- Contract Status: Sponsor: 2010; Driver: Lifetime
Races [6] that Nicorette is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Las Vegas - 3/2
Phoenix - 4/12
Chicago - 7/12
Richmond - 9/6
Atlanta - 10/26
Texas - 11/2
Races [2] that Pepsi is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
Talladega - 4/27
California - 8/31
- TWO Race Tracks Jeff Gordon has never won a CUP race at: There are TWO current race tracks the Sprint Cup Series runs on that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won at [a Sprint Cup race]:
Texas 0 for 15 with a best of 2nd in 2002
Homestead 0 for 8 with a best finish of 3rd 2004
Gordon has won at 22 [20 active] of 24 tracks he has raced on including two not on the circuit any longer, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham.
Gordon won at Phoenix in April to finally knock that track off the list in his 17th try there.(4-6-2008)
- Pepsi scheme for Gordon at Calif: Jeff Gordon will drive a specially painted #24 DuPont/Pepsi Chevy in the Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speeday.(Performance PR Plus), see an image of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page (not the Pepsi Stuff one)(8-27-2008)
- New website for Jeff Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon announced the latest releases in his Jeff Gordon Collection of fine wines, a 2006 Sonoma Coast Pinot Noir and a 2006 Carneros Chardonnay. At the same time, a website dedicated solely to the wines was launched as www.jeffgordonwines.com. Gordon’s wines are now available in four varietals; and a fifth wine, a Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot blend, “Joie de Vivre,” available only in 1.5-liter (magnum) bottles, will be released in October.(PRPlus PR)(8-14-2008)
- Special scheme for Jeff Gordon at Chicago: Jeff Gordon will drive a specially painted #24 DuPont/Nicorette Chevrolet Impala SS this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway. See images of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page. Also this weekend at the Nicorette Winner's Circle Exhibit at the Chicagoland Speedway, race fans have the opportunity to join the Nicorette QUIT Crew and pledge to quit smoking. For more information, go to www.quit2winracing.com or www.US99.com.(PR)(7-10-2008)
- DuPont, Customers to Help Rebuild Town Leveled by Tornado: DuPont and #24-Jeff Gordon announced that DuPont will partner with customers and make an initial donation of more than 30 innovative products and services worth nearly $750,000 to help rebuild homes and businesses in tornado-ravaged Greensburg, Kan. The donation also includes funding for two Habitat for Humanity homes. The town was leveled by one of the largest tornados in U.S. history in 2007. Very few structures remained in the aftermath of the deadly EF5 tornado and more than 1,500 people, who were displaced, are waiting to return to their homes. Greensburg residents are rebuilding their town using sustainable materials. The materials, which include key end-use products from DuPont customers, will provide a number of benefits to homeowners in Greensburg for safety and energy efficiency, using sustainable materials for both inside and outside their homes. Greensburg will premiere on Planet Green on June 15 at 9:00pm/et/pt and will air every Sunday for 12 additional weeks. The series will document the story of a community coming together and the enormous scope of rebuilding a small city. The 13-part series also is the subject of featured programming on the Discovery Communications, Inc. sister networks Discovery Channel, Science Channel and TLC.(PRPLUS PR)(6-13-2008)
- DuPont extends with Hendrick & Gordon: DuPont, Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy, announced that the current longest-running sponsor/driver/team combination in the Sprint Cup Series will continue through the 2010 racing season. At that point, the sponsorship will have been in existence for 18 years.
