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#24 Team News Archive
2009 News

  • 2009 Races [8] that National Guard is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
     Atlanta - 3/8
    Texas - 4/5, GED Plus
    Darlington - 5/9, ESGR - Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve
    Michigan - 6/14, Year of the NCO
    Chicago - 7/11
    Richmond - 9/12
    New Hampshire - 9/20
    Martinsville - 10/25, Nationaguard.com

  • Races [2] that Pepsi is scheduled to be the primary sponsor:
     Talladega [4/26] retro Pepsi
    California [10/11] new Pepsi logo

  • Year of the NCO scheme for Gordon at MIS: This weekend at Michigan, the National Guard's "Year of the Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO)" program will be showcased on the hood of the #24 DuPont/National Guard Chevy of Jeff Gordon. The Secretary of the Army established 2009 as the Year of the NCO in recognition of these soldiers' commitment to service and willingness to make great sacrifices on behalf of our nation. Referred to as the "Backbone of the Army," NCOs will be recognized throughout 2009. Visit nationalguard.com/JeffGordon to learn more about the program. On Oct. 6, 2008, Staff Sgt. Michael Noyce Merino, a Montana National Guard combat veteran and cattle rancher, was named the Army's 2009 "Best Warrior" and "Non-Commissioned Officer of the Year" at the Association of the U.S. Army's annual meeting and exposition in Washington, D.C. As the first National Guardsman to achieve the title of NCO of the Year, Merino will represent the Army and National Guard at pre-eminent soldier events throughout 2009 and will be a guest at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway.(HMS), see image of the hood on my #24 Team Schemes page.(6-12-2009)

  • Gordon discusses his back, no surgery planned: #24-Jeff Gordon met with media about his back, the transcript:
    HOW IS YOUR BACK AND HOW WILL IT HOLD UP HERE AT POCONO VERSUS A TRACK LIKE DOVER?: “I think this track is probably one of the easier tracks. You get a lot of resting period on those long straightaways. About the only place that it might be an issue will be under braking getting into turn one. I had to do a test at Road Atlanta this week – that was one of the real tests and I was surprised that we got through it pretty good. Especially after the wreck last Friday during qualifying. I was pretty sore from that. I think the road courses and Martinsville, Bristol – those are the toughest tracks on it. This one should be pretty easy.”
    HOW IS YOUR BACK FEELING?: “Right now I’m feeling pretty good. It’s always nice to have an extra day of rest – kind of got that today. I know there’s a lot of people that this didn’t work out so well for. For us, it worked out well – we got an extra day of rest, got a great starting position, great pit stall and now we can go focus for the race on Sunday. We’ll get out there tomorrow with the car in race conditions.”
    DO YOU KNOW WHETHER YOU WILL HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY ON YOUR BACK?: “Surgery really hasn’t been an option looking at my condition and the options of surgery is really too invasive. I don’t necessarily think it’s necessary. I might do another treatment of what I did a couple weeks ago. We have to wait four to six weeks. They say the second treatment you usually have a lot better results than the first one. I really haven’t seen any big effects from the first one so I wasn’t really thrilled about doing a second one. Anytime they talk about sticking needles in your back it’s not something I’m looking forward to. It wasn’t so bad though and I’m certainly willing to give it a shot so we’ll do that when the time’s right and it fits in the schedule. Until then, my focus is on the training and just stretching. It’s strengthening the area, my whole core area and that’s been great for me in a lot of ways because it’s got me in better physical shape. From a cardio standpoint especially, when I’m in the car everything feels better. I don’t feel as hot in the car, I don’t feel as winded and it’s just dealing with the spasms – just the muscles getting really tight and causing some pain there. Other than that, we’re getting through it.”
    DO YOU HAVE A ROUTINE BEFORE EVERY RACE?: “One thing we started this year was just incorporating an individual that comes to the track – it takes usually about an hour a day. They do ultrasound, massage and then some stretching. Then usually after the day is over I do some ice on my back. It’s just a routine. It doesn’t happen overnight or just flip a switch – just gradually getting used to the stuff going on in the car and getting stronger and getting better. I try to get in some stuff with my doctors when I’m at home that is a little more intense than that and then training as well. Being a Dad too – all those are great training.”(Chevy Racing)(6-6-2009)

  • #24 car to honor police at Dover: The TV panel on the #24 DuPont Chevy of Jeff Gordon will feature www.PoliceMuseum.org at Dover International Speedway, and visitors to the site are encouraged to donate to the National Law Enforcement Museum that will be built in Washington, D.C. “Dover International Speedway offered special race-day ticket packages for law enforcement officers and their families with a portion of the proceeds donated to the museum,” said Gordon. “And DuPont has done a lot to raise awareness and money for this project. “A very worthwhile project that I’m glad to be a part of.”(HMS)(5-28-2009)

  • Race for Television Exposure Goes Gordon’s Way: With seven top-10 finishes and a win to his credit through the first 10 races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Jeff Gordon is easily winning the battle for television exposure on behalf of his corporate sponsors. Gordon’s brands have appeared for 12.5 hours during TV coverage devoted to the races, nearly 1.5 hours more than sponsors received from the second-most exposure prolific driver, Jimmy Johnson. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius & Associates, Inc. — which specializes in measuring the scope of sponsorships across all forms of media — 70 brands appearing on locations such as Gordon’s car, uniform and support crew’s uniforms have appeared clear and in-focus for a total of 12 hours, 27 minutes, 10 seconds (12:27:10) during television coverage of NASCAR’s first 10 official points races. Additionally, those sponsors have been mentioned by Gordon or the announcers 103 times. In comparison, 54 brands have been monitored with Johnson thus far in 2009, amassing a cumulative on-screen time of 10:42:03, while also being mentioned verbally on 100 occasions.
    Other exposure findings from the first 10 race telecasts:
    Most exposure for Series sponsor Sprint from a driver: 00:15:08 (Gordon)
    Most verbal mentions for a primary team sponsor: 35 (Home Depot-J. Logano)
    Most exposure for tire provider Goodyear from a driver: 00:12:24 (Johnson)
    Most exposure for an auto manufacturer from a driver: 01:17:37 (Chevrolet-Gordon)
    Most exposure from identity on a hood: 02:01:43 (Lowe’s-Johnson)
    Top Exposure Producing Drivers (After 10 Races):
    Driver, Points Standing, Total Brands, Exposure Time, Verbal Mentions
    1) Gordon, J., 1, 70, 12:27:10, 103
    2) Johnson, J., 6, 54, 10:42:03, 34
    3) Busch, Ky., 5, 69, 10:01:00, 100
    4) Kenseth, M., 12, 56, 08:22:09, 50
    5) Busch, Ku., 2, 33, 07:53:00, 56
    6) Earnhardt, D. Jr., 18, 45, 07:35:44, 32
    7) Edwards, C., 9, 57, 07:24:10, 61
    8) Stewart, T., 3, 46, 06:30:11, 58
    9) Martin, M., 15, 56, 06:20:56, 34
    10) Hamlin, D., 4, 46, 05:26:05, 58
    (Joyce Julius & Assoc)(5-21-2009)

  • After back procedure, Gordon ready to go 600 miles: UPDATE: For #24-Jeff Gordon, the 600- mile race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway provides a test for his back after a recent procedure to ease pain. Gordon, who has experienced progressively worse back pain over the past few years, had treatment on Monday. The driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy hopes the procedure will alleviate much – if not all – of the pain. “I had a facet block procedure done on my back on Monday and it went well,” said Gordon. “I was a little sore after the procedure, but I’ll definitely take that brief bit of soreness if it stops the recurring back pain I’ve had. “I hope that will end the back issues I’ve been having, but it’s too early to tell if that fixed the problem.” Never mind 600 miles on Sunday, Gordon may have a better understanding of the results of the procedure by midweek. He is scheduled to participate in “Ultimate Speed” on Wednesday – a karting event that will raise money for the Jeff Gordon Foundation and the Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital in Concord.(Performance Plus)(5-19-2009)
    UPDATE: Sprint Cup points leader Jeff Gordon underwent a facet block procedure on his back on Monday that he hopes will alleviate the pain that has gotten progressively worse. A facet block injection is performed to confirm that a facet joint is the source of pain and decrease the pain and inflammation in a facet joint or joints. The injection is typically recommended for those who fail to respond to other conservative treatments. In some cases the next step if the problem is not corrected surgery may be necessary.(ESPN.com)(5-20-2009)

  • Hendrick to appear on Oprah: Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group, will make an appearance on the Tuesday, May 19 edition of "The Oprah Winfrey Show." The episode is entitled "Heroes in Hard Times."
    "The Oprah Winfrey Show" is produced in Chicago by Harpo Productions Inc. and syndicated to 214 domestic stations by CBS Television Distribution Group and to 143 countries by CBS Paramount International Television. It has been the No. 1-rated talk show for 22 consecutive seasons. Visit www.oprah.com for local listings.(HMS)(5-18-2009)

  • Hendrick set to return from illness: Sidelined the past several weeks by a fast-spreading sinus infection, NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick plans to return to the track this weekend after a five-race absence. Hendrick has not been to the track since Jimmie Johnson helped his boss celebrate his 25th anniversary in NASCAR with a March 29th victory at Martinsville Speedway. He skipped the next two events, races in Texas and Phoenix, for personal and business reasons. Then he was stricken with a sinus infection that spread to both his chest and ears, keeping him away from the track another three races. He needed tubes inserted in both ears to fight the infection. "They say the tubes are for kids, so I guess I'm a 59-year-old kid with ear infections," he said Tuesday. "I've got a weak immune system, and this infection just jumped on me. I was a sick puppy there for about three weeks. But I am much better, feeling more like myself." Hendrick's immune system was weakened by a long, but successful, fight with leukemia 12 years ago. "If I am not careful, I get knocked on my butt," said Hendrick, who spent more than four hours with employees Tuesday passing out the championship rings from Johnson's third title. The illness kept Hendrick away from wins by Jeff Gordon at Texas, and Mark Martin in Phoenix and Darlington, S.C. Hendrick watched all the races he missed on TV, admittedly screaming at his set and often second-guessing strategy through text messages to team vice president Doug Duchardt. He then called his drivers in Victory Lane, a scene often caught on live television that drew attention to his absence. Hendrick said he'll ease back into at-track activities with the All-Star race this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he traditionally celebrates Charlotte Speedweeks by treating employees from both his motorsports and automotive programs to weekends at the track.(ESPN/AP)
    AND: The Hendrick Motorsports Museum and Team Store has updated its exhibits and extended its hours for fans visiting during the upcoming race weeks. More info at hendrickmotorsports.com.(5-13-2009)

  • Gordon to have treatment on his back: #24-Jeff Gordon said that he will have some treatment on his back on May 18, two days after the all-star race. Here's what he said about his back and how it's impacted him.
    "(The treatment) is nothing invasive. it's just some injections that are going to do deal with the pain. They say it's sort of like an arthritis and it's excessive because of some of the trauma that my back has gone through, maybe through some wrecks or something. So that's what we're going to do. That's the plan.''
    Q: What is the back pain you've been feeling?
    GORDON: "I can't stand up for long periods of time. I can't sit. It's not like an excruciating pain. People have disc problems. I'm not one of those people. Mine is more nerves and muscular that when I'm in the car and really pulling Gs and using the steering wheel a lot and using the brake pedal a lot, it just really aggrevates the muscle. There are a couple of tracks, like Martinsville and Bristol that have been really tough. I was actually pretty good last week. So far it's been good here this week. It's there but the things that I'm doing, the training, the massage, the stretching, those things right now are starting to pay off for me and right now I'm not having as much issues as I had at Bristol.
    Q: With your treatment is this still something you're going to have to live with for the rest of your life or will the treatment eliminate it?
    GORDON: "They say sometimes it eliminates it and sometimes it lasts six months. Everybody is different, so I won't really know.
    Q: How long have you been feeling this pain?
    GORDON: "I think I ignored it over the last couple of years. It's been building and getting worse. Last year, it really started aggravating me and I just didn't get on it soon enough. I tried differnet things but they just weren't working. It needed a whole routine, a whole different lifestyle for me. So I started to go to work on that over the offseason because I felt it was affecting me in the car late in the season and I didn't want to have any excuses, so I went to work on it. I was surprised over the offseason not doing any driving how bad it was just starting the season off at Daytona. That's when I really knew that I've got to get something done.''(Virginia Pilot)(5-9-2009)

  • National Guard scheme returns on the #24: This weekend at Darlington Raceway, the National Guard's ESGR program will be showcased on the hood of the #24 DuPont/National Guard Chevy that Jeff Gordon drives. Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) is a Department of Defense initiative that seeks to develop and promote a culture in which all American employers support and value the military service of their employees. It does so by recognizing outstanding employer support, increasing awareness of the law, and resolving conflicts through mediation. For more information on the ESGR program, please visit nationalguard.com. In addition to this weekend at Darlington, Gordon will partner with the National Guard at five other venues: Michigan in June, Chicago in July, Richmond in Sept., New Hampshire in Sept. 20, and Martinsville in Oct.(HMS PR) see images of the scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page.(5-7-2009)

  • Gordon's back still hurtin': from a GM Racing Jeff Gordon Press Conference Transcript:
    LAST WEEK YOU WEREN’T FEELING THAT GREAT AND YOUR BACK WAS HURTING YOU, IS IT BETTER NOW? “There are certainly tracks that are definitely harder on my back and Phoenix is one of them. Richmond coming up will be another one. Martinsville, Bristol and road courses. The pain has not subsided any, the way that the muscle reacts and spasms is not getting any better but I’m getting stronger and I don’t expect it to happen overnight and go away. It’s going to take time. Last week my back wasn’t what was preventing us from being more competitive, I think it was a combination of things. I was sick. I didn’t feel like I gave good feedback to the team throughout the whole weekend. We qualified good and we picked the number two pit stall and it didn’t seem to work out as good for us as it had. We had some trouble there. All the way around it seemed like we under-performed and it’s a good wake-up call for us. I mean this is a totally different type of race this weekend but I expect us to be strong and have fun this weekend especially with the Pepsi throw back paint scheme. We’re looking forward to going to Richmond next weekend and getting our short-track program where it can be.”(GM Racing PR)(4-25-2009)
    UPDATE: from Friday's press conference: ""I had another MRI, one that was more detailed this week and I've got some information that I'm just not ready to release yet or admit to yeah we found some things and have a better diagnosis of it. When I know how I'm going to treat it I'll let you guys know. I don't believe it's anything serious. It's just something that's causing the pain. There's a little bit of arthritis which is not totally unnatural but there's also some other things that come from what they can understand from trauma or a crash or maybe just years of beating it up. Heck I don't know I might have picked up my luggage or something and then tore something up in there. So I don't know, but we have a better diagnosis of it and I've got some experts that are giving me all the best scenarios."(GM Racing PR)(5-2-2009)

  • Gordon wins 1st Qtr Award: #24-Jeff Gordon's fast start, and return to victory lane, turned the tide as he was voted first quarter Driver of the Year 2009. Gordon, a four-time NASCAR champion and the only four-time winner of the Driver of the Year AWARD led the Sprint Cup standings as of the date of this year's first ballot. Although he won a single event, the Samsung 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway, his early performance impressed the elite panel of voters as he narrowly beat #18-Kyle Busch 111-107 in the vote. In the voting Gordon took eight first-place ballots and he was on every ballot. But still Kyle Busch, who drives the #18 M & M's Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, was a close second-place only four points behind Gordon. He received seven first-place votes. Ron Capps, who drives for Don Schumacher in the NHRA PowerAde drag racing series, scored one first place vote and was third in the voting with 66 points. Donnie Schatz and Mark Martin each scored one first-place vote. A total of 17 drivers scored points in the first quarter voting. Gordon will receive a trophy and a Tissot wristwatch to be presented at a later date.(DOTY PR)(4-29-2009)

  • Retro Pepsi image at 'Dega for Gordon UPDATE 2: The year was 1983 when Darrell Waltrip took to the track in the Pepsi Challenger Chevy. Waltrip had won back-to-back titles and was trying for three in a row when PepsiCo changed the primary sponsor on his car from Mountain Dew to its signature brand before the season. Waltrip failed to win the title that year. At Talladega, Jeff Gordon will go retro with Waltrip's 1983 paint scheme on his car.(gordonline.com), see an image there or on my #24 Team Schemes page.(3-10-2009)
    UPDATE: #24-Jeff Gordon will drive a special retro “Pepsi Challenger” #24 paint scheme Chevy in Talladega on April 26, 2009. Inspired by Darrell Waltrip’s Pepsi Challenger of the 1980’s this car will feature retro Pepsi logos and a white and yellow scheme.(JeffGordon.com), see images of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(3-30-2009)
    UPDATE 2: Jeff Gordon will give fans a blast from the past at Talladega this weekend when he drives a retro Pepsi Throwback paint- scheme on his #24 DuPont/ Pepsi Throwback Challenger Chevrolet on April 26 at Talladega Superspeedway. The last time fans saw this memorable yellow paint scheme was over 25 years ago, when Darrell Waltrip drove the #11 Pepsi Challenger to victory lane six times in the race for the 1983 Cup Championship. Gordon's latest paint scheme celebrates Pepsi Throwback, a new limited time only product sweetened with natural sugar in a retro-look package, offering consumers a taste of the past. The cola began appearing in stores on April 20 and will be available for eight weeks. Gordon, who is Pepsi's longest standing spokesperson, will be sporting a memorable Pepsi Throwback racing suit, similar to the one worn by Waltrip in 1983. As part of the Throwback celebration, Pepsi is launching a number of in-store promotions. Tear pads located in retail outlets will give fans the chance to win cool throwback prizes- five fans will win a trip to DW Motorsports in Charlotte for a barbecue with Darrell Waltrip; 20 winners will receive a Darrell Waltrip autographed retro die-cast car; one lucky fan will win the retro racing suit Jeff Gordon wears during race week at Talladega; and 600 other fans will win a Jeff Gordon/Darrell Waltrip Throwback tee-shirt. Additionally, there will be a new Throwback look for PepsiRacing.com, where each race fans have the chance to win the same cash prize as the winning driver. A free desktop wallpaper featuring Jeff Gordon will be available for download on PepsiRacing.com.(Pepsi Racing PR)(4-24-2009)

  • Current longest-tenured driver/crew chief pairings:
    After the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Saturday, Richard Childress Racing will swap crews and crew chiefs on the #07 & #29 teams, bringing and end to the second longest current driver/crew chief combination.
    Driver / Crew Chief: Start Date
    #48-Jimmie Johnson / Chad Knaus: October 2001
    #29-Kevin Harvick / Todd Berrier*: March 2003*
    #24-Jeff Gordon / Steve Letarte: September 2005
    #88-Dale Earnhardt, Jr. / Tony Eury, Jr.: September 2005
    #11-Denny Hamlin / Mike Ford: October 2005
    #31-Jeff Burton / Scott Miller: November 2005
    * - Ending after Sunday's race at Talladega
    (Sports Illustrated)(4-24-2009)

  • Hendrick drivers win three in a row: #5-Mark Martin's win last week at Phoenix International Raceway came on the heels of two other Hendrick Motorsports wins -- #48-Jimmie Johnson at Martinsville and #24-Jeff Gordon at Texas -- and marked the third time Hendrick Motorsports has won three consecutive Cup events with three different drivers. Hendrick, the only team in NASCAR's modern era to have three different drivers win in three straight races, accomplished the feat in 2007 -- with Johnson, Gordon and Casey Mears -- and in 1989 -- with Darrell Waltrip, Ken Schrader and Geoff Bodine. In 1956, Carl Kiekhaefer's drivers won three in a row twice. Buck Baker, Speedy Thompson and Herb Thomas contributed to the first streak, while Baker, Jack Smith and Thompson were part of the other.(HMS PR)(4-23-2009)

  • Hendrick to swap #5 and #88 crew chiefs? UPDATE no truth to it? Sources within Hendrick Motorsports confirmed to Captain Thunder that discussions were held over the Easter break regarding the possible switching of crew chiefs between the #5 and #88 teams. Mark Martin's crew chief Alan Gustafson was said to be on the block and was willing to move to the #88 team and Martin was willing to support the move. The discussions over Easter ended with an agreement between the two teams and Mr. Hendrick to keep their current teams in tact for at least three more weeks to see if both teams could improve on the slow start they have endured through the first part of the 2009 Sprint Cup season. Sources said Tony Eury Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin, and Gustafson all agreed that if Mr. Hendrick wanted a change, they would be willing to swap Gustafson for Eury Jr. However, with Martin's win Saturday night in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix, any switch is now out of the question for the foreseeable future. Hendrick and Martin have no desire to take Gustafson away from the #5 team after the way they dominated the Phoenix race. Now, the timetable is set for the All-Star race at Charlotte on May 16th. If both teams continue to perform poorly, expect a change the week of the All-Star race. However, if Martin's team continues to gain momentum following their Phoenix win, and the #88 team continues to struggle, sources said Eury Jr. could be replaced by car chiefs Ron Malec of the #48 team or Jason Burdett of the #24 team.(CaptainThunderRacing.com and reported on the Bubba the Love Sponge radio show by Capt Thunder)(4-22-2009)
    UPDATE: Will rumors of a Hendrick Motorsports separation of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Eury Jr. ever end? Ever? Ever? Never, as long as there are upstart, cottage-industry Web-sites churning this stuff out, and others linking to it. "There's absolutely nothing to this," came an e-mail reply from high-up inside Hendrick, when the latest one was checked. The latest report appears on Jayski.com, picked up from CaptainThunderRacing.com, that meetings were held over the Easter break at Hendrick. Supposedly there was discussion of swapping crew chiefs, with Eury going to Mark Martin, and Alan Gustafson going to Earnhardt, if the two teams' performances didn't improve within three races. Here's how screwy this stuff can get. Right in the middle of the CaptainThunder report, there's a line, "However, with Martin's win Saturday night in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix, any switch is now out of the question for the foreseeable future." Then the report goes right on to say that new deadlines have been set for a possible switch: "If both teams continue to perform poorly, expect a change the week of the All-Star race." The wackiness warranted a double-check high-up at Hendrick, which brought the firm reply, "Not a shred of truth to any of it."(ESPN Insider)(4-22-2009)

  • Gordon, Johnson going for records at Phoenix: Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won four straight races at Phoenix International Raceway, with #48-Jimmie Johnson visiting Victory Lane during the last three events. #24-Jeff Gordon won the April 21, 2007, contest after starting from the pole position. During the last eight races at the track, Hendrick Motorsports drivers have claimed five victories and five pole positions. Last November, Jimmie Johnson made track history by becoming the first driver to win three consecutive races at Phoenix International Raceway. On Saturday, the three-time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion will attempt to extend that history with a fourth consecutive Phoenix victory - this time in the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 500. Gordon, who ended a 47-race winless streak on April 5 with his first victory at Texas Motor Speedway, now has 82 in his career. He stands one behind fifth-place Cale Yarborough on the all-time victories list and only two away from tying Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(4-15-2009)

  • Could Gordon catch Pearson in wins? Now that Jeff Gordon has proved he still has some victories left in him, fans will start to ask whether he can catch David Pearson for #2 on NASCAR's list for career victories. #24-Jeff Gordon has won 82 times, but he has another 24 burnouts ahead of him if he's going to pass David Pearson for the second most Cup victories. It's a virtual certainty that Gordon will blow by the three drivers between him and Pearson -- Cale Yarborough (83 wins), Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip (84 wins each). But catching Pearson is a much tougher task for Gordon, who turns 38 on Aug. 4. Gordon would need to average almost five victories a season over the next five years. We could say he needs to average only 2.4 wins a season over the next 10 years, but Gordon has said repeatedly that he has no intention of racing into his late 40s. Gordon averaged three wins a year over the previous four seasons. If he keeps that pace, a reasonable expectation, he would tie Pearson in the 2016 season, when Gordon would be 45. Find one more victory somewhere along the way and he would own the #2 spot all alone.(ESPN.com)(4-11-2009)

  • Jeff Gordon involved in Niagra Race Track: New details surrounding a proposed $200-million, 65,000-seat international motor speedway in Fort Erie [Ontario, Canada] have surfaced. An article published in the inaugural edition of Professional Motorsport Circuit, an international trade journal, says NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon is involved with the project. Gordon's name has been tagged with a signature speedway and a driving school that's part of the proposal. The article was written by Azhar Mohammad - executive director of Emirates Consulting, a Toronto-based subsidiary of Kuwaiti-based investment bank Bayt Al Mal Investment Co., that is financially backing the project. Mohammad could not be reached for comment Tuesday. "After carefully studying the pitfalls and successes of motor-sport initiatives in the North American market for almost two years, (Bayt Al Mal Investment Co.) assembled a high-profile team," the article states. "The team was spearheaded by multi-NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, flanked by Paxton Waters Architecture, Derek Daly Design, and Philips Engineering, and supported by a host of local and international strategic partners." Last October, plans were announced for a motor speedway on lands near the QEW, between Gilmore Road and Bowen Road. Bayt Al Mal, which has been assembling more than 600 acres of land for the project, has done numerous environmental, planning and engineering studies to support its application and has invested several million dollars. The proposal is working its way through the Town of Fort Erie's planning department. Fort Erie Mayor Doug Martin confirmed there has been talks with Gordon's representatives. "We have met with them at the region, they have been here," Martin said Tuesday. "Through the proposal that's obviously coming on, we were aware that (Bayt Al Mal) were in talks with Jeff Gordon's (people)."(Niagara Falls Review)(4-8-2009)

  • Gordon down to one track with no win: #24-Jeff Gordon's win at Texas means there's only one track on the Sprint Cup circuit at which he has yet to win, that being Homestead-Miami Speedway, where the series runs only once a year, the season finale. Gordon has won on 23 of the 24 tracks he has raced at in the Cup Series, including two tracks that are no longer active, North Wilkesboro and Rockingham. He also draws just one win shy of Cale Yarborough for the fifth-most wins in Cup history, and a pair shy of tying Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third. But how do those drivers shape up as far as number of tracks won at? Let's check out the numbers:
    Driver -- Wins -- Tracks won at
    Richard Petty -- 200 -- 51 of 84
    David Pearson -- 105 -- 38 of 65
    Bobby Allison -- 84 -- 28 of 47
    Darrell Waltrip -- 84 -- 16 of 26
    Cale Yarborough -- 83 -- 18 of 46
    Jeff Gordon -- 82 -- 23 of 24
    Of course, a disclaimer here is that in the old days of NASCAR, many tracks were raced at once or just a handful of times, but that's still pretty impressive.(ESPN.com)
    Current Drivers: the active leaders with the most wins at the 22 different tracks currently on the NSCS schedule:
    Rank, Driver, Number of Tracks 1. #24-Jeff Gordon, 21
    2. #14-Tony Stewart, 19
    3. #48-Jimmie Johnson, 16
    4. #5-Mark Martin, 16
    5. #18-Kyle Busch, 13
    (NASCAR PR)(4-8-2009)

  • Gordon's Crew Scores Back-to-Back Tissot Pit Road Wins: It was a double victory for the #24 team Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway in Forth Worth. Along with driver Jeff Gordon winning the 500-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup race, the #24 over-the-wall crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award. Gordon's crew also won the pit road competition the previous week in Martinsville. The #24 crew claimed the Tissot win in Texas due to Gordon's DuPont/National Guard Chevy spending the least amount of time on pit road -- 217.453 seconds. Gordon's pit crew consists of: Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Mike Houston (front tire carrier), Tim Ladyga (rear-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Jeff Cook (jackman), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth man). The pit crew coach is Greg Morin. For winning the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award, the #24 team will receive $5,000. The team with the most pit road wins at the completion of the 36-race schedule will earn a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the driver and over-the-wall crew members.(Tissot PR)(4-8-2009)

  • Letarte Named Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race at Texas: Steve Letarte, crew chief for the #24 DuPont/National Guard GED Plus Chevy driven by Jeff Gordon, has been named the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race in Sunday's Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead. The Wypall Wipers Crew Chief Challenge will continue throughout the 2009 season and spotlight the men behind the machines.(Wypall PR)(4-8-2009)

  • Jeff Gordon finally wins at Texas: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway for his first win at Texas [Homestead is the lone track Gordon has not won a race in Sprint Cup], his 1st win of 2009, his first win in 47 races [his last points win was at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Oct 2007] and 82nd win of his career. #48-Johnson finished 2nd, followed by #16-Biffle, #14-Stewart, #17-Kenseth, #5-Martin, #42-Montoya, #2-Busch, #31-Burton and #99-Edwards. Pole sitter #00-Reutimann finished 11th and #88-Earnhardt Jr. finished 20th, a lap down. There were 6 cautions for 30 laps and there were 28 lead changes among 14 drivers.
    For race results, awards and more on the Texas Race Results Page.
    For drivers and owners points standings, see the Drivers/Owners Points Standings.(4-5-2009)

  • Gordon has good record at Texas, but no wins: #24-Jeff Gordon has more top-five and top-10 finishes than any other Sprint Cup driver at Texas Motor Speedway. He ranks sixth on the all-time Sprint Cup win list with 81 victories and out of the 22 tracks on the Cup circuit, Gordon is lacking wins on two - Homestead and Texas. In Gordon's last appearance at TMS, the Dickies 500, he sat on the pole and finished runner-up to Carl Edwards. Gordon went winless last season for the first time since 1993, his first full Cup season, but the #24 team has started 2009 on a better note. Gordon is situated among the points leaders and has posted second-places finishes at Daytona and Atlanta.(TMS PR)(4-3-2009)

  • National Guard returns on the #24: #24-Jeff Gordon and his Hendrick Motorsports team have a chance to share their patriotism publicly this season by featuring National Guard community-related initiatives on the hood of the #24 Chevy in eight Sprint Cup Series events. The National Guard's mission is to use the #24 car as a platform to help create awareness on some of the special programs it has to offer. These programs provide such incentives like job opportunities, valuable career training, college tuition, salary and benefits and the guidance needed to excel in life. This weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, Gordon's car will spotlight the National Guard's GED Plus program. The GED Plus program courses take only three weeks and has a success rate of more than 93 percent. Soldiers enlisted under the program earn a monthly paycheck and have the opportunity to select from more than 200 Military Occupational Specialties in which they can become skilled. For more information, visit www.nationalguard.com/JeffGordon.(NASCAR.com)(4-1-2009)

  • Back problems for Jeff Gordon? Okay, what's the deal with Jeff Gordon's back? He's talked for three weeks now about chronic back pain. And that sounds suspiciously like the type of pain that Ricky Rudd and Mark Martin have endured. Martin himself had major back surgery a few years ago to alleviate his pain. Gordon has made no mention of any possible surgery, but his repeated complaints are raising eyebrows. At the moment he's been doing some heavy-duty workouts to try to relieve the pain.(mikemulhern.net)(3-29-2009)

  • 25th anniversary of Hendrick's 1st win: On Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports will mark the 25th anniversary of its first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. Since the organization began competing as All-Star Racing in 1984, it has grown from five employees and 5,000 square feet of rented work space to more than 500 employees and more than 100 acres straddling Cabarrus and Mecklenburg counties in North Carolina. It was the eighth race of the 1984 Cup Series season, and Geoff Bodine lined up sixth at Martinsville Speedway in the #5 Chevy for Rick Hendrick's fledgling All-Star Racing team. On that day -- April 29, 1984 -- Bodine led 55 laps en route to capturing the organization's first win. Reaching Victory Lane wasn't easy, though. Bodine had to pass then-defending Cup champion Bobby Allison with 48 laps to go to take the lead. Hendrick wasn't at Martinsville to experience the first of his 17 Cup wins at the .526-mile oval. The car owner was attending church with his wife, Linda, in Greensboro, N.C., during the race. He received a phone call with the news and headed straight for Bodine's home in Pleasant Garden, N.C., to celebrate. Frank Edwards, 72, was one of the five original employees at Hendrick Motorsports. Initially a setup specialist, Edwards moved from his home in Danville, Va., when Hendrick told him about his plans to start the race team. Edwards has held many roles within the team and currently works in the company's show-car department as a fabricator and mechanic.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(3-27-2009)

  • Boy Scouts honor Jeff Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon has something in common with 13 presidents, Charles Lindbergh, Walt Disney, Hank Aaron and Colin Powell. He's a Silver Buffalo. Or at least he received the Silver Buffalo award, Boy Scouts of America's highest honor given to volunteers. Gordon got the award Tuesday during the annual BSA Mecklenburg County Council's Friends of Scouting Leadership Dinner at the Charlotte Convention Center. He was recognized for his work recruiting boys to Cub Scouts and other humanitarian ventures involving children. Gordon, whose stepfather is an Eagle Scout, has been the honorary chairman and spokesman for the "Race Into Cub Scouting," a national campaign to recruit boys into Cub Scouts. He made PSAs and personal appearances for Cub Scouts. The foundation he started in 1999 has raised million to help children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses. "Jeff has been a great supporter of scouting the last three years; he's been very instrumental in the successful campaign to recruit kids into Boy Scouts," Bob Mazzuca, BSA's chief scout executive, told the Observer before the dinner. "He's been very generous with his time. Just his stature has been a huge help for us to recruit kids."(JeffGordon.com)(3-25-2009)

  • 250 top 5's for Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon made his 550th career start at Bristol Motor Speedway in the Food City 500, with his 4th place finish, Gordon now has 250 top-five finishes, which is 7th best all time. Next up is Cale Yarborough at 255. Richard Petty has the most with 555.(3-23-2009)

  • Retro Pepsi image at 'Dega for Gordon: The year was 1983 when Darrell Waltrip took to the track in the Pepsi Challenger Chevy. Waltrip had won back-to-back titles and was trying for three in a row when PepsiCo changed the primary sponsor on his car from Mountain Dew to its signature brand before the season. Waltrip failed to win the title that year. At Talladega, Jeff Gordon will go retro with Waltrip's 1983 paint scheme on his car.(gordonline.com), see an image there or on my #24 Team Schemes page.(3-10-2009)

  • Jeff Gordon to Receive Boy Scouting's Highest Award: #24-Jeff Gordon has been selected to receive Boy Scouts of America's (BSA) highest honor for his efforts in Scouting's national recruiting program as well as his personal humanitarian work. The commendation, known as the Silver Buffalo award, will be presented at the annual Boy Scout Leadership Dinner at the Charlotte Convention Center, March 24, 2009. Gordon is being recognized for his work as honorary chairman and spokesperson for the "Race into Cub Scouting" national recruiting program. He will also be honored for his personal humanitarian efforts, including the work of The Jeff Gordon Foundation that he formed in 1999. Since its inception, the foundation has raised more than $7 million for children's charities. The award will be presented by dignitaries including Rick Cronk, retired president, Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream and volunteer past president, BSA; and Robert Mazzuca, current chief Scout executive of BSA. Duke Energy's group executive and chief legal officer Marc E. Manly is serving as the dinner's chairman. The featured speaker will be Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports and chairman of Hendrick Automotive Group. The Silver Buffalo award, Scouting's highest commendation, recognizes the invaluable contributions that outstanding American men and women render to youth on a national level. Past recipients of the award include Charles Lindbergh, Walt Disney, Hank Aaron, General Colin Powell, and 13 Presidents of the United States.(prnewswire.com)(3-7-2009)

  • #24 to spotlight National Guard program at Atlanta: This weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon will trade in the bold orange, yellow and black hues that have adorned the hood of his #24 Chevy so far this season for the opportunity to spotlight one of the National Guard's community programs. Gordon will bring awareness to the National Guard's community-related initiatives this season during eight Sprint Cup Series races, starting with Sunday's Kobalt Tools 500. This weekend, the hood of his #24 DuPont/National Guard Chevy will feature the National Guard Youth Challenge program. The voluntary, 17-month program, which is funded by federal and state partnerships, is available at no cost to participants who are at-risk teens between the ages of 16-18. The program provides them with job training, life skills and the confidence to tackle life successfully, as well as a glimpse into the life of National Guard soldier. Visit ngyouthfoundation.org for more information. In addition to this weekend's Sprint Cup Series event at Atlanta, Gordon will partner with the National Guard in seven other races this season and help bring awareness to some of its special programs and benefits. These races include Texas on April 5; Darlington on May 9; Michigan on June 14; Chicagoland on July 11; Richmond Raceway on Sept. 12; New Hampshire on Sept. 20; and Martinsville on Oct. 25. "I'm really excited about having the National Guard on board this season," Gordon said. "They've been a great addition to Hendrick Motorsports, having them on the #88 team and seeing what they've done there. Obviously, we've gotten an introduction. The people are great to work with. I think it really ties to our fans. Obviously, (Dale Earnhardt) Jr. has a different fan base than I have, but I think both of us really have a connection with our fans and that connection can transfer over to the National Guard and be fantastic. With our sport being as patriotic as it is and all-American, I think it makes perfect sense."(HMS PR), see an image of the National Guard scheme on the #24 Team Schemes page [not sure if this will be the one run at Atlanta].(3-5-2009)

  • Gordon feels SAFER at Vegas: #24-Jeff Gordon feels secure on the track at Las Vegas a year after one of the worst wrecks of his career. Gordon spun coming out of Turn 2 in last year's race and slammed into the inside retaining wall. The hit, at a portion of the track where energy-absorbing barriers had not been installed, was so hard it knocked the radiator out of his car. Gordon was extremely critical of the track after the accident, and speedway officials responded by installing SAFER barriers around the 1.5-mile facility. "I'm confident in Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and in the comments that were made last year and the conversations I had with them last year and this year of what their plans were," he said. "I feel good about what they've done and seeing it at a slower pace without hitting it." Gordon said he's never seen footage of the accident.(Associated Press)(3-1-2009)

  • DuPont slashes NASCAR tab: DuPont, long recognized as the leader in hospitality among NASCAR sponsors, is drastically reducing its program this year as part of its companywide cost cutting. Instead of entertaining the 17,000 guests it had at 37 races last year, DuPont will buy hospitality packages at just six races this season and will host fewer than 2,000 guests. “The economy has had a huge impact on us,” said Larry Deas, DuPont’s motorsports manager. “The current environment along with the high cost of hospitality have forced us to make significant cuts.” Whether DuPont’s cuts signal the beginning of the end for its sponsorship of Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet remains to be seen. DuPont, which has been on the car since 1993, has been the only primary sponsor Gordon has known at Hendrick Motorsports and together they own the longest driver-sponsor-owner streak in the sport. DuPont’s current contract with Hendrick Motorsports runs through the end of the 2010 season. Deas would not speculate on how DuPont’s team deal might be affected in the future, but industry experts say it’s a bad sign that an iconic sponsor has made such deep cuts, which could represent a savings well into the seven figures, analysts say. Most high-end team sponsorships cost $20 million or more a year before activation. DuPont’s six races this season will be the two Daytona events, two at Dover, one at Las Vegas and one at Kansas Speedway. Those venues were selected because they are among the tracks where DuPont is committed to buying tickets as part of long-term deals. DuPont’s Wilmington, Del., headquarters also make Dover a natural. DuPont entertained 225 guests for the Daytona 500 earlier this month, down from 1,000 a year ago. Charlotte-based Performance PR Plus handles DuPont’s hospitality and public relations. Deas said DuPont is evaluating how it will work with Gordon this year.(see full article at the Sports Business Journal)(2-25-2009)

  • Hendrick engine problems caused by bad parts: Hendrick Motorsports officials say a bad batch of parts led to engine failures by #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. and #5-Mark Martin in Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA. "Both cars had valve train failures that were related to a specific batch of parts from a vendor," said Doug Duchardt, HMS' vice president of development. Duchardt said the parts were not restricted to use by Earnhardt and Martin, whose cars are prepared out of the same building. He said they also were used by Hendrick drivers #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson, as well as lease programs such as Stewart-Haas Racing. Earnhardt finished 39th and Martin 40th after both lost their engines within 25 laps of each other. Gordon finished second and Johnson was ninth, combining to lead 138 of 250 laps. #14-Tony Stewart was eighth and led three laps. "So we're glad it wasn't more widespread," Duchardt said.(ESPN)(2-24-2009)

  • Jeff Gordon and Mom on “Rachael Ray”: #24-Jeff Gordon and his mother, Carol Bickford, will appear on the “Rachael Ray” show on Tuesday, February 10, 2009. Bickford, who co-authored Pit Stop in a Southern Kitchen: Two Moms of Racing Legends Serve Up Stories and Recipes with Martha Earnhardt, will demonstrate how to prepare her chicken casserole, a recipe found in the new hard-cover cookbook which was released on February 1, 2009. Gordon will be seen “chatting” with Ray about his career, then assisting Bickford and the renown cook and talk-show host with the casserole.(Performance PR Plus)(2-9-2009)

  • Gordon-Evernham Reunion? #24-Jeff Gordon opened the door this week to the idea of a reunion with Ray Evernham but it wouldn't be as a crew chief if it ever happened. "We've always stayed great friends, and I admire him and he's a sharp guy and he's done a lot, obviously, in this sport,'' Gordon said. "We're always looking to find ways to make ourselves better. If (an Evernham reunion) was ever the case, it wouldn't be in a crew chief role. If it's an engineer, if it's a team manager, whatever options are out there for anybody we always take them serious. With my experience with Ray being so positive in the past, I certainly wouldn't throw it out. It's not something that is happening, but it's not something that I would ever say never would.'' Asked about a possibility of Evernham returning to Hendrick Motorsports in some fashion, car owner Rick Hendrick didn't say #Instead, he said that he remains close to Evernham. "We consult with each other all the time,'' Hendrick said. "That hasn't changed since he left. He calls me, and I talk to him. We share information. We talked about the fact that the manufacturers were not going to be around as strong as they are three or four years ago. We think a lot alike, and I respect his knowledge a ton. We talk almost every week. We've been consultants to each other.''(Roanoke Times)(2-9-2009)

  • Gordon hopes to stay at Hendrick after retirement: #24-Jeff Gordon plans to continue in some capacity with Hendrick Motorsports after his driving career is over. Whether that's in a managerial role or as a possible replacement for team owner Rick Hendrick, who turns 60 this season, Gordon doesn't know. "I would like to think I have something to offer the organization past driving, and definitely would like to work something out with Rick," Gordon said on Saturday at Daytona International Speedway. "This organization has been so good to me. My life has changed because of Hendrick Motorsports and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series." Gordon already co-owns with Hendrick the #48 team of three-time defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. He made it clear he has no plans to become an owner independent of Hendrick. Gordon has a lifetime contract to drive for HMS, but his contract with primary sponsor DuPont expires after the 2010 season. That has led some to speculate Gordon, 37, may step away from part of the full-time grind after that deal is done. Gordon insists it's premature to discuss retirement other than to say when it does happen he wants to remain an active part of HMS.(ESPN)(2-8-2009)

  • Hendrick presented with first chassis 'Dusty': Before "Blacker," the most successful car in Hendrick Motorsports history, and before "T-Rex," the Chevrolet that prompted NASCAR's sanctioning body to rewrite its chassis rules: There was Dusty. The Chevrolet Lumina was an original, integral piece in the chassis-building history of Hendrick Motorsports. But the rustic car is more than a footnote in the company annals. It represents the innovative approach and optimistic spirit that team owner Rick Hendrick still infuses into his employees. To commemorate the organization's 25th anniversary, the restored Dusty was presented to Hendrick at the company's season kickoff luncheon on Jan. 20. The car was painted silver and bears the single letter "H" in lieu of a number on the side. A small metal plate stamped with "HMS 001 Dusty" sits on the crossbar that goes through the passenger seat. When Dusty first was built in 1989, it didn't have a chassis number anywhere on it. The precise craftsmanship served as the signature mark on Hendrick Motorsports' initial stab at car building. Under the direction of Gary Dehart, the Lumina -- originally identified as "HMS 89-1 test" -- was to be used for testing purposes. See full story at the Hendrick Motorsports site.(1-28-2009)

  • Nicorette back with Gordon in 2009? UPDATE 3 National Guard/images: When Jeff Gordon’s new DuPont paint scheme was revealed recently, Nicorette’s associate sponsorship along the lower rear quarter panels was notably missing. But that doesn't mean Hendrick Motorsports’ relationship with the smoking cessation product is necessarily over. And even if it is, there appears to be an opportunity for another sponsor to form a marketing relationship with Gordon’s team. “Nicorette has been a valued partner of Hendrick Motorsports, and we are in the process of discussing 2009 options with them,” a Hendrick spokesperson told the [Long Island] Press. In 2008, Gordon’s car will sport Nicorette green six times as primary sponsor, including upcoming races at Atlanta and Texas. Pepsi was the primary sponsor twice in ’08. But the Hendrick rep later added, “The structure of the sponsorship will be similar to what you’ve seen the past few seasons.” Attempts to reach Lutz, Fla.-based Lighthouse Marketing, LLC, which manages Nicorette’s motorsports account, were unsuccessful. National Guard, #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s co-primary sponsor, could pick up Nicorette’s former spot on the lower rear quarter panels.(Long Island Press)(10-15-2008)
    UPDATE: during Friday nights 'For Race Fans Only' on QVC, in which Darrell Waltrip was the special guest, the new 2009 'black' DuPont car was in the studio and instead of having Nicorette on the lower rear quarter panels, it had National Guard BUT the diecast being hawked was had Nicorette instead. See images and video at QVC.com. But am hearing Nicorette is out and National Guard is in, NO word how or if this would effect the co-primary sponsorhip of Earnhardt Jr.'s #88 Chevy.(10-18-2008)
    UPDATE 2: hearing that Jeff Gordon will be driving a National Guard scheme on the #24 Chevy in eight races in 2009, starting at Atlanta in March, have heard it will NOT effect the National Guard sponsorship of #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.(11-23-2008) UPDATE 3: This season, Gordon and the #24 team will help bring awareness to the National Guard's community initiatives, such as the National Guard Youth Challenge, Active First, College First, Path to Honor and Employer Support for the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). The programs will be showcased on the #24 DuPont/National Guard Chevy in eight races this season: March 8 at Atlanta; April 5 at Texas; May 9 at Darlington; June 14 at Michigan; July 11 at Chicagoland; Sept. 12 at Richmond; Sept. 20 at New Hampshire and Oct. 25 at Martinsville.(HMS PR), see images of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(1-21-2009)

  • Langenstein honored as 2008 Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence: Charlie Langenstein, mechanical director for the Hendrick Motorsports # 24 and # 48 Sprint Cup Chevrolets driven by Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson was awarded the 2008 Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence on December 19, 2008 at the Embassy Suites Hotel and Spa in Concord, North Carolina during the annual Hendrick Motorsports Company Christmas Party. A 40 year motorsports veteran and 9 year employee of Hendrick Motorsports, Charlie was voted by his fellow teammates and company peers as the winner of this very prestigious award. While a select and deserving group of nominees throughout the Hendrick Motorsports complex were considered, Charlie Langenstein was selected as the person who stood out the most among this honored group. The Papa Joe Hendrick Award of Excellence was started in 1995 and each year a Hendrick Motorsports employee is selected. It is awarded annually to the Hendrick Motorsports team member displaying outstanding job performance, leadership, teamwork and contributions above and beyond expectations in order to help the organization succeed.(PR), see more on my Awards page.(1-16-2009)

  • Hendrick drivers to pop up on Kellogg's breakfast pastry: Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are coming to a breakfast aisle near you during the 2009 Sprint Cup season. The Hendrick Motorsports drivers will be featured on Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavored Limited Edition NASCAR Printed-Fun Pop-Tarts. In addition to the drivers, the team paint schemes and hauler designs will be printed on the individual Pop-Tarts pastries, which are Kellogg's most popular morning food product. The limited edition Pop-Tarts also will include NASCAR, Hendrick Motorsports and driver trivia questions. The Brown Sugar Cinnamon flavored Limited Edition NASCAR Printed-Fun Pop-Tarts will be available throughout the 2009 Sprint Cup Series season at major retail outlets nationwide.(Hendrick Motorsports PR) Martin is scheduled to run special Pop Tart's paint schemes at Las Vegas, Bristol in Aug, Richmond in Sept and Charlotte in Oct.(1-15-2009)

  • Jeff Gordon sells Colorado property: #24-Jeff Gordon has sold most of nearly 2,000 acres he owned in the high country above Missouri Heights [Colorado] to a development group headed by the man who created the Dallas National Golf Club in Texas a few years ago. And John MacDonald, formerly of the Ernst & Young accounting and consulting firm, said he plans to build much the same kind of project here as he did in Dallas. The course designer is to be golf architect Tom Fazio, who also designed the Dallas National course. The deal has yet to close, said broker Scott Davidson of the Aspen Associates Realty Group. Gordon, who reportedly bought the land outside of Carbondale in 2006 for $9 million, was not even thinking of selling the land until MacDonald approached him. But over time he became convinced it was the thing to do, according to John Bickford, Gordon’s stepfather and business manager. “I found it by actually driving around and looking for golf property,” MacDonald said of the deal, adding with a hearty laugh, “It took a while, but I wore him down.” Gordon retains a 50-acre parcel of his own, as well as “a couple of memberships in the club,” MacDonald said. Gordon’s parcel overlooks the proposed golf course site but is not near it, MacDonald said, stressing that the 300-acre golf course will not be peppered with homes, as are a number of other golf subdivisions that have sprung up in the Roaring Fork Valley. Bickford and MacDonald both noted that the property butts up against a neighboring development known as High Aspen Ranch and another called The Ranch at Coulter Creek. He said that some of the homeowners in those subdivisions are likely members of his proposed golf club.(in part from the Aspen Times)(1-7-2009)

    2008 News

  • HMS Holdings suing DEI over engines UPDATE 2:: HMS Holdings, which operates the Hendrick Motorsports engine shop, is suing Dale Earnhardt Inc. for $1.5 million for the payment of a termination fee stemming from a contract to supply Hendrick engines to Ginn Racing. Ginn Racing, which also is a defendant in the suit filed Friday in North Carolina Superior Court, merged with DEI in July 2007. As part of the merger, DEI and Ginn Racing signed a termination agreement to a contract that was originally signed by Ginn in 2006. The termination agreement required payments to HMS of $1.754 million by July 31, 2007, and $1.5 million by Nov. 15, 2008, according to the suit. The first payment was made on time. The second payment has not been made, according to the suit. The original engine contract and termination agreement are not included in the suit, so it is unclear how much Ginn was paying to use Hendrick engines. HMS is asking for the $1.5 million, 12% interest and an additional $225,000. Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex said the company is looking forward to a swift resolution of the lawsuit. Dale Earnhardt Inc. Vice President John Story said the company has no comment.(SceneDaily)(11-25-2008)
    UPDATE - engines cost $12.8M base: If you’re looking to lease engines from Hendrick Motorsports for a NASCAR operation, you’d better be prepared to open up your wallet. A legal battle being played out in North Carolina courts is offering rare insight into the usually secretive world of the sport’s finances as the Hendrick operation seeks compensation from the Ginn Racing team that wound up as part of Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2007. According to a contract filed as part of the case, the Hendrick engine lease agreement with Ginn Racing called for Ginn to pay a base rent of $12.8 million in 2007 and $13.7 million in 2008 to lease engines for its three Sprint Cup teams and one team in what is now the Nationwide Series. The fee covered Cup engines for 36 race events and up to nine tests or special events and Nationwide engines for 35 events, according to the contract filed as part of a lawsuit by HMS Holdings against Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. over the termination fees resulting from the Ginn-DEI merger in July 2007.(Scene Daily)(12-20-2008)
    UPDATE 2: DEI claims that former NASCAR team owner Bobby Ginn is responsible for paying off any termination fees of Ginn Racing’s engine leasing contract with Hendrick Motorsports. Both DEI and Ginn have been sued by Hendrick in North Carolina Superior Court over $1.5 million in fees that Hendrick claims is owed under the termination agreement signed when DEI bought Ginn Racing in July 2007. In its response to the suit filed Dec. 22, DEI claims that DEI and Ginn have a signed agreement that DEI would not be responsible for any claims or payments under the engine lease termination agreement. DEI asks the court to rule that Ginn is responsible for any payments. Ginn has not yet responded to the suit.(SceneDaily)(12-30-2008)

  • Gordon fails to finish charity race in Brazil: Rubens Barrichello won a charity karting event in Brazil on Sunday, beating drivers including Felipe Massa, Michael Schumacher and Jeff Gordon. Barrichello edged Brazilian countryman Lucas Di Grassi in the first race of the "International Challenge of the Stars," then finished fifth in the second to clinch the overall title with 36 points. In its fourth edition, the event organized by Massa in southern Brazil will aid local charities and the victims of recent flooding in the region. Gordon, making his first trip to race in Brazil, struggled after starting in 25th place and failed to complete the first race because of mechanical problems. He also did not finish the second race. Gordon told local media it was all "too new" for him, but that it was "fantastic to see the guys" fighting each other for position throughout the races.(Sports Illustrated/Associated Press)(12-1-2008)

  • Gordon to race go-kart in Brazil: This weekend, Jeff Gordon will head south for the Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway - the season finale for the Sprint Cup Series. While the racing for NASCAR's premier division ends Sunday, Gordon will face another group of premier drivers later this month much farther south. In Brazil. On November 30, he is scheduled to race in the International Challenge Of Go-Kart Champs in Florianopolis, Brazil - a charity karting event organized by Formula 1 driver Felipe Massa. Seven-time Formula 1 champion Michael Schumacher and Indy Racing League driver Tony Kanaan are also scheduled to participate in the event.(Performance PR Plus)(11-13-2008)

  • Gordon say Letarte will continue as crew chief next year: Should Gordon not crack the win column before the season finale at Homestead, don't expect any wholesale changes to the #24 squad including crew chief Steve Letarte's post. "We're not changing Steve or crew chiefs," Gordon said. "I believe in him. The problems we're having are not Steve. We need to build more depth on the team, and Steve is a big part of organizing that and has really been spearheading a lot of the ideas that are going to be improvements for us for this season and next year."(CBS Sports)(11-1-2008) Comment here

  • Jeff Gordon heading to 20,000 laps led: Another milestone – 20,000 career laps led – is well within reach for #24-Jeff Gordon this Sunday in the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Gordon, who is currently eighth all-time with 19,880 laps led, can surpass Rusty Wallace for seventh on that list if he leads 93 laps this Sunday. Tack on another 27 and Gordon reaches 20,000. While Gordon is well shy of Richard Petty’s total of 52,194, he holds a commanding lead over the nearest “active” competitor in that category – future teammate Mark Martin – who ranks 11th with 11,560. See the top 30 lap leaders on my MISC Stats page.(10-30-2008)

  • New look for the #24 in 2009 UPDATE 2 Image posted: Jeff Gordon announced on QVC's shopping show "For Race Fans Only" that the primary paint scheme will change on the #24 DuPont Chevy in 2009. The primary scheme seemingly changes whenever there's a new occupant in The White House. Gordon raced the rainbow-themed DuPont Chevrolet from 1993-2000 while Bill Clinton occupied the highest office in the land. Gordon experienced his greatest career success in the rainbow car. In 2001, he changed to the fire and flames scheme and raced that for the next 8 years while George Bush ran the country. And now, the third -- and likely, final -- incarnation of the DuPoint paint scheme will be raced in 2009 and beyond. The new 2009 DuPont paint scheme is expected to be unveiled during the week leading up to the October 11 race at Lowes Motor Speedway.(Gordonline.com), am hearing the base color will be BLACK.(9-20-2008)
    UPDATE: #24-Jeff Gordon and sponsor DuPont are scheduled to unveil his 2009 (and beyond) paint scheme live on the NBC's Today Show Thursday [Oct 2nd] morning at 7:00am/et, Rockefeller Center, New York. It’s his first paint scheme change since 2001 and only the third since 1993.(10-1-2008)
    AND Jeff Gordon will be a guest on the Thursday, Oct. 2, edition of ESPN First Take. The news and information program airs at 10am/et on ESPN2. Gordon will tell host Dana Jacobson why his car will have a new look in 2009. Gordon also will discuss the upcoming AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The race airs live Sunday, Oct. 5, at 1pm/et on ABC.(ESPN PR)(10-1-2008)
    UPDATE 2 - Image posted: One of NASCAR's most popular and successful drivers, Jeff Gordon, unveiled his brand new 2009 paint scheme before a national audience live on NBC's "TODAY Show" this morning, marking the first change Gordon has seen on his DuPont Chevrolet since 2001. Designed by popular motorsports artist Sam Bass, the new car features a sleek and stealth black body emblazoned with bold neon red, orange and blue flames. "I'm fired up about our new paint scheme," said Gordon. "I've always loved cars with flames and the current 'Fire and Flames' paint scheme has been one of my favorites. But now I think we've improved upon that with the 'FireStorm' design and hopefully we'll be as fast on the track as the paint scheme makes us look." The four-time Sprint Cup Champion will debut his new colors on-track at the 51st Running of the Daytona 500 in February when he celebrates his 17th season with primary sponsor, DuPont, and the 25th Anniversary of Hendrick Motorsports. "We have such a solid, longstanding relationship with both Jeff and Hendrick Motorsports, so continuing that relationship and debuting Jeff's new DuPont Chevrolet in conjunction with Hendrick's 25th Anniversary is very exciting for us and the sport as a whole," said David Bills, chief marketing and sales officer for DuPont. Motorsports Authentics, through its Action Racing Collectables die-cast brand, will be offering a collectable die-cast version of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet. Pre-orders are being taken on goracing.com, nascar.com and at Motorsports Authentics authorized dealers nationwide. The Racing Collectables Club of America (RCCA) will also offer a version of the die-cast through its RCCA Elite brand.(Motorsports Authentics PR), see an image of the scheme on my 2009 #24 Team Schemes page.(10-2-2008) Comment here

