Biography
Jeff Gordon was born in 1971 in Vallejo, California, just a few miles from Sonoma Speedway. He began his racing career with Go-Karts and Sprint Cars, progressing to NASCAR's Busch Series before competing in a few races in 1992. Gordon's first NASCAR race occurred during the final days of NASCAR legend Richard Petty’s career. He quickly adapted and won his first NASCAR Championship in 1995, narrowly surpassing Dale Earnhardt in the points standings. Since his debut in 1992, Gordon has secured 3 NASCAR Championships and 55 race victories, surpassing Lee Petty and Rusty Wallace in the all-time wins category. He is recognized as one of NASCAR’s brightest and most talented young stars.
In 2005, Gordon experienced his worst season since his rookie year in 1993. He missed the Chase for the Nextel Cup, finishing 11th in points and ending a streak of top-10 finishes that had lasted since 1993 when he placed 14th. Despite this, he won 4 races that year at Daytona, Martinsville (twice), and Talladega. No one expected Gordon’s slump after he claimed his third Daytona 500 and won 3 of the first 9 races of the season. Following his victory at Talladega, he went 16 races without a top-5 finish, an uncharacteristic stretch for Gordon. During the 10-race Chase, he underwent a crew chief change when Robbie Loomis left the team and 26-year-old Steve Letarte took over. Gordon managed to rebound somewhat, winning at Martinsville later in the year and finishing 2nd, 14th, and 9th in the final three races. By the end of 2005, Gordon had amassed a total of 70 career wins.
In 2004, Gordon finished 3rd in the NASCAR Nextel Cup points standings behind Kurt Busch and teammate Jimmie Johnson. He secured 5 wins that season, increasing his career total to 66. Those victories came at Talladega, California, Martinsville (twice), and Daytona. In 2003, he became the first Winston Cup driver to host Saturday Night Live.
At the conclusion of the 2002 season, Gordon ranked 4th in the NASCAR Winston Cup points standings. That year, he and teammate Jimmie Johnson competed and won at the Race of Champions in Gran Canaria, Spain. In 2001, Gordon became the first driver to win at Kansas Speedway and repeated the victory in 2002, making him the only driver to win there twice. By the end of 2002, Gordon had accumulated 61 Winston Cup wins. His three wins that year were at Bristol, Darlington, and Kansas, along with three pole positions. As of 2003, Gordon continues to co-own Jimmie Johnson’s #48 race team. He has won four Winston Cup Championships: 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001, becoming one of the youngest drivers to achieve this feat. At just 24 years old, Gordon was the youngest driver to win a Winston Cup title with his first championship in 1995.
In 1998, he tied a record by winning 13 races in a single season and by winning four consecutive races. He won two Daytona 500s in 1997 and 1999, becoming the youngest driver to win the prestigious race. Gordon also claimed three Brickyard 400 victories, including the inaugural race in 1994, his second in 1998, and his third in 2001, making him the first driver to win the event more than twice.
