Jeff Gordon facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jeff Gordon
Gordon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2024
Born	Jeffery Michael Gordon (1971-08-04) August 4, 1971 (age 54) Vallejo, California, U.S.
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Weight	150 lb (68 kg)
Achievements	1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 Winston Cup Series Champion 2017 Rolex 24 at Daytona Overall Winner 1991 USAC Silver Crown Series Champion 1990 USAC National Midget Series Champion 1997, 1999, 2005 Daytona 500 winner 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2014 Brickyard 400 winner 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2007 Southern 500 winner 1994, 1997, 1998 Coca-Cola 600 winner 1995, 1997, 2001 Sprint All-Star Race winner 1994, 1997 Advance Auto Parts Clash winner
Awards	1991 Busch Series Rookie of the Year 1993 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year Named one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998) National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame (2009) Silver Buffalo Award (2009) Heisman Humanitarian Award (2012) Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2018) NASCAR Hall of Fame (2019) West Coast Stock Car Hall of Fame (2019) Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) See other awards and honors below
NASCAR Cup Series career
805 races run over 25 years
Best finish	1st (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001)
First race	1992 Hooters 500 (Atlanta)
Last race	2016 Goody's Fast Relief 500 (Martinsville)
First win	1994 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
Last win	2015 Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 93 477 81
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
73 races run over 5 years
Best finish	4th (1992)
First race	1990 AC-Delco 200 (Rockingham)
Last win	2000 Miami 300 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 32 12
Statistics current as of October 30, 2016.

Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is a famous American stock car racing executive and former professional race car driver. He is currently the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports. Jeff Gordon raced full-time from 1993 to 2015. He drove the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Cup Series. He also filled in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2016. Many people consider him one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history. He helped make NASCAR very popular in the 1990s and 2000s.

Gordon started his racing career in the Busch Series. He won three races there. In 1993, he began racing full-time in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He won the Cup Series championship four times: in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001. He also won the Daytona 500 three times (1997, 1999, and 2005). Gordon has won a total of sixteen "Crown Jewel" races. These include three Daytona 500s, four Talladega 500s, three Coca-Cola 600s, and six Southern 500s. Both of these are all-time records.

He is third on the list of all-time Cup wins with 93 victories. He holds the record for the most wins in NASCAR's modern era (1972–present). In 1998, he won 13 races, which is also a modern era record. Gordon's 81 pole positions are third all-time and a modern era record. He won at least one pole in 23 seasons in a row, a NASCAR record. He also holds records for most wins on restrictor plate tracks (12) and road courses (9). He was known as an "iron man" for racing in 797 consecutive races.

In 1998, NASCAR named Gordon one of its NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers. In 2008, ESPN ranked him 10th among the 25 Greatest Drivers ever. Foxsports.com called him the fifth best NASCAR driver of all time. He was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019. In 2016, Forbes magazine said Gordon was the highest-paid NASCAR driver ever. He was the 18th highest-paid athlete of all-time with $515 million in earnings.

Gordon, along with Rick Hendrick, co-owns the No. 48 Chevrolet. This car was previously driven by Jimmie Johnson, who won seven Cup championships. Gordon also has a share in the No. 24 team. He also owned a Busch Series team from 1999 to 2000, called Gordon/Evernham Motorsports. His team won two races.

Early Life and Racing Start

Jeff Gordon was born in Vallejo, California. His parents divorced when he was six months old. His stepfather, John Bickford, married his mother in the 1970s. Jeff has an older sister named Kim. His younger cousin, James Bickford, also raced. Gordon went to Tri-West Hendricks High School in Lizton, Indiana. He was on the school's cross country team and graduated in 1989.

When he was four, Gordon started racing small cars called quarter midgets. By age six, he had won 35 races and set five track records. In 1979, he won 51 quarter midget races. At 11, he won all 25 karting races he entered. His family moved from California to Pittsboro, Indiana. This move helped his racing career because Indiana had more opportunities for young racers.

In 1986, Gordon began racing sprint cars. He won three races that year. The next year, at age 16, he became the youngest driver to get a USAC license. In the late 1980s, he raced in the World of Outlaws series. He won races at Bloomington and Eldora Speedways. Before he turned 18, Gordon had won three short-track races. He was named USAC Midget Car Racing Rookie of the Year in 1989. He also won the Night Before the 500 midget car race twice. In 1990, he won the USAC national Midget title. In 1991, he won the USAC Silver Crown Series. At 20, he was the youngest to win that championship.

