2013 Races [21+1] that Drive to End Hunger / AARP is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Daytona, Sprint Unlimited, 2/16
Daytona - 2/24
Las Vegas - 3/11
Bristol - 3/17
Auto Club - 3/24
Martinsville - 4/7
Kansas - 4/21
Richmond - 4/27
Charlotte - 5/26
Dover - 6/2, aarpcreditcard.com
Michigan - 6/16
Sonoma - 6/23
Kentucky - 6/29
New Hampshire - 7/14
Pocono - 8/4
Watkins Glen - 8/11
Atlanta - 9/1
Richmond - 9/7
Chicago - 9/16
New Hampshire - 9/22
Martinsville - 10/27
Texas - 11/3

2013 Races [13+1] that Axalta/Cromax (was DuPont) is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Texas - 4/13
Talladega - 5/5
Darlington - 5/11
Charlotte, All-Star race - 5/18
Pocono - 6/19
Daytona - 7/6
Michigan - 8/18
Bristol - 8/24
Dover - 9/29
Kansas - 10/6
Charlotte - 10/12
Talladega - 10/20
Phoenix - 11/10
Homestead - 11/17

2013 Races [2] that Pepsi Max is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Phoenix - 3/3
Indy - 7/28

There is only ONE current race track the Sprint Cup Series races on that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won a Sprint Cup race at:
Kentucky 0 for 2 with a best finish of 10th in 2011
On his 14th try at Homestead, Gordon won on 11-18-2012 after having a best of 3rd in 2004
Gordon has won at 24 [23 active] of 25 tracks he has raced on including two not on the circuit any longer, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham.(11-18-2012)

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; 5; 0
Brian Whitesell; 2; 0
Total; 87, 4
(11-18-2012)

Contract Status: Driver: Lifetime/2014; Primary Sponsors: DuPont 2013, AARP 2014; Crew Chief: 2014

Jeff Gordon Joins Forces With Gleaners: #24-Jeff Gordon visited Detroit to kick off a month-long food drive in conjunction with Gleaners Community Food Bank and Quicken Loans. The #24 Drive To End Hunger is focused on the elderly. "You know, I feel fortunate that I was made aware of this, because I had no idea," Gordon said during his stop in the Motor City on Thursday. "I had no idea that more than 9 million (people) 50 and older are having these type of issues in this country. Gordon said when he was first approached with the idea of his spearheading the drive  he immediately signed on. "It's brought me to cities all over the country to places like Gleaners here, that do amazing work gathering the food, sorting the food, packaging the food, and then distributing the food," Gordon said. Gleaners says that for every dollar that is donated they'll be able to feed three hungry senior citizens.(CBS Detroit)(5-18-2013)

Gordon's New York condo for sale: An inventively embellished three-bedroom condominium at the reigning superstar of Manhattan trophy residences, 15 Central Park West, is about to enter a trophy-conscious marketplace priced at $30 million. The seller of No. 7C also happens to be a bit of a superstar and trophy-magnet: Jeff Gordon, the telegenic four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. A confirmed early bird among the initial wave of well-heeled buyers at 15 Central Park West, Robert A. M. Stern's postmodern paean to prewar spaciousness, Mr. Gordon signed a contract there in August 2007. Buying from the offering plan, Mr. Gordon spent $9.67 million for his apartment: before he and his wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, customized it to their specifications, it was a big white box with high ceilings and stunning views of Central Park from the trio of oversize picture windows in its east-facing great room. Mr. Gordon decided to sell at this time, Ms. Ariffin said, because "the demand for trophy apartments is pretty strong." The $30 million asking price was arrived at after the neighboring No. 7D, a slightly larger unit, listed for $36 million and sold for $32.5 million last December.(New York Times)(5-11-2013)

Jeff Gordon to make 700th career start...all consecutive: It may not be tame or the same, but respect is what #24-Jeff Gordon will give Darlington Raceway as he prepares for his 700th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start this Saturday night in the Bojangles' Southern 500. Darlington Raceway has earned a few monikers since it opened in 1950. "The Track Too Tough to Tame" and "The Lady In Black" are two of those, and drivers tend to use the term "respect" when describing how they attack the 1.366-mile South Carolina track. A new element - the Generation-6 car - will be added to the mix this weekend, but a winning recipe will still include respect. Saturday's race marks Gordon's 700th start - all consecutively - in NASCAR's premier series. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion comprehends the milestone, but does not focus on it. "I've been fortunate to race this long and have the type of career I've had," said Gordon. "It's really cool to see that this will be my 700th start, but it's not something I really paid attention to. It's hard to believe I've run that many - especially consecutively."(Performance PR Plus)(5-7-2013)

HMS cars to carry special decal: All four Hendrick Motorsports cars: #5-Kahne, #24-Gordon, #48-Johnson & #88-Earnhardt Jr., will carry the above special decal at Kansas Speedway honoring those effected by the Boston Maraton Bombings this past Monday.(HMS Facebook)(4-21-2013)

Brother of HMS Machinist killed in Cambridge: Hendrick Motorsports Statement: The thoughts and prayers of everyone at Hendrick Motorsports are with Andrew Collier and his family. Andrew, a machinist in the Hendrick Motorsports engine department, tragically lost his brother, Officer Sean Collier, last night in Cambridge, Mass. We ask that the family's privacy be considered during this difficult time. Andrew, 25, joined Hendrick Motorsports in September 2008.(HMS)(4-19-2013)

