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Gordon Still ‘Wonder Boy’ In Many Ways

Charlotte, NC (June 13, 2011) – ‘Wonder Boy.’

Fans who have followed NASCAR for a long time remember when Dale Earnhardt hung the name on Jeff Gordon in 1994. Just 23 and a fresh faced kid from Indiana at the time, Gordon was anything but the hard scrabble NASCAR driver of the era and hanging the moniker on him was just another way of ‘rattling his cage’ as Earnhardt liked to put it.

Now 18 seasons later, Gordon is still rattling back.

Gordon will turn 40 in August and he’ll be the first to tell you he is no longer spitting image of the 1940’s Wonder Boy cartoon character that rocketed to earth from the planet Viro. He’s not a kid anymore.

One thing that Gordon has retained is his all-American image. His family life seems perfect, complete with loving wife and beautiful daughter. His endorsements – many of which far transcend the realm of motorsports – are plentiful. His charitable works, most of which go unseen to the general public, are even more pronounced.

In some ways, Gordon’s impact on NASCAR has been greater than any other driver – something even he would admit is far beyond anything he ever dreamed for himself.

Sunday’s win at Pocono gave Gordon 84 NASCAR Sprint Cup victories and tying him for third all-time with legends Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip. The victory also put Gordon in a position to win a fifth Cup title to go along with the top trophies won in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001.

Win or lose the Cup championship this year or any upcoming season for that matter, Gordon is a first ballot lock for the NASCAR Hall of Fame when he finally hangs up his racing spurs.

Maybe more importantly, Gordon has lived up to the ‘Wonder Boy’ tag – the orphan who came to earth (NASCAR) with seemingly tireless energy and invulnerability.

It’s an example – and a goal – that all of today’s ‘Young Guns’ should all want to emulate and aspire to.

Max Rules GMP

It is our good fortune to be associated with another Wonder Boy of sorts – Max Gresham.

Gresham proved once again this weekend that he is on the fast track to the ‘big time’ winning NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event at his family-owned track, Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, GA. It was his first win of the season and his third K&N Series triumph over the past two seasons.

Gresham is making the most of his situation as a Joe Gibbs Racing development driver and has the kind of skills that usually aren’t found in someone the ripe ‘old’ age of 18. A winning race car driver since the age of 8, Gresham has the kind of talent that this writer has only seen in a select few in more than 50 years of following the sport of stock car racing.

Gresham will take another giant step in his racing education this Friday when he travels to Michigan International Speedway. There, he’ll wheel a Venturini Motorsports Toyota in his first-ever superspeedway race. He’s already proved he can go fast at MIS setting the top speed in testing for the Automobile Racing Club of America (ARCA) race there three weeks ago.

Gresham has also already won in ARCA capturing the Tim Richmond Memorial event at Mansfield (OH) Speedway last season. The victory came in just his third career ARCA start.

There are so many great young drivers coming through the ranks these days that it’s hard to single one out. And, frankly, we’re sure there will be those who will view this writing as just self promotion for someone that we personally represent.

But when a young driver as good at Gresham comes along, you can’t ignore the obvious. Based on the results, we’re pretty sure that we’re not the only one who has noticed.

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