TEXAS MARKS GORDON'S 300th START

    JUSTIN, Texas. - When Jeff Gordon starts the Samsung/RadioShack 500 at 
Texas Motor Speedway this Sunday, he will become the only driver to start 300 
consecutive NASCAR Winston Cup races beginning with his very first. While the 
driver of the DuPont Chevrolet has many accomplishments during the nine full 
seasons of his NASCAR Winston Cup career, a win at Texas in not among them.
    Gordon, a four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion at age 30, leads all 
active drivers with 58 career victories (seventh all-time) which have come on 
a record 19 of 23 tracks currently on the Winston Cup schedule. The tracks he 
has yet to score a Winston Cup victory are Phoenix (nine starts), Texas (five 
starts), Homestead-Miami (three starts) and Chicagoland (one start).
    Gordon has not fared well in Texas. In five career starts at the 1.5-mile 
speedway, he has one top-five finish (fifth in 2001) and four finishes of 
25th or worse. 
    "We need to finish with all the fenders intact," Gordon said. "Last year 
was the first time we were able to do that here and we finished fifth.
    "This year, I expect a lot of nose-to-tail racing because of the new 
track surface. I've heard it's smooth as glass and unbelievably fast but it 
will take a few more races before we work in a second groove.
    "Passing will be difficult on Sunday, so a good qualifying effort on 
Friday is to your benefit."
    Gordon, in his 10th year of Winston Cup racing, has 40 poles to his 
credit, an average starting position of 9.0 and has never used a provisional 
to make a race.
    He is the youngest two-time Daytona 500 champion and the youngest 
four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion, one of only three drivers to win four 
or more championships. Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt each have seven.
    With 13 wins in 1998, Gordon tied Petty for most victories in a single 
season during the modern era. He is tied with Earnhardt for the most 
victories (3) in NASCAR's all star event, The Winston.
    He has captured a record four $1 million No Bull 5 bonuses from Winston, 
is the only three-time champion of the Brickyard 400 and tops the list for 
career Winston Cup earnings.
    Gordon holds the record for consecutive Southern 500 victories (4), 
consecutive road course victories (6), and consecutive superspeedway 
victories in the modern era (5 in 1998).
    What's next to accomplish?
    "I don't focus on the records," Gordon said. "When I retire, that's when 
I'll look back on my career.
    "My goal right now is to win Texas."