Hendrick makes another big purchase at Barrett-Jackson: Rick Hendrick has done it again. The famed NASCAR team owner, who bought the rights to the very first 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray coupe at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale in January, has doubled down by winning the Palm Beach bidding for the first 2014 Stingray convertible to be produced. The price tag: $1 million. Although, every penny of the charity sale goes to benefit the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute . Hendrick, a familiar face as a regular buyer and seller at Barrett-Jackson auctions, paid $1.1 million for the coupe in Scottsdale. So it was widely speculated that he would vie for the convertible. Now, he has a pair of No. 1 2014 Corvette bookends costing a total of $2.1 million. Barrett-Jackson charges no auction fees for charity sales. "I paid a little more than I wanted for that car," Hendrick said in a classic understatement. "But I owe so much to Corvette for getting me into the car business in the first place." Part of the deal from General Motors for the first Corvette convertible is a ceremony that will take place at the factory when Hendrick will start up the freshly built Stingray for the first time at the end of the assembly line.(SPEED)(4-7-2013)

Hendrick Motorsports still most valuable team according to Forbes: Hendrick Motorsports is NASCAR's most valuable team with a value of $357 million, up 2%. Hendrick is worth twice as much as second-ranked Joe Gibbs Racing. Hendrick is the only four car Sprint Cup team left and brings in $125 million in sponsor revenue a year. Lowe's extended its deal last month through 2015 as the primary sponsor of Jimmie Johnson's #48 car. Earnhardt Ganassi (ranked #8 with a value of $72 million) announced it would switch engine suppliers from Earnhardt Childress Racing to Hendrick starting in 2013. This will add to Hendrick's coffers, which are already full as NASCAR's most profitable team with an estimated operating income of $16.6 million in 2012.
Gibbs, worth $168 million, leapfrogs Roush Fenway Racing. Gibbs got a huge boost in 2013 with the addition of 2003 Sprint Cup champ Matt Kenseth, who replaced Joey Logano in the #20 car. Gibbs has been one of the most consistent teams when it comes to selling sponsorships with all paint schemes sold ahead of the season start in 2012 and 2013. JGR signed a 30-race renewal with FedEx last year on the #11 car.
The value of Roush is down 10% to $166 million. The team has struggled to sell sponsorships in recent years and lost Kenseth to Gibbs. Richard Childress Racing ranks No. 4 with a value of $139 million, down 6%. Childress is at a crossroad as it prepares to lose its top driver, Kevin Harvick, who signed a deal to race for Stewart-Haas Racing starting in 2014. Still to be determined is if long-time sponsor, Budweiser, will follow Harvick out the door.
The value of Stewart-Haas is up 14% to $123 million and ranks fifth. Tony Stewart and Gene Haas are building one of the top teams in NASCAR.
NASCAR's top nine teams are worth $143 million on average, up 1% over last year. Each of these teams are profitable by our count (some just barely) with team's cutting budgets in cases where sponsor shortfalls arise. Earnings are down 10% overall compared to 2011.(see more details and the complete list at Forbes)(3-14-2013)

Forbes names highest paid drivers: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the highest-paid driver in the sport for the fifth straight year with total earnings of $25.9 million in 2012 by our [Forbes] count. We estimate that Earnhardt earned $12.9 million in combined salary and his share of prize money, which is split with Hendrick Motorsports. Earnhardt signed a contract extension with Hendrick in 2011 that will keep him part of NASCAR's most valuable team through at least 2017. But what really separates Earnhardt from the rest of NASCAR's top drivers is his off-the-track earnings, which were $13 million last year. While Earnhardt's licensing income is down like all drivers (some as much as 80%), he still generated the most licensing dollars in the sport last year.
Another Hendrick driver, #48-Jimmie Johnson, ranks #2 with earnings of $23 million. In fact, all four Hendrick drivers are among the 10 highest paid with Jeff Gordon #4 ($18 million) and Kasey Kahne at #9 ($12 million). Johnson barely missed his sixth Sprint Cup title in 2012, but it was still a banner year on the track, as he earned a NASCAR-high $8.1 million in race winnings for the #48 car. His "Special Awards" and Sprint Cup bonuses added another $2.3 million.
#10-Danica Patrick, ranks #7 with earnings of $12.9 million in 2012. Her merchandise was NASCAR's ninth best seller in 2012, according to Fanatics.com, one of the largest online retailers of officially licensed sports merchandise. But that ranking will jump this year, as she only raced in 10 Sprint Cup races last year and will be running a full-time Sprint Cup schedule in 2013 for the first time.(see more details and the complete list at Forbes)(3-14-2013)

Hendrick willing to help delvelop better fence tech: Winning Daytona 500 team owner Rick Hendrick wants to find out what allowed the front clip of Kyle Larson's car to be sheared off in Saturday's Nationwide Series race. He is willing to work with NASCAR to develop technology that will help prevent another such incident that left 28 fans injured when debris flew into the stands. Larson's car went airborne into the catch fence on a horrific last-lap crash. The engine, built by Hendrick Motorsports, was separated from the car and landed on the concrete in front of the Campbell grandstands between sections H and I. One of the tires with the hub attached sailed over the fence and hit two fans, sending both to nearby Halifax Heath with critical injuries, one life-threatening. Both, according to a hospital representative on Monday, are stable and no longer critical. "I think the fence did its job,'' Hendrick said during Monday's Daytona 500 champion's breakfast for driver Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team. "I've never seen the clip come off before. They say they haven't found parts of the transmission. "What happened to the clip, there might be something else we can do. I've never seen that happen.''(ESPN)(2-25-2013)

Inspection troubles for the #24 UPDATE passes: Wendy Venturini reported on SPEED's NASCAR Raceday that the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevy went thru Daytona 500 pre-race inspection twice and there is an issue with the rear housing placement, the car has been parked off to the side so NASCAR can finish the inspection process for the rest of the cars and then #24 Chevy go thru the inspection process last.
Mark Garrow tweets that "Some asking why 24 held in inspection line..turns out no big deal..Was told by crew they had to put a wheel spacer on to measure correctly."
UPDATE: been told that the #24 has passed the pre-race inspection and all is good.(2-24-2013)