  • Keselowksi standing by for Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon has been feeling ill all weekend and Hendrick Motorsports will have Brad Keselowski standing by in case Gordon needs to get out of the car. Crew Chief Steve Letarte, interviewed on SPEED Channel's Race Day, said Gordon got a good night's rest and is expected to make it through the entire race.(9-28-2008)

  • Jeff Gordon Visits Capitol Hill: #24-Jeff Gordon will be visiting Capitol Hill on September 16, 2008, to raise political awareness of the life-saving potential of umbilical cord blood transplants. Throughout the day, Gordon and Chief Executive Officer of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), Jeffrey W. Chell, MD, will meet with key members of the House and Senate to advocate for increased funding of the C.W, Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program and for full funding the National Cord Blood Inventory (NCBI).(Jeff Gordon Foundation)(9-15-2008)
    UPDATE: Jeff Gordon stepped away from his on-track duties earlier today [Tuesday, Sept 16th] to visit Capitol Hill. Gordon met with key lawmakers, including the House of Representatives North Carolina delegation, to urge their continued support of the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). The NMDP, a nonprofit organization, serves a vital role in the U.S. health care system by facilitating unrelated marrow and cord blood transplants to treat patients with more than 70 diseases including leukemia, lymphoma and sickle cell anemia. Through the Jeff Gordon Foundation, he has advocated for the NMDP and the need for Congress to support the use of publicly donated umbilical cord blood to save the lives of patients with life-threatening diseases who need a transplant.(PRPlus PR)(9-17-2008)

  • 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 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

    2007 News

  • 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 #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)

  • Gordon going for top-10 record: #24-Jeff Gordon goes into the Phoenix race with 28 top-10 finishes this season - which ties his career best in 1998. Since the schedule was reduced by NASCAR in 1972, Dale Jarrett holds the season record with 29 top-10 finishes during his 1999 championship run.(AP)(11-9-2007)

  • Gordon gets new ride: #24-Jeff Gordon has a new ride, and it was made right in Oregon. Gordon ordered a luxury RV from Marathon Coach in Coburg, which is near Eugene. The $2 million dollar vehicle was custom designed for Gordon and his family. The bus is headed for Florida, where the family's driver will learn the ins and outs of the rig. You can expect to see the RV on the infield of races starting next season.(katu.com)(11-1-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Atlanta COT Test Plans: Although Casey Mears and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will test with their 2008 teams at Atlanta, they will not drive cars branded with their 2008 numbers. Mears, who will drive the #5 Chevy next season, will run his customary # 25 National Guard/GMAC paint scheme during the two-day session. Earnhardt, who is slated for the #88 Chevy in 2008, will test a #5 car at Atlanta. To commemorate his first laps with Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt will sport a "throwback" #5 All-Star Racing Chevy during next week's Atlanta test. Earnhardt's Impala SS will feature a red and white paint scheme identical to the first car campaigned by team owner Rick Hendrick in Cup-level competition. Then known as "All-Star Racing," Hendrick Motorsports fielded the car with driver Geoff Bodine in 1984. The #24 and #48 teams of Hendrick Motorsports will not attend next week's Atlanta test.(Hendrick PR)(10-27-2007)

  • Couple More Years before Gordon Decides on Possible Retirement: If you're a Jeff Gordon fan, mark your 2009 calendar as a watershed moment in the icon's NASCAR career, as he said Friday at Martinsville that it's very likely that might be when he makes a decision on what the closing phase of his career will be. "I think that there truly is no number [he's set as a deadline to retire]. All I can tell you is that 2010 is when our contracts are ending and probably 2009 is a year that's going to have a lot of decision-making for me. Those contracts might be up in 2010 but they all want to talk about them in 2009. "So to me that's going to be a big year. We'll just see where I'm at, how things are going, how fatherhood is going -- how much tuition is for kindergarten [laughing]. I don't know. This year I'm just having a blast and enjoying life and racing like I never have so [quitting] hasn't even been a thought."(NASCAR.com)(10-20-2007)

  • Former 49ers Owner Almost Bought Hendrick in 2004 UPDATE no: Former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo told Sports Business Journal recently that he almost became a NASCAR owner in 2004. "We would have bought a NASCAR team if Reggie White hadn't died," DeBartolo said of the former NFL player. "The week he passed away we were going to sign the agreement with Hendrick Motorsports. After that, I just couldn't do it. I loved Reggie too much."(Roanoke Times)(10-14-2007)
    AND and from a July article - Dale Earnhardt Inc. president Max Siegel told ESPN.com on Wednesday [in July] that three years ago he was prepared to partner with NFL Hall of Famers Reggie White and Ronnie Lott, as well as former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartalo Jr., in purchasing MB2 Motorsports, which at the time fielded the #01 and #10 Chevrolets. The papers were drawn. All that was left was the official closing, which was slated for Jan. 15, 2005. But when White died suddenly on Dec. 26, 2004, and the deal died with him. Siegel said he and White originally had planned to partner with Rick Hendrick on a NASCAR Busch Series operation. Then the Hendrick Motorsports plane crash in October 2004 halted that initiative. A couple of months had passed, and Siegel said Hendrick contacted him about the program. Hendrick explained that in order for him to be involved, White and Siegel had to purchase a team with an existing Hendrick partnership. Enter MB2, whose engines were supplied by Hendrick. At the time, Valvoline was part-owner of MB2, as well. All the pieces were in place, then White passed away.(ESPN.com)(10-14-2007)
    UPDATE 2: At the time in question, Mr. DeBartolo and Mr. White were in discussions with the former MB2 Motorsports team, and our involvement was limited solely to a potential technical support relationship. Hendrick Motorsports is not, and has never been, for sale.(HMS)(10-16-2007)

  • Hass Racing Quiet about 2008 Drivers: When it comes to who'll be in what Haas CNC Racing cars in 2008, nobody seems to know much of anything. Joe Custer, the team's general manager, plays his cards close to the vest. Very, very close. Johnny Sauter, driver of the organization's #70 entry, says that he doesn't have a clue what he'll be doing next year, but adds that he's been given permission to look elsewhere. Jeff Green, who steers its #66 Chevy, refuses altogether to comment on the situation. With Scott Riggs already signed for next year and two Haas cars available, there's considerable speculation as to which one he'll drive and whether it'll be Green or Sauter who's left out of the mix. Then again, names other than Riggs' [including Mayfield and Stremme] have been mentioned as joining the operation. If that happens, Green and Sauter would most likely both be gone. According to Custer, neither driver has a decided advantage at this stage of the game.(NASCAR.com)(10-14-2007)
    More Stremme Buzz in the Garage: Hearing from many sources that #40 David Stremme is now the leading candidate for at least four teams. Options include third and fourth car situations (GEM?, Penske?, MWR?, Ganassi?) and Haas Racing where Johnny Sauter is expected to be replaced.(10-14-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon wins at Charlotte: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a green-white-checker shootout for his 6th win of the season and 81st career win, by holding off #07-Bowyer at the checkered flag. Gordon has four top-5 finishes in the first 5 chase races. The finish was set up after #12-Newman spun while leading with 6 laps to go. #07-Bowyer was second, followed by #5-Busch, #31-Burton, #99-Edwards, #22-Blaney, #20-Stewart, #9-Kahne, #40-Stremme, and #55-Waltrip.
    Race Results on my Charlotte Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Charlotte page.
    Race Rundown: see my Charlotte Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(10-13-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon wins Talladega last lap pass: #24-Jeff Gordon won the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in a four lap shootout and last lap pass to win his 5th race of the season, 6th win at Talladega, 12th restrictor plate win [most all time] and 80th career win [6th all-time, 3 behind Cale Yarborough]. Gordon spent most of the day hanging around the rear of the field all day with teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson, Gordon was 34th at lap 100; 36th at 120; 36th at 140; 17th at 160; 9th at 180 and won. Johnson was 32nd at lap 100; 31st at 120; 31st at 140; 25th at 160; 15th at 180 and finished 2nd. Johnson finished 2nd, followed by #22-Blaney [best of season, ties career best at Darlington in March 2003], #11-Hamlin, #12-Newman, #25-Mears, #2-Busch, #20-Stewart, #96-Raines [1st top 10 of season, 3rd of career] and #41-Sorenson.
    Inspection: #41-Sorenson's car was found to be too low in the front and the car will be evaluated bt NASCAR with any penalties to be announced Tuesday.
    Race Results on my Talladega Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Talladega page
    Race Rundown: see my Talladega Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(10-7-2007)

  • Fan designs Jeff Gordon's Talladega scheme: Deborah Chastain of Thomasville, GA, will be leading the cheers for the #24 DuPont/Pepsi Chevy on October 7 when Jeff Gordon races in the paint scheme she designed. Earlier this year, Jeff Gordon, together with Pepsi, handed creative control over to the fans by asking consumers to create their own paint-out design for the car that Gordon will race in the UAW-Ford 500. NASCAR artist Sam Bass narrowed down the submissions to five finalists, allowing Jeff Gordon to ultimately choose the winning design. Deborah and a guest will receive VIP passes to the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, scoring some one-on-one time with Jeff Gordon before the race. For more information, go to www.pepsiracing.com.(Pepsi-Cola North America PR), see an image of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(10-2-2007)

  • Gordon Says Penalties Get Teams' Attention: When NASCAR slapped the #24 and #48 Hendrick Motorsports teams with 100-point penalties for illegal aerodynamic modifications back in June at Infineon Raceway, the message was received loud and clear, according to Jeff Gordon. "I will be honest with you, right now, if we don't run as good as some other guys, it is because we are being conservative. We aren't pushing the limits because we know what the outcome can be," Gordon said at Kansas Speedway, site of Sunday's LifeLock 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race. "We are making sure we go through inspection, we meet all the cold templates and every other thing that they have on the new car. We are doing everything we can to make sure that is the case going in to the race and that is the case coming out of the race. We might falter, too, but we are playing more on the conservative side, we might give up a few positions on the race track because of that, but we have been hit with it and we learned our lesson." Gordon said he thought that other teams would be erring to the side of caution, too, after seeing #99-Carl Edwards and the Roush Fenway Racing team spanked with a 25-point fine for being too in post-race inspection last Sunday at Dover. "We are playing it conservative, I would think that is going to be case with the #99 (Edwards) now," Gordon said.(SPEEDtv.com)(9-30-2007)

  • Drivers Don't Like Villeneuve Debuting at Talladega: #24-Jeff Gordon thinks it's a big mistake for former Formula One champion Jacques Villeneuve to attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next week at Talladega Superspeedway. "I love Jacques, but that's not the right decision to make," Gordon said Friday. "I didn't think it was the right decision last year for David Gilliland, either. Nothing against their talent or anything else, but that race in the Chase? Why? If you want to run a race, go to Atlanta or another 1.5-mile oval." Gordon said he was surprised NASCAR gave it approval for Villeneuve to debut on the giant 2.6-mile oval. The Oct. 7 event is the first restrictor-plate race in the Car of Tomorrow.(ESPN.com)
    AND: #5- Kyle Busch was shocked to learn that former Formula 1 and CART champion Jacques Villeneuve will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut next weekend at Talladega. "He's doing what? Holy cow, that's not good," Busch said when asked for his reaction to Villeneuve racing at Talladega. "You've got to start somewhere but the Cup Series at Talladega definitely isn't the place to start."(SPEEDtv.com)(9-29-2007)

  • Special Schemes for #24 at Talladega & Atlanta: #24-Jeff Gordon is scheduled to run a DuPont/Pepsi special COT paint scheme in the October 7, 2007 race at Talladega Superspeedway. The paint scheme was designed by a fan and sports a two-tone blue and white paint scheme with the Pepsi logo on the hood. Gordon is also scheduled to run a special DuPont/Nicorette paint scheme for the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta in Oct with yellow and orange flames on the hood and side panels of this red car, while the Nicorette Cinnamon Surge logo rests atop the hood. See images of the schemes on the #24 Team Schemes page.(9-25-2007)

  • Gordon cares with bears an on QVC tonight: The Jeff Gordon Foundation is launching the 2007 Collectible Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital Bear on QVC, with a $10 donation from every bear purchased to benefit the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital in Concord, N.C. Gordon, a four-time Cup champion, is scheduled to appear on QVC's "For Race Fans Only" live from Dover International Speedway, Friday, September 21st. The show airs from 8:00 to 10:00pm/et.(9-21-2007)

  • New Jeff Gordon commercial: A Sprint Nextel commercial that debuts this month will feature #24-Jeff Gordon as a father and a husband, marking the first time since his wife gave birth that an ad refers to the NASCAR driver's new family. "Behind the Legend," a 30-second spot that will air on ABC, ESPN and Speed during Nextel Cup broadcasts and other NASCAR programming, depicts Gordon in the middle of a promotion when his cell phone rings. It's his real-life wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, on the other end, telling Gordon that she needs diapers for baby Ella, who was born June 20. Gordon promises to comply and then continues with the promotion when the phone rings again. This time, Vandebosch tells Gordon with much greater urgency that she needs diapers -- now. The spot closes with Sprint Nextel promotional offers that are tied to the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Vandebosch's voice is used in the ad, but she does not appear. The spot was created by Goodby, Silverstein and Partners, San Francisco. It's timed to run throughout the Chase, which began on Sunday at New Hampshire and runs through the season finale at Homestead-Miami in November. Sprint Nextel chose Gordon because he's a four-time champion and he led the Nextel Cup points standings at the end of NASCAR's regular season. "Jeff asked Ingrid if she wanted to do the ad," said John Bickford, Gordon's stepfather and manager of Jeff Gordon Inc. "She makes her own decisions, and she said that she'd do it." The original script called for a female voice-over to be used in the spot, but Gordon insisted that Vandebosch's voice be used instead.(Sporting News/SportsBusiness Journal)(9-18-2007)

  • 500th start for Jeff Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon will become the youngest active driver to reach 500 career starts this weekend when he takes the green flag in the SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. This career milestone will be downplayed, however, because this weekend’s event also marks the first race in the ‘Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup.’(Performance PR Plus)(9-12-2007)

  • Chevy Continues Partnership with Hendrick Motorsports: Chevrolet, the winningest nameplate in NASCAR, will continue its partnership with championship team Hendrick Motorsports in NASCAR competition in 2008 and beyond. In 23 years (1984-2006) of NASCAR competition, Hendrick Motorsports has garnered six Nextel Cup Series (formerly Winston Cup) championships, three Craftsman Truck Series titles and one Busch Series crown, making it one of stock-car racing's premier organizations. Rick Hendrick is the only team owner in NASCAR's modern era to earn more than 150 Cup Series victories and is currently at 160 Cup wins - all of them coming in Chevrolets. Hendrick Motorsports' win at the first "Car of Tomorrow" race at Bristol earlier this year also earned Chevrolet its first Impala SS win and Chevy's 600th win in NASCAR Cup competition. The four full-time NASCAR Cup teams of Hendrick Motorsports slated to run in 2008 include four-time champion Jeff Gordon in the #24 DuPont Chevy; Jimmie Johnson in the #48 Lowe's Chevy; Casey Mears in the #5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevy; and new addition Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who has only driven Chevrolets in his NASCAR career.(GM Racing PR)(9-7-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon to run Nicorette scheme at Richmond: Jeff Gordon will run the special #24 DuPont/Nicorette Chevy paint scheme for the third time this season at Saturday's Chevy Rock & Roll 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Gordon drove the DuPont/Nicorette paint scheme at Las Vegas and Chicago earlier this year and will run the special paint scheme again at the Atlanta Motor Speedway on October 28. 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 280 NASCAR team members from 16 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 RIR 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/Nicorette Racing PR), see images of the scheme on my #24 Team Scheme page.(9-6-2007)

  • Special paint for Jeff Gordon at Calif: Jeff Gordon’s #24 Chevrolet will carry the familiar “fire and flames”design in this weekend’s 500-mile race but will feature the premier waterborne basecoat from DuPont Refinish. DuPont Cromax Pro not only complies with strict California VOC regulations, but also helps increase productivity through faster drying times and better hiding. Its “Catch the Wave” product slogan will be featured on Gordon’s Monte Carlo SS and firesuit.(Performance PR Plus), the scheme also ran at California in Feb., see images of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(8-30-2007)

  • Gordon not appearing on 'Apprentice': A spokesman for Jeff Gordon said the NASCAR driver has not been signed to appear on the upcoming season of Donald Trump's "The Apprentice," denying a report in the New York Post. The paper's gossip site, Page Six, wrote that Trump had signed numerous stars for the NBC show, including Gordon, Pete Rose, George Foreman, Jim Cramer, Carmen Electra, Joan Rivers, Naomi Judd, Kimora Lee Simmons and Tony Hawk. But Jim Dowd, a Trump spokesman, wrote in an e-mail to the Free Press that "none of those names are confirmed or signed." Wrote Dowd: "What ran in the (report) was speculation at this stage and not confirmed by NBC or by the producers." Jon Edwards, a spokesman for Gordon, said Gordon "has not agreed to participate." "They contacted me with very little specifics, and I explained that I highly doubt that Jeff would be able to participate because taping coincides with the 'Chase for the NASCAR Nextel Cup,' " Edwards wrote in an e-mail. "I asked for more information before I reviewed with Jeff, and I have received nothing."(Detroit Free Press)(8-22-2007)

  • Letarte returns as #24 crew chief after 6 week suspension: This week's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway marks the return of crew chief Steve Letarte for Jeff Gordon, but the #24 team has not missed a beat in his six-race absence. In those six races, Gordon posted top-10 finishes in each of them - including four top-fives - and accumulated more points than any other driver, increasing his lead in the point standings by 173. "Jeff Meendering did a tremendous job filling in for Steve, but it'll be great to have Steve back," Gordon said. "I've been impressed with Steve's ability to call a race, and he has given me great cars this year."(Performance PR Plus)(8-16-2007)

  • Hendrick re-signs with GM: Hendrick Motorsports has verbally agreed to a five-year contract with General Motors, keeping HMS in Chevrolets through 2012. "We're done," team owner Rick Hendrick said after Sunday's Nextel Cup race at Watkins Glen International. "We haven't signed it, but we've verbally agreed." GM is in the last year of all of its contracts with teams in the Nextel Cup series. Re-signing HMS was key, particularly with speculation that Joe Gibbs Racing may be leaving for Toyota. Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc., GM's other top teams, remain in negotiations but are expected to re-sign. Two of the top three owners in Chevrolet expect Joe Gibbs Racing to move to Toyota in 2008. "I'd say they're gone," said Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, who has agreed to a five-year deal with General Motors. Richard Childress Racing owner Richard Childress said there are enough signs to believe that JGR will make the jump, which he says will take Toyota to another level. "It's pretty well written in stone," he said on Sunday at Watkins Glen International. Childress is so convinced JGR will bolt that he questions whether the organization should be included in Thursday's key partners' meeting at GM's headquarters in Detroit. "No, I wouldn't feel comfortable with them there," he said. "If the [other Chevrolet] teams have a feeling they're going to be there, we're not going to discuss openly with them in a room things we normally would discuss openly. You're sitting there working on stuff for next year and you don't want them to take that and help out the competition."(ESPN.com)(8-13-2007)

  • Gordon Close to Clinching Chase Spot: If [#24-Jeff] Gordon simply starts the next five races, he will clinch a spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, NASCAR’s championship round that begins next month in New Hampshire.(SPEEDtv.com)(8-6-2007)

  • Underdog to Partner with The Jeff Gordon Foundation on 2007 Fantasy Car: “Have No Fear”, the canine hero from the Walt Disney Pictures’ upcoming comedy “Underdog” helps “evil get licked” but still finds time to pose on the hood of The Jeff Gordon Foundation #24 car. The 2007 Foundation Fantasy Car was unveiled today at the Foundation’s annual Bowling Tournament with the help from former patients at the Riley Hospital for Children. The limited edition die-cast features Underdog prominently flying across the hood with the words “One Nation Under Dog....” Underdog also appears on the sides of the car -- scaling a building -- and on the back deck lid where he handsomely sits upon his trademark U beside the words “Have No Fear”. Also showcased is the official Jeff Gordon Foundation logo on each rear quarter panel and on the rear bumper. The Foundation began issuing these special collectibles in 2001, with proceeds benefiting children with chronic and life-threatening diseases. For more information visit www.jeffgordonfoundation.org.(PR)(7-29-2007)

  • Drivers Have Different Plans for Off Week: The last open weekend on the Nextel Cup schedule until Thanksgiving means different things to different drivers as they gear up for a stretch of 17 races without a break starting July 29 in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Jeff Gordon is going to pack up his family car for a short road trip with wife Ingrid and month-old daughter Ella Sofia. Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra are flying to Europe. Kyle Petty is getting on a motorcycle to join his annual charity ride. Elliott Sadler is heading to the golf course. And several drivers will be driving, either in a Busch Series race in suburban St. Louis or, in Tony Stewart's case, at a time and place still to be determined.(Indianapolis Star)(7-17-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon, ‘Talladega Nights’ Win ESPY Awards Via on-line voting by sports fans, Jeff Gordon won the “Best Driver” Award Wednesday night at the 15th Annual ESPY Awards held in the Kodak Theatre. Gordon bested his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick, IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr., Indianapolis 500 champion Dario Franchitti and NHRA Top Fuel champion Tony Schumacher. “Winning an ESPY is an honor,” Gordon said. “It’s one of the most prestigious awards in sports. It’s a credit to how the No. 24 DuPont team performed over the last year. Hopefully we can continue to have success through the end of this season and be in contention for next year’s award as well.”
    In addition, “Talladega Nights,” the popular comedy starring Will Farrell, gave NASCAR its second victory of the night by winning in the “Best Sports Movie” category. Other films in the category were “We Are Marshall,” “Pride,” and “Invincible.” Jimmie Johnson was nominated in the “Best Championship Performance” category. That award went to Peyton Manning, quarterback for the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts. Kevin Harvick was also part of another nomination for NASCAR, as this year’s Daytona 500 – in which Harvick edged Mark Martin by 0.02-seconds – was nominated in the “Best Finish” category. That award was won by last September’s 11-10 Los Angeles Dodgers victory over the San Diego Padres; the Dodgers had four consecutive home runs in the ninth inning to tie the game 9-9, then had another homer in the 10th inning to win. Wednesday night’s ceremonies were hosted by comedian/talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and NBA star LeBron James. The show will be broadcast on Sunday at 9pm/et, on ESPN more info on the ESPY's page.(NASCAR PR)(7-12-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon to run Nicorette scheme at Chicago: #24-Jeff Gordon will run a special #24 DuPont Nicorette Chevy paint scheme at this weekend's USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway . 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 200 NASCAR team members from 11 different race teams 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 Chicagoland Speedway's 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), see an image of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(7-12-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon to host "Regis and Kelly": Jeff Gordon is scheduled to make his 10th appearance as co-host on the popular daytime talk show “Live with Regis and Kelly” on Monday, July 9. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy will fill in for host Regis Philbin. “Live with Regis and Kelly” is in its 19th year of national syndication and continues to wake up millions of Americans each day. “Live with Regis and Kelly” is executive produced by Michael Gelman and distributed by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. Produced by WABC-TV in New York, “Live with Regis and Kelly” airs in over 200 markets across the country. Check local listings for time and channel.(Performance PR Plus)(7-6-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Wants Crew Chiefs back ASAP: Doug Duchardt, Hendrick Motorsports vice president of development, says the team didn't appeal NASCAR's penalties this week for two basic reasons: First, the teams of #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson want their crew chiefs back in time to have momentum when the Chase For The Nextel Cup begins, and second, the group now understands what NASCAR views as the lack of a gray area on the car of tomorrow more clearly. Duchardt said the team considered both of these concepts when it decided not to appeal the penalties. "As we went through this, some things came more clear to us as far as what NASCAR's tolerance on their data was - it wasn't as clear to us before last Friday as it is now," Duchardt said Friday at New Hampshire. The primary reason, though, is the teams want to get this over with and get the regular crew chiefs back in place in time to develop some momentum heading into the Chase For The Nextel Cup.(SceneDaily.com)(6-30-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports will not appeal penalties to #24/#48, interim crew chiefs named: Car owner Rick Hendrick confirmed today that the sanctions levied by NASCAR on Tuesday against the #24 and #48 Nextel Cup Series teams will not be appealed by Hendrick Motorsports. "The penalties are excessive," Hendrick reiterated. "But we're not going to put time and resources into issuing an appeal. Instead, we will direct that energy into our internal processes to make sure we have full confidence that our cars will meet standards when presented for inspection each week. We've said from the beginning that this would be a learning process (with the Car of Tomorrow) and there would be a lot of give and take between NASCAR and the teams to figure it out. That doesn't seem to be the case now, and I don't think it's the right direction to go."
    #24 car chief Jeff Meendering and #48 car chief Ron Malec have been named interim crew chiefs for their respective teams beginning with Sunday's Nextel Cup event at New Hampshire International Speedway. "In Jeff and Ron, we have two guys who know their teams inside and out," Hendrick said. "They both have been here a long time, they both know the pressures involved and they both have the full support of our entire organization. We don't expect to miss a beat."
    Meendering, 30, began his Hendrick Motorsports career in October 1994 sweeping floors in the chassis shop as a 16-year-old high-school junior. He has since won 10 NASCAR championships as a member of the organization. From Grand Rapids, Mich., Meendering joined the #24 team in 2000 under crew chief Robbie Loomis, working as a setup specialist and mechanic before being promoted to car chief in September 2005.
    A Franklin, Wis., native, Malec has a long history with driver Jimmie Johnson. The pair met more than a decade ago when Johnson was racing off-road trucks, and they later became roommates when both were involved in the American Speed Association. Malec and Johnson each moved to North Carolina in 1999 and again worked alongside one another in the NASCAR Busch Series before joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2001 as original members of the #48 team. Malec has been car chief for Johnson's entire Nextel Cup career. The 32-year-old Malec, also the rear-tire carrier for the #48 team, will be supported on race day by veteran crew chief Lance McGrew. McGrew won the 2003 Busch Series championship and has posted victories in each of NASCAR's top three divisions. He is also familiar with Johnson after working as his Busch Series crew chief this season. Crew chiefs Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus will resume at-track duties for their respective teams at the Aug. 19 Nextel Cup Series event at Michigan International Speedway.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-28-2007)

  • Crew Chief Letarte statement on Penalties and Interim Crew Chief: "It's been a great season so far and we have a really strong, championship-caliber team in place. The penalties are unfortunate and severe, but we'll put the situation behind us and focus on winning a fifth championship for the #24 team. Jeff [Meendering] is my go-to guy. We have similar backgrounds and we've both been here (with Hendrick Motorsports) a long time. This is a tough pill to swallow for me, but he'll do a great job leading the team and keeping things moving in a positive direction. We'll rally and Jeff will get more support from the organization than you can imagine."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-28-2007)

  • #24, #48 Teams Penalized For Infractions At Infineon Raceway: NASCAR has issued penalties and fines to the #24 and #48 Hendrick Motorsports teams that compete in the Nextel Cup Series, as a result of rule infractions found this past weekend at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. Both cars – the #24 driven by Jeff Gordon and the #48 driven by Jimmie Johnson – were found to be in violation of Sections 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4-Q (car, car parts, components and/or equipment used do not conform to NASCAR rules); 20-2.1E (parts or components of the car not previously approved by NASCAR that have been installed or modified to enhance aerodynamic performance will not be permitted); and 20-2H (fenders may not be cut or altered except for wheel or tire clearance which must be approved by the Series Director) of the 2007 NASCAR rule book. The violations were found during the initial inspection process last Friday. As a result, Gordon and Johnson have each been penalized 100 driver championship points. Their respective crew chiefs – Steve Letarte and Chad Knaus – have each been fined $100,000, suspended for the next six Nextel Cup Series events until Aug. 15, 2007 and placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2007. In addition, Rick Hendrick, owner of the #24, has been penalized 100 car owner championship points as has Gordon, who is the owner of the #48.(NASCAR PR)(6-26-2007)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Responds to Penalties: Car owner Rick Hendrick responded to NASCAR sanctions announced today involving the #24 and #48 Nextel Cup Series teams of Hendrick Motorsports. "We are disappointed in NASCAR's decision and feel the penalties are excessive," Hendrick said. "Right now, all of our options are being evaluated, including our personnel situation and a possible appeal to the National Stock Car Racing Commission. We'll take some time to decide on a direction and make an announcement regarding our plans for New Hampshire later in the week."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(6-26-2007)

  • Gordon hits 300...top-10's: #24-Jeff Gordon scored the 300th [and 301 at Sonoma) top-10 finish of his Nextel Cup career in Michigan on June 17, 2007. With 489 starts in the Cup series, the finish puts him in line with other legends of the sport in collecting 300 top-10's in fewer than 500 starts. Richard Petty accomplished the task in 1969 in his 439th career start; David Pearson picked up his 300th top-10 in 1976 in his 449th start; Dale Earnhardt's 300th came in 1994 in his 463rd start; Darrell Waltrip scored #300 in 1989 in his 470th start, while Bobby Allison accomplished the feat in 1980 in his 475th start. With competition as close as it is today, it remains to be seen whether another driver can get to 300 top-10's in fewer than 500 career starts. The most likely candidates would be Tony Stewart who has 179 top-10's in 300 races, and Jimmie Johnson who has accumulated 120 top-10 finishes in 199 races.(Gordonline.com)(6-26-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon documentary to debut on TNT: A documentary-style feature on #24-Jeff Gordon is set to debut on TNT and then be available as a DVD. The program, "24 x 24: Wide Open with Jeff Gordon," will debut on TNT July 7 with an extended version DVD set to be released July 10. The documentary explores the life of Gordon, both on and off the track. It includes interviews with motorsports and entertainment personalities as well as Gordon's family and friends. Gordon allowed cameras to follow him for 24 hours to film the project. Independent film entertainment studio Lionsgate is distributing the work, which was produced by Wide Open Entertainment in association with Pepsi Entertainment. Pepsi Racing, DuPont Motorsports and Nicorette Racing sponsored the film.(SceneDaily.com)(6-26-2007)

  • Hendrick preparing for crew chief suspensions: It looks like Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte are about to become teachers, in a hurry. Sources told me [captainthunderracing.com] late Monday, that the two Hendrick Motorsports crew chiefs and their crews will be working franticly to prepare for the possible suspensions stemming from the Infineon race. At last weekends road race in California, both teams race cars failed inspection and their drivers, #24 Jeff Gordon and #48 Jimmie Johnson, where forced to start from the back of the field. Over the next few days, the two crew chiefs will be working overtime with their crews and their new replacements [it doesn't say who they are] to prepare themselves for the possible passing of the baton this weekend in New Hampshire. Sources said Knaus is prepared to assist Letarte with preparations and the two are reviewing Knaus's notes from last year to get a strong handle on how to handle their potential impending absences from the race track. They are preparing to work the operation much the way they did last season when Knaus was suspended following a cheating infraction at the season opening Daytona 500. Johnson won the race in Knause's absence with fill in crew chief Darian Grubb sitting on the pit box in place of Knaus. Grubb parlayed that gig in to a full time gig as crew chief for the #25 of Casey Mears. When Knaus was suspended last year, they communicated via laptop and cell phone by housing Knaus in a hotel close to the track. Sources told me they will prepare much as they did last year and they will be sure to be ready for the worst. And, if they don't get suspended, they will be even better prepared for this weeks race in New Hampshire. Whoever replaces Knaus and Letarte has some big shoes to fill, and they better be prepared to be there for a while. Sources say the penalty could equal the one NASCAR handed out to Tony Eury Jr. just a few weeks ago.(captainthunderracing.com)(6-25-2007)

  • #24 and #48 pulled from practice, qualifying after failing inspection MORE: NASCAR officials announced that #24-Jeff Gordon [points leader] and #48- Jimmie Johnson [3rd in points] will not be allowed to practice or qualify Friday after their cars failed the initial morning inspection at Infineon Raceway. The front fenders on both the #24 Chevy of Gordon and the #48 Chevy of Johnson had front fenders that were too wide. The cars did not fit the template for a Car of Tomorrow entry. Both drivers will have to start at the rear of the field for Sunday's Toyota/Save Mart 300 event on the 2-mile Infineon road course. Gordon, the season points leader, won at Infineon one year ago. His five victories at Sonoma are the most among active drivers. "Both teams have the opportunity to repair their primary cars and resubmit them for inspection," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said. "If they pass that inspection, they'll be allowed to practice on Saturday." Neither crew chief -- Steve Letarte for Gordon and Chad Knaus for Johnson -- has been suspended for this race. But additional penalties are likely for both drivers and crew chiefs next week. NASCAR officials have warned all teams that any violations involving the COT would results in severe punishment. The #8 Chevy team of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. was penalized 100 points and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. was fined $100,000 when a pre-qualifying inspection at Darlington showed the brackets on the rear wing were modified out of regulation.(ESPN.com)(6-22-2007)
    UPDATE: "I don't necessarily say they bent the rules," [Team Owner Rick] Hendrick said after a lengthy team meeting inside of Jeff Gordon's hauler. "They thought they were working inside of an area they thought they could. The fenders on the car are sitting out there in front of God and everybody. If you're going to try to do something to gain an advantage you wouldn't do it and roll it through inspection." NASCAR officials said the front right fenders on both cars were flared out beyond the wheel well to create an advantage. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president of competition, called it a blatant attempt to circumvent the rules. Based on what happened to crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. when NASCAR discovered alterations to the rear-wing bracket at Darlington, the ensuing penalty will be substantial. Eury was suspended for six races and fined $100,000, and Earnhardt was docked 100 championship points. Hendrick, anticipating that or worse, already is pleading his case to NASCAR. "We'll have to see what the penalty is, but I don't think the penalty fits the crime in this case when you're talking about the top of a fender or the side of a fender," he said. "I don't see it as a situation where you had a certified part and it's been altered or anything like that." Hendrick said Gordon and Johnson already have been punished enough -- they're being forced to start at the rear of the field. The only driver to win at Infineon from the back was Ernie Irvan, who started at the rear after jumping the start in 1992. We want to play by the rules. I don't enjoy this. The guys don't enjoy this. I'm sure NASCAR doesn't enjoy this. This is a big penalty not being able to qualify and get a good starting spot and good pit spot," he said. "We're just hoping for a good finish. If these two cars finish in the top 10 tomorrow I'll be happy."(ESPN.com)(6-24-2007)

  • Jeff & Ingrid proudly announce the birth of their daughter: Earlier today, Jeff Gordon and Ingrid Vandebosch welcomed a new daughter into the world. Ella Sofia Gordon was born at 9:09 a.m., weighed 7 pounds, 1 ounce and was 20 inches long. “It’s been an absolutely incredible experience,” Gordon said. “Ingrid came through amazingly and we’re both really happy and overjoyed. We can’t wait to get home and start our lives together as a family.” The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion will travel to Northern California later this week and is scheduled to participate in all on-track activities at Infineon Raceway, site of this weekend’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race.(JeffGordon.com)(6-20-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon's timeline this weekend during Baby Watch: #24-Jeff Gordon officially is on a baby watch. Doctors have told the Nextel Cup points leader that his daughter, whose due date is June 29, could come at any time. That has forced the four-time Cup champion to come up with several contingency plans for this weekend's road course race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma.
    Should the baby be born on Wednesday, Gordon will take a day and a half off before flying to Sonoma for Friday's qualifying.
    Should she be born on Friday he will return home immediately, let Mark Martin qualify the car and then likely return for the race on Sunday.
    Should she be born on Saturday, he'll likely turn the car over to Martin, who is on standby as he takes a break in his part-time schedule with Ginn Racing, for the rest of the weekend.
    And should she be born on Sunday during the race, he'll fly home immediately afterward. "There's not a lot I can do about that, but I hope that doesn't happen," Gordon said last weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Unlike any other driver chasing a spot in the top 12, Gordon can afford to take a weekend off. He has a 264-point lead over second-place #11-Denny Hamlin in the standings. He also has four wins, which will give him an important 40 bonus points once the championship chase begins. The first pictures of the baby will be released on Gordon's Web site, www.jeffgordon.com, within a few hours of the birth. Gordon wants to avoid this becoming a big media event, like the births of other celebrity children.(ESPN.com)(6-20-2007)

  • Gordon Knew Hendrick was Negotiating with Earnhardt: #24-Jeff Gordon was in on the secret all along. Privately he listened to team owner Rick Hendrick agonize over the arduous, closed-door maneuvering to sign #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. "Rick was going back and forth, back and forth," Gordon said. "He was like, 'Man, I would love to do this,' and at the same time, 'I don't know how I'm going to do it.' And, 'Should we do it?' " Gordon didn't waver. "I was very supportive of it from the beginning," he said, sitting in the lounge of his team transporter during preparations for the Citizens Bank 400. "Because I've been at Hendrick for 15 years and I have equity in the company, I probably got let into it a little bit sooner," Gordon said. "I actually told Rick, 'Don't give me too many details because I know I'm going to get asked.' But I knew they were in talks."(Orlando Sentinel)(6-18-2007)

  • Chevy unveils paint schemes to commemorate 50 Years of the '57 Chevy: One of the most recognizable cars in American motoring history reaches a notable milestone this year, a milestone which NASCAR, Chevy and Motorsports Authentics proudly celebrate. The 1957 Chevrolet, a car which turns 50 years old this year, will be commemorated at August 19’s 3M Performance 400 Nextel Cup race at Michigan International Speedway by at least 11 Team Chevy drivers. Unveiled by Jimmie Johnson at MIS today, a Monte Carlo SS race car featuring decals with cues from the iconic 1957 design is similar to the ones Johnson and other Team Chevy drivers will race during the August event. On August 18, ’57 Chevys along with many other historic vehicles will hit the streets during Metro Detroit’s Woodward Dream Cruise. That same weekend, Team Chevy Nextel Cup Series drivers #4-Ward Burton, #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr., #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson, #14-Sterling Marlin, #01-Mark Martin, #15-Paul Menard, #96-Tony Raines, #1-Martin Truex, Jr., #78-Kenny Wallace and #18-J.J. Yeley will take to the track at MIS with their cars wearing special ’57 Chevy paint schemes. To commemorate this special event, Motorsports Authentics will replicate their cars with die-cast models and offer apparel and novelty items related to the event.(GM Racing PR), see an image of the #48 Scheme on my #48 Team Schemes page.(6-16-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon's plane safe: Rumors that an airplane carrying a NASCAR driver went down in Pennsylvania this morning [Monday] are not true. The air control tower at Fort Indiantown Gap [PA] heard a "Mayday" from an aircraft in trouble at 8:15 this morning. But Federal Aviation Administration officials told the state emergency operations center that there are no airplanes down in Pennsylvania this morning. FAA officials said the search for the downed aircraft has moved to Delaware and Virginia. The Wilmington News Journal reports in an online news item that a search today in Kent County, Del., turned up no downed plane. The rumor, which apparently started in northeastern Pennsylvania, said the aircraft was believed to belong to NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon. However, John Edwards, Gordon's press spokesman, said Gordon's airplane is sitting safely in its hanger.(Patriot News)(6-12-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon wins at Pocono: #24-Jeff Gordon won the rain-shortened Pocono 500 at Pocono Raceway Sunday evening. The race was called on lap 106 after a 35 minute red flag when NASCAR determined that the track could not be dried before it got too dark to race. Rain plagued the area most of the day. Intermittent showers delayed the start of the race about more than 2 ½ hours. Gordon used pit strategy to take the lead on lap 98 and was in the right place when the rain hit. The win is Gordon's 4th of 2007 and 79th of his career. Pole sitter, #12-Newman finished 2nd and nearly took the lead from Gordon just before the final caution came out. #1-Truex, Jr. finished 3rd, followed by #25-Mears, #20-Stewart, #11-Hamlin, #01-Martin, #5-Busch, #17-Kenseth, and #07-Bowyer. There were 4 cautions for 10 laps and 8 drivers led the race with 15 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Pocono Race Results/Awards page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Pocono page
    Race Rundown: see my Pocono Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(6-10-2007)

  • Martin to sub for Jeff Gordon when baby arrives? If #24-Jeff Gordon is forced to miss a race to attend the birth of his daughter, series veteran Mark Martin will man the #24 DuPont Chevy, multiple sources within the Hendrick Motorsports organization told ESPN.com Wednesday. Martin on Wednesday afternoon will be fitted for a racing seat in preparation for the substitute role, sources said, and plans to begin stand-by duty for Gordon at Infineon Raceway next month. Hendrick Motorsports officials chose not to comment, saying rather that Gordon would address the matter Thursday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, site of this weekend's Coca-Cola 600. Sources said Gordon personally sought out Martin to stand in for him, and after clearing the idea with Ginn Racing officials, Martin gladly accepted. Gordon's wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, is due the week of the June 24 Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. Martin will fly to Sonoma, during a weekend when he is slated to be idle from racing. If Gordon doesn't require his services, Martin will remain on hand to coach Regan Smith in the #01 US Army Chevy [Ginn Racing]. According to NASCAR officials, Martin could get in the #24 without practicing in the car, so long as Nextel Cup director John Darby gives his blessing. Given Martin's veteran experience, that would seem to be all but a foregone conclusion. If baby Gordon arrives a week early, sources said Martin will turn the #01 Chevrolet over to Smith at Michigan Speedway and drive the #24 for Gordon. Likewise, in the event the baby is a week late, Martin would sub for Gordon at New Hampshire. Gordon hasn't missed a race in his Cup Series career, a span of 484 consecutive races. The last race run without Gordon in the field was the 28th race of the 1992 season, at Phoenix International Raceway.(ESPN.com)(5-23-2007)

  • Special scheme for Jeff Gordon at All-Star race: During the Nextel All-Star Challenge, the #24 car will carry the familiar the “fire and flames” design but with the primary colors reversed. DuPont Performance Alliance will also be showcased on the Chevy Monte Carlo SS. “This is an exciting race for the fans but an exciting race for the teams and drivers, as well,” said Gordon. “It’s run under the lights with a lot of different paint schemes. There’s just a different feel about this race. “You have to take chances to win this race, but you also have to be smart about when and where you take those chances.”(Performance Plus/Dupont Racing PR)(5-16-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon wins at Darlington: #24-Jeff Gordon won the rain delayed Dodge Avenger 500 at Darlington Raceway for his 3rd win of 2007, 7th wins at Darlington and 78th of his career. The race was scheduled to run Saturday night, but was rained out and run Sunday, May 13th, the 2nd race in a row that was delay a day by rain [last week it was Richmond]. Gordon's engine was steaming and overheating for many laps. #11-Hamlin finished 2nd and was coming fast, but a poor pitstop late in the race cost Hamlin a shot to win, Hamlin led the most laps with 179 of 367. #48-Johnson finished 3rd, the rest of the top-10 were: #12-Newman, #99-Edwards, #20-Stewart, #17-Kenseth, #8-Earnhardt Jr., #07-Bowyer and #31-Burton. #22-Blaney was the highest finishing Toyota at 32nd. Jeff Gordon's points lead increases to 231 over Johnson. Hendrick Motorsports now has 8 wins in the 11 races this season and has won all five COT races. There were 10 cautions for 44 laps and 10 drivers lead the race with 21 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Darlington Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Darlington page
    Race Rundown: see my Darlington Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(5-13-2007)

  • Dale Jr. leans toward Hendrick? UPDATE denied: The efforts to sign #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a NASCAR driving contract for 2008 and beyond has reached a critical point, and the top two teams on Earnhardt’s list are the Chevrolet teams owned by Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick, according to men familiar with the negotiations. Earnhardt today is leaning toward a deal with Hendrick [NOTE: where would Earnhardt go? HMS has four Cup teams and all three drivers signed for a couple more years, unless some sort of deal with Haas CNC Racing or Ginn Racing would be worked out], largely because of Hendrick’s very strong engine program, sources here said yesterday. Earnhardt and veteran crew chief Tony Eury Jr., his cousin and close confidante as well as the man who has led him to many of his 17 Cup victories, have talked with both the Hendrick and Childress camps in recent weeks about the positives and negatives each team owner would have to offer, sources said yesterday. And Eury will have a major voice in the decision, because Earnhardt’s primary goal now, at age 32, is to win a championship.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-9-2007)
    UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports General Manager Marshall Carlson told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that his team is fully stocked with drivers for 2008 and beyond, and that he has not spoken with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., about the possibility of joining the Hendrick stable.(Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway)(5-9-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon's Team Takes Pit Crew Challenge Honors in Richmond: Jeff Gordon's over-the-wall crew earned its first win of the season in the weekly Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge by spending the least amount of time on pit road during Sunday's rain-delayed Nextel Cup event. The #24 crew spent 201.593 seconds on Richmond International Raceway's pit lane, and lifted its team to a fourth-place finish in the Jim Stewart 400 presented by Crown Royal. Checkers/Rally's will award an $11,000 prize to Gordon's crew for winning the weekly competition. The #24 crew, out of the Hendrick Motorsports stable, includes: Jeff Cook (jackman), Mike "Tiny" Houston (front-tire carrier), Clay Robinson (front-tire changer), Jeff Knight (rear-tire carrier), Kevin Gilman (rear-tire changer), Caleb Hurd (gasman), Jamie Frady (catch can) and Andy Kruep (eighth-man). The crew chief is Steve Letarte. After ten Nextel Cup races, Mark Martin's/Regan Smith's #01 pit crew leads in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge standings with four wins. Denny Hamlin's #11 crew is second with two victories. An additional $111,150 will be presented to the pit crew with the most wins at the completion of the 36-race Nextel Cup schedule. To win the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge, teams are required to finish on the lead lap while spending the least amount of time on pit road. Checkers/Rally's is in its third season as title sponsor for the pit crew challenge. Checkers/Rally's is the Official Burger and Drive-Thru Restaurant of NASCAR, more info at checkers.com.(DMF Communications PR)(5-8-2007)

  • Gordon to carry special banner at RIR: Jeff Gordon will proudly carry a special banner with cops.KEVLAR.com on the rear TV panel of the #24 DuPont car during this week's Crown Royal 400 race at the Richmond International Raceway. DuPont has created the cops.KEVLAR.com Web site and a companion toll-free number, 1.877.COP.9606, to help raise awareness for the future National Law Enforcement Museum and encourage contributions to the Museum's fundraising campaign. Jeff will also show his support for the law enforcement community and the Museum through a public service announcement that will be highlighted throughout the race weekend. During the pre-race activities on Saturday, DuPont will present a check for $250,000 to the National Law Enforcement Museum fund.(Ogilvy PR)(5-4-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon Trades in Stock Car for Wine, Gourmet Foods in Sonoma: #24-Jeff Gordon traded in his stock car for a cutting board and chef's coat on Sunday at Infineon Raceway. Gordon, a native of Vallejo, participated in a Wine Country Luncheon to help promote the upcoming Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 22-24, at Infineon Raceway. Gordon, who won Saturday night's Subway Fresh Fit 500 in Phoenix, teamed with renowned Bay Area chef Victor Scargle to prepare a gourmet meal at the raceway for Northern California media members. Gordon and Scargle teamed up to prepare poached Alaskan halibut and grilled Bigeye Tuna for more than 50 media members at the luncheon. Gordon helped with the seasoning, tasting and a number of other elements. He admitted that his wife, Ingrid Vandebosch, is more of the chef at home. The lunch was paired with wines from the Jeff Gordon Collection, which is produced at August Briggs Winery in Calistoga, and Ravenswood Winery in Sonoma. Gordon served his 2005 Chardonnay with the halibut, while Ravenswood served a Zinfandel with the tuna. Ravenswood will be the sponsor of the raceway's pole-day qualifying on Friday, June 22. Prior to the luncheon, Gordon took part in a Mini Baby Shower, hosted by raceway president and general manager Steve Page. Gordon and his wife, Ingrid, are expecting their first child, a girl, in late June or early July. Gordon will return to the Sonoma Valley for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 22-24. For ticket information to the Toyota/Save Mart 350, call 800-870-RACE or visit www.infineonraceway.com.(Infineon Raceway PR)(2-23-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon wins at Phoenix: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Subway Fresh Fit 500k at Phoenix International Raceway for his first win of 2007 and his first win since Chicago last year. It was also his 76th career win which moved him into a tie with Dale Earnhardt, Sr. for sixth in all time wins. On the cool down lap Gordon flew a #3 flag from his car. In addition, it was the first time a driver had ever won from the pole in a race a Phoenix. #20-Stewart finish second after having a dominating car through most of the second half of the race. #11-Hamlin fought back from an early race speeding penalty to finish third. The remainder of the top ten were #48-Johnson, #17-Kenseth, #66-Green, #5-Busch, #43-Labonte, #70-Sauter, and #29-Harvick. Jeff Gordon expanded his points lead to 74 over #31-Jeff Burton, who finished 13th. #01-Mark Martin, who was competing in his first car of tomorrow race, finished 12th and moved back into 10th in the point standings. There were 6 cautions for 34 laps and 7 leaders with 12 lead changes.
    Race Results on my Phoenix Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points after Phoenix page
    Race Rundown: see my Phoenix Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(4-21-2007)

  • Hendrick going for 200th NASCAR win: Car owner Rick Hendrick now has 199 combined NASCAR victories: 151 at the Nextel Cup level, 23 in the Busch Series and 25 in the Craftsman Truck Series. The total includes a 1983 Busch Series win by the late Dale Earnhardt at Lowe's Motor Speedway in a car co-owned by Hendrick and Robert Gee.(HMS PR)(3-22-2007)

  • Jeff Gordon to run military scheme at Coke 600: Memorial Day Weekend is always thrilling for race fans at Lowe's Motor Speedway [Coca-Cola 600]. This year, a special celebration of America's military personnel takes place with the American Heroes Program! In honor of the American Heroes Program, #24-Jeff Gordon and DuPont have created a commemorative paint scheme featuring the Department of Defense. Gordon's #24-Chevy includes shades of blue with the Department of Defense seal dominating the hood, see an image of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(3-5-2007)

  • Different paint for the #24 at California: Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevy will carry the familiar "fire and flames" design in this weekend's Auto Club 500 at California Speedway on Sunday, but will feature a new waterborne paint from DuPont Refinish. DuPont Cromax Pro, which is being introduced in preparation for strict California emissions regulations, and their "Catch the Wave" product slogan will be featured on Gordon's Chevy and firesuit.(Performance PR Plus)(2-21-2007)

  • More on Gordon's Infraction: -#24-Jeff Gordon didn't sleep well on Thursday night. Not necessarily because his car failed inspection following the second of two 150-mile qualifying races, but because he was worried people might think his team deliberately cheated. That's understandable in a week in which five crew chiefs and one vice president for competition have been suspended since Tuesday. "That's what's bothered me the most," Gordon said. "It's what kept me up all night. People are going to think we did something to circumvent the rules." NASCAR determined that a parts failure resulted in the rear quarter panel of Gordon's #24 Chevrolet being too low. Because it was deemed unintentional and gave Gordon no competitive advantage, the penalty was light. Gordon was forced to move from the second to last row -- 42nd [his worst previous start in the 500 was 39th in 2004] in the 43-car field -- for Sunday's Daytona 500. "It's easy if you just say the car was low," said Gordon, a three-time Daytona 500 champion. "But the car wasn't low on the racetrack. That's why the penalty is what it is. If NASCAR felt like it was any more than that we'd be in the same position as those other guys. I wouldn't have a crew chief right now. We'd have our points fined and a monetary fine." Gordon had reason to be concerned others would question his team's motives. #31-Jeff Burton of Richard Childress Racing was so concerned that he went to the NASCAR hauler to see what part was confiscated. "It's my opinion what happened to the 24 is just a screwup," Burton said. "The part was beat up pretty badly. It wasn't machined to work that way. It was seen by me as an honest mistake. From what I've seen, it wasn't a performance advantage. I think the punishment met the crime." Gordon said it will be a challenge going from the back to the front, but not one he can't overcome. "We're going to have to have a real good handling race car and also a fast race car," Gordon said before Friday's practice. "We're going to take not too much speed out of that car and really get the car to handling." Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition, said no further penalties would be levied against Gordon's team.(ESPN.com)(2-17-2007)

  • Post Inspection Problem with #24? UPDATE #24 fails inspection: SPEED's Victory Lane show is reporting NASCAR is looking hard at the #24-Jeff Gordon car that won the 2nd Gatorade Duel 150 race, supposedly something with the templates.
    MORE: SPEED updated their report, it seems the #24 may be too low, could be something with a shock mount, NASCAR's John Darby has been under the rear of the car a few times, still no announcement about it.
    UPDATE: News came late in the day that Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevy failed a post-race inspection. The quarter panels were too low. Instead of starting the Daytona 500 on the second row, Gordon will start 42nd. That's his punishment. His victory will stand. NASCAR officials said the problem probably was unintentional. It was the fourth qualifying race win of Gordon's career and his second in a row.(ESPN.com)
    AND: #24-Jeff Gordon will start 42nd in Sunday's Daytona 500 after failing post-race inspection following the second of Thursday's two 150-mile qualifying races. Because the infraction -- the rear panel was almost an inch low -- was not considered intentional to create a competitive advantage Gordon will be allowed to keep his victory in the race. Robin Pemberton, NASCAR's vice president for competition, said no further penalties would be levied against Gordon's team. It was the third straight day NASCAR's governing body passed out penalties at Daytona International Speedway. Gordon was unaware of the issue until informed during his post-race interview. "That would really suck," he said. Pemberton said the shock fastener and spacers used to hold the rear shocks that are installed during pre-race preparation for restrictor plate races were misaligned. He said it likely was a mistake made by the mechanic. "We felt it was unintentional," Pemberton said. "Actually, it was unsafe. We felt it was a part failure and unintentionally done."(ESPN.com)(2-15-2006)

  • Gordon wins the second Gatorade Duel 150 with a last lap pass of #2-Kurt Busch. #13-Nemechek and #09-Wallace raced their way into the Daytona 500. #14-Marlin and #00-Reutimann made the race via their qualifying speed. This is, of course, unofficial. See my Gatorade Duel 150's Results page.(2-15-2007)

  • Baby Girl on the way, Gordon not thinking retirement: With a new baby [girl] on the way in July, #24-Jeff Gordon isn’t making noises about retiring. Far from it. Gordon has insisted all winter that he’s more fired up than ever this year, though his teammate Jimmie Johnson said he wouldn’t be shocked if Gordon retires from driving within the next five years. “A five-year window? I wouldn't be surprised,” Johnson said Thursday during Media Day at Daytona. “This is the start of his 16th year. So in 20 years, I think 20 years of doing anything you're probably looking for a change. So I wouldn't be shocked with that.” Johnson added that Gordon hasn’t made any such pronouncements about the future. As for Gordon, he laughed. "I hope there's a Jeff Gordon sitting in victory lane with a five-year-old daughter in his arms is what I'm hoping for."(SpeedTV.com)(2-9-2007)

  • New Driver for Hendrick Motorsports? Landon Cassill UPDATE: The Gazette [of Cedar Rapids Iowa] is reporting: Landon Cassill, a 17-year-old senior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School, has signed a contract to drive for NASCAR's Hendrick Motorsports, he told The Gazette today [1/2/2007]. Cassill joins a powerhouse race team that includes Nextel Cup champions #48-Jimmie Johnson and #24-Jeff Gordon, as well as #5-Kyle Busch [and #25-Casey Mears]. "I feel really, really honored to be part of this organization," Cassill said. "I'm honored to be in such an elite group." it says to "See more of this story in Wednesday's Gazette."(The Gazette)
    AND Landon will move to North Carolina in March to begin working full time for Hendrick Motorsports.(kcrg.com), of note: Cassill can't drive in the NASCAR Cup, Busch or Truck series until he is 18 [July 7th] and since Hendrick Motorsports has four team in Nextel Cup [the limit], it won't be a full-time Nextel Cup ride, look for this to be a development program of some sort [ARCA, Trucks, Busch], also Cassill was part of the GM Racing Development Driver Evaluation program and made it to the final stages.(1-3-2007)
    MORE: Landon Cassill — most recently an ASA racer who surged from 30th to fourth in the October race at Iowa Speedway — will graduate high school in February and journey to Hendrick headquarters March 1, his father said. Roger Cassill said Landon has already tested cars for Hendrick, and his future role with the team will include more of that while he’s groomed as a developmental driver. Cassill said his son may test Gordon’s “Car of Tomorrow” next week. “Hendrick was really good about coming in and saying they think he’s got the talent and they are more interested in developing him rather than making a bunch of promises,” Cassill said. “If he’s not ready he’s not going to race. As soon as he’s ready, he’s going to race.”(Des Moines Register)(1-3-2007)
    UPDATE: Cassill will take part in two tests - one this month - while continuing to build a base of knowledge and experience. Hendrick Motorsports spokesman Jesse Essex said Cassill is the only driver with the organization other than defending Cup champion Johnson, four-time series champ Gordon, Busch and Mears. Cassill's progress toward a possible behind-the-wheel NASCAR career will be measured in baby steps. "Right now we're solely focused on seat time," Essex said.(Des Moines Register)(1-5-2007)

