Clint Bowyer
Born	(1979-05-30) May 30, 1979 (age 33) Emporia, Kansas, United States
Achievements	2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Midwest Division Champion 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
229 race(s) run over 8 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 15 (Michael Waltrip Racing)
2011 position	13th
Best finish	3rd - 2007
First race	2005 Subway Fresh 500 (Phoenix)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	2007 Sylvania 300 (New Hampshire)
Last win	2011 Good Sam Club 500 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 100 2
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
179 race(s) run over 8 year(s)
2011 position	100th
Best finish	1st - 2008
First race	2004 O'Reilly 300 (Texas)
Last race	2011 Ford 300 (Homestead)
First win	2005 Federated Auto Parts 300 (Nashville)
Last win	2009 Dover 200 (Dover)
Wins Top tens Poles 8 115 9
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
12 race(s) run over 4 year(s)
2011 position	83rd
Best finish	42nd - 2006 (Craftsman Truck Series)
First race	2006 Kroger 250 (Martinsville)
Last race	2011 Good Sam Club 200 (Atlanta)
First win	2006 Silverado 350K (Texas)
Last win	2011 O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 (Kansas)
Wins Top tens Poles 3 8 2
Statistics current as of May 24, 2012.

Clint Bowyer (born May 30, 1979) is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #15 5 Hour Energy Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for Michael Waltrip Racing. Early in his career, he drove for Richard Childress Racing. He won the 2008 Nationwide Series championship.

Early career[link]

Bowyer began racing at the age of five in motocross. He went on to capture over 200 wins and numerous championships over the next eight years. In 1996, he began racing street stocks at Thunderhill Speedway in Mayetta, Kansas, and won the Modified championship there in 2000. Bowyer racked up 18 wins and 32 top-five finishes on his way to capturing the 2001 Modified championships at Lakeside Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas and Heartland Park Topeka. In 2002, he began racing in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series, posting 9 poles, 12 wins and 32 top-five finishes en route to a second place finish in the NASCAR Weekly Racing Series national point standings. He was also crowned the 2002 NASCAR Weekly Racing Series Midwest Champion after another Modified championship at Lakeside Speedway and a Late Model championship at the famed I-70 Speedway in Odessa, MO, his first attempt at racing on asphalt.

In 2003, Bowyer raced a full season in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division Midwest Series, scoring one top-ten finish in 11 starts. He also would make his first ARCA starts in 2003, and caught the eye of legendary car owner Richard Childress after leading 47 laps and finishing second in his debut at Nashville Superspeedway driving for Bobby Gerhart.

When Richard Childress became aware of Bowyer's racing talents and watched him race, he contacted him, by phone, about a job; Bowyer initially believed he was being pranked.^{[citation needed]}

NASCAR career[link]

2004-2007[link]

In 2004,Clint began by finishing 8th in the ARCA Remax series race at Daytona in the #7 Advanced Chevrolet for Gerhart.In 2004 Bowyer began running the NASCAR Busch Series for Childress, sharing seat time in the #21 Reese's Chevrolet with Kevin Harvick. He drove in half of the 34 Busch Series races that year, winning one pole and seven top-tens, attaining a season-high 3rd place finish in the Federated Auto Parts 300 at Nashville Superspeedway in June. He also ran three races for Kevin Harvick Incorporated with help from Andy Petree Racing with sponsorship from Monaco Coach.Bowyer made two starts for Bill McAnally in the Camping World West Series in the #20 Chevrolet. In his two starts at Phoenix & Auto Club Speedway, he won one pole and had a best finish of 2nd.

Bowyer's first full Busch season was in 2005, replacing Ron Hornaday in the #2 ACDelco Chevrolet. He won two poles and two races en route to a second place finish to repeat-champion Martin Truex Jr., losing by only 68 points. He also made his NEXTEL Cup debut in the Sylvania-sponsored #33 Chevy on April 23, 2005, during the Subway Fresh 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. He finished 22nd as the first car one lap down. Richard Childress Racing announced on October 15, 2005, that Bowyer would race the #07 Chevrolet full time in the NEXTEL Cup series, replacing Dave Blaney for the 2006 season.

Bowyer began his rookie Cup season with three top-fifteen finishes and had a total of eleven top-tens that season, with his best finish being a 3rd at California Speedway. He finished 68 points behind Denny Hamlin for NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors. Bowyer also continued to drive the #2 in the Busch Series full-time, winning once and finishing 3rd in points. Bowyer won his first Craftsman Truck Series Truck Series race in the #46 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Silverado fielded by Morgan-Dollar Motorsports at Texas Motor Speedway on November 3, 2006, in his third career Truck start, making his first CTS start that year at Martinsville for Green Light Racing.

Bowyer's 2007 car.

After starting the 2007 season with a last-lap crash at Daytona (crossing the finish line upside down and on fire), Bowyer won the Budweiser Pole position for the Dodge Avenger 500 at Darlington Raceway. He finished the regular season 9th in points, but was seeded 12th for the playoff, since race wins determine playoff seeding. Bowyer won his second pole at the Sylvania 300 at Loudon, and two days later went on to win his first NEXTEL Cup race in his 64th start.

For the 2007 Busch season, Bowyer ran a partial Busch Series schedule in the RCR #2 car with BB&T and Camping World sponsorship. On April 20, 2007, he won the Busch Series Bashas' Supermarkets 200 at Phoenix International Raceway. He followed that up with another Busch Series win on May 4 in the Circuit City 250 at Richmond International Raceway. Bowyer also ran select races in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for Kevin Harvick.

