks: Nashville, Tenn., North Wilkesboro, N.C., Riverside, Calif., and Rockingham, N.C.
WINNING WAYS: Hendrick Motorsports has posted at least one Cup-level win in 28 straight seasons (1986-2012), the longest active streak in NASCAR. The streak began Feb. 16, 1986, when Bodine won Hendrick's first Daytona 500. Bodine won three races in 1984 before scoring three runner-up finishes but no wins in 1985.
TWO LEFT: There are only two active tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit where Hendrick Motorsports has yet to reach Victory Lane. Those venues are Homestead-Miami Speedway, which hosts the Sprint Cup season finale, and the newly added Kentucky Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports)(5-12-2012)

Drive to End Hunger Charlotte 1 Million Coming to Hendrick Motorsports Fan Fest: NASCAR fans and volunteers will be able to compete alongside Hendrick Motorsports pit crews in meal packaging races on May 25 through the Drive to End Hunger Charlotte 1 Million.
As part of its upcoming Fan Fest, Hendrick Motorsports is hosting the last stage of the Charlotte 1 Million. AARP Foundation's week-long series of volunteer-driven events will package and donate one million meals to help hungry older North Carolinians. Up to 200 volunteers will be needed to help package an expected 50,000 meals on the Hendrick Motorsports campus. Twelve lucky volunteers will win the opportunity to package meals alongside pit crew members from the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, #48 Lowe's Chevrolet and #88 Diet Mountain Dew/National Guard Chevrolet as they compete in head-to-head races.
The centerpiece of the Charlotte 1 Million will be a two-day meal packaging event at the Charlotte Convention Center on May 24-25, where volunteers will be able to see and work alongside stars including four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, tennis legend Martina Navratilova, host of "CBS NFL Today" James "JB" Brown, Miss Sprint Cup and others.
With two weeks left until the event starts, the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet will race in Darlington this weekend with a paint scheme that includes the Charlotte 1 Million logo on the TV panel and rear quarter panels. The TV panel will also promote DrivetoEndHunger.org/Meals, where fans can visit to find additional information and sign up to volunteer.(AARP/Drive to End Hunger)(5-12-2012)

Hendrick in longest winless streak since 2002: More than a decade has passed since Hendrick Motorsports slogged through this kind of drought. Back in 2001, Hendrick went the final eight races without a win. Then in 2002, the squad went the first nine winless. That 17-race drought ranks as the team's sixth-longest in an NSCS history that began in 1984. The seventh longest? This one. Right here, right now. Sixteen races have passed since Hendrick's last win, but one of its top tracks awaits - Darlington Raceway. Hendrick has 13 victories at The Track Too Tough To Tame, most by any owner all-time. On Hendrick's personal wins list, Darlington ranks tied for third with Dover behind only Martinsville (18) and Charlotte (16).(NASCAR)(5-9-20120)

Gordon pole extends streak: #24-Jeff Gordon won the pole for the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, his 71st career pole, 3rd all time. It is the 20th straight season [every season he has been full time in Cup] that Gordon has won a pole, tying the record of 20, held by David Pearson [1962-1981]. Gordon has also won 19 races from the pole, 6th all time, one behind Bobby Allison. Richard Petty holds that record at 61 followed by Pearson at 37.(5-5-2012)

Hendrick's Returns To Site 199th - And Last - Win and: Thirteen races have passed since Hendrick Motorsports last victory, and though it doesn't seem like a big number, for Hendrick it is. Its last win came at Kansas Speedway (by Jimmie Johnson), site of Sunday race. That's the longest drought Hendrick has had since the end of 2002 and the beginning of 2003 when it went 15 races without a win. Coincidentally, that streak began after a Kansas win as well. Rick Hendrick has attended all 13 races since then but hasn't been able to celebrate his organization's 200th win in NASCAR's premier series. Hendrick holds more wins than any other owner at Kansas with four.(NASCAR)(4-18-2012)
UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports will reach and surpass its 3,000th Cup start when its teams line up for Sunday's race at Kansas. The organization, which is the first to reach the start milestone in Cup history, will leave Kansas with 3,003 career starts.(HMS)(4-19-20012)