NASCAR Racing Career

Busch Series Beginnings

Gordon's Bill Davis Racing Busch Series car on display in the Martin Auto Museum

In 1990, Jeff Gordon met Hugh Connerty, who helped him get sponsors. Gordon made his Busch Series debut on October 20, 1990. He drove the No. 67 Outback Steakhouse Pontiac. He started on the front row but crashed early, finishing 39th.

In 1991 and 1992, Gordon raced full-time in the Busch Series for Bill Davis Racing. He drove Ford Thunderbirds. In his first full year, he won Rookie of the Year. In 1992, Gordon set a NASCAR record by winning 11 pole positions in one season.

In 1999, Gordon and his crew chief, Ray Evernham, started their own Busch Series team. It was called Gordon/Evernham Motorsports (GEM). They had Pepsi as a sponsor. Gordon drove in six races for the team. Evernham later left, and the team became JG Motorsports. Gordon won two races with his own team, one in 1999 and one in 2000.

Cup Series Journey

Early Years (1992–1994)

In 1992, Rick Hendrick saw Gordon race and signed him to Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon made his first Winston Cup race appearance in November 1992. It was the Hooters 500 at Atlanta. He finished 31st after a crash.

In 1993, Gordon started racing full-time in the Winston Cup Series. He drove the No. 24 car. He won his first qualifying race at Daytona. He also earned his first pole position at Charlotte. Gordon finished 14th in points and won the Rookie of the Year Award. His early success helped open doors for other young drivers in NASCAR. Some people worried he pushed his cars too hard and might crash.

In 1994, Gordon won the Busch Clash exhibition race. In May, he won his first official Cup Series race, the Coca-Cola 600. He won by making a smart pit stop. Three months later, he won the first-ever Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. This was a big win in his home state.

Championship Era (1995–2001)

Gordon with his 1995 trophy

In 1995, Jeff Gordon won his first Winston Cup Series championship. He had a tough start at the Daytona 500. But he quickly won three of the next six races. He also won "The Winston Select" race. NASCAR found an issue with his car later, and his team was fined. Despite this, Gordon won four more pole positions and four more races. He finished the season with a big lead over Dale Earnhardt. His team was very consistent that year.

In 1996, Gordon won ten races. He won both races at Darlington and Dover. He finished second in the championship to his teammate Terry Labonte.

Gordon won back-to-back championships in 1997 and 1998. In 1997, he won his first Daytona 500. He was the youngest driver to win it at the time. He won two more races early in the season. At Charlotte, he won "The Winston" with a special car design. This car was later banned. He also won the Coca-Cola 600. After winning the Southern 500, he became the first driver since 1985 to win the "Winston Million" bonus. Gordon won his second championship in 1997 with 10 victories.

In 1998, Gordon won a modern-era record of 13 races. He won at tracks like Charlotte, Indianapolis, and Daytona. He secured his third championship with a large lead over Mark Martin. Gordon set records that year, including four wins in a row. He also had 17 top-five finishes in a row. He ended the season with seven pole positions, 25 top-fives, and 27 top-tens.

The 1999 season started with Gordon's second Daytona 500 win. He also won at Atlanta, Fontana, and Watkins Glen. His crew chief, Ray Evernham, left Hendrick Motorsports during the year. Brian Whitesell took over. Gordon won two more races with Whitesell. Gordon signed a lifetime contract with Hendrick Motorsports. This allowed him to own a part of his No. 24 team.

In 2000, Robbie Loomis became Gordon's new crew chief. Gordon won his 50th career victory at Talladega. He also won races at Sears Point and Richmond. He finished ninth in the points standings.

In 2001, Gordon won six races, including the first race at Kansas. He became the third driver in NASCAR history to win four Winston Cup championships. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt had won more (seven each). Gordon won the championship by a large margin over Tony Stewart.

Later Years (2002–2016)

From 2002 to 2003, Gordon won three races each year. In 2004, the series became the Nextel Cup Series. Gordon won five races that year, including at Talladega and Indianapolis. He had a streak of six top-five finishes. However, the new "Chase for the Cup" system reset the points. This caused him to finish third in the championship. If the old system was still in place, he would have won the championship.

