With the current youth movement taking place in NASCAR, taking a look at history to see what drivers of previous youth movements are doing today is a flashback experience. On this Flashback Friday, looking at 1993, there’s a very special rookie class that is still relevant today.
Three drivers headed the famed 1993 rookie class and together they have provided many memories for decades. Those three are none other than, Jeff Gordon, Bobby Labonte and Kenny Wallace.
2015 has been a big year for two of these drivers as Jeff Gordon and Kenny Wallace have announced they are retiring at the end of this season.
Hendrick Motorsports driver, Gordon, a four-time champion and winner of 92 races, is turning 44 in August and has been one of the most decorated and famed drivers in NASCAR history. He has won at every track, but Kentucky (inaugurated in 2011), and is third in all time Sprint Cup Series wins. Gordon captured his first career victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1994, then went on to win the inaugural Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the same season.
Gordon was born in Vallejo, California, and raised in Pittsboro, Indiana, so he considers both state tracks as his home tracks. He’s a huge ambassador of the sport in many ways, as well as a leader among his colleagues. After his retirement, it’s already been announced that he will be part of the FOX Sports broadcast booth for the 2016 season.
Kenny Wallace already brings a broadcasting background as a part of SPEED and FOX coverage for years. He comes from a racing family, as Wallace is the brother to both Rusty and Mike Wallace and has played a big role in the shaping of NASCAR. Kenny Wallace has earned 27 top-tens in the Sprint Cup Series, while also winning nine XFINITY Series races. He is another ambassador of the sport as well as, a fan favorite with humorous side to his personality.
Bobby Labonte, rounds out the famed rookie class of 1993, but has certainly enjoyed his fair share of success through the years. The 2000 Sprint Cup Series Champion is sometimes overlooked, considering what he was able to do throughout his superb career.
The younger brother of Terry Labonte, Bobby joined Bill Davis Racing in 1993 before joining Joe Gibbs Racing in 1995. The younger Labonte earned 21 career victories and would finish in the top-ten point standings six times. He still competes in the restrictor plate races today, and is also considered a fan favorite.
What makes this 1993 Sprint Cup Series class so special is that 22 years later, they are still racing and will stay involved beyond their racing careers. In 2015 these drivers are still competing in the sport they love and have been a joy to watch throughout their famed and historic careers. It’s important to note that these three have taken their journey on different path’s and all three have made their mark in the sport of racing. Today we honor, Jeff Gordon, Kenny Wallace and Bobby Labonte as their legacy will live on for many more years to come.