Gordon filmed commercial in Concord recently: A film crew is busy this week in Concord shooting a commercial with NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon at Troutman Motors and Philip Morris. Details of the commercial are being kept secret. It does involve Gordon, a black Chevy Camaro and Pepsi Max. "They want it to be a surprise when you see it on TV," said location scout and manager Peter Minor. Another location scout, Wes Johnson, who works with Minor, found Troutman Motors for this week's project. Racer Brad Noffsinger, who works with the Richard Petty Driving Experience, is doing stunt work for the production. He was practicing at the lot Monday afternoon. The shoot at Troutman Motors Tuesday had about 75 people working. All are independent contractors.(Independent Tribune)(2-14-2013)

Evernham says he turned down a chance to return as crew chief: Ray Evernham recently turned down a job offer to return to the Sprint Cup Series  and not with Hendrick Motorsports. The former car owner and Hendrick crew chief who won three championships with Jeff Gordon has resisted the urge to return to the racetrack since selling his stake in Evernham Motorsports six years ago. But a recent call from a powerhouse NASCAR team  he wouldn't say which except that it wasn't Hendrick  had the man who was voted the greatest crew chief of all time in 2006 pondering a change of heart. "I got hit with the right opportunity not that long ago, and I really had to stop and think about it," Evernham said Thursday. "I had to make sure not to make decisions with ego and think about why I wound it down the first time, and the reality of what it would be because it's so easy to be 10 years later thinking about how great you are and how you can still do it. You can lull yourself back into thinking I could still do that." Evernham's last race atop the pit box as Gordon's crew chief was at Dover International Speedway in September 1999, but he remained as hands-on as a team owner who spearheaded Dodge's return to NASCAR in 2001. He won championships with Gordon's #24 Chevy in '95, '97 and '98, setting a modern-era record with 13 victories in the last title campaign. "I probably could still do it, but I don't think I could have the results I had," said Evernham, 55, after a news conference at his museum to present a $280,000 check to the Autism Society of North Carolina. "I look back at our stuff with Jeff Gordon. If I couldn't hold up to that 1998 standard, I'd be constantly unhappy and frustrated, so I don't want to do that again. I got that call, and I was flattered to get it, but I had to pass." He will be working at least 15 NASCAR events for ESPN, starting at Daytona International Speedway and focusing on more in-depth features. He also is working with team owner Rick Hendrick on developing a new TV show called "Americarna" that will explore the country's evolving car culture. Evernham also still is working as a consultant with Hendrick's automotive business though he is scaling back to focus on his other projects and remaining involved in NASCAR.(see full stroy at the USA Today)(2-9-2013)

Hendrick not interested in the Batmobile: Rick Hendrick bought several vehicles and spent well over seven figures at last month's Barrett-Jackson Collectible Car Auction in Scottsdale, Arizona. Some cars are for his business or personal collection while over a million dollars of cars purchased benefited charities. At the auction the original Batmobile from 1966 sold for 4.2-million dollars; however the Chevy team owner had no interest in making a bid. "Hell no, no sir", said Hendrick. "What would I want with the Batmobile? And I'm a Batman fan but I wouldn't know what to do with that car." Hendrick joked, "I wouldn't have hauled that thing home if they gave it to me!" Hendrick said the Batmobile is not his style, but another reason might be that it was also originally a concept car built by Ford.(PRN's Garage Pass)(2-5-2013)

DuPont will continue sponsorship of Gordon UPDATE: DuPont's sale of its automotive paint division will not affect the brand's sponsorship of Jeff Gordon in 2013, spokesperson Jon Edwards confirmed Friday. Questions about Gordon's sponsorship arose last August when private equity firm the Carlyle Group announced it would acquire DuPont Performance Coatings for $4.9 billion. The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of 2013. "DuPont Performance Coatings, LLC. will be the primary sponsor on the #24 Chevrolet SS for 14 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events in 2013. CromaxPro, a DuPont Performance Coatings, LLC. product, will be featured as a major associate in all remaining races," Edwards said in an email Friday. DuPont was also the primary sponsor for 14 races last year. According to Edwards the No. 24 DuPont car paint scheme and schedule will be made available in the near future. The sponsorship commitment ends after the 2013 season.(As the World Turns Left)(1-6-2013)
UPDATE: The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest and most successful investment firms with a portfolio of businesses that includes Hertz Rental Car, Allison Transmission and Dunkin' Donuts, announced that it has acquired DuPont's paint business. Although the people, products and technologies will remain the same, the paint business, which sponsors the #24 Chevy of Hendrick Motorsports and driver Jeff Gordon in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been rebranded as Axalta Coating Systems. The Axalta Coating Systems name will begin appearing on the #24 team car in the second quarter of the year. In the meantime, on-car branding will include familiar automotive paint brands and products such as Standox, Spies Hecker, Imron, and CromaxPro. The Axalta Coating Systems contract with Hendrick Motorsports includes 14 primary paint schemes annually on Gordon's #24 car. The first primary paint scheme of 2013 will be at Texas Motor Speedway in April and will run at various races throughout the year including the season-ending race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(Hendrick PR)(2-4-2013)

How much longer will Jeff Gordon keep racing: #24-Jeff Gordon, who ranks third on the all-time wins list with 87 victories, is moving closer to the end of his career at age 41, but just when will that be in a series where Mark Martin is still driving at age 54? "There was a time when I didn't think I was going to be racing at 40, so I hate to even say 'never say never,' but I'm pretty sure that's not something that is in the cards for me," Gordon said of racing as long as Martin has. "I don't work as hard on the physical side as Mark does, so from a physical standpoint I don't think I'd be prepared for it. Also, I'm as excited about the future that I have when that day comes when I'm not driving the car in motorsports, maybe even some other opportunities and my kids and my family and that life. I feel like I have a whole other step of life and career ahead of me that if I selfishly race until I'm 50 or 52, I think it's going to take away some of those opportunities that are there that I'm excited about."(Sports Illustrated)(1-25-2013)

