Icons Gordon, Earnhardt Jr. Rule The 2000s At Talladega Superspeedway

By Talladega Superspeedway

In the 2000s at Talladega Superspeedway’s springtime classic Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race, there was a new sheriff in town named Gordon, as well as another driver with the last name of Earnhardt, who dominated the world’s largest race track that celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The track, which will host its tripleheader weekend featuring the GEICO 500 on April 26-28, gave way to two of the most popular drivers to ever strap into the cockpit — Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. The duo would win six of the first eight races in the decade, with Gordon claiming four – 2000, 2004, 2005, 2007 – while Earnhardt won two straight in 2002-03, and then added triumphs in the track’s fall race (2001, 2002) for a Talladega record four straight.

Earnhardt added four more top-10 results, including a heartbreaking runner-up finish to Gordon in ’04, much to the chagrin of the fans in the grandstands. With just over four laps to go, Earnhardt, running second at the time, went to pass Gordon and nosed in front of his Chevrolet, but the caution for an accident behind them came out just inches before the pass. The field was frozen, and the race ended under caution. Gordon added two other top-10 efforts.

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