    2006 News

  • Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital opens UPDATE plans to drive "long time": Jeff Gordon saw firsthand the strain and heartache childhood illnesses bring early in his career when Ray Evernham's young son was diagnosed with leukemia. Watching his crew chief battle to find top-notch care for Ray J. stuck with Gordon, who made children's charities a top priority of his foundation. His largest contribution yet came to fruition Saturday when the ribbon was cut at the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital, a 28-bed pediatric unit at Northeast Medical Center [in Concord, NC]. Located not far from Lowe's Motor Speedway and many of NASCAR's race shops, the hospital will serve six counties and eliminate the need to travel to Charlotte for specialized pediatric care.(ESPN/AP)(12-17-2006)
    UPDATE: Gordon, 35, hopes to compete on NASCAR's premier circuit well past his current contract with Hendrick Motorsports, which expires in 2010. He might go 10 years beyond that, perhaps longer if he can work out a limited schedule the way Mark Martin has for next season. "I want to do it as long as I can," Gordon said Saturday before the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital. "I've always said as long as I'm competitive and healthy and enjoying being out there [I want to do this], and right now I definitely am. Who knows? Things change. Life changes."(ESPN.com)(12-18-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon and Wife Expecting Baby: Ingrid Vandebosch, wife of four-time Cup Series champion #24-Jeff Gordon, is pregnant. "We're obviously very excited," said Gordon, who announced his engagement at Infineon Raceway in June and married Vandebosch on November 7. "Christmas came early for us this year. "This is a very special gift for us – one that we're both looking forward to. The due date is early July, and Ingrid and I can't wait to be parents. "We've known for a little while, but we couldn't wait any longer to share the good news with our friends and fans."(JeffGordon.com)(12-13-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon testing Daytona Prototype at Homestead: Jeff Gordon and Sam Hornish, Jr. will join over 25 Rolex Sports Car Series teams to participate in the Rolex Sports Car Series test at Homestead-Miami Speedway, December 5th and 6th from 9:00am to 12:00pm/et and 1:30 to 4:30pm/et. Gordon will return this time to battle the Speedway's 11-turn road course in a Daytona Prototype - a car that he has never driven before. He is scheduled to share the #10 SunTrust Pontiac Riley with 2005 Rolex Series Daytona Prototype co-champions Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor. Hornish will also be driving a Daytona Prototype for the very first time next week. He will share the #60 Flight Options/Net App Lexus Riley with his Penske Racing IndyCar teammate Helio Castroneves, South Florida resident Oswaldo Negri, and Mark Patterson. Fans are welcome to attend the free Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series test, December 5-6 to catch Gordon, Hornish and other favorite drivers in action. Those who plan to attend should check in at the first-floor lobby in the Homestead-Miami Speedway administration building, and then take the elevator to the Speedway Club on the fourth floor. The Rolex Sports Car Series Linder-Industrial Komatsu Grand Prix of Miami and the XM Satellite Radio Indy 300 will return to Homestead-Miami Speedway on March 24, 2007 along with concerts, displays, food, and more. To purchase tickets or for more information please visit www.homesteadmiamispeedway.com or call (866) - 409-RACE.(HMS PR), others scheduled to test include: Scott Pruett, Boris Said, Paul Tracy, David Donohue and J.C. France.(12-4-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon make appearance in ESPN's MNF Booth in Charlotte: #24-Jeff Gordon will make a special guest appearance in ESPN’s Monday Night Football booth when the Tampa Bay Buccaneers meet the Carolina Panthers Monday in Charlotte. Gordon, the winningest active drive and the current all-time money leader, will join ESPN’s Mike Tirico, Joe Theismann and Tony Kornheiser in the second quarter to discuss racing, football and other topics. The ESPN telecast will also feature taped highlights of Theismann and sideline reporter Suzy Kolber at the Richard Petty Driving Experience. The popular MNF personalities are expected to get behind the wheel for a thrilling ride of their own Saturday night at nearby Lowe’s Motor Speedway as part of their visit to Carolina. Fans who attend the Monday Night game will also have the opportunity to see a specially-wrapped ESPN stock car that was created as part of NASCAR’s return to ESPN and ABC in 2007. The vehicle will be parked alongside ESPN The Truck in an open lot at the intersection of S. Mint and Quincy Streets in Charlotte, just a few blocks from Bank of America Stadium.(ESPN PR)(11-11-2006)

  • Grand-Am test for Gordon in Dec: Jeff Gordon will test a Grand-Am Pontiac at Homestead-Miami Speedway on December 5-6 in preparation for the Rolex 24 at Daytona in late January. Gordon will team up with Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor in the #10 Pontiac Riley in the endurance race. Angelelli and Taylor tested at Daytona on November 6-7. Angelelli’s lap time of 123.544 mph in Monday afternoon's session was the fastest of the two-day test.(gordononlinew.com)(11-9-2006)

  • Congrats: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, married Ingrid Vandebosch in a small, private ceremony in Mexico on November 7. Congrats to the bride & groom.(gordononlinew.com and see story at usmagazine.com)(11-8-2006)

  • Nicorette Increases 2007 Program with Jeff Gordon: Nicorette nicotine gum will expand its Nextel Cup program next season, expanding its involvement with #24-Jeff Gordon to four races, officials announced Friday at Atlanta. They also commended the 173 NASCAR officials and crew members who quit smoking with their product this season. Gordon will run a special Nicorette paint scheme for four races next season: Las Vegas (March 11), Chicago (July 15), Richmond (Sept. 8) and Atlanta (Oct. 28).(AMS Pit Notes)(10-28-2006)

  • Gordon has shot to be first to hit $80 million: Six years after his final victory, Dale Earnhardt's record of 11 restrictor-plate victories can be tied this weekend in the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. If that record is matched, Jeff Gordon has also tied "The Intimidator's" career total of 76 wins in the Nextel Cup Series - and eclipsed the $80 million mark for career race winnings [which includes point funds, championships, etc].(Performance PR Plus), Gordon is currently at $79,882,400, needing $117,000.(10-4-2006)

  • Gordon says Vickers not a teammate: Technically, Brian Vickers is Jeff Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate. Well, for nine more races at least. Certainly, Gordon doesn't seem to mind that Vickers is leaving after this season, especially not after some hard driving led to some harsh words on Friday. "He's my teammate, but he's not my teammate because he's moving on next year," Gordon said. "I raced him harder than he wanted me to race him earlier in the race. I could give all the reasons and excuses, but it doesn't do any good." The two raced each other hard at New Hampshire, and Vickers rankled Gordon when he wouldn't let the former champ pass. Gordon, fourth in the points standings, even complained on the radio to his team that he hoped Vickers knew that he was racing for a championship. "It did cost us time, Gordon said. "Right now he's in a tough position. He's moving on to a new team. He hasn't been able to win races like other guys at Hendrick Motorsports. He wants it bad and he's driving hard and I think it was just a little lapse in judgment." Vickers finished fifth; Gordon third. Vickers will drive for Team Red Bull in 2007. "It's not a guy that's out there trying to help you win a championship," Gordon said.(FoxSports/AP)(9-24-2006)

  • Foamy mess at Hendrick hanger: Maintenance workers at Hendrick Motorsports have a foamy mess to clean up at the company’s airline hanger after the building's fire extinguishing system activated. The foam covered Hendrick aircraft inside the hanger at Concord Regional Airport and workers used fans, shovels and cardboard boxes to push the foam out. The building holds about 1,200 gallons of the foam and firefighters estimated that 500 to 700 gallons of the foam discharged. The foam does not pose any environmental impact and can be dissipated with water, firefighters said. Firefighters have not determined how the system was tripped. The aircrafts were not damaged.(WCNC.com)(8-31-2006)

  • Gordon looking to talk with Kenseth: When #24-Jeff Gordon arrived in Indianapolis on Wednesday, he said he was looking for #17-Matt Kenseth - and not just to push him out of the way like he did at the end of Sunday's race in Chicago. "I'd certainly like to see him before I leave here," Gordon said before the third day of testing began. "I was hoping just to see him here because I figured we'd all be here."(Associated Press)(7-13-2006)

  • Hendrick Marrow Program Present Gordon with Award: #24-Jeff Gordon is no stranger to giving. Through The Jeff Gordon Foundation, he has provided support to several organizations committed to helping children with chronic illnesses and their families. Now, two of these partner organizations have given Gordon something in return. On Saturday, July 8, Gordon was presented with an award in recognition of his devoted support of The Marrow Foundation and the Hendrick Marrow Program. The award presentation took place at the Jeff Gordon Network Fan Event at Chicagoland Speedway in front of 240 of Gordon's most loyal fans. Courtney Hurd, Manager of The Marrow Foundation's Hendrick Marrow Program, presented Gordon with the award on behalf of both organizations. Founded in 1997 by Rick Hendrick in partnership with The Marrow Foundation, the Hendrick Marrow Program works to increase public awareness of the need for marrow and blood cell donors by providing funds for marrow donor recruitment drives, and financial assistance to patients and their families for uninsured transplant-related expenses.(pprplus.com)(7-13-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon wins at Chicago: #24-Jeff Gordon won the USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, for his 2nd win of the year, 75th of his career [one behind Dale Earnhardt] and his first ever win at Chicago. So Gordon has now won at all the track Cup run at BUT Phoenix, Texas and Homestead. The win is a bit controversial as with two laps to go, Gordon got a run on #17-Kenseth who was leading, Kenseth slowed a bit in the turn and Gordon got into Kenseth, causing Kenseth to spin around. Kenseth finished 21st after running out of fuel anyway and then getting caught up in a wreck at the finish of the race. #31-Jeff Burton, the pole sitter, finished 2nd, followed by #5-Kyle Busch, #29-Kevin Harvick and #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. With Kenseth's wreck and finish, #48-Jimmie Johnson maintains the points, up to 48 points over Kenseth. #20-Tony Stewart was running 3rd when he ran out of gas on the final restart. There were 18 lead changes among 10 drivers and 8 cautions for 34 laps.
    Race Results on my Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points page.
    Race Rundown: see my Chicago Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(7-9-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon to run for 2007 Rolex 24 At Daytona: In a press conference at Daytona International Speedway today, SunTrust Racing car owner/driver Wayne Taylor (and his Surrey Sport LLC company) and SunTrust Racing announced that four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon will co-drive the #10 SunTrust Racing car with Taylor and his fellow 2005 Daytona Prototype co-champion Max Angelelli in the 45th annual Rolex 24 At Daytona, January 27-28, 2007.(grandamerican.com)(6-30-2006)

  • Gordon engaged MORE: on the Fox Sports pre-race show at Sonoma, Darrell Waltrip said that Jeff Gordon got engaged over the weekend to girlfriend Ingrid Vanderbosch, a model.(6-25-2006)
    MORE: When Jeff Gordon broke the news at Sonoma that he and girlfriend Ingrid Vanderboush were engaged to be married the racing media not only was curious how he proposed but also if there was a prenuptial agreement since Gordon was forced to give up millions following his bitter divorce to Brooke Sealy. Asked in a light-hearted way during the Infineon Raceway post race press conference Jeff chuckled and said “I think she knows that I’m a lot smarter the second time around. I guarantee you one thing...she’s got a much better guy this time around and I’ve got an amazing girl this time around to. I can’t say there’s any big story to the engagement. We’ve actually been holding it to ourselves for about a month. Because we didn’t do it the traditional way and get down on one knee and go to some fancy restaurant or Eiffel Tower or something we held onto it for a while until we were ready to tell people.” Gordon chose to break the news to family and friends who live in and around his hometown in California. “As much as we travel you’re not typically in a place where you can get a bunch of people together. We wanted to let our family know first obviously and so it was great to be able to do that.” As far the pre-nup thing? Jeff smiled and said, “You’ll have to ask her.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(6-28-2006)

  • Garth Brooks and NASCAR and Gordon? Claire B. Lang of XM Satellite NASCAR Radio reports that Country Music star Garth Brooks was at the Speedway Club at Lowe's Motor Speedway today. He met with execs of the speedway and representitives of Jeff Gordon's Foundation. He flew into the Concord Airport on a private jet. CBL hears that an "event" is in the works.(6-28-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon wins at Sonoma: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway for his first win of 2006 and first in 19 races and 74th of his career [2 behind Dale Earnhardt], Gordon also moves into 8th in Drivers Points and the Chase. #12-Ryan Newman finished 2nd followed by #96-Terry Labonte, his first top-5 in 70 races [Darlington Sept 2003, his last win] and the best ever finish for the first year Hall of Fame Racing finish, 4th was #16-Greg Biffle then #2-Kurt Busch. #99-Carl Edwards finished 6th followed by #31-Jeff Burton, #38-Elliott Sadler, #60-Boris Said and #48-Jimmie Johnson. Two rookies finished in the top 15, #11-Denny Hamlin [12th] and #1-Martin Truex Jr. [15th]. There were 9 lead changes among 8 drivers and 7 cautions for 12 laps.
    Race Results on my Race Results/Awards Page.
    Points Standings on my Drivers/Owners Points page.
    Race Rundown: see my Sonoma Race Info/Rundown Page for my race rundown page, laps led, top 10, race notes, lucky dogs and more.(6-25-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon to co-host Regis and Kelly: #24-Jeff Gordon is scheduled to co-host the popular daytime talk show “Live with Regis and Kelly” on Tuesday, June 20. Gordon will fill in for host Regis Philbin. “Live with Regis and Kelly” is in its 18th year of national syndication and continues to wake up millions of Americans each day. Check local listings for time and channel.(Performace PR Plus)(6-17-2006)

  • Gordon brake failure still being investigated; 64G's: Jeff Gordon said Friday his Hendrick Motorsports team still doesn't know exactly what caused a right-front brake rotor to disintegrate, sending Gordon's #24 DuPont Chevy slamming into the Turn 1 wall at Pocono Raceway June 11. "A lot of us have seen issues with brakes - and our hub issue at Charlotte," Gordon said. "A lot of it has to do with where we're at with our cars and the speed and the setups that we're running that are just putting a lot more stress on parts of the race car that we're not used to seeing. We don't have a definite answer yet." Gordon did say the team has sent what was left of the rotor to be analyzed. The #24 had the same brake package as teammates #5-Kyle Busch and #25-Brian Vickers, neither of who had trouble. The #48 of Jimmie Johnson had a slightly different package, and Gordon said his team would probably use that setup when it returns to Pocono next month. Gordon added that the crash registered 64 Gs, and after an initial consultation in the infield care center, medical officials kept him longer. "I was ready to walk out of the infield care center, and they came in with the telemetry numbers and said, 'Wait a minute. We think you might want to stay a little bit longer,'" Gordon said.(SceneDaily.com)(6-17-2006)

  • Gordon OK after scary wreck at Pocono UPDATE cleared: #24-Jeff Gordon put a scare in the crowd — and offered a testimony to safety advances — by crashing near the end of the Pocono 500. Gordon’s Chevrolet suffered the most nightmarish of Pocono Raceway fates. The brakes failed suddenly at the end of the front straight — the longest in NASCAR — with Gordon speeding along at over 200 mph. With little other choice, Gordon skidded into the grass, scrubbing off some speed before his car slammed savagely into the SAFER barriers. The grass and mud from the infield excursion coated the trailing car of Tony Raines [and of #07-Clint Bowyer], running perhaps 150 yards behind him. Miraculously, Gordon was unhurt. “I don’t know how,” said Gordon. “That’s one of the hardest hits I’ve ever taken. We broke a right-front (brake) rotor going into turn one, and that’s about as bad a thing as can happen to you at Pocono.” The impact damaged the barriers and left a considerable amount of debris to be cleaned up. The race was interrupted for 13 minutes, 9 seconds. The red flag was unfurled at the end of 193 (out of 200) laps, and racing resumed with five remaining.(Gaston Gazette)(6-12-2006)
    UPDATE: Jeff Gordon was checked out by doctors Sunday and was cleared to race in this weekend's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp confirmed Tuesday.(SceneDaily.com)(6-14-2006)

  • Race #450 for Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon is scheduled to make his 450th consecutive and career NASCAR Nextel Cup Series start at Dover International Speedway. Along the road that leads to this 450th start are mile markers that include: winning the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in his 50th start; his first of three Daytona 500 wins and becoming the youngest driver to win NASCAR's most prestigious race in his 125th race; starting from the pole at Richmond for race 200; the second of four Brickyard 400 victories came with start 175; and his third win at California Speedway came in Gordon's 375th start.(Performance PR Plus)(6-2-2006)

  • Kenseth: My Fault: Matt Kenseth disagreed with NASCAR's decision to fine Gordon $10,000 and place him on probation for shoving Kenseth at Bristol. "The deal was my fault," Kenseth said. "I made a mistake and I should have known better than to go over there and try to apologize."(Dallas Morning News)(4-1-2006)

  • Jeff Gordon Fined by NASCAR as a Result of Bristol Infraction: NASCAR announced today that Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, has been fined $10,000 as a result of his involvement in an altercation on pit road [he pushed #17-Matt Kenseth] after the completion of Sunday’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Gordon has also been placed on probation until Aug. 30, 2006. Gordon was in violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup rule book.(NASCAR PR)(3-28-2006)

  • Gordon push to be looked at by NASCAR: Although not giving as firm a statement as typical when penalties are imminent, NASCAR officials said they will review the Jeff Gordon shove of Matt Kenseth, which occurred on pit road after the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway. NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said Sunday night that NASCAR will follow its typical procedure and review the incident in the next few days, probably Tuesday. Kenseth and Gordon were involved in a crash on the final lap, where Kenseth sent Gordon spinning. Kenseth went over to Gordon to apologize after the race, and Gordon shoved him away. "I would have been ticked off, too," Kenseth said. "I probably should have known better than to go over there, but I just think when you do something wrong, you should try to be a man about it and apologize." Both drivers and crew chiefs were called to the hauler after the race. "I'm sure he didn't mean to do it and all that stuff, but I wasn't happy about it," Gordon said. "I showed it to him after the race."(SceneDaily.com)(3-27-2006)

  • Gordon gets waxed in Vegas UPDATE: Madame Tussauds Las Vegas will make Jeff Gordon just the second auto racing figure to grace its SPEED attraction when it unveils a life-sized wax attraction of "The Rainbow Warrior" at 2:00pm/pt, Wednesday, March 8, at Madame Tussauds at The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino, 3377 Las Vegas Boulevard South. SPEED is an interactive attraction dedicated to auto racing that was opened in August 2005 with a meticulously recreated $200,000 wax figure of Dale Earnhardt, the legendary "Intimidator" of NASCAR. Gordon will now join Earnhardt in the attraction. Adrian Jones, general manager of Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, Chris Powell, general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, will participate in the unveiling of the Gordon figure. The figure of Gordon will be unveiled in an official driving uniform and be situated in a high-energy, winning setting of Victory Lane. Visitors will be able to stand next to the figure and feel the sights and sounds of one of the most thrilling moments in NASCAR history.(Madame Tussauds Las Vegas PR)(3-7-2006)
    UPDATE: Jeff Gordon became only the second auto racing figure to be immortalized in Madame Tussauds Las Vegas SPEED attraction when his life-sized wax attraction was unveiled in special ceremonies at Madame Tussauds on The Las Vegas Strip. Joining in pre-race activities for this Sunday¹s (March 12) NASCAR UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Madame Tussauds introduced Gordon¹s meticulously re-created $200,000 figure, complete with driver¹s uniform, into SPEED¹s Victory Lane. Gordon joins the legendary "Intimidator," the late Dale Earnhardt, whose wax figure christened the SPEED attraction in August 2005. Adrian Jones, general manager of Madame Tussauds Las Vegas, and Chris Powell, general manager of Las Vegas Motor Speedway, unveiled Gordon¹s wax figure. Like all Madame Tussauds¹ attractions, Gordon¹s figure is interactive. Fans and visitors can stand next to it and be photographed while experiencing the sights and sounds of NASCAR. Although he was precluded from attending the unveiling ceremony by prior commitments during race week, Gordon said he was very honored to be immortalized by Madame Tussauds. Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is open seven days a week. For attraction hours and pricing, call 702-862-7800, or visit online at www.mtvegas.com.(3-9-2006)

  • Nicorette scheme for the #24 at Vegas: Nicorette nicotine gum will be featured for the very first time in a special car paint scheme with four-time series champion Jeff Gordon driving the #24 Nicorette Fresh Mint Chevy at this weekend's Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway . Nicorette gum, NicoDerm CQ patches and Commit lozenges combine for the only smoking cessation sponsorship in NASCAR history. This innovative program includes season-long sponsorships with Gordon and rookie-of-the-year candidate Reed Sorenson. The sponsorship also includes NASCAR's "Commit to Win" Nextel Cup Contingency Award and sponsorships with Richard & Kyle Petty. The sponsorship also includes the first-of-its-kind "QUIT Crew" program that provides smoking cessation counseling to NASCAR teams and fans. Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, and Petty Enterprises have already enrolled in the program. NASCAR fans can experience the "QUIT Crew" program at the Winner's Circle Exhibit, an interactive, entertaining exhibit open to race fans Frdiay - Sunday at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway Fan Walk . Free smoking cessation counseling will be provided to NASCAR fans at the exhibit. For more information, log on to quit2winracing.com.(Lighthouse Marketing PR), see many images of the car on my #24 Team Schemes page, the scheme will also run at Atlanta in October.(3-8-2006)

  • Foose scheme will return at Indy: While Jeff Gordon's 13th place finish at California Speedway could be viewed as somewhat of a disappointment, the Chip Foose designed #24 Hot Hues Chevrolet stood out for its unique paint scheme. The paint scheme will race again at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in August. Gordon announced the news prior to the inaugural running of the design at California. The repeat appearance was scheduled in response to the overwhelmingly positive feedback from customers, custom car enthusiasts and race fans.(Gordonline.com), see images of the car on my #24 Team Schemes page,(3-7-2006)

  • Gordon trades the familiar fire and flames for a Chip Foose special: Initially unveiled last fall at the Specialty Equipment Market Association trade show in Las Vegas, the #24 DuPont Hot Hues Heat Waves and Flames Chevy is set to burn up the track at California Speedway during the 500-mile Nextel Cup Series race on Sunday. The car represents an unprecedented union of automotive star power and horsepower as award-winning car designer Chip Foose, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, DuPont Automotive Finishes, Hendrick Motorsports and Motorsports Authentics Inc. came together to fire up this hot machine. Foose, whose custom creations are made for private individuals, television, film and automobile manufacturers, had a distinct vision in mind when he set about creating the Heat Waves and Flames machine. While at the SEMA show, Foose explained how he used a combination of DuPont Hot Hues paints - primarily Blackened (Hot Hues #759196) and Starry Night (Hot Hues #754870) - to create the base striped color scheme that serves as the foundation of the Heat Waves and Flames design. The car also incorporates the following Hot Hues(tm) colors as accents: Snow Storm, Atomic Tangerine, Lemon Glow, Dragon Fire and Sassy Orchid. For Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports, the Foose-designed car provides a unique showcase for DuPont, the #24 team's longtime sponsor. Motorsports Authentics (formerly Action Performance) was instrumental in generating the multi-brand merger of industry powerhouses and is producing die-cast replica versions of the elaborate #24 DuPont Hot Hues Heat Waves and Flames 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. The collectibles, which will be available in a variety of collector scales, will feature the same DuPont Hot Hues paints and Heat Waves and Flames design seen on the full-size race car when it races this weekend. The Foose-designed DuPont Hot Hues Heat Waves and Flames Chevrolet is the first major special that the #24 team has exhibited in the 2006 race season.(Motorsports Authentics PR), see images of the car on my #24 Team Schemes page and see www.hothues.dupont.com for 2 new free wallpaper downloads of the Heat Waves and Flames car and race helmet.(2-25-2006)

  • Harvick comments on Gordon: #29-Kevin Harvick, who stepped into his seat at Richard Childress Racing the week after Dale Earnhardt died in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500, says no one has been able to replace Earnhardt as a voice for the drivers in the NASCAR Nextel Cup garage area. Speaking Thursday during NASCAR's annual Media Day, Harvick said longtime Cup star Rusty Wallace filled some of that void until he retired last year. "With him gone, I can't tell you who is going to step up," Harvick said. "It's like our biggest stars are involved in a lot of other things and not taking 100 percent interest in the sport now." Without saying his name, Harvick made it clear that he believes four-time champion Jeff Gordon should be filling Earnhardt's role as the unofficial drivers' representative to NASCAR. "There are people who should be more involved and you know who I mean," he said. Gordon shrugged off the apparent criticism, saying the sport has changed and no one can really replace the charismatic and often enigmatic Earnhardt. "I know people have asked me, `Why haven't you done that? Why haven't you done that?' I've never really felt like it was my place to do that," Gordon said. "I feel like over the years that I've been here that I've earned more respect, but I don't know if I'll ever have the type of respect that Dale had. I think we all play a certain role in doing it together as drivers. It is our responsibility to bring up certain issues and try to do our best to keep the sport growing. But the sport is growing. It's been doing good."(ESPN.com/AP)(2-10-2006)

  • Gordon to use holograms to authenticate signature: #24-Jeff Gordon will begin using sequentially numbered holograms to authenticate his signature on collector's items and merchandise. John Bickford, the vice president and general manager of Jeff Gordon Inc., said the idea originated after the company that oversees Gordon's business interests discovered many forgeries on eBay. "We felt we had a responsibility to the fan to do all we could to protect them," said Bickford, who estimated JGI spent more than $50,000 on development. "Hopefully other athletes will see the value in this, and they'll begin to use a similar process. I anticipate I'll be getting calls from business agents of people like Barry Bonds or A-Rod." The hologram will make its debut Friday during the For Race Fans Only program on QVC. Within a few months, fans will be able to register the items at jeffgordon.com.(USA Today)(2-7-2006)

  • Gordon, Superman and Daytona: #24-Jeff Gordon will run a special Pepsi Superman Returns paint scheme at Daytona in the Julu 1st Pepsi 400.(Pepsi Free Ride Site)(1-31-2006)

  • Quit Smoking Program teams up with NASCAR: GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare has launched "QUIT Crew" a smoking cessation program through its 2006 NASCAR sponsorship. The program is designed to help partnering teams within NASCAR to quit smoking and help reduce the number of smokers throughout the sport. Last season, GSK Consumer Healthcare conducted a pilot program with the Chip Ganassi with Felix Sabates Racing team [#41 Dodge in Cup]. Sixteen members of the Ganassi Racing Team in Concord, NC participated in the program last year. Thus far, Hendrick Motorsports, Petty Enterprises and Chip Ganassi Racing have signed up to offer the program to their employees. Other teams are expected to join the program as it's offered more broadly over the next several weeks.
    When a group enrolls in the program, interested team members will be invited to an orientation and seminar about quitting smoking presented by Frank Vitale of the University of Pittsburgh Pharmacy School. During orientation, Vitale will explain the process of quitting, the products available to help them and enroll those interested in joining the 10-12 week program.
    Program participants will be counseled and monitored closely by GSK Consumer Healthcare smoking cessation counselors on a weekly basis. Vitale will meet with participants privately the afternoon of the seminar and will be available to them by telephone during the program. GSK Consumer Healthcare is providing counselor services free of charge as well as a starter kit of smoking cessation products. In addition, GSK Consumer Healthcare smoking cessation counselors will be available to crew members in the garage areas at 30 NASCAR races this season.
    To inspire NASCAR fans to quit, each participating team will be given an opportunity to take a video camera provided by GSK Consumer Healthcare to document their thoughts and experiences during the quit smoking process. The challenges they encounter will be documented on the quit2winracing.com web site to help others understand what the quitting process is really like.(Lighthouse Marketing PR)(1-27-2006)

  • Hendrick offer bonus for The Chase: Hendrick Motorsports Team owner Rick Hendrick said he will split a $1,248,525 bonus between his four full-time teams if they qualify, figuring to increase his odds of winning the title. Last season Roush Racing placed its five Fords in the 10-race playoff among the top 10 drivers. Hendrick's lone qualifier, Jimmie Johnson, finished fifth. "We're thankful for what we've done, but that doesn't count," Hendrick said Wednesday during the media tour of Nextel Cup garages. "We're hungry for another championship here. We want to win Busch and Cup titles, we want to all be in the Chase, we have bonuses, we have coins that say all four are in the Chase ..." The bonus amount is comprised of the car numbers of four-time champ Jeff Gordon (24), Johnson (48), '05 Rookie of the Year Kyle Busch (5) and Brian Vickers (25).(USA Today)(1-26-2006)

    2005 News

  • Scandinavia Conquers Race of Champions' "Nations Cup": The Scandinavian team of seven-time Le Mans winner Tom Christensen (Denmark) and former DTM champion Mattias Ekstrom (Sweden) went unbeaten all the way to the title in the Race of Champions’ “Nations Cup” competition, edging the Playstation/France entry of double Champ Car titlist Sebastien Bourdais and multiple Dakar winner Stephane Peterhansel in the final. Jeff Gordon made it to the semi-finals round in both the Nation's Cup team event and the individual Race of Champions in Paris on December 3. In the Nation's Cup event with Gordon and Travis Pastrana representing the United States, Gordon won both heats against Nelson Piquet Jr of Brazil to give the U.S. a 2-1 victory in the best-of-three. However, in the next round, Gordon was bested by Tom Kristensen of Scandinavia by a tenth of a second, and Pastrana was defeated by Ekstrom. The Scandinavian team went on to capture the Nation's Cup. Gordon represented the U.S. in 2002 when the event was held in Gran Canaria off the coast of Africa. Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Colin Edwards captured the Nation's Cup team event.(Speed Channel and Gordonline.com)(12-4-2005)

  • Pepsi reups with Hendrick: Pepsi and Hendrick Motorsports have extended one of NASCAR's most enduring relationships, today announcing an agreement that secures the New York-based beverage maker as a major associate sponsor and "Official Soft Drink" of Jeff Gordon's #24 DuPont Chevrolets through the 2010 Nextel Cup Series season. As part of the pact, Gordon in 2006 will drive Pepsi-branded race cars April 30 at Talladega, Ala., and July 1 in the company's signature event, the Pepsi 400, at Daytona Beach. NASCAR's 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001 Cup Series champion, Gordon has been associated with Pepsi since 1997 and remains its most longstanding spokesperson.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(11-10-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon to Compete in France: #24-Jeff Gordon, and five-time X-Games gold medalist and rally driver, Travis Pastrana, will represent Team USA in the 18th Race of Champions - Nations Cup, Dec. 3 at the 70,000 seat Stade de France in Paris. Three years ago, Team USA - Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Colin Edwards - won the event. Approximately 10 countries with drivers from many racing disciplines, including NASCAR, Formula One and World Rally Championship, will take part in the prestigious international competition.(GM Racing PR)(11-9-2005)

  • Designer Foose unveils a custom stock car for Jeff Gordon: The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) trade show set the stage for an unprecedented union of automotive star power and horsepower as car designer Chip Foose, DuPont Automotive Finishes, Hendrick Motorsports and Action Performance Companies Inc. debuted a special edition #24 DuPont Chevy with a Foose-designed DuPont Hot Hues paint scheme. Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon, who was on hand for the car's SEMA premiere, will pilot the "hot" machine during the 500-mile NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at California Speedway in February 2006. Visit the company Web site at www.foosedesign.com for more information.(Action Performance PR) see an image of the scheme on my 2006 #24 Team Scehemes page.(11-4-2005)

  • Georgia Pacific to Hendrick? UPDATE: hearing that Georgia Pacific, current sponsor for #45 Kyle Petty, will go to Hendrick Motorsports in some capacity. Could be as a full associate and part-time primary one or more of the Hendrick teams, which are #5-Kyle Busch, #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers, #44-Terry Labonte, #48-Jimmie Johnson. Petty had announced midseason Georgia Pacific would not be back, they were also rumored to be the new sponsor for Roush Racing's #6 with Mark Martin driving but looks like AAA will be the sponsor there. Georgia Pacific is scheduled to make an announcement of some sort at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Friday.(10-26-2005)
    UPDATE: Georgia-Pacific on Friday announced a multi-year agreement to put its Sparkle brand of paper towels on the #24 Chevrolet of four-time champion Jeff Gordon, beginning in 2006. Sheila Weidman, vice president of corporate communications and marketing for Georgia-Pacific, said the associate sponsorship deal will not take away from its other NASCAR sponsorships, including qualifying night at Atlanta Motor Speedway's fall race, as well as primary sponsorship of Kyle Petty's #45 Brawny Dodge. G-P also is a sponsor of the Victory Junction Gang Camp.(AMS Pit Notes)(10-29-2005)

  • Gordon wins at Martinsville: #24-Jeff Gordon took the race lead at lap 360 of the crash filled Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway to win for the first time since Talladega in May, 73rd of his career, 4th of 2005, 7th at Martinsville and sweeping both races at Martinsville for the 2nd time. It is also is crew chief Steve Letarte's first win as a crew chief. Points leader #20-Tony Stewart finished 2nd and increases his point lead to 15 over #48-Jimmie Johnson, who finished 3rd, with 4 races to go. Rounding out the top-5 were #18-Bobby Labonte [only his 3rd top-5 of the season] and #31-Jeff Burton [only his 3rd top-5 of the season]. Bad day for many of The Chase drivers with six of the 10 finishing out of the top-10 with #6-Martin having the worse day, finishing 34th, 34 laps down after brake problems late in the race. #11-Denny Hamlin, only in his 3rd race, finished 8th for his 2nd top-10 in three total races. There was a track record 19 cautions for 113 [record is 125] and 8 drivers led a lap with 17 lead changes.
    For my race rundown, laps led, DNF's, caution info, Lucky Dogs and some notes, see my Martinsville Race Info/Rundown Page.
    For race results and awards, and other site links, see my
  • Jayski's Martinsville Race Results/Awards page.
    For drivers/owners points, classic points top 15, see my
  • Jayski's Drivers/Owners Points after Martinsville page.(10-23-2005)

  • Hendrick unsure about attending Martinsville: Car owner Rick Hendrick won't decide until Sunday whether he’ll travel to Martinsville for the Subway 500 cup race. It was one year ago this weekend when a Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed into Bull mountain near Martinsville while attempting to land in foggy conditions.10 people lost their lives, including his son Ricky, brother John and head engine builder Randy Dorton. Hendrick told PRN'S Garagepass; “I’ve learned since the accident that I have to take things day by day. I can have three or four days great and then I’ll get really down and thinking about things. It could be somebody’s birthday or Ricky’s daughter comes over to the house or whatever and it just unleashes a lot of emotions so I just try not to make too many plans. I want to go back to support the guys and I also feel like you just can’t run from it. But, if that morning if it doesn’t feel right then I won’t go.”(PRN's Garage Pass Radio Show)(10-20-2005)

  • Gordon to test drive a 'Vette for TV: Jeff Gordon gets behind the wheel of the new Chevrolet Corvette Z06 at Road Atlanta with SPEED Channel’s popular “Test Drive” program and host Tommy Kendall on Oct. 22 at 6:00pm/et. “I had never been to Road Atlanta and I got the opportunity to drive one of the best Corvettes they’ve ever brought out,” Gordon said on SPEED’s “NASCAR This Morning.” “(The Z06) has a lot of power, handles fantastic and looks great -- I had a blast.” Footage was also shot at the famed Le Mans road course in France with Corvette factory driver Johnny O’Connell.(Hendrick Motorsports)(10-19-2005)

  • Nicorette to sponsor Jeff Gordon in 2006, assoc and 2 races: Jeff Gordon will be sponsored by Nicorette gum as primary sponsor on the #24 Chevrolet for two events in 2006. DuPont will sponsor Gordon for 32 races, while Pepsi is on board as lead sponsor for two events [usually May Talladega and Daytina in July]. The stop-smoking gum product also will be an associate sponsor all year for Gordon's team. The white and green Nicorette logo adorned Casey Mears' #41 car in limited events during 2005. "NASCAR has done great things for us, and we're trying to take it to the next level," said Steve Kapur, of GlaxoSmithKline. "The more people the program is visible to and the more people we have talking about it, the better connection we'll have with NASCAR fans." GSK has a "Winners' Circle" display at NASCAR tracks where counselors talk with race fans about quitting smoking. "Our goal going in was to talk to 2,000 people per weekend," Kapur said. "Actually, we're getting more than 4,000 a week asking us for advice on how to quit or on how to help somebody they care about quit." The company also plans to set up stop-smoking programs with with Hendrick Motorsports.(Gordonline.com), see images of the car on my 2006 #24 Team Schemes page.(10-14-2005)

  • Loomis to stay at Hendrick thru 2005: Robbie Loomis, #24-Jeff Gordon's former crew chief, will take two weeks off after the Nextel Cup season before moving to Petty Enterprises to become vice president of race operations. Loomis, who has been Gordon's crew chief since the middle of the 2000 Winston Cup season, stepped down last month after Gordon did not qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup championship. He is staying on as a consultant for Gordon and car owner Rick Hendrick until the season ends. "Right now, I'm able to take a step back and look at things a little differently, and that's really good," Loomis said Friday after a practice session for Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway. "The on-track stuff I'm concentrating on is all with the Hendrick team, but I can think a little bit about the big-picture stuff with the Pettys."(ESPN.com RPM)(10-8-2005)

  • OT to be paid: Hendrick Motorsports will pay more than $350,000 in back overtime wages to employees after an investigation found the racing company violated federal labor laws. The company, which designs, builds and races cars in NASCAR, acknowledged it failed to pay 214 salaried production workers $351,783 in overtime between July 2003 and July 2005. The U.S. Labor Department said it determined Hendrick violated the Fair Labor Standards Act. "We certainly wanted to make sure our employees received any compensation to which they were entitled, so we were glad to make the appropriate payments," Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex told The Associated Press on Saturday in an e-mail. "We've updated our internal policies and do not anticipate any ongoing issues."(ESPN.com/AP)(10-2-2005)

  • Gordon can tie Dale Sr. in restrictor plate wins: #24-Jeff Gordon can tie Dale Earnhardt for most restrictor plate victories with a win on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. Earnhardt won 11 times [restictor plate races, also won 2 races at Talladega before restrictor plates, 1983 and 1984 for a total of 13] at Talladega (8) and Daytona (3), including his final victory at Talladega five years ago. “Dale was the master of these types of races,” said Gordon, who has won two of the three restrictor plate races this season. “I’d love to get the win, but not because of any statistic or record. And it really doesn’t add any extra incentive because this team tries to win every race.”(in part from The State), Gordon has won 10 restrictor plate races: four races at Talladega, three Daytona 500's and three Pepsi 400's at Daytona.(9-30-2005)

  • Baldwin bolting Evernham? hearing that #9 crew chief, Tommy Baldwin could be leaving Evernham Motorsports and driver Kasey Kahne. There had been rumors he could be headed to Hendrick Motorsports and #24-Jeff Gordon, but Hendrick Motorsports syas they are committed to new crew chief, Steve Letarte, for the rest of 2005 and for the 2006 season.(9-19-2005)

  • WOW that didn't take long.....Loomis back to Petty in 2006: Kyle Petty, CEO of Petty Enterprises, today announced the organization's addition of championship-winning crew chief Robbie Loomis as executive vice president of race operations. In his new role, Loomis will head the day-to-day operations of Level Cross-based Petty Enterprises and its two full-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series teams -- the #43 Dodges driven by Jeff Green and the #45 Dodges piloted by Petty."We are excited that Robbie will be rejoining Petty Enterprises," Petty said. "Robbie won races as a crew chief here, and then won a lot of races and a championship with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports. We have great respect for the entire Hendrick organization, and know that Robbie's experience with the Hendrick team has prepared him well for the role he will take on at Petty Enterprises. Robbie Loomis will direct our entire race operation, and we expect his experience and his ability to mold a team to help us get to the next level. Robbie has been a part of our family for a long time, and we're happy to have him come home." Loomis, 41, will leave his position as crew chief of Hendrick Motorsports' #24 Chevrolets. Before rejoining Petty, the Forest City, Fla., native will work as a consultant to Concord-based Hendrick Motorsports as the operation pursues the 2005 Nextel Cup championship with the #48 Chevrolets.
    "We still have a job to do," said Loomis, who won a Cup title with driver Jeff Gordon in 2001 after coming to Hendrick from Petty Enterprises in 2000. "Our goal is winning that championship with Jimmie (Johnson), Chad (Knaus) and the #48 team. I'm here to support them in any way I possibly can. "Hendrick Motorsports opened my eyes to a whole different level of this industry. The experience has allowed me to see things from a new perspective and learn important lessons about business and life. I'm truly grateful to Rick, Jeff and the 500 people who make Hendrick Motorsports so special. "I was with the Petty family for 11 years before being blessed to work with Jeff and the #24 team. Kyle and Richard (Petty) are giving me an incredible opportunity to come home, back where I started my career, and I' m honored and excited to do that."(Williams Company)(9-14-2005)

  • Letarte Gordon's new crew chief starting at NHIS: With Robbie Loomis’ move back to Petty Enterprises, Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick today introduced Steve Letarte as crew chief of the #24 entries driven by Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion. Letarte will call his first race Sunday at Loudon, N.H., less than 70 miles from his hometown of Cornish, Maine. Letarte, 26, has been with the #24 team full-time since 1996, winning three Cup titles under the tutelage of crew chiefs Ray Evernham, Brian Whitesell and Loomis. He has worked as a tire specialist, mechanic and car chief. “To have a chance like this with Hendrick Motorsports is incredible,” Letarte said. “I couldn’t ask to work with a better driver or a more talented group of people. I’m committed to continuing the winning tradition of this team, closing 2005 on a positive note and pushing toward Jeff’s fifth championship next year.” Letarte takes over a crew with a pair of pole positions and three victories this season. Only two Nextel Cup teams have more wins in 2005. “I’m sad to see Robbie leave,” Gordon said. “We made a great team and had more wins ahead of us, but the Pettys presented him with a fantastic opportunity. For him, it was time for a change and I’m happy he’s found the right fit. “I’ve worked with Steve for more than 10 years and we already communicate extremely well, both on and off the track. The team has a ton of confidence in his abilities, so we’re looking forward to the last 10 races of 2005 and getting an early jump on next year.”(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(9-14-2005)

  • Loomis back with Gordon in 2006? UPDATE could leave: NASCAR NEXTEL Teleconference Transcript - Jeff Gordon:
    Q) Do you expect Robbie Loomis to be your crew chief next year?
     Jeff Gordon Answer: "Well, we talked before this season even started about Robbie's future, what he wanted to do. If it's up to me, yeah, I'd love to have him as my crew chief. Robbie, you know, with his mom and some of the illnesses she's gone through, he's trying to decide right now what his plans are. It has nothing to do with our performance this year. I believe a hundred percent in Robbie Loomis and his abilities. When we're on, there's nobody better. Because of our lack of performance this year, I really don't think Robbie should be put to blame for that. It has nothing to do with whether he's my crew chief next year or not. You know, it has nothing to do with the performance that we've had this year.(NASCAR)(9-6-2005)
    UPDATE: Robbie Loomis, crew chief since the 2000 season for the #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet of driver Jeff Gordon, said Friday that there is a good chance he’ll be stepping down from that job prior to the start of next season. Though Loomis said his plans remain unsettled for next year, he admitted his priorities have changed following a year in which his mother, Sally, was seriously ill. “It’s kind of like forever, my priorities were racing, God and family, and I’m trying to get them to be God, family and racing and still do a good job with work,” Loomis said Friday morning in an exclusive interview with SPEEDTV.Com. “The bottom line is in this business is you have to perform, and I want to make sure I get myself in a situation where I can perform and still give my family the time they need. I’ve been basically been 22 or 23 years of seven-day-a-week racing, and it kind of made me reprioritize,” Loomis said. “I want to learn more about God’s word and get closer definitely with my mom. It’s a hard balance to do. As she got better, I found myself burying myself right back in my work. But the Good Lord saved her for a reason and I want to try and make I get myself in a situation where I can spend more time with her.” Loomis said he could move his mother from Florida, where she lives now, to North Carolina, where the team is based and Loomis lives.(Speed Channel)
    UPDATE 2 - Loomis Q&A: Chevrolet Notes and Quotes:
    ROBBIE LOOMIS, CREW CHIEF, NO. 24 DUPONT CHEVROLET - Answers media questions regarding his continued performance as crew chief: "The only big announcement I have, and we've talked about this all week, is getting this thing in the Chase. That is it. I don't have a thing. There are a lot of questions. I know when Jeff (Gordon) was on the (weekly NASCAR) teleconference he talked about some stuff with my mom. I've had everybody in the world calling me. My mom is doing great. She's doing awesome. Through what I went through with my mom last year, it helped me refocus my life. Personally I grew more last year through my mom and through the (airplane) accident in October. I told my buddy over the winter that I've never been so uncertain in all my life about my future. But I never felt so good about where I stand with everything. In life, always for years, I've had racing, God, and family. I'm trying to get it God, family, then racing. To do that, I've got a lot of things I've got to work through. We're working through them right now. But I've been trying not to talk with anyone or do anything that's going to take my mind off getting this car in the Chase."
    SO WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR? "That's the thing. I talked with Rick Hendrick a couple of weeks ago. I'm trying to put all my focus into putting this car in the Chase. If I get the car in the Chase, the next 10 weeks I'm going to put all my focus into getting that car, the DuPont Chevrolet, to win the championship. I'm excited about where we are today. I just want to make sure we get the job done."
    DID YOU TELL A REPORTER EARLIER TODAY THAT YOU WOULD NOT BE BACK AS CREW CHIEF? "I probably used the word 'probably'. I think that what I'm looking as is that at the beginning of the year, I knew my contract was going to be up at the end of this year. Many of you might know when you're under a contract, then they hold a lot of your destiny. I think that being that it's up, it's a good time for me to reprioritize my personal life and get things figured out there."
    BUT THOUGHTS OF LEAVING ARE ON YOUR MIND? "They're hard. I've talked with Rick (Hendrick) and Jeff (Gordon) a lot over the past three or four months. I've told Jeff and Rick it's hard for me to even imagine working anyplace else because Hendrick Motorsports has 500 great employees. It speaks for itself the quality many Rick Hendrick. And to have a driver like Jeff Gordon -- I think he's the greatest driver in this garage area. It's hard to imagine being anywhere different, but at the same time I think it's a time in my life that I've got to make sure that if I'm going to commit for the next three or four or five years somewhere, I've got to make sure I'm making the right decision."
    SO, NO DECISION HAS BEEN MADE? "No. The only decision that has been made was made last September or October really, is that I'm going to spend a lot more time with my family."(GM Racing PR)(9-9-2005)

  • Gordon and Ellen: Four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon is scheduled to appear on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" next Monday [Labor Day, Sept. 5th]. Gordon will become the first NASCAR driver to appear on the syndicated program, which originates at NBC Studios in Los Angeles and has won two consecutive Emmy Awards for outstanding talk show. Check local listings for show schedules.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(8-31-2005)

  • EA teams up with Gordon and Johnson as cover athletes for Nascar 06: Electronic Arts announced today that its EA SPORTS branded NASCAR videogame, NASCAR 06: Total Team Control, will feature NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. The two avid "gamers" personify the focus of this year's game - Team Racing. NASCAR 06: Total Team Control for the PlayStation2 computer entertainment system and Xbox video game system from Microsoft will be on store shelves September 1st and is rated "E" for (Everyone) by the ESRB.(Wasserman Media Group PR)(8-22-2005)

  • Larry King Live: Rusty, Kyle, Jeff: Three NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers are scheduled to appear on Monday's (Aug. 15) edition of "Larry King Live" on CNN-TV. Rusty Wallace. driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge [in his "Last Call" final season as driver], Kyle Petty, driver of the #45 Georgia-Pacific/Brawny Dodge [will discuss NASCAR and Victory Junction Gang Camp] and Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevy. "Larry King Live" airs at 9:00pm/et nightly on CNN-TV.(PR's)(8-12-2005)

  • Gordon says Loomis is his crew chief...long term, Bliss update MORE: #24-Jeff Gordon's comment's from a GM Press Release and NASCAR.com about his recent troubles:
    WHAT IS YOUR SITUATION WITH YOUR CREW CHIEF, ROBBIE LOOMIS? "As long as Robbie wants to be the crew chief, he's going to be the crew chief. He's a great guy. He works so well with this race team. We brought him here for a reason. And at no time have I doubted Robbie. There have been times when I've doubted myself. But I know we've got the right people in place and the right team and the resources we need. It really is disappointing to me that so much pressure is put on the crew chief because they usually are the first to go (laughs). And they usually are the first to blame. But, not within our team. That's not the case. It's usually the media and the fans that focus on that. Trust me, that's not the problem. The problem is not any one person. There won't be any changes there."
    HAVE YOU AND MIKE BLISS SETTLED YOUR DIFFERNCES?) "I've been racing with Mike for a long time. I've known Mike since I was 7 years old. We had our instance on the track and if it's not already settled, which I think it is, I've got way too much at stake on the race track to try to get back into the top 10 than to worry about what happened there. It's a non issue."(GM Racing PR)
    and from NASCAR.com's Marty Smith: Ask Jeff Gordon if he has lost any faith in his crew chief and he'll grin. Chuckle, even. Robbie Loomis' job is not in jeopardy and never has been, Gordon says. "There is not going to be any other crew chief with me than Robbie Loomis," Gordon said Friday at New Hampshire International Speedway. "He's the guy. As long as he wants to be the crew chief, he's going to be the crew chief." Gordon's recent struggles have raised questions about Loomis' job stability. Gordon maintains the problem isn't Loomis or his team. He cites lack of testing preparation as the primary culprit.(7-15-2005)
    MORE on Bliss: #0-Mike Bliss denied rumors of an altercation with Jeff Gordon after last week's race at Chicagoland Speedway. Gordon was bumped into the wall by Bliss late in the race. Gordon, who has raced against Bliss since he was a teen in sprint cars, said the incident was forgotten.(Richmond Times Dispatch)
    AND Jeff Gordon apparently didn't take lightly his on-track run-in with Mike Bliss during Sunday's USG Sheetrock 400 that sent Gordon into the wall. Gordon, according to sources, confronted Bliss at the airport that night over the issue. But neither man wanted to discuss that yesterday.(Winston Salem Journal)
    AND II: Gordon's frustrations seemed to get the best of him last week after he was wrecked by Mike Bliss at Chicagoland. He criticized Bliss when talking to reporters, and there apparently was a confrontation between the two — possibly involving fisticuffs — at a local airport afterward. Gordon wouldn't answer questions about the airport incident. "Whatever happened between Mike Bliss and me, we're going to work it out on our own," he said. "I don't think it's anything that's worth even discussing. As far as I'm concerned it's over with." Bliss, who appeared to be recovering from a black eye, said there was some sort of fuss at the airport. "[Gordon] just came up and told me how upset he was," Bliss said. "I understood it. There was no swing. He was frustrated, and the wreck was the icing on the cake."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(7-16-2005)

  • Executive Changes at Hendrick: In a tactical realignment of his business entities, Rick Hendrick today announced personnel changes affecting the Hendrick Automotive Group (HAG), Hendrick Motorsports and, now, the Hendrick Companies. As part of the refreshed business model, Hendrick introduced longtime Automotive Group executive Jim Huzl as president and chief executive officer of Charlotte-based HAG. In his new role, effective July 1, Huzl will oversee the direction of one of the nation's largest privately held auto retailers with 68 franchises, 4,000 employees and more than $3.5 billion in revenue. Sharing Huzl's former duties as HAG's chief operating officer will be three new senior vice presidents: Tom Blocker, East Division; Kirk Heppler, West Division; and Gary Davis, who will manage retail operations support. Huzl succeeds Jim Perkins, who will transition to become the first president and COO of the Hendrick Cos., an organization recently formed to manage strategic initiatives relative to Hendrick's various business enterprises. Perkins will continue to serve as a member of HAG's partnership committee.
    Bobby Rice, a trusted friend and business associate of Hendrick since 1976, was named executive vice president of the Hendrick Cos. and special adviser to the chairman. Rice also will work in a consultative capacity with Hendrick Motorsports, which fields multiple stock-car racing teams in two different divisions of sanctioning body NASCAR..(HMS PR)(6-20-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch in SI of Kids: #5-Kyle Busch and #24-Jeff Gordon are featured in the July edition of Sports Illustrated for Kids magazine. Dubbed as a "Rookie to Watch," Busch answers questions about his racing career in the Teen bonus section.(Hendrick Motorsports)(6-16-2005)

  • Tony and Jeff play phone tag: #24-Jeff Gordon hasn't talked with #20-Tony Stewart after the two exchanged barbs in separate interviews last week at Dover, but Gordon isn't losing sleep over it. "Tony gave me a call this week and left me a message, I called him back and left him a message," Gordon said. "I'm still not thrilled about what happened there and definitely not thrilled with what was said after the race, but it's hard racing. "I've been through this many times. I'm not going to pay any attention to it. I'm not going to worry about it. We've got a championship to win. I want to put it behind me and move on."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(6-11-2005)

  • DuPont re-ups with the #24 and Gordon: DuPont and Hendrick Motorsports today announced the extension of DuPont's longstanding sponsorship of the #24 Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The new pact builds on an association launched 13 years ago with a flashy "rainbow" paint scheme and a 21-year-old rookie driver named Jeff Gordon. Under the new contract, DuPont continues as the primary sponsor for three years, through the 2008 racing season, with the option to extend for an additional two years. Financial terms were not disclosed. The DuPont-Hendrick association began in 1992 with Gordon's Cup Series debut and his first full season in 1993, when he earned Rookie of the Year honors. The combination has since netted 72 wins and four championships in NASCAR's premier division.(Yahoo Biz)(6-5-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon donates $1M for hospital: Jeff Gordon is donating $1 million for the construction of what will now be known as the “Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital At NorthEast Medical Center.”
    “I believe children and families are really the heart and soul of our future,” Gordon said. The contribution comes from the Jeff Gordon Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping support the physical, social and intellectual needs of children and their families. Gordon said even though he doesn’t have kids, his work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Riley Hospital for Children in Indiana and other organizations give him the opportunity to meet with children often. “It still blows me away every time I meet them,” he said. “I walk away from them with my heart breaking.” Gordon said he chose to support a hospital in the Concord area in part because of Concord’s racing connection. “You have to factor in how many of the people are involved in racing in this community,” he said. “The gift from The Jeff Gordon Foundation will help ensure the best medical care for the racing families in this community, especially their children.” Gordon also mentioned NEMC’s standing as the only North Carolina hospital to be named as a “100 Top Hospital” for the past four consecutive years as one of these reasons for his support. The children’s hospital will serve patients from birth to age 18 and will be located in part of two new floors under construction on the Clinical Services building at NEMC. The Jeff Gordon Children’s Hospital at NorthEast Medical Center will have 26,800 square feet of space that will house a 24-bed pediatric unit. The fact that Jeff Gordon’s racing number is 24 and the hospital will have 24 beds is a coincidence, said Lee Brower, director of communications for NEMC. In fact, the hospital will also have a 5-bed pediatric intensive care unit, a children’s playroom, a Teen Café, an outpatient treatment clinic and a new Child Advocacy Center. The patient rooms will include private beds and baths, televisions and DVD players, monitoring capabilities, play space and Internet workstations. Targeted to open in December of 2006, the hospital is estimated to cost $9.4 million. The NEMC Foundation will raise $5.9 million of that over the next three years. Gordon said his $1 million donation is just the next step for the Jeff Gordon Foundation and said he may consider having a signature event for the hospital or donating more money in the future for other things related to the Children’s Hospital. “The demand will be there to continue to have more equipment and facilities,” he said. “Who knows where it will stop?”(Independent Tribune)(5-29-2005)

  • Hospital to be named after Gordon....(who cares if he can't sing): NorthEast Medical Center [Concord, NC] will announce Friday that its new children’s hospital will be named after Jeff Gordon. The Jeff Gordon Foundation will make a significant contribution to the medical center. The children’s hospital will come at a cost of $9.4 million, $5.9 million of which will be raised by the NEMC Foundation in the next three years. Details on Gordon’s contribution will be announced Friday at a news conference. According to a release sent out Wednesday afternoon, “NorthEast Medical Center and The Jeff Gordon Foundation will announce a significant financial gift directed toward a project focusing on children’s causes.” The announcement will be made at 1:00pm/et on Friday to the media at Hendrick Motorsports in Harrisburg, NC. Gordon, a four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, established the Jeff Gordon Foundation in 1999 to provide support for charitable organizations that help children overcome serious illnesses. Instead of a free-standing structure, the children’s hospital will be part of two new floors currently being added to the Clinical Services building. The pediatric ward, pediatric intensive care unit and Child Advocacy Center that are already part of the hospital will be located in the new children’s hospital. The 26,800-square foot children’s hospital will include 14 patient rooms, support spaces and an outpatient treatment clinic, in addition to the five-bed PICU and the Child Advocacy Center.(Independent Tribune)(5-27-2005)

  • Gordon gets booed at Cubs game: Since the passing of Harry Caray, the Chicago Cubs have had a number of celebrity guests to lead the crowd in the singing of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame" during the seventh inning stretch. Actors, musicians, politicians-- you name it-- they've all been to Wrigley Field for the seventh inning tradition. On Tuesday, May 24, Jeff Gordon visited the historic ballpark in Chicago to throw out the first pitch before the game. He donned the pinstriped Cubs home jersey to make his trek out to the mound for the ceremonial pitch. Gordon then headed up to the broadcast booth for the 7th inning, where WGN broadcaster Bob Brenly asked him for a ride home after the game. "What is the speed limit on Lake Shore Drive anyway?" Brenly joked. Gordon talked about the July race at Chicagoland Speedway and the NASCAR season. In the middle of the 7th inning, Gordon led the crowd in a rendition of "Take Me Out To The Ballgame," which definitely didn't go as smoothly as a lap around a NASCAR track (the words simply escaped him). Though Gordon's "Let's get some runs" proclamation at the conclusion turned out to be a boon for the home team as the Cubs rallied from a 2-0 deficit with 4 runs in the eighth inning to win the game.(Gordonline)
    AND Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon is used to hearing boos at the racetrack, but on Tuesday, he was booed at Wrigley Field during a game between the Chicago Cubs and the Houston Astros. Gordon threw out the first pitch at the Chicago ballpark and sang "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the 7th-inning stretch. After referring to the facility as "Wrigley Stadium", he sang off-microphone at the beginning and then stopped singing in the middle before attempting to catch up to his organ accompaniment at the end of the tune.(FoxSports)
    AND II Cub's manager Dusty Baker said he felt for NASCAR racer Jeff Gordon, who was booed Tuesday night for his version of Take Me Out To The Ball Game. "It's hard to believe Jeff Gordon [would be booed]," Baker said. "For me, this guy is one of the greatest of all time. I don't know if he's going to come back now."(Chicago Tribune)(5-26-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon starts Driving School: Four-time NASCAR Cup champion #24-Jeff Gordon is joining forces with retired driving legend Mario Andretti to launch a driving school scheduled to open in August at Lowe's Motor Speedway, the Charlotte Business Journal reports. The story says the new school will compete with those run by Richard Petty, which generates an estimated $25 million in annual revenue at 25 tracks nationwide, and one run by Dale Jarrett, which had revenue of $1.8 million in its most recent fiscal year. Gordon won't be an investor in the school but will license his name for use, the story says. Plans call for expansion to additional tracks in 2006.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter) more info at jeffgordonracingschool.com.(5-21-2005)

