- 1976 Began racing go-karts and quarter-midgets at age 5.
- 1979 Quarter-Midget natioal champion.
- 1981 Quarter-Midget natioal champion.
- 1984 Inspired by stepfather, John Bickford, who moved family to Midwest to give Jeff, then a 13-year old, a better racing opportunity.
- 1990 USAC Midget champion.
* First Busch Grand National start.
- 1991 USAC Silver Crown champion.
* Posted more than 500 short-track wins.
* Busch Grand National Rookie of the Year.
- 1992 Won a record 11 Busch Grand National poles and 3 wins (twice at Charlotte and once at Atlanta) in only 2nd year of competition.
Made Winston Cup debut in season finale, at Atlanta, qualifying 21st and finishing 31st.
- 1993 At age 21, became youngest driver to win a 125 mile qualifying race for the Daytona 500 and first rookie since Johnny Rutherford in 1963.
- 1994 Won his first Winston Cup race at Charlotte in the Coca-Cola 600.
- 1995 NASCAR Winston Cup champion.
* Youngest champion in "modern era" (starting in 1972) at age 24.
* Second youngest title-holder since 23-year-old Bill Rexford won championship in 1950.
* First ever championship for car owner Rick Hendrick, who has fielded at least one car every season since 1984.
* Won the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indy.
* Named NMPA Driver-of-the-Year.
* ESPY Award winner for auto racing.
- 1996 Fell 37 points short of defending his NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship against teammate Terry LaBontte.
* True Value Man-of-the-Year honors for his charitable work with Leukemia Society.
* Donated his half of $50,000.00 Man-of-the-Year prize to that charity.
- 1997 NASCAR Winston Cup champion
* Won by 14 points over Dale Jarrett.
* One of only two drivers (Bill Elliott was the other in 1985) to capture Winston Million by winning the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500.
* Became the sport's first $6 million dollar man for a single season.
* Married Brooke who served as Miss Winston in 1993. They met when Jeff visited Victory Lane at Daytona after his victory in Gatorade 125.
- 1998 NASCAR Winston Cup champion.
* Most points scored (5328) in a Winston Cup season.
* Tied Richard Petty's record of 13 wins in a single season.
* Youngest three time title holder at age 27.
* Won 2 "No Bull 5's" of the 4 entries he and the Rainbow Warriors were eligable.
* Named NAPA Driver-of-the-Year.
* ESPY Award winner for auto racing.
- 1999 Highest single race payday, $2,491,000+, ever earned (for the Daytona 500 with
"NoBull 5" Bonus included).
* Returned to drive in a Busch Series race in the #24 Pepsi car owned by wife Brooke and Winston Cup Crew Chief Ray Evernham.
* Becomes first Winston Cup driver to qualify in first round for every race in the season.
* In a contest that evoked memories of Jeff Gordon's thrilling win over Dale Earnhardt in the Daytona 500, Gordon was the readers' choice as Driver of the 1990s, edging Earnhardt a single vote.
- Other personal interests:
* Enjoys skiing (water and snow)
* Video games (his favorite is John Madden Football)
* Golf.
* Racquetball.
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