Jeff Gordon was born in 1971 in Vallejo, California, just miles away from the Speedway in Sonoma. He started racing with Go-Carts and Sprint Cars and worked his way up to the NASCAR's Busch Series and then landed a few races in 1992. Gordon's first NASCAR race came when NASCAR Legend 'Richard Petty in the Points Standings. Since his Debut in 1992, Gordon has won 3 NASCAR Championships and 55 Races, clearly shooting past Lee Petty and Rusty Wallace in the All-Time Wins Category. Jeff Gordon is seen as one of NASCAR's best and brightest young stars. In 2005, Gordon suffered his worst season since his rookie year in 1993. Gordon missed out for the Chase for the Nextel Cup, and finishes 11th in points, and finishing outside the top 10 in points since he finished 14th in his rookie year of 1993. Jeff did win 4 races this year. Those races were Daytona, Martinsville, Talladega, and the other Martinsville race. No one saw Gordon's bad season coming, after winning his 3rd Daytona 500, and winning 3 of the first 9 races of the season. After the 3rd win at Talladega, he went 16 races without a top 5 finish, a very uncharacteristic Gordon. Gordon had a crew chief swap when the 10 race Chase began, when Robbie Loomis left the team, and 26 year old Steve Letarte took over. Jeff did manage to get back on track somewhat, and won at Martinsville later in the year, and finished 2nd, 14th, and 9th in the 3 last 3 races following the long overdue visit to victory lane. Jeff at the end of 2005 has a total of 70 career wins.In 2004, Jeff Gordon finished 3rd place in NASCAR Nextel Cup points, behind Kurt Busch, and teammate Jimmie Johnson. Jeff racked up 5 wins that season, bringing his career total to 66. Those 5 wins were at Talladega, California, Martinsville, Daytona, and the other Martinsvile race. In 2003, he became the first driver in Winston Cup history to host Saturday Night Live. At the end of the 2002 racing season, Jeff ended up in 4th place in the NASCAR Winston Cup points standings. In 2002, Jeff and teammate Jimmie Johnson competed and won in the Race of Champions in Grand Canaria, Spain. In 2001, he became the first driver to win at Kansas Speedway and he won it again in 2002 becoming the only driver to win at Kansas. At the end of the 2002 racing season, Jeff has racked up 61 Winston Cup races. His 3 wins in 2002 were at Bristol, Darlington, and Kansas. He also had 3 poles. As of 2003, Jeff continues to co-own the # 48 race team of Jimmie Johnson. Has won 4 Winston Cup Championships: 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001 becoming the youngest driver to win than many. With his first championship in 1995, Jeff became the youngest driver at the age of 24 to win a Winston Cup title. In 1998, he tied a record by winning 13 races in a same season and by winning 4 races in a row. Won 2 Daytona 500s in 1997 and 1999. Became the youngest driver to win the Daytona 500. Won 3 Brickyard 400s including the inaugural one in 1994 and his second one in 1998 and his 3rd one in 2001 making him the first driver to win it more than twice.
Pit Crew nicknamed "The Rainbow Warriors"
Scored Hendrick Motorsports 100th Victory.
Won 2 Daytona 500s
Won 60+ NASCAR Nextel Cup Races
Became the youngest driver in Winston Cup history to achieve 50 career wins.
Was the first driver ever to win Rookie Of The Year in both the Busch Series and the Winston Cup Series.
Won 4 NASCAR Winston Cup Championships (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), joining Richard Petty & Dale Earnhardt as one of only three drivers to win more than three championships.
Has starred in several Pepsi commercials and has his own car dealership in Charlotte, NC, called Jeff Gordon Chevrolet. Has his own book out entitled "Portrait of a Champion" that highlights his phenomenal 1997 Championship. Also has been in several Frito Lay commercials, some featuring his wife. Has a leukemia patient down in the pits at every race.
(5 August 2000) Raced the Brickyard 400 in a car painted as a tribute to the 50th anniversary of Peanuts. Gordons "copilots" were Woodstock, Joe Cool and Snoopys WWI Flying Ace.
As of March, 2000, Gordon has won four Winston Cup championships, 58 races and more than $45 million in prize money.
(26 May 1999) Raced the Busch Grand National Carquest Auto Parts 300 in a car painted to promote Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace . His "copilots" were Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi and Darth Maul.
(10 April 2002) Has countersued his wife, the former Jennifer Brooke Sealey, for divorce in Palm Beach County (FL) Circuit Court, saying he should not have to equally split the couples estate, as per her request, because he risked his life to collect it.
Made "People" Magazines 50 Most Beautiful People in 1997.
Reached a settlement that guarantees his now-former wife, Jennifer Brooke Sealy, at least $15.3 million. Sealy filed for divorce on 17 March 2002 after seven years of marriage, citing marital discord. (13 June 2003)
The night after winning the first-ever Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis in 1994, he called a pizza delivery place from his hotel room and was told it would be an hour or two before he got his food because of the race. His reply to the pizza delivery worker was, "Well, will it help any if Im the
Winner
Of that race?" He got his delivery within minutes.
The driver who holds the most second place finishes when he wins is Bobby Labonte.
Won his third career Daytona 500 in 2005 for his 70th career win in the Nextel Cup Series.
Won 2005 Daytona 500
Together with Casey Mears and Jamie McMurray , had a small, non-credited part in a "The West Wing" episode: "365 Days". His picture for 2004s Chase for the Nextel Cup was shown to the first lady as one of the reasons women love NASCAR.
Engaged to Ingrid Vandebosch [August 30, 2006].
Daughter, Ella Sofia, born 20 June 2007. She weighed 7 lbs, 1 oz, and was 20 inches long.
In 2004, his net worth was estimated to be $155 million.
Shares first and nicknames with another sports celebrity, WWEs Jeff "The Rainbow-Haired Warrior" Hardy (Jeff Hardy ).
Co-owner, with fellow racers Richard Petty , John Force and Michael Andretti , of "Race Rock", a chain of race-themed restaurants.
(July 2004) Won his 68th career race, giving him a comfortable lead of thirteen races in first place of the active win list.
(November 2004) Continuing to Race in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Circuit
Canadian
(January 2005) Tokyo, Japan
I just feel rejuvenated in such a big way because of these race cars I get to drive.
So much of my life is spent just focused on driving race cars. .
