#24EVER: A look back at the career of Jeff Gordon.

 

 23 years of competing at the top level in NASCAR, 93 NASCAR wins, 4 time NASCAR Champion and one of the greatest drivers of not just this generation but of all time, Jeff Gordon has finally decided to hang his helmet up for the final time and retire this year. Growing up in the mid 1990's I quickly became glued to the sport of NASCAR. I began watching NASCAR in 1997 and two drivers quickly became my favorite. A hard charging intimidating driver of a black #3 car named Dale Earnhardt and a driver who was fairly young and drove a rainbow colored #24 car in Jeff Gordon.Earnhardt will always be my favorite driver but it was something about Gordon that I always loved. Early on in his career Gordon was fast from the very drop of the green flag. He would begin his career in the same race in which "The King" Richard Petty would start his last ever NASCAR race in the Hooters 500 from Atlanta Motor Speedway in November 1992. The very next season Gordon would win one of NASCAR's highest honors for young first year drivers and that was Rookie of the Year. Finally in 1994 Gordon would claim his very first victory at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in NASCAR's longest and most grueling race in the Coca-Cola 600. Later in that same year Gordon would score an emotional victory in his home race and the inaugural Brickyard 400 at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The young 24 year old was looking like a super star early on and would continue that success into 1995. Gordon claimed his first NASCAR Championship in only his 3rd full time year. In his 1995 championship season Gordon would have a breakout year in terms of wins by claiming 7 victories. Gordon would go on to dominate the 1990's winning 2 more championships (1997 & 1998) and claiming 49 victories in total (including his Coca-Cola 600 and Brickyard 400 victories from 1994) in the decade. Gordon would hit some what of a slump in the year 2000, only winning 3 times and finishing the lowest in the final championship standings (9th) since his rookie year in 1993. Jeff would claim his final NASCAR championship in 2001 and 4th total after winning 6 times.
For the rest of the 2000's after 2001 Gordon would go on to win 35 more times. Throughout his 23 year career Gordon only had 3 win less seasons (1993, 2008 & 2010). At the beginning of the 2015 season Gordon announced that this season would be in fact his final one of his career. Gordon would struggle in the early parts of the season and some how would find a way into NASCAR's chase for the Sprint Cup which is their playoffs. Jeff would catch a few lucky breaks and come the third round of the playoffs Gordon found himself in prime position to be one of the final 4 cars contending for the Championship at the final race at Homestead-Miami. Gordon would claim his 93rd and final victory of his legendary career at Martinsville in October. The win propelled Gordon to be one of four drivers with a shot the championship at Homestead. But the glass slipper did not fit and the fairy tale season ended with Jeff finishing 6th overall in the race and 3rd overall in the championship standings. Gordon finished his career with many records in NASCAR. Most wins all time at restrictor plate tracks (Daytona & Talladega) with 12, most road course wins (Sonoma and Watkins Glen) with 9 including 6 consecutive wins, most wins at Indianapolis with 5, most wins at Kansas with 3 (tied with Jimmie Johnson), most wins at Pocono with 6. Gordon is also NASCAR's IronMan with 797 consecutive starts. He never missed a race in his 23 year career. And finally Gordon ranks 3rd all time in terms of wins with 93 (1st Richard Petty: 200, 2nd David Pearson: 105). 
Jeff Gordon will always be one of my favorite drivers of all time. He transcended a sport that was at one point a dead brand in some people's eyes into mainstream. Gordon was a high profile driver who made the sport into what it is today. Hosting Saturday Night Live, appearing in TV commercials, movies, and countless other appearances made Jeff Gordon just not a sports icon but a national icon. Going into 2016 it will be different not seeing Jeff behind the wheel of that #24 car but Jeff will be enjoying his new career joining the Fox Sports NASCAR Telecast in the broadcast booth. So for now all I have to say is #24EVER!