CONCORD, N.C. -- April 13 seemed to be a lucky day for Jeff Gordon when he was on the NASCAR circuit. The four-time Cup Series champion celebrated two big wins on two different tracks six years apart on this day in history.
The first came in 1997 when Gordon and the rest of the field headed to Bristol Motor Speedway. After starting on the front row, competitor Rusty Wallace appeared to dominate the race and led for 240 total laps, only giving up the lead for shorts spurts to Gordon.
Gordon appeared out for the count after the final white dropped. He was several car lengths behind Wallace, but rumbled his way back up after Wallace got stuck trying to lap other cars. In Turn 4, Gordon nudged Wallace and slipped in front of him with just enough time to break away and fly under the checkered flag first.
It was Gordon’s 22nd career victory and third of the season. He would go on to win his second Cup Series title that year.
Six years later, Gordon was revving his engine at Martinsville Speedway. The half-mile track saw Gordon nose another competitor out of the way to secure his first win of the 2003 season.
After starting in the pole position, Gordon led 190 laps of the 500-lap event, but Bobby Labonte had the edge late in the race. It was another bump on Gordon’s end during lap 486 that gave him the open road to his 62nd career win and first of 2003.
"Bobby and I were having a lot of fun there at the end, bumping and rubbing," Gordon said after the race. "He was doing everything he could. I didn't want to knock him out of the way too hard, but I did push him around a little."
There were three laps left in the race when an accident occurred further back in the field, which is how the race ended. Luckily for Gordon, he was ahead of Labonte when the race was called.