It’s less than 40 hours after this year’s running of the Daytona 500, and Jeff Gordon is sitting amongst a small group of reporters at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The offseason buildup to snag his fourth Daytona win has just been blown like a cut tire down the back straightaway, and Gordon—who started the race in eight position before finishing 39th due to suspension failure—is wondering what might have been while doing a so-so job of hiding his Daytona disappointment.
But Gordon, who’s been racing with NASCAR since 1992, knows that the season is long. And with the support of powerful Hendrick Motorsports, the chance that he could win a fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship is an unquestionable reality.
“We’ve come out of Daytona with bad finishes before,’’ Gordon tells The Sunday Paper when asked about his current psyche. “It’s not the end of the world.”
No, it’s not. Not when you’re Jeff Gordon, the 36-year-old veteran still referred to as “Wonderboy.” Sure, he’s won more than his share of races, and he’s got the money to prove it (he’s the Series’ all-time winnings leader with more than $93 million). Yes, he’s got the Hollywood good looks, and hosting duties on “Saturday Night Live” and “Live with Regis and Kelly” under his belt.
He’s highly regarded as a philanthropist, as well: The evangelical Christian is one of NASCAR’s most active drivers on behalf of charitable causes with his Jeff Gordon Foundation, which supports charities on behalf of children in need. And don’t forget his über-gorgeous wife, Belgian-born model Ingrid Vandebosch, who last June gave birth to their first child, Ella Sofia Gordon.
And, of course, there are the legions of fans. Yes, for Jeff Gordon, life is good.
MORTAL ENEMIES
But make no mistake, he has his detractors, too. More like haters, really. Some of them are simply jealous of Gordon for all the reasons listed above. But more than that, many of his most vocal critics have never forgiven him for—well, for winning.
Jeff Gordon made his Cup debut at Atlanta Motor Speedway 15 and a half years ago, in a race that was more recognized at the time for being racing giant Richard Petty’s last. And almost immediately, the young upstart began challenging the great Dale Earnhardt Sr. for supremacy in the sport. Never mind that Gordon and the immensely popular Earnhardt were friends off the track. In the minds of the Earnhardt Nation, the two were mortal enemies. Fans cheered when Earnhardt’s black No. 3 Chevrolet won, but they just might have cheered a little louder when Gordon’s rainbow-colored No. 24 Chevrolet lost.
At the track and on the Internet, the mushrooming notion that Gordon was one notch short of the antichrist became big business. T-shirts, flags, decals and other assorted memorabilia asserted that Gordon was indeed pure evil. Fans questioned his sexual preference, and the bile that was directed his way was unprecedented. Even racers such as Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip didn’t receive as much ill will when they won at an early age.
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