Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 1992 season finale, the final race of Richard Petty's driving career. Since then, Gordon has won four NASCAR Cup Series championships (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001), more than 80 Cup Series victories, more than 65 Cup Series pole positions and the 1993 NASCAR Cup Series rookie of the year award.

He seems to rise to the challenge of the biggest races of the season; his first win came at the 1994 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, an event he won again in 1997 and 1998. Other major victories include the 1997, 1999 and 2005 Daytona 500s, the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1994 and again in 1998, four consecutive Southern 500's at Darlington Raceway (1995-98), The Winston in 1995 and '97 and the Busch Clash (now the Bud Shootout) in 1994 and '97.

In 1997, he also became only the second driver to win The Winston Million. He is the only driver in NASCAR Cup Series history to win four consecutive Southern 500s at Darlington Raceway. Gordon was the first driver in NASCAR history to exceed $4 million (1995) and $6 million (1997) in single-season earnings.

He was named the Driver of the Year in 1995 and 1997. Gordon was also named the National Motorsports Press Association's and Eastern Motorsports Press Association Driver of the Year in 1995 and the True Value Man of the Year in 1996.