In 2005, Gordon won his third Daytona 500. He also won at Martinsville and Talladega. But he had many crashes and failed to finish nine races. He missed qualifying for the Chase. He did win at Martinsville later in the year. This was his lowest points finish since 1993.

Gordon won only two races in 2006. In 2007, his performance greatly improved. He won six races and seven pole positions. He tied Darrell Waltrip's record for modern-day poles. He also tied Dale Earnhardt for sixth all-time in Cup wins. At Talladega, he won his 77th career victory. Gordon won five more races that season. He finished second in the Chase to his teammate Jimmie Johnson. Gordon had 30 top-ten finishes, a new modern era record. He would have won the championship by a lot if the Chase system didn't exist.

Gordon after his victory at Phoenix in 2011

From 2008 to 2010, Gordon had a tough time. He won only one race during these three seasons. This was his first win at Texas Motor Speedway. In 2009, he finished third in points. Gordon became the first NASCAR driver to earn over $100 million in career winnings.

In 2011, Gordon's performance improved. He won for the first time in 66 races at Phoenix. He tied Bill Elliott for the most wins at Pocono. At Atlanta, he won his 85th career race, becoming the third-winningest driver ever. He passed Darrell Waltrip as the winningest driver in the modern era.

In 2012, Gordon had a rough start. He was in a big crash at Daytona. At Pocono, he won his 86th Cup victory. He made it into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. At the Phoenix race, Gordon intentionally crashed Clint Bowyer after an earlier incident. Gordon was fined $100,000 and put on probation. He bounced back by winning the final race of the season.

In 2013, Gordon made his 700th consecutive Cup start. He finished third, his 300th career top-five finish. He set a track record for pole position at Richmond. Gordon won a pole in 21 consecutive seasons, a NASCAR record. He won his first race of 2013 at Martinsville.

Gordon at the 2016 Brickyard 400, his first race since his retirement

In 2014, Gordon won four races. This was his best season since 2007. He won the Brickyard 400 for a record fifth time. This tied him with Formula One driver Michael Schumacher for most wins at Indianapolis. He also won at Michigan and Dover. At Texas, Gordon was involved in a fight with Brad Keselowski after a race incident. Gordon was upset about losing a chance at the championship. He was eliminated from the Chase by one point. Many in NASCAR believe he would have won his seventh championship that year under the old points system.

On January 22, 2015, Gordon announced that 2015 would be his last full-time season. He won the pole for his final Daytona 500. He won his only race of 2015 at Martinsville. This win moved him into the Championship Four at Homestead. This was his 93rd and final NASCAR career win. In his last full-time race, he finished sixth, just missing his fifth championship.

Gordon returned to the Cup Series in 2016 as a substitute driver. He drove the No. 88 for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. He raced in eight events. His best finish was sixth at Martinsville, his final NASCAR race.

Other Racing Adventures

Gordon raced in the Race of Champions three times. In 2002, he won the Nations Cup with Team USA. He also competed in the Rolex 24 sports car endurance race twice. In 2007, his team finished third. In 2017, he returned to the Rolex 24 and won the overall class. This made him the fourth driver to win both the Daytona 500 and the Rolex 24.

Gordon also raced in the International Race of Champions (IROC) from 1995 to 2000. He won one IROC race at Daytona in 1998. In 2003, Gordon tested a Formula One car at Indianapolis. He switched cars with F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya.

Gordon also took part in charity dirt track races called "Prelude to the Dream." These races were held at Eldora Speedway.

Life Outside the Track

Broadcasting Career

Gordon and Darrell Waltrip during a pre-race broadcast at the 2016 Daytona 500

When Jeff Gordon decided to stop full-time racing, he looked into becoming a TV announcer. In January 2015, Fox Sports hired him as a guest analyst. He worked on Xfinity Series broadcasts.

On April 10, 2015, Gordon made his TV debut on Fox Sports 1. He returned for two more races that year. He was one of five active NASCAR drivers to be a guest analyst.

In May 2015, Gordon announced he would join Fox Sports full-time. He became an analyst for Cup Series races starting in 2016. He worked with Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip. He replaced Larry McReynolds.

