While most NASCAR racers get behind the wheel to win, the bigger motivation is often their love for racing. However, when a driver’s passion for the sport and their long list of achievements get them into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, it should be one of their life’s highest moments.
Several drivers and other figures associated with the sport have found their way into the museum in North Carolina. With 67 individuals, the NASCAR Hall of Fame continues to add more names to the club every year.
One of the most memorable additions to the roster was that of Jeff Gordon. As much as his credentials played a role, even the manner in which he won the contest was nothing short of legendary.
A Brief Glance at Jeff Gordon’s NASCAR Career
Like most NASCAR drivers, Gordon started racing at a young age. Starting with quarter midgets and go-karts, he showed promise and broke a handful of records when he was just six.
He eventually moved to midgets and sprint cars, winning the 1990 USAC National Midget Series Championship and the 1991 USAC Silver Crown Series Championship.
While Gordon initially aimed to make it big in open-wheel racing with IndyCar, he eventually pivoted and made his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut in 1990, driving for Bill Davis Racing.
After two years in the Tier-2 league, he finally made his Cup Series debut in 1992 for the same team on a part-time schedule. The following year, he arrived at Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 24 Chevy.
Although he did not clinch any wins in his rookie year, his signature pace and brilliance were evident. In 1994, he won twice, first at Charlotte and then at Indianapolis, declaring he meant serious business.
The following year, in 1995, Gordon was crowned Cup Series champion at just 24. He won seven races that year and became the second-youngest driver to win the competition after Bill Rexford.
Once he solidified his position as a hotshot Hendrick Motorsports driver, he kept winning frequently in some of the toughest NASCAR competitions.
After narrowly missing the championship in 1996, Gordon won it two consecutive times in 1997 and 1998. At 27, he had three Cup Series titles to his name.
Although he won the championship for the last time in 2001, his wins were never scarce until his retirement in 2015. His last win in the Cup Series was in 2014 at Charlotte, making it a rather poetic moment.
In his 24-year career, he won 93 times and became the third-highest driver in terms of Cup Series wins. Gordon also holds the longest streak of 797 consecutive starts in the Cup Series.
The Heroic Hall of Fame Induction of Jeff Gordon
On May 23 in 2018, Gordon was officially declared one of the G.O.A.T.s of NASCAR when the doors of the NASCAR Hall of Fame opened for him.
In doing so, Gordon won the contest by the highest margin ever. Out of the 57 voters who cast their vote that year, 55 voted in Gordon’s favor, giving him the highest approval rate of 96%.
On this date [May 23] in 2018: Jeff Gordon was voted into @NASCARHall with 96% (55 of 57 voters approve). It remains the highest percentage beyond the first class in 2010 when the total wasn’t released. JG: “You realize how special this is, what a great honor this is.” #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/3fIsY1FQjK
— Jeff Gordon Online (@JGinfo)
David Pearson and Robert Yates, with 94% approval rates for NASCAR Hall of Fame induction, are next on the list.
Although the votes for the ‘Class of 2019’ were cast in May 2018, the official ceremony for the induction was in Feb. 2019. Delirious and grateful on one of the biggest nights of his life, Gordon said: “You realize how special this is, what a great honor this is.”