NASCAR racing car driver Jeff Gordon discloses that NASCAR was neither his first nor second career choice! “It just happened”

Updated On June 11, 2024 | Published By: shahid | In Career , Interesting Facts

American race car driver Jeff Gordon has achieved a lot of fame in NASCAR racing. But do you know that it was not Jeff’s first or for that matter even second career choice?

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Jeff Gordon and his first career choice

Life does play funny games. So it did with Jeff Gordon who had never imagined that one day he would be driving NASCAR race cars. The California native wanted to have a career in World of Outlaws dirt track. Jeff revealed his career details on the podcast Dale Jr. Download. He said:

“I wasn’t thinking NASCAR at all. Actually, I was thinking World of Outlaws sprint cars. I wanted to be a World of Outlaw sprint car driver. My heroes were Steve Kinser and Doug Wolfgang. I got to race with those guys when I was like 14, and it was insane.”

Jeff went on to reveal that NASCAR was not even his second choice since when World of Outlaws did not work out for him, he shifted his focus to IndyCar. Jeff made more honest admission on the podcast and said:

“I really wasn’t going to be a NASCAR driver. It just happened.”

Larry Nuber introduced Gordon to NASCAR

Jeff revealed that it was Larry Nuber who suggested to him to try NASCAR. Larry was a part of Thursday Night Thunder broadcasts of USACMidget racing for ESPN channel. Jeff did a test in a stock car and he came to the attention of team owner Bill Davis. Jeff debuted on NASCAR Busch series in 1990 at the North Carolina Speedway. He did not fare well in the series but Bill did not allow him to leave and kept him on for two seasons.

Jeff’s performance improved and by the second year, he had won 3 out of 31 races he did. He was fourth overall in the second year. Jeff then moved to Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports. But Jeff was back with NASCAR soon and this reunion was at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Gordon-the Hall of Famer

Though NASCAR was not Jeff’s choice, he did reap the benefits of having raced for it. He grabbed four NASCAR premier series championships. Jeff has other good stats of racing and also records. Hence, it was decided that Jeff would be inducted into the Hall of Fame of NASCAR and also that of the National Motorsports Press Association. This would be done in this year. Jeff was also excellent with IndyCar and was a winner at the inaugural Brickyard 400 NASCAR Cup Series race in 1994 in Indianapolis.

Jeff Gordon and his wish to take over Hendrick Motorsports

Jeff retired in 2015 from race driving and has been a broadcaster for Fo Sports ever since. But he says that it is his ambition to take over the running of Hendrick Motorsports one day from Rick Hendrick when he retires. He does have an ownership stake in the company. He said that it would be his honor to take over Hendrick should any opportunity come forth. Jeff said:

“I love the business side of it. If that day ever comes, I would be truly honoured even though I don’t think I could do the job that he’s done.
“That would be the first time other than when my parents made me sweep floors and run the machine shop when I was a kid during summers where I actually had a real job.
“Running a race team or being in that role on a race team, that is a real job.
“That role Rick would have to put me in is one I would have to work at really, really hard.
“I hope one day when that time comes, I would be ready to do that.”

He continued:

“I have so much respect for the organisation in being not just an equity owner, but for what they’ve done for me, what that organisation has done for my career,”
“I feel like I owe that back to them to be respectful and try to give all I can back to continue to see it be successful, even when I stepped away.
“I knew one day when I stepped away that I would play a larger role.”

Short Bio on Jeff Gordon

Gordon is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He is currently an announcer for Fox NASCAR. He has made a respectable position in the American car racing field. More Bio…

Source: The Drive, autosports

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