2008[link]

2008 car

In 2008, Bowyer continued to drive in the Cup and Nationwide Series full-time. Bowyer dominated the late stages of the Daytona 500 but was spun out by Juan Pablo Montoya with 17 laps remaining. On May 3, 2008, Bowyer earned his second Sprint Cup victory, winning the Crown Royal Presents the Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond International Speedway. Bowyer led only two laps, going to the front after Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Kyle Busch got together with less than four laps remaining in the race.

On August 23, 2008, Bowyer was announced as the driver of the #33 General Mills Chevrolet Impala SS for RCR. Casey Mears from Hendrick Motorsports will replace Bowyer in the 07 Jack Daniel's Chevrolet Impala SS.^[1] This move was necessitated by a sponsor's request, as General Mills did not want Mears, who had been driving in the 2008 season for a rival cereal with Hendrick Motorsports, representing them, so Childress sponsors General Mills and Brown-Forman Corporation agreed to the swap so Bowyer, who drove for Brown-Forman, would drive for General Mills, and Mears could drive for Brown-Forman, as they had no problems with Mears representing the company.^[2]

On November 15, 2008, Clint Bowyer won the NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Florida with a narrow margin of victory over Carl Edwards of 21 points. Edwards won the race with Bowyer finishing 5th.

2009[link]

Race car from 2009

Clint Bowyer concentrated primarily on the Sprint Cup Series in 2009 and drove the #33 General Mills/BB&T/The Hartford Chevrolet Impala to 15th place in the season standings. Bowyer trimmed his participation in the Nationwide series to 12 races but performed well, winning at Daytona (July 3) and Dover (Sept. 26th), finishing in the top 5 in 6 of the 12 races and notching 8 top 10s.

Clint started the Cup season in strong fashion, finishing 4th in the Daytona 500 and 2nd at Las Vegas in the 3rd race of the year. With a 6th in Atlanta and a 5th in Martinsville, Bowyer was 2nd in the overall standings after 6 races.

A tough stretch in races 7 through 12 dropped Bowyer down to 17th overall, 109 points behind Mark Martin in 12th place. After a much more consistent run in races 13- 23 (3rd at Pocono in the #33 Hartford Racing paint out, 8th at Sonoma, 8th at Michigan), Clint had climbed up to 14th overall, within 58 pts of 12th place. Finishing in the top 15 in 8 of 11 races helped him make up 51 points on the 12th place position.

A 21st finish the following week (race 24) at Bristol really hurt Bowyer’s chance at the Chase, dropping him 112 points behind Matt Kenseth in 12th with just 2 races prior to the chase. It was the 25th race (Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta) that sealed Clint’s fate, as a spin on lap 309^[3] cost him 2 laps and the chance to compete in the Chase.

While Clint’s chances at the Chase were over, Bowyer finished the season like he started it, with 5 top 10s and 9 top 15s in the last 11 races. His top finish was the 6th place run at Charlotte in the Scary Fast Count Chocula paint out. Overall, Clint finished the 2009 Sprint Cup series in 15th place^[4]

2010[link]

Bowyer alongside 2010 car in Hartford paint

In 2010, Clint Bowyer returned with the same set of sponsors, driving the #33 General Mills/BB&T/The Hartford Chevrolet Impala in the Sprint Cup Series.

True to form, Clint performed well early in 2010, finishing 4th in Daytona, 7th at Martinsville and 9th at Phoenix to stand 6th after 7 races. However, at Texas in the Samsung Mobile 500 (race 8), Bowyer got caught in a major crash on lap 317 that wiped out 8 other drivers and caused a 19-minute red flag race stoppage. The resulting 36th place finish dropped Clint to 14th position overall, only 1 point behind 12th place Joey Logano. 7th and 12th place finishes at Talladega and Richmond put Clint back into 12th place after 10 races.

The 11th race run at Darlington, promised to be special. Bowyer ran the new The Hartford Racing paint out^[5] as part of The Hartford’s 200th year anniversary celebration.^[6] As part of Fox’s coverage, the 33 was one of 4 cars with an in-car camera for the race. However, 101 laps into the race, Bowyer went to the pits and ultimately the garage, with brake issues. After a 2nd long stop to correct Bowyer finished in 32nd position, 36 laps down.^[7]

Clint ran well again in races 12 through 14, as 17th, 7th and 9th place finishes allowed Bowyer to move back up into 12th place overall. In race 13 (Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte), Bowyer led lap 217 following a caution for debris. Kurt Bush passed Clint on the following lap and went on to win the race. In races 15-17, Bowyer finished 22nd at Michigan, 31st at Sonoma and 7th at Loudon, NH. Despite the poor finish, Bowyer was very competitive at Sonoma. Clint led lap 80 (of 110) and was in 7th place with 11 laps to go. But on lap 100, Elliot Sadler gut bumped by Jeff Gordon and spun Bowyer, dropping him all the way back to 34th.^[8]

Clint had one of his strongest runs of the year in the Coke Zero 400 (at Daytona, July 3), leading 17 of the final 21 laps.^[9] Unfortunately on the final Green-White restart, Bowyer got split by Jeff Gordon, lost the lead, fell back in the pack and ultimately spun.^[10] In finishing 17th, Clint fell 49 points behind 12th place Carl Edwards.

In race 19 at Chicagoland, Bowyer ran well all night, finishing 4th and moving up into 12th place in the overall standings. Clint started 15th but moved up quickly, running in the top 10 for the first half and then in the top 5 for most of the latter half of the race, battling Jeff Gordon for the lead with less than 40 laps to go.^[11]

In the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Bowyer started 2nd and led the most laps before fading back into the top 5. Taking the white flag in second place, he suddenly witnessed then-leader Tony Stewart run out of fuel, giving Bowyer the third win of his Sprint Cup career and vaulting him to second in the Chase standings behind Denny Hamlin.^[12] However, this was negated during post-race inspection at NASCAR's R&D center. Reports surfaced that Bowyer's car used at Richmond had come close to failing inspection. NASCAR announced on September 22 that they had issued fines and penalties to the #33 team after failing a secondary inspection. Most critically, crew chief Shane Wilson was suspended for the next 6 races and both Bowyer and car owner Richard Childress face $150,000 in fines and the loss of 150 championship points. The penalty drops Bowyer back to 12th in points, 185 points behind Denny Hamlin. Childress appealed the decision, which reduced the suspensions to four races and $100,000, but the 150-point deduction was upheld.

During the Pepsi Max 400 weekend at Fontana, Bowyer and fellow Childress driver Austin Dillon taped an episode of The Price Is Right that is scheduled to feature NASCAR-themed Showcases (a practice that occurs during a Fontana race; host Drew Carey was the Grand Marshal of the August 2008 race). That is scheduled to air November 15.^[13]

Bowyer barely edged teammate Kevin Harvick for the victory in the fall Talladega race, the AMP Energy Juice 500. The race ended with the leaders in Turn 1 when a caution was displayed for a large wreck on the front straightaway on the final lap.

Clint Bowyer finished 10th in the final Chase standings, earning him a spot on stage at the season-ending Awards Banquet.

2011[link]

Clint started off 2011 strong in the Budweiser shootout practice sessions, he and his teammates regularly sat on top of the pylon. In the race, he and Jeff Burton led many laps, but faded to 10th at the end (9th because Denny Hamlin got black flagged).

Clint qualified 5th for the Daytona 500, and finished 2nd to Jeff Burton in his Gatorade duel by 0.005 seconds. They together dominated that race.

In the Daytona 500, Bowyer teamed up with many drivers throughout the day including Jeff Burton, Paul Menard (his new RCR teammate), Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Kyle Busch. After Jeff Burton's engine let go, Clint found himself getting a push from Kyle Busch. With four laps to go, Kurt Busch got into the back of Regan Smith which turned him up in front of Clint. Ryan Newman was also involved. Clint was able to salvage a 17th place finish out of it, mainly because of the big pileups earlier in the race. Clint Bowyer also led 31 laps. Trevor Bayne ended up winning in only his second ever start. After the race he was 16th in points.

The next race at Phoenix, Clint was taken out early in a multi-car incident on the backstretch. The Helping Hands (his pit crew) were able to repair the car fairly quickly and he was able to finish 27th.

At Talladega, Bowyer led the most laps with 38 and lost to Jimmie Johnson at the finish line by 0.002 seconds, tied for the closest finish in NASCAR history.

At Dover, in the Nationwide series, Clint was involved in a major crash on the last lap, with Bowyer going on his side. He, and no-one else, were injured.

On October 7, Clint signed a 3 year contract to race the 5-Hour Energy Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing, starting in 2012.

Bowyer won the fall race at Talladega for the second consecutive year, pulling a slingshot on teammate Jeff Burton out of turn 4 on the final lap of the race. The margin of victory was 0.018 of a second.

Race Team[link]

Clint Bowyer started his own Dirt Late Model team, Clint Bowyer Racing in 2008. Well-established veteran Shannon Babb of Mowequa, IL was behind the wheel of Clint's Rocket Chassis, and had a very solid season. Babb left to form his own team at the end of 2008, due to wanting to run more of an "outlaw" type schedule, and wanting to race closer to home to be with his family. For the 2009 season, the 2005 World 100 Champion Dale McDowell (who ironically inherited the win via Babb being light at the scales) took over the seat, and the number was changed to Dale's signature #17M, Jared Landers also drives for the the team in the #5 late model.

The team elected to run the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series full time in 2009, choosing to run Warrior Racecars, with help from Warrior's owner, Sanford Goddard. Winning two races and finishing fourth in the points standings, it was a decent season. Since then, the 17M has become a staple of the Lucas Oil Series, continuing on the 2010 tour.

Clint Bowyer Racing also has fielded cars in Tony Stewart's Prelude to The Dream in 2008 (Clint, 2nd & Jimmie Johnson, 10th) and 2010 (Johnson won, Bowyer 2nd). Both years these were also Warrior Racecars.

Charity work[link]

On May 6, 2008, Clint Bowyer attended and hosted the first annual Clint Bowyer Charity Golf Event in his hometown of Emporia, Kansas. It raised $160,000 for the Emporia Community foundation to "make Emporia a better place."

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Clint Bowyer at Racing Reference
• Clint Bowyer at NASCAR.com

Joseph Thomas Logano
Born	(1990-05-24) May 24, 1990 (age 22) Middletown, Connecticut, United States
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	140 lb (64 kg)
Achievements	2007 Busch East Series Champion Youngest Nationwide Series winner (18 years, 21 days) Youngest Sprint Cup Series winner (19 years, 1 month, 4 days)
Awards	2009 Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
123 race(s) run over 5 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
2011 position	24th
Best finish	16th – 2010
First race	2008 Sylvania 300 (Loudon)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 (Loudon)
Last win	2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 (Loudon)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 32 3
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
97 race(s) run over 5 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing)
2011 position	92nd
Best finish	8th – 2010
First race	2008 Heluva Good! 200 (Dover)
Last race	2012 History 300 (Charlotte)
First win	2008 Meijer 300 (Kentucky)
Last win	2012 VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 (Darlington)
Wins Top tens Poles 12 75 19
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
1 race(s) run over 1 year(s)
Best finish	91st – 2008
First race	2008 Mountain Dew 250 (Talladega)
Last race	2008 Mountain Dew 250 (Talladega)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
Statistics current as of May 26, 2012.