Hendrick Motorsports Notes from the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour:
All Hendrick cars are fully-funded except Dale Jr.'s #88. But Rick Hendrick says there's interest and he has no sponsorship worries, the #88 is 13 races short.
. Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Daytona testing wreck. "I thought long and hard, and that's probably the most embarrassed I've ever been."
Chase Elliott will run in five ARCA and nine Series races in 2013, his Truck number will be #94, Hendrick Motorsports will field the entries. Elliott's scheduled Truck races: Martinsville (both). Iowa (both), Rockingham, Dover, Bristol. Mosport/Canada and Phoenix.
#24-Jeff Gordon on Gen-6 car :"I'm a big fan, I love it. I like the body style & I think the teams and crew chiefs feel the same thing."
#5-Kasey Kahne says he's an "underdog" compared to those who have Cup titles, but says this is his best shot yet in 2nd season, Kahne is sporting a new hair style. (from many Twitter reports/feeds)(1-23-2013)

Hendrick to appear on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood Jan 20th: CBS News correspondent Lee Cowan gets a sneak peek at of Chevrolet's totally redesigned 2014 Corvette Stingray and talks with NASCAR team owner and Corvette collector Rick Hendrick about the prized vehicles this weekend on CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. "The Corvette was just the ultimate car," Hendrick tells Cowan. "I mean, it was  you had the styling, the power, all the girls liked them." Timed to the car's 60th birthday, Chevrolet has redesigned the vehicle for 2014 and brought back the legendary Stingray name. Hendrick, a top NASCAR team owner, has one of the largest private Corvette collections in the world, with nearly 150 in his stable. He said he met his wife, Linda, while driving a Stingray. Hendrick, a Chevy dealer, can't wait to get his hands on one of the new Corvettes, Cowan reports. "I think this car will probably be one of the most sought-after cars that we've seen in a long time," Hendrick tells Cowan. Cowan's report on the new Corvette is scheduled to be broadcast Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013 on CBS Sunday morning at 9:00am/et on the CBS Television Network.(CBS)(1-19-2013)

2013 silly season notes for #24-Jeff Gordon / Hendrick Motorsports:: Drive to End Hunger/AARP returns to sponsor the #24 for 22 races in 2013. Longtime sponsor, DuPont, will be the primary sponsor for 14 races with CromaxPro featured as an associate in the others. Pepsi returns for two races, featuring Pepsi Max. Drive to End Hunger and DuPont sponsorship is good thru 2013. DuPont Performance Coatings was bought by the Carlyle Group in August, no word yet how that will affect future sponsorship by DuPont but supposedly DuPont will rebrand its sponsorship. Gordon won the season finale at Homestead, so he has won at every track he has raced at in his Sprint Cup career but Kentucky Speedway, a track he has run on twice. Gordon is signed to a lifetime contract with HMS. Crew chief Alan Gustafson returns to lead the team. See images of the Drive to End Hunger and Pepsi Max schemes on my #24 Team Schemes page. See more about other teams on my 2013 Team / Driver Silly Season Chart.(1-14-2013)

Study names NASCAR's Social Media Leaders: Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and #48-Jimmie Johnson are among NASCAR's strongest and most engaging users of social media, a new social media study of the NASCAR industry finds. The study  conducted by Tuckahoe Strategies, a strategic communications firm - scored drivers, teams and select NASCAR sponsors and partners on a 20-point scale. Joe Gibbs Racing topped the charts with a Social Media Score of 15 points, Hendrick trailed by one point at 14 points and Johnson scored 13 points.
Gibbs' online accounts comprise one of the broadest social media strategies for reaching fans of the sport. The team site, www.joegibbsracing.com, is up to date with timely features, and the homepage points to six social media platforms, including a mobile app for iPhone, Blackberry or Droid. The team maintains active social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and FourSquare. Hendrick also has an active and diverse menu of social media platforms including a mobile app. Gibbs' social media score bested Hendrick's by a single point because of its slightly more effective home page promotion of its social media platforms.
Johnson is the most comprehensive user of social media among drivers. He reaches his audience on a broad array of platforms including: Facebook, 657,062 page likes; Twitter, 348,402 followers; YouTube, 265 subscribers; and Instagram, with an industry-leading 60,618 followers. Johnson's social media reach (the sum of all social media followers across platforms) is 1,066,347. This veritable "media machine" has a following larger than the circulation of the Los Angeles Times, which is the fourth largest newspaper in the country.
The sport's largest audience holder and content curator across the board is NASCAR. The sanctioning body regained a voice and a direct connection to its fan base this year after repossessing control of its online assets in a January 2012 agreement with Turner Sports Interactive. NASCAR's total social media reach is an astronomical 5,044,070, more than double the daily circulation of the largest U.S. newspaper, The Wall Street Journal. In fact, NASCAR commands the industry's top position in terms of audience on Facebook likes (3,239,504), Twitter followers (841,027) and YouTube subscribers (5,430). The sanctioning body also has 1,420 followers on Pinterest and a staggering 956,689 circles on Google+.(Tuckahoe Strategies)(1-10-2013)

Gordon to appear on "I Get That a Lot": #24- Jeff Gordon will be featured in a one-hour special of "I GET THAT A LOT," airing Wednesday, Jan. 9 at 8 p.m. ET on the CBS Television Network. Other celebrities appearing in the special include actress Jane Seymour, actor and comedian Cheech Marin, former Olympian Bruce Jenner, late actor Larry Hagman and Phil Keoghan from "The Amazing Race." "I GET THAT A LOT" features celebrities tricking everyday citizens in cases of supposed "mistaken identity." Working ordinary jobs, the celebrities confuse customers who can't decide if it's the actual celebrity or an astonishing look-alike.(NASCAR), see a clip from the show on Jeff Gordon's website.(1-5-2013)

