Profiles for the drivers in the Las Vegas 400

Friday, Feb. 27, 1998 | 2:03 a.m.

Name: Jeff Gordon

Hometown: Pittsboro, Ind.

Car: No. 24 DuPont Refinishes Chevrolet

Career highlight: Two-time Winston Cup champion (1995, 97)

Did you know: Started racing go-karts and quarter-midgets at age 5

Odds to win: 3-1

Name: Dale Jarrett

Hometown: Hickory, N.C.

Car: No. 88 Quality Care/Ford Credit Ford

Career highlight: Won 7 races in 1997

Did you know: If not for racing, he would have attempted professional golf

Odds to win: 4-1

Name: Mark Martin

Hometown: Batesville, Ark.

Car: No. 6 Valvoline Ford

Career highlight: 22 career Winston Cup victories

Did you know: A devoted weight lifter, he describes himself as a "Fitness addict"

Odds to win: 5-1

Name: Dale Earnhardt

Hometown: Kannapolis, N.C.

Car: No. 3 GM Goodwrench Service Plus Chevrolet

Career highlight: Seven-time Winston Cup champion; 71 career wins

Did you know: Career earnings of more than $31 million leads all forms of motor sports

Odds to win: 6-1

Name: Jeff Burton

Hometown: South Boston, Va.

Car: No. 99 Exide Batteries Ford

Career highlight: 1994 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Younger brother of Winston Cup driver Ward Burton

Odds to win: 12-1

Name: Terry Labonte

Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas

Car: No. 5 Kellogg's Chevrolet

Career highlight: Two-time Winston Cup champion (1984, 96)

Did you know: Finished fourth in his first Winston Cup race, 1978 Southern 500

Odds to win: 10-1

Name: Rusty Wallace

Hometown: St. Louis

Car: No. 2 Miller Lite Ford

Career highlight: 1989 Winston Cup champion

Did you know: Considered one of the best Winston Cup road racers of all time

Odds to win: 12-1

Name: Sterling Marlin

Hometown: Columbia, Tenn.

Car: No. 40 Coors Light Chevrolet

Career highlight: Two-time winner of Daytona 500 (1994, 95)

Did you know: Made Winston Cup debut in 1976, replacing his father after Coo Coo Marlin broke shoulder in crash

Odds to win: 20-1

Name: Ricky Rudd

Hometown: Chesapeake, Va.

Car: No. 10 Tide Ford

Career highlight: 1977 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Has won at least one race in each of past 15 seasons

Odds to win: 25-1

Name: Bobby Labonte

Hometown: Corpus Christi, Texas

Car: No. 18 Interstate Batteries Pontiac

Career highlight: 5 career Winston Cup victories

Did you know: Despite driving for former Washington Redskins owner Joe Gibbs, roots for Dallas Cowboys

Odds to win: 10-1

Name: Bill Elliott

Hometown: Dawsonville, Ga.

Car: No. 94 McDonald's Ford

Career highlight: 1988 Winston Cup champion

Did you know: Co-owner with Dan Marino of No. 13 FirstPlus Financial Ford, driven by Jerry Nadeau

Odds to win: 25-1

Name: Ernie Irvan

Hometown: Salinas, Calif.

Car: No. 36 Skittles Pontiac

Career highlight: 15 career Winston Cup victories

Did you know: Returned to racing in 1995, just 14 months after near-fatal crash at Michigan

Odds to win: 18-1

Name: Ricky Craven

Hometown: Newburgh, Maine

Car: No. 50 Budweiser Chevrolet

Career highlight: 1995 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Won last year's Winston Open but still looking for first Winston Cup victory

Odds to win: 25-1

Name: Ted Musgrave

Hometown: Franklin, Wisc.

Car: No. 16 Primestar Ford

Career highlight: Runner-up for 1991 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Won pole for final Winston Cup race at North Wilkesboro Speedway in 1996

Odds to win: 35-1

Name: Steve Grissom

Hometown: Gadsden, Ala.

Car: No. 41 Kodiak Chevrolet

Career highlight: 1993 NASCAR Busch Series champion

Did you know: Qualified for all but one Winston Cup race in 1997

Odds to win: 50-1

Name: Ken Schrader

Hometown: Fenton, Mo.

Car: No. 33 Skoal Bandit Chevrolet

Career highlight: Captured three consecutive Daytona 500 poles (1988-90)

Did you know: Winner of two NASCAR Winston West races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Odds to win: 35-1

Name: Johnny Benson

Hometown: Grand Rapids, Mich.

Car: No. 26 Cheerios Ford

Career highlight: 1996 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Drove second-most miles of any Winston Cup driver in 1997 with 12,510.925

Odds to win: 50-1

Name: Michael Waltrip

Hometown: Owensboro, Ky.

Car: No. 21 Citgo Chevrolet

Career highlight: Won 1996 The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway

Did you know: Best career finish is second in the 1988 Miller 500 at Pocono

Odds to win: 50-1

Name: Bobby Hamilton

Hometown: Nashville, Tenn.

Car: No. 4 Kodak Chevrolet

Career highlight: 1991 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Drove movie car for "Days of Thunder" and qualified fifth at Phoenix International Raceway in 1989

Odds to win: 25-1

Name: Jimmy Spencer

Hometown: Berwick, Pa.

Car: No. 23 Winston/No Bull Ford

Career highlight: 2 career Winston Cup victories

Did you know: Earned nickname "Mr. Excitement" while driving in NASCAR Winston Modified Series

Odds to win: 25-1

Name: Geoff Bodine

Hometown: Chemung, N.Y.