Joseph Thomas "Joey" Logano (born May 24, 1990), nicknamed "sliced bread" (as in the greatest thing since) by Randy LaJoie,^[1] is an American stock car auto racing race car driver who currently drives the #20 Home Depot/Dollar General Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series and the #20 GameStop/Sport Clips Toyota Camry in the Nationwide Series for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Logano's first major NASCAR win came during the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway in just his third start in the 2008 Nationwide Series. Logano made history becoming the youngest driver to win a Nationwide Series race at &1000000000000001800000018 years, &1000000000000002100000021 days old. The previous youngest was Casey Atwood in 1999 at &1000000000000001800000018 years, &10000000000000313000000313 days.^[2] Logano became the youngest winner in Sprint Cup Series history when he won the 2009 Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway at &1000000000000001900000019 years, &1000000000000003500000035 days. The previous youngest was teammate Kyle Busch in 2005 at &1000000000000002000000020 years, &10000000000000125000000125 days.^[3] Logano is now the youngest winner in two of NASCAR'S three top divisions. Logano is also the first NASCAR driver to be born in the 1990s to compete in NASCAR's three major divisions.

Racing career[link]

Early racing career[link]

Logano is the youngest child, born into a tight-knit Italian-American family.^[4] He began his racing career in 1996 as a 6-year-old quarter midget racer living in Connecticut. In 1997 Logano won his first Eastern Grand National Championship in the Jr. Stock Car Division. He followed it up with a Jr. Honda Division Championship in 1998 and in early 1999 a Lt. Mod. Division Championship. Later in 1999 Logano won 3 New England Regional Championships in the Sr. Stock, Lt. Mod., Lt. B. divisions.

Logano's family then moved to Georgia. The transaction allowed Logano to win a Bandolero Bandits Series Championship. At age 10 he went on to racing Legend cars, where he set a 14-consecutive winning streak track record at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, along with a Lions National Championship. At age 12, Logano won the Southeast-based Pro Legends National championship. Afterwards he spent a couple years racing various forms of pavement Late Model racing.^[5]

Veteran NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Mark Martin, who was driving for Jack Roush(Roush Fenway Racing) at the time, called Joey Logano "the real deal".^[6] When Logano was 15, Martin said "I am high on Joey Logano because I am absolutely, 100-percent positive, without a doubt that he can be one of the greatest that ever raced in NASCAR. I'm positive. There's no doubt in mind."^[7]

In 2005, he ran in 1 FASCAR Pro Truck Series race at the New Smyrna Speedway, started 1st and finished 2nd. He raced in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, competing seven times in the Northern Division, and winning once at Mansfield, two Southern Division races, and five Championship Series races.^[6] The following season, he continued racing in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series. He raced in twelve Southern Division races, winning twice at South Georgia Motorsports Park and at USA International Speedway. He ran in one USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series, Northern Division race and six Championship Series races.

Logano's 2007 Camping World East Series championship racecar

In 2007, a new NASCAR rule allowed drivers 16 and up to race in the Grand National Division, allowing Logano to compete in the series. He finished the 2007 Grand National season with 13 starts in Camping World East Series, winning 5 races, 3 poles, 10 Top 5's, and 10 Top 10's, and winning the championship with wins at Greenville-Pickens Speedway, Iowa Speedway, two wins at New Hampshire International Speedway, and Adirondack International Speedway. He also has made 1 NASCAR West Series start at Phoenix International Raceway, where he started 2nd and won in the #10 Joe Gibbs Driven Toyota. On October 20, 2007, Logano won the Toyota All-Star Showdown at Irwindale Speedway, leading 87 laps and held off Peyton Sellers for the win.

On May 4, 2008, Logano won the Carolina 500 during his ARCA RE/MAX Series debut with Venturini Motorsports in racing's return to Rockingham Speedway. Logano also made his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut, at Talladega, in the Mountain Dew 250, starting 6th and finishing 26th. It has been his only start to date in the Truck Series. Logano attempted to defend his Toyota All-Star Showdown title he won in the 2007 season by driving in the January 2009 race (the 2008 season race), and was disqualified for crashing into Peyton Sellers in an unsportsmanlike manner on the final lap, in an attempt to win the race.

