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Some say he turned NASCAR in a different direction internally two decades ago. Some say that it was a bad thing, some disagree. I could see both sides.
In any case, Jeff Gordon continues to win aching back and all on the NASCAR Sprint Cup tour. As I reminisce on a Sunday night after he won the Brickyard 400 for the fifth time in his career, it got me to thinking. He probably doesn’t have many years left on the circuit. I remember him saying a long time ago that he likely wouldn’t be racing at 50. He’s 43 now, with a wife, two kids. Anyhow, I did say that I would share a couple of Gordon stories in the Rutherford Weekly when given a chance. Today is your lucky day.
This past weekend was win number 90. Gordon still could win 10 more races and get to the all-exclusive club where only two other drivers have gone before. The question becomes when he will call it a career. He said this season, that if he won the championship, he would consider calling it quits. It looks good as he has led the points for most of the season. However, going back to reminiscing. Jeff Gordon was the first person that really helped me at the track per say when I got into sports media.
I covered the last couple of years at Rockingham in 2003 and 2004, but the last race at “The Rock” in 2004 was really where this all started. So I’m on pit road taking pictures where the grid is lined up during pre-race towards the front with this mini camera I had at the time. I was still a little intimidated to say too much to anybody since I didn’t want to make a fool of myself.
So, I’m trying to be as professional as I can with my NASCAR issued photographer vest and I turned my back away from Gordon standing at his car for just a moment. The next thing I know, Gordon taps my shoulder and says: I just noticed you were taking pictures, why don’t we take one of us beside the car?
At first, I’m hesitant. Then I tried to explain that I wanted to be professional considering how horrible a job I had done the year before at Rockingham and that I didn’t want somebody from NASCAR to say anything about it. Gordon: It’s the last race here, I think they would understand. However, there is one stipulation. This picture has to go on the front page of the paper you work for and I want a copy. Me: How I am going to pull that stunt? Jeff: I have confidence in you.
You wonder, does he think I am not media? We sorta had similar haircuts at the time, was it because of that?
So, his public relations person, and still a good friend of mine (Jon Edwards), takes the picture and I was able to convince the Yancey Times Journal to share my story front page later that week. From then on, I wanted to talk to everybody in that garage, talk to anybody at any sporting event who would give me a minute of their time. I have Jeff to thank for that.
Just a few weeks later I covered at Martinsville. I handed the article to Jon and have interviewed Jeff many times since. As a matter of fact, that was the weekend Jeff hit the pothole and damaged the front end while running second. The race comes to a halt to fix the track and Gordon comes to the garage area and we meet up. Gordon puts his arm around my neck as we are walking back to his hauler and I ask if NASCAR will allow him to repair that damage because normally they don’t. Gordon: I’m lobbying and it doesn‘t look good. It’s torn up pretty bad, but we will see what we can do going forward.
Of course, they don’t and he rallies to finish sixth. The third turn pothole incident is also where I ask Kyle Petty how big is this pothole because I wasn’t allowed that close. Kyle: It’s big enough to fit you in it.
Thanks Kyle for your brutal honesty! That’s strange! How did Kyle know I wanted to be buried at Martinsville? Not in turn three! Well, never mind, it was just a thought, or was it?
Local Little League: This past weekend, Rutherfordton’s Senior League softball team were at the Southeast Regionals in Fort Myers, Florida. A two-run Madison Crain homer fueled a 7-0 win that beat Georgia. They lost in their second game to Florida 7-3, but no more information could be gathered before deadline.
Rutherfordton junior baseball team will play at the Southeast Regionals this weekend in Greenville, SC.
