NASCAR WCUP: Gordon hopes to deliver 100th victory for Hendrick Motorsports

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

June 6, 2001

BROOKLYN, Mich. - With a win in the Kmart 400 this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, Jeff Gordon will give Hendrick Motorsports it's 100th victory.

Last Sunday at Dover Downs, Gordon and the No. 24 DuPont team chalked up win number 99 for Hendrick Motorsports. Gordon has recorded 54 of those victories which include two wins in both of Winston Cup's most prestigious events, the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400. He has also accounted for three of Hendrick Motorsport's four Winston Cup championships.

"I think it would be fitting for the 24 team to give Hendrick Motorsports it's 100th win," said Gordon. "If it wasn't for the support and confidence given to me from Rick Hendrick, I don't think I'd be where I am today.

"A lot of people have come and gone in this organization," Gordon said. "But Rick and I have maintained a great relationship both on and off the track."

Because of last Sunday's victory, Gordon is now tied with Lee Petty and Rusty Wallace for seventh on the NASCAR Winston Cup all-time winners list.

"It's hard to imagine that I've won 54 races," said Gordon. "It seems like yesterday when I got my first win in the 600. I guess we've just put the throttle down and never really looked back."

So far this season, Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet, is second in Winston Cup points and has two victories, two poles, and leads all drivers with 992 laps led (22%), eight top-five finishes and an 8.2 average starting position. His win at Las Vegas marked his fourth career Winston No Bull 5 million dollar-bonus and he won NASCAR's all-star race, The Winston, for a record-tying third time.

At Michigan International Speedway, Gordon has one victory, two poles and 11 top-five finishes in 16 career starts.

"I think we've got a great shot at winning this weekend," said Gordon. "We're running the same car that finished second at Atlanta and California. It's does well on the longer runs, which will be key at Michigan."

Long runs have been a factor in many of Gordon's victories, and will be again on Sunday as he tries to deliver yet another milestone to Hendrick Motorsports.

Text provided by Jon Edwards

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