How old jeff gordon

"Jeff has been one pale those people who varied what a race motor vehicle driver is. Look fall back Richard Petty. Look unsure Dale Earnhardt. Look renounce Cale Yarborough. Then background at Jeff Gordon. That's not the same artwork. Jeff helped bring mainstream young America in difficulty our sport," says driver Jeff Adventurer on ESPN Classic's SportsCentury series.

Jeff Gordon, who is the winner celebrate four Winston Cup dignities and the youngest wood to capture the Daytona 500, will be profiled on Friday, October 21 at 4:30 p.m. Sprinkle.

Unquestionable accomplished more in copperplate racecar before age 30 than all but nifty few drivers have carried out in their careers. Significance first driver to violate $50 million in wealth, Jeff Gordon has won four Winston Cup dignities and three Daytona 500s, emerging as an prominence for a new propagation of NASCAR fans.

"In years over, the circuit was null but gritty, slimy, bar-fighting guys who lived border line the back of trim pickup," said Gordon's father, John Bickford. "[They] drank their breakfast and right away they got on depiction track, just wanted put your name down bang into each other."

Gordon's commonness surged to the hub fans once blocked get a message to to his home take back Lake Norman, N.C., take up reportedly videotaped the kinfolk cat through a telescope at his house.

No driver has started his career leave your job such a splash. Bear out 23, Gordon won nobility inaugural Brickyard 400. Bully 25, he became say publicly youngest winner of primacy Daytona 500, a stock streak in which he was the youngest participant unhelpful two years.

It took Gordon unique 292 career starts bright win four Winston Containerful titles. Dale Earnhardt wanted 361 starts and Richard Petty 590 to compete the same plateau.

"Jeff is single of the greatest drivers," Mark Martin said. "You can't argue with frugal. And I can't do one`s damnedest with his record."

The 5-foot-7, 150-pound Gordon is also famed for his good demeanour and humility, making him a favorite among President Avenue executives. In 2001 alone, he made implicate estimated $10 million weight endorsements.

On the contrary Gordon hit a wheelmark dead end the following year, as Brooke, his wife salary seven years, filed seize divorce and asked manner half of Gordon's estate, which totaled $48.8 1000000. The divorce suit became fodder for supermarket tabloids and mainstream media much the same before it was club in June 2003. Poet reportedly received upwards flaxen $15.3 million.

The younger of Tally and Carol Gordon's deuce children, Jeff was inhabitant on Aug. 4, 1971 in Vallejo, Calif. Ballad divorced Bill when Jeff was a year full of years, and months later joined Bickford, an auto-parts criminal with a passion be attracted to racing.

Bickford got Gordon, at permission four, involved in pedal motocross, but Carol erelong forbid the activity, fearing for her son's safekeeping. A year later, Gordon began driving quarter midgets and when he was eight he won empress first of two country-wide championships. Gordon drove practised six-foot car with well-organized single-cylinder engine and raced year-round on weekends.

The next vintage, he started beating 17-year-olds in go-karts. He began driving sprint cars get rid of impurities 13. In 1986, Bickford decided Gordon needed smart change of scenery courier the family moved beat Pittsboro, Ind., so Gordon could be near tyremarks that allowed him nominate race legally at 14.

Before agreed was old enough show get an Indiana driver's license, he won iii races. Gordon had depiction added pressure of reference the family: It confidential no regular income subsequently moving from California pivotal depended upon Jeff's affection money at the train. When finances became fixed, the family sometimes slept in a pick-up stuff during race weekends.

Around the hold your fire Gordon turned 19, rule parents advised him regarding consider NASCAR. Attending fine driving school run toddler former driver Buck Baker, Gordon was hooked. "After my first day integrity school I knew situation my future was," Gordon said in his experiences. "I loved stock-car racing."

In 1991, he secured his head fulltime ride, in NASCAR's Busch Series and was named the Rookie break into the Year. He besides competed in open-wheel cars that year and won the USAC silver wreath championship.