Nationwide Series career[link]

Logano holds his trophy for winning the pole position in Nashville

Logano made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at the Dover International Speedway in the 2008 Heluva Good! 200.^[8]

Logano became the youngest winner in Nationwide history by winning his first major NASCAR series race at the 2008 Meijer 300 in only his third start, previous holder of the achievement was Casey Atwood^[9] On July 10, 2009, Logano won the Dollar General 300 by deciding not to pit unlike his teammate Kyle Busch who took four tires with twelve laps to go. By leading the pack, the clean air made it easy to beat Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch by five car lengths making it the first time he won at the racetrack in Chicago. He took his fifth series victory at the Kansas Speedway after a late race pass over teammate Kyle Busch. He earned his sixth Nationwide series victory at the Auto Club Speedway. In April 2009 Joey won the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Nashville. On July 1, 2011, he won the Subway Jalapeño 250 at Daytona International Speedway, avoiding a last second crash. His most recent win was in the Royal Purple 300 at Auto Club Speedway on March 24, 2012 in the #18 Trans-Lux Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Sprint Cup Series career[link]

Logano's first cup practice at Richmond International Raceway

On August 25, 2008, Joe Gibbs Racing called a press conference to announce that Logano would drive the #20 Home Depot Toyota Camry in the 2009 Sprint Cup Series.^[10] Logano replaced Tony Stewart who left JGR to drive for his own team, Stewart-Haas Racing. Logano was also a candidate for the 2008 Rookie of the Year award, and was scheduled to make his first Sprint Cup start in the #02 Home Depot car at Richmond,^[10] but failed to qualify for the event.

On August 28, Hall of Fame Racing announced that Logano would drive five races in their #96 car during the 2008 Sprint Cup Series.^[11] His official debut was in New Hampshire on September 14, by starting that race, he became the first NASCAR driver to run a cup race that was born in the 90s. On September 5, Joey Logano made his first appearance in a Sprint Cup car at Richmond International Raceway in the two hour long Friday practice for the Chevy Rock & Roll 400. Due to Tropical Storm Hanna, qualifying was rained out. A NASCAR rule states that when qualifying is rained out, the top 43 drivers in owners points are then set for the race. Logano was not in the top 43 in owners points, so he did not get to debut.

Logano is the youngest post-modern-era driver to compete full time in NASCAR's top division (Records show drivers as young as 15 competing in NASCAR. A 2002 rule change mandated that drivers had to be 18 to compete in a national touring series; 16-year-olds can compete in regional divisions such as the Camping World East and a 2010 adjustment allowed 14-year-olds to compete in the Whelen All-American Series).

In 2009, Logano finished 4th in his first Gatorade Duel, and would become the youngest driver to ever start in the Daytona 500, however, he would crash midway through the race.^[12] Logano's first three starts in the Sprint Cup Series saw three finishes of 30th place or worse. Las Vegas was his sixth start in the Sprint Cup Series, he finished 13th. In April, Logano finished ninth for his first top-ten finish at Talladega; later that month at Darlington, he led 19 laps late in the race and finished ninth. Logano was the fan vote for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, and finished in 8th place.

On June 28, 2009, Logano won the rain-shortened Lenox Tools 301 at Loudon, New Hampshire, beating 4-time cup champion Jeff Gordon and former Home Depot #20 driver Tony Stewart, becoming the youngest winner ever in NASCAR's top racing series at the age of only nineteen years, one month and four days old.

On November 22, 2009 Logano was crowned the official 2009 Sprint Cup Series Raybestos Rookie of The Year, having beat out other rookies Scott Speed and Max Papis.^[13]

Logano won his first Coors Light Pole Award on March 19, 2010 for the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Crew chief Greg Zipadelli left the #20 team at the end of the 2011 season to become the competition director at Stewart-Haas Racing. Jason Ratcliff was named Logano's new crew chief beginning with the 2012 season.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official website
• Joey Logano at Racing Reference
• Joey Logano at Joe Gibbs Racing

Jeffery Michael Gordon
Born	(1971-08-04) August 4, 1971 (age 40) Vallejo, California, United States
Height	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight	150 lb (68 kg)
Achievements	USAC Triple Crown champion (1990 Midget, 1991 Silver Crown) 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion 1997, 1999, 2005 Daytona 500 Winner 1994, 1998, 2001, 2004 Brickyard 400 Winner Sprint All-Star Race XI, XIII, and XVII Winner
Awards	1991 NASCAR Busch Series Rookie of The Year 1993 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame Inductee
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
665 race(s) run over 21 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports)
2011 position	8th
Best finish	1st (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001)
First race	1992 Hooters 500 (Atlanta)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	1994 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
Last win	2011 AdvoCare 500 (Atlanta)
Wins Top tens Poles 85 399 71
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
73 race(s) run over 5 year(s)
Best finish	4th (1992)
First race	1990 AC-Delco 200 (Rockingham)
Last race	2000 Miami 300 (Homestead)
First win	1992 Atlanta 300 (Atlanta)
Last win	2000 Miami 300 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 32 12
Statistics current as of May 27, 2012.

Jeffery Michael "Jeff" Gordon ^[1] (born August 4, 1971) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He drives the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger/DuPont Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He is a four-time series champion and a three-time Daytona 500 winner. He is third on the all-time wins list, with 85 career wins,^[2] and has the most wins in NASCAR's modern era (1972–present).^[3] In 2009, Gordon became the first driver to reach $100 million in career winnings in the Cup series.^[4]

Gordon, along with Rick Hendrick, are the co-owners of the No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet, driven by Jimmie Johnson, who won five consecutive Cup championships from 2006 to 2010. Gordon also has an equity stake in his own No. 24 team. He was born in Vallejo, California, raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, and currently resides in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Early career[link]

