#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)