Gordon a finalist for Shav Glick Award UPDATE: #24-Jeff Gordon is one of four finalists for the Justice Brothers-Shav Glick Award. The annual award, voted on by a panel of veteran motorsports writers, is presented to a person who has made significant contributions to motorsports from the state. Other finalists are drag racer "TV Tommy" Ivo; Indianapolis 500 roadster builder A.J. Watson and sports car racer Tony Adamowicz. The award, named in honor of the longtime Los Angeles Times motorsports writer and columnist Shav Glick, will be announced prior to today's race.(Inland Valley Daily Bulletin)(3-25-2012)
UPDATE: In a pre-race ceremony Vallejo (Calif.) native Jeff Gordon received the Justice Brothers-Shav Glick Award, presented annually to a Californian for his or her contributions to racing. The award is named for the late Hall of Fame motorsports writer for the Los Angeles Times. (Allentown Morning Call)(3-26-2012)

Gordon-Earnhardt Jr. are OK with each other after Bristol incident: from a Team Chevy Driver(s) Press Conference Transcript, in part. Both #24-Jeff Gordon and #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. were asked about the incident between them at Bristol Motor Speedway last week when the #88 got into the #24 which cut down a tire and crashed late in the race:
Q) DID YOU TALK OR TEXT WITH JEFF (GORDON) AT ALL ABOUT LAST WEEK (BRISTOL RACE)?
Earnhardt Jr,: "We talked and I feel pretty good about how that went. We should have no problem going forward. It was an unfortunate situation, especially for him. I'm sure it stings a little bit for him and the team. We will just see."
Q) WHEN SOMETHING AS 'FREAKY' AS THAT HAPPENS, DO YOU LOOK BACK AT THE REPLAYS AND SEE WHAT IN THE WORLD DID THAT? BECAUSE YOU SAID THE CONTACT WAS NOT THAT MUCH.
Earnhardt Jr,: "It was just a freak situation and you kind of got to remember that, you know, and not really beat yourself up too much about it. Jeff (Gordon) has a good reputation in this sport. I've got a lot of respect and enjoy being his teammate. I've learned a lot from him even before we were teammates, just racing him over the years. He has been here a long time and I think we will be able to race each other without any problems. I think he respects me and I respect him. We will be able to move forward without any problems."
Q) HAVE YOU SPOKEN WITH DALE EARNHARDT JR. FOLLOWING BRISTOL AND WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION?:
Gordon: "You know, he reached out to me. It was just a strange situation that happened where we were racing hard, racing for position after a restart and he definitely got into me, but you could do that 100 times and go on about your business, but in this particular case the tailpipe just lined up perfectly on the left rear. Really to me that is the much bigger issue than the contact between me and Junior. I don't understand why the tailpipes are even capable of getting to the left rear tire. If that happens at a big, fast speedway then that's a much bigger incident than what that was. I'd like to see that addressed. We talked and I've got respect for Dale and I know he has that for me as well. We enjoy being teammates and we I think learned a little bit from that situation about when the time to race hard is and when it isn't."
Q) DO YOU LOOK BACK ON LAST WEEK AND WONDER WHY THAT HAD TO HAPPEN WITH YOUR TEAMMATE?:
Gordon: "Yeah, I mean when you're at Bristol, especially on the restarts when there's a big difference in the handling of cars at the beginning of a restart. Some guys' cars take off good, some are better five laps into a run, some are better 25 laps into a run and my car was one of those cars that was better the longer that we went. Junior's was pretty good on the short runs right then. To me, that's when a lot of us would get side-by-side and I think that you're always questioning why one person is racing you at that point as hard as they are. Sometimes you're racing hard to protect the position because you think your car is going to come in and other times you're racing hard because you know your car is really good right then and you want to get the position. That's all it was. It didn't have anything to do with teammates. We were just racing hard for position. I think it got a little bit more attention because it was teammates and for us, looking back on it and it makes our Tuesday meetings a little more interesting. I think if that's for the win or for the position at the end of the race then hey, we get it. I think we both agreed that it wasn't probably the best thing to do as teammates that early into a restart with 200 laps to go."(Team Chevy)(3-24-2012)

