Four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon retired from driving in 2016 with 93 victories to his credit. The Vallejo, California, native began his career with team owner Rick Hendrick in the final race of the 1992 Cup Series season and remained with the Concord, North Carolina-based organization over the next 23 years.
For two-and-a-half decades, his office was made up of a steel roll cage, four tires and a driver’s seat with an engine that could easily generate speeds of 200 miles per hour. Today, his office is one of more traditional surroundings with a large oak desk, a phone, chairs for guests and an assistant that helps with his daily routine as vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports.
“He’s coming to work early. He’s showing up on time and with his game face on,” said company chairman and founder Rick Hendrick. That is, when he isn’t dropping off his children, Ella and Leo, at school.
On Jan. 23, 2021, Gordon was named to his future position, serving under Hendrick beginning Jan. 1, 2022. Gordon spent the year serving out his contractual obligations as an announcer with FOX Sports while preparing for his new role of pushing computer keys and ink pens rather than gas pedals and turning steering wheels that propelled him to four Cup Series championships in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001.
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“It is a real job. I told Rick it took me 50 years before I had a real office job. I have a desk and an office, and I try to be there every day but that depends on the needs. Sometimes the needs are away from (Hendrick Motorsports). I feel like I’m one of the luckiest guys in the world because I got to drive for an amazing owner and then got to be partners with him along the way. Now, I kind of get to pay him back for the opportunities that he has given me and so many others. Also, I still get to be a part of racing in such a way that I couldn’t imagine.”
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Gordon is now far removed from lap times and tire pressures and race strategies, at least those that involve him directly. He is deeply immersed in the day-to-day operations and has been for quite some time, dating back to when he and Hendrick formed the No. 48 team in 2001 and hired a young kid named Jimmie Johnson as their driver. Johnson returned the favor by winning 83 races and seven Cup Series championships.
“Jimmie has done so much for us (Hendrick Motorsports) and for the sport,” Hendrick said during Johnson’s press announcement of his retirement from NASCAR in November of 2019.” You could make a list and it would be his talent, his ability to work with sponsors, his ability as an athlete-he has raised the bar at our company from fitness to charity and so on. It’s just unbelievable how perfect he is…he set the foundation and a benchmark at this company that we all will strive to beat…”
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Gordon has left an open invitation on the table for Johnson to have a role at Hendrick Motorsports in some fashion once his driving career is officially complete. The El Cajon, California, native is currently driving Indy Cars for team owner Chip Ganassi and could possibly run his first Indianapolis 500 this coming May.
Now that Gordon’s pace off the track is presently far slower than it used to be, he is looking at all aspects of operating a championship-winning organization at NASCAR’s highest level. Hendrick Motorsports reigns as a champion with drivers Chase Elliott in 2020 and Kyle Larson in 2021.
As a three-time Daytona 500 winner, Gordon finds himself wearing many management hats in licensing, merchandising, sponsorship relations, driver relations and even some duties on the mechanical side of the business with cars and engines as he talks with engineers to help perfect the new Gen 7 race car being used in 2022.
“I’m really enjoying being on this side of it,” Gordon said. “I think I’m surprised about how much I’m enjoying the connections that I’m making. I always thought if I’m not the one driving the car then the wins and championships won’t ever mean as much, but I beg to differ.
“I think in some ways it’s as rewarding and in other ways it’s more rewarding because I’m connecting with Rick, number one, because of the time we’re spending face to face and on the phone as well as with (president) Marshall Carlson, (executive vice president and general manager) Jeff Andrews and (vice president of competition) Chad Knaus. The list goes on as to how deep Hendrick Motorsports is. I’m really enjoying the time I’m getting to spend with them and seeing their daily routines that makes Hendrick Motorsports so great.”