AARP Foundation On Jeff Gordon's Heisman Humanitarian Award: AARP Foundation President Jo Ann Jenkins today released the following statement on Jeff Gordon's 2012 Heisman Humanitarian Award. Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, becomes the seventh recipient of the Heisman Humanitarian Award, which recognizes people in the sports world who demonstrate notable commitment to helping improve the lives of other people. "The Heisman Trophy Trust's recognition of Jeff confirms something we've known for a while  that he is as great a person off the track as he is behind the wheel of a racecar. Jeff's commitment to philanthropy and helping others in need was a critical factor in the decision by AARP and AARP Foundation that NASCAR could be a good platform for our work to help end the problem of older adult hunger. Since launching Drive to End Hunger, Jeff has been a committed champion to helping people who struggle to put food on the table. Whether he's winning races or packaging meals to help hungry older adults, we couldn't have a better champion than Jeff Gordon. While this award celebrates the contributions that Jeff has made over the years, we are particularly excited about what is still to come. There are nearly nine million older Americans who face the risk of hunger. The fight against older adult hunger is the contest of a lifetime, and Jeff  like AARP Foundation  hates to lose." Since AARP and AARP Foundation launched Drive to End Hunger, the initiative has donated more than 14.6 million meals and driven corporate and individual donor commitments with an expected value of more than $17.3 million.(AARP)(12-11-2012)

Gordon-Bowyer still not speaking to each other: #24-Jeff Gordon and #15-Clint Bowyer haven't spoken since Gordon intentionally wrecked Bowyer at Phoenix on Nov. 11, an incident that triggered a garage-area melee between the drivers' crews and earned Gordon a $100,000 fine from NASCAR. Gordon said Thursday that the season-ending activities this week in Las Vegas have been "awkward" because he and Bowyer haven't socialized. Bowyer is popular among the other drivers and considered the life of the party. "It's been awkward because I've always had a good relationship with him, we've always talked and had fun," Gordon said. "That's obviously not the case. I thought he might have gotten over it at least enough to look at me, but he won't even look at me, and when you are in this type of environment, that's going to be odd." Bowyer, meanwhile, still doesn't want to discuss the incident. He and Gordon spoke in the NASCAR hauler at Phoenix, but haven't talked since. Bowyer would not talk about it with reporters during the season finale at Homestead and on Thursday indicated he's not ready to resolve the issue with Gordon. He three times tried to change the subject, even once attempting to instead talk about nightclubs before finally growing exasperated. "Good God," he said. "Is that my story I have to talk about?"(in part from the Associated Press)(11-30-2012)

Day Three: Gordon 'Deeply Honored' At Myers Brothers Accolade: Shock and genuine surprise. That was Jeff Gordon's emotional reaction to being named the 2012 recipient of the National Motorsports Press Association's Myers Brothers Award during Thursday's traditional NASCAR/NMPA Myers Brothers Award luncheon at the Encore in Las Vegas. "Oh boy, this is a surprise. I'm having a hard time composing myself," said Gordon, during the Champion's Week event. "Couldn't someone have warned me first?" Named for NASCAR racing pioneers Billy and Bob Myers, the award recognizes individuals and groups which have provided outstanding contributions to the sport of stock car racing. Past recipients are a virtual who's-who of the industry  drivers, owners, track operators, sponsors and members of the media  and include nearly every current member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Gordon's accomplishments are two-fold: his on-track success, which includes four NASCAR Sprint Cup championships and 87 victories; and his charitable activities when not competing.
"Off the track, he has raised countless funds for charity through his foundation for pediatric cancer research," said Burt Myers, grandson of Billy Myers, upon presenting the award with brother Jason Myers to Gordon. "He has traveled to Rwanda to aid with health care as well as partnering with an organization to put it on the side of his race car as a drive to end hunger." "I am deeply honored, proud of the work that I do on and off the track," said Gordon. "This is fantastic. Thank you."
NASCAR Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Office Brian France congratulated 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champions Brad Keselowski and Roger Penske and the Miller Lite organization. France also commented on the youth movement in the NASCAR Nationwide and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and first-time events due to take place in both national series in 2013. Also announced at Thursday's luncheon was the NASCAR NMPA Most Popular Driver Award, given to Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the 10th consecutive year. This now ties him with Bill Elliott as the only other drivers to be presented the award 10 straight years. Elliott, however, remains the all-time leader with 16 overall. Earlier Thursday, Chevrolet unveiled its next generation NASCAR Sprint Cup car  the new SS model  which, while tested extensively with Ford's Fusion and Toyota's Camry, had its configuration obscured in camouflage. The wraps officially came off today at the Wynn's Encore Theater before hundreds of media members and industry and sanctioning body officials.
Four teams and their drivers displayed their next generation Chevrolets  the #1 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates and Jamie McMurray; #14 Stewart-Haas Racing and Tony Stewart; the #29 Richard Childress Racing and Kevin Harvick and the #48 Hendrick Motorsports and Jimmie Johnson. "We've both been focusing on a number of important initiatives to build a stronger connection with our fans by incorporating relevant technologies that we're using on today's high-performance Chevrolets, while also creating designs that help our fans make the link between what they see on the track, on the streets and in Chevy showrooms," said Mark Reuss, president of General Motors North America, comparing the SS passenger car with its competition-prepared counterpart. "The new SS won't be mistaken for any other car on the track. It bears a striking resemblance to our production car, the 2014 SS and that will be in showrooms here next fall."
"This thing looks amazing. It looks fantastic," said Gordon. NASCAR President Mike Helton thanked Chevrolet, as well as the sport's other manufacturers, for their collaborative efforts to move NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition forward. "The anticipation going into 2013 is building, it will build over the off season and it'll be, we feel, one of the milestones that we'll look back as we celebrate our history in the future; we'll look back and see 2013 and the NASCAR Sprint Cup car as a very significant milestone for us," said Helton. Thousands of fans lined The Strip  Las Vegas Boulevard  as the top 12 drivers celebrated the conclusion of the 2012 season with the Fourth Annual Victory Lap. Engines rumbled and smoke from burnouts filled the air during the popular event which started and ended at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino. Additional events Thursday included the NASCAR After The Lap Sponsored by Ford and Coca-Cola, a "tell-all" driver-fan interaction that's quickly become one of the most sought after off-track tickets. Day Three of Champion's Week ended with the presentation of the "Stewie Awards," three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart's sometimes irreverent take on the 2012 season.(NASCAR)(11-30-2012)