Dale Jr. takes responsibilty for wreck with Jeff Gordon: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. talks about his incident with teammate #24-Jeff Gordon at Birstol Motor Speedway, from a Chevy Racing post race transcipt in part:
Q: YOU SAID ON YOUR RADIO THAT YOU FELT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT HAPPENED WITH JEFF GORDON BLOWING A TIRE. HE SAID IT WAS ONE OF THOSE RACING THINGS:
Earmhardt Jr.: "I absolutely feel responsible. I got into his door a little bit. We were racing and having a good time, to be honest with you. I put the pipes up against the left rear tire of his car, and knocked the side wall out of it. I hate...I feel bad about that. I'm going to have to do some damage control this week. I know Jeff understands what was going on out there, but his boys work real hard on their car, and they had a good run going. They had a potential win, or good finish going too; and they deserve it. I hate what happened to Jeff (Gordon). We were racing really hard. It was fun. If there is a track where you can lean on each other a little bit then this ought to be the place. We just barely rubbed down the back straight-a-way."
Q: I HEARD YOU SAY (ON THE RADIO) 'I DIDN'T GET INTO HIM MUCH':
Earmhardt Jr.:"Well you showed it on TV. I'm sure some people might have thought that was a hard hit. That to me was good hard racing. The (tail) pipes on my car cut the left-rear tire down. I feel terrible about that happening to my teammate. Those guys work really hard and they were running good and happy with their car I'm sure. But, there are four of us out there we are bound to race each other and run into each other every once in a while. Otherwise I'm just frustrated about the finish, but we did run good. We run better than we run here last year. We run really good pretty much everywhere except for Phoenix. Things are looking up for our team."
Q: HOW MUCH REPAIR WORK ARE YOU GOING TO HAVE TO DO WITH JEFF GORDON?
Earmhardt Jr.: "I'll just have to sit down and talk to him and see where he's at. I've got to own up to my responsibility in the situation, which I will, and go from there."
After running near the front of the field the majority of the race, #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., had to settle for the 15th finishing position when a late-race pit road speeding penalty put him deep in the running order.(Chevy Racing)(3-19-2012)

Chase Joins AARP and Jeff Gordon in NASCAR Sponsorship: Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. [NYSE: JPM], today renewed its commitment to eliminating older adult hunger in America, working with AARP and AARP Foundation on Drive to End Hunger; and a series of pass through sponsorships of four-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion Jeff Gordon and the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports. This year, Chase will sponsor the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy for five 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races throughout the country. Beginning mid-March, the AARP Visa Card from Chase logo will appear on the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy in support of Drive to End Hunger at the following races:
* Bristol Motor Speedway (March 18);
* Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 27);
* Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 29);
* Richmond International Raceway (Sept. 8); and
* Dover International Speedway (Sept. 30).
In addition to the five-race sponsorship, Chase will again donate $0.03 for each purchase made with the AARP Visa Card from Chase, as well as $1 for each new account opened  up to $2 million in 2012  to AARP Foundation for Drive to End Hunger. Through this same approach in 2011, Chase contributed nearly $2 million, equivalent to an estimated 750,000 meals for older Americans in need, to AARP Foundation for Drive to End Hunger. Chase also sponsored Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet in two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Richmond, Va., and Dover, Del., in 2011. Since AARP and AARP Foundation launched Drive to End Hunger in 2011, the initiative has donated more than 5.8 million meals and driven corporate and individual donor commitments with an expected value of $15.6 million.(AARP)(3-13-2012)

Sam Bass' DuPont 20 Years Scheme to debut at Vegas: A milestone year for DuPont Motorsports, 2012 marks the 20th year of the corporation's motorsports program, and the company's 20 year anniversary with artist Sam Bass. Bass joined forces with DuPont, Hendrick Motorsports, and NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon two decades ago to develop the now iconic look for the #24 Chevy. As a celebration of the continued partnership, Bass designed a brand new DuPont "20 Years" paint scheme that will debut this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Bass has seen many of his paint schemes on the track over the years, but the close relationship that he has developed with DuPont makes the debut of the "20 Years" paint scheme extra special. "I am so very proud of my relationship with DuPont Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, and Hendrick Motorsports, dating back to 1992," said Sam Bass. "To be able to celebrate a 20 year anniversary as the graphic designer, on an exciting race weekend, for such an iconic sponsor, driver, and team combination in the sport of NASCAR, is an amazing thing. I am incredibly grateful and honored that they have taken me and my artwork on this ride that has lasted two decades."(Sam Bass Illustration & Design PR), see images of the car on my #24 Team Schemes page.(3-7-2012)

