![]() The next year, Gordon was awarded a USAC license at age 16, the youngest driver to do so. In 1986, Gordon began racing sprint cars, winning three races. At age 12, Gordon became bored with cars and decided to start a career in waterskiing before switching back to driving one year later. When he was 11, Gordon won all 25 of the karting races he entered. In 1979 Gordon won 51 quarter midget races. By the age of six, Gordon had won 35 main events and set five track records. The Roy Hayer Memorial Race Track (previously the Cracker Jack Track) in Rio Linda, California is noted as the first track Gordon ever competed on. When he was four years old, Gordon rode a BMX bike that his stepfather bought for him and began racing quarter midgets at the age of five. Gordon attended Tri-West Hendricks High School in Lizton, Indiana and was on the school's cross country team he graduated in 1989. His younger cousin, James Bickford, competed in the K&N Pro Series West. He has a sister, Kim, who is older by four years. His stepfather, John Bickford, married his mother in the 1970s. Gordon's mother and biological father divorced when he was six months old. Gordon is of Scotch-Irish descent, and was born in Vallejo, California to parents Carol Ann Bickford ( née Houston) and William Grinnell Gordon of Vacaville, California. Main article: Early life and career of Jeff Gordon ![]() Gordon also owned a Busch Series team between 19, Gordon/Evernham Motorsports (co-owned with Ray Evernham later solely owned as JG Motorsports), winning twice. Gordon also has an equity stake in the No. 48 Chevrolet previously driven by Jimmie Johnson, who won seven Cup championships from 2006 to 2010, 2013, and in 2016. Gordon, along with Rick Hendrick, co-owns the No. As of 2016, Gordon was considered the highest-paid NASCAR driver ever and the 18th highest-paid athlete of all-time with $515 million in career earnings, per Forbes. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019. named him as the fifth best NASCAR driver of all time. Ten years later in a 2008 article, ESPN's Terry Blount ranked him 10th in the 25 Greatest Drivers of All-Time. In 1998, NASCAR named Gordon to its 50 Greatest Drivers list. Other records include the most restrictor plate track wins with 12 and the most road course wins with 9, and he was the active " iron man" leader for consecutive races participated in with 797 through the 2015 season. Gordon's 81 pole positions led all active drivers and is third all-time, and also a modern era record Gordon won at least one pole in 23 consecutive seasons, making this a NASCAR record. He is third on the all-time Cup wins list with 93 career wins, while having the record for the most wins in NASCAR's modern era (1972–present) and the most wins in one modern era season, with 13 during the 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series. Gordon has completed three career Grand Slams and has won a total of sixteen Crown Jewel races (three Daytona 500s, four Talladega 500s, three Coca-Cola 600s, and six Southern 500s), both of which are all-time records. ![]() He also won the Daytona 500 three times in 1997, 1999, and 2005. He is a four-time Cup Series champion, having won the title in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001. Gordon started his professional racing career in the Busch Series with Hugh Connerty Racing, followed by Bill Davis Racing, winning three races, and began racing full-time in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series for Hendrick Motorsports in 1993. He is regarded as one of the best and most influential drivers in NASCAR history, helping the sport reach mainstream popularity. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in select races during the 2016 season. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series and Sprint Cup Series (now called NASCAR Cup Series), and also served as a substitute driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American stock car racing executive and former professional stock car racing driver, who currently serves as the vice chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. Statistics current as of October 30, 2016. Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)Ģ016 Goody's Fast Relief 500 ( Martinsville)Ģ015 Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 ( Martinsville) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2018) National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2009) Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |