Rainbow Led to Pot of Gold for Gordon

CONCORD, N.C. (May 21, 2004) – As he prepares to re-live the past during this Saturday night's NASCAR NEXTEL All-Star Challenge, Jeff Gordon hopes the "Rainbow" leads to more success. Gordon, who will go "retro" this weekend and drive the familiar rainbow-colored No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet he made famous during the 1990s, amassed 52 victories, 33 poles, three championships, tied or broke numerous records and eclipsed $34 million in race earnings before switching to the current fire-and-flames paint scheme. Overall, he has four championships and 66 career victories to his credit. What more could he ask for? "Nothing," Gordon replied. "I've been fortunate throughout my career and have achieved so much more than I ever thought I would. "But that doesn't mean there isn't a drive to achieve more. This DuPont team still has the desire to win races and, ultimately, win championships." A win on Saturday night might be the precursor to a fifth championship. Gordon, who is tied with the late Dale Earnhardt for the most victories (3) in the all-star event, has taken the championship each year he has won this "non-points" race. "That's just coincidence, but it does take a championship-type effort to win this event," Gordon said. "This is our all-star event, so it's the best-of-the-best in a Saturday night shootout." This month marks the 10-year anniversary of Gordon's first NASCAR Cup Series victory, an emotional win from the pole position in the 600-mile race at Lowe's Motor Speedway. In addition to commemorating the anniversary, the rainbow paint scheme will also help DuPont introduce their line of "Hot Hues" custom finishes. “It's hard to believe it's been 10 years," Gordon said. "I guess that proves I'm not a ‘young gun' anymore. "We had great success while running this paint scheme, and I'm excited about bringing it back for this event. Hopefully, we can give it one more trip to Victory Lane." Which is where Gordon hopes the Rainbow ends.