NASCAR WCUP: Jeff Gordon 'driving' in two events this weekend
20 September 2000
Posted By Terry
Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
|
On Thursday, however, the driving will be less intense -- and probably more erratic -- as Jeff Gordon and many other NASCAR celebrities hit the links for the second annual Jeff Gordon-DuPont Motorsports Golf Classic at the DuPont Country Club in Wilmington, Del.
This year's event benefits the Jeff Gordon Foundation, a foundation devoted to children's charities that Jeff and his wife Brooke established this year. A portion of the proceeds from this year's tournament will directly benefit the Delaware Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the United Way of Delaware.
"We're hoping to match the $100,000 we raised last year for charities through this golf tournament," Gordon said. "While the proceeds will go to the charities we're involved in with our foundation, Brooke and I wanted to also give some back to the charities in this community.
"The NASCAR community is great when it comes to helping out the less fortunate. We have a number of NASCAR stars scheduled to play and many who have donated items for our silent auction including Dale Earnhardt, Jr., who donated a signed uniform."
Along with the NASCAR memorabilia, items have been donated by many other stars to help raise money. Tiger Woods has donated a signed pin flag and shirt from the Masters and Andre Agassi has donated an autographed racquet and two tickets to the 2001 U.S. Open. Michael Jordan, Chris O'Donnell, Paul Newman, Bob Hope and Diane Sawyer are just some of the many who have also donated items for the silent auction.
And not long after the last "fore" is yelled, Gordon will be looking to capture his fourth victory of the season and his fourth at Dover Downs.
"I love winning anywhere," said Gordon. "But it has a special feel here so close to DuPont's home. They always bring a great group of people to the track and it makes this team feel proud to do it in front of the DuPont management and employees."
The DuPont crowd has had plenty to cheer about considering Gordon has two poles, seven top-fives, nine top-10's and has led 1,650 laps in 15 career starts at Dover. However, he has not won here since 1996.
"We've had some great runs since 1996, we just haven't visited victory lane," Gordon said. "We led 375 of 400 laps in the spring of 1998 but still finished third because we had to pit for gas with just a few laps remaining.
"I'd much rather lead only one lap -- as long as it's the last one."
Text Provided By Jon Edwards
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