▁finished ▁second ▁to ▁his ▁team mate ▁Terry ▁Lab onte ▁for ▁the ▁championship , ▁losing ▁by ▁ 3 7 ▁points . ▁ ▁Gordon ▁won ▁consecutive ▁W inst on ▁Cup ▁titles ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 9 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁he ▁won ▁his ▁first ▁Day ton a ▁ 5 0 0 , ▁becoming ▁the ▁young est ▁driver ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁race . ▁He ▁won ▁the ▁second ▁race ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁at ▁Rock ingham ▁the ▁following ▁week , ▁followed ▁by ▁a ▁third ▁win ▁at ▁Br istol ; ▁after ▁a ▁last - lap ▁battle ▁with ▁R ust y ▁Wal lace . ▁At ▁Charlotte , ▁Gordon ▁won ▁The ▁W inst on ▁in ▁a ▁Jur ass ic ▁Park ▁scheme ; ▁the ▁car ▁was ▁modified ▁by ▁E vern ham ▁with ▁assistance ▁from ▁Hend rick ▁ch ass is ▁engineer ▁R ex ▁St ump , ▁and ▁after ▁the ▁race ▁it ▁was ▁b anned ▁following ▁compla ints ▁from ▁other ▁team ▁own ers . ▁After wards , ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁C oca - Col a ▁ 6 0 0 , ▁and ▁after ▁winning ▁the ▁Southern ▁ 5 0 0 ▁at ▁Dar ling ton , ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁driver ▁since ▁Bill ▁Elli ott ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁W inst on ▁Mill ion . ▁While ▁Elli ott ▁failed ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁W inst on ▁Cup ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁Gordon ▁claimed ▁his ▁second ▁W inst on ▁Cup ▁championship ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7