Jeff Gordon

1995, 1997, 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion

Born: August 4, 1971
Hometown: Pittsboro, IN
The File: The second youngest driver ever to win a NASCAR Winston Cup title. Gordon won 42 races and three NASCAR Winston Cup titles in his first six full seasons. Finished second in 1996. Victories include the 1997 and 1999 Daytona 500, the Brickyard 400 in 1994, 1998, 2001, four straight Southern 500s (1995-1998), and the 1997 Winston Million. Made his NASCAR Winston Cup debut in the 1992 season finale that was also the last race of Richard Petty's career. Contracted by Rick Hendrick for 1993, Gordon made his debut by winning his 125-mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500. Won 27 races in first 94 starts for Hendrick.

There is some truth to the rumor that Jeff Gordon was born to race.

He climbed behind the wheel of a go-kart at the age of three and began racing quarter-midgets at five. But because California law prevented Gordon from racing professionally until he was sixteen, John Bickford, Gordon's stepfather, moved the family to Indiana to boost his driving career.

Gordon was campaigning midgets and sprint cars two years before he was old enough to hold a street license. At the age of 18, he became USAC's youngest national champion when he won the midget title. A year later, he won USAC's Silver Crown Series and was Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Busch Series.

"Some of my earliest memories are watching races on television and copying what I saw," said Gordon. "And I used to play every video racing game I could find."

"As soon as Jeff started driving," said Bickford, "it was pretty clear that he had talent and a bunch of desire."

And he quickly became a champion.

"He's not just the driver of the future," said Dale Jarrett. "He's the driver of the immediate future. Gordon's going to be a pain in our sides for a long time."