  • Gordon to sing: The ever-expanding show-biz career of four time Nextel Cup champ Jeff Gordon will now include his singing debut. Gordon will sing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" during the 7th inning stretch at the Chicago Cubs/Houston Astros game at historic Wrigley Field this coming Tuesday, May 24. No word if Gordon will receive an invitation to next years "American Idol".(LTN Radio)(5-20-2005)

  • Gordon to run DuPont Performance Alliance scheme at All-Star Race: Jeff Gordon’s #24 DuPont car will make its first appearance as the DuPont Performance Alliance car at the NASCAR Nextel Cup All-Star Challenge on Saturday, May 21. Designed by renowned NASCAR graphic artist Sam Bass, this special version of the 24 Chevrolet celebrates DuPont’s all-star collision repair centers throughout the United States. This paint scheme reverses the car’s primary colors of the fire and flame design, and the Performance Alliance logo and name will be featured on the hood, side panels and TV panel. Gordon, winner of the season-opening Daytona 500, will wear a specially created Performance Alliance-themed uniform.(DuPont), see images of the scheme on my #24 Team Schemes page.(5-19-2004)

  • Last double DNF for #24 and #48? Before Saturday at Ricmond's Cup race, the last time Hendrick Motorsports teammates #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson both failed to finish a race was at Dover on June 6, 2004.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-17-2005)

  • Wheeler picks Gordon to win All-Star Race: The NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge is racing's version of a high-stakes poker game and H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, thinks Jeff Gordon will draw the $1 million winning hand. Wheeler named Gordon as his selection to win Saturday night's 21st running of the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge during his annual pick-the-winner press conference Monday in downtown Charlotte. Known for his promotional flair and Karnac-type ability, Wheeler has correctly picked the winner of NASCAR's all-star race nine times in the past 16 races. This is the fifth time in 11 years Wheeler has selected Gordon to win NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series racing's all-star event and only one of the four previous picks panned out. That came in 1995 when Gordon avoided a crash involving Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip at the start of the final segment and went on to record his first of three victories. After thoroughly reviewing the data, Wheeler said his selection came down to a choice between Gordon and Greg Biffle. Ryan Newman, the 2002 winner of the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, was another driver Wheeler gave heavy consideration during the extensive selection process. This year, instead of a dark horse selection, Wheeler's going with a pair of sentimental favorites-Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace.
    In the inaugural NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Pit Crew Challenge Thursday night, May 19, at the Charlotte Coliseum, Wheeler predicts the event's unique format will result in true athleticism rising to the top. "If the competition was a normal pit stop, it would be hard to bet against the 48, 24 or 97 teams," Wheeler said. "However, I had spies watching some of the practice and I think this format, which includes pushing the car, gives Michael Waltrip's No. 15 team the edge."
    Good seats, in various price ranges, are still available for Saturday's NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. Tickets start at $33 and may be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.
    For a list of "Humpy" Wheeler's Pick and the Winner Results, along with eligible drivers, rules, format, see my 2005 All-Star Challenge page.(LMS PR)(5-16-2005)

  • Hendrick Suspensions different?: #24-Jeff Gordon made a rare driving mistake, one which resulted in his hitting the wall and doing damage to the front end of his car. And being the class act he is, Gordon admitted making the mistake on national television. "It was one of the stupidest things I've ever done in my life," he said. Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson also had front-end woes that put him out of the race early. I [Yahoo! Sports] was told that the Hendrick Motorsports guys have found something that makes the front end suspension of their cars work better. I [Yahoo! Sports] understand it has to do with both mechanical and aerodynamic elements. Perhaps it also has made their front suspensions more susceptible to damage.(Yahoo Sports)(5-16-2005)

  • Gordon to star in reality show? Scott Woolley, who owns Five Star Productions in South Florida, recently inked a deal with a new Chicago-based network, Always Free TV, that's on the slate to launch in the fall. It's a home shopping channel, but with a twist -- every purchase is accompanied by a freebie of some shape or size. It's also exploring other types of production. Earlier this year, Woolley set up a subsidiary, Five Star Pictures, in Santa Monica, Calif., to drum up independent film shoots for the new Boca studios. So far, Woolley's formula for success has been to concentrate on making and marketing half-hour magazine-type shows focusing on special interest niches, such as business, the environment and health. The programs are usually sponsored by a corporate client, who buys much of the national commercial slots. Woolley's latest concept is a reality program starring NASCAR headliner Jeff Gordon, who will seek out and shape the next star race car driver.(in part from the Miami Herald), don't know anymore about this.(5-10-2005)

  • How do Gordon's 72 wins rank?
    #24-Jeff Gordon has just hit 72 Cup wins and is closing on the late Dale Earnhardt for sixth on the all-time NASCAR winners' list, at 76. Next up in Gordon's windshield are Cale Yarborough, fifth with 83; Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip, tied for third with 84; David Pearson, second with 105 and Richard Petty with the seemingly insurmountable 200. But Gordon got his 72nd win last Sunday at Talladega at the age of 33 years and nine months. (He'll turn 34 on Aug. 4.) See the chart for the comparisons:
    Rank Driver Total Wins Total Race Win % Wins at 33 yrs, 9 mths Age at 72nd win Win total at end of 12th season
    1 Petty, Richard 200 1185 16.9% 123 30 140
    2 Pearson, David 105 574 18.3% 45 38 60^
    3 Allison, Bobby 84 719 11.7% 28 44 47
    3 Waltrip, Darrell 84 809 10.4% 27 41 70
    4 Yarborough, Cale 83 561 14.8% 14 43 59^
    5 Earnhardt, Dale 76 676 11.2% 12 48 48
    6 Gordon, Jeff 72 410 17.6% 72* 33 69

    (* current thru Talladega 5/1/05)(^ ran a combo of part-time/fulltime seasons)
    Only Petty at that age had more wins than Gordon, 123. And Petty at that stage was racing in a whole other kind of NASCAR, with seasons as long as 61 races, barnstorming to backwater tracks where the competition for him often was nil. Even counting Gordon's winless rookie year of '93, he has averaged 5.88 wins per season in the 12.25 seasons he has completed. But he's been hinting he might retire at 40. Let's keep the happy medium of 5.88 wins per season, to allow for the possibilities that his career will get even brighter and then take a downturn that prompts his retirement. Should he quit at the end of the 2011 season, the year he turns 40, that would give Gordon 6.75 more seasons from now. At 5.88 wins per season, he'd have 39 more wins, for a total of 111, moving past Pearson into second place. Somes Stats and article [see much more and projections there] from the Orlando Sentinel/Ed Hinton.(5-5-2005)

  • #24 Crew Wins at Talladega: Hendrick Motorsports' crew for the No. 24 Chevrolet has won $10,000 for the fastest pit work in Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway among teams participating in the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge. No details were announced. The crew with the most weekly wins will collect a $100,000 prize at the end of the season.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(5-3-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon dominates and wins a wild race at Talladega: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Kurt Busch won the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, holding off #20-Tony Stewart and #15-Michael Waltrip who tried to team up and make a run, but couldn't catch Gordon on the Green-White-Checker finish. It is Gordon's 72nd career win, 3rd of the 9 race season and 10th restrictor plate win. The win comes on Rady Dorton's 51st birthday, Dorton was the Hendrick Motorsports engine guru who passed away in the Hendrick Motorsports plane crash last October. In a wild race which included not the BIG ONE but the HUGE ONE when #48-Johnson got into #4-Wallace after Wallace got loose when #8-Earnhardt Jr. bump drafted Wallace, sending Wallace spinning and collecting 25 cars total, the 2nd most cars involved in a wreck at Talladega [April 2003]. Then with two laps tp go, there was a mini-big one when Johnson smacked the outside eall, came down on Harvick, who came down on #1-Truex Jr. who hit #8-Earnhardt Jr. and shot across the track with Johnson. So we had a green-white-checker finish and the longest race ever at Talladega 194 laps for 516.04 miles. #48-Johnson still holds the points lead which really got suffled around with the wrecks. #49-Ken Schrader finished 8th, his first top-10 since Bristol in March 2003. #77-Kvapil was the highest finishing rookie at 18th. The race will re-air on Speed Channel, Thursday, May 5th at 3:00pm/et.
    Race rundown, laps led, lucky dogs, cautions, narrative and more on Jayski's Talladega Race Info/Rundown Page
    Race Results on Jayski's Talladega Race Results/award/links page.(5-1-2005)

  • Gordon in Limbo at Talladega: Since the car he used to win the Daytona 500 is parked at Daytona USA for a year, #24-Jeff Gordon will bring a new ride to Talladega. It’s called “Limbo.”
    “It took about five or six months to build the car that’s in Daytona USA,” said Gordon, who has won three of the last restrictor plate races at Daytona and Talladega. “You hate to lose a good car that the team spent so much time on, but it’s an honor to have it there. “With only two months since that win the team hasn’t had enough time to build a new one, so we’ll bring another car out of our stable.”
    "Limbo” got its name because it took so long to build. It will have a special “Star Wars” paint scheme.(The State)(4-29-2005)

  • Gordon with the Force: Jeff Gordon will have everyone's favorite Jedi Master, Yoda, as his co-pilot when he takes the wheel on May 1 and tries to capture his second straight win in the spring race at Talladega Superspeedway, the Aaron's 499. In conjunction with the highly-anticipated May 19, 2005 release of Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, the hood of Gordon's #24DuPont/Pepsi Monte Carlo will feature Star Wars' beloved Yoda brandishing a light saber above the familiar Pepsi logo. This marks the second time Gordon, a Pepsi driver, has teamed up with Star Wars. The #24 car featured a Star Wars/Pepsi paint scheme in 1999 when Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace was released. In addition to the #24 paint out, Pepsi is currently running a national promotion centered around Yoda. Pepsi drinkers and Star Wars fans have three ways to play the "Call Upon Yoda" instant-win sweepstakes -- online, by phone, or by text messaging -- to see if they've won one of ten $100,000 grand prizes. More info at www.calluponyoda.com.(Talladega Superspeedway), see an image of the car on my #24 Team Schemes page.(4-27-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon, Newman and Kenseth to test at Indy UPDATE: #24-Jeff Gordon is scheduled to begin preparations today for what could be a historic victory in August at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The four-time Brickyard 400 champion is representing Chevrolet in a closed two-day tire test at the Speedway. He'll be joined by Ryan Newman (Dodge) and Matt Kenseth (Ford) as Goodyear checks to see how its new, softer tire compounds fare on Indy's newly paved surface. All the teams can be expected to test at the Speedway either before or after the Nextel Cup race July 10 at Chicagoland Speedway. The sessions are scheduled July 5-6 and 11-12. Rain is in the forecast for today, which could disrupt a test already postponed once. It was pushed back to allow for grinding of the track after a Firestone test in preparation for the Indianapolis 500 produced unusual tire wear. A subsequent Firestone test indicated the grinding had done its job.(Indianapolis Star)(4-26-2005)
    UPDATE: Goodyear will attempt -- again -- to hold its NASCAR tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway today after Tuesday's session was rained out. The tire manufacturer postponed a similar session earlier this month when the track's surface was being grinded. Today's test is closed to the public.(Indianapolis Star)(4-26-2005)

  • Huh? [from Yahoo in a rumors story] Hendrick Motorsports and Jeff Gordon to Toyota? This one sounds good because Rick Hendrick is one of the largest Toyota dealers in the country, but it won't happen. Unless, of course, Toyota buys GM in the next couple of years.(Yahoo Sports)(4-18-2005)

  • DuPont looking to re-up with the #24: DuPont is close to extending its sponsorship of Jeff Gordon's #24 team of Hendrick Motorsports. DuPont's contract expires after this season.(News and Record)(4-11-2005)

  • Loomis Leads Gordon to Amazing Comeback, Wins Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race: #24-Jeff Gordon recorded one of the most stellar comebacks in NASCAR history this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. Along with crew chief Robbie Loomis, Gordon turned a three-lap deficit into a win for the Rainbow Warriors. For leading his team to victory lane, Loomis won Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race honors.
    Most people counted Gordon out after a wheel vibration forced Gordon to make an unscheduled green flag pit stop on lap 46. The #24 Chevrolet was scored three laps down to the leaders, but through solid pit stops, the right chassis adjustments and an amazing driving display, Gordon collected his second win of the season. "When we ran into trouble, my first thought was that we had 450 laps to get into victory lane," said Loomis following the race. "I knew we had a great car. We all believed in each other and I knew that Jeff (Gordon) could get the job done."
    The panel of voters selecting the Crew Chief of the Race; including Mike Mulhern of the Winston-Salem Journal, a Wypall Wipers representative and Robbie Reiser; all agreed that Loomis' come from behind victory earned him top accolades. Loomis won $1,000 for winning the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race award. He joins Scott Miller, Bob Osborne, Alan Gustafson, Pete Rondeau and Doug Richert in a tie for the Crew Chief of the Year award. At the end of the season, the crew chief with the most weekly wins will receive $20,000. For more information, visit www.wypall.com.(SMC500 PR)(4-11-2005)

  • Gordon wins at Martinsville: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway, after being down three (3) laps early in the race when he had a vibration and had to pit under green. But the crew kept working on the car, Gordon got two of the laps back the old way, racing the leader to get 2 laps back, then got the 'Lucky Dog' lap back during the 9th caution on lap 276. The win is Gordon's 6th at Martinsville and 71st career win. It is also Hendrick Motorsports 12th win at Martinsville. #24-Gordon and #97-Busch got together late in the race, with Busch going into the wall and finishing 19th. #9-Kasey Kahne finished 6th, his 6th career 2nd place finish and first of 2005. The rest of the top-5 was #6-Mark Martin, #12-Ryan Newman and #2-Rusty Wallace. #48-Jimmie Johnson was down 2 laps at one point and ended up 8th and increased his points lead to 160 [was 94]. The race will re-air on Speed Channel, Thursday, April 14th at 3:00pm/et
    See my Martinsville Race Info/Rundown Page for unofficial full race results, results links, my race rundown.coverage, lap leaders, caution and notes narriatives.
    And see Jayski's UNOFFICIAL Martinsville Race Results page for full race results.(4-10-2005)

  • Did ya know? #24-Jeff Gordon has been running at the finish of every race he’s ever run at Martinsville Speedway. That’s 24 in a row with 5 wins.(Gaston Gazette)
    Make is 25 races.(4-10-2005)

  • Hendrick may attend Martinsville: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick is leaning toward attending today's Advance Auto Parts 500 at Martinsville Speedway. It's the first event at the track since a Hendrick plane crashed on the way to Martinsville last October. Engine builder Randy Dorton, General Manager Jeff Turner, President John Hendrick and Vice President Ricky Hendrick were among the 10 killed in the crash. Besides his brother and son, Rick Hendrick also lost two nieces.(Richmond Times Dispatch)
    NOTE: Hendrick is at the track today for the race.(4-10-2005)

  • Seven Drivers in Tylenol Spots: Johnson & Johnson has signed endorsement deals with seven Nextel Cup drivers to promote the launch of Tylenol's Extra Strength Rapid Release Gels, Street & Smiths's SportsBusiness Journal reports. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Jarrett, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Elliott Sadler make up Team Tylenol. The campaign will include television ads during race broadcasts and sponsorship at 11 tracks. Earnhardt Jr. and Gordon are scheduled to be featured on packages of the product sold during the third quarter of the year. Exact financial terms of the deal were not reported, but the story by Terry Lefton says the entire campaign is "an eight-figure investment."(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(3-8-2005)

  • #24 reversed? NO IDEA UPDATE: been asked, haven't heard why [I have seen the pictures] #24-Jeff Gordon's car number on the each side 'door' were reversed or slanted towards the front of the car.......why post this? getting too much email on it and figured this was easier.(2-28-2005)
    AND was told this was nothing more then a mistake and no diescast is planned for the reversed numbers.(3-1-2005)

  • Television Exposure for the Daytona 500: Jeff Gordon's victory in the Daytona 500 last Sunday afternoon enabled his primary corporate sponsor, DuPont, to garner nearly $9.4 million of television exposure value during the live race broadcast on Fox. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius and Associates, the DuPont logo appeared clear and in-focus for 15 minutes, seven seconds (15:07) during the 4.5-hour broadcast (excluding pre-race coverage). Additionally, DuPont was mentioned on three occasions by Gordon and Fox announcers. Exposure value is calculated by comparing the on-screen time and mentions to the estimated cost of a commercial spot during the telecast.
    Cumulative exposure statistics were up during this year's race broadcast compared to NBC's live 2004 Daytona 500 telecast. The number of brands monitored during the telecast (292 / 221), total on-screen time (7:26:13 / 5:46:40), verbal mentions (230 / 162) and comparable exposure value ($291 million / $224 million) all increased in 2005. Last year's Daytona exposure tally accounted for 5.4% of all in-broadcast television exposure garnered by sponsors appearing within the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
    Top Hood Logos of the 2005 Daytona 500, On-Screen Time, Exp. Value
    1) DuPont (Gordon), 6:49, $4,090,000
    2) Lowe's (Johnson), 6:37, 3,970,000
    3) NAPA At. Pts. (Waltrip), 6:04, 3,640,000
    4) Valvoline (Riggs), 4:54, 2,940,000
    5) Caterpillar (Wimmer), 4:32, 2,720,000
    Note: Exposure figures reflect the Fox live telecast of the 2005 Daytona 500 only and do not include exposure resulting from cable replays.(Joyce Julius and Associates PR), hmm...no Home Depot?(2-26-2005)

  • Star Wars Schemes at Phoenix/Talladega: #38-Elliott Sadler, #88-Dale Jarrett and #24-Jeff Gordon will celebrate the opening (May 19, 2005) of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith with special paint schemes scheduled to race at Phoenix [April 23rd]. Sadler's M&M's car will feature "The Dark Side" with the M&M's characters dressed up as Darth Vader and other members of the dark side. Jarrett will also have M&M's on his car? and will feature "The Good Side" with characters like R2-D2 and Princess Leia. No word yet on what Gordon will have on his car.(RacingOne)(12-9-2004)
    UPDATE: an image of the #24 Pepsi-Star Wars scheme with Yoda on the hood that will run at Talladega on the #24 Team Schemes page.(2-26-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon's Winning #24 Inducted Into DAYTONA USA: For the third time in his career, Jeff Gordon's #24 DuPont Automotive Finishes Chevrolet will spend a year inside DAYTONA USA, the official attraction of NASCAR. Following his third Daytona 500 victory on Sunday at historic Daytona International Speedway, Gordon's winning #24 Chevrolet was inducted into the attraction on Monday morning in the Eckrich Champion's Breakfast. The car will rest inside Gatorade Victory Lane at DAYTONA USA for the next 364 days and will be returned to the team before the start of the 48th annual Daytona 500 on Feb. 19, 2006. Gordon and his crew chief Robbie Loomis participated in a fan forum as enthusiastic race fans huddled together in the motorsports attraction. Gordon and Loomis also received their winning Daytona 500 leather jackets from Speedway President Robin Braig and Gatorade presented the 2005 Daytona 500 champ with a framed photo from the Victory Lane celebration. Another Daytona 500 tradition continued with the signing of the car by Gordon and his crew. But the Hendrick Motorsports crew added a new twist. Last week, Hendrick Motorsports mechanics who worked on the #24 car back at the shop in North Carolina signed a white paneled sticker just in case the car won the Daytona 500. That sticker now rests on bumper of the car. Following his induction ceremonies, Gordon will handle media obligations that come with a Daytona 500 victory in both New York City and in California. Included in the many appearances he's expected to make are Live with Regis and Kelly and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.(DIS PR)(2-21-2005)

  • Gordon wins the Daytona 500: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, winning his 3rd Daytona 500 and his 70th career Nextel Cup Series race. Gordon now ties Dale Jarrett and Bobby Allison for third on the all time Daytona win list with 3 [Richard Petty had 7, Cale Yarborough had 4]. It was owner Rick Hendrick's fifth Daytona 500 win [he also won with Geoffrey Bodine in 1986 and Darrell Waltrip in 1989]. #20-Tony Stewart dominated the race most of the day, leading 107 laps. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't lead until lap 195, but couldn't hold off Gordon. #48-Johnson and Stewart had some fending banging after the race. #15-Michael Waltrip was strong the first half of the race until he lost an engine on lap 158. #97-Kurt Busch finished 2nd, followed by #-Earnhardt Jr., #10-Scott Riggs, #48-Johnson, #6-Mark Martin, #20-Stewart, #40-Sterling Martin, surprise of Speedweeks #37-Kevin Lepage finished 9th and #2-Rusty Wallace rounded out the top-10.
    See race results at:
    ESPN.com
    NASCAR.com
    FoxSports.
    MotorsportsOne.(2-20-2005)

  • More changes at Hendrick? UPDATE: hearing that Eddie Dickerson, Manager of Hendrick Motorsports Chassis Shop, which was responsible for building all of the Chassis, and hanging all of the bodies, has left the organization.(2-16-2005)
    UPDATE: Eddie Dickerson, the director of chassis engineering at Hendrick Motorsports, left the team. Team spokesman Jesse Essex said Dickerson's duties likely will be split among several team members, including Doug Duchardt, who who left his position as director of GM Racing two weeks ago to become Hendrick's vice president of development.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(2-17-2005)

  • Gordon to run a reverse scheme: #24-Jeff Gordon will drive a special reverse DuPont paint scheme in the NEXTEL All-Star Challenge at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(RacingOne)(2-11-2005)

  • Hendrick announces new VP's: Hendrick Motorsports general manager Marshall Carlson announced that competition director Ken Howes and longtime General Motors executive Doug Duchardt have been named vice presidents over the organization's racing operations. Transitioning from his role of competition director, Howes has been tabbed as vice president of competition. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native will oversee Hendrick's day-to-day competition-related activities, now encompassing teams, crew chiefs and pit-crew trainers, along with at-track logistics and execution.
    Duchardt, who most recently managed General Motors' North American motor sports initiatives as director of GM Racing, has been named Hendrick Motorsports' vice president of development, a position in which he will control race-car evolution through design, engineering and production in the chassis and engine areas.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(2-7-2005)

  • Jeff Gordon and Watches: The TAG Heuer watch company says it will use four-time NASCAR Cup champion Jeff Gordon as its new "brand ambassador" in a campaign that will include product development, advertising and public relations. He joins actress Uma Thurman, golfer Tiger Woods, Wimbledon tennis champion Maria Sharapova and Formula 1 driver Juan-Pablo Montoya as company representatives. The company says Gordon will work with its designers on the development of new watch collections specifically engineered for race car drivers and their fans.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(2-7-2005)

  • Gordon to co-host Live with Regis and Kelly: Jeff Gordon is scheduled to co-host with Kelly Ripa on the daytime talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly" for two days on January 26-27. Although Gordon has co-hosted the show five times, this will mark the first time he has co-hosted on consecutive days.(Gordonline)(1-19-2005)

  • Gonna Smell Good: In keeping with the hottest trend of pairing celebrities with designer fragrances, Elizabeth Arden is revving up for the launch of a new partnership between NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon and its classic American men’s designer fragrance, Halston Z-14. A campaign featuring its new spokesperson will debut nationwide in February, coinciding with the start of the 2005 NASCAR season. Legendary fashion designer Halston created Halston Z-14 in 1976. The classic scent is formulated from fresh green blends and unusual spiciness combined with patchouli and sandalwood, creating a distinctive, warm and masculine fragrance. "Coming off my 14th year of racing in NASCAR, Halston Z-14 will be my signature fragrance,” said Gordon. “I love wearing it because it is a bold, masculine scent that’s perfect for men like me who are active, sophisticated and modern." A national campaign will introduce special edition Halston Z-14 packaging featuring Jeff Gordon’s image. Stores will carry seasonal promotions that will feature combinations of Halston Z-14 products as well as Jeff Gordon-inspired collectibles. The campaign will include radio promotions and print advertisements, and customers will have the opportunity to sample and purchase products at NASCAR speedways across the country. A highlight of the campaign is the “Season of Speed Sweepstakes,” which runs from February through August 2005. The grand prize -- a trip to the 2006 Daytona 500 to meet Jeff Gordon - - will be tucked away as one, lucky instant-win game card in a specially-marked Halston Z-14 package. Complete details of the sweepstakes are available at stores nationwide.(Treister Murry Agency PR), more info at elizabetharden.com.(1-14-2005)

    2004 News

  • Star Wars Schemes at Phoenix: #38-Elliott Sadler, #88-Dale Jarrett and #24-Jeff Gordon will celebrate the opening (May 19, 2005) of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith with special paint schemes scheduled to race at Phoenix [April 23rd]. Sadler's M&M's car will feature "The Dark Side" with the M&M's characters dressed up as Darth Vader and other members of the dark side. Jarrett will also have M&M's on his car? and will feature "The Good Side" with characters like R2-D2 and Princess Leia. No word yet on what Gordon will have on his car.(RacingOne)(12-9-2004)
  • More Wine: Jeff Gordon will market a series of upscale wines under a label bearing his own name. Gordon said the first wine, a 2004 Carneros Chardonnay, will be available in October 2005. Two red wines, a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon and a Napa Valley Merlot, also of the 2004 vintage, will be released after proper aging, in January 2007.(Gordonline.com)(12-8-2004)

  • Hendrick Awarded: Team owner Rick Hendrick is the latest winner of the Buddy Shuman Award: Buddy Shuman was a popular NASCAR driver in the early 1950s who died in a hotel fire in 1955. The award has been given annually since 1957, honoring someone from the NASCAR community for contributions to the sport. Hendrick, a popular figure in the garage area, lost his son, his brother, two nieces and two key team officials among the 10 persons who died in an Oct. 24 crash of a team plane on the way to a race in Virginia. Hendrick's team has won five Cup championships and fields cars in both the Cup and Busch Series.(Augusta Chronicle/AP)(12-5-2004)

  • Dorton Honored: The late Randy Dorton, the chief engine builder for Hendrick Motorsports, who was killed in an October plane crash, was honored as Clevite Engine Builder of the Year. The award was accepted by his widow, Diane Dorton.(ESPN/AP)(12-5-2004)

  • Rick Hendrick at the track: mulit-team owner [#5,#24,#25,#48], Rick Hendrick, is at the track and made a statement today in the media center, thanking the racing community and fans for their support in the aftermath of the tragic plane crash. No questions were taken, to see Hendrick's comments in full, see my Hendrick Tragedy Page.(11-20-2004)
  • Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown: The event began with a moment of silence, but the roar of 600-horsepower engines soon filled the room as Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group employees gathered this week for the third annual Randy Dorton/Hendrick Engine Builder Showdown. Sponsored by Dana Corp., the two-day contest teamed Hendrick Motorsports engine builders with Hendrick Automotive Group certified master technicians for head-to-head competition. Twelve pairs were clocked until their respective powerplant established a one-minute run after complete assembly, with the shortest elapsed time taking home first-place honors. Monday's qualifying round set the grid for Tuesday's finals, with the team of Jon Young and Mike Maiwald posting a build of 20 minutes, 52 seconds to tie the event record and earn the victory. Young is a Hendrick certified master tech from Gwinnett Place Honda in Atlanta, while Maiwald, of Hendrick Motorsports, is NASCAR's defending Engine Builder of the Year. For his efforts, Young was presented with an all-expenses-paid trip to the February 2005 events at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway. Runner-up Vince Bonfiglio, who teamed with Larry Zentmeyer, was also presented with a Daytona vacation package. Bonfiglio represented Hendrick BMW of Charlotte." This is a wonderful event that recognizes the > '> best of the best> '> in our industry," said Jim Perkins, Hendrick Automotive Group CEO. "It gives us the opportunity to bring the two companies together and acknowledge the contributions of our top-level staff." The brainchild of Rick Hendrick and the late Randy Dorton, the Showdown draws from more than 800 Automotive Group technicians, taking the 12 that are deemed most qualified by a one-of-a-kind Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) exam created specifically for Hendrick employees. Those 12 are then paired with Hendrick Motorsports engine builders. Hendrick is owner of NASCAR operation Hendrick Motorsports, and chairman of the Hendrick Automotive Group, an organization comprised of 64 car dealerships across the United States, from the Carolinas to California. Dorton, recognized as one of the most gifted engine builders in NASCAR history, won nine championships during his two-decade tenure as head of Hendrick Motorsports' engine department before tragically losing his life Oct. 24. The Showdown was officially renamed in his honor shortly afterward. A silent moment of remembrance opened the competition at the Hendrick Motorsports Museum in Charlotte, and many of the participants wore red -- Dorton' s favorite color -- throughout the two-day experience.(HMS PR)(11-20-2004)

  • GM head of racing to Hendrick? General Motors' Doug Duchardt, head of the company's world-wide racing operations, is apparently being wooed by car owner Rick Hendrick to move to North Carolina to take a key position at Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick's racing operations were hard-hit by the plane crash three weeks ago that killed 10. Among those killed were John Hendrick, the company's president; Randy Dorton, the legendary engine builder and head of the company's engine department; and general manager Jeff Turner.(Winston Salem Journal)(11-13-2004)

  • Gordon has never won at Phoenix: There are four current race tracks the Nextel Cup Series runs on that #24-Jeff Gordon has not won at, Phoenix International Raceway is one, where Gordon is 0 for 11, Gordon's best finish at PIR is 3rd in 2002. Other tracks where Gordon has not won: Texas [0 for 8], Homestead [0 for 5] and Chicago [0 for 4].(11-7-2004)
    NOW Gordon is 0 fir 12 at Phoenix.(11-7-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports update: Ken Howes, Hendrick Motorsports’ director of competition, played a major role in “talking the team through” the aftermath of the plane crash that killed seven employees of the team on Oct. 24. “He just took responsibility for taking us through that,” said Jimmie Johnson. A team spokesman, Patrick Perkins, said that Bobby Rice, a close business associate of Rick Hendrick, would oversee the operation for the time being while Hendrick recovers from the loss of his brother John, son Ricky and nieces Kymberly and Jennifer. Also lost in the crash were general manager Jeff Turner and head engine builder Randy Dorton. Jeff Gordon’s stepfather, John Bickford, will take on a more prominent role in the business side, and controller Scott Lampey will oversee financial operations. Jeff Andrews and Jim Wall will combine in directing the engine department.(Gaston Gazette)(10-30-2004)

  • Bickford could had been on the Hendrick Plane too: If not for a lingering cold, John Bickford, Jeff Gordon's stepfather, might have been on the ill-fated Hendrick Motorsports plane Sunday that crashed near Martinsville, Va., killing all 10 passengers. In an interview Thursday, Bickford, Gordon's business manager, was talking about some of the benefits of working in the Hendrick complex. His office is in the building that houses Gordon's race team, which is owned by Rick Hendrick. "I get to a few more races [now]," Bickford said. "I get to ride on the Hendrick team plane. I have a little easier access to the races. When his mom and I would want to go [in years past] we'd have to buy airplane tickets or drive; it's a little bit more money than we could afford to spend every weekend. "So by being a part of the Hendrick organization, there's a seat there that I can jump in and a lot of times I get to go in on Sunday morning. I can fly in on Sunday morning and watch the race and say hi to Jeff and be there to support him. I think there's a certain comfort level that he has knowing that the people that he's close to are close by." On Sunday, Bickford was feeling poorly and stayed home to watch the race on TV.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(10-28-2004)

  • Gordon gives Loomis a ride: Jeff Gordon took crew chief Robbie Loomis for a few laps around Martinsville Speedway yesterday in NBC's Nextel Cup car.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(10-24-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon Receives 2004 NASCAR Nextel Season Trophy: Jeff Gordon received an un-official "2004 NASCAR Nextel Regular Season Championship" trophy from his fans on Wednesday, Sept.29th, at the Hendrick race shop in Charlotte, NC. Though in a hurry and couldn’t pose for any pictures, Chrisy Gallagher, the Jeff Gordon Fan Director, said Jeff said "The trophy was awesome and to thank all those that were involved in giving it to him." In a NASCAR teleconference on September 14th, Jeff Gordon relayed his dismay for not receiving a trophy for being the points leader at the end of the 26 race regular season after the Richmond by saying” Does that mean I get a trophy for that regular season (laughter)?" In several other instances that week, Jeff joked and was razed by the media about the absent trophy. A group of his fans at JeffGordonNews.Com.got together over the internet and collected funds to help offset costs for this 21" silver cup made in Australia. In addition to the costs incurred the fans were able to donate $240.00 to the Jeff Gordon Foundation.(10-2-2004)

  • Gordon sets new record? have done some research on this, been told by a few readers that Jeff Gordon broke a record by finishing 3rd at Dover on Sunday. It was his 20th top-10 finish of the 2004 season, making it 10 straight years that Gordon has had at least 20 top-10 finishes in a season, starting in 1995. Lee Petty had 9 straight seasons [had 19 in 1952]. The following drivers stats were checked and didn't accomplish the feat. Richard Petty [who has 18 total seasons of 20 or more Top-10's and had 43 in 1964 in 61 races, but had a 14 race season in 1965 and 'only' 17 in 1973, that broke up the streak], Dale Earnhardt had 11 20 Top-10 seasons scattered throughout 22 full seasons. Ned Jarrett in 1964, 1965 and Joe Weatherly 1962 hold the record for the most Top 10's with 45.(9-27-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon Donates His Personal 2004 Z71 Chevy Tahoe to Charity: Jeff Gordon and The Jeff Gordon Foundation will once again host a raffle, this time raffling off Gordon's personal 2004 Z71 Tahoe with all proceeds going to The Jeff Gordon Foundation. Along with the Tahoe, the winner of the raffle will receive a private "meet and greet" with the four-time champion at his No. 24 DuPont Race Shop. The Tahoe features a sunroof, in-dash 6-CD player, Bose speakers, On-Star, front and side air bags, leather bucket seats, tinted windows, and wheels/tires personally selected by Gordon. Raffle tickets are $100 each with a limited number of 2,225 available. Tickets purchased directly benefit The Jeff Gordon Foundation. The Foundation is a non-profit organization established in December 1999 by Jeff Gordon that benefits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Marrow Foundation and Riley Hospital for Children. The Foundation is dedicated to help support the physical, social and intellectual needs of children and their families throughout the United States. Tickets are available by mailing a check or money order to The Jeff Gordon Foundation, Attn: Tahoe Raffle, P.O. Box 880, Harrisburg, NC 28075. Visa & Master Card are accepted online at www.JeffGordonFoundation.org or by faxing the raffle form to 704-455-0623 to order. The raffle will run September 23, 2004, thru December 23, 2004, with the final drawing to be held at 5 p.m. on December 23, 2004, at JG Motorsports, Inc. Winners need not be present. For more information on the raffle call 704-455-0625 or visit www.JeffGordonFoundation.org.(Jeff Gordon Site)(9-24-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon's patch: just cause I am tired of the email about it, yes, Jeff Gordon's uniform at New Hampshire had a Winston Cup patch instead of a Nextel Cup patch, Why?......I have NO idea...sorry....saw it myself during the pre-race. And, had someone say they lost all respect for me for posting this? No idea why, just explaining to folks, I had no idea why.(9-20-2004)
    AND as expected...been told that Gordon has a few uniforms hanging in the transporter and uses the old one for testing and Gordon must had grabbed the old one.(9-21-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon on a lottery ticket? Michigan State officials will call on two unlikely sources to help bail out next year's cash-starved budget: Jeff Gordon and Coca-Cola. The budget deal forged last week projects $11 million for increased lottery receipts from a new series of instant tickets featuring the images of popular NASCAR drivers, such as Gordon ($3 million), and using game tickets and Keno monitors for advertising space ($8 million). "An instant scratch-off featuring NASCAR drivers can be very successful," said Michigan Lottery Commissioner Gary Peters. "There are 13 other states that offer those kinds of tickets, and they're the most popular instant tickets they have."(Lansing State Journal)(9-8-2004)

  • Dr Phil and Gordon: In an episode entitled "Dr. Phil - Trading Places II" scheduled to air on Sept. 7, popular syndicated talk show host Dr. Phil will share his experience of riding shotgun alongside four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon around Las Vegas Motor Speedway in a No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet two-seater. Taped earlier this year, Dr. Phil took a brief Richard Petty Driving Experience course around the 1.5-mile speedway before turning the wheel over to Gordon. Check local listings for time and channel.(HMS Site)(9-4-2004)

  • DEI and Hendrick teams test at NHIS: Hendrick Motorsports teammates #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson tested at New Hampshire International Speedway (NHIS) on Wednesday, September 1 in preparation for the SYLVANIA 300 on Sunday, September 19. Both teams have clinched spots in the 2004 "Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup". Martin Truex, Jr. tested on Tuesday, August 31 and Wednesday, September 1 in the #1 Dale Earnhardt Incorporated Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Truex, Jr. will be attempting to qualify for the upcoming SYLVANIA 300 at NHIS. For ticket and race information, please visit the Speedway online at www.nhis.com or call Speedway Guest Services at (603) 783-4931.(NHIS PR)(9-4-2004)

  • Race of Champions to Announce 2004 Team USA UPDATE: The 2004 Race of Champions (ROC) Nations Cup - the motorsports equivalent of soccer's World Cup - will announce its two Team USA drivers [Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon] on Friday, Sept 3rd for the Dec. 4, 2004 race in Paris, France. This year's competitors include seven-time Formula One Champion Michael Schumacher and current World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Loeb. Countries are represented by two-driver teams. At the ROC Nations Cup race, teams compete based on the number of heat wins and combined times (in the event of a draw). In every match, racers go head-to-head against their counterparts, resulting in extremely close action and finishes often separated by only fractions of a second. The team emerging from Saturday's final earns "the World's Fastest Nation" title.(Golin Harris PR)(9-3-2004)
    UPDATE: The 2004 Race of Champions (ROC) Nations Cup - the motorsports equivalent of soccer's World Cup - is set to draw the attention of fans from every major racing series in the world to Paris, France on December 4th, 2004 [the day after the Nextel Cup Banquet]. This year's competition marks the first year that the points leaders from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, Formula One and the World Rally Championship will come together to battle for their country's right to claim they are "the World's Fastest Nation." Friday [Sept 3rd], at California Speedway, NEXTEL Cup points leader Jeff Gordon and second place driver Jimmie Johnson, running just 24 points behind Gordon, announced that they will lead Team USA's effort to reclaim the Nations Cup.
    Gordon and Johnson are intimately familiar with the challenge the ROC Nations Cup presents, having both been on the 2002 winning team that claimed the first Cup ever for the U.S. The ROC Nations Cup offers the ultimate test of a driver's skills, and is the only opportunity for racers from different countries and disciplines of motorsports to compete in equal machinery and on an equal track. Four-time NASCAR Champion Gordon and 10-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner Johnson are attempting to capture the United States' second Nations Cup title, but it will not be an easy task considering the stiff competition that includes seven-time Formula One Champ Michael Schumacher driving for Germany and current World Rally Championship leader Sebastien Loeb behind the wheel for France.
    Immediately following this year's NASCAR banquet, Gordon and Johnson will board a plane provided by Learjet, Inc, a subsidiary of Bombardier, Inc. and travel to Paris, France for the competition. "We are very proud to be playing a role in these great athletes' effort to recapture the title they first won for the United States in 2002," said Dana Arnold of Learjet. At the ROC Nations Cup, teams are eliminated based on the number of heat wins and combined time (in the event of a draw). In every match, racers go head-to-head against their counterparts, resulting in extremely close action and finishes often separated by only fractions of a second. The team emerging from Saturday's final lays claim to "the World's Fastest Nation" title.
    For more information on the ROC - Nations Cup, please visit: www.raceofchampions.com.
    For ticket information to the 2004 Race of Champions, please visit: www.stadefrance.com.
    The 2004 Race of Champions - Nations Cup supports ICM (The institute for Brain and Spinal cord Disorders) and ADREC (The Association for the Development of Research on the Brain and Spinal cord Disorders) www.icm-institute.org.(Golin Harris PR)(9-4-2004)

  • What Happened to Gordon [Jeff]?: Prior to a restart from a caution on Lap 400 of 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, #24-Gordon moved to the rear of the field after receiving a lap back virtue of NASCAR's "free pass" [Lucky Dog] to the first car not on the lead lap. However, on the restart, NASCAR officials black-flagged Gordon, claiming he did not restart from the end of the longest line, as the rule requires. Gordon and crew chief Robbie Loomis argued that drivers in some cars waved Gordon by, but NASCAR officials said replays showed "at least 10" cars starting behind Gordon, including two on the lead lap. "I think they really made a big mistake on the call there for black-flagging me because I knew I was supposed to go to the tail end of the longest line. I waited for cars to go by me," Gordon explained. "The inspector in the pits told Robbie to tell me if they wave you by or they're wrecked then you're OK. And so I'm waiting and I look up and there's nothing but wrecked cars behind me that won't pass me. Dale Jarrett "went by me, and then I think he was at the tail end of the longest line, so he let me go by and then Kyle Petty waved me by him. And I got in front of him, we took off and NASCAR black-flagged me. Nextel Cup Series director John Darby said each week drivers are reminded in the drivers' meeting that if they receive the free pass, they must restart at the end of the longest line. "The 24 car (Gordon) was obviously eight, 10, 12 – I don't know the whole number – but it was a huge number of cars that he failed to drop behind," Darby said. "That's the black and the white and the cut and the dry of it." Gordon finished 14th, two laps down from race winner Dale Earnhardt Jr.(ThatsRacin.com)
    AND After meeting with NASCAR officials, Gordon stormed off without further comment. NASCAR officials explained the situation this way: Gordon was told he was the 'lucky dog,' the first man a lap down and thus entitled to get a lap back. And Gordon was told to pass the pace car and drive to the rear of the field. When he didn't do all that, he was blackflagged.(Winston Salem Journal)(8-29-2004)

  • Hendrick. Gordon, NASCAR Statements regarding Indy celebration: The following are statements from Rick Hendrick and Jeff Gordon regarding Hendrick Motorsports' Brickyard 400 victory Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
    OWNER RICK HENDRICK: "Sunday's Brickyard victory was one of the most special moments I've ever experienced in this sport. I really wanted to win that race and kiss the bricks to honor my father. It was an unbelievable feeling for all of us. Nonetheless, I owe an explanation to the George family, along with everyone at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The celebration was emotional, and it was fun to acknowledge the fans like that, but it became obvious that we had unintentionally disrupted the Speedway's program by not driving to Victory Lane after the checkered flag. Speaking for everyone at Hendrick Motorsports, I personally called Mary Hulman George on Monday to apologize for any actions that may have been perceived as being disrespectful."
    #24-JEFF GORDON: "I can't adequately describe how emotional Sunday was. When I got out of the car, it was my intention to get back in and drive to Victory Lane after waving to everyone in the stands. Our team certainly would not disrespect any procedures on purpose, and I truly apologize to everyone at the Speedway for any problems we may have caused. It was a classic case of being caught up in the moment. I plan to support NASCAR's Victory Lane protocol going forward."(Hendrick Motorsports PR)
    NASCAR: released today the following statement from NASCAR President Mike Helton, regarding apologies by Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick for inadvertently altering post-race procedures this past Sunday at the Brickyard 400: "We appreciate the apologies offered today by Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick. We recognize the elation and spontaneity that a win like Sunday's can produce, and we do not want to hinder the 'emotions of the moment.' We want our drivers and teams to show their emotions. It was clear that this victory was a particularly emotional one for Hendrick Motorsports, in light of the recent passing of Rick's father, Papa Joe Hendrick.
    We know how important it is for our competitors to celebrate their victories and share their happiness with the fans. But we also want our competitors to be mindful of the importance of protocol involving Victory Lane, which is as much a part of racing as taking the checkered flag. This situation is now behind us. Moving forward, we are confident all our teams will respect and respond appropriately to time-honored post-race protocol during their celebrations."(NASCAR PR)(8-11-2004)

  • Loomis Votes the Best: Internet voters selected Robbie Loomis as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race after his driver, Jeff Gordon, drove Hendrick Motorsports' #24 DuPont Chevrolet to victory in Sunday's Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Loomis is now tied for second place with Chad Knaus with four victories each, one win behind Tony Eury Sr., in the season-long contest for a $10,000 prize.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(8-10-2004)
  • Gordon the fastest to 4: the 4-time winners at Indy:
    Driver' Wins, Races, Laps Led, Years Won A.J. Foyt, 4, 35, 555, 1961-1964-1967-1977
    Al Unser, 4, 27, 644, 1970-1971-1978-1987
    Rick Mears, 4, 15, 429, 1979-1984-1988-1991
    Jeff Gordon, 4, 11, 433, 1994-1999-2001-2004
    (Indianapolis Star)
    also: Wolf Henzler has recorded four victories in Porsche Michelin Supercup series support races to the United States Grand Prix at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 2000. Henzler won once in 2002, 2003 and both races in 2004.(IMS Site)(8-9-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon wins his 4th Brickyard 402.5 - Shun's Victory Lane: In a wild race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, #24-Jeff Gordon won his 4th Brickyard 400 [402.5], leading the most laps with 124 [including an extra one]. The race was the first in NASCAR Cup hsitory that used the green-white-checker finish after a late caution around lap 155. The race still finished under yellow, but Gordon was way ahead by then. It is Gordon's 5th win of 2004 and his 69th of his career. Gordon then bypassed Victory Lane [and the Powerade controversy], stopping the #24 DuPont Chevy at the start/finish line / yard of bricks and celebrating there with his team [think there will be a fine?]. Points leader, #48-Jimmie Johnson lost an engine and finished 36th and allowed Gordon to close to within 97 points of the Drivers Points. A few new records most cautions with 13, caution laps 47 [if they count the last one], most laps led by Gordon with 124, slowest race speed average at 115.030mph. #24-Gordon and #91-Elliott ties #2-Wallace for the most top-10's in Brickyard 400 history with 9 [in 11 races], the least number of drivers running at the end of the race at 30 [was 39]. The rest of the top-5 were: #88-Dale Jarrett, #38-Elliott Sadler, #9-Kasey Kahne and #20-Tony Stewart. On the very last lap [161] #21-Rudd cut a tire and hit wall, #8-Earnhardt Jr. and #6-Martin got together and cut down tires. The race ended with a checker-yellow, with a record 13 cautions for 47 laps under yellow [29% of the race].
    Good race recap at ThatsRacin.com.
    IMS Radio reports that the #24 and the team finally made it to Victory Lane, but without the NBC camera's.
    For my race rundown with caution info, some narrative, lucky dogs, lap leaders, etc, see my Indianapolis Race Info/Rundown Page
    For results see:
    ThatsRacin.com
    Motorsports One
    NASCAR.com.(8-8-2004)

  • Gordon Bluffs 'em UPDATE: Jeff Gordon is not only a winning driver, he can also play a little Texas hold 'em. The four-time Nextel Cup champ drew a 10 on the final river card for a three-of-a-kind to beat "Police Woman" Angie Dickinson and win the latest round of Bravo's "Celebrity Poker Showdown." Gordon advances to the championship, where he has a chance to win $100,000 for his charitable foundation.(Charleston Post and Courier)(7-18-2004)
    UPDATE: #24-Jeff Gordon prevailed as the winner of a recent episode of Celebrity Poker Showdown on Bravo!. Gordon matched his Texas Hold'Em card playing skills against the likes of Angie Dickinson, Kathy Griffin, Penn Jillette, and Ron Livingston. Taped earlier this year at The Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, each celebrity plays for their favorite charity. Gordon played for The Jeff Gordon Foundation. He now moves on to the championship final sixth episode where he is guaranteed at least $7,500 for his charity of choice and could win as much as $100,000! The show is scheduled to air at 9:00pm/et, August 12th on Bravo! - (Jeff Gordon site)(7-23-2004)

  • It's baaack....Gordon to F1? Jeff Gordon is again the subject of more hot Formula One rumors, this time linking him to a possible ride with the super-star Williams team and with [F1 Head] Bernie Ecclestone possibly willing to pay part of the salary. The Formula One series is increasingly desperate to sign a top American driver in order to improve its lackluster TV ratings in the U.S., and Gordon is widely seen as the most obvious choice. However Gordon says he feels he's too old, though only 32. Nevertheless, he's become friends with Formula One team owner Frank Williams, who is in the market for a new driver, to replace Juan Montoya and Ralf Schumacher. And Williams has three major U.S. sponsors, Budweiser, FedEx and Hewlett-Packard. Would Gordon be interested in asking for a full F-1 test? Gordon says he hasn't talked with Williams or Ecclestone in the last few weeks. "I'm not really in a position to want to do that or going to do that," Gordon said. "I love the sport and would love to pursue it, but I'm so deep into NASCAR that it would be really hard to pull that off. But I never say never ... though Rick (Hendrick) might. I always like to laugh at these opportunities that were never there when I was young enough to be able to make that move. Now I'm into my 30s and implanted into this sport, and it would be a very difficult thing to pull off. And I don't even know if I could drive those cars. But it sure was fun doing it last year, and it sure is fun talking about it. But who knows what the reality of that is." Gordon says he doesn't mind the Formula One questions at all. "I love it, I love it, I don't mind it. I wish it was true. I wouldn't change going from a winning situation over here to anything that wasn't a good team or good car." Williams, though, would meet that requirement, he said. "It is very difficult to walk away from this. I love where I'm at. I've got a group of guys that works extremely hard. They look up to me, and I look up to them. It would be hard to walk away from that. I have had talks, and I have had interest there, but I have had no offers. I really don't think it's a realistic thing."(more at the Winston Salem Journal)(7-10-2004)

  • Four Tracks left to conquer for Gordon...including Chicago: Along with Phoenix, Texas and Homestead, Chicagoland is one of only four tracks Gordon hasn't conquered in Cup. He is the only driver to complete ever lap in the first three races at the Joliet, Ill., oval, averaging a finish of 7.6.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(7-10-2004)

  • Loomis Votes Top Crew Chief: Robbie Loomis, crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports' #24 DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon, has been voted the top crew chief in Saturday's Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway in the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race contest. Loomis took the fans' vote for the second straight race and is now tied with Chad Knaus of Hendrick's #48 Chevrolet for Jimmie Johnson for second place with three wins each. Tony Eury Sr. of Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s #8 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads the contest with four wins. The winner of the season contest will receive $10,000.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(7-8-2004)

  • Gordon wins from pole 2 straight races 8th time in modern era: Jeff Gordon won the 2004 Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway and at Infineon Raceway, winning his second straight race from the Bud Pole, the second time in his career to do so. He also won two straight races from the Bud pole in June 1996: Dover and Poco# What is the modern era [1972-present] record? Darrell Waltrip won 4 consecutive races from the the pole in 1981 [Martinsville, North Wilksboro, Charlotte and Rockingham].(Speed Channel's Inside Nextel Cup TV Show)
    AND Before Gordon did it in 1996, Bill Elliott was the last driver to accomplish the feat in June 1985, winning at Pocono in June and then Michigan one week later [qualifying was rained out at MIS, Elliott was the points leader at that time and started 1st.] It's only the 8th time in the modern era that a driver has won back to back races from the pole.(7-6-2004)

  • Gordon wins from pole at Daytona: #24-Jeff Gordon held off teammate #48-Jimmie Johnson to win the rain-delayed Pepsi 400 at Daytona International Speedway. The win is Gordon's 68th career win, 4th of 2004, his 5th at Daytona and 3rd Pepsi 400, his first win at Daytona since the 1999 Daytona 500. #48-Johnson held onto 2nd place and increased his Nextel Cup points lead to 27 over #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt Jr. made an awesome move late in the race, a slingshot like move to pass two cars and take 2nd place, but the car went away and he fell back before recovering for 3rd. Rounding out the top five were #97-Busch and #20-Stewart. All four Hendrick Motorsports teams, #24-Gordon (WON), #48-Johnson (2nd), #5-Labonte (8th) and #25-Vickers (9th) finished in the top ten and a few times all four were in the top five. The highest finishing Dodge was #41-Casey Mears at 11th.
    Race results at:
    Jayski's Pepsi 400 Race Results from NASCAR
    ThatsRacin.com
    Motorsports One
    NASCAR.com.(7-4-2004)

  • Loomis voted as Crew Chief Challenge Winner at Sonoma: Robbie Loomis, crew chief of the #24 DuPont Chevy which won the Dodge / Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway on June 27th, was voted as the WyPall Crew Chief Challenge Winner. For more info, to see season standings, go to www.wypall.com.(7-1-2004)

  • Road Race Laps Led - Gordon now fifth all-time: Jeff Gordon led 92 laps Sunday in the Dodge/Save Mart 350 [a new track record]. In doing so he became only the fifth driver to lead more than 500 road-course laps in his career. Gordon has now led 521 laps on road courses and trails only Cale Yarborough (609), Dan Gurney (696), Richard Petty (885) and Bobby Allison (1,025) in that category.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(6-29-2004)

  • Gordon wins from pole at Infineon: #24-Jeff Gordon dominated Sunday's Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway, leading a track record 92 of 110 laps on the 10-turn, 1.99-mile course and earning his first road course win since August 2001 at Watkins Glen. That winless streak seemed out of place for the driver who held the all-time Cup series record for road course wins (seven) entering Sunday's race. The win is Gordon's third of the 2004 season and 67th of his career. To earn the victory, Gordon had to hold off a strong challenge by Chip Ganassi Racing. Gordon bested #42-Jamie McMurray by 1.012 seconds for the win, followed by #39-Scott Pruett, driving a fourth Ganassi car this weekend. #15-Michael Waltrip and points leader #48-Jimmie Johnson completed the top five. The rest of the top 10: #36-Boris Said, #41-Casey Mears, #6-Mark Martin, #99-Jeff Burton and #38-Elliott Sadler. Despite getting a slow start on the race's first lap, Gordon, the pole winner, took early control and led 43 of the first 55 laps in dominating fashion.(ThatsRacin.com)
    For my race rundown, cautions, notes, lap leaders, etc, see my Infineon Raceway Race Info/Rundown Page
    For race results, see:
    Jayski's Sonoma Race / Awards Results page
    ThatsRacin.com
    Motorsports One
    NASCAR.com.(6-27-2004)

  • Off to F-1 for the day: Teammates #24-Jeff Gordon, #25-Brian Vickers and #48-Jimmie Johnson and several Hendrick Motorsports team members hopped aboard a helicopter and then a private plane and headed for Indianapolis immediately after the final practice Saturday. They made the quick trip to Indy in time to watch qualifying for Sunday's U.S. Grand Prix and take a tour of the Formula One garages at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "We're going to show these guys a little bit about what Formula One is like and how it works," said Gordon, who earlier this year caught an F1 race in Barcelona, Spain. Joining the drivers, who will start 1-2-3 in Sunday's race, were Chad Knaus, Johnson's crew chief, Hendrick Motorsports competition manager Ken House and Brian Whitesell, team manager for Gordon and Johnson.(Michigan Live/AP)(6-19-2004)

  • Robbie's Mom doing better: Robbie Loomis, crew chief for the #24 DuPont Chevy driven by Jeff Gordon: "My mom just called, and she's had a real good day. She actually told my sister to leave the hospital, so I like the sound of that." Loomis missed Nextel Cup practice and qualifying Thursday to comfort his ailing mother in Daytona Beach, Fla., where she has been hospitalized for several weeks while being treated for several blood clots and complications with the pancreas. He returned for practice Saturday but blamed himself for Gordon's surprising struggles Sunday. "It was a horrible night," Loomis said. "I take full responsibility because I haven't had my head in the game here lately."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(6-1-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon to be on "Live with Regis and Kelly": Four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon is scheduled to make his fifth appearance as a co-host with Kelly Ripa on the popular daytime talk show "Live with Regis and Kelly" on June 2. The show is in its 16th year of national syndication. Check local listings for time and channel.(Charlotte Observer)(5-30-2004)

  • Loomis with his Mom - Get Well UPDATE 2: Robbie Loomis, #24-Jeff Gordon's crew chief, wasn't at Lowe's Motor Speedway Thursday. Instead, he was in Florida to be with his ailing mother, Sally Loomis. Team manager Brian Whitesell is handling the crew chief duties in Loomis' absence.(Speed Channel's Qualifying Coverage)(5-28-2004)
    UPDATE: Robbie Loomis, crew chief for Gordon, will return to the track today after missing Thursday's qualifying session to attend to his ailing mother in Florida.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(5-29-2004)
    UPDATE 2: Robbie Loomis, crew chief for Jeff Gordon, was back at Lowe's Motor Speedway Saturday. He missed qualifying Friday to be in Daytona Beach, Fla., with his 67-year-old mother Sally, who is suffering from complications of a pancreas disorder. "She's also had several blood clots and experienced some other problems, too," Loomis said. "She's doing better, but she's got a long road to go. It's going to be tough."(Charleston Post and Courier) and see a good article at the Daytona Beach News Journal: Chief's head in race, heart in Daytona(5-30-2004)

  • Sad News: The #24 Hendrick Motorsports team learned Saturday morning that the father of crewman Jeff Mandeering died of a heart attack Friday night in China Grove, NC, where he owned a hardware store.(Charleston Post and Courier)(5-30-2004)

  • "and your little dog too......" #24-Jeff Gordon, #77-Brendan Gaughan and #38-Elliott Sadler are three of four cars that are scheduled to run "The Wizard of Oz" 65th Anniversary paint schemes at Kansas in October. Dorothy's dog Toto will replace the Pedigree dog on the No. 38, while Jeff Gordon will sport a rainbow colored car featuring the Cowardly Lion.(RacingOne)(5-29-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon to play Poker: Jeff Gordon is scheduled to appear on BRAVO's Celebrity Poker Showdown on July, 15th at 9:00pm/et on BRAVO. Gordon will be playing for the The Jeff Gordon Foundation. For more info see their site: bravotv.com.(5-27-2004)

  • Humpy Picks Jeff Gordon: H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, today predicted Jeff Gordon will win Saturday night's 20th running of the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge at the 1.5-mile superspeedway. Wheeler, known for his promotional flair and Karnac-type ability, has correctly picked the winner of NASCAR's all-star race nine times in the past 15 races, including last year when Jimmie Johnson took home the $1 million prize. If Wheeler's prediction holds true, Gordon would be the first driver to win the event four times. "If ever there was a race that was made for a specific driver, it is the NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge and Jeff Gordon. He can drive a car smoothly with total reckless abandon," Wheeler said. "He can drive as deep or deeper into a corner than anybody out there." Wheeler also indicated several recent changes in Gordon's life away from the race track played into his decision to pick the four-time NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series champion. "I don't think the fire ever went out in Jeff Gordon, but he's made some changes in his life and I see the old Jeff Gordon again," Wheeler said. "Since his stepfather, John Bickford, has gone back to work for him as his manager, Jeff's won half the races he's entered. Even though he may not fit the true definition, Wheeler tabbed defending race winner Johnson as his dark horse selection. "My dark, dark horse is Elliott Sadler. He did a great job winning at Texas and that's a very similar track," Wheeler concluded. NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge activities kick off Friday night with qualifying for both races. In addition to qualifying, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will compete in the Infineon 200. Tickets start at $20. Good seats, in various price ranges, are still available for Saturday's NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge. Tickets start at $21 and may be obtained by calling 1-800-455-FANS or online at www.lowesmotorspeedway.com.

