Clean-cut and polished in front of a camera, Jeff Gordon helped transform NASCAR racing from a regional spectacle into a mainstream sport.

Gordon became the youngest driver to triumph at the Daytona 500 in 1997 and tied a modern record with 13 victories in one season in 1998, finishing both years as the series champion.

He notched a fourth championship in 2001, culminating an amazing stretch that produced 56 victories in seven years.

Finally retiring in 2016 after finishing his record 805th race, Gordon was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019—during his first year of eligibility, of course.

Completed by Hendrick Motorsports on 30 September 2002, chassis HMS-09-02-259 is a Superspeedway-specification car which Gordon used in seven races between 2003 and 2006.

Most notably, he competed with this car three times at Daytona International Speedway’s season-opening Budweiser Shootout race.

He finished within the top 10 each time, with a best finish of 3rd place at the 2005 ed...