Jeff Gordon’s Second Year As Vice Chairman Of Hendrick Motorsports Boasts High Expectations

Jeff Gordon hasn’t competed in a Nascar race since 2016. Nevertheless, the Rainbow Warrior is still the man Nascar calls upon to promote the sport ahead of its 75th anniversary.

Gordon, 51, still captivates audiences of all kinds across America. Last week, the vice chairman of Hendrick Motorsports was on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, a sign that he’s still as vibrant as ever.

The four-time Nascar Cup Series champion is thriving in his new role at Hendrick Motorsports, serving as the No. 2 man behind team owner Rick Hendrick. As Gordon enters the second year of his tenure, his new journey of taking on new challenges outside of his comfort zone truly excites him.

“It’s great to get that year under my belt and get a better understanding of the areas in the business that I can be most impactful,” Gordon said in New York City last week. “I’m loving getting to know the people, interacting with them on a whole new level. On the business side, I’m excited about some of the things the sport has going on, and Hendrick Motorsports in particular.”

Hendrick Motorsports is fresh off a series of major announcements, some that have rocked the motor sports industry. Among the moves for Hendrick is fielding the Garage 56 entry for Nascar in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, which just announced its driver lineup last weekend.

For Gordon, this is more than entering another race under the HMS banner. It’s a legacy sealer.

“There’s bucket list items and a branding legacy play for Hendrick Motorsports and Rick Hendrick,” Gordon said. “We started with this idea that [Nascar Chairman and CEO] Jim France had with Garage 56. I’m so proud of our efforts and the collaboration that’s gone on to bring that to life. It’s a lot of work and it’s very challenging. People may not understand that. Even though we’re in a class of our own, there still are targets with high expectations that we want to meet. That starts with 24 hours, just finishing it.

“The car is much heavier and higher with less downforce than your typical GTT
GT
car, but they want us to run a specific lap time or close to a target so we’re not far off from GT cars. We’re creating more downforce and venting air in and around the car, making the grip of the car with power. They’re certainly going to hear us coming.”

Additionally, Hendrick Motorsports announced it will partner with McLaren Racing to field a 2024 Indianapolis 500 entry for Kyle Larson. Larson, who’s often compared to Gordon, will pull off “The Double,” where he’ll compete in the 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte later that day. Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Robby Gordon and John Andretti are the only drivers to have made the 575-mile trek between the two races.

Throughout it all, Gordon has been the lead negotiator for Hendrick Motorsports. As he puts it, he “appreciates closing deals.”

“It was a big event for me as a kid – my favorite drivers were Rick Mears and AJ Foyt,” Gordon said. “When I got to Nascar, it wasn’t something I pursued or thought was a reality. But Kyle Larson comes along and here’s a guy who likes to drive anything and everything. He said he wants to try the Indy 500 and I ran it by Rick Hendrick. He said, ‘It’s a bucket list item for me, too.’ He’s never even been to it. We wanted to do it with the right team and plenty of planning. That’s why it was an announcement that came out early.”

On top of the additional races outside of Nascar, Hendrick Motorsports is determined to compete for its 15th Cup Series title. After Chase Elliott and Larson captured back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021, respectively, the team fell short in the first year of the Next Gen car. Elliott did make it to the Championship 4 for the third consecutive season.

Now, Gordon wants the team’s four drivers to push one another like seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson and he did.

Gordon said, “I’m really excited for the second year of the Next Gen car, hearing our team – crew chiefs, engineers and everyone else – working on their list of things they can do to make their car better. Our expectations are high.”

He also believes Hendrick’s current driver and crew chief lineup is as strong as it has ever been.

“We have a new crew chief coming on board with Alex Bowman, someone who was handpicked when we knew Greg Ives would be transitioning,” Gordon said. “I’m excited to see how Alex Bowman and Blake Harris click. We’re in the third year of Rudy Fugle and William Byron, and they’re steadily getting better every year. Then, you have Chase and Kyle, teams operating at the highest level in the company. They’re all working together to be the top dog. I love the internal competition. It’s what drove me and Jimmie Johnson, and it’s what drove others at Hendrick for many years.”

And as the interview comes to a close, Gordon rolls up his sleeve ever so slightly. He shows off the Rolex he earned from his 2017 win in the Rolex 24. It’s a symbol that even though his driving days are behind him, he is looking forward to more challenges ahead.

This time, instead of strapping behind the wheel of a racecar, Gordon is the one signing the contracts.