Gordon wins at Homestead; Keselowski wins the Championship: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Ford EcoBoost 400 Sprint Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway for his 2nd win of year, 1st win at Homestead and 87th career win.
Ironically, #15-Bowyer finished 2nd followed by #39-Newman, #18-Busch [led the most laps again], #16-Biffle, #56-Truex Jr., #43-Almirola, #29-Harvick, #78-Busch and #88-Earnhardt Jr.
#48-Johnson, who came into the race 20 points behind points leader #2-Keselowski, was leading when he made a pit stop on lap 213, but a lugnut was left off the left rear wheel and Johnson had to pit again, falling to 25th down 1 lap. A few laps later Johnson slowed and headed to pit road, then to the garage with a bad rear gear. That allowed points leader #2-Keselowski to coast and make an extra pit stop to be safe, finishing 15th down a lap. With Johnson falling out, #15-Bowyer, who finished 2nd, moved up to finish 2nd in the points championship. Johnson ended up finishing 36th and 3rd in the points. So #2-Brad Keselowski wins his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship and the first ever for team owner Roger Penske. It is the first time since 1975 that a Dodge driver won the championship and could be the last since Dodge is leaving the sport after this season.
#18-Busch led the most laps, but for the 9th time in a row when leading the most laps, failed to win the race.
There were only 3 cautions for 17 yellow flag laps. There were 19 lead changes among 8 drivers. The average speed was 142.245mph.
The estimated attendence was 76,000 up from 73,000 last November.
See race results, awards, money won, laps led, cautions and more on the Homestead Race Results page (pdf) and see the Official Homestead Race & Points Report (pdf).(11-18-2012)

NASCAR Issues Penalties From Sunday's Event at Phoenix: NASCAR announced penalties to three teams that compete in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions at Phoenix International Raceway.
Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 car, was found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing)  altercation with another competitor on the race track during the race  and has been fined $100,000, docked 25 championship driver points and put on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31. Rick Hendrick, owner of the #24 car, has also been penalized with the loss of 25 championship owner points. Alan Gustafson, crew chief of the #24 car, also was found to be in violation of Section 9-4A (at all events, crew chief assumes responsibility of his driver, car owner and team members) and has been placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.
Brian Pattie, crew chief of the #15 car, violated Sections 12-1 and 9-4A and has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.
Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 car, has been fined $25,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31 for violating Sections 12-1 and 20-6.7A (cars and drivers will not be permitted to carry onboard computers, automated electronic recording devices, electronically actuated devices, power distribution modules, power conditioners, micro-processors, recording devices, electronic digital memory chips, traction control devices, digital readout gauges and the like, even if inoperable or incomplete)  driver had a cell phone in his possession onboard the race car. All of these violations occurred during the Nov. 11 event at PIR.
Statement From Robin Pemberton, NASCAR Vice President of Competition: "Following a thorough analysis of the actions that took place during Sunday's race at Phoenix International Raceway, we have issued penalties based upon our review. The decisions announced today cover NASCAR's full assessment of penalties for the incidents that occurred. There's no doubt that a unique set of circumstances combined with a championship battle on the line resulted in raw emotions coming into play. We consider the penalties appropriate and those involved understand our decision and we expect them to abide by them."(NASCAR)(11-12-2012)

Hendrick Motorsports Statement: Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal sanctions announced today by NASCAR regarding the #24 Sprint Cup Series team and driver Jeff Gordon. "I've always respected Jeff for standing his ground," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "We also respect that NASCAR needs to police the sport and send a message when situations like this occur. It's been a great year, and we're going to put our focus on finishing in a positive way this weekend."
"I take responsibility for my actions on the racetrack," Gordon said. "I accept NASCAR's decision and look forward to ending the season on a high note at Homestead."(HMS)(11-12-2012)

