, ▁during ▁the ▁season , ▁many ▁doubt ed ▁Gordon ' s ▁ability ▁to ▁comp ete ▁at ▁such ▁a ▁level ▁at ▁such ▁a ▁young ▁age ▁because ▁of ▁his ▁t endency ▁to ▁push ▁the ▁cars ▁too ▁hard ▁and ▁crash . ▁His ▁last - place ▁finish ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁First ▁Union ▁ 4 0 0 ▁was ▁a ▁firm ▁example ▁of ▁this ▁theory . ▁Additionally , ▁driver ▁Dar rell ▁W alt rip ▁wrote ▁he ▁told ▁Hend rick ▁during ▁the ▁season ▁that ▁Gordon ▁had ▁" hit ▁everything ▁but ▁the ▁pace ▁car ▁that ▁year ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 , ▁Gordon ▁won ▁the ▁Bus ch ▁Cl ash ▁exhibition ▁race ▁at ▁Day ton a . ▁In ▁May , ▁Gordon ▁won ▁the ▁pole ▁for ▁the ▁C oca - Col a ▁ 6 0 0 , ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁race ▁after ▁elect ing ▁to ▁take ▁two ▁t ires ▁on ▁a ▁green ▁flag ▁pit ▁stop . ▁Three ▁months ▁later , ▁he ▁scored ▁a ▁h omet own ▁victory ▁at ▁the ▁inaug ural ▁Br icky ard ▁ 4 0 0 , ▁capital izing ▁on ▁Er nie ▁Ir van ' s ▁t ire ▁going ▁down ▁late ▁in ▁the ▁race . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁Gordon ▁won ▁his ▁first ▁W inst on ▁Cup ▁Series ▁championship . ▁Despite ▁a ▁rough ▁start ▁to ▁the ▁season ▁in ▁the ▁Day ton a ▁ 5 0 0 , ▁he ▁won ▁three ▁of ▁the ▁following ▁six ▁races ▁at ▁Rock ingham , ▁Atlanta ▁and ▁Br istol , ▁while ▁winning ▁the ▁pole ▁at ▁Rock