The contract extension was announced by Gordon and David G. Bills, DuPont chief marketing and sales officer, on DuPont NASCAR Day, an employee appreciation event held annually at the company's headquarters in Wilmignton, DE. "DuPont has a long tradition of excellence in the automotive world and we're proud to be a part of it," Gordon said. "The fact that we're now in our 16th year together speaks volumes about the success of this partnership." DuPont launched its NASCAR involvement in 1992, when it decided to sponsor Gordon, then a rookie 21-year-old driver from California, who had just been hired by Rick Hendrick, founder and CEO of Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon, now 36, is a four-time Cup Series champion. A long roster of DuPont brands and company messages appear with varying frequency on the #24 DuPont Chevrolet. The list includes the DuPont Oval logo, DuPont Tyvek Home Wrap, Pioneer Hi-Bred Seed, DuPont Automotive Finishes, DuPont Corian solid surfaces, DuPont Kevlar high strength material and many others.(PR Newswire)(5-29-2008) Comment here
- Hendrick streak intact: Hendrick Motorsports' streak of top-10 finishes improved to 77 Sprint Cup races after Sunday's event at Lowe's Motor Speedway when #24-Jeff Gordon took fourth and #88-Dale Earnhardt nabbed fifth. The last time a Hendrick driver wasn't in the top 10 was April 9, 2006. Finishing 11th, #48-Jimmy Johnson was Hendrick's top performer that day at Texas Motor Speedway.(HMS PR)(5-28-2008) Comment here
- Special Scheme for Gordon: During Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon’s #24 DuPont Chevrolet will carry a “Salute the Troops” decal while DuPont’s Kevlar brand fiber and Nomex brand fiber businesses appear on the TV panel.(Performance Plus PR)(5-21-2008)
- Gordon going for win record at All-Star race: Saturday night’s All-Star event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway is a “Sprint” race, and Jeff Gordon believes there is only one way to approach the annual event. “Go ‘all out.’” Gordon is currently tied with the late Dale Earnhardt for most victories in the non-points event for race winners. Each of Gordon’s three victories, coincidentally, occurred in years he won the NASCAR Cup Series championship (1995, 1997 and 2001). In 1995, he won all three segments en route to his first victory in the event. He won again in 1997 and, in 2001, he drove a backup car to victory after being involved in a first-lap crash [when it rained and over half the field was wiped out].(Performace Plus PR)(5-15-2008)
- Problems with #99 rear housing? #24-Jeff Gordon would like NASCAR to look into the way Roush Fenway Racing is adjusting the rear housing on Carl Edwards' #99 Ford to create a competitive advantage. Edwards has won three times on 1.5-mile tracks this season and was in position to win a fourth before having late engine problems. Many in the garage said during testing at Lowe's Motor Speedway earlier this week that the yaw created -- Edwards' car appears to be going sideways on the straightaway, creating more side force heading into the turns -- by turning the rear housing to the right gives Edwards a competitive advantage. " ... NASCAR knows it's happening," Gordon said on Friday at Darlington Raceway. "They are the ones that see the cars come through inspection. They see it. When cars can't even get on the scales because they're running sideways, it's something they need to address." Series director John Darby said there are no plans to further police the rear housing adjustment, noting NASCAR already has a rule restricting more than a quarter-inch change plus or minus. He added that Hendrick Motorsports, for which Gordon drives, was the first to experiment with the rear-housing adjustment on the new car and that Edwards' #99 team was one of the last. "They [complain] when we've got too many rules and then they want us to create more," Darby said of teams in general. "The process is so simple. There are limits on how far they can go."(full story at ESPN.com)(5-10-2008) Comment here
- Jeff Gordon celebrates 200 wishes granted: In 1995, a young driver named Jeff Gordon won his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. That same year, he also granted his first wish to a child with a life-threatening medical condition in partnership with the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Now 13 years later, Gordon is still collecting wins and still bringing smiles to Make-A-Wish kids through his strong commitment to wish granting – he passed the 200-wish mark earlier this season. The Make-A-Wish Foundation will celebrate his efforts when Joshua, 15, of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., meets Gordon at Phoenix International Raceway for his wish before Saturday's Subway Fresh Fit 500. Joshua will receive VIP treatment during the race weekend: In addition to his wish meeting Friday, he will take part in some of the pre-race activities with his favorite driver Saturday and then watch Gordon race for the checkered flag in the #24 car. Gordon will also present Joshua with special mementos of his wish. While he has fulfilled so many wishes, Gordon says that the number doesn't matter. He works with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to grant kids' heartfelt wishes nearly every weekend during the race season because of the profound effect these kids have on his life. Those who would like to support these efforts may donate in honor of Gordon's 200-plus wishes by visiting The Jeff Gordon Foundation Web site at www.jeffgordonfoundation.org or the Make-A-Wish Foundation Web site at www.wish.org. The NASCAR Foundation is also recognizing Gordon's wish-granting commitment by designating proceeds from the online sale of NASCAR Day pins this weekend to help fulfill future wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Visit www.NASCAR.com/NASCARDay to learn more.(4-12-2008) Comment here
- Special Salute the troops scheme at LMS in May: Memorial Day Weekend is always thrilling for race fans at Lowe's Motor Speedway. This year, a special celebration of America's military personnel takes place with the Salute the Troops program. Dale Earnhardt Jr and Hendrick Motorsports join the celebration of America's heroes with a special National Guard paint scheme on the #88 Chevy. This special paint scheme features the Salute the Troops logo on the hood, as well as the lower side panels. Salute the Troops will be an on-track program based around strength, patriotism and philanthropy. By positioning this program around Memorial Day, Motorsports Authentics and the teams involved will look to celebrate and honor one of the greatest federal holidays for Americans all year long. The program calls for teams to carry the "Salute the Troops" insignia and/or showcase a special paint out featuring a branch of the United States military. The Salute the Troops program will be on track in May for the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. This program will celebrate the history and tradition of the military branches on this Memorial Day weekend. The pre-race show for Memorial Day will include a military demonstration for the fans and then followed by a concert for the troops. In support of this program, Motorsports Authentics will create a unique and collectible line of Salute the Troops merchandise. Motorsports Authentics will create a line of Salute the Troops die-cast and collectables that will raise money for military families. In addition, MA will work with corporate sponsors to raise money and awareness for the men and women of the armed forces.