Jeff Gordon's signature

Gordon began racing at the age of five, racing quarter midgets. The Roy Hayer Memorial Race Track (Previously the Cracker Jack Track) in Rio Linda, California is noted as the first track Gordon ever competed on. By the age of six Gordon had won 35 main events and set five track records.^[5] By the age of 13, Gordon took an interest in the 650 horsepower (480 kW) sprint cars. Gordon and his family had to overcome an insurance hurdle. The minimum age for driving the sprint cars was 16. His persistence paid off with an all Florida speed weeks. Supporting his career choice, Gordon's family moved from Vallejo, California to Pittsboro, Indiana, where there were more opportunities for younger racers. Before the age of 18, Gordon had already won three short-track races and was awarded USAC Midget Car Racing Rookie of the Year in 1989. That season was highlighted by winning Night Before the 500 midget car race on the day before the Indianapolis 500.^[6] In 1990, Gordon won his second consecutive Night Before the 500, the Hut Hundred, and the Belleville Midget Nationals on his way to winning the USAC national Midget title.^[6] In 1991, Gordon into the USAC Silver Crown, and at the age of 20 became the youngest driver to win the season championship.^[6] He also won the 4 Crown Nationals midget car race that season.^[6] In his midget car career between 1989 and 1992, he finished in the Top 3 in 22 of 40 USAC midget car events.^[6] And he remembered, "the car is heavy"!

Busch Series career[link]

In 1990 Gordon met Hugh Connerty, who owned some Hooters restaurants and was also a partner in Outback Steakhouse. Connerty secured some sponsorship for a car through Outback, and they tested for the last few Busch Grand National races left in 1990. Ray Evernham was called in to work with Jeff in his stock car debut. His first Busch race came on October 20, 1990 at Rockingham in the AC-Delco 200. Gordon drove the No. 67 Outback Steakhouse Pontiac for Connerty. Gordon ran the second fastest lap during qualifying and started on the outside of the front row of the field. Gordon would however, get involved in a wreck on lap 33. He ended up with a 39th place finish.

In 1991 and 1992, Gordon went on to the Busch Series driving Ford Thunderbirds for Bill Davis Racing. In his first year as a Busch driver he won rookie of the year. In 1992, Gordon set a NASCAR record by capturing 11 poles in one season. His time with Bill Davis Racing introduced Gordon to Ray Evernham as his crew chief. He was sponsored by Carolina Ford Dealers in 1991 and Baby Ruth in 1992.^[7]

Cup Series career[link]

Gordon made his Winston Cup debut in the history-making 1992 Hooters 500 at Atlanta in the last race of that season; in addition to the race being Richard Petty's final race in NASCAR and the championship battle among six drivers (eventually won by Alan Kulwicki by virtue of his second place finish in the race), this was Gordon's first start in the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports that he has driven for his entire Cup Series career.

Gordon began driving the No. 24 full-time in the 1993 Winston Cup season, in which he won a Daytona 500 qualifying race, the Rookie of the Year award, and finished 14th in points. Ray Evernham was placed as Jeff Gordon's first crew chief. Gordon's success in the sport reshaped the paradigm and eventually gave younger drivers an opportunity to compete in NASCAR. However, during the 1993 season, many doubted Gordon's ability to compete at such a level at such a young age because of his tendency to push the cars too hard and crash. His last-place finish at the 1993 First Union 400 was a firm example of this theory.^[8]

1994[link]

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In 1994, Gordon collected his first career victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race on the NASCAR circuit. Additionally, Gordon scored a popular hometown victory at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the inaugural Brickyard 400, passing Ernie Irvan for the lead late in the race when Irvan cut down a tire.^[9] Gordon finished eighth in the Winston Cup point standings for the '94 season, as Dale Earnhardt grabbed the driving championship for his 7th and final time.

1995–2001[link]

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Gordon with his 1995 trophy

1995 saw Gordon win his first NASCAR Winston Cup Championship. He won it by battling 7-time and defending champ, Dale Earnhardt into the final race of the season. Many see this as a symbolic passing of the torch, as Gordon collected his first championship the year after Earnhardt won his final championship. (A similar situation befell Earnhardt early in his career, as he won his first championship after Richard Petty, whose record seven titles he would eventually tie, won his last). Gordon finished the season with eight poles, and seven victories, winning at Rockingham in the second race of the season, Atlanta, Bristol (starting a streak of four consecutive wins in the spring event), Daytona (in the Pepsi 400), New Hampshire, Darlington (Starting a streak of four consecutive wins in the Southern 500 event), and Dover. The team's consistency was much better as well, having 3 DNF's in 1995, compared to 21 in his previous two seasons combined.

Gordon got off to a rocky start in 1996, but rebounded to win ten races, the series high. The 24 team collected wins at Richmond, Darlington (winning both the spring event and the Southern 500), Bristol, Dover (winning both events of the season), Pocono, Talladega, Martinsville, and North Wilkesboro (winning the final event ever at the track). This would start a three year streak of winning double digit races. He finished 2nd to teammate Terry Labonte for the championship, losing by 37 points.

Jeff Gordon won his first Daytona 500 in 1997, becoming the youngest driver in history to win the race,^[10] a record that would stand until Trevor Bayne's Daytona win in 2011. He won the second race of the season at Rockingham the following week. Later in the season he also won the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte and had a chance to become the first man since Bill Elliott in 1985 to win the "Winston Million." Gordon completed the feat by holding off a determined Jeff Burton in the final laps of the Southern 500 at Darlington. While Elliott failed to win the Winston Cup in 1985, Jeff Gordon claimed his second Winston Cup championship in 1997, completing one of the most impressive single-season performances in NASCAR history. He finished the season with 10 victories (Daytona, Rockingham, Bristol, Martinsville, Charlotte, Pocono, California, Watkins Glen, Darlington, and New Hampshire) for the second straight season. His victory at California was in the track's inaugural race, and his victory at Watkins Glen began a streak of seven consecutive road course victories. In 1998 Gordon set a modern era record with 13 victories, easily winning the Winston Cup for the third time.

