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Jeff Gordon began his racing career in open-wheel cars before making his mark in NASCAR. (Paul Arch photo)

Jeff Gordon

Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon’s place in history is more about being a trendsetter than a stock car racing Hall of Famer.

Under the guidance of his stepfather John Bickford, Gordon arrived on the open-wheel racing scene as a teenager during the late 1980s. He quickly graduated to the NASCAR Cup Series and parents around the world tried to raise “the next Jeff Gordon.”