    "Humpy" Wheeler's Pick the Winner Results

    Year Selection (Finish) Dark Horse Winner
    1989 Rusty Wallace (1)   Rusty Wallace
    1990 Dale Earnhardt (1)   Dale Earnhardt
    1991 Davey Allison (1)   Davey Allison
    1992 Davey Allison (1) Alan Kulwicki Davey Allison
    1993 Dale Earnhardt (1)   Dale Earnhardt
    1994 Ernie Irvan (15) Geoffrey Bodine Geoffrey Bodine
    1995 Jeff Gordon (1) Da Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jeff Gordon
    1996 Rusty Wallace (2) Jeff Gordon Michael Waltrip
    1997 Dale Earnhardt (4) Dale Jarrett Jeff Gordon
    1998 Rusty Wallace (5) Jeff Gordon Mark Martin
    1999 Jeff Gordon (3) Jeremy Mayfield Terry Labonte
    2000 Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1) Terry Labonte Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    2001 Dale Jarrett (2) Steve Park Jeff Gordon
    2002 Jeff Gordon (11) Jimmie Johnson Ryan Newman
    2003 Jimmie Johnson (1) Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jimmie Johnson
    2004 Jeff Gordon Jimmie Johnson ?
    (LMS PR)(5-19-2004)

  • Gordon OK with Tony: Jeff Gordon says he’s cool with Tony Stewart after Stewart apologized for their run-in at Richmond. “Tony’s not a guy who walks up in my truck very often after a race so I’m gonna take his word for it. It doesn’t do any good to go out there and have paybacks and that kind of stuff on your mind so I want to block it out and race him as hard and as clean as I always would and hope to get that same respect back.” Gordon met with the media after being picked to win this weekend’s Nextel All-Star Challenge by Lowes Motor Speedway President Humpy Wheeler. With a smile on his face Gordon said he accepted Stewart’s apology and appreciated Tony coming into the hauler and that it meant something. Gordon then laughed and said he told Stewart “you’ll have to accept mine for what I said to the media out there before I came up here. He (Stewart) said no problem.(PRN's Garage Pass radio show)(5-20-2004)

  • New Book about Hendrick: UMI Publications, in conjunction with Hendrick Motorsports, is pleased to announce a new book celebrating 20 years of NASCAR competition by one of the most outstanding organizations in motorsports history. What began as a chance meeting between a semi-retired crew chief and a successful businessman with a passion for racing ultimately grew into a motorsports empire that garnered well over 100 victories and nine NASCAR championships in just its first 20 years of competition. "Twenty Years of Hendrick Motorsports" documents the history of Rick Hendrick's racing organization from its inception, in 1983, and recounts each racing season leading up to and including Hendrick Motorsports' historic milestone, its 20th season, in 2003.
    Perhaps no other racing organization has accumulated such a record of success in such a short period of time, and "Twenty Years of Hendrick Motorsports" tells the whole story of how these achievements were accomplished. Quite simply, this is a story that needed to be told, and UMI Publications is honored to bring it to the public eye with award-winning writing and outstanding photos, many of which have never before been published.
    "Twenty Years of Hendrick Motorsports" is available directly from the publisher for $34.95 plus shipping & handling, and may by ordered by contacting UMI Publications, Inc., at 1-800-747-9287 or by visiting their website at www.umipub.com. Book excerpts may be viewed at www.ThatsRacin.com.(5-20-2004)

  • DuPont and Pepsi to Switch on the #24? UPDATE: hearing that Jeff Gordon's sponsorships will switch around in the future, and that Pepsi will be on the hood of the #24 Chevy and that DuPont will move to the TV Panel [rear-end between the light decals](Speedway Scene Magazine - print April 30th issue)(5-17-2004)
    UPDATE: been told there is no truth to the rumor that DuPont and Pepsi will be switching positions on the #24 car.(5-18-2004)

  • Gordon unhappy with Stewart: #20-Tony Stewart found himself defending his on-track actions again Saturday night. This time, his target - #24-Jeff Gordon - is willing to forgive and forget, at least for now. With 40 laps remaining in Saturday night's Chevy American Revolution 400 at Richmond International Raceway, Stewart and Gordon were racing for position when Stewart nudged Gordon's #24 Chevrolet up and out of the main racing groove. Gordon wobbled and lost a position. He was running in the top five and eventually finished sixth. Stewart finished fourth. After the race, Stewart made an unexpected visit to Gordon's hauler and spoke privately with Gordon for several minutes. "From where I was at, it seemed like he just body-slammed me for no reason but he came up to me in the trailer and said he was sorry he got loose," Gordon said. "I questioned it. He was like, "Hey, I'm telling you the truth, I got loose.' I'll have to look. They say he got loose the time before that. Maybe he did. If he did, then I'll accept his apology. If he didn't, then he certainly needs to get his act together." Asked immediately after the race about the incident, Stewart said he knew Gordon was "mad at him." "I just got down into (Turn) 3 and I got loose and we made a change (on the last pit stop) and that's probably what made it loose," Stewart said.
    Earlier Saturday, during a visit to the Richmond's infield media center, Joe Gibbs, Stewart's car owner and coach of the NFL's Washington Redskins, said he did not believe Stewart's actions were a pattern of bad behavior. "Generally over the years, Tony may have had some stuff happen on the race track, but rarely with another driver. I think he has a great reputation with the other drivers," Gibbs said. "Rusty (Wallace) said the other night he and Tony had talked. I know Tony talked to Terry (Labonte) after that situation. I just kind of feel like it's just one of those things that happen. It has been a series of things that have happened here that haven't been good to him."(see full story at ThatsRacin.com)(5-16-2004)

  • $ two drivers in the top 50 $: NASCAR drivers #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. (13th on the list) and #24-Jeff Gordon (21st) are the only motorsports figures represented in Sports Illustrated's inaugural list of the top 50 American athletes by current annual income. As listed in the current issue, Junior's total income is $22,081,807 and Gordon earns $18,622,002.(Fort Worth Star Telegram)(5-13-2004)

  • Gordon to F-1......to WATCH: Jeff Gordon is heading off to Barcelona, Spain, planning to catch Sunday's Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix [Speed Channel 5/9 at 7:30am/et]. Don't think this is an indication Gordon has plans or intentions to climb behind the wheel of the world's greatest open-wheel car. "I'm too old to go Formula One and start all over again," said Gordon. "After driving that car for one day, I realized what kind of dedication it would take to start from scratch to learn all new tracks, all new cars, all new people and take my whole life in the U.S. and move to Europe." Gordon swapped cars with F1 racer Juan Pablo Montoya last year at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon drove Montoya's Williams-BMW car; Montoya drove Gordon's Dupont #24. "After that test, we started talking about going to the Barcelona race," Gordon said. "Who better to call to get credentials and hospitality passes than Williams and BMW?"(Patriot News)(5-7-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon named 1st Qtr NASCAR USG Person of the year: Through his personal foundation, Jeff Gordon has been able to donate nearly $500,000 to local and national charities this year. In addition to his charitable contributions to Riley Hospital for Children, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, the American Lung Association of North Carolina and The Victory Junction Gang Camp.(NASCAR PR)(5-4-2004)

  • Idiot Fan Alert: #24-Jeff Gordon said his car was hit by a bottle after the race, a week after fans littered the track at Talladega Superspeedway with cans and containers at the end of that race. "Hopefully the tracks can start taking some action, maybe putting some signs up that saying that maybe legal action will be taken if anything is thrown over that fence," Gordon said. "I think it's a good idea to take some action and be proactive instead of reactive after it happens."(Roanoke Times)(5-3-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Fan Festival - May 26-28: As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, Hendrick Motorsports will host a fan festival at its Charlotte-based headquarters May 26-28 prior to the May 30 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series event at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Free and open to the public, the festival was designed as a way to thank fans for their support of the team since its 1984 inception. Scheduled to run 8:30am until 6:00pm each day, the event will include interactive games, show cars, sponsor displays, product sampling and autograph sessions from past and present Hendrick Motorsports drivers. Townsend's Gourmet will sell food throughout the festival, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting The Hendrick Marrow Program. The 15,000-square-foot Hendrick Motorsports Museum will offer festival-goers a free-of-charge glimpse into HMS history, including championship trophies; three of Jeff Gordon's #24 Chevrolets; Tim Richmond's #25 Chevy; the very first #5 "All-Star Racing" car; and the "Days of Thunder" Lumina driven by Tom Cruise. The facility has recently been updated with new trophies, cars and other memorabilia. Lowe's Motor Speedway will provide free festival parking, which can be accessed at "Lot Z" off Speedway Boulevard in Concord. Trams will be available to transport fans from the parking area to the festival grounds. For additional information, including directions and schedule updates, fans may visit www.HendrickMotorsports.com or call 877-467-4890 toll free.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(4-28-2004)

  • Gordon wins Talladega under caution: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, getting in the lead just before the yellow flag was thrown when #25-Vickers spun. #8-Earnhardt Jr. felt he was ahead of Gordon, but says he will take the points [as he stays in the drivers points lead]. It is Gordon's 3rd win at Talladega, 1st of the season and his 65th of his career [6th all-time]. Chevy has now won 11 straight Talladega races. The rest of the top five [there could be some scoring changes later] were #29-Harvick, #48-Johnson and #31-Gordon. The highest finishing rookie was #77-Brendan Gaughan with a 13th. There were 11 cautions for 55 laps, a new record for the number at cautions [9 was the record, but not a record for the most caution laps which was 62 in May 1972]. There were 23 drivers lead a lap and 54 lead changes.
    Unofficial results at:
    Jayski's Aaron's 499 Race Results/Awards Standings page
    ThatsRacin.com
    MotorsportsOne
    NASCAR.com.(4-25-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports 20th Anniversary 2004 Schemes: Celebrating its 20th Anniversary in 2004, Hendrick Motorsports goes to Lowe's Motors Speedway with special paint schemes on the Chevy's for the race in October 2004. #25-Brian Vickers, #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson, and #5-Terry Labonte of the HMS team will be racing together to commemorate the first twenty years of Hendrick Motorsports. These cars will be based on their primary paint schemes, but the colors will be replaced with a "silver on silver" paint palatte, giving them a platinum or chrome effect. Each car will have the Hendrick Motorsports commemorative 20th Anniversary logo.(4-23-2004)

  • Pepsi back with Gordon: Jeff Gordon will compete in the #24 DuPont/Pepsi Chevrolet at Talladega Superspeedway in the Aaron's 499 NASCAR Nextel Cup event this Sunday. While this marks the fourth consecutive year that Gordon has driven the DuPont/Pepsi car, the paint-out will feature a new design which includes the famous Pepsi Globe with ice shards that highlight the blue background for a three-dimensional appearance. The partnership between Pepsi-Cola, Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports is entering its seventh year and is highlighted by Pepsi's associate sponsorship of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. Gordon has starred in three television commercials for Pepsi's flagship brand since 1998 and will be included in promotional activities through the 2005 season. Pepsi's involvement with NASCAR began when the sport was introduced in 1948. Today, Pepsi serves its products at 16 of the 23 Nextel Cup Series tracks and is the title sponsor of NASCAR Nextel Cup races in Daytona, Fla. (Pepsi 400) and Darlington, S.C. (Mountain Dew Southern 500).(Pepsi-Cola PR)(4-23-2004)

  • Rick Hendrick gives CPCC $1 million: Rick Hendrick [#5, #24 and #48 Cup team owner], chairman of the national car sales company Hendrick Automotive Group, has donated $1 million to Central Piedmont Community College to build a center that will train mechanics in the latest automotive technology. CPCC will start construction on the Joe Hendrick Center for Automotive Technology, on the Levine Campus in Matthews, by fall. It should be completed by December 2005. The $4 million, 25,000-square- foot building will be named for Rick Hendrick's father, who has been involved in auto racing for more than 40 years. The other $3 million will come from bonds, donations and other sources, according to the college. Joseph "Papa Joe" Hendrick Jr., 83, co-owns Hendrick's #5 Busch and #25 NEXTEL series teams with grandson Ricky Hendrick. He is in a Charlotte hospital with an undisclosed illness.(Charlotte Observer)(4-22-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports signs prospects: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick today announced the signing of drivers Blake Feese, Boston Reid and Kyle Krisiloff, who will each compete under the Hendrick banner in 2004 thanks to a pair of developmental alliances that were also unveiled. Feese and Reid will each start a minimum of three ARCA Series events this season in the No. 5 Chevrolets of Bobby Gerhart Racing (BGR). The six-race schedule will serve as a driver-technology development project for Hendrick Motorsports, which will provide engines and chassis to the Gerhart team, headquartered in Lebanon, Pa. In addition to the alliance with Gerhart, Hendrick Motorsports has inked an agreement with Indianapolis-based SS Racing that will allow Krisiloff to compete in 13 American Speed Association (ASA) events in 2004. In only his second career start on the ARCA circuit, Feese won at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway on April 9, leading 29 of 113 laps in the #5 BGR Chevrolet powered by a Hendrick engine. Although unannounced at the time, the race was part of the Hendrick-BGR developmental program. In addition to his ARCA victory at Nashville, the Saybrook, Ill., native is scheduled to compete on the circuit at Kentucky Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway, both in the month of May. Driving the #5 BGR Chevrolets, Boston Reid will enter ARCA events at Toledo (Ohio) Speedway in May, Kansas Speedway in June and Kentucky Speedway in July. Krisiloff, 18, will race full-time in ASA competition with SS Racing beginning on May 29 at Lake Erie (Pa.) Speedway. Driving the No. 06 Chevrolets, he will be a teammate of three-time ASA champion Butch Miller.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)
    Cup team owner Rick Hendrick will be interviewed via telephone this evening on Speed Channel's Wind Tunnel (10pm/et), discussing today's HMS announcement that Hendrick has signed drivers Blake Feese, Boston Reid and Kyle Krisiloff.(4-21-2004)

  • Gordon to be honored by HS: Jeff Gordon is among the inaugural class to enter the Tri-West High School Alumni Association hall of fame. Gordon, a 1989 graduate of the Lizton, Indiana school, will join Joe Alberts ('87), Tim Goode ('78), and Joe Burnell ('79) in entering the hall of fame. The induction ceremony will be held on April 17 at The Pavilion on the grounds on West Chase Golf Course in Brownsburg, Indiana. Tickets to the induction banquet are $35 per person. All proceeds will benefit the Tri-West Alumni Association Scholarship Fund. For more information, visit the Tri-West Hall of Fame site or call (317) 994-4000.(Gordonline.com)(4-14-2004)

  • Gordon goes Retro for the Challenge UPDATE: Since Retro is in, Hendricks Motorsports and DuPont are returning to the rainbow scheme for the Nextel All-Star Challenge race weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May for #24-Jeff Gordon.(1-20-2004)
    AND Jeff Gordon's #24 car will sport familiar rainbow livery for next month's all-star event. Gordon is expected to announce Tuesday that he'll bring back the "rainbow warrior" paint job for his #24 car in the May 22 Nextel All-Star Challenge race at Lowe's Motor Speedway outside Charlotte. Gordon says the retro paint job will commemorate the 10th anniversary of his first victory, which came May 29, 1994 at LMS. And NASCAR being NASCAR, there's also a commercial angle; sponsor DuPont is using the race to promote a new line of paint. For Gordon, driving the rainbow car — he switched to hot rod-style flames for 2001 — will be a reminder of just how good the good-ol' days were. Bringing back the old paint job also will help Gordon remember a certain amount of ignorant grief he took from fans who didn't take kindly to a clean-cut kid in an ultra-macho sport racing through the Bible Belt with a symbol often associated with gay rights activism — although, he says, nobody really thought of that when artist Sam Bass designed the paint job. "I took of heat for driving that rainbow car and wearing that rainbow uniform," he says. "There were times where you didn't feel like a really cool race car driver. But as long as we were winning races, it didn't matter."(USA Today), see an image on my #24 Team Paint Scheme Page.(4-6-2004)

  • Gordon to be Miss USA judge: Jeff Gordon will be one of the judges in the 53rd Annual Miss USA competition held at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles, California on Monday, April 12. The show will be broadcast live on NBC beginning at 9pm/eastern time. In addition to Gordon, the judging panel will be comprised of Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, fashion designer Jill Stuart, actor Mekhi Phifer, actor Rocco DiSpirito, actress Liza Huber, former NBA star John Salley, actress and model Vanessa Haydon, actress Tricia Helfer, and Brandi Sherwood (Miss USA 1997). Nancy O'Dell and Billy Bush will co-host the competition. Each contestant from all 50 states and the District of Columbia will be judged in three categories, including swimsuit, evening gown, and personality interview.(Gordonline.com)(4-6-2004)

  • Tennis Anyone? Jeff Gordon will be among the celebrities featured in a $3 million marketing effort to encourage more Americans to play tennis, this week's Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal reports. The story says the campaign is being funded by the U.S. Tennis Association and the Tennis Industry Association. Gordon is scheduled to be part of a print advertising campaign that will also feature boxer Roy Jones Jr., television newsman Mike Wallace and actress and model Daisy Fuentes.(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(3-30-2004)

  • Mr. Gordon goes to Washington: #24-Jeff Gordon was on Capitol Hill today to urge Senate passage of a bill to reauthorize a five-year funding cycle for the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), which maintains the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry and facilitates transplants from unrelated donors for patients with leukemia and other diseases. Gordon, a longtime advocate for NMDP and board member of its partner, The Marrow Foundation, visited key lawmakers to urge passage of the legislation, which was passed unanimously in the House last year but has not been voted on in the Senate. Current authorization for the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry expired in September 2003. "The NMDP offers hope to the more than 30,000 people diagnosed each year with fatal blood diseases like leukemia," said Gordon. "It's critical for the Senate to continue its longstanding support of NMDP, which is on track to facilitate its 20,000th transplant later this year." Gordon's visit also highlighted NMDP's special Capitol Hill donor drive held in the Hart Senate Office building, which offered the opportunity for Members of Congress and their staff to sign up and become part of the national Registry. For more information about the NMDP, call 1-800-MARROW-2 or visit online at www.marrow.org.(U.S. Newswire)(3-26-2004)

  • Bickford back with Gordon: Jeff Gordon, president and owner of Jeff Gordon Inc., announced changes in the senior management of his company on Thursday. John Bickford, Gordon's stepfather, has been named vice president and general manager of JG Inc., and Gordon's other business interests. "I'm very excited about working with John in this capacity again," said Gordon. "He helped shape my racing career and was pivotal in the decision-making process as I progressed through different racing series up to NASCAR. I'm confident in his ability to move JG Inc., forward." Bickford, an Action Performance Co. executive since 1997, is excited to be working with his stepson again. "Jeff is a proven winner on and off the track," Bickford said. "My goal is to strengthen his current business relationships while branching out to create new and better opportunities. I've always wanted the best for Jeff Gordon as a person. That won't change as I take on this new role of overseeing his business interests." Jeff Gordon Inc., also announced that Robert B. Brannan, vice president and general manager of the company since May of 1995, has resigned. "Bob has been instrumental in the growth of this company, and I have the utmost respect for him as a person and a businessman," Gordon said. "With the addition of my stepfather into a senior manager role, Bob's services were no longer required." Said Brannan: "I've enjoyed the opportunity to work with Jeff Gordon and my associates at JG Inc., over the years. I know that John Bickford will bring a new level of enthusiasm to the organization to move it to a higher level.I'm looking forward to pursuing other business opportunities and spending some time with my family."(ThatsRacin.com)(3-25-2004)

  • Gordon attends Funsraiser; then has to make emergency landing...not happy: Jeff Gordon was in the Tri-state [OH/KY] Thursday for a very special evening of raising money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The Home Builders Associations of Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky combined efforts to bring the four time NASCAR champion to the auction. Gordon signed memoribilia for the auction and then Cincinnati Mayor Charlie Luken gave Gordon a key to the city, the mayor of Newport declared Thursday "Jeff Gordon day", but the main reason for the night was to make money for Make-A-Wish. "It wouldn't happen without Make-A-Wish. I've had a lot of boys and girls come to race tracks all over the country who wanted to be at a race or meet a race car driver or meet me, there's nothing that trouches your're heart more than something like that," Gordon said.(wcpo.com)
    UPDATE: Jeff Gordon was in the Tri-State Thursday night, apparently for a business dinner, but it was a WLWT Eyewitness News 5 photographer who was on the business end of the NASCAR star's anger. The small plane he was in had some engine trouble as it was trying to land at Lunken Airport at about 6 p.m. Thursday, WLWT Eyewitness News 5's Jonathan Hawgood reported. Hawgood and photographer Pat Story went to the airport to cover that aspect of the story. But when they got there, the plane already had landed safely and Gordon made it to his dinner. A short time later, he emerged from the airport restaurant. And if you think Gordon is an aggressive racer on the NASCAR circuit, try talking to him a couple hours after a few tense moments in the air, Hawgood reported. "Apparently, they had a light come on that indicated an engine fire," Cincinnati Fire Department spokesman Mike Fehring said. Fehring was among the crew called to meet the plane after pilots made an emergency landing. He said if there was a fire, it was deep in the engine, and wasn't throwing out smoke. "(Gordon) is probably a little bit out of his control, but he'll live to race another day," Fehring said. When Hawgood tried to talk to Gordon after his dinner, he wasn't interested. But then he took disinterest to an interesting level:
    Gordon: "What the (expletive) is wrong with you?"
    Story: "I'm just doing my job."
    Gordon: "Well, your job sucks."
    Fehring added that Gordon wasn't only in a foul mood toward local media. "We tried to talk to him, but he seemed a little bit irritated," he said. "I imagine he had a big day. He was in town for obviously some business, and that's not a good way to end the day." Gordon got on a different plane and headed out of town after his dinner, Hawgood reported.(ChannelCincinnati.com)(3-19-2004)
    UPDATE: Clarie B. Lang of XM Satellite - NASCAR Radio 144 asked Gordon about the incident: Gordon said: "Well..it was an unfortunate situation. I hate that it happened. I was very frustrated with not only with as going on in my airplane, and the story's been very misconstrued. They have all the facts wrong and that's unfortunate too but ahh there's nothing I can say except to say that I was frustrated and at the time I certainly said some things I shouldn't have said and somebody sort of egged me on and it is what it is and I can't take it back but you know just learn from it like I do every other thing that happens in my life."
    About the airplane problem: "It was scary. I tell you we took off. We were acctually Leaving Kentucky and we took off and had a light that came on on the dash that showed that there was a problem with the left engine....they shut the engine down pulled the fire extiinguisher cause -they said there was a fire in there. But there really never was a fire that we know of. We turned around and came back and landed and had to wait for a plane to come pick us up.I still don't know exatly what happened I'm waiting to hear back right now.
    AND been told that NASCAR will not fine Gordon and has dismissed the incident [rightfully so, what did the reporter expect, Gordon just had a very scary moment in the air and asked the reporter to leave him alone].(3-21-2004)

  • Gordon, Pearson, Yarborough to test the Darlington lights - Aug 24th: Darlington Raceway's new lighting system won't be used for a race until November. But it will be christened this summer in an exhibition highlighted by Jeff Gordon, who has won six races at the 54-year-old track. Raceway president Andrew Gurtis announced Friday night that Gordon, all-time Darlington winner David Pearson, and area native Cale Yarborough will take laps under the lights Aug. 24 in an event designed to show off the new system. The 72 exterior light poles are already up, and crews will return after Sunday's Carolina Dodge Dealers 500 to install infield fixtures and the power system. Construction is expected to be finished by late June. The Aug. 24 exhibition promises to be similar to one held at Daytona International Speedway, when the late Dale Earnhardt took laps under the lights shortly after that track's system was installed in 1998.(Charleston Post and Courier)(3-20-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon invited to test F1 car UPDATE declined: NASCAR Champ Jeff Gordon will get another chance to try the Williams Formula One car. The British team has invited the American driver for a four-day test later this year. Gordon tested with the Williams F1 team last year when the four-time world champion did a promotional car-swap with Montoya. Montoya tested Gordon's NASCAR while Gordon tested Montoya's Williams.The Williams team was impressed with Gordon's performance and thus wanted to invite Gordon again for a bigger Formula One test. If Jeff Gordon would enter Formula One it would be a great help promoting Formula One in the States, though according to rumours Gordon can earn more in NASCAR than in Formula One.(F1Racing.net)(3-7-2004)
    UPDATE [Jeff] Gordon quashed a report on F1racing.net that he had been invited to test for the Williams-BMW team. The four-time Cup champion is a longtime fan of Formula One and drove Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams car in an exhibition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year. "I've talked about going to the Barcelona race for fun, but that's gotten misconstrued," Gordon said. "I did my test session last year, and that's all I wanted to do."(Richmond Times Dispatch)
    AND While Jeff Gordon hopes to attend this year's Formula One race in Barcelona, Spain, the four-time NASCAR champion has no plans to test a Williams-BMW F1 car. An Internet site reported last week that the British team had invited Gordon to take part in a four-day test later this season. "I don't know how that got started," Gordon said Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, site of Sunday's Golden Corral 500 Nextel Cup event. "I've been talking about going to the Barcelona race just for fun, and obviously that's gotten misconstrued into a test session. I did my test session for them last year." Gordon took part in a one-day ride swap last year with Williams driver Juan Montoya at Indianapolis, and was thrilled by the experience. But Gordon has said repeatedly that his future is in Nextel Cup, and Friday all but ruled out a one-time F1 start on a NASCAR off weekend. "It's not possible. You can't do it," he said. "The way the teams are organized, as much effort that goes into driving those cars and testing those cars, it's not worth it for the teams to do a one-off race. I love the cars, but it's so much different from what I'm doing, it's not like you just jump in and go. It's a huge, huge, commitment."(Charleston Post and Courier)
    AND MORE the Albuquerque Tribune is incorrectly reporting that Gordon WILL test an F-1 car, when supposedly he was only invited has said he is not planning on testing the car.(3-13-2004)

  • Bug making the rounds: Two drivers were under the weather on Friday. Gordon said he'd been battling the bug since Sunday night after the race at Las Vegas. Ward Burton also was ailing and has Jason Leffler standing by in case he needs relief. Gordon said he hopes to be at full strength by race time.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution), during Speed Channel's qualifying coverage, it was mentioned that Gordon's crew chief, Robbie Loomis was also sick, worse off then Gordon, but was at the track.(3-13-2004)

  • Jeff Gordon invited to test F1 car UPDATE: NASCAR Champ Jeff Gordon will get another chance to try the Williams Formula One car. The British team has invited the American driver for a four-day test later this year. Gordon tested with the Williams F1 team last year when the four-time world champion did a promotional car-swap with Montoya. Montoya tested Gordon's NASCAR while Gordon tested Montoya's Williams.The Williams team was impressed with Gordon's performance and thus wanted to invite Gordon again for a bigger Formula One test. If Jeff Gordon would enter Formula One it would be a great help promoting Formula One in the States, though according to rumours Gordon can earn more in NASCAR than in Formula One.(F1Racing.net)(3-7-2004)
    UPDATE [Jeff] Gordon quashed a report on F1racing.net that he had been invited to test for the Williams-BMW team. The four-time Cup champion is a longtime fan of Formula One and drove Juan Pablo Montoya's Williams car in an exhibition at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last year. "I've talked about going to the Barcelona race for fun, but that's gotten misconstrued," Gordon said. "I did my test session last year, and that's all I wanted to do."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(3-13-2004)

  • Gordon on the tube: Jeff Gordon, four-time champion of NASCAR's top series and driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, is scheduled to appear on CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" this Wednesday, March 3. The "Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn" is in its fifth full season and airs on CBS at 12:37am/et, immediately following the "Late Show with David Letterman." Check local listings for time and channel in your area.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-2-2004)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Website Re-launched: Hendrick Motorsports today unveiled its new-look Internet presence, www.HendrickMotorsports.com, with a fresh design and unique features found nowhere else on the Web. The latest version of the site, which received more than 1 million visits in 2003, marks the second re-design since HendrickMotorsports.com was initially launched in 1998.(HMS PR)(2-10-2004)

  • Gordon rooting for the Panthers: Even though he's a San Fransisco 49ers fan, Jeff Gordon says he's going to this weekend's Superbowl in Houston to root for the Carolina Panthers. Gordon, who lives in the Charlotte area said he saw the enthusiam, excitement and adrellian flowing through the city and became an instant Panthers fan. "I'm gonna put my Panthers hat on, be a big supporter and hope they win it...and I think they've got a shot at winning it."(PRN's Garage Pass)(1-28-2004)

  • Gordon, Pepsi and a Billion: #24-Jeff Gordon and Pepsi Team up again to bring the Pepsi “Billion” car back to the track at the July 3rd, 2004 Pepsi 400 in Daytona.(1-23-2004)

  • Gordon goes Retro for the Challenge: Since Retro is in, Hendricks Motorsports and DuPont are returning to the rainbow scheme for the Nextel All-Star Challenge race weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May for #24-Jeff Gordon.(1-20-2004)

  • Gordon's Hair: only posting this 'cause getting emails from folks wondering if Jeff Gordon is ill [not looking for comments, further email or images]......#24-Jeff Gordon wasn't looking for an aerodynamic advantage for Speed Weeks. He didn't lose a bet or accept a dare. He wasn't the victim of a prank. The reason the four-time NASCAR champion wore a ball cap most of Tuesday at Daytona International Speedway was to hide his self-inflicted haircut. Gordon, known for his pricey, model-like haircuts, arrived at the Speedway with head stubble and a smile. "This is actually a lot compared to what I had a month ago," Gordon said sheepishly at the end of Tuesday's Nextel Cup test session. "The hair thing, well, it was the offseason and I just wanted to do something different." Gordon said he had an expert shave his head the first time soon after the NASCAR awards banquet in New York City. Gordon said his head was never completely bare. "It wasn't bald, but like a 'No. 1,' I think they call it," he said. "It was really short so it's taken a little longer. I was hoping it was going to be a little bit more grown out by now, but it's not." The 32-year-old driver, who wheels the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, said shaving his head was a lark. He fully intends to grow his black mane back out to its normal length. "I plan on growing it out the rest of the year, then next year I'm going to do it again but it's going to be blonde," he said with a laugh. "No, I'm just kidding."(Daytona Beach News Journal), see an AP image at ThatsRacin.com.....if Gordon doesn't want his hair...the bald Jayski will take it.(1-14-2004)

    2003 News

  • Jeff Gordon Foundation Sponsors a Camper Cabin at the Victory Junction Gang Camp: The Jeff Gordon Foundation has committed $250,000 to sponsor a camper cabin at the Victory Junction Gang Camp. The Jeff Gordon Foundation Cabin will be one of sixteen cabins that campers will call home during their camping experience at Victory Junction. This is the second gift from The Jeff Gordon Foundation to the Victory Junction Gang Camp.
    “We are thrilled that The Jeff Gordon Foundation will have a permanent presence at Victory Junction,” said Kyle Petty. “I continue to admire Jeff for his charitable work and we are grateful for his commitment and ongoing support of the Victory Junction Gang Camp.” The funds will be used to underwrite the cost of a camper cabin. Victory Junction will have sixteen 2,300 square foot cabins capable of accommodating up to 10 campers and 10 counselors each session. During family weekends and specialized retreats, the cabins will accommodate two families per cabin. The maximum capacity for the cabins will be 160 during camper sessions or up to 32 families during the weekend sessions.
    “I am so proud of the Foundation and the work we have completed this year,”said Jeff Gordon. “This is another way we can give back to the racing community. “We are happy to build on this on-going relationship with the Petty family.”
    For more information, visit www.victoryjunction.org.
    The Jeff Gordon Foundation was established in December of 1999 by the four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion to support children and families in need. The Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that benefits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Marrow Foundation and Riley Hospital for Children. For more information on The Jeff Gordon Foundation, visit www.JeffGordonFoundation.org.(Victory Junction Gang PR)(12-18-2003)

  • Cup drivers in the Daytona 24? Chevrolet is trying to have a big presence in the Rolex Sports Car Series’ Daytona 24 hour early next year. Daytona Prototypes are under construction at Crawford Race Cars in Denver, North Carolina, all powered by GM’s Gen III V8 engines, which GM hopes will be piloted by its Winston Cup stars. Chevrolet is looking at various driver combinations and it’s unclear how many cars will run. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart are strong candidates, and Jimmy Johnson and Jeff Gordon could figure in the mix. Regular GM road racers Kelly Collins and Andy Pilgrim are on deck as well. GM sources say there is no truth to rumors that another car is slated for Bobby, Terry and Justin Labonte.(Autoweek)(11-26-2003)

  • Gordon sells Florida house: Jeff Gordon has sold his 23,000-square-foot oceanfront home in Highland Beach [FL] for $13.3 million cash, plus another $2 million cash for the furnishings. The sale is expected to close today, said Robert Wyner, chairman of Barclays Group International in Palm Beach, which listed the home for $16.9 million just 48 hours before it sold.(Palm Beach Post)(11-12-2003)

  • Gordon Wins 4th Quarter Voting for USG Person of the Year: The Jeff Gordon Foundation originated in 1999 with a mission to support the physical, social and intellectual needs of children and their families. During the month of October, Gordon, through his “An Evening with Jeff Gordon” dinner – which included the opportunity to bid on a Signature Edition Jeff Gordon Monte Carlo – and his “3rd Annual Go-Kart Challenge,” raised nearly $300,000 for the Foundation. In addition to these contributions, the Foundation donated $60,000 to the Hendrick Marrow Foundation. For his efforts assisting charitable organizations, Gordon has been named the 2003 Fourth Quarter NASCAR USG Person of the Year. The Jeff Gordon Foundation supports Riley’s Hospital for Children, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Hendrick Marrow Foundation.
    For the purpose of determining the NASCAR USG Person of the Year Award winner, the NASCAR Winston Cup season has been divided into four quarters in which drivers are nominated for their off-track efforts. A select group of panelists will select one of the four quarterly finalists as the NASCAR USG Person of the Year. This award will be presented the week of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series Awards Ceremony in New York City, along with a prize of $100,000. The prize will be divided evenly between the driver and the charity of his/her choice. The 2003 First, Second and Third Quarter NASCAR USG Person of the Year winners were Ricky Craven, Elliott Sadler and Dale Jarrett, respectively.
    In addition to the NASCAR USG Person of the Year, USG also sponsors the USG Driver of the Race Award, which goes to the eligible driver who wins each of the 36 NASCAR Winston Cup championship events. Each USG Driver of the Race Award winner receives $2,500 with an additional $2,500 going to the charity of his/her choice.(NASCAR PR)(11-5-2003)

  • Gordon's Car Cleared of Traction Control: Perhaps you noticed last week’s race winner Jeff Gordon having difficulty completing a proper burnout after winning last week’s race. You might have also noticed Gordon was able to run through Atlanta Motor Speedway’s corners so high that he was kicking up dirt and dust, but never pulled the car’s rear end into the wall. If so, you were not alone as a vast number of those who toil in the Winston Cup garage noticed these things as well, including NASCAR officials. According to NASCAR PR staff, Gordon’s car was torn down, inspected with a fine toothed comb and special attention paid to the ignition system. NASCAR officials did take the rear end from Gordon’s car into the Conover, N.C., R&D center, where the unit, away from the prying eyes of the competitors, was cleared later in the week. This confiscation was not widely publicized within the industry, but few were surprised when they did hear the news. One driver simply said of the impounded piece, “It doesn’t surprise me. I was running as hard as I could and I certainly couldn’t pull half the moves that [Gordon] was. Nope. It doesn’t surprise me, that they took it and that they didn’t find anything wrong.”(Ford Racing)(11-2-2003)

  • Didja Know 2? that #24-Jeff Gordon has won on every race track [19 current and at defunct North Wilkesboro] on the Cup circuit with the exception of Phoenix, Texas, Chicagoland and Homestead. Gordon's most wins at a track is six at Darlington.(11-1-2003)

  • Jeff Gordon wins at Atlanta: #24-Jeff Gordon wins the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his 2nd Cup win in a row, the 18th time in his career that he has won back-to-back races, it is his 3rd win of 2003 and his 64th career win. #20-Tony Stewart took 2nd place, followed by #48-Jimmie Johnson, #9-Bill Elliott and #18-Bobby Labonte. Points leader, #17-Matt Kenseth finished 11th and now leads the Drivers Points by 258 points with three races to go. #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. [finished 6th] moves back into 2nd in the points race. #01-Joe Nemechek had a nice run in his first race in the U.S. Army Pontiac and nice run by #4-Kevin Lepage, who came home 14th. Pole sitter was running 6th with three laps to go when he hot wiggly in front of the #8 and got tapped by Earnhardt Jr. and hit the wall hard [he is OK and showed his displeasure].
    Scheduled Race Re-Air: on Speed Channel:
    one-hour recap/Fast Forward on Wednesday, October 29th at 7:00pm/et and again on October 30th at 1:00am/et;
    and a full three-hour race show will re-air at 3:00pm/et on Thursday, October 30th
    Jayski's Atlanta race rundown: [result links, caution narritive, notes, lucky dog stuff, lap leaders, DNF's, etc] on my Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 Race Info Page.
    Race Results at Jayski's Atlanta Race Results Page
    See full driver standings at Jayski's Drivers/Owners Points After Atlanta page.(10-27-2003)

  • Hendrick buying the #01 and half of the #10? UPDATE Denied: hearing Hendrick Motorsports/Rick Hendrick may be purchasing the #01-US Army MB2 team and half of the #10 MBV Valvoline team. Joe Nemechek drives the #01 Pontiac and Scott Riggs will drive the #10 Valvoline Pontiac in 2004. Johnny Benson is the current driver.(10-24-2003)
    UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports [HMS] officials on Friday denied an Internet report that it was considering buying into MB2/MBV Motorsports which currently fields Pontiacs for Winston Cup drivers Joe Nemechek and Johnny Benson. Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex said HMS is not interested in buying any or all of the MB2/MBV teams. The interest in Hendrick's relationship with MB2/MBV has been fueled by several arrangements recently between the two organizations, including the move of Hendrick's former driver, Nemechek, to MB2's #01 team. Hendrick also had a tentative arrangement to place its Busch driver, Brian Vickers, in MB2's #01 the final four races of this season. That deal was nullified when Nemechek left for the #01, and Vickers moved to HMS' #25, which he will run full time in 2004. Also, HMS currently provides all the engines for the MB2 and MBV teams.(ThatsRacin.com)(10-24-2003)

  • Streak on the Line UPDATE not no more: Since 1994, #24-Jeff Gordon has enjoyed multiple win seasons for the last nine years, but with five races left on the Winston Cup schedule, that streak may be in jeopardy. Gordon has 62 career wins but only one victory this season, in the spring race at Martinsville. He's looking for his fourth career "sweep" today at racetracks with two Winston Cup dates each year. His other sweeps were at Darlington, Dover and Rockingham.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(10-19-2003)
    UPDATE: Gordon won at Martinsville for his 2nd win of 2003, so ten years in a row he has multiple wins.(10-19-2003)

  • Loomis Safe at the #24: Jeff Gordon scoffs at the notion that Robbie Loomis' job is in jeopardy, as has been speculated -- and continually discounted -- in recent weeks. Gordon said Saturday at Kansas Speedway that Loomis is at Hendrick Motorsports for the long haul, regardless what anyone thinks they know. "It cracks me up," Gordon said. "I was on MRN (radio) the other night and somebody called in and asked, 'Is it true Chad Knaus is going to be your crew chief next year?' It's just ridiculous. It's so funny.(NASCAR.com)(10-5-2003)

  • Hendrick Named NCMA Vice Chairman: Richard Petty, chairman of the North Carolina Motorsports Association (NCMA), announced today that Rick Hendrick has been named vice chairman of the NCMA board of directors. "It is an honor to accept the position of vice chairman of the North Carolina Motorsports Association," Hendrick said. "I look forward to working with Richard and the board of directors in promoting and growing our sport statewide. The NCMA has served as the unifying voice for the racing industry in North Carolina for more than a year, and I'm proud to be a part of that continuing effort." Hendrick succeeds Keystone Marketing Co. Inc. president Roger Bear as the NCMA vice chairman. Bear will continue to serve the organization as an active board member. "Many thanks to Roger for his efforts and support in getting this great organization off the ground," said Ed McLean, NCMA executive director. The North Carolina Motorsports Association is a nonprofit corporation designed and structured to be an effective representative and proponent of and for the motor sports industry in North Carolina. The NCMA is a trade association of businesses and individuals involved in motor racing in North Carolina. Further information on the NCMA can be accessed via the organization's Web site, located at www.ncmotorsportsassociation.org.(North Carolina Motorsports Association PR)(9-25-2003)

  • Dalr Jr. and Gordon vs LaBron: LeBron James signed a multi-year contract with Coca-Cola on Thursday to endorse its Sprite and Powerade brands. The company and agent Aaron Goodwin declined to disclose the terms of the deal, but sources close to James say it is worth approximately $15 million over the next seven years. It is believed to be the richest beverage deal ever signed by a basketball player, trailing only NASCAR stars Jeff Gordon (Pepsi) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Budweiser) in the market. (Akron Beacon-Journal) (8/27)
  • Special decal for Hendrick cars: The teams of Hendrick Motorsports [#5, #24, #25, #48] will carry very special artwork during this weekend's events at Bristol in support of one-year-old Cole Jackson of Waxhaw, N.C. The "C-post" decals will feature "Get Well Soon" wishes to the youngster, who suffers from bilary atresia, a rare liver disease that affects one in 15,000 babies and requires a liver transplant. Hendrick Motorsports president John Hendrick met the Jackson family at a charity golf tournament earlier this year and will lend his support at a silent auction at Firethorne Country Club in Charlotte, N.C., on Sunday, Aug. 24. For more information, visit www.HendrickMotorsports.com or www.TheJacksonFour.com.(HMS PR)(8-22-2003)

  • Vickers may debut in Cup later this year: Car owner [#'s 5,24,25,48,60] Rick Hendrick said he plans to put Brian Vickers in a Cup car this season, most likely in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Hendrick said Vickers has tested a Cup car in Kentucky during an engine test.(Roanoke Times)(8-4-2003)

  • More Consecutive starts stuff: #24-Jeff Gordon is set to make his 350th consecutive start this weekend at Indianapolis. That is the record for most consecutive starts from a driver's debut. #49-Ken Schrader 's streak of 579 consecutive starts could be in jeopardy this weekend. His team is out of provisionals, so he must qualify in the top 36 or he won't make the Brickyard 400.(Roanoke Times), see the list on my Stats and Stats links page.(7-30-2003)
    #49-Ken Schrader's streak came to an end when he missed the Brickyard 400.(8-2-2003)

  • Gordon under the weather: #24-Jeff Gordon has been fighting a bug of some kind this week that left him sick as a dog before he got to Chicago. "I'm on the upslope of getting better," Gordon said. "I don't know what I caught, but I was in bad shape Tuesday and Wednesday. Today's a lot better. I had a high fever. I'm on a decongestant and an antibiotic."(NASCAR.com)(7-13-2003)

  • New Car Chief for the #38 and #24 crew changes: Since #38 Elliott Sadler lost his car chief to the #88 team [as crew chief, Shawn Parker], Sadler has just one top-ten finish in the last five races. Former Roush Racing and Hendrick Motorsports crewman Dave Smith has joined the M&M's team as car chief and front tire changer to help the #38 return to contention. "It was something that I wanted to do so I think that was the easiest decision," Smith said. "It's close to the house, but it's still that shot at winning the championship. If we get Elliott in Victory Lane and get him winning some races and win a championship, it'll be more gratifying than with Jeff (Gordon) because he's won so much."
    "We were lucky enough to get Dave to come over, and he's got some great experience," Sadler said. "He'd been with Matt Kenseth for a while and with the 24. Very young, seems very eager and optimistic and I think he knows what he's doing."(FSN's Totally NASCAR)
    AND - so who replaces Smith at the #24? Rear tire changer David Smith left the DuPont team after the Sonoma race to become the car chief for #38-Elliott Sadler. Smith, who departed Matt Kenseth's team for Hendrick Motorsports after the 2002 season, joins his third race team in less than seven months. Smith will be replaced by Adam Davis on Jeff Gordon's pit crew. Davis was formerly a tire changer for Joe Nemechek's Winston Cup team. Davis, 24, came to Hendrick Motorsports after spending last season with Petty Enterprises. He was a tire changer on Kyle Petty's car in 2002. Prior to entering the NASCAR world, Davis attended High Point University in North Carolina on a soccer scholarship. He holds a degree in sports medicine. In addition to his pit crew duties, Davis will continue his role as a mechanic for HMS.(Jeff Gordon Online)(7-5-2003)

  • Hendrick Third at Daytona: Car owner Rick Hendrick, who fields Chevy for #5-Terry Labonte, #24-Jeff Gordon, #48-Jimmie Johnson and #25-Joe Nemechek [plus this week, #60-David Green], is third all-time with seven Winston Cup victories at Daytona. He trails only the Wood Brothers (12) and Petty Enterprises (11). Gordon (four), Geoffrey Bodine, Tim Richmond and Darrell Waltrip all have driven Hendrick cars to first-place finishes here, including four Daytona 500s.(Gaston Gazette)(7-5-2003)

  • Jeff Gordon Promotes Safety Program: Jeff Gordon promoted the DuPont Get Real Behind the Wheel teen driver safety tour during an appearance on "The Today Show" on NBC Wednesday, July 2nd. The traveling exhibit is scheduled to make more than 20 stops in 11 cities through October, appearing at concerts, festivals, NASCAR races and other venues that attract young people. A 45-foot Get Real trailer houses a simulator in which teens can take two-minute test drives to assess their skills in hazardous driving conditions. . Details about the program are available at www.dupontgetreal.com.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(7-3-2003)

  • Gordon and the F-1 Rumor: #24-Jeff Gordon wants to set the record straight about a proposed Formula One deal offered to him by BAR-Honda. The Toronto Sun reported last week that Craig Pollock, BAR's former team principal, said he had offered Gordon a contract to drive with Canadian Jacques Villeneuve when the team was formed in 1999. Gordon, however, told The Sun it wasn't quite as simple as the way it was described by Pollock. Gordon said that while there were discussions about him going to F-1, the deal Pollock offered was dependent on him driving in the CART Champ Car series for two years as a teammate for Toronto's Paul Tracy at Team Kool Green. "There were discussions about it. I was flattered that they wanted to talk to me about F-1," Gordon said. "But it never got to the stage of 'Okay, you're going to come over here and you are going to test our car and be our driver.' "(Toronto Sun)(6-24-2003)

  • Gordon Rapping for donors: #24-Jeff Gordon will carry a special "Jes Us 4 Jackie" decal on his car this weekend at Infineon Raceway to promote the Jes Us 4 Jackie program, a nationwide effort developed by superstar rapper Nelly and his sister, Jackie Donahue, to raise awareness about the need for marrow and blood stem cell donors. Donahue needs a marrow transplant and is searching for a donor. Through the Jes Us 4 Jackie campaign, Nelly and Jackie hope to increase the number of donors on the National Marrow Donor Program Registry. Jes Us 4 Jackie plans to sponsor donor drives on June 21 in New York, St. Louis and Los Angeles. The campaign will focus on recruiting more African-American donors and donors of mixed heritage.(NASCAR.com)(6-22-2003)

  • Gordon/Montoya Tradin' Paint UPDATE more re-airs on Speed: Video, Notes and Transcripts of Jeff Gordon driving an F-1 car and Juan Montoya driving the #24 DuPont Chevy on Indy's road course at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway site. The event will be re-aired on Speed Channel June 20th at 8:30pm/et.(6-12-2003)
    More Re-Air Dates/Times: For those of you who missed the Gordon-Montoya Tradin' Paint special on Speed Channel, the entire 1 1/2 hour special will replay in three time slots, replacing the rained out Busch North race:
    Monday, June 16th, 8:00pm/et
    Tuesday, June 17th, 1:00am/et
    Wednesday, June 18th,10:00am/et. The one-hour version will air Friday, June 20 at 8:30 p.m. following Winston Cup qualifying.(Speed Channel PR)(6-14-2003)

  • It's Over? UPDATE Yep - Gordon divorce final: hearing that Jeff and Brooke Gordon are close to a settlement on their divorce.(6-12-2003)
    UPDATE: Brooke Gordon's's lawyers released a statement saying the couple "amicably resolved" their divorce case. "Brooke Gordon is very pleased with the terms of the settlement," said the statement released by Orlando attorney Terry C. Young, who represented Brooke along with West Palm Beach attorney Jeffrey D. Fisher. "Brooke is very happy the divorce is now over, and she wishes Jeff Gordon well in his racing career." NASCAR vice president Jim Hunter said the sanctioning body had not comment on the divorce. "Whatever happens in that divorce is between Jeff and Brooke," Hunter said. "People's personal lives are their personal lives, and I'm sure both of them are looking forward to getting on with their lives."(Daytona Beach News Journal)....well put and enough said.
    Jeff Gordon reached a divorce settlement that guarantees his former wife at least $15.3 million. Brooke Gordon waived alimony and will get the money from the sale of two properties, including the couple's oceanfront home in Highland Beach, according to court documents.(Thatsracin.com). Links to other articles on this, see my Article/Column/Story Links page.(6-13-2003)

  • Speed Channel Stuff: SPEED Channel will strap in with four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and Formula One standout Juan Pablo Montoya as the pair swap hot rods for the afternoon on June 11 at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The live program, entitled Gordon/Montoya Tradin' Paint, will air from 1:00 to 2:30pm/et Wednesday, June 11th. A special one-hour edition will replay Friday night, June 20th at 8:30pm, immediately following Winston Cup Qualifying, and be hosted by Bob Varsha, former NASCAR crew chief Larry McReynolds and former F1 mechanic Steve Matchett. Both drivers will be wired for sound and the cars will be equipped with multiple on-board cameras. Montoya, fresh of his impressive win at the Grand Prix of Monaco, is expected to bring his 2002 race car - the FW24. The engine alone has 5,000 individual parts. This year, Montoya is racing a FW25 with the next generation P83 BMW powerplant. A comparison of the two cars:
    #24 Hendrick Chevrolet Monte Carlo
    Horsepower: 770 HP @ 9,000 RPM
    Engine: Cast iron 5.7L V8
    Top speed: 200 mph
    Fuel: 110-octane gasoline
    Chassis weight: 3,400 lbs. (w/o driver)
    HP Williams BMW FW24
    Horsepower: 900 (max RPM of 19,000)
    Engine: 3L BMW P82 V10 (aluminum block)
    Top Speed: 225 mph
    Fuel: Unleaded racing gasoline
    Chassis weight: 1322.76 lbs. (w/driver)(SPEED Channel)(6-2-2003)

  • Gordon sorry, Marlin ticked UPDATE: #24-Jeff Gordon spunout #40-Sterling Marlin Sunday at Dover International Speedway early in the race. Gordon was apologetic. Marlin was furious. "The 24 got up under us and turned us around again," said Marlin, who wound up 35th. "That's twice in three races. It's getting kind of old. I don't know what's wrong with the 24, but we need to find out. You've got to give and take in this league, and he has done a lot of taking." Gordon called it a mistake, not an intentional act. He said his car might have hit the apron. He shot up toward the wall and caught the left rear of Marlin's Dodge. "I'm sure he's mad, and I was mad when I got hit by him one time in Richmond," Gordon said. "Hopefully, we'll get past it and move forward. He's not a guy I really talk to a lot and he doesn't talk to me a lot, so I guess we'll see each other on the race track."(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(6-2-2003)
    UPDATE: After Sunday's MBNA 400 at Dover International Speedway, Sterling Marlin is mad at Jeff Gordon. Gordon says he's not angry with Marlin, but he's not backing down. Marlin took exception to Gordon's bump coming off Turn 2 on Lap 114 at Dover. It was the continuation of a mini-trend for Gordon, who hit Marlin and Ward Burton at The Winston all-star race two weekends ago at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "I definitely got into him, no doubt about it," Gordon said of the Dover bump, which took out Marlin's No. 40 car -- one of the field's stronger cars. "I didn't mean to. Sure he's mad. I was mad when I got hit by him one time at Richmond. Hopefully, we'll get past it."(Charlotte Observer)(6-3-2003)

  • Brooke Says Racing Is Safe: In a court filing in her divorce suit, Brooke Gordon says her husband, Jeff, is not entitled to more than 50 percent of their marital assets because his job is a safe one. "Husband's contention that his voluntary occupation as a NASCAR race driver should entitle him to more than 50 percent of the net assets ... is not only legally but also factually unwarranted," said the filing posted Friday on the Web site thesmokinggun.com. "Moreover, NASCAR is safer ... than the husband contends." The filing cites U.S. Department of Labor statistics and other sources listing occupations in such industries as construction and commercial fishing as being more dangerous and saying that workers in those occupations have not been awarded larger portions of marital estates in Florida.(ThatsRacin.com)(5-24-2003)

  • Hendrick To Team With U.S.S. Nimitz At LMS Cup Entries Provide 'Friendly Competition' For Squadrons: Hendrick Motorsports will join forces with the U.S. Navy this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where all four of the team's NASCAR Winston Cup Series entries will display decals from fighter squadrons of the U.S.S. Nimitz (CVN 68 - more info at their site), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier currently deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Throughout the week leading up to Sunday's 600-mile event, each Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet will display the Nimitz logo on the driver's side "C-post," along with the logos of two individual squadrons on the car's opposite side. The eight units were able pick which entry would carry their artwork, adding some "friendly competition" between squadrons.
    The decals, also known as "zappers," will be distributed as follows:
    #5 Kellogg's / got milk? Chevrolet and driver Terry Labonte: VFA-41 "The Black Aces" (based in Lemoore, Calif.) and VFA-14 "Tophatters" (Lemoore).
    #24 DuPont Chevrolet and driver Jeff Gordon: VFA-97 "Warhawks" (Lemoore) and VFA-94 "Mighty Shrikes" (Lemoore).
     #25 UAW-Delphi Chevrolet and driver Joe Nemechek: VAQ-135 "Black Ravens" (Whidbey Island, Wash.) and VAW-117 "Wallbangers" (Point Mugu, Calif.).
    #48 Lowe's Chevrolet and driver Jimmie Johnson: VS-29 "Dragonfires" (San Diego) and HS-6 "Indians" (San Diego).
    Each squadron employs up to 250 people and carries between four and 14 aircraft, including the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet, EA-6B Prowler, E-2C Hawkeye 2000, S-3B Viking, and SH-60B Seahawk. On Aug. 5, 2002, six Hendrick Motorsports employees spent a day on the Nimitz as part of the Navy's Distinguished Visitors Program, an initiative designed to increase public awareness and appreciation for the Navy. Named after Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, the ship was commissioned on May 3, 1975 in Newport News, Va., and is the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in her class. More than 18 stories high from keel to mast, the Nimitz was deployed to the Arabian Gulf from its home base in San Diego on March 3.(HMS PR)(5-21-2003)

  • Jeff Gordon on the tube: Jeff Gordon is scheduled to co-host "Live with Regis and Kelly on May 28, 2003" Check local listings.(Gordon Online)(5-21-2003)

  • #600 for Hendrick: When the teams of the NASCAR Winston Cup Series take the green flag at Richmond on Saturday, it will mark the 600th race started in the storied 19-year history of Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick teams have brought home 110 wins in 599 Winston Cup events [18.7%]. The four Winston Cup teams of Hendrick Motorsports [#5, #24, #25, #48] will display a special "600th Start" decal at Richmond. The artwork will take the place of the HMS logo on the "B-post" of each car.(HMS PR)(5-1-2003)

