Gordon’s goal in final race: Take the fifth
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — It’s a Hall of Fame career that includes four championships, 93 victories and more than $150 million in winnings. He’s got a beautiful family, a reputation as one of the good guys and a popularity that transcends NASCAR.
Now Jeff Gordon has a chance to write the ultimate Hollywood ending to what’s already an illustrious career.
Gordon will retire after today’s season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where he pushed aside a season of mediocrity and clawed his way into the championship picture. A win this month at Martinsville Speedway — the only victory of his 23rd season — put Gordon in the field of four who will race for the Sprint Cup title.
In this winner-take-all format, Gordon simply has to finish higher than reigning champion Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. to capture the fifth title that has eluded him for 14 years. Capturing his first title since 2001 in his final race would put Gordon in an elite group of athletes who went out on top: John Elway, David Robinson, Jerome Bettis and Bill Russell, just to name a few.
Asked where winning the title on his final day of work would rank in career that stamped him on the short list of all-time greats, Gordon was left speechless.
“Is that even a question? That’s crazy. I mean, that’s life changing,” he said. “I’m sure it’s been done in some sport, but I don’t think it’s ever been done in this sport. You know, right now I’m not even thinking and fathoming that. That’s too much for me to think about. I have no idea. It would be the best one I ever did, I can tell you that.”
Gordon beat long odds just to race for a championship. Last year was the season he could have — maybe even should have — won title number five. But he was eliminated from the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship a week before the finale in a crushing end to his best season in at least seven years.
He announced in January that this year would be his last in the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet, and most everyone believed he’d cap this final ride with another amazing year on the track.
Instead, this farewell tour had been just OK, and when he slipped through to the third round of NASCAR’s playoffs, he was winless on the year. Then a feud between Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano handed Gordon the biggest gift in a season in which he’s been presented with mementos at nearly every track.
Logano was headed toward a win at Martinsville until Kenseth deliberately wrecked him. It opened the door for Gordon to grab his ninth career Martinsville victory and an automatic berth into Sunday’s final four. He celebrated that win as if it was the first victory of his career. Always known for his emotion, Gordon was in tears when he embraced wife, Ingrid, and children Ella and Leo. Most of his career achievements came before he married his wife, and his family has never experienced a championship.
That win turned the final three weeks of his career into a whirlwind of party planning and preparing to host family and friends on Sunday. With anticipation growing, Gordon needed three police escorts to navigate the crowd smothering his Hendrick Motorsports crew and car on Saturday.
“Everybody’s career comes to an end, he’s going out strong,” said seven-time champion Richard Petty, who faded and was no longer competitive when he finally climbed from his car in the 1992 season finale — when Gordon made his Cup debut.
“I wouldn’t mind seeing him win the championship because he’s meant so much to NASCAR over the years.”