▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁R ous h ▁Racing ▁owner ▁Jack ▁R ous h ▁planned ▁to ▁sign ▁Gordon , ▁but ▁Gordon ' s ▁step father ▁John ▁B ick ford ▁had ▁ins isted ▁that ▁R ous h ▁h ire ▁Ray ▁E vern ham ; ▁due ▁to ▁R ous h ' s ▁policy ▁of ▁h iring ▁his ▁own ▁crew ▁chief s , ▁B ick ford ▁decl ined . ▁Later ▁in ▁the ▁year , ▁Rick ▁Hend rick ▁watched ▁Gordon ▁race ▁in ▁a ▁Bus ch ▁Series ▁event ▁at ▁Atlanta ▁Motor ▁Speed way , ▁and ▁Gordon ▁joined ▁Hend rick ▁Mot ors ports ▁two ▁days ▁later . ▁Gordon ▁made ▁his ▁W inst on ▁Cup ▁debut ▁in ▁the ▁season - ending ▁race , ▁the ▁H oot ers ▁ 5 0 0 ▁at ▁Atlanta , ▁finishing ▁ 3 1 st ▁after ▁a ▁crash . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁Gordon ▁began ▁compet ing ▁full - time ▁in ▁the ▁W inst on ▁Cup ▁Series . ▁He ▁opened ▁the ▁season ▁with ▁a ▁win ▁in ▁the ▁G ator ade ▁T win ▁ 1 2 5 ' s ▁race , ▁while ▁also ▁recording ▁his ▁first - care er ▁pole ▁position ▁at ▁the ▁fall ▁Charlotte ▁race , ▁and ▁concluded ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 4 th - place ▁points ▁finish ▁and ▁the ▁Ro ok ie ▁of ▁the ▁Year ▁Award . ▁Gordon ' s ▁early ▁success ▁in ▁the ▁sport ▁res h aped ▁the ▁parad ig m ▁and ▁eventually ▁gave ▁younger ▁drivers ▁an ▁opportunity ▁to ▁comp ete ▁in ▁NAS C AR . ▁However