Gordon Hopes to Do Plenty of Celebrating at Homestead-Miami Speedway During Pennzoil 400 Weekend

MIAMI, Fla., (Nov. 9, 2001) – Jeff Gordon’s fourth NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship is near and Homestead-Miami Speedway could be the site where he pops the champagne, throws on a Winston Cup champion hat and jacket and hoists the trophy on stage in front of an enthusiastic South Florida crowd.

Gordon has a 326-point lead over second place Ricky Rudd heading into Sunday’s Pennzoil 400. In order to clinch the title, Gordon has to gain 44 points and leave Miami with a 370-point lead.

For Gordon, driver of the No. 24 DuPont Automotive Finishes Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, South Florida is a perfect place to have a race and a perfect site to clinch a championship.

“I think South Florida is so beautiful, a great area,” Gordon said during a recent test session at the 1.5-mile facility. “I can’t think of a better place to have a race and they’ve got such a neat facility. I hope others enjoy it as much as I do.”

Gordon’s fourth championship puts him up in elite company, becoming only the third driver to score four or more NASCAR Winston Cup championships in his career, joining Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty each with seven.

To clinch at Homestead-Miami Speedway and win the Pennzoil 400 would be an extra toppings on the weekend. Gordon has won at 19 of the 23 tracks currently competed on by the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, but he has not won at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway or Chicagoland Speedway.

Gordon did win a Busch Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway last year and is optimistic about breakthrough the gates of Victory Lane at HMS in a Winston Cup race this year.

See if Gordon can clinch his fourth Winston Cup title and finally win in Miami. Remaining tickets for this year’s NASCAR Winston Cup weekend, Nov. 9-11, can be purchased by phone at (305) 230-RACE, online at http://www.homesteadmimaispeedway.com or at any Ticketmaster Outlet.