Drive to End Hunger Revs Up for Second Season in NASCAR: Following a successful first year in NASCAR, AARP and AARP Foundation's Drive to End Hunger is revving up for the 2012 race season with new at-track activities for fans at select races, as well as new initiatives in communities across the country to advance the fight against older adult hunger. The centerpiece of Drive to End Hunger in 2012 will once again be four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon driving the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports in 22 races, including the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400. Fans at these races and 12 others throughout the year will be able to visit the Drive to End Hunger Experience, an at-track mobile unit that will allow fans to play video games and compete with friends in the "Hungry for Knowledge" trivia game. Game winners and donors can receive Drive to End Hunger collectors' items, including commemorative coins, autographed hats and beverage koozies. All contributions to Drive to End Hunger go to support the hunger solutions of AARP Foundation. Since AARP and AARP Foundation launched Drive to End Hunger in 2011, the initiative has donated more than 5.8 million meals and driven corporate and individual donor commitments with an expected value of $15.1 million.(AARP)(2-27-2012)

New Jeff Gordon book: If you sent a letter to Jeff Gordon in the 1990's, chances are that it was opened by Molly and Russ Harris, the founders of the Jeff Gordon National Fan Club  the largest personal touch fan club in racing. For more than a decade, they opened Jeff Gordon's mail! Molly's new book "Opening Jeff Gordon's Mail" takes readers on a behind-the-scenes tour of the Jeff Gordon National Fan Club. For more info see my NASCAR Book page.(2-13-2012)

Gordon testing at Pikes Peak: #24-Jeff Grodon tweeted Tuesday that he was at "Day 1 of 3 Pikes Peak test. Going really good. Team has done a great job over the off season. Can't wait to start racing."(2-1-2012)

Several drivers getting new spotters: In addition to getting adjusted to new personnel on their teams, several drivers will be working with new spotters when testing opens Thursday at Daytona International Speedway. Jeff Dickerson, who has spotted for #24-Jeff Gordon the last couple of years, left to pursue an opportunity in racing that will give him more time with his family. He has not announced where he is going.
• Eddie D'Hondt, who had won 39 races across all NASCAR series with #18-Kyle Busch, will move to Hendrick Motorsports to work as Gordon's spotter.
• Tony Hirschman, who was spotter for AJ Allmendinger, will replace D'Hondt as Busch's spotter.
• Busch isn't the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver to have a new spotter for 2012 as two spotters whose drivers have not announced 2012 rides have found new gigs - Chris Lambert, who was the spotter for Brian Vickers, will replace Curtis Markham as spotter for #11-Denny Hamlin and Rocky Ryan, who was spotter for David Ragan, will replace Joey Civali as spotter for #20-Joey Logano.
• Chris Osborne, who was spotter for Kurt Busch at Penske Racing, will start the season spotting for Allmendinger while Busch will use his new boss - Phoenix Racing general manager Steve Barkdoll - as his spotter.
• #15-Clint Bowyer, who has moved from Richard Childress Racing to Michael Waltrip Racing, will go to the test with MWR general manager Ty Norris as his spotter.
• Kevin Hamlin, who was Bowyer's spotter, will remain at RCR and work with Ty Dillon in the Camping World Truck Series.
• #43-Aric Almirola will use Tyler Green as his spotter. Green spotted for Almirola at JR Motorsports and will now spot for him at RPM.(Scene Daily)(1-11-2012)

Frye ends up at Hendrick UPDATE: Hearing that former Red Bull Racing General Manager and Vice President Jay Frye is now working at Hendrick Motorsports as a consultant in a variety of roles.(1-4-2012)
UPDATE: Jay Frye and Rick Hendrick have been friends since the 1980s, when Frye was a rep for first Budweiser and then Valvoline, and Hendrick was an ambitious car dealer trying to gain a toehold in NASCAR. So when Red Bull Racing closed its doors at the end of 2011, it made sense that Frye, the former team's vice president and general manager, would turn to Hendrick. On Wednesday, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Frye will work with the team as a consultant for 2012, focusing on business development. "Jay is one of the most well-connected people in the sport, and he's going to be a great resource to help develop strong partnerships," said Marshall Carlson, president of Hendrick Motorsports. "We've known him for a long time, so there's an immense level of trust and respect between us. The opportunity to work with Jay again and have the benefit of his experience is something we're excited about." In NASCAR parlance, "business development" means helping the team find sponsorship and build relationship with sponsors. Frye's long friendship with Hendrick, as well as his familiarity with former Red Bull driver Kasey Kahne should benefit the team hugely in that department.(SPEED)(1-5-2012)