Scheduled Participating Sprint Cup Drivers:
#88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - Carrying the logo on hood and rear quarter panels
#24-Jeff Gordon - Carrying the logo on the decklid
#8-Mark Martin - Full military paint out with program logos
#21-Jon Wood - Full military paint out with program logos
#07-Clint Bowyer - Carrying the logo on the rear spoiler, along with Toast the Troops logo on the deck lid
Scheduled Participating Nationwide Seires Drivers:
#88-Brad Keselowski - Full military paint out
See the schemes on my #88 Team schemes page, #24 Team schemes page, #8 Team schemes page, #21 Team schemes page and #07 Team schemes page and on the Nationwide Series schemes Gallery.(4-8-2008)
- Only four drivers left: only four Sprint Cup drivers have ran all fifteen Sprint Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway including the race Sunday: #8-Mark Martin, #31-Jeff Burton, #24-Jeff Gordon and #43-Bobby Labonte. Martin and Burton have won at the track.(4-5-2008)
- Jeff Gordon featured in Men's Vogue: see the link on my Article Links page
- Jeff Gordon Featured on Cover of EA Sports NASCAR 09: Electronic Arts announced Jeff Gordon, legendary NASCAR driver of car #24, will be featured as the cover athlete for EA SPORTS NASCAR 09. NASCAR 09 is scheduled to ship in North America on June 10 and will offer an authentic, exhilarating stock car driving experience for racing fans of all ages. "It's exciting being on the cover of NASCAR 09," says Gordon. "The game is as real as it gets and it's been great being involved with it on this level. I look forward to helping gamers in NASCAR 09." Gordon's prestigious reputation aligns with the new NASCAR 09 career mode, "Sprint for the Cup." Gordon will bring the game to you as a
guide and a mentor to help you build your reputation to become the next Sprint Cup Series champion. With a completely rebuilt handling model, the game will be more accessible to newcomers while continuing to offer options that will challenge even the most experienced virtual driver. NASCAR 09 is an authentic NASCAR experience that will appeal to
every type of NASCAR enthusiast. Developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon, NASCAR 09 will be available for the Playstation 3 and Playstation 2 computer entertainment systems and the Xbox 360 video game and entertainment system.(Electronic Arts PR)(3-13-2008)
- Nicorette scheme for the #24 at Las Vegas UPDATE: Jeff Gordon will run the special #24 DuPont Nicorette Chevy paint scheme for the first of six races in 2008 at Sunday's UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. "It is rewarding to be involved with a sponsor such as Nicorette that focuses on making a difference in people's lives and helping people achieve better health by quitting smoking," said Gordon. "Nicorette continues to be an excellent partner and I look forward to a big weekend in the special DuPont Nicorette paint scheme at Las Vegas." The special paint scheme coincides with one of the most unique sponsorships in motorsports history with Nicorette helping race fans and crew members quit smoking through its QUIT Crew program. Nicorette's QUIT Crew program is currently helping over 300 NASCAR team members from 19 different racing organizations quit smoking through counseling, support, and the proper use of the smoking cessation products Nicorette, NicoDerm CQ and Commit. Quit smoking support is also available to NASCAR fans throughout race weekend at Nicorette's interactive Winner's Circle Exhibit located in the LVMS fan area. At the exhibit, Nicorette's certified smoking cessation coaches will be on hand to provide individuals with free, quit smoking counseling. For more information about Nicorette's racing program and on how to quit smoking, visit www.quit2winracing.com.(Lighthouse Marketing PR)(2-26-2008)
UPDATE: Gordon is scheduled to drive the #24 DuPont/Nicorette Chevy at Las Vegas, Phoenix [4/12], Chicago [7/12], Richmond [9/6], Atlanta [10/26] and Texas [11/2]. Nicorette also sponsors the Nicorette 300 Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 8. see an image of the scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page.(2-27-2008) Comment here
- Latest on the HMS engines: Jeff Andrews, head engine builder for Hendrick Motorsports, said that the team sent all its race engines back to the team's race shop Wednesday night after finding problems with the lifters. Andrews said the engines were being rebuilt and would return to the track Friday night. "Because of the wear we were seeing ... you end up with this debris in the engine,'' Andrews said. "You have to take [the engine] apart. Not only are you changing those parts, but you're taking apart and cleaning, washing everything and going back through it and fitting everything up again." Andrews said he saw no problems with the Hendrick engines after Thursday's first qualifying race.(Roanoke Times)(2-16-2008) Comment here