Gordon made his Cup Series analyst debut in February 2016. He even starred in a funny advertisement for the Daytona 500.

Family Life

Jeff Gordon has been married twice. He met Brooke Sealey, a Miss Winston Cup model, in 1993. They dated secretly at first. They got married in November 1994. They later divorced in 2003.

Gordon met Ingrid Vandebosch in 2002. They started dating in 2004 and got engaged in 2006. They married in Mexico in November 2006. Their daughter, Ella Sofia Gordon, was born in June 2007. Their son, Leo Benjamin Gordon, was born in August 2010. The family lives in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Helping Others and Businesses

In 1999, Gordon started the Jeff Gordon Children's Foundation. This foundation helps children with serious illnesses. In 2006, he opened the Jeff Gordon Children's Hospital. In 2007, Gordon helped start Athletes for Hope. This group helps athletes get involved in charity work.

AARP became Gordon's sponsor in 2011. They worked together on the "Drive to End Hunger" program. This program helps feed senior citizens. Gordon is also part of the Clinton Global Initiative. This group works to solve big world problems.

Gordon has had many sponsors, including Pepsi, Kellogg's, and Ray-Ban. He owns a car dealership, Jeff Gordon Chevrolet, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He also started a racing school for fans. In 2007, PepsiCo launched a Jeff Gordon energy drink, but it is no longer sold.

In 2005, Gordon started his own line of wine. His 2007 Ella Sofia wine won awards. In 2012, Gordon became the designer for the Canadian Motor Speedway in Ontario. His stepfather is the general manager for this project. In 2015, Gordon became a global business advisor for Axalta Coating Systems.

Career Achievements

Gordon drove this 2015 Corvette Z06 as the honorary pace car driver for the 99th Indianapolis 500.

Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Transportation Gene Conti and Gordon unveiling a sign for the Jeff Gordon Expressway

Awards and Honors

• 1990 Hoosier Auto Racing Fans Driver of the Year
• 1991, 1993 NASCAR Rookie of the Year
• 1995, 1998 Richard Petty Driver of the Year
• 1996, 1998, 1999, 2007 Best Driver ESPY Award winner
• 1997 People's 50 Most Beautiful People
• 1998 NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers
• 2009 National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame inductee
• 2009 Silver Buffalo Award winner
• 2012 Heisman Humanitarian Award winner
• 2015 Indianapolis 500 honorary pace car driver
• 2018 Motorsports Hall of Fame of America inductee
• 2019 NASCAR Hall of Fame inductee
• Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)

Places Named After Him

• Jeff Gordon Boulevard – A road in Pittsboro, Indiana was named after him in 1999.
• Jeff Gordon Expressway – A section of Interstate 85 in North Carolina was named after him in 2012.
• Jeff Gordon Raceway – Phoenix International Raceway was temporarily renamed for him in 2015.
• Jeff Gordon Terrace – A grandstand section at Bristol Motor Speedway was named after him in 2016.
• Jeff Gordon Finish Line Terrace – A grandstand section at Darlington Raceway was named after him in 2017.

Records and Milestones

Gordon with a commemorative wine bottle celebrating his wins at Sonoma Raceway

• With 93 career wins, Gordon is third among all-time NASCAR Cup Series winners.
• He is first in wins during NASCAR's modern era (1972–present).
• Gordon holds records for most wins on restrictor plate tracks (12) and road courses (9).
• He won six road-course races in a row from 1997 to 2000.
• Gordon has the most Cup Series wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Sonoma Raceway, with five each.
• In 1995, at age 24, Gordon became the youngest Cup Series champion in NASCAR's modern era.
• In 2009, he was the first NASCAR driver to earn over $100 million in career winnings.
• In 2014, Gordon joined Michael Schumacher as the only two racers to win five times at Indianapolis in a single racing series.
• In 2017, Gordon became the fourth driver to win both the Daytona 500 and the 24 Hours of Daytona.

Consecutive Starts Streak

Jeff Gordon never missed a race from his debut in 1992 until his retirement in 2016. He raced in 797 consecutive Cup Series events. This made him NASCAR's "iron man" in 2015, passing Ricky Rudd. Gordon's streak ended with his final race.

Motorsports Career Results

Career Summary

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Sprint Cup Series