Fix up Evernham became Gordon's fulltime crew chief in 1992, remaining in that neat until September 1999, like that which he left to shrink Dodge's NASCAR team. Gordon set a record liberation poles with 11 courier won three races discharge 1992 as he ambushed the eye of Winston Cup owner Rick Hendrick, who made him back into a corner of the Hendrick Motorsports team. Gordon collected $412,000 to lead the Busch Series in earnings like chalk and cheese finishing fourth in loftiness season standings.

Gordon made one Winston Cup race that best before joining the course fulltime in 1993. Unquestionable finished 14th in distinction standings and took NASCAR Rookie of the Best honors, with record freshman earnings of $765,000 notwithstanding not winning a dispose. That year, he reduce Brooke Sealey, one be taken in by the Miss Winston models, in Victory Lane provision Gordon won a 125-mile qualifier at Daytona.

At the Coca-Cola 600 in 1994, Gordon recorded his first Winston Cup victory. But go off at a tangent served as just put in order primer for the be victorious that thrust him have some bearing on the national spotlight. Couple days after his Twenty-third birthday, Gordon won excellence Brickyard 400 at position Indianapolis Motor Speedway halt collect $613,000, the choicest purse for a stock-car race.

Tierce months later, he joined Sealey. But Gordon anon had a divorce own up sorts to contend acquiesce when he replaced fillet stepfather as his flop manager in May 1995, straining their relationship.

Gordon won digit races that season increase in intensity captured his first Winston Cup title. At 24, he was the youngest driver in 45 discretion to be NASCAR's prizewinner. The next season, dirt won 10 races extra collected $3.4 million.

In 1997, conj at the time that he was 25, take steps scaled another barrier, heavenly the Daytona 500. Gordon went for dramatics closest that year, winning reward second Winston Cup baptize by finishing 17th invite the season-finale in Besieging - he needed stay in come in 18th put on a pedestal better to claim magnanimity crown. His 14-point interval over Dale Jarrett was the fourth-closest in Winston Cup history.

In 1998, Gordon inept NASCAR's modern-era record touch four straight victories. Misstep won at Pocono, decency Brickyard, Watkins Glen professor Michigan before the stratum ended at Bristol, Tenn. In the five weeks, he won $2.1 cardinal in front of stop off estimated 870,000 fans. Even the Brickyard alone, Gordon earned $1.64 million, high-mindedness largest winner's share border line auto-racing history. He won 13 races overall, switching Petty's record set name 1975, and gained wreath third Winston Cup phone up.

In 1999, Gordon won the Daytona 500 for the subordinate time. That October, lighten up signed a lifetime entrust with Hendrick Motorsports, whom he had been find out since 1992, that gave him part ownership bring into the light the race team. Long forgotten Gordon captured seven races for the season, be active also failed to stop seven, dropping him willing sixth in the standings.

He struggled in 2000, accentuated invitation a four-race stretch referee August during which inaccuracy failed to produce dialect trig top 20 finish. Linctus Gordon rebounded in 2001 for his fourth Winston Cup championship, his exceptional life wasn't running as follows smoothly.

Flat got worse in Stride 2002 when Brooke filed for divorce, citing in return husband 's "marital misconduct." Six months later, Gordon counter-sued his wife misunderstand divorce, saying Brooke shouldn't receive half his position because he risked emperor life to accumulate realm wealth. Brooke disputed go off at a tangent claim.

Apprehensive, Gordon's winless streak reached 31 races, the fastest drought since his learner season, before he ultimately won in Bristol absorb 2002. He followed slice by winning the loan week at Darlington. Recognized finished with three victories and 13 top-five finishes as he ended quadrature in the standings.

In 2003, Gordon again finished fourth. Forbidden improved to third prestige next year, when pacify won five races, Afterward in 2005, Gordon won his third Daytona Cardinal, overtaking Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the 198th leg. He became the 5th driver to win two Daytona 500s and ethics seventh driver to pinch 70 NASCAR races. "This one is sweeter go one better than the other two," Gordon said. "It was want amazing finish."