  • Gordon's near miss: Jeff Gordon's victory in the Virginia 500 would have been a lot harder to pull off if NASCAR officials hadn't been gracious. They called for Gordon's crew chief, Robbie Loomis, twice at the start of the drivers' meeting before Loomis finally materialized, barking ``Here'' as he stormed into the meeting and took a seat. The rest of the drivers and crew chiefs joined in a chorus of ``Oooooooh'' and laughed at the near miss. NASCAR could have sent Gordon to the back of the field if Loomis had been late for the mandatory meeting. ``I was getting a little nervous,'' Gordon said. ``Usually it's the other way around -- he's looking for me, going `Where's Jeff?' -- and I show up just in the nick of time. He was just getting me back.''(Mercury News)(4-25-2003)

  • Looney Toons for Gordon at Phoenix: Jeff Gordon will take time from racing today to go Hollywood. At Warner Bros. Studios, the "Looney Tunes – Back in Action" movie will be formally introduced to the entertainment media at a press conference that will include an appearance by Gordon and the unveiling of the DuPont No. 24 Fire & Flames show car decked out with Looney Tunes images. Last year Gordon and the #24 car filmed a cameo scene in the movie, playing opposite animated Looney Tunes characters Yosemite Sam, Daffy Duck, Bugs Bunny and others. The picture will debut nationally for holiday audiences in November. To promote the release of this new WB show, with the Looney Tunes gang, the graphic design of the DuPont Fire & Flames#24 Monte Carlo and Jeff's Fire & Flames uniform will carry images of Looney Tunes characters during the Sunday, November 2 Winston Cup race at Phoenix. In addition, a DuPont Motorsports Network Sponsor brand, Zodiaq® quartz surfaces, appears on the No. 24 car TV panel for this special theme race at Phoenix.(DuPont Site - thanks to many readers for the heads up)(4-24-2003)
    UPDATE: In the Looney Tunes: Back In Action NASCAR Winston Cup race, #24-Jeff Gordon will team up with Yosemite Sam on his Looney Tunes-branded Chevrolet, along with driver #25-Joe Nemechek who will feature graphics of Bugs Bunny on his #25 UAW-Delphi Chevrolet. Kerry Earnhardt will join forces once again with Yosemite Sam in the NASCAR Busch Series race where he will drive his #12 Supercuts Chevrolet, and for the first time ever, a NASCAR Craftsman Truck event will be even more animated when Kevin Harvick hooks up with his favorite Looney Tunes teammate, the Tasmanian Devil on his #6 Chevrolet truck.(Action PR), see an image of Gordon's car on my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes Gallery - Cars #'s 24-99.(4-25-2003)

  • Remember this? Gordon and Montoya to Swap Cars at Indy: Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials announced April 17 that four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and 2000 Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula One superstar Juan Pablo Montoya will participate in speed demonstration laps in their cars on Wednesday, June 11 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon and Montoya will trade places at the Speedway when they take turns driving laps around the 2.606-mile road course in Gordon's #24 DuPont Chevy and Montoya's BMW WilliamsF1 BMW FW25 car. This will be the first time that Gordon and Montoya will be behind the wheel of a Formula One car and NASCAR Winston Cup car, respectively. "The Indianapolis Motor Speedway staff is excited to play host to such an event," said Joie Chitwood, senior V.P. of IMS Business Affairs. "Jeff and Juan are race car drivers who love to drive cars -- fast. So it's going to be fun to watch them experiment in different cars on the road course." The demonstration laps will be Gordon's first laps on the IMS road course. "There are a lot of things to coordinate to make this happen," said Gordon. "I¹m just excited about this opportunity. It's something I've dreamed of, just getting behind the wheel of an F1 car and seeing what it was like. I don't plan on going F1 racing, but I would love to just get that experience." Montoya, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500, will attempt to become the first driver in Speedway history to win on both the famed 2.5-mile oval and road course when he competes in the fourth United States Grand Prix on Sept. 28. He is in his third season with BMW WilliamsF1 and has one career win, 10 career poles and is sixth in the 2003 FIA Driver¹s Championship. "The experience will be very interesting, and driving a big, heavy NASCAR car will certainly be different," said Montoya. "I don't think Jeff should be concerned that I will take away his job, but I will enjoy the opportunity of driving his Chevrolet and letting him take my BMW WilliamsF1 Team car for a drive on Indy's road course." In addition to the demonstration laps, Montoya and Gordon will participate in a media luncheon and press conference. Fans will have free access to IMS' South Terrace grandstands for viewing. Tickets for the Indianapolis 500, the Brickyard 400 and the United States Grand Prix can be purchased online at www.imstix.com, or by calling the IMS ticket office at (317) 492-6700 or (800) 822-INDY outside the Indianapolis area.(IMS PR)(4-18-2003)

  • Gordon Fact: Twelve of Jeff Gordon 's 62 victories have come on short tracks.(Roanoke Times)(4-14-2002)

  • Pepsi and a Billion: Michael Davies' Diplomatic Productions and The WB are near a deal for a two-hour live special in which the grand prize is $1 billion, according to a report in today's Daily Variety. Pepsi will be partnered in the program, for which contestants are selected through the purchase of a few specially marked Pepsi products. Plans call for Pepsi to promote the program throughout the summer and up to the special's September airdate. Details are still being worked out for the contest, in which contestants will face off in a game of nerve and "chicken," the report said. Mr. Davies was responsible for bringing ABC's "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" to the United States.(TV Week), looks like one of the promotions will be at the Pepsi 400 in Daytona, see the car Jeff Gordon will drive there on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(4-4-2003)

  • Jeff Gordon fact: #24-Jeff Gordon has won on 19 of the 23 tracks currently [and also at North Wilkesboro which is no longer active] on the NASCAR Winston Cup schedule. Texas, Chicagoland, Phoenix and Homestead-Miami are the only tracks he has yet to visit victory lane in a Winston Cup car.(3-27-2003)

  • Gordons' divorce costly and aggravating, Evernham says: Car owner Ray Evernham said his fight to keep his records away from lawyers for Brooke Gordon has already cost him $18,000 - and climbing. The fact that Jeff Gordon's divorce is costing him money doesn't make Evernham real happy. "It's cost me a lot of time and a lot of money and the bottom line is this is between Jeff and Brooke and I don't want to get in the middle of it," Evernham said. Evernham was Gordon's crew chief when the driver won three of his four Winston Cup titles and was also the best man at his wedding to the former Miss Winston model. Brooke Gordon filed for divorce last year and her lawyers have asked to see records from most Winston Cup teams to evaluate Gordon's worth and potential earnings.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(3-22-2003)

  • Hendrick Teams To Carry Patriotic Decal: In support of American soldiers at home and abroad, the NASCAR teams of Hendrick Motorsports will display patriotic artwork on the "C-post" of their Chevrolet Monte Carlo race cars beginning with this week's events at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. "During these turbulent times, it's especially important that we show support for the men and women of the United States military," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "This is a small gesture to show that our thoughts and prayers are centered around these brave individuals and their families." In the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, the decals will be carried on the #5 Kellogg's / got milk? Chevy of Terry Labonte, the #24 DuPont Chevy of Jeff Gordon, the #25 UAW-Delphi Chevy of Joe Nemechek and the #48 Lowe's Chevy of Jimmie Johnson. The #5 GMAC Financial Services Chevy of Busch Series driver Brian Vickers will also display the design, which depicts a yellow ribbon wrapped around the American flag.(Hendrick Motorsports PR)(3-20-2003)

  • Gordon wants full-time rescue workers: Four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon wants NASCAR to hire full-time rescue workers for tracks. "I have some concerns because it's basically local (fire and rescue workers) that they kind of train once they get (to races)," Gordon said. "I think we should have a team that travels with us that know the cars, know the tracks, know the drivers. Have these local people assist them." CART and the Indy Racing League have teams of rescue workers who travel to each race and receive extensive training related to racing accidents and other safety issues. NASCAR relies on tracks to hire local fire and rescue workers. Three times in the past eight months, twice at Daytona and at Las Vegas, workers' response abilities have been questioned.(USA Today)(3-12-2003)

  • Sam Bass Cooks Up a New Paint Scheme for Jeff Gordon: NASCAR artist and motorsports designer Sam Bass has served up a yummy treat with his latest creation for The Jeff Gordon Foundation - a Chevrolet Monte Carlo featuring Sesame Street's Cookie Monster awash in hundreds of chocolate chip cookies. This marks the second time Bass has been asked to design a #24 Hendrick Motorsports car around the legendary educational children's television program. With this tribute Cookie Monster joins the lovable red Elmo, who in 2002 debuted the series of commemorative diecast cars produced by Action Performance Companies. As with the Elmo car, the Cookie Monster Chevrolet was never intended for track duty; it was conceived with the motorsports scale-model collectors in mind. "It's great to have Sam involved in the design of The Jeff Gordon Foundation/Sesame Street Cookie Monster die-cast car for this year. We appreciate his great participation in the partnership between The Jeff Gordon Foundation and Sesame Workshop," stated Jeff Gordon. Bass, who created the original Rainbow paint scheme for Gordon as well as the latest Fire and Flames design, is always excited by the prospect of seeing a fresh face in racing, even if that face is blue, furry and stuffed with cookies."
    "It's an honor to work with Jeff and his foundation on this project," Bass said. "I also have to admit that - through my younger brother when we were growing up and now through the eyes of my two-year-old daughter - I have more than a passing acquaintance with all of the Sesame Street characters. Cookie Monster is one of my favorites." Sales from The Jeff Gordon Foundation/Cookie Monster die-cast collectibles benefit The Jeff Gordon Foundation and Sesame Workshop charitable causes. Visit the Web sites for www.jeffgordonfoundation.org and www.sesameworkshop.org for more information. For more information about Sam Bass' motorsports art, log on to www.sambass.com or phone 704/455-6915.(Sam Bass PR)(2-26-2003)



  • Gordon to take flight: Diecast dealers have begun taking pre-orders on a Jeff Gordon paint scheme for Charlotte in May. The scheme is a tribute to the "Wright Brothers 100 years of Aviation."(Gordonline)(2-12-2003)
    UPDATE: see a diecast image of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery, supposedly the official announement will occur in March at Atlanta Motor Speedway.(2-23-2003)

  • Hendrick sends backups home: The unliklihood of any Winston Cup practice on Saturday prompted Hendrick Motorsports to send two of its teams' backup cars back to Charlotte. The backup cars the teams of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson taken to Rockingham this week are the primary cars both teams expect to use next weekend at Las Vegas. Bad weather canceled Saturday's final Cup practices, so Hendrick team officials decided to load up Gordon and Johnson's backup cars and take them back to team headquarters for final preparations for next weekend's race.(ThatsRacin.com)(2-22-2003)

  • Gordon and Sesame Street team up again: Jeff Gordon and The Jeff Gordon Foundation are again teaming up with Sesame Street to raise money for charity. The Jeff Gordon Foundation, established in 1999, and Sesame Street, created by Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization, are in the second year of a multi-year partnership. The 2002 program featured therelease of the "Jeff Gordon Foundation-Sesame Street Elmo" diecast car designed by renowned motorsports artist Sam Bass. This season, the special edition diecast features another Sesame Street favorite, Cookie Monster, and is again designed by Sam Bass. Once more, this specially designed collector's car will not be raced. Action Performance Companies will produce the diecast replicas of the "2003 Jeff Gordon Foundation-Sesame Street Cookie Monster" car, which will be released for sale in June of this year.(NASCAR.com)(2-21-2003)

  • More on the Brooke Subpoenas: Ray Evernham, Felix Sabates and Chip Ganassi did not have to give depositions Friday in the Gordon divorce case. The three Winston Cup team owners had received subpoenas -- Evernham got his at Daytona International Speedway (Sabates and Ganassi on a Yacht in a local harbor) -- from lawyers for Brooke Gordon. They filed motions to quash the subpoenas in Palm Beach County on Friday. Brooke Gordon lawyer Terry Young said only the owners of the car driven by Johnny Benson were not served. The owners have objected to the subpoenas because they do not want to give information about how much they pay their drivers and the value of their teams in general.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-15-2003)

  • Gordon to take flight: Diecast dealers have begun taking pre-orders on a Jeff Gordon paint scheme for Charlotte in May. The scheme is a tribute to the "Wright Brothers 100 years of Aviation."(Gordonline)(2-12-2003)

  • Evernham subpoenaed by Brooke: #9 and #19 car owner Ray Evernham was subpoenaed in Jeff Gordon's divorce case Tuesday, accepting the papers from a sheriff's deputy outside Daytona International Speedway. Brooke Gordon's lawyers want to look at the contracts NASCAR car owners have with their drivers and sponsors to determine what Gordon is worth as a car owner. The four-time Winston Cup champion owns a stake of Hendrick Motorsports. The car owners fought original subpoenas they received over the past month at their home offices, but the lawyers have been trying to serve them during preparations for Sunday's season-opening Daytona 500 to get them to appear in a Florida court. NASCAR turned away a process server attempting to get into the track last week, and Evernham said officials from the sanctioning body asked him to go outside of the track on Tuesday to accept the papers. "NASCAR asked me to do it and to not make a scene about it," Evernham said. "So I did it because I care about this sport, unlike Mrs. Gordon, who is trying to make a circus of the Daytona 500." Evernham, who won three Winston Cup titles as Gordon's crew chief, was the best man at the Gordons' wedding. The subpoena orders Evernham to appear in court this Friday, but he said he would not be showing up. "I have 150 employees to worry about and two race cars to get ready for the biggest event of the year," he said. "I'm not stopping to go to court." Car owner Chip Ganassi said he was not served before he left Daytona on Monday to return to his home in Pittsburgh, but was told a deputy had been looking for him where he had been staying when he first arrived for the race. Roush Racing general manager Geoff Smith said his organization had not received an order to appear in a Florida court.(FoxSports/AP)(2-12-2003)

  • Brooke Gordon lawyers try to serve subpoenas at Daytona: Jeff Gordon's divorce case spilled over to the race track Monday when attorneys for his wife tried to subpoena several car owners at Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR officials did not allow process servers into the track. Most of the top teams have been subpoenaed at their home offices in the past month, and all have refused to open their books to Brooke Gordon and her lawyers. Because the divorce is being heard in Florida, her lawyers want the car owners to have to fight new subpoenas in a local court. Terry Young, an Orlando-based attorney representing Brooke Gordon, said a process server was turned away Friday when NASCAR teams reported to the track to prepare for Sunday's Daytona 500, so the papers were sent again Monday with Volusia County sheriff's deputies. Young did not know if the deputies had gotten into the track, but a NASCAR official said they did not allow the subpoenas in. Gordon, the four-time Winston Cup champion, was aware of what was happening at the track. "It's out of my control, but I think it's really disgusting," he said. "It's a real shame that they are trying to drag all these other guys into this because to me, there are other ways for them to get what they are looking for. This is just harassment." Gordon had to turn over papers in November that estimated his worth at about $48.8 million and that he earned more than $18 million in 2001. Brooke Gordon has asked for exclusive use of their Highland Beach, Fla., mansion, valued at $10.2 million, as well as alimony, two cars and periodic use of their boats and an airplane. She also wants him to continue to pay the salaries of their housekeepers, maintenance workers and chef. The racer has countersued, saying he should not have to equally split the couple's estate because he risked his life to collect it. Florida law requires assets amassed during a marriage to be split evenly.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(2-11-2003)

  • Jeff Gordon speaks at Boys & Girls Club: Approximately 1,000 people gathered Tuesday evening at the new Cabarrus County Boys & Girls Club to take part in the organization's 14th annual Steak & Burger Dinner. Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon served as the keynote speaker for the fund-raising event, which raised a record high $83,600 in proceeds that will go to the club. Last year's event netted $59,000. Gordon addressed the crowd for about a half hour -- much of which was spent answering intuitive questions that were posed from youngsters. One child wondered which drivers Gordon considers to be his friends. Gordon responded with a bit of a chuckle and said, for the most part, he gets along with everyone on the NASCAR circuit. While tempers may sometimes flare between drivers on Sundays, that's usually as far as it goes, he said. As a sidenote, Megan Baker was named the recipient of the local Boys & Girls Club's 18th annual Mariam Schramm Award. Evan Carpenter was awarded with the club's Boyce Sherrin Award. George Liles Jr. was awarded the Boys & Girls Club of America Volunteer Service Award.(Independent Tribune)(2-5-2003)

  • Brooke Gordon subpoenas Jeff's competitors: Lawyers for Jeff Gordon's wife have subpoenaed records from his competitors and NASCAR for use in their divorce case. Geoff Smith, general manager of Roush Racing, said the team planned to file an order Friday to block Brooke Gordon's request in Wayne County Circuit Court in Michigan, where the company is headquartered. Roush does not want to make public the individual contracts it has with its drivers and sponsors. Those deals are highly sensitive in NASCAR, where each car owner works out separate agreements with every individual. Sponsor deals also are secret, lest a company should find out if it is paying extra for something another might get for free. NASCAR also has had records subpoenaed by Brooke Gordon's lawyers, said series spokesman Jim Hunter. Gordon, a four-time Winston Cup champion, drives for Hendrick. Roush fields cars for Winston Cup drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle. Smith said other teams have also been asked to turn over contracts. Brooke Gordon's lawyer, Jeff Fisher, did not immediately return a call to The Associated Press for comment. Jeff Gordon has unsuccessfully tried to get a Florida judge to require his estranged wife and anyone involved in his divorce to sign a confidentiality agreement. The request was denied and Jeff Gordon had to turn over papers in November that estimated his worth at about $48.8 million and that he earned more than $18 million in 2001. Brooke Gordon filed for divorce in March, citing "marital misconduct." The racer has countersued, saying he should not have to equally split the couple's estate because he risked his life to collect it. Jeff Gordon had to reveal his worth in an affidavit filed to comply with a Florida law that requires assets amassed during a marriage to be split evenly. Brooke Gordon has asked for exclusive use of their Highland Beach, Fla., mansion, valued at $10.2 million, as well as alimony, two cars and periodic use of their boats and an airplane. She also wants her husband to continue to pay the salaries of their housekeepers, maintenance workers and chef.(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(1-23-2003)

  • Gordon's SNL Exposure Results: Jeff Gordon’s hosting stint on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” this past weekend enabled his main racing sponsor Du Pont and 10 other Hendrick Motorsports sponsors to earn nearly $1 million of comparable exposure value during the live, 1.5-hour telecast. Additionally, five other NASCAR sponsors got in on the act during Gordon’s appearance, bringing about a cumulative exposure value of more than $1.8 million for the brands more commonly seen on Sunday afternoons at the race track. According to research conducted by Joyce Julius and Associates’ Entertainment Marketing Research Services — which specializes in documentation and analysis of exposure stemming from product placements in television programs and motion pictures — Du Pont was the most effective of the 16 corporate brands monitored during the "Saturday Night Live" broadcast, appearing for one minute, 48 seconds (1:48) and leading to a value of $405,000 when comparing the on-screen time to the estimated cost of a 30-second commercial during the telecast. Other Gordon-related brands sharing the spotlight during the driver’s foray into the entertainment world included Chevrolet, Delphi , Haas, Eagle/Goodyear, Fritos,. GMAC, Pepsi, Quaker State and Tyvek.. Additionally, Coca-Cola, Interstate Batteries, MBNA, Pontiac and Thermos also received some camera time. The majority of the exposure value resulted during Gordon’s monologue at the beginning of the show when a pair of would-be NASCAR fans, clad in Gordon and Bobby Labonte team jackets, shouted their support of the driver from the stands. The remainder of the sponsors’ exposure originated from still photographs of Gordon in his driver suit coming in and out of commercial breaks throughout the telecast.(Joyce Julius and Associates)(1-14-2003)

  • Some Gordon/SNL highlights: NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon traded his helmet and logo covered flame retardant suit for a host of wigs, mustaches, outrageous costumes…and a boa constrictor when he hosted NBC’s Emmy Award-winning “Saturday Night Live” January 11. During his 90 minutes on the live broadcast, the four-time Winston Cup champ played numerous roles including an animal expert, a fighter pilot and a Blockbuster Video store manager. Gordon addressed the stereotypes ascribed to NASCAR fans in his opening monologue when he confronted a disruptive couple in the audience (SNL’s Chris Parnell and Rachel Dratch) only to expose them as a conservative couple from Connecticut just trying to fit in. Gordon donned a boa constrictor to match wits with recurring character “Brian Fellow” (Tracy Morgan) on another edition of “Safari Planet.” In addition, Gordon donned a mullet wig to play the cousin, cameraman and sole guest on the very low budget basement talk show “The Terrye Funck Hour” and played a fighter pilot showing up a carpet salesman dad (Seth Meyers) at an elementary school career day as well as playing a waiter contending with a rambling, incoherent Gary Busey (Jeff Richards) in a parody of the reality show “Star Dates.”(NBC PR)(1-12-2003)



  • Gordon to Host SNL UPDATE 2: #24 DuPont chevy driver and four time Cup champ, Jeff Gordon to be guest host on Jan. 11, 2003 'Saturday Night Live' on NBC at 11:30pm/et.(ThatsRacin.com)(12-27-2002)
    UPDATE - musical guest: NASCAR favorite Jeff Gordon zooms SNL into the New Year when he hosts the Emmy Award winning comedy show on January 11 with red-hot musical guest Avril Lavigne. Gordon is joined by one of 2002’s biggest pop stars Avril Lavigne who will perform selections from her multi-platinum smash “Let Go.” Her name has become synonymous with “Best New Artist” - winning the award at the MTV Video Music Awards and receiving a similar nomination at the 2002 Billboard Music Awards (along with a best pop female artist nod).(NBC PR)(1-4-2002)
    UPDATE: Gordon is scheduled to be in New York City Tuesday through Saturday night for SNL script meetings, rehearsals and the show itself. Gordon is scheduled to meet with the show's cast and writers Tuesday night to discuss possible skits and his role in them, said Jon Edwards, Gordon's spokesman. A "read-through" of selected skits is scheduled Wednesday, and rehearsals are scheduled Thursday and Friday.(Greenville News)(1-5-2003)

    2002 News

  • Gordon and Pepsi back at Talladega: looks like Jeff Gordon will run a Pepsi scheme once again at Talladega in April, see the diecast image of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(12-7-2002)

  • #17 Crew Changes? hearing that the tire changers [Phil Drye and Dave Smith] for the #17 DeWalt Union 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Championship title team have left [Smith to the #24 and Drye to the #8 team], supposedly replaced by #17 Front Tire Carrier Justin Nottestad and Jeremy West [from the #2 Truck team](12-2-2002)

  • World Cup of Motorsports UPDATE 2 Team USA wins: U.S. Joins Eight Countries for World Cup of Motorsports the 2002 Michelin Race of Champions Nations Cup. Team USA was among the first to announce involvement in this year's Michelin Race of Champions Nations Cup, the annual contest that puts the world's fastest rally, motorcycle and circuit racers against one another in fierce head-to-head competition. Representing the U.S. is four-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon, Winston Cup rookie sensation Jimmie Johnson and World Superbike Champion Colin Edwards. This year's ROC Nations Cup promises to be the most hotly contested in the event's four year history, as the Americans take on the fastest drivers and riders from France, UK, Spain, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Brazil and Italy. Many recently-crowned champions are among the international cast, including this year's World Rally champ Marcus Gronholm (Finland), CART's Cristiano da Matta (Brazil), Formula 3000's Sebastien Bourdais (France), 250cc MotoGP Champion Marco Melandri (It), European Rally victor Renato Travaglia (Itay), European Touring Cars champion Fabrizio Giovanardi (Italy), World Enduro's Kari Tiainen (Finland), 125cc Motocross champ Mickael Maschio (France) and Speedway GP winner Tony Rickardsson (Sweden). Rounding out the rosters will be Formula One stars Fernando Alonso (Spain) and Nick Heidfeld (Germany), CART driver and former Indy 500 winner Kenny Brack (Sweden) as well as MotoGP riders Carlos Checa (Spain) and Alex Barros (Brazil).
    Supported by Michelin since the inaugural event in Paris in 1988, The Race of Champions was conceived, and remained for the first eleven years, a rally-only event that invited drivers to race head-to-head, side-by-side in exactly the same cars and on a figure-eight parallel-track. The premise was simple: using identical equipment and circuit, drivers could prove themselves based on their talent alone. In 1999, event promoters, seeing the potential for a World Cup of racing, introduced The ROC Nations Cup as a means of expanding that unique concept to other disciplines of motorsport and to allow racers to compete for their flags. In this event, three-man national teams, each comprising the country's best rally (or off-road), motorcycle and circuit racers' face off against one another in a series of 1-lap heats, quarter-finals and semi-finals leading up to the climactic final (this year, Saturday November 30th). The ROC Nations Cup is now a highlight of The Michelin Race of Champions weekend (November 29th - December 1st), which is hosted by the Circuito Ciudad Deportiva rally circuit in Gran Canaria and is largely responsible for the recent explosive growth in media coverage of this weekend of racing: the event is now televised in more than 187 countries. The nine countries in this year's ROC Nations Cup will be divided into three groups: each country will compete against all others in its group, with rally, circuit and motorcycle racers competing against their counterparts.(Golin Harris PR), no word on if any of the race will be televised.(11-28-2002)
    UPDATE: Sweden's Kenny Brack collected the honours in today's ROC America challenge beating NASCAR ace, Jeff Gordon, in an exhilarating two-lap Final. The inaugural ROC America pitted US based open-wheeled stars, Kenny Brack and Cristiano da Matta against tin-top racers, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Racing in the unfamiliar hardware of the Michelin Race of Champions unique ROC Cars, the CART star powered past Gordon in a time of 1:56.45 - the fastest lap of the competition. The four-time NASCAR Champion had initially blitzed his way into the lead only to crash heavily into the barrier in the closing stages. He said: "The first lap was my best of the day, but I really messed up at the end. Even so, it was great fun." On his way to the Final, Brack notched up convincing victories over 2002 CART Champion, da Matta and Gordon. The eagerly awaited contest between Gordon and NASCAR rookie sensation, Jimmie Johnson, saw the former take the flag a mere sixteen hundredths of a second ahead of his protégé. Gordon quipped afterwards: "I'm gonna be proud of that moment for a very long time."(ROC Site) see more and pictures at the Jeff Gordon site.(11-29-2002)
    UPDATE 2: USA clinched the fourth Michelin Race of Champions Nations' Cup in Gran Canaria today. Colin Edwards, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson triumphed in dramatic fashion over the Italian bike, racing and rally trio of Marco Melandri, Fabrizio Giovanardi and Renato Travaglia by three heats to two. An ecstatic Jimmie Johnson said afterwards: "Admittedly, this is a big surprise but it feels great. We came here wanting to win, and to have some fun, and we had both. It's a truly awesome feeling." Four time NASCAR Champion, Jeff Gordon paid tribute to the dominance of Colin Edwards in the Honda Blackbird powered ROC Cars - the 2002 Superbike World Champion won every race: "He was the key player for us. Having been here a couple of years ago, he had the experience that helped make a difference. He was just so smooth." Edwards may have controlled both his heats, and Gordon may have scored a memorable victory over 2002 European Touring Car Champion, Giovanardi, but Johnson's six tenths of a second loss to Travaglia was the most exhilarating contest. On their way to the Final, the USA eliminated previous winners France (2000) in the Semis and Spain (2001) in the Opening Group Stages.
    The story of the day: Group Stages:
    After rolling his Peugeot 206 WRC in practice on Friday, Marcus Gronholm led Finland to victory in Group A over fellow Scandinavian's Sweden and the UK.
    Italy emerged triumphant from Group B wining 5 Heats to 3 over second placed France, with F1 driver, Nick Heidfeld scoring the only success for Germany.
    Group B was also the scene of the closest race in Nations' Cup history, where Frenchman Sebastian Loeb beat former double World Rally Champion, Walter Rohrl by just six ten thousandths of a second.
    Group C witnessed some of the most entertaining clashes with USA's Gordon spectacularly crossing lanes in his unsuccessful pursuit of Brazil's, Cristiano da Matta.
    Although Spain completed a white wash over Brazil to finish joint top with 4 Heat wins, the American triumvirate recorded the fastest collective time to book their place in the Semis.
    Much to the disappointment of the home crowd, 2001 Nations Cup winners, Spain, failed to clinch the last Semi-Final berth, which is allotted to the fastest runner-up. Group B's France registered a time of 5mins 47.11secs - over three seconds quicker than Spain.(ROC Site) and see more and some images at the Jeff Gordon site.(11-30-2002)

  • 2003 Monte Carlo SS Jeff Gordon Signature Edition: Soon, NASCAR and Jeff Gordon fans will be able to cruise Main Street in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo similar to that driven by the Winston Cup Series' four-time champion. The limited production vehicle is a 2003 Monte Carlo SS Jeff Gordon Signature Edition, based on a well-equipped Monte Carlo SS with the High Sport appearance package. Its striking exterior scheme includes a new-for-'03 Superior Blue color, highlighted by Galaxy Silver grounds effects, diamond-cut cast aluminum wheels and dual stainless steel exhaust tips. Adding to the exterior character are Galaxy Silver flame decals on the hood, front fenders and doors. Jeff Gordon's trademark signature will be displayed on the sail panel and decklid. His well-known NASCAR number '24' will be prominently featured on the front license plate close-out panel, the sail panels, and embroidered on the headrests.(GM PR)(11-7-2002)



  • Gordon GQ: Jeff Gordon was honored on Wednesday evening at the GQ Magazine 'Men of the Year' awards at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York City. Gordon accepted the award for Individual Athlete of the Year. Hosted by comedian Dennis Miller, the seventh annual GQ Men of the Year Awards recognized 18 men of distinction from the worlds of music, fashion/style, film, literature, sports, comedy, television, theatre and the culinary arts. In the other sports category, New Jersey Nets guard Jason Kidd was honored as the Team Athlete of the Year. Among the other celebrities in attendance were Denzel Washington, Naomi Campbell, Kiefer Sutherland, Hugh Grant, Samuel L. Jackson, Heidi Klum, Ralph Lauren, Elijah Wood and Tom Brokaw. Gordon, along with Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr, was featured in the October issue of GQ Magazine.(Gordonline), The show will air on NBC on Saturday, December 14, at 10:00pm/et.(10-18-2002)

  • Hendrick Engine Problems: on ESPN2's RPM2Night (gonna miss that show in 2003) Hendrick Engine Builder, Randy Dorton was interview by Mike Massaro, the part that caused the engine failures in all 6 engines (#'s 5,10,24,25,36,48) at Talladega was a valve retainer clip that broke/failed.(10-10-2002)

  • Gordon and Bugs again? hearing that #24-Jeff Gordon will run the Bugs Bunny Looney Tunes schemes at Lowe's Motor Speedway this weekend, see my 2002 Looney Tunes Schemes page for an image of the car. BUT also being told the scheme will NOT run again, including this week.(10-9-2002)

  • Hendrick to debut at Rockingham UPDATE 2: During an interview on Speed Channel's NASCAR Victory Lane on Sunday night, Hendrick Motorsports CEO Rick Hendrick said that his son, Ricky, would drive a fifth Hendrick Motorsports entry in the Winston Cup race at Rockingham on November 3rd. Ricky Hendrick, 22, is currently in his first full season in the BGN after two years in the CTS.(Gordonline)(9-23-2002)
    UPDATE: Ricky Hendrick, son of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, will test a Winston Cup car at North Carolina Speedway in Rockingham,N.C., in preparation for his series debut at the track later this season. Ricky Hendrick will be joined at the test by four-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon. "I'm looking forward to giving him some horsepower under the rear wheels," Gordon said. "The Busch cars have less horsepower, so I'm interested to see how he'll do with all that horsepower. I think it'll be fun and exciting for him." Asked if Hendrick was going to jump in his car, Gordon replied: "That's what he thinks. I don't know what they've planned."(ThatsRacin.com)(9-29-2002)
    UPDATE 2: Ricky Hendrick tested last week at Rockingham to prepare for his Winston Cup debut in the Pop Secret 400 on November 3. Hendrick, who finished 21st in the Busch race at Rockingham in February, will drive the #05 Chevy with Lance McGrew as crew chief.(Sporting News)(10-7-2002)

  • Jeff Gordon wins the Protection 400 at Kansas #24-Jeff Gordon is the only Cup driver ever to win a Cup race at Kansas Speedway, leading the most laps, it is Gordon's 61st career Cup win. #12-Ryan Newman ended up 2nd with #2-Rusty Wallace 3rd, #25-Joe Nemechek (his first top five of the year and since winning at Rockingham last November. #9-Bill Elliott finsihed 5th. rookie #48-Jimmie Johnson now leads the drivers points, first time ever a rookie has led:
    Results: at ThatsRacin.com or NASCAR.com and a race rundown with cautions and notes on my Protection One 400 Race Info page.(9-29-2002)

  • First back to back for Hendrick in....6 years: Jeff Gordon's win at Kansas marked the first time since 1996 that two different drivers have won back-to-back races for Hendrick Motorsports when Gordon and Terry Labonte scored victories at North Wilkesboro [in the track's last race] and Charlotte [Lowe's Motor Speedway].(Gordonline)(9-30-2002)

  • Gordon F1 exhibition. maybe next year: A BMW spokesman said an exhibition switch of cars between F1's Juan Montoya and NASCAR's Jeff Gordon is being planned for sometime next year at Indianapolis. Scheduling conflicts prevented the switch this year.(ESPN/AP)(9-30-2002)

  • New #1 Crew Chief soon? UPDATE Gibson named for 2003: Dale Earnhardt Inc. may announce a new crew chief for driver #1 Steve Park this week. It's believed the company went outside of DEI and offered a contract to Tony Gibson, who has been serving as the unofficial car chief for Jeff Gordon and the #24 Chevrolet. Word is that DEI has offered a contract to Gibson, but he's already under contract with Rick Hendrick Motorsports. Upon giving his resignation, the dilemma is whether Hendrick will be willing to let Gibson leave before the end of the year or make him fulfill his contractual commitment until the end of the season to Hendrick.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(9-24-2002)
    UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Inc. on Friday named Tony Gibson, currently car chief for Winston Cup driver Jeff Gordon's team, as the new crew chief for driver Steve Park beginning in 2003. Gibson, 37, has been a part of three Winston Cup championships, with the late Alan Kulwicki and Gordon (twice). Before being named as car chief, he worked as lead mechanic on Gordon's team. "I am really fortunate to have worked with Jeff Gordon and everybody at Hendrick Motorsports over the past five years," Gibson said. "I have always been a part of championship-caliber organizations, and this move gives me an opportunity to pursue a Winston Cup championship as a crew chief. I feel confident that the resources at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and the experience I can bring will help Steve Park and DEI win races. From there, our focus will be on winning championships." DEI officials Steve Hmiel and Dave Charpentier will continue to serve as Park's crew chief for the remainder of this season.(ThatsRacin.com)(9-27-2002)

  • IRWIN Rough to Finish Award #24 Team: The rain was persistent at Sunday's New Hampshire 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway, and so was the #24 DuPont Chevy of Jeff Gordon. As a result of the team's solid effort in the pits, team crew chief Robbie Loomis takes home this week's IRWIN "Rough to the Finish" Award. After rain delays totaling nearly three hours, Jeff Gordon started Sunday's race in 21st position, running consistently between 18th and 22nd for nearly the entire race. With weather threatening late in the day, crew chief Robbie Loomis called for a two tire change on the final green flag pit stop in hopes of gaining some track position. With a steady rain coming down and darkness looming, Gordon was able to take advantage of Loomis' strategy and move up to 14th position before NASCAR concluded the event 93 laps shy of its scheduled distance. "With the consistent rain and long delays, we just couldn't get a handle on the race car," said Loomis. "We knew that we would have to pull off a great pit strategy in order to get home with a strong finish, and these guys on the No. 24 pit crew really dug deep to make that happen. They deserve all the credit."
    Each week throughout the 2002 NASCAR Winston Cup season, Irwin, makers of professional power tool accessories like Marathon Plus saw blades and Speedbor flat bits, is partnering with Performance Racing Network to honor the crew chief who had the toughest day in the pits, but still managed to help his team to a strong finish. The IRWIN Rough to the Finish Award includes an assortment of tools for the crew chief and a $250 check donated to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund in the racing team's name.. The year-end winner of the crew chief points standings will win a $5,000 check donated to the Fund.. Race fans wanting to make a contribution to the Fund may do so by sending it to the Ellerbe, NC Educational Fund, PO Box 443, Ellerbe, NC 28338. In addition to the crew chief award, Irwin is also sponsoring the weekly nationally syndicated radio show, "Fast Talk with Benny Parsons", throughout the upcoming year.(Golin Harris PR)(9-19-2002)

  • Gordon and Johnson to race in Spain: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and multiple X-Games champion, Travis Pastrana will represent the United States of America in the Michelin Race of Champions Nations' Cup Nov. 29 - Dec. 1 in Gran Canaria (off the coast of Spain). The United States team will do battle against some of the best drivers in the world including the drivers from F-1, World Rally Cars and Motor bikes. The Michelin Race of Champions is an action-packed, sun-drenched weekend of head-to-head dueling between the kings of world motorsports. Now in its fourth year, the Nations' Cup has quickly become the star attraction of the weekend. The contest sees each participating nation enter a team of three, comprising one rally/off-road driver, one circuit racer and one bike rider. The teams will compete in world rally cars on a parallel track that is 30 percent pavement and 70 percent dirt. "Personally, I can't wait for the competition," explained Johnson. "Jeff is going to be our asphalt driver and Travis is going to be our bike rider, so that leaves me racing against the off road guys. It will be very challenging competing against top drivers like Markus Gronholm and other dirt specialists in the competition. I grew up off road racing and have raced in the Baja 1000 and in the stadium truck series in the mid-1990's, so I'm confident that I'll be able to hold my own and compete against the best in the world." For more information on the Michelin Race of Champions Nations' Cup please visit the web site at www.raceofchampions.com.(Golin/Harris International PR)(9-19-2002)

  • The #24 almost went to Petty: Jeff Gordon's car number, 24, is the one sought by the late Lee Petty when he began competing in NASCAR in the late 1940s. "But the number was already taken, so Daddy just reversed it to 42," Richard recalls. That's how the whole Petty 40 series began, with Richard getting 43, then Kyle 44 and Adam 45, until Adam's death in 2000. Kyle now drives 45 to help keep his son's memory alive. Had Lee gotten his preference, Richard likely would have made the number 25 legendary. Gordon's number now? Well, 43 might have been available, in that there would have been no mystique attached to it.(Orlando Sentinel)(9-5-2002)

  • Loomis sends note: Robbie Loomis, who left Petty Enterprises to become Jeff Gordon's crew chief, tried to smooth things over with his former employer by sending a note to [Kyle] Petty's pit. Loomis was relieved to get a reply. "I love the Pettys to death, and they didn't understand why we weren't giving them the lap back," Loomis said. "I'd go over there and mow their grass if they called me to help make up for it. They sent a note back saying they understood he was trying to protect his lead."(St Petersburg Times)(8-27-2002)

  • Gordon ends 'the streak' at Bristol: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Sharpie 500 at Bristol with a bump and run on #2-Rusty Wallace with a few laps to go. It is Gordon's first 2002 win, his first since Kansas last September, his first win in 31 races, his 59th career win, and Gordon has now won at least on race in each of the last nine seasons. Wallace ended up 2nd, blamed #25-Nemechek for slowing him up (Nemechek is also Gordon's teammate). See my rundown and notes on the race on my Bristol Race Info Page.
    Race Results: at ThatsRacin.com or NASCAR.com.(8-24-2002)

  • Hospital Gets Gordon Foundation Gift: The Jeff Gordon Foundation has donated $100,000 to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. At the close of the First Jeff Gordon Bowling Tournament prior to the running of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Gordon presented the check to the hospital. Drivers Jimmie Johnson, Casey Atwood, Geoffrey Bodine and team owner Ray Evernham were among the celebrity bowlers participating in the event, which also featured a silent auction to raise money for the foundation.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter)(8-14-2002)

  • Just a test - Gordon and Montoya to swap cars UPDATE: F1 BMW Williams driver, Juan Pablo Montoya, is expected to try his hand at the American racing series, NASCAR, when he takes to the wheel of Jeff Gordon's #24 Dupont Chevy on the 12th of August. Meanwhile, Gordon, will take to the BMW Williams F1. Partly sponsored by BMW, Juan Pablo will return to the scene of the Brickyard's oval layout, where he won the Indy 500 back in the year 2000, while Gordon will lap the infield created for the Formula One series.(F1-Live)(8-1-2002)
    UPDATE: The proposed media event that will have Winston Cup's Jeff Gordon and Formula One's Juan Montoya switching cars for a practice session at the Speedway is having trouble landing a date. The original date was Sept. 30, the day after the U.S. Grand Prix. But Speedway officials wanted to use the ride-swapping session as a promotional tool for the third annual event and pushed for Aug. 12. A spokesperson for General Motors said the August date was good until word of a Montoya conflict came Thursday. The issue has not been resolved. Said Gordon, who very much wants to crawl into an F-1 car: "Let's all keep our fingers crossed."(Indianapolis Star)(8-3-2002)

  • Gordon Wins 2nd Quarter Man of the Year: Jeff Gordon has earned the second-quarter nomination for the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year Award. True Value, the Official Hardware Store of NASCAR, once again is sponsoring the award designed to honor a driver not only for accomplishments on the track but for community service and charitable efforts. Ricky Craven (#32 Tide Ford) received the first-quarter nomination. In December 1999, Gordon - a four-time Cup Series champion - established the Jeff Gordon Foundation. This charitable organization allows Gordon to offer his support, either in the form of a monetary donation, awareness or a simple meet-and-greet. Since April, Gordon has granted 10 wishes to children in the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He also met more than 30 Make-A-Wish children at Michigan International Speedway in June. And earlier this year, Gordon participated in the Association of American Publishers "Get Caught Reading" program. This program is designed to encourage reading among all age groups. Gordon also has teamed up with Sesame Street character "Elmo" to raise money for the Jeff Gordon Foundation. A specially designed collector's car, which will not be raced, will be released for sale later this summer. In addition to Gordon's generous donation of his time, the Jeff Gordon Foundation has made monetary donations to St. Jude's Research Hospital and has raised more than $11,000 through on-line auctions. Monies raised are distributed to the charitable organizations supported by the Jeff Gordon Foundation: Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Marrow Foundation, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Hendrick Marrow Program and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. For the purpose of determining the NASCAR True Value Driver of the Year award winner, the NASCAR Winston Cup season has been divided into four quarters in which drivers are nominated for off-track efforts. An elite group of panelists will select one of the four quarterly finalists as the NASCAR True Value Driver of the Year. This award will be presented at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series awards ceremony in New York City, along with a prize of $100,000. The prize will be divided evenly between the driver and the charity of his choice. In addition to the NASCAR True Value Driver of the Year, True Value sponsors the Driver of the Race Award, which goes to the eligible driver who wins each of the 36 NASCAR Winston Cup championship events. Each True Value Driver of the Race Award winner receives $2,500 with an additional $2,500 going to the charity of their choice. The third-quarter nominee will be announced on September 16.(NASCAR PR)(7-23-2002)

  • NAPCM Pit Crew of the Week: #24 Dupont Crew - Consistent, quick stops (15.3) kept Gordon in the hunt all day, finishing 2nd. A tough season so far for these guys who got very familiar with Victory Lane last season. This crew is not to blame for the less than the usual near perfect season! The #24 Crew deserves to be the NAPCM Pit Crew of the Week sponsored by Toxabsorb, the 21st Century Spill Magnet for all fluid spilled on Pit Road and the Official Spill Response Agent of the National Association of Pit Crew Members (www.toxabsorb.com). The Mechanix Wear Pit Crew of the Year standings after Chicago: 1st Place - Crew #6 Viagra, Total Points - 86; 2nd Place - Crew #48 Lowes, 74; 3rd Place (tie) - Crew #20 Home Depot, 66; 3rd Place (tie) - Crew #24 Dupont Total Points, 66; 4th Place - Crew #9 Dodge Dealers, 57; and 5th Place - Crew #88 UPS, 56.(National Association of Pit Crew Members PR)(7-18-2002)

  • MIS could be 200th top 10 for Gordon UPDATE: A top-10 finish on Sunday at Michigan International Speedway would give Jeff Gordon 200 top-10s in his career, which has seen him get 58 wins, 41 poles, 151 top-fives and four championships in just 308 starts.(Atlanta Journal Constitution)(6-14-2002)
    #200: with Jeff Gordon's 5th place finish at Michigan, he garnered his 200th top 10 finish in his 308th race.(6-16-2002)

  • Gordon to run 200th scheme ar Dover: DuPont headquarters are located in nearby Wilmington, DE, and in honor of the company's 200th anniversary, Gordon will be driving a celebratory paint scheme that signifies DuPont as a leader in science for 200 years. It is the same paint scheme that the #24 team debuted earlier this season during Daytona Speedweeks.(Jeff Gordon Site)(5-30-2002)

  • Gordon and Elmo: Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon will team with Sesame Street's Elmo character to raise money for The Jeff Gordon Foundation, but don't expect to see the car on a Winston Cup track. NASCAR artist Sam Bass will design the special car, which won't be raced, and Action Peformance Cos. will create diecast replicas that will go on sale in August. The initial 2001 diecast program was a great success for The Jeff Gordon Foundation generating revenues in support of the Foundation's mission. The Jeff Gordon Foundation benefits The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, The Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Marrow Foundation and Riley Hospital for Children.(Winston Cup Scene Daily Newsletter), see an image of the car on my Paint Scheme Gallery and a full press release on my Racing Charities page.(5-28/29-2002)

  • Gordon Back to clean shaven: Jeff Gordon is clean shaven this week after sporting a mustache and goatee last weekend at The Winston. Gordon said, "I liked it, it was fun, but it was just really for that weekend. My sister was getting married the next day so I didn't want to be too scruffy for her pictures."(PRN's Garagepass Radio Show)(5-23-2002)

  • Pepsi Can...oops: A misprint on the back of a Pepsi can has prompted hundreds of pop-drinking, auto-racing fans to call Roger Zabel's house at all hours, day or night, in search of answers to their most pressing questions. Zabel filed a lawsuit in Will County Circuit Court last week against Pepsico, Inc., and the owners of Joliet's Chicagoland Speedway over the misprint on the backs of what he believes are millions of Pepsi cans. The promotional cans encourage fans to call the NASCAR track for information about the July 14 race featuring driver Jeff Gordon. The number is Zabel's unlisted telephone number.(more at the Herald News)(5-23-2002)

  • Big News...for some reason: Four time Cup Champ, #24-Jeff Gordon is sporting a goatee (like Jayski), seems the AP, FX and all other news outlets are picking up on it. Anyhow, see pictures at ThatsRacin.com or Gaston Gazette or NASCAR.com.(5-18-2002)

  • Humpy to make pick for The Winston UPDATE - picks Jeff Gordon: Utilizing the Theory that the Hungriest Lion Gets the Steak, "Humpy" Wheeler Will Predict The Winston Winner. During the past 14 years, H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, has been correct nine times in his annual "Pick The Winston Winner" selection. Once again this year, Wheeler has spent several hours perusing the Winston Cup garage areas and is prepared, with the help of a little magic, to reveal who will win this year's running of NASCAR's annual all-star event. He will reveal his prediction in gala fashion Tuesday afternoon, May 14, in the Queen Room (5th Floor) of The Speedway Club at Lowe's Motor Speedway.(LMS PR)(5-10/14-2002)
    UPDATE: H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, believes Gordon's race win drought will end when NASCAR's annual all-star event, The Winston, takes the checkered flag Saturday night, May 18, at the 1.5-mile superspeedway. Wheeler tabbed Gordon as his selection to win the event during his annual "Pick The Winston Winner" press conference today at The Speedway Club. If Wheeler's prediction holds true to form, Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, will become the only four-time winner of The Winston and be the first driver to score back-to-back victories since the late Davey Allison won the all-star event in 1991 and 1992.(LMS PR)(5-14-2002)

  • Gordon Divorce update: Jeff Gordon has asked that his estranged wife and anyone involved in his divorce be compelled to sign a confidentiality agreement. Gordon contended that his employment is "highly competitive" and much of his financial information requires confidentiality, according to court documents filed in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. Gordon wants to protect trade secrets, research and commercial information from becoming public during his divorce from Jennifer Brooke Sealey Gordon, the documents show. The confidentiality order would continue even after the divorce is final. Circuit Judge Peter Blanc will decide in a hearing next month if the court's proceedings must remain confidential. A person at the family division of the Palm Beach County Clerk of Courts said that a notice for a June 10 confidentiality hearing was filed on May 2. (USA Today/AP)(5-10-2002)

  • Gordon's Streak Jeff Gordon's streak of races without a victory climbed to career high 19 when he finished seventh at Richmond.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(5-7-2002)

  • Gordon wins MW Windows Pole Award and Windows: MW Windows will be the first pole day award winners to give a house full of doors and windows. Shortly after MW Windows announced its sponsorship of Pole Day for the Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway, officials with the company decided they wanted to do more than that, though. So in addition to presenting a trophy to the Virginia 500 pole winner, MW will give a house full of windows and doors in the pole-winner’s name to a local Habitat for Humanity chapter during pre-race ceremonies for the Virginia 500 on April 14. And it’s not a one-race effort either. The manufacturer of windows and door products for the residential construction industry will donate doors and windows to Habitat for Humanity chapters twice a year. One donation will come after MW Pole Day for the Virginia 500 and the other after MW Pole Day for the Old Dominion 500. The Martinsville-Henry County and Franklin County chapters of Habitat for Humanity will be the recipients each year.(Martinsville Speedway PR), Jeff Gordon won the pole and got the award.(4-13-2002)

  • Jeff Countersues Brooke: NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon has countersued his wife for divorce, saying he should not have to equally split the couple's estate because he risked his life to collect it. Gordon, a four-time Winston Cup champion, wants a larger share of the couple's businesses, homes, cars and boats. They have been married seven years and have no children. Gordon's wife, the former Jennifer Brooke Sealey, filed for the divorce March 15, saying the marriage is "irretrievably broken." She is seeking alimony, exclusive use of the couple's $9 million oceanfront home in Palm Beach County and periodic use of a Mercedes, Porsche, several boats and an airplane. Her attorney, Jeff Fisher, said Jeff Gordon is "arrogant and selfish" for claiming he should get more money because his job is dangerous.(ESPN/AP)(4-12-2002)

  • 300th start for Gordon: #24-Jeff Gordon will make his 300th Winston Cup start at Texas. Two interesting facts: it is 300 consecutive starts, and Gordon has NEVER used a provisional starting spot.(4-7-2002)

  • Personal Stuff - Gordon News UPDATE: Racer Jeff Gordon's wife files for divorce - story at the Palm Beach Post: Brooke Gordon, wife of NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon, filed for divorce on Friday after more than seven years of marriage. Their marriage is "irretrievably broken as a result of the husband's marital misconduct," according to the document. The couple has no children.(3-16-2002)
    AND: Four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon declined to comment Saturday on reports from Florida that his wife of more than seven years, Brooke, has filed for a divorce. "I am not going to comment on it," Jeff Gordon said at Darlington Raceway, the site of Sunday's Dodge 400 race. "I hope you guys will respect me at this time and we will release something next week." Marital misconduct is defined legally as any conduct that undermines the marital relationship or behavior that forces one spouse to assume extra burdens in a marriage.(ThatsRacin.com) and a column from NASCAR.com: Report: Brooke Gordon files for divorce(3-16-2002)
    UPDATE: Statement From Jeff Gordon:
    "As you are probably well aware, Brooke has filed for divorce. Being a personal matter, I hope that everybody will respect our privacy as we work through this difficult time. I also hope everybody will understand that it would be improper for me to discuss or comment on this matter publicly. I appreciate the support I've received from my family, friends and those in the racing community."(Jeff Gordon Site)(3-18-2002)

  • Hendrick Honored: The Charlotte, N.C.-based Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal has named Rick Hendrick its 2002 recipient of the Bill France Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award, as chosen by a committee of editors. Started last year, the honor is designed to recognize an individual whose contributions have had a substantial long-term impact on NASCAR. Hendrick won his 100th Winston Cup race last season, along with a third NASCAR Truck series championship, both firsts for an owner. Hendrick Motorsports has grown into a $50 million industry leader, headquartered at a 62-acre, 400,000 square-foot facility in Charlotte and employing more than 300 people.(ThatsRacin.com)(3-2-2002)

  • #48 Crewman hurt UPDATE: The tire carrier for #48-Jimmie Johnson, David Bryant, was injured during the first round of pit stops and has been transferred to a local hospital for x-rays on his right leg, he is awake and alert. MRN radio reports that Bryant was hit by the car that pits in front of Johnson (Mark Martin), he was taken to Richmond Memorial Hospital in Rockingham, NC with an injury between the knee and ankle. It was reported later in the race that Bryant has a broken right leg and is being transferred to a Charlottee hospital.
    UPDATE: David Bryant, the front-tire carrier for rookie Jimmie Johnson who was injured in a pit road accident Sunday at Rockingham, had surgery to repair a compound fracture of his right leg and remains in Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte. Bryant, 23, was hit on pit road by the car of Mark Martin during a round of pit stops on Lap 20 of Sunday’s Subway 400. Bryant is expected to be out of action for up to five months. Jay Lupo, a mechanic with the #24 team of Jeff Gordon, substituted for Bryant Sunday and will continue in that role.(ThatsRacin.com)(2-25-2002)

  • Gordon Award: Defending Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon was presented with his fourth Driver of the Year Award, breaking a tie he shared with Mario Andretti and Darrell Waltrip. A national panel of motorsports writers and broadcasters vote on the award. Gordon will get a specially crafted 2002 Indian Chief motorcycle with a second-generation engine -- the company's first new engine design in 50 years.(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-12-2002)

  • Yellow Line: Jeff Gordon thinks NASCAR needs to alter the yellow-line rule before the Daytona 500. Last season, officials instituted a rule banning drivers from making a pass below the yellow stripe painted on the track. While Gordon agrees it was a good rule for the faster cars running in tighter packs a year ago, he hopes the new setup and slower speeds lead NASCAR to lighten up on the limitation. "That yellow line is not making things any easier," he said. "The yellow line worked for the rules we had last year because you were coming so fast that you would go below that yellow line every lap. Now I think there's places where we could move that line to get a little bit more room because you don't have the momentum you used to have."(Richmond Times Dispatch)(2-11-2002)

  • Another Pepsi scheme: #24-Jeff Gordon will run another Pepsi scheme at the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, along with the one at Talladega, see a diecast image of the schemes on my Paint Schemes Gallery(2-8-2002)

  • Testing at 'Dega: #24-Jeff Gordon and #48-Jimmie Johnson are wrapping up a two-day test today at Talladega. ARCA Champ Frank Kimmel is also at the track testing(1-22-2002)

  • Jeff Gordon wins award: Jeff Gordon has become only the third driver in history to win the Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy for a third time. He joins Mario Andretti and John Force as the only drivers named three times as the top driver of the year by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Association (AARWBA) since the Auto Racing All-America Team was started in 1970. Gordon was presented the Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy at the annual Auto Racing All-America awards banquet Saturday, January 12. The award goes to the driver who polls the highest number of votes on the All-America Team selected by the AARWBA membership. The overall voting was close, with just four votes covering the results for the top three drivers. The voting was not this close since 1976, when the top three were spread by only seven votes. On the heels of his fourth NASCAR Winston Cup championship, Gordon dominated the Stock Car category in the voting and was elected First Team for his eighth time. He also was the Titus winner in 1995 and 1998. Behind him, series runner-up Tony Stewart and Rookie of the Year Kevin Harvick received an identical vote tally to create a 13-driver First Team for only the third time in the 32-year history of the All America Team. Other First Team drivers honored at the banquet were Kenny Bernstein and John Force in Drag Racing; Sam Hornish Jr. and Gil de Ferran in Open Wheel; Paul Gentilozzi and James Weaver in Road Racing; Danny Lasoski and Dave Darland in Short Track; Townsend Bell and Rob MacCachren in At Large. Special awards at the banquet were presented to land speed record-holder Craig Breedlove and auto racing innovator Andy Granatelli, both named to AARWBA's Legends in Racing Hall of Fame. The late J.C. Agajanian's family was saluted as "Pioneers" in Racing for their contributions to the sport over many years. Danica Patrick was presented with the Gorsline Award and scholarship for up-and-coming racing drivers. The Jerry Titus Memorial Trophy honors the late motor sports journalist and racing driver, Jerry Titus, who was killed at Road America in 1970. Perhaps the single most unusual trophy in sports, the Titus Trophy consists of the driver's own helmet and portable typewriter mounted in a huge walnut base. Plaques are added to the award each year to recognize the winners. The final vote for the Titus, the closest vote since 1976, was Gordon 89, Bernstein 87, Force 85.(AARWBA PR)(1-14-2002)

  • Interesting UPDATE accepting mail again: saw this in a Sporting News column by Lee Spencer, from the Jeff Gordon site: "For a continued time due to the concerns that our country is facing with Anthrax and mail delivery, I have instructed my employees and the Fan Club not to accept incoming fan mail. I hope you will understand this is for the protection of my employees, and as soon as we have a higher comfort level concerning the threat of terrorist attacks, we will resume mail reception and responses. You can check www.jeffgordon.com for updates on the status of our Fan Mail reception."(an FYI for readers/fans)(1-4-2002)
    UPDATE: been told by the fanclub that as of Today, they are now accepting mail again(1-4-2002)