Evernham settles lawsuit with Gillett: Ray Evernham has settled his lawsuit against George Gillett over money owed from the 2007 sale of his Sprint Cup organization. Evernham, the former owner of Evernham Motorsports and a three-time Cup champion as the crew chief for Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports, was seeking $19 million from Gillett. The case was settled outside of court and dismissed last week. No details of the settlement were released.(ESPN)(1-3-2012)

New look for #24 DuPont scheme in 2012: DuPont released some inages of the new look for Jeff Gordon in the #24 DuPont Chevy for 2012, with a 20 Year Logo commemorating DuPont, Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports partnership. The #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy is a little different looking in 2012 also. See images of the schemes on the #24 Team Schemes page.(12-8-2011)

Gordon named NASCAR Illustrated Person of the Year: The ever-expanding scope of Jeff Gordon's philanthropic endeavors reached over international borders and other boundaries of age and race this year. Whether it was his work in Africa with the Clinton Global Initiative, representing AARP's Drive to End Hunger among senior citizens in the U.S., or continuing to lead the fight against pediatric cancer through his eponymous children's foundation, Gordon has become the model for NASCAR philanthropy and an example for others to follow. For all these reasons, he was a consensus choice as NASCAR Illustrated Person of the Year, becoming the first three-time winner of the award. In 1997, the first year it was presented, Gordon shared POY honors with Darrell Waltrip. Then, Gordon joined Hendrick Motorsports as Persons of the Year in 2004 after the team endured the tragedy of the plane crash that claimed 10 lives. For the full story on Gordon's remarkable year of giving, see the December issue of NASCAR Illustrated.(SceneDaily)(11-16-2011)

'Jeff Gordon Expressway' NASCAR's #24 driver will soon be honored on a section of Interstate 85 near the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Tuesday, Mecklenburg County Commissioners approved the designation of the stretch of I-85 on the Mecklenburg-Cabarrus County line as "Jeff Gordon Expressway". The "85" idea came about since Gordon recently took home the checkered flag for the 85th time in his career. However, Gordon's NASCAR triumphs were just part of the designation as he was also hailed for charitable work at his Children's Foundation and Children's Hospital. "It's been very rewarding," said Gordon. "Something that you go through and the days, and you go to hospitals and you meet children and it breaks your heart and you want to do more." The NC DOT's sign committee and full board must still rubber stamp the Jeff Gordon Expressway designation on I-85 before markers go up for drivers.(News 14 Carolina)
AND Jeff Gordon unveiled at the nearby Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital the "Sounds of Pertussis" quilt in his continued effort to educate the masses on whooping cough. The "Race to Blanket America" quilt has 2,400 squares designed by individuals with the March of Dimes donating $1 for each square up to $10,000 (for more information, go to www.SoundsofPertussis.com). Gordon and his wife, Ingrid, designed one square and Gordon designed another. "All of us take calculated risks in our lives to some degree," Gordon said. "But when it comes to our children, I don't think that's anything we can afford to be risky on."(ESPN)(10-19-2011)

