Jeff Gordon

Team owner Rick Hendrick put Gordon in his No. 24 Chevrolet for the final race of the 1992 season, but Gordon managed 164 laps before a crash ended his run. In his first full season in '93 Gordon finished 14th in the points with seven top-fives and 11 top-10s.

Gordon recorded his first Cup victory in the series' longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, in May 2003. Also that year he won the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Gordon ended the season with seven top-fives and 14 top-10s to finish eighth in points, beginning a record string of 11 consecutive years of ranking in the top-10 in the final standings.

Gordon began a dominating stretch in 1995 by winning his first Cup title. That season he posted seven victories, 17 top-fives, 23 top-10s and eight poles. He next year he recorded the first of his three consecutive double-digit win seasons with 10, finishing second in points.

Gordon won back-to-back title in 1997-98 with 10 and 13 victories, respectively. In '97, at age 25, he became the youngest winner of the Daytona 500. His '98 season included 26 top-fives and 28 top-10s in 33 races.

Gordon won his fourth championship in 2001, beginning a four-year run of finishing in the top five in points. He became the first driver to eclipse $10 million in season earnings in 2001 and holds numerous other records, including all-time money won. He also has won consecutive races 20 times.

Going into the 2006 season Gordon has amassed 73 victories, 199 top-fives and 269 top-10s in 437 starts spanning 14 years.