Jeff Gordon reveals how his roommate helped him sign for Hendrick Motorsports
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Jeff Gordon (Via IMAGO)
Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon is one of the greatest racers in the Motorsports scene, and some argue he is one of the GOATs of NASCAR. A few elites of the sport match the HMS legend’s career and legacy, and his contributions to the sport are second to none. The Hendrick Motorsports driver has recently revealed how Rick Hendrick signed him.
The story started in the 1993 Busch Series race, the Atlanta 300. Gordon was driving for Bill Davis in a Ford. Gordon won the race despite running multiple laps with smoke rolling off the right rear tire, and Hendrick was at the stands witnessing it all. He was impressed by the young racers’ prowess and wanted to sign him.
But Hendrick thought he might not be able to do this, believing Gordan had a deal with Ford. When he shared it with the team, Gordan’s roommate Andy Graves was present there, and he confirmed that there wasn’t such a deal. Graves was an R&D engineer at the time. Everything went quickly after that, as he made his debut the same season with HMS and signed a full-time deal for the next season.
Andy came home and he says, 'Hey, you are not going to believe this. I was in Jimmy Johnson’s office, and Rick Hendrick walked in and asked about you.' I think the next day, I was at Rick’s office, and we were talking about how do we get you to Hendrick Motorsports…I want to say that was March or April in 1992 and by the end of that year, I was driving…From that point, the rest is history.Gordon said, as reported by Hendrickmotorsports.com.
It took Jeff Gordon just three years to win a championship at HMS
Gordon made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in the 1992 season finale and his full-time debut the next season. His rookie season with the Chevy teams didn’t have an over-the-top performance, but he performed well for a rookie, and his consistency earned him a P14 finish in the championship in a winless season.
He secured his maiden win at the 1994 Coco-Cola 600, and he ended that season with two wins and a P8 finish in the championship. His third season with the team, 1995, was special; he won the title, overcoming competition from the likes of Dale S. He won seven races that year.
Gordon drove for HMs full-time till 2015 and made part-time starts in 2016 as Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s replacement. He won three more championships and secured 93 wins from 806 starts. He was in the top tier, earned him a Hall of Fame entry in 2019, and placed him on the list of the sport’s greatest racers.
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Justin P Joy
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