Gordon and Bowyer comment about their 'incident' at Phoenix: on Lap 310 of the AdvoCare 500 Sprint Cup Series race at Phoenix International Raceway, there was an incident on track between #24-Jeff Gordon and #15-Clint Bowyer, and then their crews in the pits, a few comments from each driver:
first #24-Jeff Gordon: Gordon: "Things have gotten escalated over the year and I have just had it. Clint (Bowyer) has run into me numerous times, wrecked me and he got into me on the back straightaway, pretty much ruined our day. I have had it, was fed up with it and got him back."
Q) IN THE MELEE IN THE GARAGE DID YOU GET HIT?
Gordon: "No."
Q) ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT ANY PENALTIES?
Gordon: "They've got to do what they've got to do. Just like I had to do what I had to do."
Q) ON INCIDENT:
Gordon: "Clint (Bowyer) has run into me numerous times, wrecked me. He got into me on the back straightaway, and pretty much ruined our day. I had it. That was it, and got him back."
Q) WHAT DID YOU TELL THEM IN THE NASCAR HAULER?
Gordon: "I told them what I just told you."
Q) ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT WHAT COMES NEXT?
"They've got to do what they've got to do, and I guess I had to do what I had to do."(Team Chevy)
next #15-Clint Bowyer:
Q) What happened between you and Jeff Gordon?
Bowyer: "I mean the racing -- it's just a shame. The last person in the world you want to get into anything with is Jeff Gordon on the race track. I mean, you're down there racing, the track's extremely slick, we're all on tires -- I didn't even need to pass him. That's the thing. All I was doing is riding around biding my time. The only thing I had to do is keep the 5 car (Kasey Kahne) within reach, so for him to act like that -- I mean, I barely touched him and then I feel him get into turn three and try to turn me and he missed and then next thing I know Brett's (Griffin, spotter) telling me on the radio that he's trying to -- he's waiting on me. It's pretty embarrassing for a four-time champion -- and what I consider one of the best this sport's ever seen -- to act like that is just completely ridiculous."
Q) What did NASCAR say when you met them after the race?
Bowyer: "I don't know. There's nothing you can do to fix it now. It's over with. You've got to go on to Homestead (-Miami Speedway). I've got to try to beat the 5 car (Kasey Kahne), but I mean that was my opportunity to try to get myself back in the championship hunt. When you're disrupting a championship run like that, it's too bad. They asked us not to do that in the driver's meeting and there's usually a lot of respect there. Like I said, it's crazy -- I didn't even need to pass him. I was plenty content riding behind him and he slipped up down there, I get under him and here he comes back. I just barely touched him. I literally barely rubbed him and then all the sudden I feel him trying to retaliate and -- I don't know -- missed or something and hit the wall and made himself look like a fool."
Q) Will you retaliate?
Bowyer: "We just have to see."
Q) Did Jeff Gordon say anything to you in the meeting with NASCAR after the race?
Bowyer: "Not really -- it's pretty soon to be talking to him (Jeff Gordon)."
Q) Should NASCAR penalize Jeff Gordon?
Bowyer: "You guys have been covering this sport a long time. Same circumstances happened -- what was it, last year or year before and disrupted a championship and I don't understand how that's any different. Like I said, it's over with and done and have to go to Homestead (-Miami Speedway) and do the best we can."(Toyota Racing)(11-12-2012)

Diet Mountain Dew cutting back sponsorship of Earnhardt, Jr. UPDATE: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. won't have Diet Mountain Dew as a sponsor for as many races in 2013 as he did in 2012, but he's not worried about Hendrick Motorsports finding sponsors for those races. NASCAR's most popular driver will have sponsorship from the Army National Guard for 20 races next year and Diet Mountain Dew for an unspecified number. Mountain Dew sponsored 16 races this year while another Pepsi product, Amp, sponsored four. The National Guard had 18 races this year. Earnhardt is not worried about having an unsponsored car at Hendrick. The organization has had Hendrickcars.com on Kasey Kahne's car for select races this year when it didn't sell sponsorships. "We have more demand than we have supply pretty much," Earnhardt said. "We've got a majority of the season with the Guard and Diet Mountain Dew is going to back off a little bit and that makes it a bit of a challenge to fill that small of a gap. If it were a bit larger gap, it would be easier to fill."(Sporting News)(9-14-2012)
UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his Hendrick Motorsports team are losing 15 races of sponsorship next season as PepsiCo plans to cut back its sponsorship, according to the SportsBusiness Journal. PepsiCo committed to sponsoring Earnhardt for 20 races in 2012. PepsiCo is working on a $10 million deal with Hendrick Motorsports that would include five races annually with Earnhardt (Diet Mountain Dew and Amp), two races with Jeff Gordon (Pepsi) and one with Kasey Kahne (brand TBA). The beverage company had sponsored Earnhardt and his #88 team for 20 races and Gordon's #24 team for two in each of the past five years. This season, the 20 Earnhardt races were split between Diet Mountain Dew (16 races) and Amp (four races).(Sporting News)(10-22-2012)

AARP extends contract with Gordon, Hendrick: Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports announced a contract extension Thursday through 2014 with sponsor AARP and AARP Foundation. The AARP Foundation signed a three-year deal in 2011 with its "Drive to End Hunger" campaign to be Gordon's primary sponsor. It became the first cause-related sponsorship to sign on as primary sponsor for a major race team. The one-year extension gives Drive to End Hunger the opportunity to continue addressing hunger issues among elder Americans. Gordon, a four-time NASCAR champion, has helped deliver food to food banks and has actively supported the cause since partnering with the campaign. The initiative has led to the donation of more than 13 million meals to hungry older Americans and raised more than $17 million through corporate and individual support. Drive to End Hunger is the primary sponsor of Gordon's #24 Chevy in 22 Sprint Cup Series races.(Associated Press/ESPN)(10-4-2012)

DuPont to sell paint division - Ramifications on NASCAR not known yet BUT: The DuPont Co. has agreed to sell its auto paint business in an almost $5 billion cash deal, advancing its strategy to move out of oil-based products and delve more deeply into advancing agriculture, nutrition and renewable fuels. The company announced the $4.9 billion sale of its DuPont Performance Coatings business, a cornerstone in the firm's traditional lines, to The Carlyle Group, a global asset management firm. The transaction is expected to close early in 2013, and DuPont will retain ownership of its signature oval label. Carlyle will replace the oval and rebrand the unit's products, according to DuPont. When the deal closes, all DuPont Performance Coatings workers will become employees of a new company under Carlyle. Company officials said it is too soon to tell what staffing plans the new owners will have once they take over.
The company's paint business is perhaps best recognized through DuPont Motorsports, a sponsor and paint manufacturer for four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon's #24 race car and the longest running sponsorship [team & driver]  20 years  in the sport's history. Details of the logo on Gordon's car will be agreed upon between DuPont, DuPont Performance Coatings and Hendrick Motorsports in the future, said Gregg Schmidt, DuPont spokesperson.(in part from a very large article at the Delaware News Journal)(9-1-2012)
BUT: DuPont and AARP-Drive to End of Hunger are both signed to sponsor Jeff Gordon and the #24 Chevy thru 2013.(9-2-2012)

