Gordon, 32, was the substitute driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet earlier this season when regular driver Mike Skinner was injured at Chicagoland Speedway on July 15. Gordon took over fulltime after it was announced Skinner would not return for 2002 and decided to have season-ending knee surgery.

	Robby Gordon, who ran the 2001 Indy 500 for owner A.J. Foyt, will drive Richard Childress' No. 31 Chevrolet in 2002.

The Bellflower, Calif., native has extensive racing experience and success in open-wheel Indy cars, sports cars and desert trucks but is a relative newcomer to the NASCAR ranks.

"Driving for Richard Childress Racing is the perfect opportunity for me," Gordon said. "RCR has made winning races and championships a tradition for three decades and I'm confident we'll be able to contribute our share of success to the program.

"I'm still learning a lot in Winston Cup racing so I appreciate Richard's confidence in me to get the job done and I look forward to getting the team on the winning track."

Highlights of Gordon's racing career include two victories and four poles in CART, two overall victories in the Baja 1000, four straight class victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona sports car race and four SCORE Off-Road Championships.

Gordon finished a Winston Cup career-best second in the June 24 race at Sears Point Raceway while driving for another team. A seventh-place finish in the No. 31 Chevrolet at Phoenix International Raceway on Oct. 28 is his best Winston Cup finish on an oval.