Jeff Gordon, DuPont and Hendrick Celebrate 15th Anniversary

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Feb. 9, 2007) – Jeff Gordon, DuPont and Hendrick Motorsports will kick off the season with a claim that no other Daytona 500 entrant can make – that they are the longest-running driver/sponsor/owner combination currently competing in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. The 2007 Speed Weeks in Daytona Beach kicks off the 15th Anniversary celebration for this highly accomplished trio as they look to compound their success with more wins, a race to the Chase and ultimately, a fifth championship. “It’s hard to believe it’s been 15 years already,” said Gordon. “Although so much has happened and so much has changed over the years – it still seems like it wasn’t too long ago that I was a rookie looking for my first win. “I think the continuity of having a strong and supportive sponsor like DuPont, along with one of the best race teams out there, is a big part of our success. Being able to go to the race track each week and do my job without worrying about sponsor support and if we have the best people and the best equipment, definitely makes my job easier.” And as for the No. 24 – the history is a bit more storied. Success in the No. 24 has been dominated by Gordon and Gordon. Jeff Gordon has made 473 starts in the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet from November of 1992 to present. Cecil Gordon made 374 starts in the No. 24 from 1970 to 1983. And although other drivers competed in a few events in the No. 24 [Bobby Allison (11), Dick Trickle (6), Kenny Wallace (3) Richard Petty (1)], the next highest number of starts for any driver not named Gordon, is 22 (Jimmie Lewallen). In the No. 24, a total of 64 drivers have competed in 1,063 races in NASCAR’s premier series since its inception. The “Gordons” make up 847 (80 percent) of those – and counting. Whereas Cecil Gordon never won a pole or a race, four-time champion Jeff Gordon has 56 poles and 75 wins, including three Daytona 500 victories. Also at Daytona, Gordon has won the Pepsi 400 three times, and has a total of three poles, 10 top-five and 15 top-10 finishes in 28 point-race starts. In non-point events at the famed 2.5-mile superspeedway, Gordon has won the Bud Shootout twice and the duel Daytona 500 qualifying races three times. The four-time champion hopes to start the celebration of the 15th Anniversary by inducting the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet into Daytona USA as the 2007 Daytona 500 victor.