Hendrick Motorsports Reaches Historic 200th Win: Every big stage, every big moment, every crown jewel  Hendrick Motorsports owns them all. The Daytona 500? The team boasts six trophies from The Great American Race. The Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Seven wins. The Coca-Cola 600? Nine. Add another storybook accolade to the list: 200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories. It comes in grand fashion, in yet another of NASCAR's crown jewel races. With its 14th victory at Darlington Raceway, by Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports reached historic NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win #200, further solidifying its status as one of the greatest teams in NASCAR history.
Hendrick Motorsports has evolved from its modest beginnings as a single-car outfit in 1984. Its current form: A four-car powerhouse that topples records on a yearly basis. Two seasons ago, Jimmie Johnson won his unprecedented fifth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. In doing so, Hendrick Motorsports  behind owner Rick Hendrick  nabbed its 10th NASCAR Sprint Cup owners championship, breaking the all-time record previously shared with Petty Enterprises. Petty leads all teams in career race wins, with 268.
Now, Hendrick reaches a milestone befitting its brilliant consistency. Since joining the series in 1984 as All-Star Racing (the team changed its name to Hendrick Motorsports in 1985), Hendrick has won at least one race in all but one season (1985).
Below is a timeline of Hendrick's notable and milestone victories on its way to 200:
1  On April 29, 1984 at Martinsville Speedway, Geoff Bodine earned Hendrick Motorsports' first victory. He led 55 laps in the event.
4  HMS won its first Daytona 500. Geoff Bodine started on the front row (second), leading 101 laps on Feb. 16, 1986.
10  HMS won its first Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. Tim Richmond helped Hendrick reach double-digits in victories with his "crown jewel" win from the pole on Aug. 31, 1986.
16  HMS won its first Coca-Cola 600. With 41-year-old Darrell Waltrip driving, Hendrick nabbed its first win in NASCAR's longest race on May 29, 1988.
36  HMS won its first Brickyard 400. In the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup race at historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon, then 23, won his second career race on Aug. 6, 1994.
50  Jeff Gordon, whose 85 victories are more than any other Hendrick driver and third-most on the all-time list, won at Darlington Raceway on March 24, 1996.
61  At the time, Gordon 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).
100  Gordon won another milestone race, this time at Michigan International Speedway on June 10, 2001. Gordon would go on to win his fourth series championship that season.
150  Jimmie Johnson captured victory on March 11, 2007 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Later that season, Johnson would win his second-consecutive championship.
196  On April 17, 2011, Jimmie Johnson edged Clint Bowyer to the finish line by a miniscule .002 seconds, matching the closest margin of victory in series history.
198  In a race delayed two days because of inclement weather, Gordon captured historic win ##85 on Sept. 6, 2011 at Atlanta Motor Speedway to move into third on the all-time series wins list.
Below lists the number of wins per driver, crew chief and track for Hendrick Motorsports.
HMS Wins By Driver
Driver Wins Jeff Gordon 85
Jimmie Johnson 56
Terry Labonte 12
Darrell Waltrip 9
Tim Richmond 9
Geoff Bodine 7
Mark Martin 5
Ken Schrader 4
Kyle Busch 4
Ricky Rudd 4
Brian Vickers 1
Casey Mears 1
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1
Jerry Nadeau 1
Joe Nemechek 1
HMS Wins By Crew Chief
Crew Chief Wins
Chad Knaus 54
Ray Evernham 47
Robbie Loomis 23
Alan Gustafson 12
Harry Hyde 11
Gary DeHart 10
Steve Letarte 10
Jeff Hammond 9
Waddell Wilson 4
Darian Grubb 3
Richard Broome 3
Andy Graves 2
Brian Whitesell 2
Dennis Connor 2
Gary Nelson 2
Jim Long 1
Lance McGrew 1
Peter Sospenzo 1
Randy Dorton 1
Tony Eury Jr. 1
Tony Furr 1
HMS Wins By Track
Driver Wins
Martinsville 18
Charlotte 16
Darlington 14
Dover 13
Pocono 12
Atlanta 11
Talladega 11
Daytona 10
Richmond 10
Auto Club 9
Bristol 9
Phoenix 9
New Hampshire 8
Indianapolis 7
Watkins Glen 6
Infineon 6
Las Vegas 5
Michigan 5
Kansas 4
North Wilkesboro 4*
Rockingham 4*
Riverside 3*
Texas 3
Chicago 2
Nashville Fairgrounds 1*
(* not an active Sprint Cup Series track)
Hendrick Motorsports By The Numbers
6  Different Hendrick car numbers with wins. The list: #24, 85 wins; #48, 56 wins; #5, 32 wins; #25, 17 wins; #17, nine wins; #88, one win.
8  Number of seasons Hendrick won double-digit races, with the most coming in 2007 (18).
8  Number of drivers who scored their first win with Hendrick Motorsports: Geoff Bodine, Ken Schrader, Jeff Gordon, Jerry Nadeau, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Brian Vickers and Casey Mears.
15  Number of different drivers who have won with Hendrick.
18  Wins at Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick's most prolific track.
20  Age in years of the youngest Hendrick Motorsports winner: Kyle Busch, who won on Sept. 4, 2005 at Auto Club Speedway.
21  Number of different crew chiefs who have won with Hendrick Motorsports.
25  Number of different tracks at which Hendrick has won.
34  Number of wins from the pole by Hendrick Motorsports.
37  Starting position of Jimmie Johnson in the 2003 Coca-Cola 600, the deepest in the field a Hendrick winner has started.

50  Age in years of the oldest Hendrick Motorsports winner: Mark Martin, who won on Sept. 20, 2009 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
150  A Hendrick driver has scored perfect Driver Rating of 150.0 twice, both by Jimmie Johnson. The first came at Auto Club Speedway on Aug. 31, 2008; the second at Dover International Speedway on May 31, 2009.(NASCAR)(5-13-2012)

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)