NASCAR champion comments on his new role
Jeff Gordon is a four time NASCAR Cup Series champion with 93 race wins collected along the way. He ran his final full-time NASCAR season in 2015.
Throughout the 2015 season, Gordon made special guest appearances covering Xfinity Series races from the booth for FOX. In 2016, Gordon moved full-time into the FOX Sports booth.
Hendrick Motorsports has now won the last six NCS races, in a row. Kyle Larson alone has won the last four. That includes the All-Star win.
Jeff Gordon has shared a partial ownership role within Hendrick Motorsports since he started racing for the team. He maintains that car ownership role today.
However, in year’s past, Rick Hendrick has continually stated that Jeff Gordon would take over Hendrick Motorsports, at some point. And for 2021, it looks like Jeff Gordon will be taking another step toward that responsibility.
The responsibilities within the FOX booth have prevented Gordon from taking a larger role within the company. He’ll take on the role of Vice Chairman at Hendrick Motorsports.
Jeff Gordon talks his new role
“I cannot put into words what Hendrick Motorsports means to me,” Gordon said in a team press release.
“In many ways, it’s my home and the people here are my family. I’ve never lost my passion for the organization, for our sport, and for the sheer challenge of racing and winning at the highest level. Being part of the competition is where I’m happiest and feel I can make the biggest contribution to the continued, long-term success of the team. Rick and I have a shared vision, which is based on the values he’s instilled, the culture he’s built and our desire to be the very best in all categories, on and off the track.”
“I cannot thank the entire FOX Sports family enough for the incredible opportunity I’ve had over the past six seasons,” Gordon said.
“I’ve come to truly appreciate the responsibility of bringing the sport to our fans and the tremendous work that goes into our broadcasts each and every week. I’m certainly going to miss it, but I will forever be grateful to FOX for the experience and for the trust they’ve placed in me. It’s been a privilege to work with such a talented group of people.”
Hendrick and work alongside team president Marshall Carlson and general manager Jeff Andrews.
Related: Rick Hendrick says Jeff Gordon will take over Hendrick Motorsports
Jeff Gordon previously talks Hendrick Motorsports ownership
This has been a long time in the making…
“I can tell you how long those conversations have been going on and it’s a long time,” Jeff Gordon said in 2019 during the NMPA Hall of Fame press conference of Hendrick Motorsports ownership. “I would love to be in that position one day.”
“When I made the decision to step away from driving, that decision was made three years before I actually did it.” Gordon added, “I went to Rick and told him what I wanted to do and felt like it was the right time. I felt like there were things starting to line up with Chase Elliott, so those things were playing out well, timing-wise, for me and I thought for Hendrick.”
He explained, “I have so much respect for the organization in being not just an equity owner, but for what they’ve done for me, what that organization has done for my career,” Gordon said. “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.
Gordon added, “I knew one day when I stepped away that I would play a larger role.”
Related: Jeff Gordon was dominating NASCAR; The bosses told him to slow down
Fox TV was the focus in 2019
“Of course, in those three years with FOX, more and more of those conversations started happening with Rick,” he said in 2019.
“I just told him, ‘Rick, I’m really liking TV and I don’t think you’re quite ready and I don’t know if I’m quite ready to move into that role, so I’m probably going to sign an extension or new contract with FOX to keep doing that.’ ”
“I love the business side of it,” said Gordon. “If that day ever comes, I would be truly honored even though I don’t think I could do the job that he’s done, I would be truly honored to take that role on.”
“As I say that, 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,” he added.
Gordon added, “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.”
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