Bowling For A Good Cause
INDIANAPOLIS, IN. (August 2)- - On Thursday night Jeff Gordon went bowling at AMF Raceway Lanes as a fundraiser for the kids at Riley Hospital for Children. The event raised $100,000 for the Jeff Gordon Foundation to benefit Riley Hospital. "Jeff Gordon is a true champion," said IMS President Tony George, one of many celebrities on hand at the event. "Not just for the things he's done on the track, but for the things he does off the track." Between 25 and 30 four-person teams, at $2,500 a team, bowled several specialty games. The teams were made up of people from local companies and Gordon's sponsors. After each game, the celebrity bowlers, which include NASCAR drivers and PBA players, moved to a different team. The NASCAR drivers who were scheduled to bowl included Jimmie Johnson, Bill Elliott, Casey Atwood, Joe Nemechek, Jeremy Mayfield, Brett Bodine, Geoffrey Bodine, and two-time Indy 500 winner Helio Castroneves. Three professional bowlers, Parker Bohn III, Mike Aulby and Doug Kent, also participated. "Jeff loves to bowl," said Kathy Boyd, executive director of the Jeff Gordon Foundation and coordinator of the tourney. "He doesn't bowl in a league, but he bowls as often as possible in his free time. There is even a Jeff Gordon bowling ball (made by Brunswick for NASCAR leagues and used mostly as a ball to shoot at spares). He doesn't use one, but one of the prizes at the tournament will be a Jeff Gordon ball autographed by him. Plans are already in the works to do the tournament again next year." Bohn, PBA Player of the Year for the 2001-02 season, will give an exhibition and do some trick shots with the help of Aulby, a 27-time PBA titlist, and Kent, who won a PBA title in 2000. "The PBA tour is off right now and so when Kathy Boyd contacted me about being part of the event, it sounded like a neat thing, with Jeff being in the forefront of a win-win situation for everybody," said Bohn, who holds a charity tournament back home in New Jersey every year. Bohn drives go-karts but won't be joining Gordon on the track. "I don't ever plan to be in Jeff Gordon's shoes," said Bohn, laughing. "My lane is a little different traveling lane than his." (IndyStar)

Man Of The Year Nominee
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (July 24)- - Jeff Gordon was named as the second quarter nominee for the True Value Man of the Year Award. The award recognizes a driver's charitable contributions and community service efforts. "It's a great honor to win this award, especially considering the fact that so many drivers donate so much time and resources to many charitable organizations," Gordon said. "Through the Jeff Gordon Foundation, we are able to continue our focus of helping those in need." Since April, Gordon has granted 10 wishes to children in the Make-A-Wish Foundation. He also met more than 30 Make-A-Wish children at Michigan International Speedway in June. And earlier this year, Gordon participated in the Association of American Publishers "Get Caught Reading" program. This program is designed to encourage reading among all age groups. He also has teamed up with Sesame Street character Elmo to raise money for the Jeff Gordon Foundation. A specially designed collector's car, which will not be raced, will be released for sale later this summer. In addition to Gordon's generous donation of his time, the Jeff Gordon Foundation has made monetary donations to St. Jude’s Research Hospital and has raised more than $11,000 through on-line auctions. Monies raised are distributed to the charitable organizations supported by the Jeff Gordon Foundation: Make-A-Wish Foundation, the Marrow Foundation, The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, the Hendrick Marrow Program and Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Ricky Craven was the first quarter nomiee. The third quarter nominee will be announced on September 16. The winner will be announced during the Winston Cup awards banquet at the end of the season. Gordon previously won the True Value Man of the Year Award in 1996 and 2001.

DuPont 200th Anniversary
WILMINGTON, DE. (July 19)- - DuPont, the primary sponsor on Jeff Gordon's Chevrolet, has been celebrating their 200th anniversary throughout 2002. The company began when E.I. du Pont broke ground for his first powder mills on the Brandywine River near Wilmington, Delaware on July 19, 1802. Between 1802 and 1880, gunpowder was the sole product manufactured at DuPont. By 1820 DuPont powder had earned a solid reputation among sportsmen and the company had become the leading powder supplier to the U.S. government. DuPont products helped fuel the great westward expansion in the United States, becoming a favorite of the military, sportsmen, farmers and engineers alike. In the 1920's the company began its scientific research. Teflon, Freon, Lucite, Neoprene, Lycra, Nylon, Dacron, Mylar, Kevlar, Tyvek, and Nomex are just a few of the many scientific breakthroughs from DuPont in the 20th century. Today, working under the slogan "The miracles of science," DuPont has grown into a company that makes the world better in many ways. It is science that took it there and it is science that will lead DuPont to the breakthrough discoveries of the next century. Yet, in the face of constant change, DuPont's core values have remained: commitment to safety, health and the environment; integrity and high ethical standards; and treating people with fairness and respect.

Parting Gifts
LOS ANGELES, CA. (July 12)- - At the ESPY Awards on Wednesday night, Jeff Gordon was nominated in the "Driver of the Year" category. The award went to reigning Formula One champion Michael Schumacher. Though Gordon didn't go away empty handed. All presenters and nominees at ESPN's annual awards show received the following: a certificate to Amadeus Spa, a suite for a weekend at an Ian Schrager hotel of their choice, a bi-coastal gym membership, a Sony PlayStation 2 and exclusive releases of 989 sports games, and a year's supply of Jamba Juice were among the $10,000 worth of gifts. (SI)

The Bigger Picture
DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. (July 7)- - As is Daytona tradition, the mandatory drivers meeting before the Pepsi 400 was a star-studded affair with everyone from Olympic medalists, singer Jessica Simpson and comedian Carrot Top being introduced. But the biggest welcome went to a pair of Daytona-based soldiers who just returned from a six-month deployment in Afghanistan. Rick Shiver Jr, a private first class who mans machine guns, and Tad Jones Jr, a specialist 4, were introduced to the drivers by NASCAR president Mike Helton and received a lengthy standing ovation. Jeff Gordon then presented the soldiers with replica cars with their names engraved on them and addressed them on behalf of his peers. "We love what we do and we can't do it without you guys," Gordon said. "We'd like to thank you so much for giving your time and effort and we're glad to have you home." Helton also thanked the two soldiers before returning levity to the meeting with a crack about Carrot Top's flaming red hair. "If we ever have to throw the red flag, we'll have you ready," Helton quipped. (AP)

Hotel California
LOS ANGELES, CA. (June 26)- - Jeff Gordon appeared on "Mohr Sports" with host Jay Mohr on Tuesday, June 25. Mohr, best known for his role as sports agent Bob Sugar in the 1996 movie "Jerry Maguire," debuted his talk show on ESPN on April 2. The pair discussed Gordon's exploits behind the wheel-- both on the race track and on the highway. Among the more humorous moments, Mohr told the audience he had film of Gordon's first race. The ensuing clip showed a car at full speed driving off of a cliff and plowing head-on into the ocean. Mohr asked Gordon to name as many of his sponsors as he could in 10 seconds. From his major sponsor DuPont all the way to the C-pillar sponsors (Delphi and EDS), he ran the gamut.

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