In 1999, Gordon along with crew chief Evernham formed Gordon/Evernham Motorsports. Though short lived, the race team enjoyed success. The co-owned team received a full sponsorship from Pepsi and ran six races with Gordon as driver and Ray Evernham as crew chief in the NASCAR Busch Series. GEM only survived one year as Evernham was pulled away by Dodge, ending one of the most dominant driver/crew-chief combinations in NASCAR history. Jeff Gordon extended his Busch experiment one more year, through 2000 as co-owner, with Rick Hendrick buying Evernham's half. After the departure of Evernham (who left Hendrick Motorsports to begin his own team, Evernham Motorsports, reintroducing Dodge into the series), the race team was renamed JG Motorsports. While winning seven times in 1999, Gordon's season was a major disappointment, finishing 6th in the series standings. Brian Whitesell was named the interim crew-chief for remainder of the season after Evernham's departure in September. Whitesell scored back to back victories in his first two races.

2000 saw Gordon enter his first campaign with Robbie Loomis as crew-chief. Loomis had been with Petty Enterprises for years prior. The team struggled as the rebuilding process went on. Gordon scored his first victory of 2000 at Talladega in the spring event, winning his 50th career victory in the series. He went on to win at Sears Point Raceway (now Infineon Raceway) and Richmond. Gordon finished the season 9th in points.

Many people questioned Gordon's ability to win championships without longtime crew chief, Ray Evernham, especially after Gordon struggled to a 9th place points finish in 2000, winning only three races. Gordon answered those challenges in 2001 by winning 6 races (including a third Brickyard 400 win, and the inaugural event at Kansas Speedway) en route to his 4th Winston Cup championship. Jeff Gordon became the third driver to win four Cup championships in NASCAR history only second to Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt (7 times). The 24 car's paint scheme was changed for the first time this season, abandoning the 'Rainbow Warrior' scheme in favor of a flames-themed car. Both paint schemes were designed by Sam Bass.

2002–03[link]

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Gordon entered the 2002 season as defending champion, but the year was far from perfect. In addition (or perhaps because of), Gordon's divorce proceedings with wife Brooke affecting his performance on the track.^{[citation needed]} A strong showing in the Daytona 500 was ruined when Sterling Marlin sent Gordon spinning in the infield grass with a handful of laps remaining, while leading the race. Gordon had won his 125 qualifier, but finished ninth in the Daytona 500 after the contact with Marlin. It was announced to the media during the spring event at Darlington that Gordon's then-wife, Brooke, was filing for divorce. Many^[who?] think that the addition of the 48 team with Jimmie Johnson as driver in 2002, also took away from Gordon's season as the 24 team helped to build the 48 team. Gordon did not win until the Sharpie 500 night race at Bristol in August, his first victory in the night race at Bristol. He followed that up with a fifth victory in the Southern 500 at Darlington a week later. Gordon won for the third and final time in 2002 at Kansas Speedway, his second consecutive at the track. The 24 team finished the season 4th in points.^[11]

In 2003, Jeff Gordon returned with Robbie Loomis for a third season together. Gordon won early in April, winning Martinsville, and winning Atlanta and Martinsville again in the fall. He finished the year 4th in the NASCAR standings, with 3 wins, 15 Top-5 finishes, and 20 Top-10 finishes. Gordon also was in second in rank to Matt Kenseth for the championship early in the season. In June, Gordon went to Indianapolis Motor Speedway to take part in a test with then-F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya. The two switched rides, with Gordon driving an F1 car for the first time. Montoya would eventually join the NASCAR Cup series in 2007.

2004[link]

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2004 was a huge rebound for the team. Gordon won the Brickyard 400 in August 2004, obtaining his 4th Indy win (1994, 1998, 2001, 2004). He is the only NASCAR driver with four Brickyard 400 victories at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and one of only five drivers to have four victories at the historic track. Prior to this victory, Gordon won at Talladega (ending the DEI dominance on restrictor plate tracks), and followed that up with a victory the following weekend at California. He also won at Infineon Raceway, and followed that up with a victory the following weekend in the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, his second consecutive restrictor plate win. He finished 3rd in the 2004 NEXTEL Cup points standing behind Kurt Busch and teammate Jimmie Johnson even though he scored the most total points throughout the whole season, a consequence of the new Chase system implemented in 2004. While the Hendrick Motorsports team enjoyed success with Johnson and Gordon finished 2nd and 3rd in the points, the team suffered a major off-track tragedy. On October 24, during the race weekend at Martinsville, a Hendrick Motorsports plane carrying engine builder Randy Dorton, team President John Hendrick (Rick Hendrick's brother), Vice President Jeff Turner, Ricky Hendrick (Rick Hendrick's 24 year old son) and more crashed on its way to the track. Everyone on board was killed. The team was clearly affected by this, but continued with impressive performances.

2005[link]

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Jeff Gordon during the 2005 Dickies 500

Gordon started the 2005 season with a win in the Daytona 500, his third win in the event. Inconsistency would plague him throughout the year, however. A late season (notably top 10s at Indy and Bristol) run put him in position to qualify for the Chase, but in the last race before the Chase at Richmond, Gordon made contact with the wall and failed to start for the chase. Despite this disappointment, on October 23 Gordon won the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway, his first win in 22 points races, and his 7th career victory at the 0.526-mile (0.847 km) track, which leads all active drivers at the facility. He went on to finish 11th in the Championship and received a $1,000,000 bonus as the top driver finishing outside the Chase. It was Gordon's first time outside the top 10 in the point standings since 1993.