    2001 News

  • Most Powerful in Sports: The Sporting News has tabbed NFL commissioner, Paul Tagliabue, as their Most Powerful Person in sports for 2001. Where do any NASCAR folks rank (out of 100)?
    5th is Bill France, Chairman, board of directors, NASCAR; Chairman, ISC;
    45th is Mike Helton, President, NASCAR;
    52nd is Jim Hunter, Vice president, corporate communications, NASCAR;
    66th is George Pyne, Vice president, NASCAR;
    68th is Jeff Gordon, Driver, NASCAR;
    95th is Teresa Earnhardt, Chairwoman, DEI;
    See the story and links to lists at the Sporting News(12-27-2001)

  • Gordon turns down IROC 2002: The ever-increasing demands put on Jeff Gordon by sponsors and by himself as the co-owner of the new #48 NASCAR Winston Cup team [Jimmie Johnson] have forced Gordonto cease his participation in the International Race of Champions series, announcing that he was declining the invitation forwarded him as the reigning NASCAR title winner. "It's definitely an honor to be recognized by IROC and compete against an elite group of drivers," said Gordon. "I'll never forget the first invitation I received from IROC in 1995. It was very exciting. Unfortunately, due to the demands on my time with the number of races on the NASCAR Winston Cup schedule and commitments to my sponsors, in addition to my increased involvement with the No. 24 and No. 48 teams, I have to decline the invitation." Gordon becomes the first NASCAR champion since Bobby Allison won the 1983 series title not to follow his title-winning year with a run in the IROC series. Gordon has competed six times in the IROC series but has never had much success, taking the checkered flag in the 1998 season-opener in Daytona as his only IROC victory. Series officials confirmed that they had discussed the matter with Gordon before he announced his decision and that the move did not come as a surprise to them. The series currently has five of its 12 drivers for the 2002 series under wraps, including Indy Racing League champion Sam Hornish Jr., Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, Indy 500 polesitter Scott Sharp, all-time IRL victory leader Buddy Lazier and NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie-of-the-Year Kevin Harvick.(SpeedVision)(12-18-2001)

  • Gordon Driver of the Year: #24-Jeff Gordon's season convinced a panel of 16 motorsports journalists to make him the first four-time winner of the Driver of the Year (DOTY) award. Gordon received 13 first-place votes, outdistancing rookie Kevin Harvick, who received two votes. Gordon's previous DOTY titles were in 1995, '97 and '98.(Arizona Republic)(12-7-2001)

  • Gordon to carry the torch: What: 2001 Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon will carry the Olympic Flame in Daytona Beach, Florida on Friday, December 7. Nominated by Olympic Torch Relay presenting sponsor Chevrolet, Gordon was selected due to his extraordinary efforts to support the physical, social and intellectual needs of children through the Jeff Gordon Foundation, as well as the inspiration he provides to thousands of motorsports fans.(GM PR)(12-7-2001)

  • More Gordon and Gordon: Jeff Gordon had a surprise visitor at his private championship party Nov. 29 when Robby Gordon, who punted him out of the lead to win the Nov. 23 race at New Hampshire, showed up. According to witnesses, the two drivers chatted about the incident with the intent of putting it behind them. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, says the incident might have been a blessing in disguise. After he chased down Robby and rammed his car from behind, his fan base suddenly began to swell. "I gained more fans over that deal than I did by winning races all year long," he said. "I had a lot of people approach me and say, 'It was great to see that intensity,' and, 'We know that you've got it in you.'"(Winston Cup Scene - need sub to read)(12-6-2001)

  • Bud Pole Award: Series champion Jeff Gordon was given a check for $100,000 for winning the Bud Pole Award. He led the series with six poles. Gordon also won the $75,000 Gatorade Front Runner Award for leading the most laps and $76,000 from Tosco for the Official Fuels of NASCAR Award. Sterling Marlin also won $76,000 from Tosco.(That's Racin'), see my 2002 Budweiser Shootout page for poles and race info(11-30-2001)

  • Crew Chief and Engine Builder Awards: Gordon's Hendrick Motorsports #24 team added more honors and money. Crew chief Robbie Loomis received $50,000 for leading the Plasti-Kote Qualify Finish Award with the best average finishes in the 36-race season, while engine builder Rick Wetzel was given $55,000 as the Clevite Engine Parts Engine Builder of the Year.(That's Racin'), see my Race Awards page for the breakdown on the awards(11-30-2001)

  • Gordon Busy in NYC - AND: Jeff Gordon, the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup champion, has a busy schedule next week. Gordon, a four-time winner of the Winston Cup, will be participating in several special activities during a weeklong media tour in New York City, concluding with the NASCAR Winston Cup Awards Ceremony at the Waldorf-Astoria on Friday, Nov. 30. On Thursday, Nov. 29, the annual photo shoot at Times Square will include a special ceremony involving the New York City Mayor's Office. John Dyson, representing Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, will present a proclamation declaring Friday, Nov. 30, as NASCAR Winston Cup Series Day in New York City. Following the ceremony, Gordon and crew chief Robbie Loomis will participate in a photo shoot with the #24 DuPont Chevy at Times Square. Gordon's schedule also includes appearances on The Today Show, The Late Show with David Letterman and Live with Regis and Kelly.(Sports Marketing Enterprises PR)(11-21-2001)
    AND Gordon, crew chief Robbie Loomis and team owner Rick Hendrick will visit with firemen and clean-up crews at Ground Zero, the site of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, today. That visit will be low-key.(The State)(11-27-2001)

  • Gordon Makes TV Appearance's: Jeff Gordon, the 2001 Winston Cup champion will appear on The Late Show with David Letterman on Thursday night, November 29. Gordon will also have a cameo in the November 28th episode of The Drew Carey Show. The show's plot is that Drew resorts to drag racing as a way to save his manhood---and shut down Mimi---after Christine starts treating him like her personal errand boy. Twisted Sister's Dee Snider also has a cameo(Motorsports TV)(11-21-2001)

  • Jeff Gordon Wins the Winston Cup Championship: with one race to go, #24-Jeff Gordon clinched his 4th Winson Cup Championship and is the youngest to ever have four (30 years old). Only two drivers have more: Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. #20-Tomy Stewart now is 2nd in the drivers tandings, see That's Racin' for the 2001 Unofficial Drivers Standings(11-18-2001)

  • Gordon honored: Jeff Gordon is the third-quarter winner of the National Motorsports Press Association/Pocono Spirit Award for his work along with his wife, Brooke, on behalf of charities for children through his Jeff Gordon Foundation(That's Racin')(11-15-2001)

  • Gordon's streak in jeopardy UPDATE streak ends: #24-Jeff Gordon has won at least one restrictor-plate race in each of the past six seasons, and that streak is on the line in Sunday’s EA Sports 500 at Talladega. The streak began with a victory in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona in July 1995, and Gordon’s most recent restrictor plate win was at Talladega in the Talladega 500 in April 2000.(Gaston Gazette)(10-20-2001)
    UPDATE: Gordon's streak ends as he did not win at Talladega; Gordon also did not win a short track race in a season for the first in six seasons(10-21-2001)

  • Gordon wins at Kansas: #24-Jeff Gordon won the Protection One 400 at Kansas Speedway, his 6th win of the 2001 season and 58th of his 285 race career. #02-Ryan Newman was 2nd. #28-Ricky Rudd was third abd lost 10 points to Gordon and is now 222 points behind Gordon in the race for the Winston Cup Championship with 8 races to go. #57-Derrike Cope was 24th in his first Cup race of 2001. See That's Racin' for Protection One 400 race results and Jayski.com for Driver Standings(9-30-2001)

  • DuPont 200th Scheme: Jeff Gordon unveiled the special DuPont 200th Anniversary #24 Chevy at the DuPont Country Club on Thursday. Gordon also presented a check for $50,000 from the Jeff Gordon Foundation to the DuPont United Way Campaign for United Way of Delaware. The car has a celebratory paint scheme honoring the 200th anniversary of the DuPont Company, which will occur in 2002. The hood and the deck lid of the car will feature the "DuPont 200 Years" logo which is illustrated with a flask that has confetti spouting out of the top. The logo signifies DuPont as a leader in science for 200 years. Gordon will debut the anniversary car at Speedweeks in Daytona Beach, Fla., in mid-February. Fans will get to see it in three nationally televised races at Daytona International Speedway – the Budweiser Shootout, and one of the Gatorade Twin 125 qualifying races, and the Daytona 500(DuPont.com). See the schemes on my Paint Scheme Gallery.(Action Performance Companies)(9-20-2001)

  • Gordon Scheme: #24-Jeff Gordon will run an either one event, or multiple races special paint scheme in 2002. It's in honor of DuPont's 200th anniversary in 2002. The car will be unveiled on September 20 at The DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, DE. It has a white front, red sides with "Blasberry" (mostly blue-purple) Prizm Chromalusion "Swoop" type stripes in it. The DuPont 200th anniversary logo is on the hood and rear decklid(Gordonline), have seen NO images of the car(8-30-2001)

  • 3td Qtr Driver of the Year: Jeff Gordon continued commitment and dedication has earned him the recognition of being selected as the third-quarter nominee for True Value's Man of the Year for his continued commitment and dedication by spending a large amount of his time to support various charitable organizations. True Value, the Official Hardware Store of NASCAR, is once again sponsoring the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year. The award is designed to honor a driver not only for their accomplishments on the track, but for their community service contributions and charitable efforts. Mark Martin, driver of the No. 6 Pfizer/Viagra Ford and Rick Mast, driver of the No. 27 Duke.s Mayonnaise Pontiac, were the recipients of the first and second quarter nominations, respectively. For the purpose of determining the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year award winner, the NASCAR Winston Cup season has been divided into four quarters in which drivers are nominated for their off-track efforts. An elite group of panelists will select one of the four quarterly finalists to name the NASCAR True Value Man of the Year. This award will be presented at the NASCAR Winston Cup Series banquet in New York City, along with a prize of $100,000. The prize will be divided evenly between the driver and the charity of his choice. The fourth-quarter nominee will be announced on November 12.(NASCAR PR)(8-29-2001)

  • Gordon gets 4th win at Watkins Glen: #24-Jeff Gordon wins his 4th career race at Watkins Glen and 7th road course win. It was Gordon's 5th win of 2001 and 57th career Winston Cup win. The rest of the top five were: 2) #99-Jeff Burton; 3) #12-Jeremy Mayfield; 4) #28-Ricky Rudd; and #66-Todd Bodine. Robby Gordon had a fire in the #31 Lowes Chevy, the telemetry box used by NBC to monitor rpms, speed and braking reportedly caught on fire when the batteries used to power it came out( see a GAston Gazette Column on this: Robby Gordon falls prey to high-tech sabotage. Jeff Gordon increases his points lead to 194 points over #28-Rudd. #88-Dale Jarrett had two runs with the 'kitty litter' and is now 265 points behind Gordon in 3rd place. See That's Racin' for race column - Gordon gets 2nd win in a row, Unofficial Results and Unofficial Standings(8-12-2001)

  • Gordon vs Petty before 30 years of age: Jeff Gordon, who turned 30 Saturday, has 56 career victories — 55(in 277 starts) before the age of 30. Richard Petty had 56(in 332 starts) career wins before the age of 30(USA Today). Petty had one Winston Cup Championship before the age of 30 and won it in 1967 when he turned 30. Gordon had 3 championships before 30 and is currently leading the points. Dale Earnhardt had 8 wins and one Championship before he turned 30 in 1981(8-7-2001)

  • Gordon wins his 3rd Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday. #24-Jeff Gordon got the lead late in the race, only changed 2 tires on his last pitstop and held off #40-Sterling Marlin to win his 3rd career Brickyard 400 and 56th career Winston up win. Rounding out the top 5 were #10-Benson(3rd), #2-Wallace(4th) and #97-Busch(5th). Gordon increases his Points lead with his 4th win of the season (now has 3027) to 160 over #88-Jarrett (finished 12th) and 179 over #28-Rudd (finished 39th). Gordon started 27th, the farthest a driver has started and won a Brickyard 400, Dale Jarrett started 24th in 1996 and won. See That's Racin' for Unofficial Brickyard 400 results and Unofficial Drivers Standings and a column: Gordon shows way, wins his 3rd Brickyard 400(8-5-2001)

  • Gordon Gives: Jeff Gordon donated $100,000 from the Jeff Gordon Foundation to Riley's Hospital for Children in Indianapolis(Roanoke Times) see next story(8-3-2001)

  • Gordon on Millionaire: Winston Cup driver #24-Jeff Gordon, former NBA player Charles Barkley, boxer Laila Ali and tennis player Serena Williams are among the athletes competing in a sports edition of ABC's ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' airing Sept. 10. The quiz show will move to Mondays as a lead-in to ``Monday Night Football,'' while a regular edition will air Thursdays.(AP/That's Racin')(7-24-2001)
    UPDATE: Jeff Gordon took his turn in the "hot seat" on a sports celebrity version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" on Wednesday for shows to be aired in September on ABC. Gordon spent Tuesday and Wednesday taping the show in New York with host Regis Philbin and a group of sports figures that included Charles Barkley, Martina Navratilova, Johnny Bench and John Elway. Gordon barely missed winning a couple of "fastest finger" questions on the first day before making his way to the chair opposite Philbin on the second day of taping. Like the rest of the celebrities playing the game, Gordon's winnings will go to charity. To find out how Gordon fared in the "hot seat," race fans will have to wait until the shows air beginning on Sept. 10.(That's Racin')
    AND Jeff Gordon tried to blame the loss of prize money on David Poole, a sportswriter from the Charlotte Observer, but the truth is -- and this is Gordon's final answer -- it was ultimately his own fault. The three-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion was a celebrity contestant this week on ABC's Who Wants To Be a Millionaire. The episode airs Sept. 10. Without yielding more information than ABC officials would like, here's what happened: Gordon was going for $125,000 when he became stumped on a pop music question. Down to just his phone-a-friend lifeline, Gordon thought Poole would provide him with help identifying Billy Joel. Poole though, could not come up with the singer's name. "And I've probably got 12 of his albums," he told Gordon Thursday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where Gordon was holding a charity event. "If it had just been you and me sitting around the house, I could have told you (the right answer). Don't tell me that," Gordon said. "I guess that means you're going to be nice to me in the newspaper for a very long time." Gordon chose Poole over his other designated "friends" -- his mother-in-law, Karen Parks, who regularly completes The New York Times crossword puzzle; stepfather John Bickford, a buff of science, history and geography; Hendrick Motorsports engineer Gary Eaker; and ESPN announcer Kenny Mayne, who is the host of the network's sports trivia show, The 2-Minute Drill. "I'll bet Kenny knew the answer," said Gordon, who added that Poole sounded overwhelmed when he heard Regis Philbin's voice on the telephone. Said Poole: "I told (Gordon) not to call me on music." Bickford, who sat by his telephone Tuesday waiting to hear from the show, found the whole process amusing. "Who would have thought I'd go from helping Jeff race at Indianapolis Raceway Park (in the 1980s) to being his call-a-friend option on Millionaire," he said. Gordon's TV winnings went to The Jeff Gordon Foundation, a nonprofit entity that supports sick and needy children. The former Pittsboro, Ind., resident announced Thursday that his foundation, which he formed in 1999 with his wife, Brooke, was joining forces with the Riley Hospital for Children. Riley officials received a check from $100,000 from the Gordon Foundation Thursday. "This is only the beginning," Gordon said.(Indianpolis Star)(8-3-2001)

  • SDRC and Hendrick: SDRC announced it has renewed and expanded the company's marketing alliance with Hendrick Motorsports with a five-year contract effective immediately. Hendrick's engineering team uses I-DEAS(R) software for design, analysis, and manufacturing requirements on the team's high-performance racecars. Hendrick sponsors three drivers in the NASCAR Winston Cup including, #5-Terry Labonte, #25-Jerry Nadeau, and #24-Jeff Gordon. "We have very clear objectives in our business," said Jim Wall, engineering group manager, Hendrick Motorsports. "We want to win races. A critical few seconds make a big difference on the track, and we're working daily to gain the slight edge needed to win races. I-DEAS provides the technology that enables us to design, test, and manufacture cars and engines -- in fact, we build over 700 engines each year. We've already gained significant improvements in our processes with I-DEAS, and we're pleased to be renewing our relationship with SDRC to further expand our use of this technology and our overall business results."(Business Wire)(7-30-2001)

  • Gordon on Millionaire: Winston Cup driver #24-Jeff Gordon, former NBA player Charles Barkley, boxer Laila Ali and tennis player Serena Williams are among the athletes competing in a sports edition of ABC's ``Who Wants to Be a Millionaire'' airing Sept. 10. The quiz show will move to Mondays as a lead-in to ``Monday Night Football,'' while a regular edition will air Thursdays.(AP/That's Racin')(7-24-2001)

  • #24 Sponsor: Sontara Technologies, an Old Hickory nonwoven wiper manufacturer, will sponsor the Jeff Gordon-driven DuPont car in two NASCAR races this year. The teaming up of Sontara and Gordon are part of a marketing campaign by the local unit of DuPont nonwovens to promote its recently launched line of wiper products for automotive refinishing tasks. Sontara's brand logo is slated to appear on the deck lid of Gordon's #24 car at the July 15 race at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. In October, the company's logo will appear on the car's TV panel at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C.(Nashville Business Journal)(7-14-2001)

  • Gordon 2nd Quarter DOTY: And if taking over the NASCAR Winston Cup points lead with three wins, three seconds and a third in nine races is not proof enough, Jeff Gordon capped that with victory in his now familiar competition - the American Driver of the Year second-quarter vote. Gordon, winner of the most prestigious award in motorsports in 1995, 1997 and 1998, defeated Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, 112 points to 99 in balloting by a blue-ribbon panel of 14 national motorsports journalists and fans on ESPN.com. Driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet, the 29-year old Gordon racked up eight first-place votes, while Castroneves finished with five first-place nods. The remaining two first-place votes went to Winston Cup competitor Tony Stewart, who ran the Indianapolis 500 and then, that night finished third in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway; and Championship Auto Racing Team's Kenny Brack.(DOTY PR/That's Racin')(7-4-2001)

  • Get Well: "Papa" Joe Hendrick, father of Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick, is scheduled for heart surgery Monday at a Charlotte, N.C.-area hospital. The elder Hendrick, who is listed as the car owner for the #25 Chevrolets of driver Jerry Nadeau, had heart surgery in March. On Saturday, teams working with the three Hendrick cars - those of Nadeau, Jeff Gordon and Terry Labonte - were preparing decals expressing their get-well wishes to run on their cars during Sunday's Kmart 400 at Michigan(That's Racin')(6-10-2001)
    UPDATE: FSN's NASCAR Today and ESPN2's RPM Night both reported that "Papa" Joe Hendrick underwent sucessful heart surgery on Monday, no other details(6-11-2001)
    UPDATE 2: "Papa" Joe Hendrick, the father of Winston Cup team owner Rick Hendrick, is beginning the recovery process after having heart surgery on Monday in Charlotte. The elder Hendrick is 83(That's Racin')(6-13-2001)

  • the 100 Hendrick Wins: Phil Werz from Charlotte's NBC 6 's "On Track from Lowe's Motor Speedway" sent me a breakdown of the 100 wins for Hendrick Motorsports:
    Jeff Gordon 55(currently with Hendrick #24)
    Terry Labonte 11(currently with Hendrick #5)
    Tim Richmond 9(deceased)
    Darrell Waltrip 9(retired with Fox in the booth)
    Geoffrey Bodine 7(currently in the BGN driving the #66)
    Ricky Rudd 4(currently with RYR #28)
    Ken Schrader 4(currently with MB2 Motorsports #36)
    Jerry Nadeau 1(currently with Hendrick #25)
    Gordon has averaged a win every 4.9 races (271 starts)(6-10-2001)

  • Gordon Wants Changes: Jeff Gordon has been quietly lobbying NASCAR to change the rules package currently used in events at Daytona and Talladega. Gordon spent much of Tuesday at the Speedway to shoot a commercial, hold a press conference and participate in a fan forum at Daytona USA. Gordon said the aerodynamic package used in Winston Cup restrictor-plate races needs to be adjusted between NASCAR's two largest tri-oval tracks. The basic rule package was initiated at Talladega's October race last year and used this season at Daytona and its sister track in Alabama. The next restrictor-plate race is the July 7 Pepsi 400 at Daytona(Daytona Beach News Journal)(6-6-2001)

  • Hendrick goes after #100: Hendrick Motorsports is just one win away from becoming only the second motorsports operation to reach 100 Winston Cup wins in NASCAR’s modern era(1972-present). The 17-year-old organization claimed three wins in its first year of operation – the only team in the modern era to do that – and hasn’t slowed since. Hendrick Motorsports claimed win number 99 when Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag at Dover. Only Junior Johnson holds more wins in the “modern era” as team owner than Hendrick Motorsports, with 135 wins from 1972 to 1994. In stock car racing’s early days, Winston Cup – then Grand National – teams raced as many as 61 races in a single season; that changed to 31 races a season in 1972 and has hovered around that number until this year’s increased 36-race schedule. Other teams posting high win numbers in NASCAR’s modern era of points competition include Richard Childress Racing (70), Petty Enterprises (63), Woods Brothers Racing (61), Roush Racing (49) and Robert Yates Racing (49).(HMS SIte - link fixed)(6-6-2001)

  • Gordon Dominates at Dover: #24-Jeff Gordon won the MBNA 400 at Dover, leading 381 or 400 laps and breaking Mark Martins record of 379 (for a 400 miler) set in Sept 1998. The win is Gordon's 54th, which ties him for 7th on the all-time list with Rusty Wallace and Lee Petty. #1-Steve Park was the runner-up. #32-Ricky Craven finished 4th for his seasons best and rookie #01-Jason Leffler finished 13th, his best of his 11 race Winston Cup career(he missed two). Winston Cup Points Leader, #88-Dale Jarrett finished 5th and still holds a 50 point lead over Gordon. #20-Tony Stewart failed to win his 3rd straight at Dover but finished 7th for his 6th straight top 10 finish. See That's Racin': for the Unofficial Results and Unofficial Standings(6-3-2001)

  • Gordon and GQ: Three-time Winston Cup champion and driver of Hendrick Motorsports' #24 Chevy Jeff Gordon has been nominated for GQ's Men of the Year awards in the Sports - Individual Athlete category. There are 18 categories encompassing sports, television, film, music, literature, designering and cooking. Other nominees in the Sports - Indvidual Athlete category include tennis champion Andre Agassi, Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, Supercross champion Ricky Carmichael and PGA Tour player Phil Mickelson. Voting takes place at www.gq.com and ends June 15.(That's Racin')(5-31-2001)

  • Gordon on Larry King: Jeff Gordon will make his second appearance on CNN's "Larry King Live," Tuesday, May 22(5-15-2001)

  • Gordon's Glasses: FosterGrant, the nations top manufacturer of popularly priced sunglasses, announced today that it has signed a multi-year endorsement and licensing agreement with 3-time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Jeff Gordon. As part of the deal, Jeff Gordon will be featured in the latest series of the company's famous "Who's That Behind Those FosterGrants?" ad campaign, scheduled to break in spring of 2002. FosterGrant will also create a special line of FosterGrant sunglasses to be endorsed by Gordon, as well as a collection of sunglasses featuring Gordon's #24 and the famous Dupont #24 car colors(Foster Grant Site)(4-5-2001)

  • Get Well Papa Joe: Hendrick Motorsports cars(#'s 5,24,25) will carry decals sending get-well wishes to "Papa Joe" Hendrick, team owner Rick Hendrick's father. The elder Hendrick had surgery this week and is recovering in a Charlotte hospital(That's Racin'), "Papa Joe" is also listed as the owner of the #25 team(see below)(3-24-2001)

    get well
    Thanks to Jeff of Race2Win for the image

  • Special #24 Scheme? Diecast Dealers have reported the "rebirth" of Chromalusion at Richmond International Raceway in September 2001(for the No Bull Five race). According to several diecast dealers, pre-orders are already being taken for the special edition #24 car. The paint scheme is expected to be unveiled in May and the diecast is expected to ship in July. What is Chromalusion? Chromalusion paint appears to change color as the track lights reflect off of it.(Jeff Gordon Online)(3-21-2001)

  • Wind Tunnel: hearing that Hendrick Motorsports in testing at least one #24 Chevy at the Lockheed Wind Tunnel in Marietta, GA today(3-5-2001)

  • First HANS win UPDATE: told that Jeff Gordon was wearing the HANS device today, becoming the first CUP driver to win using the device. A story earlier reported he was not going to wear it today, but the folks at HANS say he did wear it today(yes I saw him remove a device when he unbuckled from the car)(3-4-2001)
    UPDATE: Race winner Jeff Gordon also wore the (HANS) device. "It rubs on my collarbones," he said. "I want to find a way to soften that. If that's what I have to give up to be safer, I'm fine with that."(Alabama Live)(3-5-2001)

  • Hendrick News UPDATE: Congressional investigators were alerted Monday to a possible link between a contribution Bank of America made to Bill Clinton's presidential library and a pardon Clinton granted to a Charlotte man weeks later. Rick Hendrick, one of the nation's largest car dealers, pleaded guilty in a bribery scheme in 1997. He was pardoned by Clinton Dec. 22, less than three weeks after the Bank of America Foundation announced it would give $500,000 to Clinton's library fund. Hendrick was awarded the pardon with the help of a reference letter from bank chairman Hugh McColl Jr. A prominent owner of stock car racing teams, Hendrick was on the board of directors of the bank's predecessor, NationsBank(more at That's Racin'). Hendrick owns the #5, #24, #25, #48 Cup teams, the #24 BGN team and the #17, #24 CTS teams(2-27-2001)
    UPDATE: Statement From John Arrowood Concerning The Pardon Application Of Rick Hendrick: "Mr. Hendrick followed to the letter all of the Justice Department procedures for applying for a Presidential pardon. Mr. Hendrick's application was filed with the Pardon Attorney's Office at the Department of Justice in July of 2000, not three months prior to the pardon being granted as has been reported by the media. Mr. Hendrick did write the President and the Department of Justice asking for prompt consideration of his application due to his leukemia and the uncertainty surrounding his prospects for long-term survival. Mr. Hendrick sought the support of Mr. Hugh McColl, former Gov. Robert McNair and Ms. Jill McGovern because of their standing and reputation in the community and his close personal relationship with all three. Neither Mr. Hendrick nor I were aware of the reported contributions by the Bank of America Foundation to the presidential library until it was reported in the media this week."(HMS PR), also see a story at That's Racin'(2-28-2001)

  • Problem with the #24? UPDATE 3 Loomis Statement: NASCAR inspectors found what was described as a "height problem" with Jeff Gordon's #24 Dupont Chevy during post-race inspection at Rockingham. Gordon led the most laps and finished third in the Dura-Lube 400 Monday. All other cars passed inspection(SpeedVision)(2-26-2001)
    UPDATE: Jeff Gordon finished third, but NASCAR officials later said his #24 Chevy did not meet the minimum height requirements. The finish is expected to stand, but Gordon's team probably will be penalized(AJC)
    UPDATE 2: NASCAR officials announced they have penalized NASCAR Winston Cup Series crew chief Robbie Loomis for rules violations found in post-race inspection following Monday's Dura-Lube 400 at the North Carolina Speedway. Loomis, crew chief for the #24 DuPont Chevy, was fined $25,000 and penalized under Section 12-4-T in the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book: "...any car found to be under the specified height requirement after the completion of time trials or the race..."(NASCAR PR)(2-27-2001)
    UPDATE 3: Statement from Robbie Loomis: "I take full responsibility for what happened at Rockingham. An oversight in pre-race preparation led to a mechanical failure. A setscrew that secures a jackbolt loosened during the race - allowing the car to lower and become extremely tight. Unfortunately, I feel this incident also cost us a chance to win the event. My congratulations go to Steve Park and DEI for a great victory(HMS PR)(2-28-2001)

  • #24 Car for sale: The Hendrick Motorsports DuPont team is selling the #24 "NASCAR Racers" car body to make space in the racing shop for 2001 race needs, and a portion of the proceeds from the sale will go to charity. For more info, see my Racing Charities page(1-19-2001)

  • #24 Pepsi Car unveiled: For the first time since 1983, NASCAR fans could see a Pepsi car in a Winston Cup winner's circle. Beginning this spring, Jeff Gordon will race the #24 Pepsi/DuPont car in two races - the spring race at Talladega on April 22 and the Pepsi 400 at Daytona on July 7. In addition, DuPont Automotive has developed a special pearlescent blue paint for the car so fans won't miss it. For the past four years, Pepsi-Cola has enjoyed a successful relationship with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports, highlighted by its associate sponsorship of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet in the Cup Series and its two-year title sponsorship of Gordon's #24 Pepsi Chevrolet on the BGN. But now, the Pepsi car graduates to the Cup, where a Pepsi car has not been seen since Darrell Waltrip's Pepsi Challenger finished second in points in 1983(actually Ernie Irvan ran a few cars with Pepsi on the hood in the late 1980's). Last June, Pepsi extended its relationship with Gordon through 2005 and will continue to include him in promotional activities. Pepsi serves its products at 18 of the 23 Winston Cup Series tracks and is the title sponsor of NASCAR Winston Cup Series races in Daytona, Fla. (Pepsi 400), Brooklyn, Mich. (Pepsi 400) and Darlington, S.C. (Pepsi Southern 500).(in part from a Pepsi-Cola Company/Millsport PR). See the image of the car in my 2001 Cup section of my Paint Schemes Gallery(1-9-2001)

  • TV Stuff: Jeff Gordon will be Regis Philbin’s co-host on the Jan. 15 edition of "Live with Regis." Dale Earnhardt Jr will be featured on Fox Sports The National Sports Report, Friday Jan. 5th(check Local listings)(1-5-2001)

    2000 News

  • Pardoned: NASCAR team owner(#'s 5,24,25 in Cup, #'s 24 in BGN, #'s 17,24 in CTS) and Charlotte car dealer Rick Hendrick, who pleaded guilty to mail fraud three years ago, was granted a full pardon by President Clinton Friday, federal officials said. Hendrick was fined $250,000 and sentenced in December 1997 to 12 months home confinement and three years' probation in connection with an ongoing government investigation into a bribery scandal at American Honda Co. He also was banned from the sport and the car-dealing business for a year. Hendrick was among 59 people pardoned by Clinton on Friday.(That's Racin')(12-23-2000)

  • Gordon Announcement UPDATE new Paint Scheme - it's official: During the audio chat at NASCAR Online Thursday, Jeff Gordon said there will be a press conference on Tuesday, December 12th at 9:30am/et to officiallyannounce the 2001 paint scheme. To catch a few images of the scheme, see my Paint Scheme Gallery 2001 page(12-8-2000)
    UPDATE: see full story at NOL: Gordon has fiery new look for 2001(12-12-2000)

  • No More Rainbow on the #24? UPDATE 3 More images: Following this season, the paint scheme that Jeff Gordon has taken to 51 victories and three Winston Cup championships will not be seen on the racetrack again. Gordon's #24 Chevy will feature a new DuPont paint scheme next season(Gordonline)(8-28-2000)
    UPDATE - an image: have posted the supposedly new 2001 DuPont Paint scheme for Jeff Gordon and DuPont on the Paint Scheme Gallery. Not sure where it came from or originated but I had six(now 10) readers email it to me(11-24-2000)
    UPDATE 2: have confirmed that the car in the image is the new scheme of 2001, the car along with the #25 and #5(which can be partially seen on the image) were introduced to Hendrick Motorsports employees this past week in front of the HMS Museum. Also added a bunch of images including the #5 Frosted Flakes, #88 UPS, #15 Napa diecast images(11-25-2000)
    UPDATE 3: got two more images of the 2001 #24 DuPont Chevy and two real images of the #5 Kelloggs/Tony the Tiger Chevy to the Paint Scheme Gallery and found who took the picture of the original image(11-27-2000)

  • Hendrick Motorsports Double wins: Two drivers from Hendrick Motorsports have won at least one Winston Cup race for seven consecutive seasons. No other current multi-car team has done that.(Gordon 1994-2000, T Labonte 1994-1999 and Nadeau in 2000)(11-22-2000)

  • A Winning Bid & A Worthy Cause: Three-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon, along with Bombardier Recreational Products, maker of Sea-Doo watercraft and sport boats, presented a lucky fan with an autographed, special Sea-Doo GSX watercraft modeled after Gordon's No. 24 race car this past weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. See full story at TNN: Fan Wins Bid, Jeff Gordon Donates $50K(11-21-2000)

  • GMAC News: GMAC, a longtime member of the Hendrick family of racing sponsors, announced today a comprehensive sponsorship agreement with Hendrick Motorsports for 2001 that includes involvement in NASCAR’s Winston Cup, Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck Series. GMAC, which will expand its presence on Hendrick entries in NASCAR’s three major touring series, will be the primary sponsor on the #17 Chevrolet Silverado driven by Ricky Hendrick in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series as well as a major associate sponsor on the #24 Chevrolet of Jack Sprague. In 2001, netzero.com will assume primary sponsorship of the #24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet truck now driven by Sprague. Additionally, GMAC will also serve as the primary sponsor for Ricky Hendrick in a select number of NASCAR Busch Grand National and ARCA events during the 2001 season. Dennis Connor, the all-time winningest crew chief in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series history, will oversee the new GMAC racing operation, which will operate out of its own separate facility. And as it has since 1993, GMAC will continue to be an associate sponsor on all three HMS Winston Cup cars: the #24 DuPont Chevrolet driven by three-time champion Jeff Gordon, #5 Chevrolet of two-time champion Terry Labonte and the #25 UAW-Delphi Chevrolet of Jerry Nadeau(RaceWorks, LLC)(11-3-2000)

  • New HMS Building: Hendrick Motorsports Inc. will build an addition to its current racing facility, giving Winston Cup driver Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson their own building. It is estimated that the 85,000-square-foot building, to be constructed across the Hendrick complex in Harrisburg, NC will cost as much as $6 million. Gordon will share the new building with Johnson, who will join the Hendrick organization for the 2002 Winston Cup season(Business Journal)(10-30-2000)

  • More on the Gordon Appeal UPDATE: (See more on the story below) - #24 Team owner Rick Hendrick, who had lawyers help prepare the Gordon appeal, said he was considering appealing the issue to Charles D. Strang, NASCAR's national commissioner, a post used by NASCAR as the final arbitrator. Strang is a rarely seen figure in the NASCAR garage. He is in his late 70s and was the lead engineer for Carl Kiekhaefer in the 1950s, when Kiekhaefer's Mercurys(actually it was Chryslers, not Mercury's) were dominant on the NASCAR tour. He then spent 30 years running the Outboard Marine Corporation until retiring in 1996. Strang was given the post after the 1998 death of Bunky Knudsen, a well-known Detroit executive in the early years of NASCAR but who during his reign was almost never seen, although he did render verdicts(PitNow) AND from the Hendrick Motorsports Site and owner Rick Hendrick: "We are disappointed in the decision concerning our appeal. We felt we presented a strong case that NASCAR clearly indicated to us and other GM teams that there was no issue with the use of magnesium in intake manifolds. Unfortunately, the NASCAR rulebook is very vague concerning what constitutes an approval and we feel that there needs to be some clarification of this to prevent these types of situations from occurring in the future. As we’ve said before, use of the part in question did not give us a competitive advantage and should in no way detract from the team’s victory at Richmond. There is one further step in the appeals process and we are trying to make a decision concerning any future action at this time"(9-30-2000)
    UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said Monday that he will make no further appeal of NASCAR's penalty imposed on Jeff Gordon's team following Gordon's win in the Sept. 9 race at Richmond(That's Racin')(10-2-2000)

  • Gordon, Manifold, Appeal UPDATE 5 Appeal fails, Penalty Upheld: #24-Jeff Gordon and his team will face a NASCAR appeals panel either this week or next in the case of their use of a magnesium intake manifold. And General Motors racing people may be in the dock, too, because the part in question was a GM-manufactured piece(PitNow)(9-20-2000)
    UPDATE: NASCAR has announced that the appeal hearing requested by Hendrick Motorsports has been set for Thursday, Sept. 28th - no mention of what time(NOL)(9-21-2000)
    UPDATE 2: if Hendrick Motorsports wins its appeal over Jeff Gordon's intake manifold this week, the driver will move into ninth in the drivers and owners points standings(Times-Dispatch)(9-26-2000)
    UPDATE 3: the appeal will happen today(9-28) no word on when a verdict will be announced
    UPDATE 4: The Hendrick Motorsports appeal of NASCAR penalties levied after Jeff Gordon won the Chevrolet 400 at Richmond was heard on Tuesday. There was no announcement from the stock-car racing sanctioning body on when a decision was expected(That's Racin')(9-28-2000)
    UPDATE 5: hearing it was just announced at Martinsville that the fine/penalty will stand. Yes the appeal has failed and the fine and penalty(100 points) will stand. See full stories at That's Racin', NOL and SpeedVision. That's Racin' has the Commission statement on team's appeal from NASCAR(9-29-2000)

  • Johnson Returns to Hendrick: Former VP of Hendrick Motorsports, Jimmy Johnson (not to be confused with recently signed driver Jimmie Johnson), is back with Hendrick. Not as VP but with the race teams on acquiring and servicing the organization's sponsor(Winston Cup Scene)(9-29-2000)

  • No More Rainbow on the #24? UPDATE: Following this season, the paint scheme that Jeff Gordon has taken to 52 victories and three Winston Cup championships will not be seen on the racetrack again. Gordon's #24 Chevy will feature a new DuPont paint scheme next season(Gordonline)(8-28-2000)
    UPDATE: There was a brief sneak peak at the #24 DuPont Chevrolet for 2001. Yes, the paint scheme is different. At first glance there are some similarities to the current paint scheme. The concept car is same blue and neon red as the current version, but it has the addition of flames. Time will tell if that is the final version or whether additional changes will be made(Gordonline) NO IMAGE (9-28-2000)

  • New Hendrick Driver? UPDATE: hearing #92 BGN driver, Jimmie Johnson, will do testing for Hendrick Motorsports(HMS) in 2001 and run in Cup for HMS in 2002, a fourth HMS team?...but would still run in the BGN with the #92 Herzog Motorsports team in 2001
    UPDATE: Jimmie Johnson has signed with Hendrick Motorsports as driver for a full-time Cup team in 2002, Hendrick Motorsports CEO Rick Hendrick announced today. Johnson, who currently drives the #92 Alltel Chevy owned by Herzog Motorsports on the BGN, will compete in four Winston Cup events for Hendrick Motorsports next season before assuming full-time driving duties in 2002. In addition to four Winston Cup races, Johnson will run a full Busch schedule next season with his team at Herzog Motorsports(Hendrick Motorsports Site)(9-22-2000)

  • Gordon Milestone: #24-Jeff Gordon will make his 250th NASCAR Winston Cup Series start in Sunday's MBNA.com 400 at Dover(NOL)(9-23-2000)

  • Gordon's Engine...problem?? UPDATE 6 THE PENALTY, the Appeal, the reactions: am hearing that NASCAR officials said Sunday morning during post-race inspection that it found “issues” with the engine of Jeff Gordon’s car. Gordon won the Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday night. Racing officials said “issues” with the #24 DuPont Chevy’s intake manifold. The "issues" will not affect the race’s official results, and any possible penalties will not be announced before Monday(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
    UPDATE: also see story on SpeedVision: 'Issues' Found in Gordon's Engine by Ben Blake; AND the LTN Hour Radio Show reported the intake was made of magnesium, which would make it lighter. They will probably fine the team and possibly deduct points(9-10-2000)
    UPDATE 2: Winston Cup officials impounded the intake manifold from Jeff Gordon's winning car at Richmond after finding an "issue" with the piece during the post-race inspection early Sunday morning. A NASCAR spokesperson said the outcome of Saturday night's race at will not be affected if something is found wrong with the intake manifold. An announcement could come today(Monday) on NASCAR's findings. If something is found to be wrong, NASCAR officials could issue a fine and take away driver and car owner points. Kevin Triplett, NASCAR's director of operations, said series officials will further study the intake manifold, which helps the air flow into the engine and provide horsepower. Triplett would not say what the issue with the intake manifold is. Crew Chief Robbie Loomis thinks it is "just a thing with the manufacturer"(Roanoke Times)(9-11-2000)
    UPDATE 3: NASCAR doesn't take away Winston Cup victories. That won't be any different whenever NASCAR gets around to announcing penalties against Jeff Gordon's race team for having an unapproved intake manifold on the #24 Chevy that won Saturday night's race at Richmond(That's Racin')
    UPDATE 4: Jeff Gordon was interviewed on the John Boy & Billy radio show Tuesday morning and said the part in question wasn't a Hendrick part, but manufactured by General Motors. Gordon said the team has been using the intake since May and that it has been through inspection before and never questioned. Gordon said that the measurements are not what is in question and that as far as the #24 team is concerned, it's perfectly legal
    UPDATE - THE PENALTY: NASCAR officials announced today they have levied penalties for rules violations found during post-race inspection following the September 9, 2000 Cup race at Richmond. Robbie Loomis, crew chief for the #24 NASCAR Winston Cup Series team, has been fined $25,000 for violations of the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup Series rule book, Section 12-4-Q: "Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the parts and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform... or have not been approved by NASCAR..." In addition to the fine, Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 car, will suffer a loss of 100 driver points. A reduction of 100 owner points also has been levied against team owner, Rick Hendrick. "The General Motors intake manifold that the #24 team used during Saturday night's race in Richmond has not been approved," said Mike Helton, NASCAR's Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. "The GM part number on the casting was the same, however, a different material was used which altered the properties of the casting. "The changed casting was not resubmitted by GM for NASCAR's approval in accordance with our procedures."(NASCAR PR). I have made the adjustment to the Drivers Points and the Owners Points chart on the Provisional page. Gordon still retains 10th place in Drivers and Owners points with 3070 (down from 3170).
    AND from Hendrick Motorpsorts: "We have notified NASCAR that we will appeal the penalty imposed on the No. 24 team following our victory Saturday night in Richmond. Not only do we feel a full hearing on the facts will exonerate our team from any intentional wrong doing, but it will remove any cloud of suspicion cast over a great victory." See full story at the Hendrick Motorsports Site(9-12-2000)
    UPDATE 6 - GM's Response: see it at That's Racin': Text of General Motors Racing's response.(9-13-2000)

  • Man of the Year: Jeff Gordon is the third-quarter nominee for NASCAR's Man of the Year award, which recognizes a driver for his contributions to the community off the race track. Ward Burton was the first-quarter nominee and Jeff Burton was the second-quarter selection. The winner of the year's award gets $100,000 to be split between the winner and his designated charity(That's Racin')(9-6-2000)

  • No More Rainbow on the #24? Following this season, the paint scheme that Jeff Gordon has taken to 51 victories and three Winston Cup championships will not be seen on the racetrack again. Gordon's #24 Chevy will feature a new DuPont paint scheme next season(Gordonline)(8-28-2000)

  • Gordon vs Stewart UPDATE 2: Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart ruined their chances at victory in Sunday's Global Crossing @ The Glen when they ran into each other on Lap 2 of the 90-lap race while battling for position, after the race, the two drivers had word: See full story at That's Racin'
    UPDATE: from NOL: Stewart, Gordon renew love vows by Marty Smith(8-14-2000)
    UPDATE 2: from That's Racin' - Stewart, Gordon move on after confrontation including: In an interview with ESPN before he left the track, Stewart took responsibility for the accident. "It was my fault," he said. "I slid into him. I was the guy that made contact with him. He didn't hit me. It wasn't intentional. I got up there and I lost the back end and slid into him." (8-16-2000)

  • Did ya know? last years victory at Watkins Glen by Jeff Gordon was former crew chief Ray Evernham's last win with Gordon and as a crew chief in Winston Cup. Evernham now leads Dodge's effort in it's 2001 season comeback(ESPN2's NASCAR 2Day)(8-13-2000)

  • HMS Change: Andy Papathanassiou, who had been the pit crew coach for Jeff Gordon's Rainbow Warriors since the team's inception in 1992, was recently promoted to Human Resources Manager at Hendrick Motorsports. Papathanassiou has a master's degree in organizational behavior from Stanford and is uniquely qualified for his new position. Greg Miller has taken over as pit crew coach for the Rainbow Warriors. Miller is responsible for running the weekly pit crew practice sessions and organizing the strength and conditioning program(Gordonline)(7-23-2000)

  • Celebrity Deathmatch Results: Just in case you missed it, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon were paired up in Thursday night’s episode of MTV’s Celebrity Deathmatch, in which Claymation® caricatures of famous people are pitted against each other in what are normally very gory wrestling matches(SpeedVision)(7-7-2000)

  • Pepsi back in Cup..as a primary sponsor: PepsiCo, Inc. announced a five-year agreement with Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports involving all three of its divisions: Pepsi-Cola, Frito-Lay and Tropicana. Under the new agreement, which begins in 2001, Gordon will race the #24 Pepsi car in two Winston Cup races per season, marking the first time Pepsi has raced a car in the Winston Cup Series since 1983. Pepsi also will continue to work with Gordon on promotional activities and as a major associate sponsor of the #24 Dupont car. Frito-Lay and its Fritos brand will sponsor the Pepsi car in its Winston Cup races and will continue to work with Gordon on promotional activities and as a major associate sponsor of the #24 Dupont car. The new agreement will give Tropicana the opportunity to work with Gordon for the first time(Jeff Gordon site/Yahoo Biz). Doesn't mention the BGN team, but from what I hear is that Ricky Hendrick will drive the #24 Chevy full time in the BGN series in 2001 with GMAC as the sponsor. Also hearing the Pepsi scheme will run at the two Pepsi 400's, Daytona and Michigan. DuPont will still be on the 1/4 panels of the car(6-30-2000)

  • Rusty Tied UPDATE add Gordon: Rusty Wallace is tied with Richard Petty and Bobby Allison with the most career wins on a road course. Also Jeff Gordon has five and can tie the trio with a win at Sears Point and Rusty can take the career leadership(6-24-2000)
    UPDATE: Gordon now ties Wallace, Petty and Allison for having the most career road course wins(6-25-2000)

  • Gordon and Snoopy? UPDATE 4: hearing #24-Jeff Gordon will run a Snoopy (from the Peanut's comic strip) in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona and/or the Brickyard 400, no official word on what the occasion is. Supposedly the car will be light metallic blue with yellow highlights, Snoopy on the hood and quarterpanels(5-29-2000)
    UPDATE: I hear these will not be the colors but the car will run at the Brickyard 400(5-30-2000)
    UPDATE 2: here is more on this scheme - the car will have a dark blue roof, fading into light blue sides with grass decal around the bottom of the #24 Chevy. Snoopy as Joe Cool character painting(DuPont paint?) his doghouse on hood and as the Red Baron fighting character on the quarters. Even have a Woodstock jack marker(instead of the arrow). The car will supposedly be introduced at Sears Point in June and hearing it will be run at the Brickyard 400. The reason? To commemorate the 50th year for Peanuts and as a tribute to them and the Peanuts creator, the late Charles Schulz(5-31-2000)
    UPDATE 3: Hearing the Peanuts Brickyard scheme will be announced at Sears Point on Friday(6-22-2000)
    UPDATE 4 announcement and image: Jeff Gordon, DuPont and Hendrick Motorsports have teamed up with United Media to pay tribute to one of America's most beloved cartoonists, Charles Schulz. This paint scheme not only honors the amazing work of Schulz, but also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Peanuts comic strip. The Peanuts-themed car was unveiled at Sears Point Raceway today and will have a pre-race unveiling to be held trackside on Sunday. The DuPont/Peanuts Monte Carlo will race the Brickyard 400 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on August 5th. See the full story and image on the Jeff Gordon website(6-23-2000)

  • New Dodge Engine Help? Charlie Seegers, the engine specialist who helped Jeff Gordon to three Winston Cup championships under Ray Evernham, has begun working on Evernham's Dodge team, according to Dodge sources(PitNow)(6-17-2000)

  • Gordon and Snoopy? UPDATE 2: hearing #24-Jeff Gordon will run a Snoopy (from the Peanut's comic strip) in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona and/or the Brickyard 400, no official word on what the occasion is. Supposedly the car will be light metallic blue with yellow highlights, Snoopy on the hood and quarterpanels(5-29-2000)
    UPDATE: I hear these will not be the colors but the car will run at the Brickyard 400(5-30-2000)
    UPDATE 2: here is more on this scheme - the car will have a dark blue roof, fading into light blue sides with grass decal around the bottom of the #24 Chevy. Snoopy as Joe Cool character painting(DuPont paint?) his doghouse on hood and as the Red Baron character on the quarters. Even have a Woodstock jack marker(instead of the arrow). The car will supposedly be introduced at Sears Point in June and hearing it will be run at the Brickyard 400. The reason? To commemorate the 50th year for Peanuts and as a tribute to them and the Peanuts creator, the late Charles Schulz(5-31-2000)

  • Flock moves ahead of Gordon UPDATE 2: Jeff Gordon has fallen back to second place in all-time Winston Cup winning percentages, behind Tim Flock. Flock, a 1950s-era star, won 40 races in 187 starts - a percentage of .2139. Gordon's 50 wins in 234 starts is a percentage of .2136. (Speed Magazine)(5-28-2000)

  • Gordon/DuPont thru 2005 UPDATE: Jeff Gordon will stay with DuPont as his sponsor on the #24 Chevy through 2005, DuPont, Jeff and Hendrick Motorsports announced Tuesday. To celebrate the new sponsorship agreement, DuPont unveiled the #24 "Signature Car", with a distinctive DuPont Automotive Finishes paint scheme. The signatures of Jeff Gordon, Lou Savelli, president of DuPont Performance Coatings, and Rick Hendrick, founder of Hendrick Motorsports, along with "May 24, 2000" were added to the hood. Jeff will race the signature car in the 600-mile Winston Cup race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in the Coca Cola 600 this Sunday(DuPont Site) See a image of the scheme, very similar to the Winston Scheme on the Paint Scheme Gallery page(be warned, it's a tiny image(5-24-2000)
    UPDATE: Sources in the Winston Cup garage estimate the deal, which runs through 2005, will pay Gordon's team somewhere in the $15 million range annually. DuPont, which began the sponsorship for Gordon's rookie year in 1993 using just its automotive paint business, now puts the bulk of its entire worldwide marketing effort into the No. 24 team(News and Observer)(5-25-2000)

  • Cookoff UPDATE the winner: The qualifying round took place today in the garage area for the Coleman NASCAR Team Grilling Challenge, see the six finalists and more info on my Racing Charities page
    UPDATE: Team #24's Mary Whitesell has been named the top team grillmaster among the Winston Cup team cooks in the inaugural Coleman Team Grilling Challenge which was held today at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. Mary was awarded $5,000 and The Winston Cup Wives Auxiliary received $5,000 on behalf of Mary and Coleman Grills(5-25-2000)

  • Gordon Awarded: Jeff Gordon received an award Friday from for his contributions to boating safety. Bombardier Recreational Products, maker of SEA-DOO watercraft and sport boats, presented Gordon with a special edition SEA-DOO GSX model watercraft custom painted in the familiar rainbow colors of his 24 car and autographed by Gordon. Over the past five years, Gordon teamed up with Bombardier to film public service announcements for the SEA-DOO. The rainbow-colored SEA-DOO will be on display in Demo Day markets to help raise awareness for boating safety. Gordon's watercraft will be auctioned on eBay starting July 21, with all proceeds going to the "Jeff Gordon Foundation."(NBC 6 Charlotte Site)(5-19-2000)

  • Gordon on TV starts May 16th: Jeff Gordon visited Homestead-Miami Speedway on Thursday to film several segments for ABC's Good Morning America. The segments will air Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (May 16-18). Gordon took time from the filming to meet with 94.9 ZETA personality Toast, and took him for a few laps of the track in the Homestead-Miami Speedway pace car. Toast recently challenged NASCAR racing in on-air comments, and Gordon took time to explain the finer aspects of the sport. Gordon also did live on-air interviews with Glenn Richards and Ron Brewer (morning show host Paul Castronovo was absent due to the delivery of his first child)(Homestead-Miami Speedway PR)(5-13/16-2000)

  • Kelloggs and Gordon: Taking its 35-year-old Kellogg's Apple Jacks cereal to the fast track, the company has introduced Kellogg's Racing Apple Jacks cereal, with NASCAR's Jeff Gordon pictured on the box. The new Kellogg's Racing Apple Jacks limited edition cereal, now on grocery shelves through mid-June, features the addition of red and blue and yellow and red swirled ``Jacks.'' The package shines with patterned holographic rainbow foil and embossing and includes a NASCAR schedule on the back(Yahoo Biz)(5-8-2000)

  • Gordon Walks: On Friday, April 28, Jeff Gordon was inducted into California Speedway's "Walk of Fame" for the second time in his career. The speedway commemorates each Winston Cup winner at the track with a plaque in the Walk Of Fame the following year. Gordon, also won at California in 1997(Gordonline)(5-3-2000)

  • Winston Paint: #24-Jeff Gordon as we all know will be something at the Winston, not Pokemon, I hear it will be announced three days before the Winston and they are doing their best to keep it quiet, but I hear it will a sort of reverse DuPont scheme with different stripes of some sort and be called "The End of the Rainbow"(4-22-2000)

  • Gordon the Youngest Cup driver to reach 50 career wins. #24-Jeff Gordon is the youngest driver to reach the 50 career win mark at 28 years 8 months old. Richard Petty was a year older when he won his 50th in 1967. Lee Petty was the oldest at 46. And the fastest too, Gordon won his 50th in only 232 races, Dale Earnhardt did it in 369(not 278) races, Richard Petty did in 332 races(4-17-2000)

  • Gordon and the Winston: hearing that Jeff Gordon will run a Pokemon scheme in the Winston, getting many questions on this rumor, this is all I know(3-22-2000)
    UPDATE: hearing it won't be Pokemon but a DuPont car, and is many different colors with different stripes on the hood. Had a Pokemon car posted, ended up being a fake and it has been deleted(4-15-2000)

  • Gordon Streak is over: Jeff Gordon had gone 12 races without a Top-Five finish, but his 4th place at Martinsville ends that streak(4-9-2000)

  • Talladega Testing UPDATE 2: hearing Jeff Gordon is testing the #24 Chevy at Talladega today and Wednesday(3-28-2000)
    UPDATE: hearing Gordon rans speeds in the 184mph range which would be much slower then last October(3-30-2000)
    UPDATE 2: Jeff Gordon wrapped up a rain-shortened two-day test session at Talladega on Wednesday. Gordon’s #24 team spent a majority of the time testing a new Monte Carlo that it will apparently use in the April 16 DieHard 500. The team spent most of their first day taking numerous baseline measurements, and had intended to begin testing their new superspeedway setup. Weather conditions have posed a significant challenge to Gordon’s team, as the start of their second test day was delayed until 1pm due to inclement conditions.(Talladega Superspeedway Site)(3-31-2000)

  • Paint Schemes UPDATE 2: hearing that Mark Martin will run a "New Life" schemes and Terry Labonte a "Fruit Loops" schemes, have not heard where, but Labonte has run schemes before at Michigan Speedway, near the headquarters of Kelloggs. No idea what "New Life" represents. Also hearing that Jeff Gordon will run a Pokemon scheme in the Winston(3-22-2000)

  • Gordon and the Winston: Also hearing that Jeff Gordon will run a Pokemon scheme in the Winston, this was is the above story but folks kept missing it, so I'll post it by itself(3-22-2000)

  • Hendrick Comments: Rick Hendrick, owner of the Chevrolets of Jeff Gordon, Jerry Nadeau and Terry Labonte, said Sunday if NASCAR plans to make more rules changes - including a move to common templates - it should give teams plenty of time to prepare. See full story at That's Racin'(3-20-2000)

  • Hendrick and Cicci-Weliver Alliance: Hendrick Motorsports announced a new partnership with Cicci-Welliver Racing(BGN teams #'s 34,36,66) designed to enhance the performance of both organization’s BGN teams. As part of the exclusive agreement, the two organizations will share aerodynamic, chassis and certain technical information as well as participate together in in-house testing sessions and those held at outside facilities. They may also join forces to test during a limited number of Winston Cup races using Cicci-Welliver drivers. Hendrick Motorsports will provide Cicci-Welliver access to chassis and engine dyno testing facilities, key personnel and wind tunnel results throughout the season(David Green Site)(3-17-2000)

  • Earnhardt/Gordon on Forbes: Forbes Magazine (3-20-00) issue has listed Dale Earnhardt on its Power 100 list of the top 100 most powerful celebrities and athletes. For its second annual ranking of 100 highly paid celebrities, FORBES quantifies stardom by adding up a year's worth of earnings, media glare and, of course, Internet attention. Earnhardt ranked 36th on the FORBES Power list with an estimated 26.5 million in earnings, 29,754 web hits, 11,537 press clippings. He is ranked 39th on the money ranking. Earnhardt has made the POWER list in both years of its existences(Champion PR). Something I overlooked was that Jeff Gordon is also on the list, ranked 47th on the FORBES Power list with an estimated 17.0 million in earnings, 29,364 web hits, 13,649 press clippings. He is ranked 54th on the money ranking, see that list at Forbes site 41-50(3-9-2000)

  • Gordon Streak: Jeff Gordon has gone eight races without a top-five finish. That's the longest streak of his 226-race Winston Cup career(News and Observer)(3-6-2000)

  • Sat AM Practice wreck: During practice, Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon, tangled on the track, causing slight damage to both cars. Earnhardt's car had some damage to the nose. Gordon scratched the wall. Both cars were to be repaired(SpeedVision)(3-4-2000)