- Hendrick museum closes for renovations: The Hendrick Motorsports museum, located on the team's racing complex in Concord, has been temporarily closed to the public while it undergoes a full renovation. The redesigned facility will reopen in time for NASCAR's annual visit to Lowe's Motor Speedway in May. Hendrick Motorsports is located one mile from the race track. Also undergoing a facelift is Hendrick Motorsports' team store, which will reopen in a temporary location on Jan. 28. The store will operate under its regular business hours in the race shop of drivers Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson until construction on the new facility is completed. Other areas of the Hendrick Motorsports complex, including the team race shops, will remain open to the public during the museum renovation.(HMS Site)(1-25-2008) Comment here
- Report rates value of NASCAR sponsorships: Miller Brewing Co. is getting a high rate of return on its sponsorship of driver #2-Kurt Busch, at least when it comes to broadcasters and Busch himself mentioning one of his sponsors on the air, according to research released by SportsBusiness Journal. Busch ranked second among NASCAR drivers for on-air audio mentions of Busch and a sponsor, reflecting a monetary value for the media exposure of about $3.64 million. That was the conclusion of a recent report that captured and assessed the more than 96,000 sponsor impressions through NASCAR's 37-race Nextel Cup Series schedule, including the Nextel All-Star Challenge. Nearly 400 sponsors were tracked, analyzing primary and secondary car and driver partners, all race venue signage, and the myriad graphics and audio mentions from the races' TV broadcasts. As far as audio mentions, Busch ranked second in NASCAR with 124 "detections" equating to 10 minutes and 20 seconds of air time. Jeff Gordon, driving the #24 Du Pont Chevy, ranked the highest with 178 detections, equaling 14 minutes and 50 seconds of air time valued at $5.07 million. Busch didn't rank among the top five when both audio and video detections were evaluated. Nextel Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, driving the #48 Lowe's Chevy, was the top driver with 7,845 detections valued at $55.98 million. Among the beer brands, Miller Lite lost out to main rival Anheuser-Busch Cos. Inc.'s Budweiser brand, an official sponsor of NASCAR. Miller Lite had 2,099 detections valued at $18.48 million, compared with Budweiser's 3,024 detections valued at $45.54 million.(Milwaukee Business Journal)(12-12-2007)
- #44 crew chief heads to #24 a car chief: Jason Burdett has left Michael Waltrip Racing, where he served as crew chief for driver #44-Dale Jarrett, to become the car chief for Hendrick Motorsports' #24-Jeff Gordon, a Hendrick spokesman confirmed Wednesday. Burdett worked on the Gordon and Jimmie Johnson teams at Hendrick from 2000-2002 before joining Robert Yates Racing as the car chief for Jarrett. He joined MWR in May 2007 to replace Matt Borland as Jarrett's crew chief for the first-year Nextel Cup team. Burdett replaces Jeff Meendering, who has taken over as crew chief for Petty Enterprises' #43-Bobby Labonte. A replacement for Burdett at MWR has not been named.(SceneDaily.com)(11-28-2007)
- New crew chief for Labonte in 2008? UPDATE: Hearing that #24-Jeff Gordon's car chief [not crew chief], Jeff Meendering, will be Bobby Labonte's new crew chief of the #43 Cheerios/Petty Enterprises Dodge in 2008, replacing current #43 crew chief, Doug Randolph, will leave after the season and head to the #15 DEI team of Paul Menard.(11-9-2007)
UPDATE: The car chief for Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevy says he will wait until after the season to decide whether he will leave Hendrick Motorsports to pursue opportunities as a crew chief. Jeff Meendering, who joined Hendrick in 1994 and has been part of the #24 team since 2000, said several teams are interested in acquiring his services, but he said he hasn't decided whether he will accept one of those positions. One of those teams is Petty Enterprises and its #43 car, which has an opening after crew chief Doug Randolph was hired by Dale Earnhardt Inc. An Internet rumor said Meendering had already decided to join Petty as a crew chief next season. "I've talked to them," Meendering said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. "That's one of the options that's out there. I'm just trying to get through the season. I'm not committing to anything yet. I'm just looking at my options. I'm not saying I'm going to be doing anything different than [working at Hendrick] this year."(SceneDaily.com)(11-9-2007)