On September 14, 2005 Crew Chief Robbie Loomis resigned from the No. 24 team. Loomis stayed on with Hendrick Motorsports as a consultant for Jimmie Johnson's No. 48 team through the Chase for The NEXTEL Cup in 2005. Steve Letarte, Gordon's car chief for most of the '05 season and long time member of the 24 crew, replaced Loomis as crew chief effective at New Hampshire International Speedway on September 18, 2005

2006[link]

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Gordon won his ninth road race, the 2006 Dodge/Save Mart 350, at the Infineon Raceway – his first win of the season and fifth at Infineon. The day before the race, he announced his engagement to Belgian model Ingrid Vandebosch.

On June 29, 2006, Gordon announced that he would participate in the Rolex 24 endurance sports car event at Daytona International Speedway, teaming up with SunTrust Racing drivers Max Angelelli and Wayne Taylor, who won the 2005 Rolex 24 race.^[12] His team went on to finish third, despite problems, two laps behind the winning team of Juan Pablo Montoya, Scott Pruett, and Salvador Durán.^[13] On July 9, 2006, Gordon won his first race at the Chicagoland Speedway at the running of the USG Sheetrock 400(this was also the first win for Hendrick Motorsports at this track).

Gordon made the "Chase for the NEXTEL Cup" with his improvements on the intermediate 1.5/2-mile downforce racetracks from 2005. His consistency in the latter portions of 2006 made him competitive week-in and week-out, eventually finishing 6th in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Standings.

Jeff Gordon attended the awards ceremony at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City for his top-10 finish in the NEXTEL Cup Standings. While there he collected a check for his 2006 winnings of $7,471,447 which brings his career winnings total to $82,838,526.

2007[link]

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Pulling behind the wall in 2007

August 2007 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Gordon started the 2007 Cup season off by winning his Gatorade Duel qualifying race. Due to a rear shock bolt breaking during the race on his car, he failed the post-race inspection which found that the rear of his car was too low and, as a result, had to start 42nd in the 2007 Daytona 500. He went on to finish 10th in the race despite being involved in a crash during a spectacular last-lap finish.

On March 23, 2007, Gordon won his 58th career pole for the 2007 Food City 500 at Bristol, the first race for the Car of Tomorrow. He went on to a 3rd place in the race, which gave him the points lead for the first time since the 2005 Daytona 500. At Texas Motor Speedway, Gordon started on the pole because qualifying was rained out. He led the most laps before brushing the wall coming out of turn 4 and finishing 4th.^[14] On April 19, 2007 at Phoenix International Raceway, Gordon won the pole, and tied Darrell Waltrip's modern day record of 59 career poles. Two days later, at the Subway Fresh Fit 500, he won for the first time at PIR, ending also a streak of 21 races of non-pole winners at the track. With the win, he also tied Dale Earnhardt for 6th all time in overall number of NASCAR NEXTEL Cup series wins (second in the modern era). After winning the race, he held a black flag with the number 3 to honor the late Dale Earnhardt.

On April 28, 2007, Gordon earned the pole at Talladega Superspeedway, his 60th career pole (and third consecutive in 2007), passing Darrell Waltrip's record of 59 to become the modern era pole leader.^[15] One day later, he passed Earnhardt for sole position of sixth on the all time wins list with 77 by winning the Aaron's 499.^[16]

On May 13, 2007, Gordon held on despite an overheating car and a late charge by Denny Hamlin to win the Dodge Avenger 500, the 78th win of his career, and his 7th at Darlington Raceway.

In the 2007 Coca-Cola 600, Gordon crashed after contact with Tony Raines and AJ Allmendinger on lap 61 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, only 91.5 miles (147.3 km) into the race,^[17] ending his streak of completing every lap during the season. Gordon finished 41st.^[18]

On June 11, 2007, Gordon earned his 4th win of the year and 79th of his career in a rain shortened race at Pocono Raceway. Six days later, he scored a ninth place finish at the Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan International Speedway, the 300th top-ten finish of his career. On September 8, 2007, Gordon earned a place in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup. With his four wins in the first 26 races, he earned the "Regular Season" Championship, and the second seed (teammate Jimmie Johnson earned the top seed with six wins) in the chase.

On October 7, 2007, Gordon led only the final lap in winning the UAW-Ford 500 at Talladega Superspeedway for his 80th career victory, using a strategy of staying near the end of the field until nearly the end of the race to avoid the inevitable "big one", especially with the unknowns involved in racing the Car of Tomorrow. With the win, he swept the 2007 season races at Talladega, and won his 12th race at a restrictor plate track (Daytona and Talladega), making him the all-time leader for restrictor plate wins.^[19]

On October 13, 2007, Gordon led 71 laps and, although fuel was a question near the end of the race, he was able to finish the race and earned his 81st career victory in the Bank of America 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Finishing fourth in the 2007 Ford 400, Gordon finished the 2007 Chase for the Nextel Cup 2nd in the standings to Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson, trailing by 77. However, Gordon's top-ten finish at Homestead left him with a total of 30 top-ten finishes for the season, setting a new modern era Cup Series record. This was the second time that Gordon lost a championship because of the Chase points system. As with 2004, he recorded the most points over the entire season, but lost the title because of the ten race championship system. Gordon has been the only driver to lose the title because of the Chase more than once.

2008[link]

2008 "Dupont" Cup car