  • Rear Windows? UPDATE: not sure why, but have heard that the NASCAR inspectors made all three Hendrick cars change the rear window's at Rockingham(3-2-2000) -- UPDATE: hear the problems were minor but the template would not fit correctly, so the windows has to be swapped out, no fines or anything like that(3-3/4-2000)

  • Gordon's Spoiler? UPDATE 2: Favorable treatment for Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR inspection station? That was the complaint among some rivals in the garage after NASCAR made a "no-call" on a rear spoiler violation in Friday's pole runs. NASCAR requires cars to run a 45-degree rear spoiler here, but the left side of Gordon's rear spoiler measured 42 1/2 degrees after his run. NASCAR said it didn't see any performance gain(PitNow) AND Although his rear spoiler violated NASCAR rules when it was measured after he ran, officials took no action against Jeff Gordon after his qualifying run Saturday(The Ledger)(2-14-2000) -- UPDATE: not sure what to make from this but hearing that Gordon's car supposedly had "an illegal part related to the fuel system", during qualifying, have not found any further info on it, not sure what the part is, and it didn't seem to help at all(25th fastest)(2-17-2000) -- UPDATE 2: from what I hear the NASCAR inspectors had a question about the fuel filter. They team made it themselves which raise suspicion but there was nothing wrong with it though, just a plain in line screen filter and NASCAR had no problems with it after examining it(2-22-2000)

  • Gordon's Spoiler? UPDATE 2: Favorable treatment for Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR inspection station? That was the complaint among some rivals in the garage after NASCAR made a "no-call" on a rear spoiler violation in Friday's pole runs. NASCAR requires cars to run a 45-degree rear spoiler here, but the left side of Gordon's rear spoiler measured 42 1/2 degrees after his run. NASCAR said it didn't see any performance gain(PitNow) AND Although his rear spoiler violated NASCAR rules when it was measured after he ran, officials took no action against Jeff Gordon after his qualifying run Saturday(The Ledger)(2-14-2000) -- UPDATE: not sure what to make from this but hearing that Gordon's car supposedly had "an illegal part related to the fuel system", during qualifying, have not found any further info on it, not sure what the part is, and it didn't seem to help at all(25th fastest)(2-17-2000) -- UPDATE 2: from what I hear the NASCAR inspectors had a question about the fuel filter. They team made it themselves which raise suspicion but there was nothing wrong with it though, just a plain in line screen filter and NASCAR had no problems with it after examining it(2-22-2000)

  • Gordon's Spoiler? Favorable treatment for Jeff Gordon at the NASCAR inspection station? That was the complaint among some rivals in the garage after NASCAR made a "no-call" on a rear spoiler violation in Friday's pole runs. NASCAR requires cars to run a 45-degree rear spoiler here, but the left side of Gordon's rear spoiler measured 42 1/2 degrees after his run. NASCAR said it didn't see any performance gain(PitNow) AND Although his rear spoiler violated NASCAR rules when it was measured after he ran, officials took no action against Jeff Gordon after his qualifying run Saturday(The Ledger)(2-14-2000)

  • Engineer Moves: hearing that Scott Perman, senior design engineer at Roehrig Engineering(Joyner-Kersee Roehrig Motorsports), will be leaving to join Rex Stump and the engineering department at Hendrick Motorsports(2-4-2000)

  • Hendrick Back: Team owner Rick Hendrick is back at work at Hendrick Motorsport(#'s 5,24,25). He told the media that he has been off chemotherapy for six weeks now and that his cancer is in full remission and feels great(goRacing)(1-16-2000)

  • Gordon's BGN Team news: Jeff Gordon will be competing in the #24 Pepsi Chevy at Las Vegas (March 4), Texas (April 1), Charlotte (May 27), Michigan(August 19) and Homestead-Miami (November 11). Ricky Hendrick will race in 15 Busch Series races as well as 5 Busch North events in the 2000 season. No sponsorship has been announced. Jeff Gordon and BGN teammate Ricky Hendrick now are working from a new 15,000 sq-ft shop in the Denver Industrial Park. The #24 BGN team was previously housed in the former Gordon-Evernham Motorsports shop in Concord; that facility will become the primary engine shop for Evernham's new Dodge Motorsports Winston Cup effort. The #24 BGN team currently is busy building cars and staffing up for an expanded racing schedule in 2000. They competed in 10 races last year and are planning a 20-race schedule in 2000. The shop is located just off of U.S. Route 16 in the Denver Industrial Park, and fans and visitors are encouraged to stop by and take a tour. Six team members are currently working at the shop with plans to hire two more in the near future.(Tina's Jeff Gordon Newsletter and That's Racin')(1-4-2000)

  • Hendrick in Remission: Results of tests conducted this month have prompted Rick Hendrick's doctors to say he no longer needs chemotherapy and the disease(chronic myelogenous leukemia) can be declared to be in full remission. Hendrick own's the #5 Kelloggs, #24 Dupont and #25 Michael Holigan Chevy teams(ESPN/AP)(12-24-1999)

  • Rolex 24 at Daytona UPDATE 2: hearing that Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will run a CR5 Corvette in the Rolex 24 hours at Daytona.(RPM Diecast) -- UPDATE: not sure how true this is as I have heard from a Stewart spokesperson who says Tony Stewart is not running in the race -- UPDATE 2: looks like Racer Magazine has picked up on the story, see it at: Grand-Am – Gordon/Stewart/Earnhardt Jr. in a Corvette?.....It’s been rumored for some time that such a deal was in the works, and the rumor was confirmed today by Dave Hederich, General Motors’ Director of Communications for Motorsports. Hederich described the idea as a ‘wouldn’t it be nice?’, back-burner concept that had been under discussion for some time, and added that it would be more likely for 2001 than 2000(12-21-1999)

  • Gordon Tests: I hear Jeff Gordon and new crew chief Robbie Loomis tested a 1999 #24 Chevy at the Greenville-Pickens(SC) Speedway(MRM)(12-15-1999)

  • Gordon Paint: Jeff Gordon will be driving a Special Silver to Blue "Chromalusion" 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo at the 2000 Daytona 500 and feature the NASCAR 2000 logo on the hood of the car(RPM Diecast)(12-15-1999)

  • New #24 Crew Chief UPDATE: wow, here is a shocker....Hendrick Motorsports announced that #43 crew chief Robbie Loomis has been named crew chief for the #24 DuPont team and driver Jeff Gordon. Brian Whitesell, who took over the crew chief duties when Ray Evernham left at midseason, has been promoted to the position of team manager(NOL), no word on who will take Loomis' place but Doug Hewitt was recently reassigned after being Kyle Petty's crew chief in 1999 on the #44 team. Also see the story at the TNN Motorsports site: Loomis Crewchief, Whitesell Team Manager and from Racer Magazine: Greg Steadman, Loomis' right-hand man at Petty's the past couple years, is the likely choice to take over #43, Petty insiders say. Kyle Petty's #44 still is seeking a crew chief, following the elevation of Doug Hewitt to project manager. The move came about suddenly, sources said. Richard Petty was headed to San Francisco for the Craftsman Truck Series banquet and could not be reached. Kyle Petty was said to be planning to meet with Petty team members Wednesday. As for Hewitt's status with Petty, sources said he is "indirectly" working on development of a Petty Dodge, "depending on whether that deal goes through." Richard and Kyle Petty have been debating for weeks whether to stay with Pontiac or accept overtures from Dodge for 2001. And a few days ago from That's Racin' it was reported: Petty Enterprises has moved Greg Steadman into crew chief position for Kyle Petty's #44 Hot Wheels Pontiacs. Steadman, who has worked in recent years with Robbie Loomis, crew chief with John Andretti's #43 Pontiacs, replaces Doug Hewitt, who will take another position within Petty Enterprises(12-3) and finally? a Press Release from Hendrick Motorsports(12-7-1999) -- UPDATE: sources tell me that Greg Steadman will assume the crew chief role on the #43 and Petty Enterprises will promote from within for the vacant #44 crew chief job(12-8-1999)

  • Gordon Ice Cream? Whoops.. Edy's Grand Ice Cream, mindful that Jeff Gordon has been eating its product since he was a child, is attempting to come up with a new ice cream flavor in Gordon's honor and wants help from fans. For further information, see the Edy's Website(Country Cool)(12-3-1999) -- sorry folks this ended Nov 30th, I should have checked it out better(12-4-1999)

  • Gordon to DeHart? hearing Jeff Gordon will move his #24 Pepsi BGN team to Gary DeHart's shop. DeHart returns to Hendrick Motorsports as the crew chief(and the Team Mgr) for the #5 Kelloggs Chevy and driver Terry Labonte(11-29-1999)

  • Gordon Offer: Jeff Gordon has extended an offer to purchase Ray Evernham's interest in the Gordon-Evernham Motorsports(GEM) BGN team(SpeedVision)(11-22-1999)

  • More Engines? hearing something is amiss in the Hendrick Motorsports department, more to follow as I hear it(11-17-1999)

  • The Nomads Salary? the five crewmen formally to be known as the Rainbow warriors who are going to the #88 RYR team in 2000, Barry Muse, jack man; Mike Trower, front tire changer; Kevin Gilman, rear tire changer; AND Jeff Knight and Darren Jolly, tire carriers -- will continue in the same roles for Robert Yates Racing. A source close to the crew said their base salaries on race day were bumped from $200 at Hendrick's to $550 at RYR(SpeedVision)(11-16-1999)

  • Warriors or Nomads? Catchfence.com is reporting that the five pit crew members from the #24 team that will be joining the #88 team in 2000 will only stay one year as Catchfence hears that they will be joining Ray Evernham in 2001(Catchfence)(11-14-1999)

  • Gordon-Evernham Split UPDATE: The Pepsi-sponsored NASCAR Busch series team co-owned by driver Jeff Gordon and his ex-crew chief, Ray Evernham, will not continue as planned into 2000 with Evernham as a co-owner, despite the team's first victory last Saturday in Phoenix. See full story at Racer Magazine(11-12-1999) -- UPDATE: After the win at Phoenix,while the car was being torn down in post-race inspection, Gordon told Evernham that it would be best to end the partnership. "He just told me that he didn't feel comfortable working with me anymore," Evernham said Friday from his shop in Harrisburg, N.C. "He told me he wanted to offer to buy me out, and I have not spoken to him since. "But whatever he wants to do is fine. I'm not upset." Gordon, at Homestead-Miami Speedway for Sunday's Pennzoil 400, said that "nothing is set in stone." But with Evernham entrusted with developing the Dodge Intrepid for Winston Cup racing in 2001, and the Gordon-Evernham Busch team running Chevrolets, it wasn't difficult to see that there could be problems(News and Observer)(11-13-1999)

  • Gordon/Earnhardt Jr win: Jeff Gordon won the BGN event at Phoenix, his first win in the series since 1992(he left the series after the 1992 season). Dale Earnhardt, unofficially, clinched the BGN championship(11-7-1999)

  • Hendrick Honored: Rick and Linda Hendrick received the Leadership for Life Award from The Marrow Foundation for their work on behalf of the National Marrow Donor Program. After Hendrick, founder of Hendrick Motorsports, was diagnosed with leukemia in 1996, he began the Hendrick Marrow Program to encourage volunteers to have their names added to the national donor program's registry. More than 20,000 have done just that, with money raised by the Hendrick program paying for the cost of tissue typing many of those(That's Racin')(11-3-1999)

  • Rainbow Warriors, gone? UPDATE 2 yep(some of them): not sure what to think of this rumor, it's from a few very good sources but seems a bit odd, anyhow, here it is: Hearing that Robert Yates Racing has hired the entire "Rainbow Warrior" crew to do pit stops for the #88 team and Dale Jarrett in 2000, so that his mechanics can stay home on weekends -- UPDATE: just got this - Robert Yates Racing has acquired the services of five new team members for the 2000 NASCAR Winston Cup season, team owner Robert Yates announced today. Barry Muse, Mike Trower, Kevin Gilman, Jeff Knight and Darren Jolly will primarily serve as the pit crew for Dale Jarrett's #88 Quality Care Service/Ford Credit Taurus. "This opportunity was presented to us earlier this year and after much thought between myself, Todd (Parrott, crew chief ) and Dale (Jarrett), we elected to take advantage of it," Yates said. "This sport has been driven to the point where every situation tends to get more specialized. We compared notes and felt this would be a positive move. When a job is performance driven, it's only smart to have specialized people in those positions. "Not only will this allow our guys that have been in these positions each and every weekend to concentrate on doing what they are assigned better, but more efficiently. This was just the next step to take." The five new members will continue their same responsibilities for the #88 team, as they have carried out in the past with Hendrick Motorsports, pitting the #24 car, driven by Jeff Gordon. Muse - jackman, Trower - front tire changer, Gilman - rear tire changer, while Knight and Jolly are tire carriers. Rob Cappetta, Robert McInnis and Jason Burdett will remain as the gas man, second gas man and catch can, respectively(TNN Motorsports)(11-1-1999) and see the Racer Magazine Column: Over the Rainbow(11-2-1999)

  • Gordon BGN: Jeff Gordon will attempt one more Busch Grand National race in 1999. Gordon will drive the #24 Pepsi sponsored car at Phoenix on Saturday, November 6th(Tina's Jeff Gordon Site)(10-28-1999)

  • Wind Tunnel UPDATE: Reynard Motorsport Inc. announced today that it has joined forces with Roger Penske to construct a purpose-built, NASCAR-specific wind tunnel in Mooresville, N.C., for the development of vehicles in the Winston Cup, Busch Grand National and Craftsman Truck series. See full story at Racer Magazine(10-25-1999) -- UPDATE: GM has been promising for two years to build a wind tunnel near Rick Hendrick's shop in Concord for NASCAR teams' use. Now, Chrysler's Dodge operation is planning to build a wind tunnel in the heart of stock-car country, somewhere near Mooresville. Chrysler has no high-speed wind tunnel such as the Lockheed tunnel near Atlanta. The company is building one, but it won't be ready until probably 2001 or 2002. Building a wind tunnel is a $20 million-plus proposition, and it's unclear how long it might take Dodge to get such a NASCAR project completed(PitNow)(10-26-1999)

  • Gordon Book: A new racing book titled, Jeff Gordon: An Unauthorized Biography of the Three-Time Winston Cup Champion is supposed to hit the bookstores sometime in the next few weeks. Written by Gary L. Thomas, the book promises to "uncover the story behind this seemingly humble man and his incredible racing talent. It also looks at the key races that have formed his amazing career, his successful racing strategies, and the behind-the-scenes workings of the sport of racing." The book will also contain "rare photos" and "firsthand interviews with Jeff's mother and stepfather, as well as many other friends and relatives."(Tennessean) Looks like it's out, have it listed on my Racing Bookstore page(10-19-1999)

  • Gordon Scheme UPDATE 2: Jeff Gordon will run a special one-race only paint scheme in the Jiffy Lube 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 14. The theme is "NASCAR Racers," an educational cartoon show that will begin airing next year. See the image at: Gordonline(9-19-1999) -- UPDATE: Jeff Gordon and his Rainbow Warriors team will sport some new colors at next month's inaugural Pennzoil 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The #24 car will feature a character from a new Fox Kids cartoon called NASCAR Racers, set for release on the big screen next month and to debut on television in February. Gordon's character is Charger. That's Mark ``Charger'' McCutchen who, according to a Fox Kids' release about the show, is one of four heroes in the animated adventure and "has NASCAR literally racing through his blood."(That's Racin')(10-14-1999) -- UPDATE 2: Besides Gordon, Kenny Wallace, Bobby Labonte and Terry Labonte will be the three other "NASCAR Racers" special paints at Homestead(10-15-1999)

  • Pit Road Move: about the Skinner and Gordon's Pit Controversy: NASCAR officials said there were no written rules governing Gordon's pit-road move. "That's something that they'll have to settle between themselves," said Tim Sullivan, a spokesman for NASCAR. "Neither of them was speeding on pit road, thus no penalty was handed out."(AP)(10-13-1999)

  • Evernham at Track: former #24 Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Ray Evernham was back at the track Thursday, helping the Busch Grand National team he co-owns with Jeff Gordon qualify for Saturday's All Pro Bumper-to-Bumper 300(News and Observer)(10-8-1999)

  • Gordon's Hendrick Future UPDATE: #24 Driver Jeff Gordon, three-time Winston Cup champion with Hendrick Motorsports, will assume some share of ownership in the NASCAR racing teams, acting team manager John Hendrick confirmed Friday. The team has scheduled a press conference for Wednesday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway(Racer Magazine)(10-2-1999) -- UPDATE: not fooling around on this deal -- Jeff Gordon signed a lifetime agreement unparalleled in NASCAR Winston Cup history. Gordon and Rick Hendrick said that the agreement will be effective January 1, 2000 and will continue for the duration of Gordon's motorsports career. It assures his ongoing role as driver for the #24 Hendrick Motorspoits team and as a business partner with the team for the future. Under terms of the long-term contract, Gordon will become an equity partner in the Hendrick 24 team. It will continue to be operated as part of the three car Winston Cup operation fielded by Hendrick Motorsports, Hendrick said(Hendrick Motorsports Site)(10-6-1999)

  • Good News: #5,24 and 35 Cup team owner, Rick Hendrick is 100% in remission from his leukemia and 60 days from ending his medication, his brother, John, said yesterday. In fact, it was Rick Hendrick who handled the contract talks with (former)crew chief Ray Evernham last week. The owner of Hendrick Motorsports has been undergoing treatment after being diagnosed with leukemia in late 1996. Company President John Hendrick said the talks took their toll on Rick which resulted in Rick Hendrick releasing Evernham from his seven-year contract to work as Jeff Gordon's crew chief. Hendrick said the team had negotiated a deal with Evernham to move into management and had planned a press conference for next week at Charlotte. John Hendrick said that Evernham notified them last week that he had changed his mind. His release took effect Wednesday, and Brian Whitesell has taken over as Gordon's crew chief(Times-Dispatch)(10-2-1999)

  • RPM2Nite Evernham Interview UPDATE-LISTEN: Most of the show was dedicated to Ray Evernham and John Kernan interviewed Evernham, some of the things covered: Rick and John Hendrick offered Evernham a larger role and a management position in Hendrick Motorsports, there was no friction between the Hendricks or the crew about Evernham's decision, Evernham will still be partners with Jeff Gordon with their #24 Pepsi BGN team, and when asked about the Chrysler rumors: Evernham said he had to "Dodge that question", anyhow it was a good interview(9-30-1999) -- UPDATE: you can listen to the interview at the ESPN NASCAR Page(10-1-1999)

  • The Official Release from Hendrick: Hendrick Motorsports Honors Evernham Request, Promotes Whitesell with information about Ray Evernham's release and about new crew chief Brian Whitesell(9-30-1999)

  • It's Official - Evernham Released: Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick announced Wednesday he has granted Jeff Gordon's crew chief, Ray Evernham, a provisional release from his contract effective immediately. Hendrick said he decided to "assist Ray with a lifelong dream which he shared with me of pursuing his own team." Brian Whitesell takes over as the crew chief of the #24 DuPont Chevy and driver Jeff Gordon. See full stories at That's Racin' and NASCAR Online(9-29-1999)

  • More on Evernham/Chrysler: from TNN: The latest rumors swirling around the Winston Cup grapevine center around Evernham's office effects and tools have left the Hendrick complex, and his chief wrench Ed Guzzo will also soon be departing the #24. Brian Whitsell will reportedly fully assume the crewchief duties on the #24, and it's highly unlikely that Evernham will be at Martinsville this weekend. He's supposedly working to own and lead a Dodge Intrepid team into the Winston Cup ranks in 2001. Supposedly, an announcement on their future Cup racing effort will be forthcoming by Dodge no later than Oct. 31. See full story at TNN: Rumors, Strong Rumors, Reality: Part 2 Some expect Chrysler to announce its Cup plans at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Accociation) show in October at Las Vegas(SpeedVision)(9-29-1999)

  • Evernham/Chrysler/Wells: On Monday, team owner Cal Wells said Evernham turned down his job offer because he was already committed to a Chrysler deal. And a Chrysler motorsports executive told AutoWeek magazine he couldn't confirm Evernham's arrival until a press conference next week. It's no secret Chrysler wants to renew its Winston Cup presence, and what bigger name to head the fledgling effort than Evernham's? Among the celebrities being mentioned as business partners: New York Jets coach Bill Parcells. It's expected that Richard Petty will at least consider switching his Cup teams from Pontiac to Dodge. And even Bill Elliott has been linked to Chrysler in 2001, the year his McDonald's backing disappears(Daily Press) Wow, the Elliott deal is different, other teams I have heard include Penske and Morgan-McClure(9-29-1999)

  • Evernham Update: Hendrick Motorsports representatives failed to return calls yesterday to answer questions about whether Ray Evernham will appear with driver Jeff Gordon at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. Meanwhile, sources confirmed that Evernham will spend the 2000 season building cars for the 2001 Chrysler Dodge Intrepid team that the crew chief will own. The cars should be ready for NASCAR approval in time to debut for that season. Reportedly, Evernham will be present, but Brian Whitesell will make race-day calls. Of course, that was supposed to be the arrangement last weekend as well and although Evernham did little with the team throughout most of the weekend, Sunday belonged to the crew chief. As Winston Cup teams work to understand how the magic pairing of the driver and crew chief could possibly be ending, another partnership involving the pair seems to be coming to a close. Sources say that Gordon is taking possession of Gordon-Evernham Motorsports, the Busch program the pair started for this season(Times-Dispatch)(9-28-1999)

  • More Evernham: here is the basic rundown of what happened this past week with Hendrick Motorsports and #24 crew chief Ray Evernham(most of this has been reported some not) - on Monday, Ray Evernham asked for a meeting with Rick and John Hendrick. Supposedly he then proceeded to ask Rick to choose between he and his brother John. Supposedly Rick asked Jeff Gordon what to do and Gordon chose John Hendrick. In turn, Rick Hendrick chose his brother and acted upon Gordon's request. At that point Evernham tore his 2006 contract up and threw it in the air and followed by cleaning his office on Tuesday. Also hearing that Gordon is selling the Pepsi team as to disassociate himself from Evernham and buying into the Hendrick Motorsports operation. As we pretty much know, Brian Whitesell has been named crew chief (not to the press yet)(9-26-1999)

  • Evernham at Dover: Ray Evernham ran the show from Jeff Gordon's pit on Sunday at Dover Downs International Speedway, but afterward nobody would say whether he'd be doing that again next week at Martinsville. See full story at That's Racin(9-27-1999)

  • Evernham and Parcells? Evernham reportedly is starting a Chrysler team in 2001. He is said to be partnering with Bill Parcells in an ownership agreement as the Dodge Intrepid debuts in Winston Cup racing. Still, Evernham has not confirmed anything, and Hendrick Motorsports President John Hendrick has stated only that the crew chief has a contract through 2006 and that he will be with Gordon's team through this season(Times-Dispatch)(9-27-1999)

  • More Evernham and Chrysler: The latest news on Ray Evernham, according to some of his closest friends, is that he won't be taking any Chrysler deal and that he definitely won't be taking a Cal Wells' Ford deal. But Evernham still isn't talking, and some say that the legal situation over Evernham's contract is keeping all the principals quiet. Jeff Gordon indicates that his new crew chief probably will be promoted from within the team. Brian Whitsell is expected to make the pit-road calls today. What Evernham will do is not clear. Also, the latest on the Chrysler front is that Ernie Elliott, Bill Elliott's engine-building brother, is in the running to head up a Dodge research and development program(PitNow)(9-26-1999)

  • The Evernham Saga: Jeff Gordon will have Ray Evernham as his crew chief for the rest of the year, but other crew members will take on added responsibility and work with the driver, Hendrick Motorsports sources say. Evernham is tied to the team by a contract that owner Rick Hendrick has refused to relinquish. In fact, sources say that if Evernham can make his move to owning a 2001 Chrysler team, some sort of contract buyout would be required. Evernham has been open about his desire to work in a different capacity and spend more time with his family. Without the management move in Hendrick, he would have no career change without leaving the company. While he is exploring a variety of options, he does have a contract through 2006. The decision concerning his future may not be Evernham’s. Reportedly it has been made by Rick Hendrick. Mechanic Brian Whitesell, the heir apparent to Gordon’s team, is set to work with the driver for the rest of the season. Evernham remains the official crew chief, but Whitesell is said to be more actively involved in qualifying and race decisions. Yesterday at track, Whitesell and Evernham were on the radio with Gordon(Times-Dispatch)(9-26-1999)

  • Evernham AP report: Ray Evernham is quitting as crew chief for Jeff Gordon after helping him win three Winston Cup championships in the last four seasons, CNN-SI reported Friday. Evernham was asked about the report Friday at the site of this weekend's MBNA Gold 400 but would not respond to questions. Hendrick Motorsports plans an announcement next month concerning Gordon's team. CNN-SI, citing no sources, said Evernham will act as Gordon's crew chief at Dover Downs International Speedway but mechanic Brian Whitesell will make the race-day calls. Whitesell then will replace Evernham when he leaves, perhaps before the end of this season. CNN-SI said Gordon is expected to sign a long-term contract with Hendrick, which would include partial ownership of all three Hendrick teams(AP/Infobeat)(9-24-1999)

  • RPM2Nite/Evernham: Tonight on RPM 2Night, John Kernan had this to say about the Ray Evernham leaving the #24 RUMOR: "Ray Everham says there are no plans for his immediate departure from Hendrick Motorsports. Evernham also says there are no plans for any immediate changes within the #24 team. I spoke with Ray a couple of hours before he left for Dover on Thursday afternoon and he says there is no friction at all between him, Rick Hendrick, and Jeff Gordon. He says they are giving each other their full and 100% support. Evernham says, 'we don't have a direction yet as far as my future is concerned with Hendrick Motorsports, we are still discussing that.' He also says that the truth is not nearly as good as what the media is making up. Ray says the team is going to Dover this weekend to try to win another race for Jeff Gordon and Rick Hendrick."(Tina's Gordon Newsletter and RPM2Nite) AND The rumors flying around concerning Evernham’s departure include a decision by Dupont to keep him in his successful spot as crew chief and not let the veteran leader move into upper management(Racin' with Russ)(9-24-1999)

  • More Evernham UPDATE: Readers tell me that a Charlotte television station WCNC-TV (Channel 36) cited a source saying that Ray Evernham could wind up with Cal Wells' new team, but I have not seen it so....AND a story on Racer Magazine says: A return call from the PR department of Hendrick Motorsports resulted in the statement, “Ray Evernham has a contract with us through the year 2006.” No mention of what capacity that contract calls for Evernham to serve in was made, nor was any answer given to the question of whether or not anyone at Hendrick expected him to honor that contract -- UPDATE: from the ESPN site/John Kernan - Ray Evernham will be Jeff Gordon's crew chief this weekend at Dover Downs International Raceway. But the partnership that produced three Winston Cup championships may be in its final days. In an interview Thursday with ESPN's John Kernan, Evernham did not deny reports that he could be leaving Gordon and the Hendrick Motorsports Team. But when asked about reports he could leave as early as this week, Evernham said he would be in Gordon's pits for Sunday's MBNA Gold 400. See the full ESPN story at: Evernham isn't leaving Gordon just yet(9-23-1999)

  • Evernham Done? UPDATE 3: Ray Evernham's stint as Jeff Gordon's crew chief may be drawing to an end. Evernham met with members of Gordon's team Sunday morning and informed them he would be discontinuing his role as Gordon's crew chief in the near future, according to sources. It was not clear whether Evernham would continue to work with Hendrick Motorsports in another role or leave the organization altogether. See the complete That's Racin' article at Evernham appears ready to move on by Jim Utter(9-19-1999) -- UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports has contacted Lowe’s Motor Speedway about scheduling a news conference at Evernham and Gordon’s BGN shop during the October race weekend at Concord, NC. Following yesterday’s team meeting, Hendrick Motorsports representatives said that it was not “out of the realm of possibility” to suggest that Evernham soon would be changing his role. They would not speculate on whether Evernham would remain in a management role with Hendrick Motorsports or leave the organization. The crew chief has a contract with Hendrick Motorsports through the 2006 season(Times-Dispatch)(9-20-1999) -- UPDATE 2: Ray Evernham's future with Jeff Gordon seems cloudy today. Evernham told his crew Sunday he wouldn't be back as crew chief, according to members of the team. John Hendrick, however, insisted that Evernham isn't leaving, at least not until the end of the year. Evernham has been searching for a crew chief for Gordon for next year. His first two choices turned down the offer. It's unclear now whether Evernham is turning that job search over to Hendrick(PitNow) AND from GoRacing(an arm of Action Performance): Speculation centers on Evernham and Gordon forming their own Winston Cup team in the near future, under the umbrella of the Hendrick organization. Sources out of Charlotte say they already have their eye on a young open-wheel driver who is already being groomed to become a teammate to Gordon(GoRacing) AND Evernham appears to be working toward a logical move for this stage of his career. He has two very sound options: a move up in management at Hendrick Motorsports or a move to full-time car ownership at Gordon-Evernham Motorsports. Some combination of those two seems the most likely. Hendrick Motorsports is reportedly planning a press conference – subject unknown – during the Oct. 8-10 Lowe’s Motor Speedway race weekend(Racer Magazine)..well, I think that covers it.....for now(9-21-1999) -- UPDATE 3: RPM2Nite reported that a Charlotte TV station reported that Evernham had cleaned out his office at Hendrick Motorsports and would serve his last race as the #24 crew chief at Dover, but RPM2Nite said a crew member told host John Kernan that Evernham had not cleaned out his desk/office and would be at Dover. I am hearing that Dover could be Evernham's last race as crew chief of the #24, also a story on the subject at TNN: Rumors, Strong Rumors, And Reality(9-23-1999)

  • Gordon Scheme: Jeff Gordon will run a special one-race only paint scheme in the Jiffy Lube 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 14. The theme is "NASCAR Racers," an educational cartoon show that will begin airing next year. See the image at: Gordonline(9-19-1999)

  • Gordon Streak: Jeff Gordon has won the last four Southern 500s. He is the only driver to win four straight. No other driver has even won three straight(TNN Motorsports Site)(9-3-1999)

  • #99 News hearing from a few readers that #99 crew chief, Frank Stoddard was on local New Hampshire radio show(WGIR-FM and WHEB) and was asked about the rumor of his leaving Roush to take over for Ray Evenham in the #24 car. Stoddard stated that while he was flattered to be considered for the #24 crew chief's position, he would stay with Jeff Burton, "the driver who gave him his WC opportunity" and that he would not leave for any amount of money(8-24-1999)

  • Five Straight: Jeff Gordon won his fifth straight Road Course race today a Watkins Glen(Watkins Glen 1997-98-99 and Sears Point 1998-99)(8-15-1999)

  • #24 Crew Chief: hearing the crew chief position for the #24 DuPont team will be filled from in house. Ray Evernham plans to move up to Team/General Manager(8-15-1999)

  • Evernham/Baldwin News UPDATE 4 SURPRISE: Ray Evernham is expected to be named general manager of the three-team operation and its 250 employees, which will allow him to spend less time on the road. Key to the move would be signing a new crew chief for Jeff Gordon. Evernham wants to hire Tommy Baldwin, and it may be difficult for Baldwin to turn down that opportunity. Evernham is the man who gave Baldwin his first Winston Cup job -- with Ricky Craven in 1996. Baldwin expects to make his decision Wednesday, and he appears to be leaning toward leaving the Bill Davis-Ward Burton team to take the job. One of the other men on Evernham's short list, according to men familiar with the situation, was Frankie Stoddard, who runs Jeff Burton's team. Car owner Jack Roush said that he doesn't have any of his crew chiefs under contract ''because I don't feel they're at risk. If we pay our crew chiefs well and give them all the technology they need to work with, I don't know why any of us should want to change.'' Car owner Richard Childress has also been interested in Baldwin, according to sources....from PitNow plus articles from That's Racin'(8-8-1999) -- UPDATE: hearing Baldwin will take the Hendrick gig(8-10-1999) -- UPDATE: had heard an announcement would be made Wednesday on Baldwin's plans, but have heard nothing(8-12-1999) -- UPDATE 2: I hear that Baldwin has decided to STAY with the #22 Bill Davis Racing team and will sign a contract soon -- UPDATE 4: from TNN's Motorsports site - Baldwin Re-Signs With #22(8-13-1999)

  • Crew Chief news UPDATE: Tommy Baldwin Jr. laughed off questions about his Winston Cup future. Ward Burton's crew chief has been offered a contract by current team owner Bill Davis, but he has not signed it yet. The young upstart crew chief has reportedly received many offers and is talking with Ray Evernham about working with Jeff Gordon's team. Baldwin is one of three crew chiefs that Evernham is talking with about a future at Hendrick Motorsports(Times-Disptach) and from PitNow: Evernham is considering Baldwin and two other crew chiefs. But Greg Zipadelli, Tony Stewart's crew chief, isn't one of them, who is in the middle of negotiations for a five-year deal with car owner Joe Gibbs. And neither is Kevin Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt's crew chief. Davis and Burton are already considering new crew chiefs in case Baldwin does leave, and one of the first men they've considered is Jimmy Elledge, crew chief for car owner Andy Petree and driver Kenny Wallace. Elledge's father, Terry, heads Davis' engine program(8-7-1999)

  • Jeff Gordon Boulevard: On Wednesday, Aug. 4, 1999, Jeff Gordon will celebrate his 28th birthday with a few thousand of his closest friends. County Road 275 East, which runs approximately one-mile on both sides of I-74, will be appropriately renamed "Jeff Gordon Boulevard." The ceremony will begin at 5:15pm at Dr. Malcolm Scamahorn Community Park located east of downtown Pittsboro, 10 miles west of Indianapolis, on Hwy 136(JGnewsletter/MNI)(7-30-1999)

  • Gordon's record? While it's looking doubtful that Jeff Gordon will win his 3rd consecutive Cup championship and tie Cale Yarboroughs record, hestill has a shot at one Winston Cup record. No one has led the circuit in victories for five consecutive seasons. Gordon shares the lead this season with Jeff Burton with four wins each. Darrell Waltrip led in victories from 1981-84, sharing the top spot with Bobby Allison in 1983(SpeedNet)(7-26-1999)

  • Evernham: I get many rumors on what the #24 crew chief, Ray Evernham will do after the end of the season. Everything from leaving the sport to staying right where he is. The truth is probably somewhere in between. There is a Ray Evernham fan page that has many of the transcripts of Evernham's Interviews, the latest being July 8th with Alan Bestwick. Check it out at: This Week In NASCAR - July 8, 1999, it's pretty candid(Sue's ADNASCAR Newsletter/Desiree's Ray Evernham Page)(7-19-1999)

  • Hendrick Wind Tunnel: Plans for an aerodynamic wind tunnel on the grounds at Hendrick Motorsports have been put on hold until the return of team owner Rick Hendrick. Hendrick is currently in the remission stage of a fight against a rare form of leukemia. After a season out of Winston Cup racing as part of a legal settlement, Hendrick made his return to the garage area for events leading up to the Daytona 500 in February. But as the season-opener neared, media interviews and a busy schedule had already taken their toll.(7-19-1999)

  • Heated Exchange: NASCAR officials apparently weren't too pleased with Jeff Gordon's bumps and pass of Dale Jarrett on the last lap of Sunday's Jiffy Lube 300. Gordon and his crew chief, Ray Evernham, were called into the NASCAR hauler to discuss the incident, in which Gordon bumped Jarrett's No. 88 Ford a couple of times through Turns 3 and 4 to take third place, pushing Jarrett to fourth. Kevin Triplett, NASCAR's director of operations, would not comment about what was discussed. Quotes and more at Gordon, Jarrett quarrel after last-lap rubbin'(That's Racin'/Jim Utter)(7-12-1999)

  • What If? on TNN's Inside NASCAR, they did a little calculation and came up with this: If Dale Jarrett averaged 7th in the final 17 races and Jeff Gordon finished 2nd in all the races, Gordon would win the championship(7-11-1999)

  • Gordon Eye Surgery: been getting a few emails about Jeff Gordon going to Lancaster to get Lasik eye surgery. Incorrect, it was taken out of context, here is the snippet from a story in the Lancaster Sunday Times: "Dr. Kerry Givens of Campus Eye Center in Lancaster says the surgery is popular with candidates for training in fields that have specific vision requirements, such as the state police and the military. Pro golfer Fred Funk had the procedure done last winter, and he's having the best season of his PGA tour career. Givens said he's heard NASCAR superstar Jeff Gordon is about to have it done." The Dr 'hears' and doesn't say it's gonna be in Lancaster(Lancaster Sunday News) Johnny Benson had the surgery done in May 1999 in North Carolina(7-5-1999)

  • Interesting Article: In part says: "Since May, 1992, the driver-crew chief team of Jeff Gordon and Ray Evernham has won 46 races and claimed three Winston Cup points titles. But Evernham intimated(to imply subtly-yes I had to look it up) yesterday before pole qualifying for Saturday night's Pepsi 400 that a shakeup is coming. Saturday could be the duo's final race together at Daytona as crew chief and driver. While Evernham could be stepping away from the day-to-day care of the cars, he laughed at any talk he would walk away from the Gordon team as a whole." See the complete article at: Gordon's crew chief seeking new challenge by David Jones from Florida Today via the Tennessean(7-5-1999)

  • new Pepsi/Gordon spot: Pepsi will debut the latest commercial in its "The Joy of Cola" advertising campaign during Saturday's Pepsi 400 on CBS. The new spot, called "Finish Line," features Jeff Gordon and Hallie Eisenberg, the popular "Little Girl" character who goes to great lengths for her love of Pepsi. In the spot, a thirsty Jeff Gordon -- racing in his #24 Pepsi Chevy -- can't stop thinking about the ice-cold Pepsi waiting for him at the finish line if he wins. As his crew chief repeatedly reminds him of the tempting prize, Gordon weaves his way to the front of the pack -- until a surprising late entry into the race beats him to victory lane(Yahoo/PRNewswire)(6-30-1999)

  • Gordon: If Jeff Gordon wins the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, he will be the only driver in the modern era(72-present) to win three consecutive races at Daytona International Speedway, having won this year's Daytona 500 and the first race under the lights at DIS that was scheduled for July of last year, but postponed until October due to forest fires(SpeedNet)(6-30-1999)

  • Four in a row: Jeff Gordon is the first Winston Cup driver(in the Modern Era 72-present) ever to win four road course races in a row(6-27-1999)

  • Gordon Contract: in the goRacing chat with Jeff Gordon, someone asked about Gordon's contract status. Gordon's contract comes up at the end of the year 2000. No decisions have to be made until next June(2000). He would negotiation with owner Rick Hendrick first, and then he would go to the sponsors. Gordon also said: "If it was up to me, I'd like to drive a car for Rick Hendrick forever."(6-23-1999)

  • Gordon Worst: Jeff Gordon's 17th starting spot for the Pocono 500 is his worst of 1999. Gordon and Mark Martin are the only two Cup drivers to have started every race and made it on first round qualifying(6-19-1999)

  • Gordon Tested UPDATE 1: Jeff Gordon tested his BGN and Cup cars at Memphis Motorsports Park on Tuesday. Not sure why they chose the track(6-16-1999) -- UPDATE 1: Gordon was driving a primer Cup car and Ryan Newman was driving the BGN car. They were testing to see how well the BGN car would keep up with a Cup car on a track the size of Memphis's(reason given in the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper). The track is a 3/4 mile tri-oval with eleven degrees banking which very similiar to Richmond. Derrike Cope was testing the #30 cup car on Monday June 14th(6-17-1999)

  • Interesting Stat from NOL: Jeff Gordon's 4.9 finishing average in 12 starts at Michigan is better than the best finish recorded there by several drivers in their career there. Ken Schrader (best finish is a 6th in 29 races), Michael Waltrip (7th in 27 races), Bobby Hamilton (8th in 13 races) and Chad Little (10th in 12 races) all have best finishes below Gordon's average(NOL)(6-13-1999)

  • Star Wars and Gordon: Pepsi-Cola and Lucasfilm unveiled a new, one-race-only paint job on the Gordon-Evernham Motorsports BGN #24 on Wednesday. See the TNN story and an image at: Racing The Phantom Menace #24(5-26-1999)

  • Gordon's 200th start: Gordon has more poles (25) than Petty (14) and Earnhardt (5) had between them in their first 200 starts. The same is true for victories -- Gordon has 45, while Petty had 23 and Earnhardt 13.(That's Racin')(5-11-1999)

  • Gordon/200: Jeff Gordon will be making his 200th career Winston Cup Series start when he competes May 15 in the Pontiac Excitement at Richmond(SpeedNet/RIR/Tina)(5-5-1999)

  • Only Gordon: Jeff Gordon is the only driver to finish in the top five in all three California races. He won in 1997 and finished fourth in '98(SpeedNet)(5-4-1999)

  • Superman Paint UPDATE 2: Inside NASCAR said that nine drivers including Dale Earnhardt, Jr.(at Phoenix?) and of course Jeff Gordon(in the Winston) will have a Superman paint scheme on their cars this year(Jim's Dale Earnhardt. Jr Site) -- Yahoo-Biz reports that Nine Motorsports Champions To Unveil Superman Race Cars, the drivers: 1) Three-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon; 2) 1998 Busch Series champion Dale Earnhardt Jr.; 3) Two-time Craftsman Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday; 4) National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Eight-time Funny Car champion John Force; 5) Five-time Winston Top Fuel champion Joe Amato; 6) Four-time Pro Stock champion Warren Johnson; 7) Two-time Winston Drag Racing Pro Stock Bike champion Matt Hines; 8) World of Outlaws 15-time Sprint Car champion Steve Kinser; and 9) Championship Auto Racing Teams (CART) PPG Cup/FedEx Championship Series champion(1996) Jimmy Vasser. To be officially announced on April 20th in NYC at 11am/et(thanks to Jeff Gordon Online for the heads up)(4-11-1999) -- Gordon will run his scheme at The Winston in Charlotte(5/22); Earnhardt, Jr at Phoenix(11/6) and Hornaday at Nazareth on July 18th. Also a story on NOL - Action unites superheroes of racing with Man of Steel(4-20-1999)

  • Gordon Story: a buddy of mine relayed this to me: When Jeff Gordon tested at Greenville-Pickens(SC) on April 7th. he took time out to visit with a 7 yr old boy who has been fighting leukemia. Gordon doesn't usually meet with fans or press at any test but took time out to do so. The boy is still smiling as Gordon and Evernham allowed him sit in the car and take pictures along with signing a Dupont hat and gave it to the young boy. The family said that the boy had thrived to survive this disease because of Jeff Gordon and his wonderful testimony. Special thanks to Jeff Gordon, Ray Evernham and Pete, Tom and Craig Blackwell for fulfilling this young boys lifetime dream(MRM /Community Informer)(4-16-1999)

  • REMEMBER THIS? Gordon's Secret? UPDATE 4 Interesting article - NASCAR Winston Cup phenom Jeff Gordon doesn't want anyone else to discover Rev-Er-Up(an oil additive not GAS). Jeff Waugh is hoping they will. Waugh, a Tulsa native, is a distributor for Rev-Er-Up, a revolutionary microplating engine product. According to company officials, several racers are using it, including Gordon. But for competitive reasons, few are willing to share their secret. There is also a question whether it is legal. See the rest of the article at: The racer's edge one of the sports best kept secrets(NOTE:this article is no longer on the site unless you wish to pay for it) by Steve Rogers(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette). I had never heard of this product, for more info check their website - www.reverup.com(2-22-1999) -- UPDATE 2: Also to note: RPM2Nite talked to Ray Evernham on this issue and he says the team does not and never have used this product, and even if they did, it is not illegal to use an additive, says it adds weight(RPM2Nite)(3-2-1999)

  • Fortune Mag speaks NASCAR UPDATE: check out the slew of NASCAR articles in the online version of Fortune: Speed Sells!, Led by superstar Jeff Gordon, Nascar is going national. Now it's the hottest marketing vehicle in sports. JAYSKI NOTE: It'll take a while to read all the articles, this link has been up here since the 24th, cause there seems to be a lot of interest in it.....(3-24-1999)

  • Star Wars: During a recent appearance on QVC, Jeff Gordon said that the Pepsi car would have a different paint scheme in May for the Busch race at Charlotte in conjunction with a summer movie. On a recent episode of 'Access Hollywood,' a segment featured Gordon's race car that will have a Star Wars theme for the May event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. George Lucas, the director of 'Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,' told 'Access Hollywood' that he was a big Jeff Gordon fan(www.gordonline.com)(3-24-1999)

  • Rumored Pain Scheme Stuff: From Sue's ADNASCAR Newsletter - Dale Earnhardt was supposed to run a "Taz" paint scheme for the Winston Select but the scheme has been canceled due to the postponement of the introduction of the 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo. A new paint scheme will be announced on 4/11/99. Gordon's Winston Car: Jeff Gordon is scheduled to run the Stars Wars paint scheme on the BGN Chevy at Charlotte and possibly run a Superman scheme on the #24 Chevy, with some sort of Chromalusion paint splash for the Winston. Look for an official announcement 4/20/99 that Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. will run "Connected Theme" Cars, not sure where or if this is for the BGN Charlotte race. Another possible paint schemes for the #5 Terry Labonte chevy, Universal Studios/Islands of adventure, featuring marvel supper hero land (spiderman), The lost continent(3-29-1999)

  • Gordon: His 43rd place finish in the Primestar 500 was the first time Jeff Gordon has finished 43rd in a Winston Cup event, in hid 195th race(CBS Race), NOTE: He was last in a 42-car field at Atlanta Motor Speedway in March 1997(3-28-1999)

  • Fortune Mag speaks NASCAR: check out the slew of NASCAR articles in the online version of Fortune: Speed Sells!, Led by superstar Jeff Gordon, Nascar is going national. Now it's the hottest marketing vehicle in sports. JAYSKI NOTE: It'll take a while to read all the articles, thanks to Gordonline for the heads up(3-24-1999)

  • No F-1 for Gordon: Jeff Gordon finds the never-ending story of his alleged interest in Formula One amusing. He said after the Cracker Barrel 500 in Atlanta that he is NOT going to race Formula One(Speednet)(3-15-1999)

  • Gordon Feature: ABC's Joan London spent yesterday's race in Jeff Gordon's pit area. She is preparing an upcoming feature on the defending NASCAR champion(Tennessean/Larry Woody)(3-15-1999)

  • Gordon's Secret? UPDATE Interesting article - NASCAR Winston Cup phenom Jeff Gordon doesn't want anyone else to discover Rev-Er-Up(an oil additive not GAS). Jeff Waugh is hoping they will. Waugh, a Tulsa native, is a distributor for Rev-Er-Up, a revolutionary microplating engine product. According to company officials, several racers are using it, including Gordon. But for competitive reasons, few are willing to share their secret. There is also a question whether it is legal. See the rest of the article at: The racer's edge one of the sports best kept secrets(this article is no longer on the site unless you wish to pay for it) by Steve Rogers(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette). I had never heard of this product, for more info check their website - www.reverup.com(2-22-1999) -- David Poole of That's Racin' looks into this story and has interesting commnets and insights at Half-story only revs up Gordon foes. Also to note: RPM2Nite talked to Ray Evernham on this issue and he says the team does not and never have used this product, and even if they did, it is not illegal to use an additive, says it adds weight(RPM2Nite)(3-2-1999)

  • Gordon Paint: George Lucas mentioned Jeff Gordon's Race Car during an interview on Access Hollywood: The big topic of the segment was the Jeff Gordon race car that would be painted up for the May Charolette Motor Speedway race. Lucas himself said that he was a big Jeff Gordon fan and was looking forward to doing this. They also showed a small sample of Gordon from QVC(Star Wars Prequels News)(3-1-1999)

  • Gordon and Paint: As rumored, I hear from a good source that Jeff Gordon is supposed to run the Stars Wars paint on the Busch Car at Charlotte and Superman is still on for the Winston. Not sure what the Superman tie in is. Hear this car will have a splash schem of some sort(2-25-1999)

  • Gordon Notes from the QVC Special CORRECTION: Gordon, when asked about the upcoming paint scheme for the Winston (I hear it's called 'Splash'), didn't want to give too much away because he wants to help keep the unveiling a surprise, but said the scheme would be exciting and a lot of fun and will look wild. Gordon said that different DuPont products would appear on the #24's decklid during the 1999 season, including Nomex, Agricultural Products, Corian, Stainmaster Carpet. Gordon also said they'll run a special scheme on the BGN car at the Charlotte BGN race and it will be involved with one of the hottest movies of the summer(actually I haer it's the new Star Wars movie, not the new Superman movie which looks dead in the water now). Gordon mentioned that Ricky Hendrick would run five races but it WILL NOT be in a Pepsi sponsored car. Unknown sponsor if any at this time.(Tina's Gordon Newsletter)(2-23-1999)

  • Gordon's Secret? Interesting article - NASCAR Winston Cup phenom Jeff Gordon doesn't want anyone else to discover Rev-Er-Up. Jeff Waugh is hoping they will. Waugh, a Tulsa native, is a distributor for Rev-Er-Up, a revolutionary microplating engine product. According to company officials, several racers are using it, including Gordon. But for competitive reasons, few are willing to share their secret. There is also a question whether it is legal. See the rest of the article at: The racer's edge one of the sports best kept secrets by Steve Rogers(Arkansas Democrat-Gazette). I had never heard of this product, for more info check their website - www.reverup.com(2-22-1999)

  • Gordon/QVC UPDATE: Three-time Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon is making a special pit stop February 22 as part of a live national broadcast on QVC, the television phone shopping network. Gordon will be on hand to unveil new items and to promote other #24 products, such as scale model cars, train sets and other merchandise.(SpeedNet)(2-19-1999) -- The QVC show will be "For Race Fans Only" from 9pm/et until midnight on Monday night at the All American SportPark in Las Vegas(Gordonline)(2-20-1999) -- All seats available one (1) hour prior to broadcast (5:00pm/PT) and are available on a first come, first seated basis. The All American SportPark is located South of McCarran International Airport at 121 East Sunset Road(2-21-1999)

  • Gordon and the ESPY's: Just one day after winning his second Daytona 500, Hendrick Motorsports driver Jeff Gordon collected his third ESPY award Monday during the annual gala event at Radio City Music Hall. Gordon had previously accepted the "Performer of the Year" award for the auto racing category in 1996 and 1998. In a testimony to NASCAR's growing acceptance among mainstream America, Gordon was also a nominee for "Male Athlete of the Year." Michael Jordan and eventual winner Mark McGwire were also among the nominees for that prestigious award. (Hendrick Motorsports PR via StockCarFans Newsletter)(2-19-1999)

  • Where was Rick? Jeff Gordon's car owner, Rick Hendrick, became ill and was forced to return home Friday to North Carolina. Thus did Hendrick, who is battling leukemia, miss yet another of Gordon's wins after being banished from the racetrack last season in a court-ordered absence(Skip Wood/USA Today)(2-15-1999)

  • GEM News: The new Gordon/Evernham Motorsports Busch Grand National team will have their first test session Tuesday and Wednesday (Feb 23rd and 24th) at Las Vegas. The track and LVMS indicated that the track will be open to the public to watch the test session of the #24 Pepsi/Fritos Chevrolet and that Gordon's souvenir trailer will be selling merchandise. See the story at the Las Vegas Sun - LVMS to open gates to fans for Gordon testing thanks to Gordonline for the heads up(2-15-1999)

  • Gordon Paint: On GoRacings Jeff Gordon chat transcript it mentions the team have an exciting paint scheme set for The Winston (which I hear is the 'Splash' scheme) and a new scheme for the Pepsi car in May(I have heard Pepsi One). No mention of the Bud Shootout or any paint schemes for Speedweeks. As we know the UAW-GM car was canned a few weeks ago(thanks in part to Tina of Tina's Jeff Gordon Newsletter)(2-5-1999)

  • Hendrick Sponsors: The Hendrick teams all have Kelloggs either as a primary or associate sponsor. Viewers might have noticed the 'K-SENTIALS' logo on Jeff Gordon's car and driving uniform yesterday. Starting in March, Kelloggs will use the 'K-SENTIALS' logo to identify cereals that contain nutrients it believes are essential for growth and development. Also, on Dallenbach and Labonte's cars, the Advance Auto Parts logo is on the rear decklid. However, on Gordon's car the AAP logo is on the B pillar just behind the side window. In the Daytona 500 event, DuPont Dow Elastomers will be on the rear decklid of the #24.(Jeff Gordon Online)(2-7-1999)

  • Gordon Bud Shootout Paint? UPDATE 3 I hear Jeff Gordon's Bud Shootout #24 Chevy will feature a one race "GM/UAW Teamwork" paint scheme(11-26-98) -- In the Bud Shootout at Daytona on February 7, Jeff Gordon will drive a UAW-GM Teamwork themed car. The special edition car will be driven in that event only(Gordonline)(1-11-1999) -- but I am hearing Gordon will run a "Rainbow Warriors" paint scheme in the Bud shootout, ?? Not sure if it is a combo or what(1-14-1999) -- many sources report that the UAW-GM Teamwork scheme has been canceled and will not run in the Bud Shootout, continue to hear it may be a tribute to the Rainbow Warriors or Rick Hendrick(2-1-1999)

  • Hendrick returns to the track: Rick Hendrick made his first appearance at Daytona in a couple of years as he attended testing Wednesday in a show of support for his three Cup teams(#'s 5,24,25)(WC Today Radio)(1-21-1999)

  • Gordon Driver of the Year: On Sunday, Jeff Gordon’s dash to the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup title was rewarded with the Richard Petty Driver of the Year Award. A 13-win, $9 million season earned Gordon the honor, which is given by the National Motorsports Press Association(Fayetteville Observer-Times)(1-19-1999)

  • Gordon Bud Shootout Paint? UPDATE 2 I hear Jeff Gordon's Bud Shootout #24 Chevy will feature a one race "GM/UAW Teamwork" paint scheme(11-26-98) -- In the Bud Shootout at Daytona on February 7, Jeff Gordon will drive a UAW-GM Teamwork themed car. The special edition car will be driven in that event only(Gordonline)(1-11-1999) -- but I am hearing Gordon will run a "Rainbow Warriors" paint scheme in the Bud shootout, ?? Not sure if it is a combo or what(1-14-1999)

  • Gordon Paint UPDATE: Jeff Gordon's #24 DuPont Chevy may be painted with new colors next season. (JournalNow) From what I hear is that their will be some very minor changes to the paint scheme.(10-18-98) -- In 1999, DuPont will make a minor alteration to the paint scheme on Jeff Gordon's car. DuPont plans to promote different aspects of the company on the hood of the car. Whether it be new products or familiar DuPont products needing a marketing "push," expect to see additional writing on the hood of the car besides the traditional DuPont oval in various events in 1999(Gordonline)(12-26-1998)

  • Gordon's Paint: Jeff Gordon's #24 DuPont paint Scheme will NOT have any major changes in 1999 as rumored, but the team will run another special paint scheme at a special event(per QVC via Jeff Gordon Online)(11-11-1998)

  • Hendrick Sponsor: Advance Auto Parts has signed on as an associate sponsor for 1999 for Jeff Gordon and the #24 DuPont team. In addition, another new paint scheme will likely be unveiled on the #24 car at Charlotte in May (most likely for 'The Winston'). Hear that it will be called "Splash"(Gordonline), in addition Advance will be on the #5 Kelloggs Chevy and #25 Bud Chevy(1-11-1999)

  • ESPY's: Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt and, Mark Martin, have been nominated to receive 1999 ESPY Awards. The winners of the 1999 ESPY Awards -- given by ESPN for a variety of sports-related categories -- will be announced at 8pm/et Feb. 15 on ESPN. Gordon, has been nominated for three separate awards: Male Athlete of the Year, Showstopper of the Year and Auto Racing Performer of the Year. In the first category, Gordon will go up against baseball sluggers Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa and NBA star Michael Jordan. Gordon and Martin, both received nominations for Auto Racing Performer of the Year. Earnhardt received an ESPY nomination for Dramatic Individual Performance of the Year by winning his first Daytona 500 in February. Earnhardt will go up against baseball stars David Wells and Kerry Wood and college running back Ricky Williams, this year's Heisman Trophy winner(That's Racin')(12-19-1998)

  • Gordon Driver of the Year: Jeff Gordon Takes Third Driver of the Year Award, see the story at the WRAL-TV NASCAR site.(11-24-1998)

  • Evernham honored: Ray Evernham, crew chief for Jeff Gordon, won the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated Person of the Year Award. The award is decided by a vote of Winston Cup fans and a panel of motorsports experts and is given to someone who brings positive attention to Winston Cup racing through achievement, contributions, influence and service.(That's Racin' notes)(11-9-1998)

  • Monte Carlo at 'dega: Jeff Gordon tested the new Chevy Monte Carlo at Talladega Wednesday with some other Chevy teams observing the test. No speeds released or comments on the new car.(WC Today Radio)(11-5-1998)

  • Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon drivers tested at Miami-Dade Homestead Motorsports Complex on Tuesday (10-6) and Wednesday (10-7) in preparation for the inaugural Winston Cup Jiffy Lube Miami 400 scheduled for Nov. 14, 1999. Martin ran a lap of 148.80mph and Gordon ran 148.47mph(GoRacing)(10-8-1998)

  • A reader of the StockCarFans Newsletter heard the following on the Gerry V radio talk show from WBT radio out of Charlotte today(9/3): During an interview with Ray Evernham, Ray said that during the tire testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway this week, Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin drove each others cars. The purpose of the "trade" was to show the other driver what they had and that no one was cheating. Ray also said, "I would like to see Jack's reaction when he hears about this."(StockCarFans Newsletter)(9-4-1998)

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