Silver Wings
January 22 - - The annual pre-season media tour paid a visit to Hendrick Motorsports
on Wednesday. The organization is celebrating its silver 25th anniversary in 2009. Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin,
and Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined Rick Hendrick on the main
stage to preview the upcoming season. Gordon will drive the DuPont car in 28 events, the Pepsi Chevrolet in
2 races, and the National Guard car in 8 races. The National Guard sponsorship will focus on community initiatives,
such as the National Guard Youth Challenge, Active First, College First, Path to Honor and Employer Support for the Guard
and Reserve in March at Atlanta, April in Texas, May in Darlington, June in Michigan,
July in Joliet, September in Richmond and New Hampshire, and October in Martinsville.
January 18 - - Jeff Gordon attended the NASCAR pre-season FanFest event
on the grounds of Daytona Internatonal Speedway on January 17. Gordon signed autographs and met with fans during
his hour-long signing session. He also participated in a media Q&A during his time on the grounds. Gordon will
return to the track in early February to prepare for the season-opening Daytona 500.
January 14 - - Ray Evernham teamed up with Jeff Gordon to form one of the greatest crew chief/driver
combinations in NASCAR history. Evernham recently sold his Dodge team and bought a short track in North Carolina. Evernham
has taken a wait-and-see approach with his future, but was asked during a press conference last Sunday about the prospect
of taking a consulting role for Gordon. Most notably, Evernham didn't shoot down the idea. Rather, he fanned the flames
on the prospect of working with Gordon. "I certainly have some agreements in place that prevent me from doing that
right now," Evernham said. "But, I mean, who knows. If I was going to help somebody, for sure it would be Jeff Gordon...
Jeff Gordon will win races in 2009. I'll guarantee he'll be a factor going into the Chase and he will win races."
Movie Night
January 9 - - Jeff Gordon and Ingrid Vandebosch attended the premiere of 'Notorious'
on January 7 at Lowes Lincoln Square in New York City. 'Notorious' is the story of Christopher Wallace (Notorious B.I.G.)
who, through raw talent and sheer determination, transformed himself from a Brooklyn street hustler to become a rap sensation.
Wallace was killed in a drive-by shooting in 1997. Among those in attendance at the premiere were
P.Diddy, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Mary J. Blige, and Ice-T.
Rustler's Daydream
January 5 - - Jeff Gordon will reportedly sell his property near Carbondale, Colorado later this year
to a prominent developer who intends to build a golf course.
According to the Aspen Times,
Gordon has sold most of nearly 2,000 secluded mountain acres to a development group headed by John MacDonald who
created the Dallas National Golf Club in Texas a few years ago.
Gordon, who bought the land in 2006 for $9 million, was not thinking of selling the land until MacDonald
approached him with an offer simply too good to pass up.
Gordon will retain a 50-acre parcel of his own, as well as "a couple of memberships in the [golf] club," MacDonald said.
Honors From The Past
January 3 - - Jeff Gordon will be enshrined into the
National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony in Tulsa, Okla. on January 16.
Gordon will join Kevin Doty, Ted Tappett and Dave Humphrey as the newest members in the Hall of Fame display, located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisc.
Gordon scored a dozen victories during his USAC National Midget racing career and earned the 1990 USAC National Midget Championship.
Gordon landed podium finishes in 22 of 40 Midget races between 1989 and 1992.
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