Jeff Gordon: Victory #85 Adds To Legend: Further cementing his legendary status, #24-Jeff Gordon won the AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his 85th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. With the historic milestone win, Gordon took sole possession of third on the all-time series wins list. Only Richard Petty (200 wins) and David Pearson (105) have more. "I have always liked him as a driver," said Pearson, next on Gordon's march up the wins list. "He is smart, takes care of his equipment and when it is time to go, he gets right up there with them. Reminds me some of the way I drove. & He has been the 'head honcho' for a long time in NASCAR. He was good out of the box and has been very good ever since." Gordon also became the Modern Era (1972-Present) wins leader, breaking a tie with Darrell Waltrip. (Note: "Modern Era" refers to the period in NASCAR Sprint Cup history when NASCAR shortened the schedule from as many as 62 races in 1964 to the 31-race schedule of 1972. Race numbers fluctuated between 28 and 36 since 1972.)
To commemorate the milestone, NASCAR President Mike Helton presented Gordon with an "85" mosaic featuring images from each of the four-time champion's victories. Additionally, special commemorative "85" hats were worn by Gordon and his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports team in Victory Lane. During a career that began on the final race of 1992, Gordon assembled a list of accomplishments fit for a future NASCAR Hall of Famer: Four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championships, three Daytona 500 victories, four Brickyard 400 victories, most road-course wins all-time (nine) and most restrictor plate wins all-time (12). Still only 40 years of age, the highlight reel can only grow.
Below is a timeline of Gordon's notable victories on his way to 85:
1  On May 29, 1994 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Gordon won his first race. It was in one of NASCAR's biggest events  the Coca-Cola 600.
2  Gordon won the inaugural NASCAR race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Aug. 6, 1994. He would go on to win three other IMS races, in 1998, 2001 and 2004.
8  Won another "crown jewel" race, the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, on Sept. 3, 1995.
19  On Sept. 29, 1996, won his only race at North Wilkesboro Speedway, the final race at the North Carolina short track.
20  At the time, became the youngest winner in Daytona 500 history at 25 years, six months, 12 days on Feb. 16, 1997. His record was later broken in 2011 by Trevor Bayne (20 years, one day). Gordon also won the Daytona 500 in 1999 and 2005.
28  On Aug. 31, 1997, won his second Southern 500, capturing a $1 million bonus in what was known as The Winston Million. The Winston Million was given to any driver to win three of the following four races: the Daytona 500, the Coca-Cola 600, the Southern 500 and the first Talladega race.
42  In the season finale at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Nov. 8, 1998, won his 13th race of the season, tying a Modern Era record first set by Richard Petty in 1975.
74  On June 25, 2006, won at Infineon Raceway, his record ninth victory at a road course.
76  With a win at Phoenix International Raceway on April 21, 2007, Gordon tied Dale Earnhardt for sixth on the all-time wins list. Gordon memorably took a victory lap with a massive No. 3 flag waving out his driver-side window, a tribute to his long-time rival.
80  On Oct. 7, 2007 at Talladega Superspeedway, Gordon captured his record 12th restrictor-plate victory.
85  In a race delayed two days because of inclement weather, Gordon captures historic win No. 85 on Sept. 6, 2011 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(NASCAR)(9-7-2011)

Jeff Gordon wins at Atlanta: #24-Jeff Gordon won the AdvoCare 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway for his 85th career win, 5th at AMS and 3rd of the season.
#48-Johnson finished 2nd followed by #14-Stewart, #22-Busch, #99-Edwards, #2-Keselowski [last three races 1-2-3-1-6], #29-Harvick, #11-Hamlin, #17-Kenseth and #43-Allmendinger. The pole sitter, #4-Kahne finishing 34th after losing a radiator in the race.
Points leader going in to the race, #18-Busch finished 23rd and lost the points lead to #48-Johnson, who has a 21 points lead over Busch.
There were 35 lead changes among 14 drivers and 9 cautions for 64 yellow flag laps. The attendance is listed as 29,700 [Sunday was estimates at 87,600], was 85,000 last year.
Scheduled Race Re-Air:
ESPN2, Wednesday, September 7 at 1:00 am/et;
SPEED, Wednesday, September 7 at 12:00pm/et
See race results, awards, laps led and more on Jayski's Atlanta Race Results/Awards page.
See drivers championship points standings on Jayski's Drivers Points Standings page
For the owner points standings, see my Owners Points Standings page.(9-6-2011)

Jeff Gordon newest member of Legends of The Glen: Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen International, announced that #24-Jeff Gordon has been named the first member of the Class of 2011 for the Legends of The Glen. In front of local, regional, and international media, Printup presented Gordon with a hand-blown glass vase made by Vitrix Glass of Corning, NY, during an induction ceremony held in the historic road course's media center. Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, was also in attendance to acknowledge Gordon's contributions to the sport and join the celebration. "When you talk about Watkins Glen International and NASCAR, one of the first people that have to be mentioned is Jeff Gordon and it is well deserved with the incredible success that he has achieved here," said Michael Printup, president of Watkins Glen International. "He has represented The Glen as our champion four times and each time has done so with exceptional class and dignity. We are thrilled to welcome Jeff into this elite group of people that have had such a profound impact on our history."(Watkins Glen PR)(8-13-2011)