Car: No. 7 Philips Ford

Career highlight: 18 career Winston Cup victories

Did you know: Older brother of Winston Cup drivers Brett and Todd Bodine

Odds to win: 40-1

Name: Dick Trickle

Hometown: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisc.

Car: No. 90 Heilig-Meyers Ford

Career highlight: 1989 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Winless in 254 career Winston Cup starts

Odds to win: 150-1

Name: Hut Stricklin

Hometown: Calera, Ala.

Car: No. 8 Circuit City Chevrolet

Career highlight: Runner-up for 1989 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Wife, Pam, is the daughter of Winston Cup legend Donnie Allison

Odds to win: 150-1

Name: Darrell Waltrip

Hometown: Franklin, Tenn.

Car: No. 17 Speedblock/Builder's Square Chevrolet

Career highlight: Three-time Winston Cup champion (1981, 82, 85)

Did you know: Has failed to qualify for only one race in 25-year Winston Cup career

Odds to win: 150-1

Name: John Andretti

Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.

Car: No. 43 STP Pontiac

Career highlight: Won first Winston Cup race last July in Daytona

Did you know: The son of Aldo Andretti, Mario's twin brother; A.J. Foyt is his godfather

Odds to win: 30-1

Name: Kenny Irwin

Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.

Car: No. 28 Texaco Havoline Ford

Career highlight: 1997 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Earned pole at Richmond in only his second NCTS start

Odds to win: 60-1

Name: Jeremy Mayfield

Hometown: Owensboro, Ky.

Car: No. 12 Mobil 1 Ford

Career highlight: Won first pole in 66th career start at Talladega in 1996

Did you know: Had 8 top 10s and 3 top 5s in 1997

Odds to win: 20-1

Name: Todd Bodine

Hometown: Chemung, N.Y.

Car: No. 35 Tabasco Pontiac

Career highlight: Won pole at his home course, Watkins Glen, in 1997

Did you know: Gained reputation as "super sub" last season, driving for five different teams and all three manufacturers

Odds to win: 150-1

Name: Mike Skinner

Hometown: Susanville, Ca.

Car: No. 31 Lowe's Chevrolet

Career highlight: 1997 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: Won first-ever NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in 1995

Odds to win: 60-1

Name: Lake Speed

Hometown: Jackson, Miss.

Car: No. 9 Cartoon Network Ford

Career highlight: 1 career Winston Cup victory

Did you know: Became the first non-European World Karting Champion when he won title at Montes, France, in 1978

Odds to win: 100-1

Name: Joe Nemechek

Hometown: Lakeland, Fla.

Car: No. 42 BellSouth Chevrolet

Career highlight: 3 top-10 finishes in last nine races of 1997

Did you know: Earned nickname "Front Row Joe" by capturing two Winston Cup poles and three outside poles in 1997

Odds to win: 100-1

Name: Kyle Petty

Hometown: Randleman, N.C.

Car: No. 44 Hot Wheels Pontiac

Career highlight: 8 career Winston Cup victories

Did you know: $8 million in earnings is more than his father, Richard, who retired with 200 Winston Cup victories

Odds to win: 60-1

Name: Wally Dallenbach

Hometown: Basalt, Colo.

Car: No. 46 First Union Chevrolet

Career highlight: 4-time winner of 24 Hours at Daytona

Did you know: Drove briefly on CART circuit, where his father, Wally Sr., is chief steward

Odds to win: 250-1

Name: Kenny Wallace

Hometown: St. Louis

Car: No. 81 Square D Ford

Career highlight: 2 Winston Cup poles in 1997

Did you know: Captured the pole for the Winston West race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway last November

Odds to win: 150-1

Name: David Green

Hometown: Owensboro, Ky.

Car: No. 96 Caterpillar Chevrolet

Career highlight: Runner-up for 1997 Winston Cup Rookie of the Year

Did you know: 1994 NASCAR Busch Series champion won 17 poles from 1994-96.

Odds to win: 250-1

Name: Chad Little

Hometown: Spokane, Wash.

Car: No. 97 John Deere Ford

Career highlight: 1987 NASCAR Winston West champion

Did you know: Owns a marketing degree from Washington State University and a law degree from Gonzaga (Wash.) School of Law.

Odds to win: 250-1

Name: Rick Mast

Hometown: Rockbridge Baths, Va.

Car: No. 75 Remington Arms Ford

Career highlight: Won pole for inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994

Did you know: Finished 6th in 1989 Daytona 500 driving an unsponsored car

Odds to win: 100-1

Name: Greg Sacks

Hometown: Mattituck, N.Y.

Car: No. 98 Thorn Apple Valley Ford

Career highlight: 1 career Winston Cup victory

Did you know: Served as a stand-in driver for Tom Cruise during filming of "Days of Thunder"

Odds to win: 250-1

Name: Dave Marcis

Hometown: Wausau, Wisc.

Car: No. 71 Realtree Camouflage Chevrolet

Career highlight: 5 career Winston Cup victories

Did you know: Qualified for his 30th consecutive Daytona 500 earlier this month

Odds to win: 300-1

Name: Brett Bodine

Hometown: Chemung, N.Y.

Car: No. 11 Paychex Ford

Career highlight: 1 career Winston Cup victory

Did you know: Middle of the three racing Bodine brothers

Odds to win: 30-1 (field)

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