Gordon wins at Pocono: #24-Jeff Gordon won the 5-Hour Energy 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway for his 2nd win of 2011 and 84th win of his career. The win ties him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for 3rd on the all-time win list in the series. The win was Gordon's 5th at Pocono, tying him with Bill Elliott for the most wins at the track.
Pole sitter #22-Busch finished second followed by #18-Busch, #48-Johnson, #29-Harvick, #88-Earnhardt Jr., #42-Montoya, #17-Kesneth, #39-Newman and #56-Truex Jr. #11-Hamlin led the most laps with 76 but lost a tire late and finsihed 19th. Points leader #99-Edwards had a valve in the engine break and spent a lot of time/laps in the garage, finishing 37th and now only leads #48-Johnson by 6 points.
There were 18 lead changes among 10 drivers; 4 cautions for 14 yellow flag laps. The attendance is listed as 90,000, down from 105,000 last June.
Scheduled Race Re-Air: SPEED, Wednesday, June 15 at 12:00pm/et
See race results, awards, laps led and more on Jayski's Pocono Race Results/Awards page.
See drivers championship points standings on Jayski's Drivers Points Standings page.(6-12-2011)

Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation Announces First Global Initiative: Jeff Gordon, alongside Partners In Health representatives, Dr. Larry Shulman and Dr. Sara Stulac, gathered friends and supporters on Wednesday evening to announce their new partnership to bring accessible cancer treatment to children of Rwanda. The Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation has committed to raise $1.5 million over the course of three years to participate in the development and implementation of proper protocols for pediatric cancer patients in that region. Rwanda remains Africa's most densely populated country, and its estimated population of 10 million is expected to double within the next 10 years. Through the funding of the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation, Partners In Health and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute will develop a comprehensive program to address all components of cancer: prevention, diagnosis, chemo and radiation therapies, surgery and survivor follow-up care for children faced with cancer.(Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation)(5-28-2011)

Hendrick signs Bill Elliott's son Chase: Hendrick Motorsports has signed Chase Elliott to a multi-year driver agreement. Elliott, the son of 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Bill Elliott, will continue to compete for his family-owned team until meeting age requirements for entering NASCAR national series events. Bill Elliott Racing, based in Dawsonville, Ga., will field Chevrolets with support from Hendrick Motorsports. "The apple hasn't fallen far from the tree with Chase," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "I've always admired Bill's ability in a race car and how he handled himself with the fans. I see those same traits in Chase, with his natural driving talent and an awareness of what he needs to do away from the track to be successful. He comes from a great racing family, and it shows. We think it's a terrific situation. Chase already has a strong support system in place (in Dawsonville) that will allow him to focus on his education and grow as a driver, and Hendrick Motorsports will provide whatever kind of assistance the Elliotts need in any area."
A 15-year-old freshman in high school, Elliott already has competed against some of the best short-track racers in the United States. In 40 late model starts last season, he posted 13 victories, 27 top-five finishes and 37 top-10s. "I've always been taught that teamwork and people are important, and that's something Mr. Hendrick really believes in," Elliott said. "Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports has high standards and takes a lot of pride in what they do. Racing with all of their support, and the support of my family, is going to be incredible. I'm going to work really hard to make them proud and make the most of this opportunity."
In 2010, Elliott became the youngest driver to win the Blizzard Series at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Fla., the Miller Lite Series at Mobile (Ala.) International Speedway and the overall Sunoco Gulf Coast championship. The Dawsonville native also posted victories in the prestigious Winchester 400 and at the re-opening of historic North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway. Elliott already is two-for-two in 2011 after sweeping the Speedfest late-model features last month at Lanier National Speedway in Braselton, Ga. This season, he plans to enter a combination of super late model, pro late model and NASCAR regional touring series events.(HMS)(2-16-2011)

Hendrick Building Training Facility: Hendrick Motorsports is building an outdoor pit-crew training facility that will include a six-lane, 60-yard track where crew members can work out doing sprints and shuttle runs. The facility will include a 75-yard AstroTurf field and a 40-by-40 foot sand pit for outdoor strength and conditioning training for explosiveness and endurance.(SceneDaily)(2-9-2011)